He’s the guy with the white shirt, the boots, and the dog. Most people look at Prince Eric from The Little Mermaid and see a generic cardboard cutout of a Disney royal. You know the type. He stands around, looks handsome, and waits for a princess to fall into his lap. But if you actually sit down and watch the 1989 film—or even look at the 2023 live-action remake—there’s a lot more going on under the surface.
He’s actually kind of a weirdo. In a good way.
Unlike the princes who came before him, like Prince Charming or the guy from Snow White who didn't even have a name for decades, Eric has actual hobbies. He’s obsessed with the sea. He’s a bit of a rebel against his own royal status. Honestly, he’s probably the first Disney prince with a discernible personality.
What Disney Changed About Prince Eric
In Hans Christian Andersen’s original 1837 fairy tale, the prince is basically a plot device. He’s handsome, sure, but he’s also kind of oblivious. He loves the Little Mermaid, but only as a "dear child" or a pet. He ends up marrying a different princess because he thinks she was the one who saved him from the shipwreck. It’s brutal.
Disney’s Prince Eric is a massive departure from that grim reality.
In the 1989 version, voiced by Christopher Daniel Barnes, Eric is presented as an explorer. He’s first seen on a ship, not in a throne room. He’s dirty, he’s working with the sailors, and he’s playing a flute. This matters because it creates a parallel with Ariel. They are both outsiders in their own worlds. Ariel wants to be on land; Eric wants to be at sea.
The 2023 remake, starring Jonah Hauer-King, doubles down on this. This version of the character is a collector of artifacts. He’s got a room full of maps and treasures from other cultures. It makes the connection between him and Ariel much more believable. They aren’t just two hot people staring at each other; they’re two nerds who love stuff from worlds they don't belong to.
The Grimsby Connection
You can’t talk about the prince without talking about Grimsby. He’s the classic "stuffy advisor" archetype, but his presence highlights Eric’s reluctance to lead a traditional royal life. Grimsby wants him to settle down and marry a conventional princess. Eric wants a soulmate.
It’s a trope, yeah, but it works. It gives Eric a reason to be looking out at the horizon instead of focusing on his tax policy or whatever 19th-century princes did.
Why the "No Voice" Plot Actually Works
One of the biggest criticisms of The Little Mermaid is that Eric falls for Ariel while she’s silent. People say it’s superficial. "He only likes her because she’s pretty."
But look closer.
The scenes where Ariel is "human" but mute are where the character development happens. Eric takes her through his kingdom. He shows her his world. He’s charmed by her curiosity, not just her face. When she tries to eat with a fork (the dinglehopper) or gets fascinated by a pipe, he doesn't think she’s crazy. He thinks she’s refreshing.
He’s a guy who has been surrounded by "proper" royalty his whole life. Then comes this girl who finds a fork fascinating. It’s easy to see why he’d find that captivating.
The Shipwreck and the Rescue
Let’s be real: Eric should have died like three times in the first twenty minutes. The shipwreck scene is actually pretty intense for a "kids' movie." He risks his life to save his dog, Max. That’s a huge character beat. It tells the audience immediately that he’s brave and cares about others.
Then comes the "Part of Your World" reprise.
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Ariel saves him, sings to him, and disappears. This sets up the central mystery for Eric. He’s haunted by a voice. This is a clever writing choice because it gives him a goal. He’s not just waiting for the plot to happen; he’s actively searching for the "dream girl" who saved him.
The 2023 Update: Adding Real Depth
In the live-action version, we get a lot more backstory. We find out he was a foundling, which adds a layer of "not belonging" to his character. This makes his bond with Ariel even tighter. They are both orphans of a sort—Ariel having lost her mother, and Eric having been adopted into a royal family that doesn't quite understand his wanderlust.
Director Rob Marshall and the writers also gave him a song, "Wild Uncharted Waters."
Musically, it’s a power ballad. Lyrically, it’s all about his obsession with the girl who saved him and his desire to break free from the "safety" of the shore. It’s arguably one of the better additions to the remake because it justifies his actions. He isn't just a love interest; he’s a protagonist in his own right.
Common Misconceptions About Prince Eric
People love to dunk on Disney characters, and Eric gets his fair share of flak. Here are a few things people usually get wrong:
- He’s a "Damsel in Distress": Actually, Eric kills Ursula. In the original movie, he steers a sunken ship's jagged bow through her. He’s one of the few Disney princes who actually deals the finishing blow to the villain.
- He’s Boring: Compared to Aladdin or Flynn Rider, maybe. But for 1989? He was a revolution. He was the first prince to have a hobby, a best friend, and a clear motivation beyond "I want to get married."
- He Didn’t Recognize Ariel: This is the most common complaint. "How could he not know it was her?" Honestly, if you were half-conscious and saw a girl singing through a fever dream, and then met a girl who looked like her but couldn't speak, you’d be confused too. Plus, Ursula’s magic was literally clouding his mind.
The Legacy of the Character
Prince Eric set the stage for the "Modern Disney Prince." Without him, we don't get the charm of the 90s era. He proved that the male lead could be more than just a reward at the end of the movie.
He represents a specific kind of romanticism. It’s not about the castle or the crown; it’s about the adventure. That’s why the character still resonates. Whether you prefer the animated version or the live-action portrayal, the core remains the same: a man who is looking for something more than what’s expected of him.
How to Appreciate the Character More
If you're revisiting the films, keep an eye on these specific details to see the nuance in his characterization:
- Watch his body language with Max. It shows a level of gentleness that wasn't common in earlier animation for male leads.
- Listen to the 2023 soundtrack. Specifically "Wild Uncharted Waters." It recontextualizes his entire arc from a simple "guy looking for a girl" to a man seeking his own identity.
- Notice the lack of royal guards. Eric is almost always alone or with Grimsby. He isn't interested in the trappings of power, which makes him the perfect foil for Ariel’s father, King Triton, who is obsessed with his authority.
Exploring the history of these characters reveals that they aren't just remnants of old fairy tales. They are evolving archetypes. Eric transitioned from a nameless figure in a 19th-century book to a proactive, ship-steering hero in the 20th century, and finally to a nuanced, soul-searching explorer in the 21st.