Top 10 Most Unforgivable Disney Moments
#10: Everything Lady Tremaine Does “Cinderella” (1950)
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Stepmothers are often synonymous with wickedness in the Disney universe, and Lady Tremaine is an absolute pro when it comes to being the worst. Although the classic Disney villain does not get physical, Lady Tremaine methodically works to break Cinderella's psyche through acts of unapologetic cruelty. Helped by her awful daughters - oh, that poor dress! - Lady Tremaine successfully ensures that every day of Cinderella's life is miserable while also trying to kill any hope the protagonist might have for an escape. Driven by jealousy and greed, Lady Tremaine proves that a Disney villain does not need to have superpowers to spread the pain.
#9: What Mr. Waternoose’s Business Actually Does “Monsters, Inc.” (2001)
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Alongside Randall, Henry J. Waternoose III serves as "Monsters, Inc's" main villain. As the CEO of Monsters, Inc., Waternoose is driven solely by a desire to save his company. However good the character's intentions might be, Waternoose is still willing to do anything to keep his company afloat, including kidnapping and torturing children as well as murder. Even before things go completely off the rails, Waternoose is still a businessman who founded a company based on scaring children half to death. Waternoose shows little remorse for Monsters Inc.'s actions, even if the villain presumably never imagined things would get so bad.
#8: Mother Gothel’s Lies “Tangled” (2010)
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Mother knows best. After her magical flower is taken by the royal family, Gothel kidnaps a baby Rapunzel to use her hair's healing magic to stay forever young. Gothel locks Rapunzel in a tower and raises the girl as her own, which generally involves a lot of manipulation, isolation, and lies about the outside world being evil. Rapunzel genuinely loves Gothel, which is an emotion the antagonist uses to convince the protagonist that nobody will ever protect her like mother. Years of psychological abuse is more than horrible enough, but Gothel even gets a bit stabby after Rapunzel rebels.
#7: Cruella De Vil’s Puppy Fur Scheme “One Hundred and One Dalmatians” (1961)
If nothing else, Cruella wears her horridness for the whole world to see. A fashionista with a fixation on fur coats, Cruella has never met a puppy that she doesn’t think would look better draped on her shoulders. The villain is willing to go the extra mile to ensure she has a steady supply of puppies ready to be stripped, and if things head south, Cruella is perfectly fine with killing them all. Cruella is heartless, arrogant, and also presumably pretty cheap, as there's no way Jasper and Horace are the best henchmen money can buy.
#6: Dumbo Is Bullied & Separated from Mother “Dumbo” (1941)
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Won't someone just give this elephant a hug? "Dumbo"’s first act is filled with depressing moments and characters seemingly striving to out-awful each other. Due to his ears, Dumbo is instantly ridiculed by the rest of the circus animals. Then, the elephant becomes the target of a group of detestable human kids, which is an act that leads to Dumbo's mother intervening - to unfortunately maddening results. As the icing on the miserable cake, the Ringmaster separates Dumbo from his mother at the very point in the story where Mrs. Jumbo is the only creature that has shown the baby elephant any love.
#5: Hans Leaves Anna “Frozen” (2013)
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For the majority of "Frozen," Hans comes across as a heroic and selfless character who wishes to protect Arendelle from Elsa's unintentional wrath. Just as the stars seem to align for the prince to marry Anna and join Arendelle's royal family, Hans decides to reveal himself as a villain. Hans locks a dying Anna in a room and leaves her to rot, hoping to use the princess's demise as justification to execute Elsa. It is a shocking moment that flips the character on his head -, mostly because Hans delivers his evil monologue with all the gusto of a James Bond villain from the Roger Moore era.
#4: Lotso Leaves the Toys to Burn “Toy Story 3” (2010)
"Toy Story" always hits the mark when it comes to villains, and Lots-O'-Huggin' Bear might be the most detestable. Sympathetic backstory aside, Lotso runs Sunnyside Daycare as his personal prison, and the toy does not react kindly to acts of rebellion. Even after the bear is saved by Buzz and Woody, Lotso leaves the toys to burn in an incinerator and relishes the opportunity to do so. With redemption only one big red button away, Lotso spits in the face of the opportunity and reveals he has no intention of changing anytime soon.
#3: Ernesto de la Cruz’s Crime Against Héctor “Coco” (2017)
Some people will do anything for fame and fortune. Musician Ernesto de la Cruz died a legend and an idol, all while hiding the fact he stole his success from his childhood friend, Hector. Even in the Land of the Dead, Ernesto plays the part of the suave artist with a passion for music. At least, he does until the truth comes out about the way he murdered Hector and took his songs. It is not just that Ernesto murdered a close friend, but the villain also robbed the Rivera family of music for generations.
#2: Scar Blames Simba for Mufasa’s Death “The Lion King” (1994)
Always a bridesmaid, never the bride; Scar loathed his brother, Mufasa, and schemed to take the Pride Lands' throne for himself. With the help of the hyenas and a wildebeest stampede, Scar sets a plan in motion. It culminates in Mufasa's death, Simba taking responsibility for the tragedy, and a whole lot of tears. Dead parents are a staple of Disney movies, but "The Lion King" shows Scar ending Mufasa’s life in all of its heartbreaking glory. Scar also proves to be a rather terrible king and almost causes the Pride Lands' ruin. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. Tinker Bell Tries to Get Rid of Wendy, “Peter Pan” (1953) Because She May Just Be a Few Inches Tall, But It All Seems to be Unfiltered Jealousy Sebastian Ratting Ariel Out & Triton Destroying the Grotto, “The Little Mermaid” (1989) Because Triton Took ‘Overprotective Father’ to New Heights The Evil Queen Puts Out a Hit on Snow White, “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” (1937) Because the Queen Lives Up to Her Evil Reputation An Expedition to Rob Atlantis, “Atlantis: The Lost Empire” (2001) Because Discovering a Long Lost City Means Nothing If It Does Not Turn a Profit Syndrome Destroyed a Whole Lot of Superheroes, “The Incredibles” (2004) Because If Syndrome Cannot Be a Super, Then Nobody Can
#1: Frollo Does Away with Quasimodo’s Mother & Launches a Reign of Terror “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” (1996)
Frollo's first act in this Disney movie is to allow for a young mother’s death out of prejudice for her ethnicity before almost drowning a baby... and the judge's reign of terror has yet to even begin at this point. Along with treating Quasimodo like dirt for a few decades, Frollo - an extremely religious Minister of Justice who believes himself to be above judgment - finds himself falling in lust with a Romani woman. Unable to come to terms with her background and his unrequited feelings for her, he sets out on a crusade to dispose of her and her people. The judge's road to Heaven entails multiple attempts at burning Paris to the ground and ordering the execution of Esmeralda’s love interest, Captain Phoebus.
