Top 10 Most Evil Disney Villains

Disney villains are some of the most memorable characters in animated history. From the cold-hearted masterminds to the ones who delight in chaos, these villains have done some truly awful things. But what makes a Disney villain truly evil? Is it the calculated cruelty? The desire for power at any cost? Or is it simply their delight in causing misery to others? This list of the most evil Disney villains allows you to vote for the baddies who you think belong at the top based on how much they've earned their villainous reputation.

Maybe it's the villain who chills you to the bone with their sheer malice, or maybe it's the one who strikes a chord because of how personal their cruelty feels. Everyone's got their favorite (or least favorite) Disney villain, and this list gives you the chance to decide who truly deserves the crown of evil.

The Top Ten

Claude Frollo (The Hunchback of Notre Dame)

I think Frollo is the evilest Disney villain ever. I mean, sure, Scar killed his own brother, and Maleficent can turn herself into a dragon, but Frollo has one thing they don't: a conscience. He is the only villain with one. Plus, he has a wicked song, "Hellfire." Frollo is my number 1 Disney villain, and he always will be.
Think about it. Frollo did many evil things. The scene that kind of reminded me of Bambi was when Frollo killed Quasimodo's mom and almost killed him. Frollo threatened to burn Esmeralda at the stake, and he blames God for telling him to do all these things. And his song "Hellfire" is my number 1 Disney villain song. "Poor Unfortunate Souls" is No. 2 and "Be Prepared" is No. 3. Maleficent is my No. 2 Disney villain, and Ursula is No. 3. Scar, unfortunately, is No. 6. Frollo is better than all these villains combined.
Scar (The Lion King)

Scar is the main antagonist of Disney's 1994 animated feature film The Lion King. He is the second son of Obasi and Eshe. Scar is the younger brother of Mufasa and the paternal uncle of Simba.
Scar serves as Simba's arch-nemesis and is also Mufasa's rival. Additionally, he was the former leader... read more

You all know what he did, but if you've been living under a rock, he killed his own brother. He also tried to kill his own nephew, took control of Pride Rock, and almost killed everybody because of starvation.

The thing is, unlike other Disney villains, Scar was very sneaky. He completely manipulated Simba into thinking that it was his fault that Mufasa died. He killed his own brother to take over the throne, then lied to the other lions, saying that both Mufasa and Simba were dead, when Simba was still alive. He tricked the hyenas into helping him, when really he didn't care about them. Even when he was practically defeated, he wouldn't give up. He still lied to Simba, continuing his deceitful games.
Scar didn't care about anyone but himself. All he wanted was the throne. He even went as far as murdering his own brother. Scar was truly evil and, hands down, the best villain Disney has ever created.
Maleficent (Sleeping Beauty)

Maleficent is the main antagonist in Disney's 1959 animated feature film Sleeping Beauty. She is an evil fairy and the personification of pure evil, causing misfortune throughout King Stefan's kingdom. Maleficent has since become one of Disney's most iconic villains.

"Mistress of All Evil," "Queen of Darkness." These are not nicknames given to a B-class villain, okay? How heartless can one be to curse an entire kingdom, to try and kill the very pinnacle of innocence, a baby, and all because she wasn't invited to a christening.
When she speaks, entire kingdoms crumble from fear, and she doesn't even have to use her dark magic, of which she possesses an almost limitless supply. There is no villain more wretched, more evil, more inspiring than Maleficent.

Maleficent is the mistress of all evil. A psychotic and pathetic monster who takes pride in torturing innocent people. What makes her more frightening is her evil smile and her transformation into a huge fiery dragon. She will stop at nothing to get what she wants, and she will gladly torture you to death. Then, she will make a sick joke over your dead body. If you do not want to mess with her, just remember to send her an invitation to your party.
Chernabog (Fantasia)

Chernabog is a Disney villain from the 1940 animated film Fantasia, appearing in the segment "A Night on Bald Mountain." He is portrayed as a powerful demon who rises from a mountain to summon spirits and cause chaos. The character is based on Slavic folklore and is one of Disney's most iconic representations... read more

Chernabog is not your stereotypical villain. First of all, this guy is never given a reason to act evil. He just commits evil for fun, with no known justification. At least the ones near the top of the list could justify their actions in the eyes of a few people.
Also, this guy commits atrocities that even Maleficent wouldn't dare attempt. Not only does he raise the souls of the dead from the surrounding countryside, but he also forces them to dance for him and then burns them in hellfire after they disappoint him. This guy manages to be evil to you even after you are finally resting in peace.

