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Scuttle is the third tritagonist of the Little Mermaid. He is a seagull and friend of Ariel. He appears in the film as an expert on human objects with whom Ariel consults about items she salvages, though his identifications consist of nonsense. He wrongly names a fork a "dinglehopper" and says that it is used as a comb, and a smoking pipe a "snarfblatt" while claiming it works like a trumpet. Scuttle is the only one of Ariel's friends capable of flight and as such is very useful in getting help. He was voiced by the late Buddy Hackett.
Personality
Scuttle is possibly the most eccentric of Ariel's circle of friends. Like Ariel, he has a love for human objects, and collects a number of them. To himself and Ariel, he is an expert on humans though he knows very little. In spite of this, Scuttle has shown to have some knowledge of humans that most of the sea characters don't. Upon their first meeting, Ariel wasn't too fond of Scuttle but after he saved Sebastian from a band of pirates, she became very close with the seagull.
The Little Mermaid appearances
The Little Mermaid
Scuttle in the original film.
Scuttle is first seen on his island humming when Ariel and Flounder visit to show their new human things. Scuttle describes Ariel's discovered fork to be a "dinglehopper" used by humans to straighten their hair out. He then explains that a smoke pipe is a "snarfblatt" used by humans to make music. This reminds Ariel that she must participate in a concert, she then swims off. Later on, Scuttle finds Ariel watching humans on a ship. He joins her but is blown away by the wind caused by the hurricane. While Scuttle was gone, Ariel rescues a human prince named Eric and takes him to shore. She asks Scuttle if Eric survived but Scuttle believes him dead because he couldn't hear his heart beat (Scuttle was actually trying to listen through his foot). As Eric awakens, Scuttle and Ariel flee the scene.
Later on, when Ariel becomes human, she goes to shore and introduces Scuttle to her human form, though he does not notice that she has changed until Sebastian points it out to him. He also learns that Ariel must get Eric to fall in love and kiss her in three days. He offers to help. During Sebastian's Kiss the Girl, Scuttle attempts to help the chorus but isn't much help. Leading to the climax, Scuttle helps battle Ursula in disguise as Vanessa who is trying to brainwash Eric so that he may marry her instead of Ariel. In the end, Scuttle bids farewell to the newly weds, Ariel and Eric.
The Little Mermaid: The Series
Scuttle in The Little Mermaid (TV Series)
Scuttle appears in two episodes of the final season of the prequel television series in which he is voiced by Maurice LaMarche. The episodes he appears in are "Scuttle", in which Ariel, Flounder and Sebastian meet him for the first time (and all four almost meet Prince Eric), and "The Island of Fear". In these episodes, Scuttle's explanation of human things is a mixture of correct and erroneous. In "Scuttle", Scuttle assists Ariel and Flounder in their mission to rescue Sebastian from pirates. In "Island of Fear", Scuttle joins Ariel, Flounder, and Sebastian to find what's been making the fishes sick. They find a castle where Sebastian is taken by the young boy who resides there. Scuttle then goes inside to rescue Sebastian, while Ariel and Flounder find a way to stop the pollution.
The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea
Scuttle in The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea.
Scuttle appears in a small role in The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea. He is first seen attending the baby shower of Ariel's newborn daughter Melody. Later on when Melody goes missing, Scuttle rallies Eric and his friends to find her and later to battle Morgana the sea witch sister of Ursula. Despite being whacked in the face with the Trident, it is Scuttle's actions that inform Prince Eric and the Atlantians to where Morgana resides. This film also implies that Scuttle is able to communicate with Prince Eric as he is the first to arrive on the scene at Morgana's lair after Ariel sent Scuttle. Buddy Hackett reprises his role as Scuttle in the film.
The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning
A younger Scuttle in The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning.
In The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning, when Marina is on a rock at the surface (animated the same way with Ariel when she sings a reprise for "Part of Your World" in the first film), she pushes herself up but the wave splashes onto her. Scuttle then appears briefly (without a speaking role, but accompanied instead by realistic seagull sound effects) to whom Marina says "don't touch me", referring to his actions in the first two films - tormenting the villain.
Quack Pack
Scuttle makes a brief cameo appearance in the episode "Phoniest Home Video" where he was briefly seen on Donald's surfboard and then got scared off by the shark that was about to eat the steak off of Donald's behind.
House of Mouse
Scuttle with Ariel in House of Mouse
Scuttle makes numerous cameo appearances in House of Mouse, usually with Ariel and Sebastian. Maurice LaMarche voices Scuttle in the series.
In the episode "Donald Wants to Fly" Scuttle tries to teach Donald by telling him to flap his arms. He ends up falling on the trident having Scuttle say "Right on the dinglehopper!"
He and Ariel were excited to see Timon using a "dinglehopper" for his magic trick in the episode Timon and Pumbaa.
The Little Mermaid (musical)
Scuttle appears in the stage adaptation of the original film, where he sings two songs: "Human Stuff," where he explains the human things Ariel has brought to him, and "Positoovity," where he encourages a now-human Ariel to be positive in achieving her goal of winning Eric. The role is originated by Eddie Korbich. In the stage musical, Scuttle has a group of seagull friends, and together they perform a tap dance during the "Positoovity" number.
Disney Parks
Scuttle in Ariel's Undersea Adventure.
Scuttle is the narrator of The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Undersea Adventure, where he is voiced by Chris Edgerly. At the Magic Kingdom's version, he hosts an interactive scavenger hunt game in the ride's queue area, where guests help sort out Ariel's human collection by pointing at objects that don't belong for crabs to collect and take away.
Scuttle also appears at Tokyo DisneySea as the host of the Scuttle's Scooters ride at Mermaid Lagoon.
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