Stardew Valley may have hidden a stealthy reference to The Little Mermaid in a place where many players likely wouldn't expect. Although the game is based more in life simulation than adventure, it managed to construct a solid story of its own, largely thanks to strong writing for its characters. Stardew Valley does an effective job at establishing its own world and doesn't have many explicit references to real-world pop culture, largely thanks to its version of the world being quite different from real life. However, one of its bachelors could be hiding a funny Easter egg.
Stardew Valley's Sebastian is a popular marriage candidate for many players. He is one of Pelican Town's more relatable characters, being an introverted programmer who worries that his career path isn't taken seriously by the people around him. Although his schedule can make him difficult to build hearts with early on, players who persevere will find one of the game's more satisfying character arcs, especially if they end up marrying him in the end. Despite coming off as aloof at first, Sebastian is a likable character, as well as one of the least likely sources of a possible Disney reference.
Sebastian's Love For Flounder May Be A Disney Reference In Stardew Valley
Players seeking to befriend Sebastian in Stardew Valley will likely take the time to learn which gifts he likes, which will lead them to an unusual bit of trivia. Among the population of Pelican Town, Sebastian is the only person who likes receiving Flounder as a gift. There are a few characters who are neutral towards it, but most of the town either dislikes or outright hate Flounder as a gift. Sebastian has no real connection to the sea or any indication that he likes fish. Yet, for some reason, he's the only person in town that likes Flounder.
While it's not certain, there is a possible explanation for one of Stardew Valley's more unusual secrets. In Disney's The Little Mermaid, two of the most prominent characters aside from Ariel are Sebastian and Flounder. Sebastian was effectively Ariel's guardian in Triton's stead, while Flounder was Ariel's cheerful friend in Atlantica. While Sebastian from Stardew Valley shares almost no qualities with his namesake from The Little Mermaid, their shared name is the source of the shout-out. Sebastian being the only character in Stardew Valley who likes Flounder as a gift could be a reference to how Sebastian and Flounder were Ariel's closest allies in The Little Mermaid.
A piece of evidence that could add further credence to this idea is the fact that Stardew Valley's town has some characters that would be more likely to appreciate Flounder than Sebastian. Willy the old fisherman would be the most obvious suspect, but he is neutral to all fish gifts, including Flounder. There is also Elliot, who lives by the sea, and Linus, who lives off the land, but both of them are similarly neutral to the gift. It seems odd for Sebastian to like Flounder more than these other characters, meaning the shout-out could be deliberate.
Stardew Valley doesn't directly reference The Little Mermaid, but it's hard to deny the coincidence surrounding Sebastian's appreciation of Flounder, although it does make making friends in Stardew Valley easier. While Sam's liking for the otherwise despised Joja Cola can be explained by his relatively immature slacker personality, for example, Sebastian's affinity for Flounder is a more difficult phenomenon to explain outside of being a reference to The Little Mermaid. For this reason, Sebastian may provide Stardew Valley's most unexpected shout-out.
Stardew Valley is available now for Linux, MacOS, mobile devices, Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.