Many Disney animated movies have been enchanting and sparking joy in children for almost a century now. However, some Disney films have also been terrifying kids, and that is generally due to the movie's villains. While many of the villains are funny and entertaining, some are just plain scary.
The terror that these villains exhume could be due to their looks, their evil plots, or just how cruel their actions are in the context of the real world. Ultimately, these Disney villains deserve to be discussed, even if these discussions have the potential to keep fans up at night.
Jafar (Aladdin)
While Jafar was often more creepy than scary, he still had his terrifying moments in Aladdin. The way he was able to hypnotise and brainwash the Sultan is a scary concept that could have led to many awful things.
What mainly makes Jafar scary is the way he transform. During the film's climax, in a battle with Aladdin, Jafar turns into a giant rattlesnake, and he is terrifying to look at. He then turns himself into an all-powerful genie, and while Aladdin is able to trap him in a lamp, viewers can only shudder at the thought of what Jafar would do with all that power.
Mother Gothel (Tangled)
Tangled's villain Mother Gothel definitely had her creepy moments, like when she hid in the shadows throughout the film or kidnapped baby Rapunzel at the beginning. There was also her disintegration into dust at the film's end, which no doubt haunted many children's nightmares.
But what made her truly terrifying was how she reflected real-life horrors. Her abuse and gaslighting of Rapunzel reflects many unfortunate family relationships, and it's scary due to its real-world implications. Her effect on Rapunzel and other characters even travels way into the movie's sequel show, Tangled Ever After.
Shan Yu (Mulan)
Shan Yu, the leader of the Huns in Mulan, was scary as he was one of the few Disney villains who didn't have a song, which made him more mysterious and intimidating. He also represented a real-life fear of war and destruction. The scene when he finds the little girl's doll in the destroyed village is a terrifying hint of what monstrosities he was capable of.
Shan Yu was also scary in appearance, with his black and yellow eyes, and his costume allowed him to appear out of the shadows in an ominous way. Even his bird sidekick was intimidating in its own right.
Mor'Du (Brave)
Mor'du's monstrous appearance in Brave is so scar, that he could practically be a horror movie villain. This giant murderous bear that hunts after Merida is incredibly terrifying because he cannot be spoken to or reasoned with.
Not only that, but the way he came to be is also haunting. Corrupted by his hunger for power, a prince let a witch turn him into a bear in order to slaughter his own brothers. He was then cast out and went on to forget his human self, remaining only as a vicious shell of his past life, which is pretty scary stuff.
Lady Tremaine (Cinderella)
While Lady Tremaine may be as Cinderella don't stop her from being terrifying. She is the iconic evil stepmother of Cinderella, and while she may not commit as many atrocities as other villains, she is still just as scary.
Child abuse and forced labor are awful concepts, and Lady Tremaine practically embodies these things. Not only that, but her demeanour and voice give her a very intimidating aura, and the way she is often animated, in shadow with only her eyes glowing through, makes this ordinary woman appear as scary as any demonic entity.
Chernabog (Fantasia)
What is scarier than a literal demon? Based on the God of the Night in Slavic mythology, Chernabog is meant to be a representation of pure evil, and he is also pure nightmare fuel. Fantasia often uses its music to provide humor or wonder, but here the music only amplifies just how scary he is to look at.
Chernabog's whole segment in the movie is scary, as he emerges from the peak of a mountain to summon all of his demonic minions, and they dance around him before being thrown into the mountain's fiery pit. That's definitely something that will stick in your mind for all the wrong reasons.
Maleficent (Sleeping Beauty)
Maleficent is arguably the most iconic of all the Disney villains, and this is purely due to how dramatic and intimidating the Sleeping Beauty character is. She not only scares the whole kingdom, she even terrifies her own minions when she gets angry and attacks them.
She is also one of the most powerful Disney characters, which only makes her scarier, as she can put a curse on someone at one moment and turn into a giant dragon the next. It is also terrifying how petty she can be, as she dooms a child to die after simply not being invited to her birth party.
The Horned King (The Black Cauldron)
The Horned King in The Black Cauldron is probably the scariest when it comes to design, as his sharp teeth and skull-like appearance is enough to make anyone shudder. His plan is also just as creepy, as it involves using the Black Cauldron to unleash an army of undead warriors on the world.
Every character is terrified of the Horned King, and when he chases Taran, it's very anxiety-inducing, especially when the camera focuses on close-ups of his angry face. Even his typical agonizing Disney villain death is terrifying to watch, as his body and soul get ripped into the cauldron in front of the viewers' very eyes.
The Evil Queen (Snow White)
Disney's first animated feature Snow White also happens to be one of its scariest, and this is due to the Evil Queen's transformation. The Evil Queen is already intimidating enough as she watches over Snow White from her castle, but when she transforms herself into a witch, it's incredible how Snow White didn't run away screaming when she first saw her.
Her animation, her voice, and her plan of poisoning the princess are all incredibly scary. And while she meets a deserved end, watching her fall from a cliff is still somehow just as terrifying, as the lightning and thunder punctuate just how jarring her cloaked appearance is.
Claude Frollo (The Hunchback Of Notre Dame)
The Hunchback of Notre Dame is one of Disney's most mature movies, and this is due to how realistically scary Claude Frollo is. He begins the film by killing Quasimodo's mother, attempts to assault Esmerelda, becomes obsessed with her, and abuses both his adopted child and an entire ethnic group of people.
Frollo also speaks to how power can corrupt and enable an individual, as Frollo's power over Paris lets him take his prejudice and creepy behaviour and destroy a whole city with it. Even his typical Disney villain behaviour, like having a villain song, is scary due to its suggestive lyrics and dramatic imagery.
