Top 20 Pixar Villains with the Saddest Backstories

#20: Al McWhiggin

“Toy Story 2” (1999)

The Al’s Toy Barn proprietor admittedly crosses a line when he steals Woody. We can’t say that Al had a good reason, but we can see what drove him to this point. The guy has spent who knows how long accumulating the ultimate Woody’s Roundup collection, although the most crucial piece of merchandise was missing. Having finally found Woody himself, Al can cash in and collect a huge payday. Al doesn’t have much else going for him. He clearly isn’t content running his toy store, and he comes home to a lonely apartment where he falls asleep in front of the TV every night. Once Woody and the gang get “lost in transit,” Al crawls back to his pathetic life, selling toys at discounted prices.

#19: Chef Skinner

“Ratatouille” (2007)

Cooking is Remy’s passion, and he’s the cleanest rat who’ll ever prepare your meal. That said, he’s still a rat. Sorry, but if given a choice between a meal from Remy or Skinner, we’re going with the human. While lacking Remy’s innovation, Skinner is a gifted chef, hence why he’s set to inherit Gusteau’s business. Even if Skinner is temperamental and a sellout, he worked hard to get where he is. Yet, it’s all taken away when Gusteau’s illegitimate son arrives. Everything Skinner earned disappears because of a nepo baby and a rat. While we can’t get onboard with Skinner kidnapping Remy and planning to use him for profit, calling the health inspector is what any responsible chef would do.

#18: AUTO

“WALL-E” (2008)

AUTO has been the true captain of the Axiom since it departed Earth. When WALL-E and EVE bring back evidence that the abandoned planet can sustain human life again, AUTO attempts to prevent the truth from coming out. While this makes AUTO an antagonist, it doesn’t have much choice in the matter. This AI is following its directive: to ensure humans survive. Humans were greedy and lazy, programming literal autopilots to do all the work for them. They allowed Earth to become uninhabitable, instructing autopilots never to return. Although things have changed, AUTO can’t process this. We can’t blame AUTO, being a human-made creation. AI is flawed, but that’s largely because humans over-rely on it and use it carelessly. AUTO is a prime example.

#17: Mini Buzz Lightyear“Small Fry” (2011)

In this short, Buzz Lightyear finds himself replaced with a doppelganger. Not the first time that’s happened, although this one is much punier. Mini Buzz Lightyear has spent his existence in a display case, standing little chance of going home with a kid. We understand why he’d want more out of life, even if trying to steal the real Buzz’s identity was a step too far. His plan is also flawed, as nobody buys his “shrunken down in the ball pit” story… except for Rex. Regardless, he’s a toy. It’s in his nature to want to play. Sadly, that doesn’t seem to be in the cards, being sent to Poultry Palace. At least Mini Buzz finds a support group that helps him feel less small.

#16: Terry

“Soul” (2020)

Terry is the Great Beyond’s equivalent of an accountant, counting souls. It’s not the most exciting or glamorous job, but it’s one that Terry takes great pride in. As such, Terry is just doing her job when Joe tries to beat the system, convinced that his exit from Earth was premature. Terry gets little help and even less respect from the Jerrys, who generally see her as a bureaucratic nuisance. Considering how easily Joe slipped past everyone else, though, Terry is obviously the only one taking her duties 100% seriously. Maybe too seriously, as she doesn’t seem to have much of a social life. She can only see the universe in numbers. Some may find that sad, but it’s her spark.

#15: Lord Grigon

“Elio” (2025)

Everyone trembles at the sight of Lord Grigon, from his subjects to the other aliens he seeks to join. If he can’t join them, Grigon will gladly rule them. Like the titular Elio, Grigon is an outsider who feels like he doesn’t belong. The difference between the two is that Grigon hides his insecurities behind armor, threats, and physical violence. He’s basically a schoolyard tormentor who pushes the other kids into submission to mask his own shortcomings. Just as Grigon faces rejection from the Communiverse, his son, Glordon, feels unwanted by his own father. Love is a universal language that even Glordon can understand, however. By the end, Grigon shows that behind his monstrous appearance is a loving father no longer afraid to show vulnerability.

