Have you ever imagined a lighthearted witch assortment? Well, let me paint a picture for you. Picture a delightful gathering of whimsical and playful witches, all with a touch of mischievousness in their eyes. This unique assortment of witches embodies the perfect balance of magic, charm, and laughter. First, let's meet Zara, the mischievous prankster of the group. She is known for her cheeky spells and loves to play harmless tricks on her friends. Zara's specialty is turning ordinary objects into amusing surprises, like transforming a rock into a sponge or a hat into a live fluffy bunny.

Is Ursula from 'The Little Mermaid' an octopus? Sort of.

Octopuses do like to cause chaos—much like the classic tentacled villain. But Ursula also shares traits with these fascinating sea creatures.

The animated sea witch in Disney's The Little Mermaid originally had six arms, which is more squid-like. In the new live-action movie, she has eight—but also retains qualities of other sea creatures, such as bioluminescence.

With Disney’s new live-action The Little Mermaid film in theaters, you may be wondering: What kind of ocean-dwelling creature is Ursula, exactly?

An octopus, obviously, you might say—but not so fast. Octopuses have eight tentacles, and Disney’s animated sea witch made her debut in Walt Disney Animation Studios' original 1989 film with six.

To create the character in the 1980s, Disney animation artists looked to lionfish, eels, pufferfish, scorpion fish, and manta rays as inspiration. Since the enchantress in Hans Christian Anderson’s 1837 fairy tale had a much smaller role and no name, the artists had a literal ocean of possibilities.

“There’s so much you can do with tentacles. They give a creepy feeling,” supervising animator Ruben Aquino told Premiere magazine in 1989, adding the team ultimately decided to make her look like an octopus. “Of course, we cheated a little bit. We put in only six tentacles,” he said. Why? It was what animators call “line mileage”—simplifying a character’s design can help make the animation process more efficient.

While definitely creepy, Ursula’s appendages (including her human-like arms) are definitely not tentacles. “Those are arms, not tentacles—and let me explain,” says Jennifer Mather, an octopus expert and psychology professor at the University of Lethbridge in Alberta, Canada. (Here’s why octopuses remind us so much of ourselves.)

“Many invertebrates have tentacles—snails and jellyfish, for example—whereas an arm has suckers all the way down its length. A tentacle, on the other hand, has a flexible elastic extension with suckers only on the ends.”

Artwork by Disney animator John Musker gives an insight into how Ursula was developed for the 1989 film.

A squid has six arms, which is probably why Pat Carroll, the late voice actress who portrayed Ursula in the original film, claimed she was a squid. But Carroll didn’t mention that most squid also have two tentacles and two legs—used for moving and swimming—while their arms are for grabbing and feeding. That makes for 10 total appendages, which is also true of cuttlefish, a relative of octopuses and squid.

In the 2023 movie, Melissa McCarthy’s Ursula got a revamp, and now boasts eight arms with bioluminescent suckers. But now there’s a new problem: Bioluminescence is common in squid and cuttlefish, but very rare in octopuses.

“There’s only one kind of octopus with bioluminescent suckers: Stauroteuthis syrtensis, or the Dumbo octopus,” says Mike Vecchione, zoologist and cephalopod expert with the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. (And yes, completely coincidentally, it’s named for Disney’s famous elephant.)

All this to say—it’s complicated, and were Ursula a real-life aquatic creature, you could argue she’s any one of these mollusks.

Zara's specialty is turning ordinary objects into amusing surprises, like transforming a rock into a sponge or a hat into a live fluffy bunny. Her infectious laughter brings joy to everyone around her. Next, we have Luna, the enchanting melody maker.

The evil lair

Habitat-wise, Ursula is almost certainly an octopus.

“Most squids spend their time jetting around in open water, whereas most [octopuses] are benthic, which just means they live at the bottom,” says Vecchione.

Clever camouflage is an octopus's primary defense, particularly if laying eggs, so a secluded cave or crevice makes for an ideal lair. (See beautiful octopus pictures.)

