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Sebastian (full name Horatio Thelonious Ignacious Crustaceous Sebastian) is a red Jamaican crab and one of the main protagonists in Disney's 1989 hit film The Little Mermaid, its prequel film, its TV series, and its sequel. He is voiced by Samuel E. Wright.
Sebastian also appears in the Kingdom Hearts series of games, in which he is voiced by KÅichi Yamadera in its original Japanese version, and by Kevin Michael Richardson in the English-language version.
Background
Sebastian the Crab, a sidekick for The Little Mermaid's protagonist Ariel is a character developed solely for the film, and is not derived from the original Hans Christian Andersen story. According to the Disney website, official novelization and Disney-sanctioned reference material, Sebastian is a crab.
Sebastian was conceived as a musical character for The Little Mermaid, and performs 2 songs ("Under the Sea" and "Kiss the Girl") that went on to become hits for Disney and were nominated for "Best Original Song" at the 1990 Academy Awards. Voice actor Wright's singing style and the compositions by Howard Ashman and Alan Menken for the Sebastian character lean heavily to calypso and reggae influences.
The Little Mermaid appearances
The Little Mermaid
Sebastain sings Kiss The Girl
When the film opens, Sebastian is announced as being the "royal court composer", and conducts a concert that King Triton's seven daughters are supposed to perform in. Ariel, the youngest daughter, fails to show up for the concert, and later Sebastian joins King Triton in scolding her, blaming her for his humiliation. King Triton, worried about Ariel, tasks Sebastian with following Ariel and keeping her out of trouble.
Sebastian tries to do the job given to him, and is horrified when Ariel saves the life of and falls in love with a human. Sebastian accidentally lets this information slip to King Triton, who confronts Ariel. Feeling guilty for having "betrayed" Ariel, Sebastian follows Ariel when she visits Ursula the sea witch for help, and later becomes an adviser in her quest to win Prince Eric's affections.
In the film, Sebastian starts out in a parental, supervisory role over Ariel, and over time becomes her close friend.
The Little Mermaid television series
Sebastian in The Little Mermaid series.
Sebastian appears in every episode of the prequel television series, which follows the adventures of Ariel when she is still a mermaid. In the series, Sebastian's occupation is King Triton's assistant, adviser and confidant. Sebastian is shown as being a good friend of Ariel and Flounder, as well as Urchin, a new character unique to the television series. He is sometimes strict and often critical of Ariel's adventurous ways, but often ends up going on her adventures with her.
In one adventure, in the episode "Island of Fear," he accompanies Ariel as she tries to find the source of a pollutant that is sickening the fish. He befriends a human boy named Daniel, and helps the boy to escape from the evil scientist the boy is forced to work for. This makes it one of the few times in the series that a character directly interacts with a human.
Throughout the series Sebastian's character is further developed via dialogue and entire episodes dedicated to him. In the series, Sebastian is said to have come from a large Jamaican family. In "King Crab" his parents visit him, and it is revealed that he had lied and told them he was the King of Atlantica. In the episode "Tail of Two Crabs", Sebastian has a rivalry with another crab named Zeus, and they both try to one-up the other. According to dialogue in this episode, Sebastian was born in Jamaica and went to Music Academy in Trinidad prior to joining King Triton's staff as his assistant. "T'ank You for Dat, Ariel" reveals that he is some what insecure regarding his size.
The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea
Sebastian in The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea.
In the sequel, Sebastian is tasked by King Triton to watch over Ariel's daughter, Princess Melody, repeating his role from the original film. He becomes a close friend of hers and he often tries to clam her down when she proves to be angered and frustrated. Sebastian is the first to learn about Melody's disappearance and joins Ariel and the now adult Flounder to find her. During the final battle, Sebastian battles Clock and Dagger and after peace is restored he celebrates alongside the others as land and sea can now finally live in peace and harmony.
The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning
Sebastian in The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning.
In the 2008 prequel, Sebastian is King Triton's attache, and is initially shown as being a strict enforcer of the sea king's rules. All music has been banned from Atlantica, but it is later revealed that Sebastian has been secretly performing music as the leader of The Catfish Club Band, which performs in an underground club. Technically this makes Sebastian first character in The Little Mermaid universe to break a major law of Triton's.
When the underground club is revealed to Triton, Sebastian is placed in jail with the rest of his band. Thanks to Ariel, they manage to escape. As part of a premeditated plan, Sebastian leads them far away from Atlantica to a specific spot where Ariel finds her mother's discarded music box. Sebastian wants music to return to Atlantica, and he returns with Ariel to convince Triton to change his mind. When the film ends, music is restored to Atlantica, and Sebastian becomes the "royal court composer", setting up his role in the opening of the original film.
According to this film, Sebastian is the eldest of Ariel's friends, having been present since she was a small child all the way to her own parenthood in The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea.
Later Appearances
Aladdin
Sebastian's cameo in Aladdin
He also made a brief appearance in Aladdin. When the Genie, whilst trying to find the right 'recipe' for turning Aladdin into a prince, is looking at the Royal Recipes book, he pulls out Sebastian (clamped to his finger) and flicks him off.
He also appears in the Aladdin Genesis video game in a cameo scene, as a prisoner in the level "Sultan's Dungeon.
Raw Toonage
Sebastian is also one of several guest stars in Raw Toonage.
Marsupilami
He would later star in his own series of shorts on the spin-off Marsupilami.
