Urchin is a character from The Little Mermaid animated series.
Background
Urchin is a young teen merman (age 15/16) who becomes one of Ariel's best friends. He is an orphan who lives alone, and initially has few friends. He later meets Ariel, and the two become close friends and develops a crush on Ariel (puppy-love/innocent type with it being also his first love). However Ariel sees him as a dear friend/brother. No one knows if Urchin’s parents had passed away or had abandoned him.. nor is it brought up in the show itself.. but Urchin does show some sadness re regards to his parents when thinking about them, regardless.
It's not explained about what happened to him between the events of the series and the film.
Urchin isn't seen or mentioned in either the prequel nor the sequel of the film as well.
Personality
Urchin is very fun loving, brave, reliable, friendly, cheerful, loyal, and mischievous. He is known to be quite the prankster (which makes him come off quite devious at times) and to pull one on practically anyone (whether it's just for fun or to even help save the day, rescue Ariel, Flounder, Sebastian, and others). He seen to be very protective of both Flounder and Ariel (mainly Ariel however). Urchin has the will of full determination when need be and always means well, especially when it comes to rescuing and protecting them both, which is admirable however at times he may get into trouble. He also has is creatively resourceful... they are him and the others in a jam (like if Ariel and Flounder are trapped and they can't get Trident to help at that time).. Urchin will find a way to help save the day or at least his friends. Also he has knowledge of some things that the others don't know or much about (like howling hairfishes for example). No matter if it's advice from Ariel, King Triton, or another person he highly respects he learns from the experience to not repeat the mistake again. Urchin also has a crush on Ariel (a cute/sweet innocent first love/"puppy love" kind of crush).. even though Ariel doesn't feel the same way about him. Mutual feelings or not.. he's grateful for meeting Ariel and does treasure her and their friendship.
Physical Appearance
Urchin has blond hair, blue eyes, and a dark/olive green tail.
Appearances
The Little Mermaid: The Series
Urchin first appears in the fourth episode of the series, "Urchin", which serves as his introduction. In the episode, Urchin is seen to be an orphan who lives by himself, but wants badly to have friends. He is approached by small-time villains Lobster Mobster and Da Shrimp, who bring him into their gang and use him to steal food for them. Urchin manages to steal food from the palace, but in doing so is confronted by Ariel. Ariel tries to befriend Urchin, who at first rebuffs her. Urchin later shows his true colors when he helps Ariel escape after she is kidnapped by Lobster Mobster and Da Shrimp. He even stops Crab Louie, Lobster Mobster's Boss, from stealing from the royal treasury, an act that earns him a kiss from Ariel (leading him to making flush a bit and give a small/shy crushing grin). A friendship is forged when Urchin follows Ariel's advice and apologizes to King Triton for his behavior.
In the episode "Marriage of Inconvenience", Urchin is first seen having a dream about rescuing Ariel, which then soon becomes a bad dream/nightmare. With then Sebastian coming by and waking him up to deliver a message of an invitation to him that Ariel had invited him to the water slide. When they arrive Urchin looks at Ariel with crush/puppy love eyes and a grin saying that she is so amazing. Shortly Triton then saying the same thing with Urchin agreeing with him. Soon Urchin overhears Triton speaking to himself about speaking with the King from a neighboring kingdom, Olympia (who is known to go to war), about having Ariel and their prince would make a "perfect union." After Triton leaves, Urchin asks Sebastian what the word "union" means with in reply Sebastian says it's normally used for marriage. Resulting Urchin to then believe that Triton is planning an arranged marriage for Ariel. Urchin then telling Ariel and Flounder the concern, Ariel and Flounder start laughing with Sebastian then joining. Ariel reminds Urchin that she has 6 older sisters and that she is too young to marry anyway assuring him that he doesn't need to worry. However Prince Thor, the Olympian prince comes to see Ariel for himself to see if she is worthy to be his partner. Ariel and him seem to bicker and not get along at all. Sebastian decides to invite him to dinner to straighten things out. However Ariel, Urchin, and Flounder aren't for it. Together, he, Ariel, Flounder, and Sebastian work to try to make Ariel seem unappealing to him. One of the plans Urchin plays a prank on Thor about Atlantica customs before dinner, with the help of a few other sea folk who are with Urchin and Flounder about Ariel in an arranged marriage. Thor then tells Ariel that she will come with him to Olympia the following day, at "low tide." Then with the help of Sebastian, Flounder, and Ariel, Urchin plays another prank on him. After they insulted Thor, and reports it to his father. Triton defends that Ariel would never do anything to insult anyone. Which ends up the King of Olympia declares war on Atlantica. Ariel, Sebastian, Flounder, and Urchin are then informed that the entire thing was a misunderstanding; Ariel was to be partnered with Thor for the Aquabatics event at the upcoming Sea Games, meaning a union as in a partnership.. not a marriage. As well to keep peace between the two kingdoms. During the battle Ariel swims out and goes to talk to Thor to sort things out and apologize for the misunderstanding. Thor understands and said that they need to quickly inform his father--Fast. Urchin, who is watching from afar and hear what the conversation was between Ariel and Thor, sees Ariel and Thor swimming together--with him holding tightly her hand (to go speak to his father quickly to stop the battle ). He mistakenly believes that Thor had captured her. Urchin attempts to rescue her, but he gets hit by a catapult. While unconscious, he dreams that Ariel has left Atlantica, leaving everyone depressed. However, he soon recovers and is happy to learn the truth. Later on at the sea games.. Urchin, Flounder, and Sebastian were able to watch and enjoy Ariel's and Thor's routine.
