Ursula (The Little Mermaid) the studio's strongest and most powerful villains in several years. Film critic Roger Ebert dubbed Ursula Disney's "most satisfying villainess since" "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs"' Evil Queen, who debuted in 1937. Critics agree that Ursula played an important role in the overall success of "The Little Mermaid". Samantha Rullo of "Bustle" reviewed Ursula as a "way more interesting" character than Ariel herself, while praising her for "rocking the best hair and makeup of any Disney villain." Also writing for "Bustle", Caitlyn Callegari appreciated Ursula for "tell[ing] it like it is." Jay Boyar of the "Orlando Sentinel" hailed Ursula
Ursula (The Little Mermaid) the kingdom in a man’s world, having been kicked out for no specific reason." In her book "Emerson Goes to the Movies: Individualism in Walt Disney Company's Post-1989 Animated Films", author Justyna Fruzińska claimed that "the masculine rule of Triton is presented as positive and opposed to the negative, feminine rule of Ursula". "Understanding Disney: The Manufacture of Fantasy" author Janet Wasko accused the film's treatment of Ursula of "eliminat[ing] many of the female characters and undermin[ing] [the] feminine power" present in Andersen's fairy tale. However, Wasko also argued that Ursula could possibly be considered a mother figure for Ariel;