With just a couple of weeks until Halloween, we are continuing the countdown to the spooky festivities with the best villains in the universe. As the best stories say, every great hero needs an even greater villain and Disney has created some of the most iconic villains of our time. And with the addition of Marvel and Star Wars to the Walt Disney Company’s ranks – the number of wicked villains is beyond immeasurable.
However, we at Frozen Mouse Fever like a challenge and I decided to grab my cauldron, stir the pot and rank the 21 best villains in Disney, the MCU and Star Wars. Of course, with such an extensive list of villains to choose from, some worldwide favourites didn’t make the cut, but like all villains before me, I had to do what was best for my cold black heart this Halloween and choose the villains that were absolutely rotten to the core!
21. Prince Hans (Frozen)
Never trust a handsome Prince with ridiculous sideburns. Prince Hans is different from every other Disney villain because he used his charm to fool us all, including the naïve Anna. He may have a lovely singing voice but in the end that’s his only endearing quality – the rest of him is just pure awful.
20. Claude Frollo (The Hunchback of Notre Dame)
This guy is disturbed, and not in a fun Disney way. Claude Frollo is a cruel sociopath who is willing to do whatever it takes to get what he wants and destroy those who refuse to give into him. Just ask Esmerelda who he tried to kill in a fire. Seriously, this guy is terrifying.
19. Stormtroopers (Star Wars)
Technically, Stormtroopers are a collective group of villains, but we’re lumping them all together here because none have distinct personalities in the films. Their blaster aim may always be a little off but they’re such iconic symbols of the Empire regime that they more than deserve a spot on this list.
18. Yzma (The Emperor’s New Groove)
She may not be the most frightening villain (although that face mask she puts on to relax can be a scary sight), but Yzma knows how to scheme like nobody’s business. Plus, her reasons for evil are super relatable. A disgruntled employee who wants revenge on her inconsiderate boss – we’ve all been there.
17. Mother Gothel (Tangled)
Mother Gothel is the poster child of vanity and the dangerous side effects it can have. Kidnapping a royal baby with magical hair just to stay young forever, this lady is seriously twisted and should really see a therapist.
16. Lady Tremaine (Cinderella)
A motherly figure so cruel, she will always make you appreciate your own mom so much more. Lady Tremaine may not be murderous, but she’s certainly awful in every way (a 1950s Karen, if you will). How Cinderella never snapped while living with her speaks to her kindness, especially considering Tremaine doesn’t have a kind bone in her body.
15. Emperor Palpatine (Star Wars)
Palpatine is the only villain in the galaxy that manages to be the big bad in all three Skywalker trilogies (although most Star Wars fans wish his stint in ‘Rise of Skywalker’ never happened). Palpatine’s Force Lightning is super powerful, but his greatest gift is his ability to manipulate everyone around him. He truly is an evil mastermind.
14. Gaston (Beauty and the Beast)
Toxic masculinity at its finest folks. Gaston is the Disneyfied version of those conceded buff boy gym rats who don’t stop hitting on girls despite them rejecting his advances every single time. Then that charm quickly turns into jealous rage. Yep, I believe every girl has come across a Gaston at least once in their life.
13. Thanos (Avengers: Infinity War/Endgame)
When it takes every single Marvel superhero to work together to defeat a villain (on the second try), you know they are a true badass. Thanos is so unique in that he actually defeated the heroes and accomplished his goal: removing half of the universe to sustain resources. Semi-good intentions but the dude was disturbingly misguided.
12. Doctor Facilier (The Princess and the Frog)
Dr. Facilier may give witch doctors a bad name, but the man is a smooth operator. The Shadow Man is lethal and is willing to use anyone to get himself rich, just ask Prince Naveen, who is probably still recovering from being turned into a frog. Lesson learned, when someone offers to help you using voodoo, maybe don’t accept their offer.
