In This Episode we discuss our first Disney villain: Ursula, the sea witch from The Little Mermaid. We summarize the film for anyone not familiar and then we discuss her background and how she came to be ostracized by the rest of the sea creatures and merfolk. We analyze Ursula’s design (and the general design of Disney villains) and how that played into audience perceptions of her. And finally, we dive a bit below the surface (under the sea, if you will) and discuss why there’s more to Ursula than we maybe thought.
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Hosts: Kimberly Fludd and Rebecca L. Salois
Logo Design: Samantha Wallace
Music: Shawn P. Russell
Sound Consultant and Mixing: Shawn P. Russell
Recording and Editing: Rebecca L. Salois
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Sources:
Reclaiming Conch: In Defense of Ursula, Fairy Octomother, by Brigit McCone
Why Ursula Is So Important in The Little Mermaid, by Katherine Cusumano
Why Ursula Is the Real Hero of “The Little Mermaid” by Ariane Lange
Beasts of the Deep: Sea Creatures and Popular Culture, edited by Jon Hackett and Sean Harrington
