Peter Pan and Little Mermaid linked by tragic death? Theory makes connection
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Have you ever stopped to think about the fate of Ariel’s mother from The Little Mermaid? The absence of King Triton’s wife is explained on screen, but a fan theory goes further.
In the film The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Story (2008), part of the mermaid’s childhood is shown, including her relationship with her mother, Queen Athena.
Spoiler! In the prequel, Ariel’s mother is killed by a ship, which crushes her against the rocks of a lagoon where she, her daughter and her husband used to have fun.
Tragedy occurs when she returns to get her music box, which was left behind.
Where does Peter Pan come into the story?
The ship that killed Queen Athena would be Captain Hook’s. This is what a theory published on TikTok by user “its_ivanmars” says.
In The Adventures of Peter Pan (1953), it is possible to see a mermaid very similar to Queen Athena in the Mermaid Lagoon, which refers to the place where she died.
The mermaid in Peter Pan has the same color scheme as Athena. Red hair, turquoise tail and seashell bikini are seen on both characters.
Reproduction/Walt Disney Pictures
Additionally, Mermaid Lagoon is a confirmed location in the Peter Pan universe.
The location is marked on Captain Hook’s map, and is highlighted in the 1953 animation, being marked with the pirate’s cigarette smoke.
The theory was never confirmed. However, many fans agreed with the video posted on TikTok and stated that the speculation makes sense.
In the 2023 live-action film, Athena’s death is explained differently.
In the film, it is said that the queen died due to the actions of humans, which explains King Triton’s feelings towards the surface.
Ariel says she died at the hand of “a single human”, which contradicts the idea of a ship full of pirates.
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