Top 10 Disney Villains with the Saddest Backstories

1 Maleficent (Maleficent) Once a powerful and kind protector of the Moors, Maleficent was betrayed by her childhood friend, Stefan, who sought power by cutting off her wings. This act of betrayal devastated her, turning her into a vengeful figure who cursed Stefan's daughter, Aurora. Maleficent's sadness stems from the loss of her innocence, trust, and physical autonomy.

2 Te Kā (Moana) Te Kā was originally the goddess Te Fiti, who brought life and creation to the world. Her heart was stolen by Maui, turning her into a destructive lava monster filled with rage and sorrow. The theft of her heart caused her to lose her true form, leading to centuries of suffering and destruction.

3 Professor Callaghan/Yokai (Big Hero 6) Once a respected robotics professor, Robert Callaghan lost his daughter Abigail in a failed teleportation experiment. His grief and anger over her presumed death led him to become the villain Yokai, seeking revenge on those responsible. His transformation into a villain was driven by the deep pain of losing his only family.

4 Michael "Goob" Yagoobian (Meet the Robinsons) Goob was a young boy who missed a crucial baseball catch, resulting in his team losing the game and his classmates resenting him. This failure left him bitter and alone, and he grew up harboring deep resentment toward the Robinson family. His sadness was rooted in the loss of his childhood and a future filled with missed opportunities.

5 Nuka (The Lion King II: Simba's Pride) Nuka was the neglected eldest son of Zira, who favored his younger brother Kovu as the heir to Scar's legacy. Throughout his life, Nuka struggled to gain his mother's approval and attention, leading to a deep sense of inadequacy. His longing for validation contributed to his tragic demise while trying to prove himself.

6 Lady Tremaine (Cinderella) Lady Tremaine's motivations are influenced by her desire to secure a stable future for her two daughters after the death of her husband. Her bitterness grew after her second marriage to Cinderella's father, where she felt overshadowed by Cinderella's grace and beauty. This led her to mistreat Cinderella as a means of protecting her own family's interests.

7 Scar (The Lion King) Scar was the younger brother of Mufasa and always felt overshadowed by his older sibling. He harbored jealousy and resentment, particularly after Mufasa's son Simba was born, effectively pushing him further from power. His sadness came from feeling overlooked and insignificant within his own family.

8 Xianniang (Mulan) Xianniang, a powerful witch, was cast out of her society due to her extraordinary abilities, which were feared rather than celebrated. She aligned herself with Bori Khan in an effort to overthrow the empire that rejected her, seeking a place where she could be accepted. Her isolation and desire for recognition were the core of her tragic backstory.

9 Ursula (The Little Mermaid) Ursula was once a resident of King Triton's palace, but she was banished from the underwater kingdom for reasons not fully explained in the film. Living in exile, she harbored a deep grudge against Triton and sought to overthrow him by using Ariel as a pawn. Her sadness comes from her fall from grace and isolation from the society she once belonged to.

10 Hades (Hercules) Hades, the god of the Underworld, was given the undesirable task of ruling over the dead while his brothers Zeus and Poseidon ruled the heavens and seas. This division of power left him bitter and resentful toward Zeus, fueling his desire to overthrow Olympus. His backstory is rooted in feelings of neglect and dissatisfaction with his place in the divine hierarchy.