- “Don't be held back by what you think should be. Think only of what is.”
- ―Grimsby
Grimsby, simply known as Grim, is a supporting character feature in the 2023 live-action remake of The Little Mermaid. He is the prime minister of Selina's kingdom, as well as the royal advisor of Eric.
Grim is based on the character of the same name from the 1989 animated film.
Background[]
Grimsby became prime minister of Queen Selina's kingdom sometime before she and her husband adopted Prince Eric, twenty-one years before the events of the film. Grimsby also became the royal advisor when it came to keeping Eric safe as the prince grew up.
Personality[]
Grim is very kind and caring. Although when it comes to him thinking Eric is acting irresponsible, Grimsby will act more tough and does not tolerate silly behaviour at all, as seen when the crew are throwing Eric around while on the ship, during his birthday celebrations. Grimsby tries to stop the young prince from acting silly as they are on the water and wants him to act more like a future king would.
However, despite this, Grim is very supportive of Eric when he realizes that Eric has fallen in love with a young woman, named Ariel, who has been found, despite Eric's desire to find the woman who saved his life. Grimsy cares a lot about Eric's happiness, and his mother Selina, who worries for Eric's safety.
Role in the film[]
Grimsby is first seen onboard the Royal Ship looking for Prince Eric who on a bowsprit longing to look for a mermaid who he might fall in love with. As he approaches Eric on the bowsprit, he fears that Eric might fall into the ocean, telling him to get back onboard immediately. Just as Eric tells his crew that there is a Spanish galleon spotted ahead, Grimsby warns Eric that he will return home, telling him to listen to him which Grimsby accidentally knocks Eric's telescope into the ocean.
Later, that night during Eric's birthday on his ship, Grimsby tells him to continue to learn to behave in a manner to help him become a future king just before Eric approaches his pet dog Max that he saw a mermaid on one of the boats which is Ariel. However, as a storm approached, Eric began steering his ship to navigate his crew through the stormy sea; however, just as the ship hit a rock, causing a lantern to fall onto the ship to start a fire, Grimsby and the rest of Eric's crew, as well as Eric's pet dog, Max, began to evacuate from the burning ship while Ariel later saves Eric who is drowning in the ocean.
As Eric returns home the next day, Grimsby discusses with Selina which he reports to her that there were no casualties during the storm last night and as Eric approaches the queen, Grimsby replies to her that he could not find a sign of the girl who Eric is falling in love, just as Selina forbids him from going out to any more voyages on the ocean until he feels better. She then asks Grimsby to know how many shipwrecks have occurred this year, which he replies to Selina that six shipwrecks have happened, which she prevents Eric from going on any more voyages just before Eric sings the musical number "Wild Uncharted Waters".
When Ariel appears in the castle, Grimsby begins to notice the attraction between her and Prince Eric and does his best to support them. He first secretly fetches a carriage for Eric despite the queen's order to have Eric remain in the castle. Grimsby later appears talking with Lashana if Eric has been ignoring her orders and as Eric hears Grimsby's conversation and just he hears Eric talking, he recaps to Grimsby that he went out on a rowboat in a lagoon while discussing with him. After Ariel leaves, Grimsby discusses with Eric he was unable to find Ariel, the mermaid he was looking for, just before Eric goes to bed.
On the third day, Grimsby is talking with Selina, who replies to him that he must have found the girl he was looking for the whole time while planning for a wedding outside upon staring at "Vanessa", Ursula's disguise. When Vanessa shows up and bewitches Eric with Ariel's stolen voice, Grimsby notices his unusual behavior and confronts Eric about his torn feelings for Ariel. However, the wedding was disrupted when Scuttle stalls the engagement ceremony upon attacking Vanessa. After Ariel shatters Ursula's necklace to reclaim her voice and Ursula reveals her true form, Grimsby and the rest of the other surviving attendees retreat upon revealing to be the sea witch in disguise. Grimsby's support of Ariel and Eric's relationship runs so deep that he deliberately kicks away the family engagement ring when Scuttle knocked it out of Eric's hands, then stops Selina from going after Eric when he rushes to the shore to find Ariel.
After Ursula was killed during battle, Grimsby approaches Eric who was worried that he was looking for him all along just before Selina apologizes to him about the misunderstanding, she told him earlier. During the wedding between Eric and Ariel, Grimsby takes them to Selina who is planning them for a send off. After a conversation with Selina, Grimsby and the rest of the castle staff began to bid Ariel and Eric a farewell as they travel around the world.
See also[]
Trivia[]
- Unlike Grim's animated counterpart, he is not just the royal advisor, but also is the prime minister of Eric's kingdom.
- Grim does not suffer from any form of sea sickness nor does disbelieve in the existence of Merpeople at all.
- But Grim does still serve as the confidant and father-figure of Eric.