Chernabog needs to be number 1. He's not a random villain. First of all, he gives no reason for his evil. He commits evil for fun. Scar and Frollo, however, have their reasons to act evil. Scar just wants to overthrow his brother to be king. And yes, even though that's so evil, he still has reasons.
Frollo, however, just wants everything that's good. He was trying to prove that he's supposed to be a god and tells people not to disobey him. He's a confused man who is evil and thinks he's a good man. Chernabog doesn't play like that. He proves that he is truly evil, not just by killing, but also by forcing his army to dance for him. After they try their best, he just kills them because they disappointed him. He hates everything that represents love and peace. He's always been evil.
Also, villains worship him and get their dark magic from him, like Maleficent, the Evil Queen, Ursula, Jafar, Dr. Facilier, and a few others. Maleficent's magic and design come from Chernabog. She's always been worshipping him as if he were her greatest master. Other villains fear him. So yes, Chernabog will always be number 1. And make Maleficent number 2.
The Coachman (Pinocchio)

This guy should be #1! If anyone has forgotten how evil he is, I suggest you dust off your Pinocchio movie and watch it again.
This scoundrel kidnapped hundreds, if not thousands, of young boys by luring them to Pleasure Island. After getting the children to smoke and drink, they were transformed into donkeys. He gathered them up and stripped them of their clothes so they could be sold to places like the salt mines. The ones that could still talk were left until they couldn't or were used to pull his own personal stagecoach.
This wasn't the Coachman's first time doing this either. Who knows how many boys he's kidnapped and sold throughout the years? This man not only destroyed the lives of the children but also left the lives of their families in ruin. Mothers and fathers forever wondering where their sons have disappeared to.
The Coachman has very little screen time, but from what we see of him, we can tell he is a grade-A class villain and is the most evil Disney villain.
Jafar (Aladdin)

Jafar is the main antagonist of Disney's 31st full-length animated feature film Aladdin. He is introduced as the sinister Royal Vizier to Agrabah's Sultan, who desires power over the kingdom. Jafar uses dark magic and manipulation to achieve his goals throughout the film.

Jafar basically kidnaps people and forces them to risk their lives for him. He fools a sultan, which essentially translates into fooling the whole land. He tries to drown Aladdin. He sends Aladdin to who knows where and then tears the Sultan's palace apart. He keeps Jasmine as his sexual slave and then tries to drown her alive in sand when she rejects him. Then there's the whole snake thing, where he tries to kill Aladdin, who's probably 18, and he wants to be a genie to become the most powerful figure ever. This one's not even a contest.

This guy is like the greatest Disney villain of all time. I've seen many Disney villains like Scar, Maleficent, Shan Yu, Ursula, Cruella De Vil, Hades, Zira, Turbo, Kylo Ren, and many more. But you wanna know who's the cruelest one of them all? That's right!
Jafar easily tops number two, besides Bill Cipher. If this guy were to fight against Scar and the hyenas, he would wipe them out in an instant. He and Bill Cipher would make the perfect team. He almost beat Aladdin, but then he did something really dumb. He ordered the Genie to turn him into a genie too, but then he got sucked into that lamp, and the Genie threw his lamp across toward some hills. He tried to hypnotize the Sultan and kill Aladdin.
The Evil Queen (Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs)

She didn't try to kill Snow White. She tried to put her in a coma and have her buried alive, where she'd presumably live out the rest of a long life since she's only 14 and doesn't need to breathe.
Presumably, the queen will still be the fairest in the land (because Snow White is technically still alive even if she is 6 ft under). So, it's not even as though the queen just wanted the mirror to stop talking about her. She could have just sent her to another kingdom. She would have been the fairest in the land again, and as an added bonus, no one would be buried alive!
Also, in the original story, she wanted Snow White's heart so she could eat it, as well as feed some to Snow White's father. The Queen is a petty sociopath with magic. That's horrifying. And that scene where she's clearly locked someone up and let them starve to death or die of thirst? And the skeleton is just reaching for an empty jug? How can anyone think she's not the worst?
Shan-Yu (Mulan)

Shan-Yu should be closer to the number one spot. This is because he has killed so many people. He kills a messenger, an army of soldiers, and innocent men, women, and children. We even see that Shang's father is dead and a doll which belonged to a little girl, which was so dark. Also, he abducts two messengers and just kills one of them in satisfaction. He is bloodthirsty, brutal, ruthless, aggressive, and downright evil.
Also, his choice of becoming evil is to take over China, which is far better than any other reason. This shows that not only is Shan-Yu evil, but as a Disney villain, he needs so much recognition.

