Flotsam and Jetsam (The Little Mermaid)

Flotsam and Jetsam are fictional minions of the sea witch Ursula in the 1989 Disney animated feature film, The Little Mermaid. They were voiced by the late Paddi Edwards in the film and television series and by Corey Burton in the Kingdom Hearts video game series. A duo of moray eels, they frequently speak in unison, finish each other's sentences, and entwine their bodies, as if they were the same entity divided into two separate individuals - indeed, they even have the same voice and identical physical appearances. The concept of their linkage is further heightened when their eyes combine to form a single crystal ball, a portal through which Ursula can view the outside world. They serve her without hesitation, and are among Disney's greatest lackeys.

The Little Mermaid

Very little is known about the pasts of Flotsam and Jetsam, other than they were Ursula's loyal servants. Often used as spies, the pair (like evil twins), each had a glowing eye (one for right-sided, the other for left-sided), that they used to allow Ursula to see anything in their vicinity. Ursula would remain in her lair, working from behind the scenes, and watching everything from her crystal ball. Flotsam and Jetsam are the first to notice Ariel's infatuation with the world above. Upon witnessing the girl fall in love with a human male, Prince Eric, Ursula sent Flotsam and Jetsam to propose a deal to Ariel that she simply couldn't refuse.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Tempting Ariel into making a deal with Ursula with promises that Eric would fall in love with her, and they'd spend the rest of their lives together was a simple mission for Flotsam and Jetsam. They brought the mermaid to Ursula's lair, where Ursula was able to convince Ariel to give up her voice. After Ariel turned into a human, the eels botched her attempt to kiss Eric by tipping their canoe over. Flotsam and Jetsam laid low while Ursula posed as the human Vanessa, until her plan succeeded, and she gained control over the oceans. However, as Eric fought back, the eels tried to constrain him. Ursula, mad with power, then tried to zap Eric with the Trident, but Ariel yanked her hair so that the trident killed Flotsam and Jetsam instead. Ursula quickly mourned her "poopsies," then proceeded to battle Ariel and Eric. Though the eels did not appear in The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea, they appeared in a few episodes of The Little Mermaid television series, whenever Ursula appeared. Flotsam and Jetsam are notable for their efficiency, a rarity for Disney lackeys. Until they were killed, they succeeded at every task Ursula gave them. Unlike most Disney lackeys, such as Fidgit the bat from The Great Mouse Detective, Shenzi, Banzai and Ed from The Lion King, Iago the Parrot from Aladdin, Pain and Panic from Hercules, or Horace and Jasper from 101 Dalmatians, they have no humorous scenes or conflict with either their boss and/or each other. This may have been due to the fact Ursula seemed to genuinely love them, rather than simply keep them around to avoid doing the work herself, and treated them like pets rather than servants. This is especially evident in the way she refers to them as "darlings" or "poopsies" as well as her horror when they were killed.

Kingdom Hearts

In the video game Kingdom Hearts, for the Playstation 2, Flotsam and Jetsam appear in a role very similar to the film. They taunt and manipulate Ariel into going to Ursula in order to see different worlds, Ariel's dream. Trading the ability to visit other worlds for the trident, Ursula betrays Ariel and searches for the "keyhole," which Flotsam and Jetsam could not find. Sora eventually confronted Ursula, battling both her and the eels simultaneously. The eels eventually curl up and turn into ink, dying. Ursula flees to battle the heroes after she has recuperated. They return in Kingdom Hearts II briefly, during "Ursula's Revenge." They try to attack Sora once more, but are eventually destroyed by Sora's Keyblade. They were both voiced by Corey Burton in the first game, but were silent in the 2nd game.

Broadway Musical

Flotsam and Jetsam appear in the upcoming 2007 Broadway musical of The Little Mermaid. They have a singing role in Ursula's "Wasting Away" number, and also have their own song, "Sweet Child." Tyler Maynard and Derrick Baskin have been cast as Flotsam and Jetsam, respectively.

Miscellaneous

• Flotsam and Jetsam are named after the goods that are found in the ocean, by shipwreck (flotsam) or by voluntary action (jetsam).
• In The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea, Flotsam and Jetsam's role as the minions of a sea witch are taken by two silent, very large manta rays, Cloak and Dagger. However their job of communication is instead given to Undertow, a talkative shark who is turned tiny for most of the movie.
• Flotsam and Jetsam are two selectable races for pets on the online community site Neopets.com where Flotsam resembles a dolphin-like creature and Jetsam a shark-like creature.
• It is possible that they are not really moray eels as during the TV series Ursula demonstrates an ability to rapidly transform them into sharks and sea monsters and then back. Therefore, moray eels could just be the form that they choose to take.

See also

• Ursula (The Little Mermaid)
• The Little Mermaid (1989 film)