Scuttle (episode)

This episode chronicles Ariel's first meeting with Scuttle the seagull, a character that we know in the film. Ariel and Scuttle cross paths purely by chance, and although they initially get off on the wrong foot, they forge a friendship that will last for years to come.

In this episode, a ship of pirates are prowling the waters. After they attack and ravage a travelling ship, a gold cup accidentally falls into the sea. This glinting cup is spotted by Ariel, who is swimming underneath with Sebastian and Flounder, and by Scuttle, who is flying overhead. The two of them go for the cup at the exact same time, resulting in a tug of war. Scuttle wins, but Ariel doesn't give up easily and chases him so to regain her treasure. This results in Ariel, Flounder and Sebastian visiting Scuttle's little island.

(Continuity note: Scuttle's island looks somewhat similar to how it is the movie, except that in the film it's practically in the middle of nowhere, while in this episode it's a stone's throw away from what looks like a swamp. Also, though it's a little surprising that Sebastian would get to know Scuttle so early on, in the film they do seem to know each other already, though they're not so much on good terms.)

As Ariel is getting to know Scuttle and listening to his blabbering about how much he knows about humans, an eagle drops out of nowhere, grabs Sebastian, and flies off. Scuttle, eager to make friends, tries to rescue Sebastian but is too clumsy. Sebastian manages to pinch his captor's leg, but he ends up falling on the pirate ship, where he is trapped. Scuttle insists that he can be counted on and so Ariel decides to give him a chance, since flying would be an advantage in rescuing Sebastian.

Sebastian gets into quite a few tight scrapes in the pirate's ship, but manages to escape at the last minute thanks to Scuttle, who comes through when it really counts. Ariel chips in, following Scuttle's instructions, and together they make a pretty good team.

Just then, a second ship appears. It's the Royal Galleon, and the pirate ship is heading straight for it, intent on capturing the prince on board whom they intend to take hostage. With a new flying ally in her posse, Ariel sets into motion stopping the pirates. During the hullabaloo, she is accidentally seen by a dark-haired human prince who will have a prominent role in her future.