In my opinion, Shan Yu has never been given enough credit in these lists, and neither has the film Mulan.
True, Maleficent tried to kill a baby, and the Evil Queen did try to kill a girl simply because she was prettier than her, but in terms of evil, neither come close to Shan Yu.
Shan Yu is a bloodthirsty warrior with a total disregard for human life. He made a cruel joke out of killing fleeing soldiers and completely destroyed villages and their innocent occupants. That's definitely evil in my books.
Ursula (The Little Mermaid)

Ursula is a fictional character who appears in Walt Disney Pictures' 28th animated feature film, The Little Mermaid, released in 1989. She is portrayed as the main antagonist and is known for her distinctive appearance and dramatic personality. The character was inspired by the drag queen Divine.

Ursula, the very name is spooky. It means she-bear, and she definitely shows it by her care for her minions.
Let's begin: she is a special kind of evil. She creates deals like Rumpelstiltskin, can hypnotize her prey, and doesn't even need a staff like Jafar.
Even look at her lair. Who do you think killed that beast? Ursula! I marvel at her ability to strike fear into her foes, even in King Triton himself. If you ask me, she is the number one villain of all time. Also, yes, indeed she is fat, but take her tentacles into perspective. She can squeeze the life out of six pitiful poor souls at one time.
Also, the color of her tentacles... black, the very color of evil and mystery. The rest of her body is purple. People, come on, the color represents creativity and magic. We all know that she possesses some of the most recognizable dark magic of all time.
She is so creative that she tricks Prince Eric into believing that she was the woman of his dreams. So, not only did she steal Ariel's voice, but she takes her man as well!
I hope this makes you realize the ultimate power of the great sea witch Ursula. Ursula may not be the fairest of them all, but she is definitely the evillest.
The Horned King (The Black Cauldron)

John Hurt did an epic job of emphasizing just how evil this guy really is. He will stop at NOTHING to get what he wants, even if it means killing off innocent, cuddly creatures and sacrificing children.

He raises an army of undead warriors and tells them to destroy everything in their path. He should be number 1, even though I agree Frollo is also terrible.

He definitely is pretty evil. He looks like a devil to me, but too bad he thinks that his power cannot die. But he is wrong. He died all right.

The Newcomers

?
Athena (Tron: Ares)

She was following orders but then went rogue. She could've destroyed the entire universe just to get rid of Ares.
?
Milton Lynxley (Zootopia 2)

The Contenders

Cruella de Vil (101 Dalmatians)

Cruella de Vil is a fictional character who appeared in Dodie Smith's 1956 novel The Hundred and One Dalmatians. She is the main antagonist in Disney's animated film adaptations 101 Dalmatians and 101 Dalmatians II: Patch's London Adventure, as well as in the live-action films 101 Dalmatians and 102... read more

This one was easy. Just search Dalmatian puppies on Google Images and, assuming your heart isn't made of stone, you will understand exactly why Cruella De Vil earned a spot on this list.
Not only does she have a terrifying rage-face, but she also tried to murder puppies. PUPPIES. Now, don't get me wrong, I've heard the whole Well, you eat cows and sheep and chickens, don't you? What's wrong with eating dogs/guinea pigs/monkeys? argument. Here's the thing: first off, she doesn't want to eat them. She wants to WEAR them. Plus, they're puppies, so hey, if you have a problem with my decision, you and your heart of stone can go.