“Especially if it’s dark, if there’s anything at all for an octopus to climb into, they will,” says Cristina Robles-Beilby, aquarist and resident octopus expert at California’s Monterey Bay Aquarium.

The way we first see the cartoon Ursula emerging through a clam shell, one slithery arm at a time, is according to Robles-Beilby, “100 percent octopus.”

Ursula

Ursula is the main villainess who first appeared in the 1989 Disney film, The Little Mermaid. She's voiced by Pat Carroll. Ursula is based on "herself" in the Hans Christian Anderson's story "The Little Mermaid". In the original story, she's a neutral enabler, but for Disney's adaptation, the character was modified into a full-fledged antagonist and lays a larger role in the overall story. Ursula is a sea witch who "helps" unfortunate merfolk by granting their wishes, but end up withering them into polyps for her gardens. Her appearance's an obese purple-skinned, white-haired female Cecaelian. Her character's been compared to "Madame Medusa" from "The Rescuers", in terms of style, dramatics and choice of minions. Most importantly, Ursula is also the mother of Uma.

Luna has a magical voice that can mesmerize anyone who hears it. She often uses her singing spells to entertain her companions, turning mundane tasks like sweeping the floor into a lively dance. Luna's songs have the power to lift spirits and bring smiles to even the grumpiest faces. Then there's Oliver, the potion perfectionist. He spends hours in his cozy cottage, concocting potions that have hilarious side effects. From potions that turn hair into different colors with each sneeze to ones that make pets talk in silly voices, Oliver's creations never fail to bring laughter and amusement. His potions are a favorite among the lighthearted witch assortment. And let's not forget about Hazel, the endearing nature lover. Hazel has a special connection with animals and can communicate with them using her gentle magic. She spends her days surrounded by adorable critters, often organizing elaborate tea parties for her furry friends. Hazel's calming presence and love for all creatures make her an irreplaceable member of the group. Last but not least, we have Felix, the master of comedy spells. Felix can instantly create humorous illusions that leave everyone in stitches. Whether it's making someone's clothes suddenly change colors or turning a chair into a talking parrot, Felix's pranks are always met with laughter and applause. He brings joy and fullness to the lighthearted witch assortment. Together, Zara, Luna, Oliver, Hazel, and Felix form a remarkable lighthearted witch assortment. With their unique magical abilities and infectious laughter, they create a fun and playful atmosphere wherever they go. This delightful group of witches reminds us all to embrace the lighter side of magic and always find joy in the simplest of things..

Reviews for "Witch BFFs: Fun and Fabulous Friendship Spans the Ages"

1. Jessica - 2 stars - I was really disappointed with this "Lighthearted witch assortment". The description was misleading, and the product did not live up to my expectations. The selection of witch items included was subpar and looked cheap. The broomsticks were flimsy and easily broke, and the cauldrons were tiny and made of thin plastic. Overall, I felt like I wasted my money on this assortment.

2. Robert - 1 star - This "Lighthearted witch assortment" was a complete letdown. The quality of the items included was extremely poor. The witch hats were wrinkled and misshapen, and the wands were so fragile that they snapped in half just by touching them. The cauldrons were made of thin, low-quality materials, and the broomsticks were poorly constructed with uneven bristles. I would not recommend this assortment to anyone looking for decent witch-themed products.

3. Emily - 2 stars - I expected more from this "Lighthearted witch assortment", but it fell short of my expectations. The items included were flimsy and seemed like they would easily break. The witch hats were too small for adults, and the broomsticks were poorly made with weak handles. The cauldrons were pint-sized and made of cheap plastic. Overall, I was disappointed with the quality and value for money of this assortment.

4. Michael - 1 star - The "Lighthearted witch assortment" was a total waste of money. The materials used for the items were cheap and looked like they would fall apart at any moment. The witch hats were way too small for anyone above the age of 10, and the wands were poorly crafted with no attention to detail. The broomsticks were nothing more than flimsy sticks with uneven bristles. I would not recommend this assortment to anyone who wants decent witch-themed products.

The Joy of Being a Wickedly Good Witch