What If These Pixar Villains Won? | Syndrome, Hopper, AUTO, & More!

#5: Sid Phillips

“Toy Story” (1995)

He may just be a kid with a toolkit, but in the world of toys, Sid is basically a horror movie villain. He gleefully and sadistically tears toys apart, cobbling them together into nightmare fuel (albeit without realizing they’re actually alive). When Woody and Buzz wind up trapped in his chaotic house, they orchestrate a clever escape and give Sid the fright of his life, teaching him one very important lesson: SB: play nice.

But let’s imagine, just for a moment, that the plan didn’t work. Sid doesn’t flinch when the toys come to life. Maybe he thinks it’s cool, maybe he doubles down – either way, Woody and Buzz are done for. They never make it home, never form the legendary friendship that defines the series, and never get to see Andy grow up. And you thought “Toy Story 3” was depressing.

#4: Henry J. Waternoose III

“Monsters, Inc.” (2001)

While Randall may seem like the main antagonist on paper, Waternoose turns out to be the true puppet master. As the CEO of the scream-powered energy company, Waternoose reveals his true, corrupt nature when he teams up with Randall to kidnap human children in a desperate attempt to solve Monstropolis’ energy crisis. In a pivotal moment, Waternoose banishes Mike and Sulley to the Himalayas to keep them from interfering. Thankfully, the duo manages to find their way back, expose the truth, and bring Waternoose to justice. But what if they never made it home?

In this version, the sinister plan prevails, Randall continues harvesting the screams of human kids, and the factory thrives. Boo is lost to the system, just one of many victims. To add insult to injury, the city never learns that laughter was the key to solving their crisis all along. Meanwhile, our heroes remain stranded in the snow... but hey, at least they’ve got the “Agreeable Snowman” for company.

#3: Hopper

“A Bug’s Life” (1998)

Voiced by Kevin Spacey, this six-legged tyrant is not to be trifled with. Hopper strikes fear into the heart of every insect under his rule, and he revels in it. His intimidation tactics are how he keeps the ant colony “in line,” upholding the oppressive “circle of life” he claims is natural order. So when the ants and their circus-bug allies finally rise up and overthrow him, it’s a triumphant moment of unity and liberation.

But let’s say he didn’t become bird food.

After escaping the nest, Hopper – enraged by the ants’ “fake bird” scheme – is out for blood. He makes the colony pay, starting with Flik. The Queen is overthrown, possibly even squished, and Princess Atta, Hopper’s favorite verbal punching bag, is forced into servitude. The rest of the ants are reduced to slaves for the grasshoppers’ gain, their resources drained and their spirit crushed. The message of courage and solidarity is snuffed out. Yeah, we’ll take the original ending, thanks.

#2: Syndrome

“The Incredibles” (2004)

When we first meet Mr. Incredible’s arch-enemy, he’s an excitable fanboy who dreams of becoming a heroic sidekick. But after he’s coldly rejected, Buddy Pine turns to the dark side – big time. Fifteen years later, “Incrediboy” has rebranded as Syndrome, a bitter, tech-savvy mastermind with a serious vendetta. His goal is to erase the concept of true heroism by eliminating every Super Hero? and leveling the playing field. Luckily, the Parr family thwarts Syndrome’s plan, thanks in part to his fatal cape-related oversight. But what if he hadn’t been hoisted by his own petard?

In this alternate timeline, Syndrome makes good on his threat to raise the youngest Parr child, Jack-Jack, as his protégé. With Jack-Jack’s staggering array of powers and Syndrome’s unstable genius, the pair become an unstoppable force, and Syndrome is able to complete his goal of rendering Supers a thing of the past. Plus, Syndrome – having mastered the whole “nemesis” thing – is able to manipulate Jack-Jack against his own family, turning him into a weapon of personal revenge. It’s a twisted inversion of the sidekick dream that started it all.

#1: AUTO

“WALL-E” (2008)

Whereas many Pixar villains are remembered for their emotional depth, WALL-E’s antagonist is 100% machine. AUTO is cold, calculated, and utterly devoid of empathy, focused solely on carrying out his directive: keeping what’s left of humanity in orbit, far away from a supposedly uninhabitable Earth. More than just a glorified steering wheel, he’s the embodiment of corporate authoritarianism in a sterile, mechanical world.

As such, the stakes get a little higher with this one – mostly owing to the fact that the fate of the planet Earth is at hand. Let’s suppose for a moment that Captain McCrea failed to deactivate AUTO during their final showdown. AUTO succeeds in preventing the Axiom from returning to Earth, and the planet continues to rot in isolation. WALL-E is left alone among mountains of garbage, and EVE never rediscovers her purpose. Worse still, the human race never recovers physically or mentally from centuries of forced stagnation.

AUTO’s idea of “safety” amounts to power, control, and the end of evolution. With him in charge, it’s the end of humanity as we know it. Happily ever after? Not even close.

What kind of disasters do YOU think would unfold if these Pixar villains won? Share your thoughts in the comments!