A Definitive Ranking of the Most Iconic Disney Villains
Everyone has their favorite Disney princesses, but Disney Villains are equally important to the storyline as the protagonists. Like the main characters, these villains have their own set of personality traits, motives and more. Unsurprisingly, we all have one we love best.
Curious to see where your favorite lands on our definitive ranking? Check it out below.
9. Lady Tremaine
Lady Tremaine is Cinderella's evil stepmother. Overall, she is a pretty forgettable villain. Yes, she definitely terrorized Cinderella and kept her away from the prince, but that is the extent of her chaos. There are much more interesting villains, and Lady Tremaine is just that: an uncaring, unkind mother with no redemption arc. There's a reason why most people don't even know her name is even Lady Tremaine!
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8. Jafar
We feel similarly to Jafar as we do Lady Tremaine. He's hungry for power and willing to do anything for control. That said, his powers are pretty puny, and he's not that complex of a character. Unlike Lady Tremaine, however, everyone knows Jafar's name, giving him a small boost on our list.
7. Captain Hook
In our eyes, Captain Hook has received unjust treatment. He is one of the most iconic storybook characters, yet we don't know much about his history. As a result, Captain Hook ends up appearing one-dimensional. That said, pirates are totally cool, which makes him a pretty fun character.
Come on, Disney! Give us the backstory we deserve.
6. Gaston
We have a soft spot for silly villains, and Gaston might be the king of the category. He's a super muscular, conventionally attractive dude who loves a fair maiden like Belle. Sadly, he's all brawn and no brains, making it pretty simple to outsmart him. That said, his solo song is hilariously confident, so we have to applaud him for that.
5. Cruella de Vil
If not for Cruella's film (starring Emma Stone), we probably would rank her lower on our list. That movie adds tons of context of how Cruella turned into the sinister woman she is. As animal lovers, we can't help but despise anyone who treats them poorly, but we do find ourselves wanting more for Cruella, like a quiet life designing fashion in New York City.
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4. Scar
Nobody—and we mean no one—can frustrate us the way Scar did. His murder of Mufasa has to be one of the most heartbreaking betrayals in film history. Unlike other villains, we don't root for Scar. We don't need to know his backstory—there is no redemption possible for him. But if you can make us feel that passionately angry, the writers definitely did a great job of writing the character.
3. Hades
Hades definitely sits at the same goofy table as Gaston. That said, we love Hades so much because of his iconic one-liners. Despite being the ruler of the Underworld, he's super unsuccessful in all his attempts to regain power. You can't help but laugh! He's barely a villain to us.
2. Ursula
When it comes to storylines, we think Ursula has the perfect formula without being emotionally taxing for the viewer, like Scar in The Lion King. She has a clear motive for her evil: she's been ostracized by Triton and wants more. It's no surprise that she'd go after naïve, impressionable Ariel. Then, she goes above and beyond to ensure her mission is complete, despite failing at the end. She truly had us on the edge of our seats, making our viewing more exciting.
1. Maleficent
Maleficent might be the only villain we like more than the princess she targets. In Sleeping Beauty, you don't know much about the witch. However, her titular film really dives into the complexities of her yearning and loneliness, only made more apparent by Angelina Jolie's vulnerable performance. We'd love to see other villains receive a similar treatment because it adds a whole new perspective to how we watch the movies.
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