Cruella is, in my opinion, the most cruel and crazy villain that Disney has ever created.
She didn't want to harm the good guy or the girl for power, money, or greed like others. She just wants to kill 99 Dalmatian puppies to make a coat. If this isn't pure evil, what is?
Bill Cipher (Gravity Falls)

Bill Cipher is a triangular dream demon featured in the animated television series Gravity Falls. Originally confined to the mindscape, he was brought into the real world after being summoned by Stanford Pines over thirty years ago.... read more

Not sure if he's the most evil villain per se (there's plenty of material from the series to argue with my previous statement, as he did destroy an entire dimension, possibly killing billions of people), but he is definitely the most powerful one on this list. Not sure where the whole "Chernabog is the most powerful villain in Disney ever" thing began, but Bill Cipher would kick his butt so quickly it's not even funny.
Like a typical villain, he is ruthless and cunning but still has a humorous side to him. He is feared for being in the 7th and 11th dimensions, proving how dangerous he is. He can destroy entire universes, remember? And he managed to one-shot another universal-level being, Time Baby.
Hades (Hercules)

Hades is the main antagonist in Disney's 1997 animated film Hercules. He is portrayed as the god of the Underworld who seeks to overthrow Zeus and take control of Mount Olympus. Voiced by James Woods, Hades is known for his quick wit, sarcasm, and fiery temper. He plays a central role in the film's plot... read more

He literally said, "I am about to rearrange the cosmos." And he literally tried to commit infanticide in his first 20 seconds of screen time! But he is still a man of his word. When his slave got hurt, Hercules got his powers back!

For crying out loud... Hades continuously tries to kill his own nephew, Hercules, and his brother, Zeus. Not to mention, he's hilarious! And seriously, this guy is the LORD OF THE DEAD, okay? The devil. You can't get any more evil than that.

Hades is the coolest! He has the humor of Captain Hook, the backstabbing of Scar, the planning of Jafar, the power of Maleficent, the short temper of Cruella De Vil, and the manipulation of Gothel. He embodies the heartlessness of Shere Khan, all wrapped into one epic, awesome god of the dead!
Gaston (Beauty and the Beast)

Gaston is a fictional character who appears in Walt Disney Pictures' 30th animated feature film Beauty and the Beast. He is the main antagonist, known for his narcissism and desire to marry Belle. The character first appeared in the 1991 film and was later portrayed by Luke Evans in the 2017 live-action... read more

The reason I think Gaston is the most evil villain is not because of all the villainous things he does, but because he is so manipulative. He can manipulate and convince anyone (except Belle) to do anything he wants.
The way he convinced that crowd of people to kill the Beast that fast is terrifying. He has so much power over the regular, harmless people that he will do what he wants, whether it is good or bad, and he has everyone's full consent.

He wanted to kill the Beast because the Beast fell in love with Belle. He stabs the Beast in the side and then dies by falling off the castle.
Doctor Facilier (The Princess and the Frog)

Facilier is evil, alright, because he's known as a sorcerer. He turned Tiana into a frog. At the end, though, he is frightened to see his friends on the other side, who drag him to death.

He literally (and not the wrong use of literally, the actual, literal use) sold his soul for his powers.

He is my favorite villain of all time. Super cool. He should be the top guy in the number one slot!
King Candy (Wreck-It Ralph)

King Candy, whose real name is Turbo, is the main antagonist of Disney's 2012 animated film Wreck-It Ralph. He originally came from the arcade game TurboTime, where he was once a popular character. After being overshadowed by newer games, he became jealous and attempted to reclaim his fame.... read more

Turbo basically disguises himself as a Disney sidekick, which is something Disney has never really done before. Not to mention that he ends up manipulating his world so he can get what he wants. He messes with everybody's memories and uses that to take over. Turbo is terrifying!

Turbo was once a popular video game character until he got jealous when a new racing game came out. He screwed up racing games and when "Sugar Rush" came out, (SPOILER ALERT!) he disguises himself as "King Candy", planning to screw that game up as well.
Lady Tremaine (Cinderella)

Yes, I agree 100% with Frollo being the most evil. However, Lady Tremaine must be second. She's evil with no powers. She tortured a beautiful, young, innocent girl for many years. She made her a servant for a long time. She made a deal with her and broke that deal by letting her daughters tear the dress she knew Cinderella worked hard for.
When she figured out Cinderella was the one at the ball, she locked her up in the attic where the duke wouldn't find her. She even broke the slipper right before Cinderella could try it on. Don't forget in the sequel, where she gets ahold of the magic wand and casts a spell so the prince doesn't remember Cinderella, all for a selfish reason. This woman is underrated for her evilness, and I say she is at least top 10.
Mother Gothel (Tangled)

Mother Gothel is the main antagonist of Disney's 2010 animated feature film Tangled. She is a wicked crone who retains her youth for hundreds of years through the healing properties of a magical golden flower. She kidnaps Rapunzel as a baby to exploit the flower's power within her hair.

