King Triton

King Triton

DisneyChar
name = King Triton


image caption =
first appearance = The Little Mermaid (1989)
created by = Hans Christian Andersen (original story)
Roger Allers & Andreas Deja (adaptation)
voiced by = Kenneth Mars (1989 film, TV series, )
Jim Cummings ()
aliases = The Sea King, Red

King Triton (sometimes referred to as Triton) is a fictional character of Disney's "The Little Mermaid" franchise. He first appears in the 1989 film "The Little Mermaid", and later re-appears in the film's prequel television series spin-off "The Little Mermaid", direct-to-video sequel ', and direct-to-DVD prequel '. He is voiced by Kenneth Mars in all the above animated material, with the exception of the prequel film, in which he is voiced by Jim Cummings.

His Japanese voice is provided by George Nakata.

Background

King Triton is an adaptation of the Sea King character in Hans Christian Andersen's story "The Little Mermaid". In the original tale, the Sea King is a widower and loving father who allows all his daughters to visit the surface as soon as they come of age. The Disney film has altered the character in order to generate conflict with his daughter, and does not include the character of the Sea King's mother, who exists in the original fairytale.

Fictional biography

Triton is the Sea King and Ariel's father. His name is derived from the mythological Greek character Triton, who was the son of the Greek sea god Poseidon (or King Neptune). In the Disney franchise, Triton is the king of the underwater kingdom of Atlantica. He is a merman and the father of seven daughters: Aquata, Andrina, Arista, Attina, Adella, Alana, and Ariel. Triton is very protective of his daughters, which often turns into a conflict with Ariel.

Triton wields a powerful trident, which he can use to manipulate magic. He has used the trident to destroy objects, cast underwater whirlpools, form rainbows and change the biological structure of merpeople to humans and vice versa. This trident is the source of Triton's power, and is craved by the sea witch Ursula as well as his other enemies.

Triton is often depicted as somewhat oppressive when it comes to certain laws he has placed especially early in the original film when regarding humans.

The Little Mermaid

When the original film begins, Triton is xenophobic of humans (later explained in the opening of ""), and Ariel's fascination with humans casts a strain on their relationship. The reason for his constant clashes with Ariel, according to the film's directors Ron Clements and John Musker, is that both he and Ariel are strong-willed and independent. [Disney's The Little Mermaid (1989 film) Platinum Edition DVD, commentary by Ron Clements and John Musker] According to Triton, contact between the human world and the merworld is strictly forbidden. When Triton learns that Ariel has saved the life of a human being, he loses his temper and destroys her collection of human things, completely ignoring his daughter's pleas to stop.

Triton regrets this action, and when he later learns that Ariel has signed an agreement with Ursula, he willingly takes his daughter's place despite knowing the cost of his choice. Triton is temporarily transformed into a polyp, but when Ursula is killed, he is restored to his original form and regains both his crown and his trident.

By the end of the film, Triton has softened his attitude towards humans, and allows Ariel to marry her love, Prince Eric. His archenemy in the film is the sea witch Ursula, who once lived in Atlantica's royal palace many years before.

The Little Mermaid television series

Triton is a regular character in the prequel television series. In this series, his is explicitly called the son of Poseidon, and the grandson of Neptune. A number of episodes show him getting into conflict with Ariel, but it is always resolved in a positive manner, showing a close relationship between father and daughter. In the episode "Red", Triton is temporarily de-aged into a young merboy, reversing the role as Ariel has to worry and take care of him instead. As a young boy, his nickname is Red, for his red hair.

The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea

Triton appears in the sequel "The Little Mermaid II: Return To The Sea". His weakness in the film is his love for his granddaughter Melody, and this is exploited by the sea witch Morgana, Ursula's sister.

Triton's character in this film is less menacing and intimidating when compared to his other appearances in all other films and the tv series.

The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning

In the 2008 direct-to-DVD prequel "", an opening prologue shows King Triton's wife, Queen Athena. The pair had a loving relationship, but after Athena was killed, Triton was broken-hearted and banned music from Atlantica for ten years. He eventually lifts the ban on music at the end of the film, but his ban on going to the surface and contact with humans is still in effect until the events of "The Little Mermaid".

tage musical

In the stage musical, Triton is Ursula's older brother, and reveals that a reason he is overprotective of Ariel is because she reminds him of her late mother. In this version, Triton and Ursula are equals, and when their father died, they were each given equal share of the sea and one magical item each: Triton received the trident and Ursula received a magic Nautilus shell. When Ursula began to abuse her power, Triton had her banished, though he did not take away her Nautilus shell.

Although King Triton doesn't sing in the original film, the musical contains new songs that were written for his character. These songs are "That World Above (reprise)" in which he confronts Ariel in her grotto and destroys it, "If Only (quartet)" in which he expresses regret over his behavior towards Ariel, and "If Only (reprise)" in which he lets Ariel go to be with Eric. The stage role is originated by Norm Lewis.

Other appearances

Kingdom Hearts

nihongo|King Triton|キーウ愛ン|Kingu Churaiton appears in the the Kingdom Hearts series of video games.
*In "Kingdom Hearts", Triton still plays the role of overprotective father and King of Atlantica. His relationship with Ariel becomes strained due to his daughter's desire to see other worlds, and he initially distrusts Sora, Donald and Goofy when they first arrive in Atlantica, as he already knows about one of the Keyblade legends (the keybearer who wrought chaos upon the worlds). However, when Ursula tricks Ariel into giving her the trident, Triton is severly weakened by Ursula, and he comes to respect Sora, Donald and Goofy after they help Ariel defeat Ursula. Trusting them at last, Triton allows them to see the world's keyhole, which Sora promptly seals.
*Triton appears in "", but as a figment of Sora's memories. He plays out the same role as in the first game.
*In "Kingdom Hearts II", Triton's relationship with Ariel is strained yet again, this time thanks to Ariel's fascination with the human world. Triton requests that Sora, Donald and Goofy take part in the upcoming music concert in order to get Ariel's mind off the human world, but the keyblade trio end up helping Ariel fulfill her wishes. Eventually, when Ursula threatens to turn Ariel into a polyp, Triton sacrifices himself for his daughter, enabling Ursula to take hold of the trident once again. She is defeated, however, by Sora, Donald and Goofy, and at the game's end, Triton realises just how much Ariel is in love with Eric, a human prince who helped Sora defeat Ursula, and he turns her into a human in order to make her happy.

References


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