Disney’s Revival is an era of animation that ran from 2009 to 2019. It’s a time when Disney films started hitting on all cylinders following the animation changes of the Experimental Age. Most of these films were box office successes, but many also featured unusual choices for villains. Some were meant to be surprising while some were more abstract. Let’s take a look at them and rank the villains of the Disney Revival.

THE BACKSON – WINNIE THE POOH

The Backson doesn’t exist, but Pooh and his friends are convince they have to save Christopher Robin from this mythological creature. It makes for a fun, innocent villain that isn’t too scary. But, in the grand scheme of the Revival, it’s also a weak villains.

ARTHUR THE INSECURITY VIRUS

Arthur isn’t really a villain. He’s just a virus trying to do a job. Ralph’s insecurity is the real villain of the film. It’s what leads to the insecurity virus. Arthur is effective but not evil.

HANS – FROZEN

Hans was the latest twist of a guy who seemed like he would be an ally only to be revealed to be a villain who was looking to take over Arrendelle. He toyed with Anna’s emotions as she was seeking love and companionship after losing her parents and her sister closing off from her. That is cruel, but he really comes across as a less interesting Gaston.

TE KĀ – MOANA

A destructive lava demon, Te Ka wasn’t always evil. She was once a benevolent goddess until Maui stole her heart. She attacks Maui and Moana until Moana returns her heart. She wasn’t supposed to be evil, she was made evil. That’s not really villainous.

KING RUNEARD -FROZEN II

Anna and Elsa’s grandfather finds a way to be a villain from beyond the grave in this sequel to “Frozen.” While appearing to be benevolent, he was actually ruthless and created a decades long war that endangered multiple countries. His actions also led to the death of his son and daughter-in-law leaving his grandchildren as orphans.

KING CANDY – WRECK-IT RALPH

Don’t go Turbo. That’s the refrain when Ralph decides he no longer wants to be a bad guy, but would rather be a good guy. He ends up in the Sugar Rush game where King Candy reigns supreme. Eventually, Ralph learns that King Candy has taken over the game from the actual star Vanellope, who is being presented as a glitch. King Candy is revealed to be Turbo who left his game and forced it to be shut down. It’s an evil plan that forces the true star of Sugar Rush into dismal existence until Ralph saves the day.

DR. FACILIER – THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG

The good doctor is just trying to rule all of New Orleans with a little help from his friends on the other side. Dr. Facilier is a witch doctor who puts a curse on Prince Naveen leading to him and Tiana being turned into frogs. He’s got an evil plan but is also one of the more fun villains of the animation era.

MOTHER GOTHEL – TANGLED

What’s worse than an evil parent? An evil woman who kidnapped you when you were a baby and pretended to be your mother so that she could use your hair to maintain her youthful appearance is a lot worse. Mother Gothel is an ultimate villain who would stop at nothing to get what she wanted.

YOKAI – BIG HERO 6

Yokai is actually Robert Callaghan a professor presumed dead in a fire who has stolen Hiro’s nanotech to complete his mission to revenge on the man he blamed for the supposed death of his daughter. His actions lead to the death of Hiro’s older brother Tadashi, and the viewer learns that his daughter, Abigail, didn’t die when he believed she did, so he was holding the wrong grudge. He was willing and did sacrifice his best student for a vendetta. That’s evil.

DAWN BELLWETHER

Dawn Bellwether is the ultimate wolf in sheep’s clothing. She is the assistant to the Mayor at the start of “Zootopia,” but sets him up to take the fall for her villainous plans. Zootopia is a land of predators and prey living in harmony, but Bellwether, as prey, is doing everything she can to pin crimes on predators. She is willing to imprison the innocent, and maybe even more, to further her cause.

That’s my ranking. How would you rank the villains of Disney’s revival?

Jeremy Brown

Jeremy has been a big Disney fan since he was a kid growing up during the Disney Renaissance. One day he hopes to go to every Disney Park in the world.

View all posts