She is wicked. First of all, she kidnapped a baby because of her hair. Instead of allowing Rapunzel's hair to cure other people, including herself, she keeps Rapunzel's magical hair to herself, locking her up in a tower isolated from civilization.
Rapunzel had to grow up with no friends or father and no knowledge of how the outside world works. Not only that, but she went to extreme measures to get Rapunzel back. I mean, there must have been other ways to get her back. However, she just had to stab Rapunzel's boyfriend and do all these other horrible things just to kidnap a person.

Mother Gothel killed thousands of people by hoarding the life flower. She kidnaps a baby from a caring mother and father, uses her for her hair, and locks her in a tower for 18 years (364 x 18 = do the math). She never lets her go outside. When she does go outside, Gothel tricks her, stabs her boyfriend, and makes fun of her for eighteen years. Not only is she oozing with pure evil, she practically is evil!
Shere Khan (The Jungle Book)

How is Scar higher than him? This guy is my 2nd favorite Disney villain besides Jafar. His attempt to kill any human who enters the jungle is huge. Literally all the animals are afraid of him.

Shere Khan is so evil that everyone in the jungle knows about him. He killed Mowgli's dad and killed Akela, which shows that he is a powerhouse filled with hatred and evil.

Shere Khan is smart and strong, and everyone in the jungle is afraid of him. He's my favorite after Scar.
Syndrome (The Incredibles)

Syndrome, born Buddy Pine, is the main antagonist in The Incredibles. As a child, he idolized Mr. Incredible and called himself "Incrediboy," aspiring to become a superhero despite having no powers. When Mr. Incredible rejected him, Buddy became bitter and set out to exact revenge.... read more

Say what you want about the other villains, most of them don't commit genocide.

He murdered several superheroes just because Mr. Incredible said no.

His hair is bigger than his head. What more do you want?
Judge Doom (Who Framed Roger Rabbit)

In addition to his willingness to commit genocide against his own species for money, his unrepentant murders, his sadistic taunting of one victim's brother, his total lack of compassion for the deaths of his own underlings, and that poor shoe, consider two less obvious things.
First, shoes come in pairs. The one he killed had a mate, a sibling, or something odd in between, that is now alone forever.
Even worse than that, there's the established nature and limitations of toon powers. Roger could only ignore normal physics and slip out of those handcuffs when it was funny for him to do so. Doom used toon powers with reckless abandon while taunting the brother of a murder victim, while his own minions were dropping like flies, and while a husband and wife were clinging to each other for dear life, terrified out of their minds. He did that while preparing to slaughter his own kind. He found that funny! This guy is so messed up in the head that he thinks genocide is hilarious. To Judge Doom, you can't spell "slaughter" without "laughter".
Governor Ratcliffe (Pocahontas)

So evil, just like Frollo. He attempted genocide, committed mass murder, and he's racist!

He is always greedy. He loves gold. I like him too.
Percival C. McLeach (The Rescuers Down Under)

This guy more than well deserves a spot on this list because he's a greedy poacher who loves killing and will do whatever he has to in order to get filthy rich. By the end of the movie, he even attempted to feed Cody to the crocodiles.
And he has his own twisted way of singing "Home on the Range." He's cold and sadistic and loves it. He definitely makes a good villain.

McLeach deserves to be among the top villains because he is dark, cruel, sinister, and sadistic. First, he made the rangers believe that Cody had been eaten. After that, he threatened Cody with knives, even throwing some above Cody's head.
The most evil part is that he intended to feed Cody alive to dangerous saltwater crocodiles. He would have succeeded if Bernard had not interfered. This makes McLeach one of the nine darkest and most evil Disney villains, alongside Frollo, Sykes, Judge Doom, Scar, Maleficent, The Horned King, The Coachman, and Chernabog.
Oogie Boogie (The Nightmare Before Christmas)

Oogie Boogie torturing Santa for fun definitely brings him to a very high slot at number 5.

He is the shadow on the moon at night, filling your dreams to the brim with fright.

He's the shadow on the moon. He scares with style.
Lots-o'-Huggin' Bear (Toy Story 3)

He is indeed considered the darkest, worst, and most evil villain out of all in the entire Toy Story franchise.

I loved stuffed bears. He messed up my childhood.

This is a truly tragic villain we have here.