Rhiannon Elizabeth Irons
This may be controversial, but Disney might create better villains than heroes.
For this Top 13 I’ll be looking at the most compelling and memorable baddies from Disney’s classic animated movies, excluding collaborations with Pixar and more recent entries rendered in 3D modelling. So, as despicable as Hans from Frozen was, he won’t be making this list.
Time to dust off your poisoned apples and spinach puffs. Be Prepared because I'm about to raise some Hellfire. Okay, that's enough on the Disney villain puns.
This will be your only warning. There may be spoilers ahead.
13: Chernabog – Fantasia (1940)
Thanks to this Disney demon, movie fanatics around the world can’t associate Modest Mussorgsky’s famous piece without conjuring up images of a sinister gargoyle-like creature.
Featured in Fantasia’s ‘Night on Bald Mountain’ sequence, Chernabog is, without a doubt, the most beautifully terrifying creature to come from the House of Mouse. He is the embodiment of pure evil, Disney’s literal version of Satan, with massive horns and batwings. He stands, foreboding, with his kaiju-sized stature, looking down on all that surrounds him.
Chernabog, the Slavic god of darkness, calls forth skeletons, ghosts, and demons from the depths of the underworld on Walpurgis night for a black magic bacchanal on Bald Mountain. A scene that would be better suited to the Necronomicon than a Walt Disney production, the iconic musical score adds fuel to the nightmare-inducing scene, cementing Chernabog as an indisputable Disney villain.
12: The Horned King – The Black Cauldron (1985)
Known by many as “the movie Disney tried to bury” due to its poor reception upon release, The Black Cauldron has gained cult classic status for its fantasy adventure. It is the first Disney animation that is not a musical and doesn’t contain any song neither performed by the characters or in the background.
But what it lacks in traditional Disney ideologies, it makes up for with a creepy villain.
The Horned King’s main goal was simply to find the black cauldron and use its power to unleash an army of immortal warriors called the Cauldron Born. Inspired by both Chernabog and Maleficent, his appearance is frightening. His skeletal figure shroud in torn robes has green, rotting flesh and two gnarled horns from which he earned his name is terrifying for young audiences.
It is debatable whether or not the Horned King is undead or living. It is possible that in his quest for godhood, he has used his magical abilities to starve off death but is unable to keep his body from deteriorating. Nevertheless, the decomposition seems only external as he is physically strong, fast, and agile. His ability to project his voice with menace along with his nightmarish appearance cements him a spot on this list.
11: Yzma – The Emperor’s New Groove (2000)
The Emperor’s New Groove never quite got the attention it deserved, because in retrospect, it’s one of Disney’s most light-hearted films. Purely entertaining thanks, in large part, to its main villain, Yzma.
In a rare instance, it's her fabulous sense of style and eccentric personality far overshadow her actual villainy.
Her main goal to overthrow Kuzco and become Empress is pretty standard as far as evil plans are concerned. She doesn’t pose the same serious threat as some of the other Disney villains as her inability to take care of the details surrounding her plot made her nearly impossible to take seriously. And when things go horribly wrong with Kuzco being turned into a llama instead of being poisoned, rather than finishing him off herself, her dependence on her henchman, Kronk, is somewhat of a cruel irony as it spectacularly backfires.
Yzma may not have had all her ducks in a row, but she was brilliant, brilliant, briiiiiiiiilliant nonetheless.
10: Queen Gramhilde – Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1938)
In the realm of evil things that Disney villains have done, asking for the heart of a completely innocent child ranks highly. Especially when the motivation behind that request is jealousy over that child’s beauty. Queen Gramhilde, more commonly referred to as the Evil Queen, was so threatened by the idea that someone could be prettier than her that she was willing to kill anyone that took her place.
Talk about bat-crap crazy.
Relying on her magic mirror to assuage her insecurity, and to later stalk her stepdaughter, Snow White, Queen Gramhilde’s jealousy was driven to a feverish point.
Like most villains that followed her in the Disney canon, she relied on someone else executing her diabolical plan. Asking the huntsman for her stepdaughter’s heart, the Queen was thrown into a fit of rage when it was discovered she had been tricked when he returned with a pig’s heart. Disguising herself as an old hag, she tracks down Snow White and offers her a poisoned apple.
It says a lot about her legacy that she still stands up as a completely horrifying villain even though it’s been 85 years since Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs hit theatres. Proof that age won’t slow this Queen down.
