Spot is a killer whale that Ariel adopted and secretly raised in the palace. His name is based on a single white spot which is a birth mark on his tail. He appears in The Little Mermaid television series.
Appearances[]
The Little Mermaid[]
In "Whale of a Tale", Spot is a young baby killer whale, who swims alongside a pod of killer whales, their peaceful existence is suddenly interrupted by the appearance of a ship on the surface. A man onboard alerts the rest of the crew about the killer whales, causing panic and chaos. Harpoons are fired from the ship, forcing the frightened killer whales to scatter and swim away in desperation. Tragically, Spot becomes separated from the group, feeling helpless and emitting sorrowful cries for assistance.
While swimming, Ariel and Flounder suddenly hear the distressed cries of a frightened creature called Spot. Concerned, they immediately rush to investigate the situation. Spot, recognizing the danger of a nearby great white shark, cleverly hides in the seaweed for safety. Confused by the sudden silence, Ariel and Flounder ponder the source of the sound, but Flounder, apprehensive, attempts to convince Ariel to disregard it. But despite this, the two friends decide to split up and search for the distressed creature. As fate would have it, Flounder unintentionally stumbles upon Spot, who is equally terrified upon seeing Flounder's frightened expression and large eye. Startled by Flounder's screams, Spot swims away quickly, inadvertently passing by Ariel.
Understanding the need for reassurance, Ariel gently coaxes Spot out from his hiding spot, demonstrating compassion and care. In a heartfelt moment, Ariel bestows the name "Spot" upon the young killer whale, as she admires the distinctive bush-like marking on his tail. utilizing her soothing voice, Ariel sings to Spot as a means to comfort and calm him. Empathy and understanding continue to strengthen their bond as Ariel makes the decision to bring Spot back home. Their shared experience deepens their trust and friendship, further enhancing their connection through the power of song.
While Sebastian is admires himself in a mirror, he fails to notice Ariel sneaking Spot into the palace. Ariel and Flounder bring Spot into her room, but Spot causes a mess and gives them trouble. But a frightened Flounder unintentionally scares Spot, causing him to swim away from the room and accidentally squash Sebastian against the door twice.
Ariel and Flounder conceal Spot beneath the bed covers before allowing Sebastian to enter the room for investigation. But Sebastian quickly realizes that Ariel and Flounder apparently are not actually hiding anything in the room. In addition, he reminds them about the upcoming spring celebration.
After accidentally uncovering the bed, Sebastian is startled to see Spot, causing him to panic. But Ariel persuades him to keep Spot's presence a secret as an act of compassion, sympathy, kindness and understanding. Although Sebastian is reluctant, he also fears the consequences of Triton discovering Spot and uncovering his own knowledge of Ariel hidden a killer whale in the palace. Therefore, he realizes that both he and Ariel could find themselves in significant trouble if the truth were to came to light.
After three months, Spot has become significantly much larger than before. Ariel and Flounder had also decided to leave him to join in the spring celebration.
Sebastian participated in the celebration, sharing his singing talents. Upon hearing the music, Spot was intrigued and made his way to the performance. In an attempt to add some excitement, Sebastian decided to improvise with Spot joining in unexpectedly. But unfortunately, Spot's enthusiastic "singing" resulted in the stage collapsing. This incident caused Triton to become extremely furious. He directed his anger towards Ariel, Flounder and Sebastian for concealing Spot in the palace. Triton emphasized the potential danger this presented to the citizens of Atlantica and expressed his disappointment at the complete destruction of the stage section. But Triton also understood that Spot is a wild animal, who was not truly responsible for his actions. As Ariel, Flounder and Sebastian are truly responsible for the incident.
Triton grants Ariel, Flounder and Sebastian a two-week timeframe to train Spot in order to ensure his survival in the open ocean. But if Spot is not ready by then, Triton will hold Sebastian personally responsible. Despite their utmost dedication, Spot remains un-prepared for the challenges of the untamed waters.
Sebastian insists on making Spot sleep outside when they return home, despite Ariel's objections. Ariel, Flounder, Sebastian and Spot all end up sleeping outside of the palace. During the night, three great white sharks are swimming nearby. As morning arrives, Spot is still oblivious to the danger. Suddenly, a school of fish swiftly swims past the group, capturing Ariel's attention and causing her to turn around. To their horror, they discover that three great white sharks have appeared, ready to attack. In distress, Ariel desperately urges everyone to swim away from the impending danger.
Ariel, Flounder and Sebastian are being chased by the three great white sharks. Spot, feeling left out, swims away on his own. But when he hears Flounder's cries for help, Spot rushes to the scene. Flounder narrowly escapes from the snapping jaws of one of the great white sharks but becomes entangled in seaweed. But fortunately, Ariel comes to his rescue just in time to prevent the great white shark from devouring him. Meanwhile, Ariel herself is being pursued by another great white shark and Spot, witnessing this, becomes furious and rushes to their aid. Together, Spot and Ariel swim towards a large shell with the relentless great white sharks close behind. Instead of entering the shell, Spot chooses to position himself at the top, knowing that Ariel, Flounder and Sebastian will eventually end up there. Eventually, the group finds themselves trapped, with the great white sharks preparing to attack. But just as the great white sharks are about to pounce, Spot bursts through the shell and defeats them, sending all three of them flying away. Ariel celebrates their victory and declares, "my father will have to let you stay", grateful for Spot's heroic actions in saving their lives.
Spot's ears catch the cries of killer whales, which later turns out to be his old group. Spot decides to swim off and find them, leaving Ariel saddened but she also understands that it is best for them to separate. But before Spot leaves with the killer whales, he returns for one final goodbye. As a farewell gesture, Spot utilizes his tail to flip Sebastian out of the water, much to the Jamaican crab's annoyance and panic. Spot then swims away with his family.
In "Save the Whale", Spot returns to Atlantica now as a young adult killer whale and is welcomed with open arms. Ariel is delighted to see Spot again. Spot and Sebastian get captured by a crazed circus owner, named Pettigrew for his Penguin Park as an addition to his show, and Ariel, Flounder and Sebastian plan to rescue Spot from the park owner. When the gang arrives at the park, Spot begins performing tricks to the audience in which Ariel and the gang plan to rescue Spot before the owners close the doors. When Pettigrew notices that Spot is escaping, Ariel, Flounder, and Sebastian, along with the help of a group of penguins, manage to escape the park just as the park owner plans to close the door to keep the orca from escaping. Spot and the gang manage to leap over the large doors which are about to close in which they manage to escape the park.
Trivia[]
- Although Spot is referred to as a whale, he is actually a dolphin, as "killer whales" (commonly known as "orcas") are actually a type of dolphin.
- Spot is an original character who was created for the series.
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