The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Beginning

During a rescue, Athena is killed when a pirate ship crashes into the Atlantica lagoon as she tries to recover the music box. The tragedy shatters King Triton, who throws away the music box and bans music from Atlantica forever. The kingdom loses its music-centered joy and the culture of song is silenced.

Ten years pass with Atlantica under a strict routine, and music is forbidden. Ariel and her six sisters are kept busy by routines overseen by their governess, Marina Del Rey, and her cheerful assistant, Benjamin the manatee. King Triton remains somber, wielding his power to keep the kingdom quiet and obedient.

Ariel befriends Flounder and follows him to an underground music club. She is overwhelmed by the music and surprised to see Sebastian performing there. When her presence is revealed, the band hides, but she is moved by memories of her mother and swears secrecy, earning acceptance into the club.

Ariel returns to the palace and tells her sisters about the club. The next night, all seven sisters sneak out to enjoy the music. Marina discovers the escapade and reports the club to King Triton, who immediately imprisons Sebastian, Flounder, and the band, while Ariel and her sisters are confined to the palace.

Realizing she cannot live without music, Ariel frees her friends from jail. Sebastian leads them to a deserted place far from the palace, where Ariel discovers her mother's music box. Sebastian hopes the box will remind Triton of happier times.

Ariel decides to bring the music back to Atlantica, hoping the box will rekindle joy in her father and restore balance to the kingdom. She resolves to carry the box back to the palace and present it to Triton.

Attina informs Triton that Ariel and Sebastian are missing, prompting the king to order guards to find them. Marina further accelerates her schemes by releasing electric eels to hunt the fugitives.

On their way back, electric eels attack the group, and Flounder fights them off. Sebastian confronts Marina, and he traps her in a coral tube, seemingly defeating her.

King Triton arrives at the scene and is horrified as Ariel rushes to protect Sebastian, taking a hard hit that knocks her unconscious. Triton dives down to cradle her, his grief deepening as he faces the consequences of his estrangement from joy.

As Triton cradles Ariel, the music box begins to play and he sings to her, rekindling a long-buried joy. Ariel slowly regains consciousness, and the king realizes the depth of his earlier mistake.

Triton apologizes and reconciles with Ariel. He lifts the decade-long ban on music, returning song to Atlantica. Sebastian is reinstated as the king's right hand and Atlantica's first official Court Composer.

Marina and Benjamin are imprisoned in the dungeon for their actions against Ariel and the kingdom’s harmony. The leaders of Atlantica begin to restore order and justice to those who endangered the realm.

In the restored peace, Ariel shares a dance with King Triton, symbolizing their renewed bond. The kingdom rejoices as music returns to Atlantica and life regains its joyful rhythm.