In the episode "Trident True", He is first seen being with King Triton with some friendly target practice with Urchin throwing sea shells and Trident shooting them with his powerful Trident. When Sebastian pulls him away and suggests to take care of paper work before the following day being, father's day. Urchin lets him take care of the needed paperwork, feeling and looking pretty sad at hearing it was Father's day tomorrow... due to him being an orphan. Urchin then decides to [another kind of] play prank on Ariel's sisters Arista, Attina, and Adella (involving their cosmetics). He later is seen in the marketplace with Ariel, where she encourages him to buy a Father's Day present for Triton, as he has no father of his own and that her father looks at Urchin as a son. Urchin see a squid ink pen and thinks that the King could use this to sign any future documents. Urchin tries it out but instead of ink on the paper.. the ink splats out on his face. Making Ariel and Flounder giggle. Unfortunately though, Ariel still isn't sure about what to get for her father. They purchase a map from a sleazy traveling sales eel to find very unique and very rare shell that glows but can only be found in "Shark Canyon." Flounder being frighten by the fact there's sharks.. Urchin lets him know that he will protect both him and Ariel. He later accompanies Ariel, as she goes to a cave to find a unique present from herself. When Ariel and flounder is trapped by an Octopus, Urchin attempts to steal the Trident to save her. However, the sleazy sales eels swipes it after trapping Urchin in a fishing net, and seeing that that he (the sleazy sales eel) can't use it and is told by Urchin that only the king of Atlantica knows how to use it and control it. With then him questioning Urchin how was then planning on using it to save Ariel and Flounder. As he slithers away and is out of sight. Urchin finds sharp broken sea shell cut the ropes open and escaped. He saves Ariel and Flounder from the octopus by pushing over a rock that was close to the ledge and could fall directly on top of the Octopus. Urchin explains about that he couldn't find her father and took the Trident in hopes he'd be able to wield it to help her and Flounder. After Ariel comforting Urchin the three of them go look for the Trident.. which was sold to the Evil Manta. Urchin decides to trick and his guard dog, Smiley away with a blow fish who turn himself into a ball. With the blowfish successfully leading the Smiley away; the three make the way into the cave that is the Evil Manta's home. Ariel throws the glow shell they retrieved from Shark Canyon to distract the Evil Manta to get him to put the trident down. After it is put down to the side Urchin tries to silently get the trident back quickly, despite Ariel's warning to not grab it yet. The Evil Manta spot him after he's retrieves the trident. With them having to run, Flounder gets captured and they are threaten if they don't give the trident back to the Evil Manta; Flounder will be squished crushed in his fist. Urchin decides to use the trident to save him with again despite another warning from Ariel telling him to not use it. The Evil Manta unhands Flounder and runs away.. however Flounder was stunned from the shot that Urchin used with the trident. When they return back to the palace.. Triton undoes the stunning. He reminds Urchin that only the king of Atlantica is able to wield the trident correctly and safely. However Triton also realizes he was at fault due leaving his trident unattended by him and forgives Urchin since they both had made mistakes this time. At the end, Ariel gives Triton the glowing shell (which they were able to recover from the former Evil Manta's home/cave after he ran off), which he is surprised that she had found a unique and rare shell. She also lets him know that Urchin helped her out in finding it. Urchin gives Triton his present, a squid pen, that he can use to sign any new documents. King Triton accepts and lets Urchin know he may not be his actual father, but he does take Urchin like a son. which in turn Urchin is indeed happy to hear that Ariel was right on how her father viewed him as. To side quietly Ariel's older sisters admitting to one another they all do see him a lot like "an annoying kid brother." Triton decides to try the squid ink pen out with a document that wasn't signed yet.. After being handed on by Sebastian he unfortunately (like Urchin) the ink splatted out on his face and second time on Sebastian.
In "King Crab", Urchin is one of the people who plays along in a scheme to impress Sebastian's parents by making them think he is king.. and the one who started it up. Unfortunately though he, Ariel, and Flounder get tired of doing it but bare through it for Sebastian's sake until his parents leave... or until Ariel's father comes back from his conference (whichever comes first).
Urchin also appears in the episode "The Beast Within". He identifies the curse on Flounder after Flounder is bitten by a howling hairfish. In a side plot, Sebastian becomes angry at Urchin after the young teen merman accidentally breaks a trophy that Sebastian had received from Triton, while saving them from a Howling Hairfish (the one that bit Flounder) The two are able to make up at the end, particularly after Sebastian learns that Triton had received the Trophy as a gift from the Finleys and had only given it to Sebastian to get rid of it.
Trivia
- His appearence is similar to that of Varian from Tangled: The Series except that he has blond hair instead of black.
- He and Alex (from "The Little Mermaid II: Return To The Sea") are NOT the same person... however it's rumored that they may possibly be related and that Alex might be Urchin's son.. however this isn't confirmed.
- Urchin is great at thinking fast and using things in his area/vacinity to help his friends out.
- He tried to use King Triton's trident once ... even though he already knowing that the trident can't be used properly by anyone other than the king of Atlantica.
- He isn't seen in either the prequel or a sequel of the film.