101 Dalmatians: The Series
Sebastian also appeared in the finale to the 101 Dalmatians TV series in which he pinches a puppy's tail.
House of Mouse
Sebastian in House of Mouse
Sebastian was featured as a guest in House of Mouse. One of his most notable cameos is in the episode "The Mouse Who Came to Dinner" where Mortimer Mouse acts as if he's the critic and demands Goofy to make crab for dinner. Goofy claims their all out and uses Sebastian as a substitute. Sebastian and Goofy end up on a comical chase for the rest of the episode until Mortimer was exposed. In "Max's Embarrassing Date" Sebastian begins to perform a love song for Max and Roxanne but is stopped when Max loses his temper, because he didn't want all this attention. He only wanted privacy.
Darkwing Duck
Sebastian makes a cameo in the Darkwing Duck comic book. He can be seen on the last page of issue #7, hiding from the revived Paddywhack.
Kingdom Hearts series
Sebastian as he appears in the Kingdom Hearts series.
Sebastian appears in Kingdom Hearts, Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories and Kingdom Hearts II.
Kingdom Hearts
In Kingdom Hearts, he is shown with Ariel and Flounder running away from the Heartless. He helps Sora by getting acquainted to swimming in Atlantica by chasing Flounder. When they arrive at Triton's Palace, he remains with King Triton as Sora and the others leave. After Goofy talks about looking for the Keyhole, Sebastian, like Ariel, becomes interested in it as well. After Ursula attacks King Triton with the Trident, Sebastian wants to help Ariel and Sora take her down. He helps them get into Ursula's Lair by pressing a button in the wall no one else could reach.
Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories
In Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, Sebastian has a smaller role. He is looking for Ariel and the Trident as well since they both go mysteriously go missing. He is then later shown looking for them around Ursula's Lair.
Kingdom Hearts II
In Kingdom Hearts II, Sebastian's musical abilities from the movie are finally shown. He is trying to use musical practice to get Ariel's mind off the surface world. When Sora and the others say that they will help her, Sebastian gets mad not wanting them to help her find Prince Eric. Sebastian in the game writes Under the Sea to help Ariel want to stay in the ocean where she belongs. Ariel is instead saddened by the song and yearns for Sebastian to write a song about land and sea living in harmony, making Sebastian frantic over the fact that King Triton would find out about this. Sebastian goes a little bit too far when in his monologue, he spills the fact that Ariel is in love with a human. King Triton happens to be right behind him, hearing the confession and is deeply angered.
After Ariel changes into a human, Sebastian tries to help her kiss Eric in time. After Ariel and Eric defeat Ursula, King Triton finally allows Ariel to marry Eric. Seeing this, Sebastian complies with what Ariel once said earlier in the sea, and writes A New Day is Dawning to show how the two worlds can join together in harmony. In the ending credits, he is attending Ariel and Eric's wedding.
Disney TH!NK Fast
He appears as the guest questioneer in the Mermaid's grotto. He asks a couple of questions about The Little Mermaid, and leaves.Kinect Disneyland Adventures
Kinect Disneyland Adventures
Sebastian makes a non-speaking cameo during the Mickey's Soundsational Parade mini-game as apart of Ariel's float.
Disney Parks
Sebastian at one of the Disney Parks.
Sebastian appears in the Disney Parks as a meetable character and usually seen in parades and shows.
Sebastian makes meet and greet appearances at Christmastime in Disneyland Paris and took part in the Pirate and Princess Party.
World of Color
Sebastian appears in the Disneyland Resort's World of Color at Disney California Adventure. Sebastian appears following Ariel's sequence singing Under the Sea.
A larger than life puppet for Sebastian was also featured for the Carnival of Color: the World of Color pre-show.
Fantasmic!
Sebastian makes a cameo appearance in the bubble sequence dancing to Under the Sea.
Voyage of the Little Mermaid
Sebastian appears in the opening sequence with Flounder and a band performing the song Under the Sea. Sebastian later reappears in the end celebrating Ariel and Eric's love for each other.
The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Undersea Adventure
Sebastian in Ariel's Undersea Adventure
An audio animatronic version of Sebastian joins the ride's cast of characters from the film. As plan since the original idea of the attraction in the 1990s, Sebastian appears in the attraction's colossal Under the Sea sequence conducting the dozens of sea creatures dancing to the music.
Mickey's Soundsational Parade
Sebastian is seen in the parade riding his chariot of seahorses while waving to the park guest as he did in the opening of the original film.
Music
Sebastian has released two reggae albums for children under the Walt Disney Records label. Both of these were released on CD and audio cassette, and are well out of print, but at least one is available on the [iTunes] music store. The first was a self-titled release, featuring songs from The Little Mermaid, along with covers such as Three Little Birds, and original tunes. Ariel herself appears in two tracks, along with the interstitials between tracks. The second, released in October 1991 is Sebastian: Party Gras! This album consists entirely of reggae covers of classic songs such as "Iko Iko", "Octopus's Garden", "Twist and Shout", and "What a Wonderful World", as well as a few original tunes.
Trivia
- Sebastian is similar to Jiminy Cricket from Pinocchio. They were both appointed to watch over an innocent cheerful, but sometimes (unintentional) troublesome protagonists, and worry about getting into trouble if anything happens to him/her.
- Sebastian was originally intended to be almost Grimsby-like: posh, british, and uptight. However, the crew chose to portray a more entertaining, fun-loving Sebastian.
Gallery
- Main article: Sebastian/Gallery