#14: Ming Lee

“Turning Red” (2022)

We have a hard time calling Ming Lee a straight-up villain, as she is a loving mother who just wants to keep her daughter safe. To say that Ming Lee is overprotective would be an understatement, however. Her constant micro-managing risks turning Mei into a social pariah. To be fair, Ming evidently grew up with her own mommy issues. There’s a cycle of repression in this family that might finally end with Mei, who wishes to let her red panda loose. Mei’s defiance unleashes her mother’s own panda. Things get destructive, but once they get past the rage, Mei discovers the fear and sadness buried beneath her mother’s domineering demeanor. Mei relates to her mother, together finding that neither has to be perfect.

#13: Molt

“A Bug’s Life” (1998)

We’re not going to make a case for Hopper being a sympathetic villain. His brother Molt is another story. One could argue that Molt isn’t truly a villain at heart. He merely fell in with a bad crew. More accurately, he was born into it. Despite having an abusive brother, it’s implied that Molt at least had a caring mother. So much so that she made Hopper promise not to kill his brother. Hopper honored his mother’s wish, which might be the only decent thing we can say about him. Even so, Hopper mistreats Molt every chance he gets. When a bird eats Hopper, we not only feel relief for the ants, but also Molt, who can pursue his true calling in the circus.

#12: Zurg

“Lightyear” (2022)

Viewers were split on Zurg’s characterisation in this spinoff. He’s not an emperor, he isn’t Buzz’s father, but rather an older Buzz from another timeline, and his reason for being called Zurg is pretty lazy writing. Despite these divisive changes, this Zurg certainly meets the criteria of a tragic villain. He spent years trying to rewrite a wrong. Although it appears Zurg may be on the verge of completing his mission, Buzz finds that maybe his mistake wasn’t a mistake. Perhaps it was for the best, but Zurg doesn’t see it that way. Zurg is a reflection of what Buzz’s obsession and isolation can lead to. By fixating on the past, Zurg wastes the best years of his life, condemning himself to a bleak future.

#11: Anxiety“Inside Out 2” (2024)

Anxiety is another villain who’s really more of an antagonist. Like it or not, anxiety is an emotion we all have to live with, and it can serve a necessary function. Anxiety shouldn’t have exclusive control over a person, however. When Anxiety bottles up Riley’s other emotions and seizes headquarters, it’s a meltdown waiting to happen. In Anxiety’s eyes, she’s doing what’s best for Riley. Although we don’t root for Anxiety, we can definitely identify with her. For some of us, she may actually be the most relatable character. What Anxiety is doing to Riley isn’t good for her mental health, though. At the same time, Anxiety helps the others to see that Riley is becoming her own individual, one they must all embrace.

#10: Chick Hicks

“Cars” (2006)

There's no doubt that Chick Hicks was a pretty terrible racecar. He resorted to cheating and violence to win the Piston Cup, and was consistently selfish and arrogant. But his bad attitude and obsession with winning stemmed from insecurity. Chick was constantly in second place throughout his career. Yet even as The King was preparing to retire, Lightning McQueen - a rookie - was standing in his way. A perpetual runner-up, he just wanted to step out of the shadows and get his time in the spotlight. While none of this excuses his behavior, it makes it a bit easier to understand his motivations, however misguided they may have been.

#9: Sid Phillips

“Toy Story” (1995)

To Woody and his friends, Sid was an evil mastermind. Considering the way he decapitated and destroyed his toys, it’s easy to understand why they feared him so much. However, Sid was just trying to cope with the pressures of being a kid by playing - aggressively no doubt - with objects he had no reason to believe were sentient! Plus, given the way the film implied his father was neglectful, his attention-seeking behavior made even more sense. There was no reason to think that Sid had malice in his heart, as evidenced by the terror on his face when he discovered that toys actually were alive!

#8: Mor’du

“Brave” (2012)

Mor’du the bear was once one of four human princes. Per his father’s wishes, the land was to be split between him and his brothers. But he wanted it all for himself, so he went to a witch for help. His beastly transformation ensued, and the kingdom was destroyed. Mor’du put his desire for power above everything, including his family. Thus, his fate as a bear - on the inside and out - became permanent. It’s a sad tale of a man who failed to realize what was important in life, and lost everything as a result. His expression when Merida and Elinor killed the bear and set his spirit free truly said it all.

