What God is Ursula?
As an avid fan of fantastic villains, I‘ve always been intrigued by Ursula‘s larger-than-life presence in Disney‘s The Little Mermaid. With her theatrical flair, formidable magical talents and striking half-octopus appearance, Ursula has all the hallmarks of a goddess-like antagonist. Her ties to Greek and Roman myth deepen her diva-esque mystique. Let‘s dive under the sea to uncover the mythical inspirations behind this fan-favorite foe!
Born of the Sea and Stars
In the 1989 Disney film, Ursula is known as "Ursula the Sea Witch". This immediately evokes myths of sorceresses who draw upon occult powers. But what is the origin of Ursula‘s dramatic abilities over lightning, storms, waves and transformations? Could she be a deity cursed into an eccentric octo-form?
Ursula demonstrates awe-inspiring command over all things oceanic – churning waves, sea creature minions, piercing storms. This parallels feared Greek sea deities like Poseidon, king of the seas, or the raging tempest goddess Amphitrite. Might Ursula be descendant of such volatile ocean rulers?
Some fans speculate that Ursula could be a relative of Triton,Greek god of the sea. In that case, Ursula may have inherited stormy gifts from ancestor Poseidon himself! Yet at some point she diverged onto a darker path than her royal brother, using her maritime magics to raze ships rather than guide them safely…
Early Ursula concept art by MermaidLover 2004. (CC BY-SA)
But Ursula‘s appearance holds clues too – she resembles far more than just any sea queen. With a torso of embroidered black metal plates and imposing purple facial markings, Ursula appears almost reptilian. Coupled with her vampire squid-like lower half and tendency to dramatically recoil, she evokes images of the iconic mythical monster called the Kraken.
In Norse and Greek legends, the Kraken was a gigantic leviathan which dominated the seas. Ursula seems to align herself with such savage marine beasts rather than any noble undersea court.
Channeling the Divine with Drag
Ursula‘s outlandish presentation has another source of inspiration – the outrageous Divine, pioneering drag performer. Animation historian John Canemaker notes Ursula‘s voice, look and mannerisms directly reference Divine‘s pop culture image. With her flamboyant costumes, make-up embedded in her skin, Ursula dramatically channels the genderfluid Divine right down to her bravado and cackling laughter.
Both Ursula and Divine exhibit fearsome confidence no matter their size or appearance – they loudly refuse expectations of typical beauty standards. Much like the ancient Minoan goddesses or shapeshifting Loki of Norse myths, this makes Ursula seem otherworldly and divine in her own right.
| Divine | Ursula |
|---|---|
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Divine (left) was the inspiration behind Ursula‘s (right) appearance and mannerisms. (Fair Use images)
Legacy of an Undersea Icon
Whether stolen from cursed ocean gods or summoned through her own eldritch rites, Ursula‘s mythic magic, monstrous visage and vogue theatricality cement her place as Disney royalty. She demonstrates that true power lies not in appearances or status – but force of personality. Three decades later, descendents like Amphitrite in Hercules or Morgana in The Little Mermaid 2 continue Ursula‘s legacy of gloriously ghoulish glam.
So while Ursula may not stem from any literal Pantheon, she nevertheless stands tall alongside Disney‘s most famous villains. Dripping in moonlight pearls and writhing with occult energies, Ursula has undoubtedly earned her crown as favourite undersea goddess!
