Top 10 Most Evil Cartoon Traitors

Betrayal can happen anywhere, even in a cartoon! Welcome to WatchMojo.com and today we’re counting down our picks for the top 10 Cartoon Traitors in movies and TV.

For this list, we’ll be focusing on animated characters from the big and small screens that betray a person or group. These are strictly entries from western animation, as traitors from anime sources are for another list entirely. Without further delay, let’s expose these Judases for who and what they are!

#10: Terra

“Teen Titans” (2003-06)
Duplicity is often the result of fear, and in Terra’s case, it’s her fear of hurting others that causes her deceit. Able to move earth and rock with her mind, Terra is welcomed by the Teen Titans as a potential member, with Beast Boy becoming especially smitten. However, her control over her powers is erratic, leading her to seek the help of the Titans’ archenemy Slade, who offers her the chance to better handle her abilities if she serves as his spy. The team, and Beast Boy in particular, are stung by her betrayal. Terra redeems herself however, ultimately defeating Slade, and sacrificing herself to stop a volcanic eruption.

#9: Barriss Offee

“Star Wars: The Clone Wars” (2008-14)
After coming to believe the Jedi have strayed from their path and are perpetuating the Clone Wars, Barriss detonates a bomb in the Jedi temple, killing Jedi, maintenance crewmembers, and soldiers. In using violence to protest violence, Barriss proves herself a hypocrite - but worse still, she takes it one step further by framing her friend Ahsoka Tano for the crime. Ignorant of Offee’s actions, Ahsoka turns to her for help while on the run, only for Barriss to attempt to kill her and further pin the attack on her. Nice this one is not.

#8: Dawn Bellwether

“Zootopia” (2016)
Talk about a wolf in sheep’s clothing! This seemingly sweet and cuddly mammal uses her position as the mayor’s assistant to gain the trust and sympathy of the residents of Zootopia. By appearing as someone who’s submissive and often taken for granted, she’s able to fool others about her real character. That’s right, Dawn is actually a cruel, prejudiced manipulator out to get anyone – especially predators – who disagrees with her. In her quest for power, she not only takes the job of mayor from Leodore Lionheart but also betrays allies like Officer Judy Hopps. Bellweather’s undoing is cemented by Judy’s recorded confession of her misdeeds when rabbit turns the tables on sheep.

#7: Conway Stern

“Archer” (2010-)
Presenting himself as Jewish, which causes Malory Archer to hire him as a diversity “double whammy,” Conway infiltrates ISIS (the fictional spy organization, not the terrorist group) to steal a valuable piece of tech to sell to the Chinese, after which he actually stabs Sterling Archer in the back. It’s later revealed that Conway is working for the CIA, though he and Archer still have their…differences…to work out. Archer’s mistrust is justified however, as the double agent shoots him, once again in the back, and the truth is exposed. Conway doesn’t make it off scot-free though, since he loses what he means to steal, as well both of his hands, each on separate occasions.

#6: Stinky Pete

“Toy Story 2” (1999)
Based on the “Woody’s Roundup” character of the same name, Stinky Pete is part of the same line of toys as our hero, Woody. Living almost entirely in an unopened box, Stinky Pete, unlike his fellow “Roundup” toys, never experienced what it was like to be a child’s plaything. Having been “on display” his whole life, the prospect of losing that spotlight leads the Prospector doll to do whatever it takes to keep it, including sabotaging Woody’s attempts to go home. Pete embodies Woody’s central conflict in the film, the desire to belong and be wanted, but taken to its most extreme, self-serving conclusion. Andy’s toys certainly don’t have a friend in him.

#5: Saddam Hussein

“South Park” (1997-); “South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut” (1999)
A heavily caricatured, squeaky-voiced, gay version of Iraq’s former dictator, Saddam Hussein is an oft recurring villain on South Park, where he is primarily seen interacting with his on-again, off-again boyfriend, Satan. The tumultuous nature of their relationship is primarily due to Saddam’s tendency to abuse the Devil, both physically and emotionally; even wresting control over the big red guy’s demons and the entire world in the movie. It’s rumored that the real life Hussein was shown the film while on trial for his crimes, which, if true, would make for a bizarrely meta-fictional punishment.

#4: Demona

“Gargoyles” (1994-97)
While some may point to David Xanatos, the man of a thousand plans, as “Gargoyles’” resident traitor, Xanatos never quite sinks to the depths Demona does when she turns her coat. Demona’s betrayal of the humans her clan guarded by night ultimately led to the slaughter of nearly all of them, both gargoyle and human. For the next thousand years, Demona ultimately double-crosses every group she comes into contact with, always ending up alone. Her actions are also directly responsible for creating gargoyle-killing Hunters, who drive her race close to extinction. Of course, the femme fatale blames everyone but herself for her misfortune.

#3: Mai

“Avatar: The Last Airbender” (2005-08)
Mai was one of Princess Azula’s right hands and most fervent supporters. Typically reserved and stoic, Mai was most often brought out of her shell by Azula’s brother Zuko, whom she’s had a crush on since a young age. It was her love for him that ultimately leads her to turn on Azula, dueling with Azula and allowing the renegade prince to escape. While most of the traitors on our list are motivated by fear or for personal gain, Mai’s disloyalty is driven by the best, and most dangerous of emotions: love.

#2: Starscream

“The Transformers” franchise (1984-)
There’s no shortage of backstabbing transformers, particularly since half of them are called Decepticons. Of particular note is a trio of traitors from “Beast Wars,” including the treacherous Terrorsaur, the scheming Tarantulas, and the noble Dinobot, which are all top contenders. However, there’s one ‘bot who outstrips them all: Starscream. And we mean that literally, since the Decepticon actually appears on “Beast Wars” to show them how it’s done. Opportunistic and disloyal to the point that you could set a watch by his treachery, Starscream has always been out for Megatron’s job – and is weasel-y enough to escape any consequences. Usually.
Before we get to our top choice, here are a few honorable mentions.



Phantom Limb
“The Venture Bros.” (2004-)

Morph

“X-Men” (1992-97)

Heather

“Total Drama” (2007-)

Fukushima

“Kim Possible” (2002-07)

Numbuh 274 / Chad Dickson

“Codename: Kids Next Door” (2002-08)

#1: Scar

“The Lion King” (1994)
Like Iago, Scar was modeled after a Shakespearean villain - in this case, King Claudius. However, while the parrot’s name and disposition are the limit of the similarities in his case, “The Lion King” is pretty heavily based on “Hamlet” from top to bottom - and what a benchmark tale of treachery to take as your inspiration! Scar’s deception is more layered than Hamlet’s uncle’s though, as he not only murders his brother, but the sinister feline also betrays his own allies, the hyenas, in the coup… which leads to his ultimate downfall. If only he’d taken his own advice; shoulda “been prepared.”