11. Captain Hook (Peter Pan)
Captain Hook may not be the most intimidating villain, but man he knows how to hold a grudge. His ruthlessness and desire to kill children he finds annoying may be a tad psychotic, but we’d all probably be ticked off too if the leader of said children cut off our hand and fed it to a crocodile. Villain or misunderstood? It’s hard to say for Captain Hook.
10. The Evil Queen (Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs)
The Evil Queen makes Mother Gothel’s vanity quest look like child’s play compared to what she’s willing to do to be the fairest of them all. From an assassination attempt to poison apples, Snow White has Cinderella beat when it comes to having the worst step-mom ever. A pioneer for all Disney villains that came after, The Evil Queen will always be a nightmare for the ages.
9. Erik Killmonger (Black Panther)
It’s hard to find a villain that has had such an impact and has only made one appearance in an MCU movie. What makes Killmonger so compelling is that he has a fair argument. Sure, there were other ways for him to get his message that Wakanda should use its technology to help the oppressed across without all the bloodshed, but he does manage to convince Black Panther he was right before his death. A great bad guy indeed.
8. Scar (The Lion King)
Scar scarred every child growing up in the ’90s and 2000s with his heartless actions. Killing his brother was diabolical enough, but manipulating his nephew into thinking it was his fault, Scar is the ultimate sociopath. He really is a bad, bad lion.
7. Jafar (Aladdin)
The snake staff should’ve been a dead give away that he is nothing but pure evil. Jafar is diabolical and willing to destroy anyone in his path to be the most powerful man in the world. If he was slightly nicer to people on his quest to power, he might not have had so many enemies and could’ve actually achieved his goal. Lesson learned, Jafar.
6. Hades (Hercules)
Hades is the epitome of cool Disney villain. His dry wit and deadpan delivery almost makes you forget that he’s the ruler of the Underworld and consistently trying to steal the Mount Olympus throne from his brother Zeus. Sure, he enjoys stealing souls and kidnapping babies but that doesn’t mean he’s immune from telling a few jokes.
5. Loki (Thor)
Loki is a fan favourite of the MCU for a reason. He’s constantly keeping his brother and everyone around him on his toes and that’s what makes him so compelling. The Trickster god has a right to be angry, he was adopted and then pushed aside for his more powerful brother, but that just gave him an edge and wit that is always welcome in the MCU.
4. Cruella De Vil (101 Dalmatians)
Killing puppies for fashion – what is more evil than that? Cruella De Vil helped paved the way for what it takes to be a Disney villain. Her love of fur coats is iconic and her willingness to do whatever it takes to stay in fashion is surely what inspired Anna Wintour when building her empire. An icon to us all (except the Dalmatians, of course).
3. Ursula (The Little Mermaid)
The Poor Unfortunate Souls who come across Ursula are in for a wicked time. She uncovers the deepest desires of her victims to get what she wants and uses it for her own personal gain. To say she’s a Sea Witch is putting it nicely. Sure she’s not the nicest creature under the sea, but she does have a killer song – the best of the Disney villains.
2. Darth Vader (Star Wars)
Not only is Darth Vader the best Star Wars villain, he’s one of the best villains in movie history. He was immediately captivating in “A New Hope” and became a legend in “Empire Strikes Back” once the “I am your father” reveal happened. Unlike most other villains, we’ve gotten the chance to explore his backstory in depth and see the person behind the mask. Vader is what every villain should be!
1. Maleficent (Sleeping Beauty)
Many of us know what it’s like not to be invited to a party, and while we (likely) wouldn’t react in the same over-the-top way as Maleficent, we can understand her resentment. Cursing baby Aurora to an untimely death and then turning into a dragon to prevent the Prince and fairies from thwarting her plan is the ultimate villain move. Whether it’s the classic “Sleeping Beauty” cartoon or Angelina Jolie’s live-action portrayal, Maleficent has become THE Disney villain. Period.
Which wicked villain is your favourite? Let us know in the comments below or on one of our social media channels. And make sure to follow Frozen Mouse Fever for all your Disney needs.
Happy Halloween!
Frozen Mouse Fever 
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