9: Lady Tremaine – Cinderella (1950)
Proof that Disney villains can live in the realms of our world, Lady Tremaine set the standard for all future awful parents in Disney movies with her ruthless nature. From forcing the titular heroine to perform grueling, thankless housework to mocking her desire for a night out at the ball, this matriarch wasn’t just unfair – she was downright cruel.
When you add in the fact that she ultimately kidnapped Cinderella in an attempt to hide her away from the prince and his people, just so she could have a chance to trick him into marrying one of her own biological daughters, there’s no denying that she’s one of the most horrible characters to grace our screens.
She never threatened Cinderella’s life but taking away every chance at happiness is just as bad, if not worse. Ruling the family with an iron fist, Lady Tremaine made sure that her own daughters were in the spotlight, often using her manipulating tactics to pit them against Cinderella. It still seems unjust that this wicked stepmother never really had to live with the consequences of her actions.
8: Gaston – Beauty and the Beast (1991)
He is misogyny personified. A brutish, boorish man with an overinflated sense of self and little regard for anyone he deems weaker than him. Admittedly, while his dim-witted attempts to woo Belle were undeniably entertaining, Gaston ultimately ended up being one of Disney’s more sinister villains thanks to his childish and stubborn belief that he was entitled to anything he wanted. Or anyone.
When told “No” by Belle, he became possessive, stalking her. He attempted to murder the Beast out of spite and worse, he used his charms and good looks to rally the villagers to join him on his quest as an angry mob.
He never showed an ounce of regard for anyone other than himself but made those around him believe he was a benevolent gentleman.
Gaston’s selfish demeanor only gets more disturbing with each passing year as he’s the pinnacle for toxic masculinity with his manipulative and villainous ways.
7: Hades – Hercules (1997)
While Hercules is not the best Disney animated movie, not by a long shot, it does have some perks, with one of them being its main villain, Hades.
At face value, he’s pretty terrifying with his jagged, shark-like teeth, intense, yellow-eyed gaze, fiery façade, and a love of skull accessories. But despite his less-than-friendly appearance, Disney managed to transform the God of the Underworld into one of the most sassy, sarcastic, and endlessly entertaining antagonists.
Unlike a lot of other comical villains in the Disney canon, Hades is actually pretty good at being bad, thanks to his high intelligence, powerful magical abilities, and brilliant schemes. Even with his henchmen, Pain and Panic, foiling his plans, Hades is quick to think of an alternative solution.
Hades was so memorable and enjoyable that you almost feel bad when he doesn’t get what he wants, even if that meant a total upheaval on Mount Olympus.
6: Cruella De Vil – 101 Dalmatians (1961)
With a name like Cruella De Vil, you know this fashionista has to be bad.
Elitist, glamourous, and sociopathic, she puts vanity first, even if that means she has to murder to get the look she’s after. She was so unscrupulous that she actually wanted to skin a litter of puppies in order to make a fur coat.
When she kidnaps the puppies at the center of the story, she didn’t anticipate the fight she would have on her hands. But instead of cutting her losses, she went into full-villain meltdown mode and unleashed one of the most terrifying examples of road rage in cinematic history.
While we admire Cruella’s dedication to fashion, we shudder at the thought that someone could be so evil that they would rather kill gorgeous dalmatian puppies instead of being snuggled by them.
5: Jafar – Aladdin (1992)
Like so many other villains, Jafar’s motive is power. He wishes to be as powerful as possible and he’s willing to use anyone and everyone he can to achieve that dream. He manipulates those around him, regardless of who they are. From simple, kind-hearted street urchins to naïve sultans, no one is safe from Jafar.
Aladdin’s evil antagonist certainly looked the part. His eyebrows highly arched, long flowing robes, and a snake-headed staff screamed sinister. Teaming that with his mastery of both manipulation and magic and Jafar suddenly becomes a genuine threat among other Disney baddies.
As an advisor to Agrabah’s leader, he managed to weasel his way into the upper echelons of power and used magic to convince the sultan that he was a willing suitor for his daughter.
He put lives on the line, and even his own soul, without a second thought. All for a chance at ultimate power.
In the end, his political opportunism and supersized ego were his downfall, but he still proved to be a worthy adversary in the meantime.
