"Charmed" is the seventh episode of The Little Mermaid TV series, originally aired on October 17, 1992.
Summary[]
Despite warnings from her father to stay away from human objects, Ariel puts on a human bracelet and then can't take it off. Fearful of her father's reaction, Ariel runs away from home and finds herself in deep trouble.
Plot[]
On a sunny afternoon, Ariel is enjoying swimming around and invites her father to join her, but his busy schedule prevents him from accepting her offer. Ariel understands and mentions how she will get Flounder to join her with a warning from King Triton to mind where she goes. Despite her father's warning, Ariel and Flounder head for a sunken ship where Ariel starts looking for human items to take home.
At the castle, Ariel is playing with the magnifying glass, that she calls a Biggermajigger, when Triton appears and catches her with the magnifying glass. Angry that Ariel ignored his warnings, Triton destroys the magnifying glass but is upset when Ariel rushes off. In despair and anger, Ariel swims into an abyss.
While getting his hair cut, Triton admits that he was too harsh on Ariel but still voices how he wishes for her to learn to leave human items alone. Sebastian states that Ariel is just a typical teenager and shares the same stubborn streak that runs in the family. Even so, Triton hopes to apologize to her when they next meet.
In the abyss, Ariel continues to complain about Triton not giving items from the surface a chance when Flounder spots something deeper in the abyss. Ariel's curiosity naturally gets the better of her and she swims down to find out what it is. When she swims to the colder depths, she finds a golden charm bracelet and pulls it free from where it's stuck on a coral branch; not noticing that one charm was left behind. While trying to figure out what the item is, Ariel manages to snap the bracelet on her wrist. Wanting to see herself with it on, Ariel swims back to the ship to use the mirror. After some time of gazing at herself, Flounder gets her to accept that it's time to head home. Unfortunately, Ariel is unable to remove the bracelet without the key charm and realizes she must go back to the abyss to get it. When she returns, she quickly finds the key still caught in the coral. As she struggles to get it free, a sudden and powerful whirlpool opens, and Ariel is dragged into the depths below.
As she is dragged further down, Ariel sees that a large creature is making the whirlpool to be able to feast. When it stops, she is able to swim to safety and blames the bracelet for her current situation. During her moment of rest, Ariel meets a young Eel boy who warns her that it's not possible to beat the Flow Monster's whirlpool.
Ariel attempts to find another way out but is unsuccessful. After finding a safe spot to rest, Ariel weeps at thinking she will never be able to return home. At the palace, Triton is growing concerned about Ariel's absence when Flounder swims up and announces everything that took place after their earlier altercation. Triton instantly springs into action and has Flounder take him to the abyss.
At the abyss, Flounder shows Triton where he last saw Ariel. As they search, Flounder hears the whirlpool forming but joins Triton in swimming into the depths to find Ariel. When they spot the Flow Monster, Triton shoots a beam at it to make it retract long enough for them to get to safety. From her shelter, Ariel sees the light from the trident and hurries off to find it.
They quickly find one another, and Ariel reveals the bracelet on her wrist as the reason she did not return home. When Triton starts getting angry that Ariel once again disobeyed him, Ariel states that his anger is the reason she did not return home. When the Eel boy mocks how they will not be able to free themselves, Triton is quick to dismiss his words when he uses the power of the trident to get them out.
Just as they are safe, Ariel remembers she needs the key to get the bracelet off and goes back into the abyss to get it. While struggling to get the key, the whirlpool opens. Ariel hangs onto the charm to keep from being taken down again and gets help from her father in getting the bracelet off; letting it be taken by the whirlpool.
As they get to safety, Triton apologizes for making Ariel scared to go to him with her problems and promises he will listen to whatever she has to say. With everything cleared up, the group make their way back to the palace.
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