5. Ursula Is Impaled By A Boat - The Little Mermaid (1989)
Ursula was straight up intimidating. She was a massive sea witch who was more like a stone idol than a woman, with tentacles that slithered and prodded (and got a little too friendly with Ariel, if you watch closely). She also had a showstopping musical number genuinely called Poor Unfortunate Souls - which got visually crazier and creepier the longer it went on. Ursula's death is unique among Disney film deaths, because she's directly killed by the hero. In Tarzan, Clayton causes his own death. In Aladdin, Jafar doesnt even die; hes imprisoned in the lamp by his own pride (direct to video sequels dont count). Even in Beauty And The Beast, Gastons death seems inadvertent rather than deliberate. But in The Little Mermaid? Eric turns that wheel hard, and rams his boat right into Ursulas chest. Eric is one man who does it all - looks good, plays music, loves dogs, and acts courageously to boot. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o642qBLvfQM
Kevin Wong
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Kevin is an AP English Language teacher and freelance writer from Queens, NY. His focus is on American pop culture and American issues. He wrote a weekly column for Complex called "Throwback Thursdays," which spotlighted video games and trends from previous console generations. Kevin has also been published in VIBE, Salon, PopMatters, Joystiq, and Racialicious. Follow him on Twitter to learn more.
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