Neither of these is my most heartbreaking moment for either movie (Mulan clinging to the pole after being told off by her father for being outspoken and Ariel crying on the pier after finding out Eric won't be marrying her are the ones I find more heartbreaking). But out of these, I find this one less heartbreaking, as I feel that Ariel is so hurt by her father destroying her one big passion in life. Mulan is having a moment of feeling down but she quickly comes round.

Because I personally relate Ariel's collection and longing for the human world to that of the struggle of trans* people feeling they are in the wrong body. The destruction of Ariel's collection to me is tragic because the collection is a labour of love and longing that clearly took her a long time and was her only solace in feeling so out of place in her body.

Mulan's is sad, but she has a chance of redeeming herself and didn't really lose anything besides her dignity. Ariel can't get her stuff back, and it's the breaking point of her giving her voice up to Ursula.

This isn't really Ariel's lowest point in the movie, that comes later. But it is Mulan's lowest point, thinking that she has failed and has to go home in dishonour. Neither is a tear jerker for me, but Mulan's moment is a little bit sadder.

btw I assume we are supposed to pick which one we think is LESS heartbreaking?

Oops I didn't even notice. I was picking the one I thought was less heartbreaking.

I'm still confused which one we are supposed to pick?

It's always going to be the one less heartbreaking