An episode that was eerily ahead of it's time

In this episode of The Little Mermaid's TV series, an evil manta ray wants to conquer Atlantica and uses the most sinister tactic - Divide and conquer. He goes around Atlantica lying to all of it's residents, telling them that just because they are different that some think they are better than others and getting all of the sea animals to hate each other.

Now if I were a teacher, I would make this episode mandatory viewing. Especially in the wake of what we face with social media and news broadcasting. The news has done everything in it's power in the past few years to amplify the fear and anger that we feel towards our fellow man & woman. Social media has given the uneducated and the ignorant a voice to agitate and lie and conjure up hate.

The evil manta represents the media. His whole purpose is to divide and conquer the people so they spend so much time arguing over trivial things amongst themselves that the manta himself can take over Atlantica.

Like how the media will report what it wants the people to hear, creating hate groups and drumming up fear and anger, and while the people argue amongst themselves, certain 3 letter groups are taking steps to take over the world.

And this episode is from 1992. 3 decades ago. The writers for this show were geniuses.

Maybe a little sweet mermaid singing a song about living in harmony is what this world needs.

The animal adventure subgenre features stories where animals are the central characters and protagonists in children's and family-oriented content. These stories often follow the animals as they embark on journeys, face challenges, and experience adventures in various settings.

The fairy tale subgenre features narratives featuring magical and fantastical elements, often focusing on themes of morality, wonder, and the triumph of good over evil. Fairy tales are usually characterized by their timeless quality, enchanting settings, and archetypal characters.

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Hand-drawn animation, also known as traditional animation, is a technique in which each frame is created by hand. It involves the process of drawing individual images, known as frames or cels, by skilled animators and then photographing or filming them in sequence to create the illusion of motion.

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The sea adventure subgenre features narratives set primarily on the sea or other bodies of water. Sea adventures often revolve around characters who embark on journeys, explorations, or quests involving ships, boats and capture the challenges, dangers, and discoveries that come with life at sea.

The adventure genre features exciting journeys, quests, or expeditions undertaken by characters who often face challenges, obstacles, and risks in pursuit of a goal. Adventures can take place in a wide range of settings, from exotic and fantastical locations to historical or even everyday environments.

Animation is a form of visual storytelling that involves creating visual art and motion through the use of various techniques and technologies. In animation, images are manipulated to create the illusion of movement, bringing characters, objects, and environments to life. Animation can encompass a wide range of styles, themes, and intended audiences, making it a diverse and versatile form of storytelling.

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The fantasy genre features imaginative and often magical worlds, characters, and events. It explores realms beyond the boundaries of reality, featuring elements such as magic, mythical creatures, supernatural powers, and fantastical settings. These stories can take place in entirely fictional worlds or blend fantastical elements with real-world settings.

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Ariel accidentally frees a dark figure known as the Evil Manta, who tries to take over Atlantica using deception and lies to turn its merfolk people against each other.

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