‘The Little Mermaid’ Modernized Its Ending With Two Important Twists

Warning: The following contains spoilers for The Little Mermaid, now in theaters.

In many ways, the live-action version of The Little Mermaid feels like a glorious return to a nostalgic underwater world and a gentle reminder that, yes, you do indeed remember every single word to "Kiss the Girl."

But there are two key twists at the end that make the film distinctly modern, and we're breaking them down here.

Ariel gets to save the day

First, and perhaps most importantly, Ariel is the one to kill Ursula after an epic underwater battle.

In the original, Prince Eric steers a ship straight through the conniving sea witch, killing her. This time around, Ariel is her own hero, taking the helm herself and putting a stop to Ursula's madness.

It's a significant upgrade from old-school Disney movies where the prince saves both the day and the girl, over and over again.

Prince Eric and Ariel set sail to expand their kingdom

The ending of the original film is sealed with a kiss between Prince Eric and Ariel. In the live-action version, we say goodbye to the couple as they set sail to explore the world, improve trade relations and help put their kingdom on the map.

These two are industrious and career-oriented, and kissing will have to wait. It's a modern little twist on the classic end smooch. But what remains the same is the whole community of merpeople rising from the water to show their support for the couple, alongside the humans.

Read more about the differences between Disney's new live-action reboot of The Little Mermaid and the animated original.

The Little Mermaid is in theaters now.