4: Ursula – The Little Mermaid (1989)
The diva of the sea, Ursula was deliciously devious with her larger-than-life personality. Combining comedy and evil, she bewitched not only her prey but the audience too, making her a nearly unstoppable foe.
Like a lot of villains on this list, Ursula employed minions. Flotsam and Jetsam, two sinister looking eels, obeyed her every command. But unlike a lot of villains on this list, when they were destroyed, she genuinely seemed upset, proving that just because she was diabolical, she was also complex with her emotions.
What made Ursula particularly evil was that she went after her victims when they were in their most vulnerable state of mind, never hesitating to steal from them the very qualities that made them unique. Her garden of broken souls speaks volumes about her wicked ways.
To make matters worse, she is still one of the most entertaining characters from the animated renaissance period. She is one villain we love to hate, even when she’s at worst.
3: Claude Frollo – The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)
Let’s be real – The Hunchback of Notre Dame is one of the most criminally underrated films in the Disney catalogue, yet it delivers one of the scariest villains in history.
Claude Frollo was a religious man, and the fact that he explained away his dastardly deeds by claiming he had God’s permission makes them all the more evil. He’s a poster child for those who believe that power corrupts, because he never used his position of authority for good, but rather for what he wanted.
His twisted desire to annihilate the gypsy population stemmed from his lust for Esmeralda. This lust turned him into both a genocidal maniac and an attempted rapist. This alone is almost too dark for a Disney film. But on top of that layer of callousness, his unforgiving cruelty towards Quasimodo further solidifies his place on this list.
Regardless of all the trappings of his wealth and prestige, Claude Frollo was a cold, heartless man, whose wrath was felt by an entire city.
2: Maleficent – Sleeping Beauty (1959)
The mistress of all evil has arrived.
Maleficent has all the markings of a truly classic villainess. She’s a brilliant sorceress, an unfeeling antagonist, and holds a grudge better than yours truly. Her portrayal in 1959’s Sleeping Beauty presents an evil by which all other evil-doers should be measured against.
Her physical appearance was terrifying for multiple reasons. Her green-tinged skin teamed with long, flowing black and purple robes, and two large horns were the stuff of nightmares. But when she was truly pissed off, she transformed into a monstrous dragon, complete with snapping jaws and lime green fireballs.
If that’s not bad enough, her motive is enough to send a chill down your spine. She was left off a party list. Yes, you read that right. She was excluded from the presentation of the baby princess Aurora that she gatecrashed the event and cursed the infant, a fate that would take 16 years to finally come to fruition. She was so determined to hurt the King and Queen that wronged her that she went into full monster mode and almost burned an entire kingdom to the ground.
When the Disney villains revolt against the heroes, Maleficent will be the one leading them.
1: Scar – The Lion King (1994)
All of the villains on this list were brilliantly bad. No doubt about that. Some might have been more likable or scarier than The Lion King’s malevolent enemy. There’s no argument to be had; Scar is the best villain Disney have ever devised.
His evil ways took on a Shakespearean quality, which is appropriate given the film’s source material, elevating him above those who came before, and after, him. Especially when it comes to the utter destruction he brought to the Pridelands.
His murder of Mufasa was unquestionably traumatic for all, destroying an entire generation of children. It was one of the most overtly violent actions a Disney villain ever took. He went on to blame his brother’s death on Simba, chasing his nephew out of the territory, and taking over Pride Rock, bringing all its subjects to their knees.
He did one thing that most Disney villains don’t get to do. He succeeded in his plan. So, by the time Scar met his end, it felt like there was never an animated villain more deserving of death.
Still, his villainous story arc is a large part of what makes The Lion King unforgettable. Well, that and his supremely catchy villainous song.
Who is your favourite Disney villain? Sound off in the comments below.
Honourable Mentions
Shere Khan – I wouldn’t want to run into this cunning tiger deep in the jungle.
Captain Hook – This old codfish may have been one of Disney’s first comical villains, but he’s still menacing.
Queen of Hearts – Her battle cry of “Off with their heads!” is enough to send anyone running for cover.
Dr. Facillier – This smooth Shadow Man knows a trick or two in getting what he wants.
Pete – Whether it be Mickey, Donald, or Goofy pitted against him, there’s no denying that Pete has some cruel intentions.
Professor Ratigan – Imagine a villain so vile that his portrait smiles whenever his name is mentioned.
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