People who grew up watching great Disney movies remember their favorite songs, characters, and scenes. They probably have, to some degree, affected who they became as adults. One of the best elements of any story, especially fairy tales, is the villains. Disney's movies are no different — there are some that audiences can't help but love, and some they love to hate. Nevertheless, they are a memorable and crucial element of these stories.
There are different types of villains and various attributes that contribute to their personalities. Some are so evil that they are despised by everyone, like Frollo in the Notre Dame Hunchback, a despicable man who uses his beliefs to excuse his violent actions. Some are simply insane, like the Queen of Hearts in Alice in Wonderland, screaming "Off with their heads!" in one of the most memorable scenes of the movie. And some are iconic due to their stylistic choices, such as Cruella in 101 Dalmatians, with her fashion being highlighted in the prequel.
Whether you like to root for the good guy or the bad guy, it is clear that both receive equal amounts of love (the villains might even be more adored than the good guys). Here are the best Disney villains from their 2-D animation movies, ranked.
9 Yzma - Emperor's New Groove
Yzma is probably one of the most peculiar characters ever written for a Disney movie. Emperor's New Groove has a more comedic tone than most animation movies (despite its troubled production as seen in the documentary The Sweatbox); that is why Yzma is the perfect villain for it. Her maleficent potions (with very confusing labels) and personality add to the funny tone of the movie, and deepen who she is as a character. Her sidekick, Kronk, is almost her opposite, which is always how the best duos are.
8 Captain Hook - Peter Pan
Captain Hook and his need to make Peter Pan's life (and the Lost Boys) miserable is the driving force of the classic Disney film Peter Pan. He is, as most good villains are, what moves the plot forward and makes Peter Pan who he is. If there was no Hook, there would be no Peter Pan. He scams and has multiple plans to achieve what he wants, creating a world that revolves around his needs.
7 Hades - Hercules
Oddly enough, Hades (the god of the underworld) produces more smiles than most other characters in the movie Hercules. He is a funny and somewhat charismatic character. His lack of patience for his subordinates makes the most comical scenes of the movie. An almost overly used villain from different retellings of the Greek myths, he is always iconic in the way he acts and how he achieves his goals.
6 Lady Tremaine - Cinderella
Cinderella's stepmom, Lady Tremaine, and her evil actions toward Cinderella definitely had to be on this list. She is such a horrible and evil character that it is impossible to not hate her. She is a despicable woman who takes advantage of the money left by her dead husband and uses her stepdaughter as a tool to have a more comfortable life. One of the few things that she lacks is a motivation as to why she is so evil to Cinderella. She doesn't have a bigger plan that explains her actions, taking away power from her evilness.
5 Jafar - Aladdin
Jafar is an extremely memorable character from the 90's Disney Renaissance era of movies. His cane and cape are just as much of a statement as his actions. Jafar is one of the most intelligent villains, planning on taking the throne for himself in such a way that, once people realized what he was doing, becomes already too late to go back. He uses everything he has in his favor, his power, his social status, etc. to make sure his goals are achieved.
4 Maleficent - Sleeping Beauty
Probably one of the most iconic Disney villains of all time, one of the few that has several movies telling her story, with Maleficent telling the tale of Sleeping Beauty's evil nemesis decades after the original classic, followed by the dark fairy tale sequel. She takes offense at not being invited to the princess' baptism and decides to conjure a curse like something people had never seen before. Her evilness comes from her cold persona and magical superpowers (especially transforming herself into a dragon), and the excellent design from the original Sleeping Beauty and from Angelina Jolie's excellent performance.
3 Ursula - The Little Mermaid
Be careful, "poor unfortunate souls," because Ursula has intricate plans and will execute them no matter the costs in The Little Mermaid. She is one of the most cunning villains, taking advantage of Ariel's lack of knowledge from the world above to get her the seas' throne. She also uses her intelligence to make other creatures serve her needs and trick them to give in to her deals, including her nasty little eels; the final showdown with Ursula features a surprisingly horrific transformation of the villain. Not to mention she has a killer song list at her disposal.
2 Scar - The Lion King
The Lion King is based on one of the best plays ever written, Hamlet, so this villain had to be one of the best ever seen. Killing his brother, attempting to kill his nephew, and trying to take the animal kingdom are only a few things Scar does - as well as singing one of the most iconic songs in the movie (and arguably in all Disney movies). Even though he is extremely evil, his charm and likeability make it difficult to understand where your feelings are regarding him.
1 Dr. Facilier - The Princess and the Frog
Even though he is not one of the classic Disney villains, having appeared in the 2009 film The Princess and the Frog, Dr. Facilier quickly became one of the most beloved villains in a Disney movie. His songs, dance moves, and evil plans are aligned with his enigmatic personality. He is charming and persuasive, creating a sense of security for his clients - until it is too late. Just like Ursula and Hades, he uses his tricks to persuade people to make deals with him. His friends from the other side are the best sidekicks a character like him could have asked for: always remaining hidden, they are smarter than most would give them credit for.