#7: Randall Boggs

“Monsters, Inc.” (2001) & “Monsters University” (2013)

In "Monsters, Inc", Henry J. Waternoose and Randall Boggs made up a despicable team. The CEO, motivated by the need to keep the company going, wasn’t given an in-depth backstory. However, "Monsters University" reveals that the evil lizard-esque monster and Waternoose’s partner-in-crime wasn't always a villain. Randall was initially a reserved student, who was roommates and friends with Mike Wazowski! But when he joined the cool Roar Omega Roar monsters, he started acting like them. He lacked confidence, and began to tear others down in a bid to be accepted. But when his camouflage backfires because of James P. Sullivan in the Scare Games, he is quickly tossed aside by his so-called friends. In that moment, Randall swore he’d never be seen as less than Sulley again. It’s actually quite tragic!

#6: Gabby Gabby

“Toy Story 4” (2019)

Gabby Gabby was an antique shop doll who wanted Woody's voice box because hers didn't work properly. While her plan to get a working one was creepy and cruel, it's easy to sympathize with her. She was manufactured without a functional voice box, and longed to experience love and play like Woody had. She felt that her "defect" was standing in the way of that, so she was desperate to fix it. Yet even after she did, Harmony rejected her. By this point, Gabby Gabby didn’t feel like much of a villain anymore. In fact, everybody was thrilled when she found a little girl to comfort and create memories with in the end.

#5: Charles F. Muntz

“Up” (2009)

Charles Muntz started off as an adored explorer who had the world at his fingertips. But when people doubted his discovery of a rare bird skeleton, he was dubbed a fraud. So he vowed to find the species alive to prove himself, and fell off the map for years. Though he initially fooled Carl and Russell, they quickly realized he was consumed by this quest. Thus, he had grown rather evil. He would do anything - including hurt them - in order to capture Kevin and get the recognition he felt he’d always deserved. That’s just how desperate he was. Ultimately, Muntz missed out on building a life because he was stuck in the past, and it’s unfortunate, to say the least.

#4: Stinky Pete the Prospector

“Toy Story 2” (1999)

The Prospector desperately wanted to be displayed in the Konishi toy museum, but that was only possible if Woody went too. So when the star sheriff decided to go home to Andy, Stinky Pete left his box for the first time in an attempt to stop him. It was assuredly evil, but he had been stuck inside his packaging his whole life! He had never known the love of a child, so it's no wonder he was angry and distrustful of them! He genuinely believed they would destroy any toy, just to ultimately toss it aside. Given Pete’s story, it’s not hard to understand why he felt the museum was his best - and safest - option!

#3: Evelyn Deavor / Screenslaver

“Incredibles 2” (2018)

Evelyn Deavor tricked everybody by pretending to be an ally. In reality, she was pulling the Screenslaver’s strings and plotting to ensure superheroes remained banned forever. But her reason for hypnotizing them was a heartbreaking one. Her father, a huge fan of Supers, called them for help one night. But when they couldn’t save him, he was murdered. Evelyn hated that he relied on them instead of hiding in the safe room. Thus, she used her technological prowess to take matters into her own hands. In ridding the world of Supers, she hoped to make ordinary people more self-sufficient. It’s clear the trauma she suffered left some damage, so it’s impossible not to feel for her!

#2: Buddy Pine / IncrediBoy / Syndrome

“The Incredibles” (2004)

Syndrome was initially just an eager little kid named Buddy who loved and admired Mr. Incredible. In fact, he was his biggest fan, and even went by “IncrediBoy”. But after repeatedly being told to leave his idol alone, Buddy went down a dark path. Though the Supers were set aside by society, he didn’t forget how he was rejected. Thus, Syndrome was born. He took his knack for building weapons to the next level, and plotted his revenge against the hero that made him feel small. At his core, Syndrome was nothing more than a child who felt ignored, and went to twisted lengths to be feared and respected. In this case, stan culture had some super devastating consequences!

#1: Lots-o'-Huggin' Bear

“Toy Story 3” (2010)

When we first met Lotso, he seemed like a bear as cuddly and sweet as any we had ever seen. Yet he was one of Pixar's cruellest villains. He was ruthless, but only because he suffered great pain and loss. He once had a wonderful relationship with a kid named Daisy. But things took a turn when he and some other toys were accidentally left at a rest stop. They travelled a great distance to get home to her, only to find she'd moved on with another Lotso bear. He stopped believing in the bond between children and toys after that, and thus began his villainous journey to Sunnyside. If that doesn’t make you hug your toys a little tighter, we don’t know what will.

Which Pixar villain do you empathize with? Let us know in the comments.