She was only able to save the beast becausa a chipped teacup rescued her from her house. Ariel saves Erics's ass twice, on her own.

probably, but i don't think there's anything inherently bad about being a damsel anyway - or at least no worse than never needing to be saved.

Both are sometimes shown as damsel in distress in their own way.

Neither are damsels, but Ariel is closer to being one than Belle is.

Tbh i think neither are.

Belle doesn't really save Adam/beast, so much as the act of her "falling in love with him" according to the logistics of the enchantress's spell, saves him. I say it counts as Belle saving Adam's life one time. Mostly, Adam/Beast or Chip the teacup saves Belle and Maurice a lot.

Ariel goes around saving Flounder from a shark, Eric from drowning, Sebastian from the dinner table, and then saves Eric's life again, and her father's kingdom, at the finale. Ariel is not relying on Eric or her father (Triton) to do much for her own life.

Damsels is a word I don't really like. But based on who does less in her own movie...it's Belle.

Ariel is more capable in the TV show anyway.