For many decades,Disneymovies have been dazzling their audiences with their lovable characters, charming stories, and positive, uplifting messages. While each of these films is delightfully unique, many of them do share a handful of similarities. One such similarity is, of course, the inclusion of a hero (or heroes) for the viewers to root for. These heroic characters are often meant to provide a positive role model for impressionable young viewers, giving them an example of how they should strive to act in their own lives.
However, when taking a look back years later, it becomes increasingly apparent thatsome of these protagonists actually do some rather questionable thingsover the course of their films, even bordering on theDisney villains being morally superior to the heroes. Even though most of them go on to learn their lessons, the fact that they performed these actions at all begins to call into question just how “heroic” they really are,blurring the line between Disney movie heroes and villains. They may not be the clear villains of their respective stories, but theseunconventional Disney heroesdefinitely did some surprisingly terrible things in their movies.
10Simba Refused To Help Nala
The Lion King (1994)
It is no major secret whyThe Lion Kingwent on to become one of Disney’s most successful animated movies of all time. The film effectively manages to convey a mature, emotional story while also maintaining a fun, family-friendly feeling through its lively music and stunning visuals. When looking back on the film, however, the protagonist, Simba, does do some things that call his heroism into question.
The 15 Best Classic Disney Heroes
There have been several characters that have had a lasting impression on fans. However, fans will agree these classic heroes will always be iconic.
The most notable example comes late in the film, whenhe angrily refuses Nala’s pleas for him to return home and help save Pride Rock. Nala made it very clear to Simba that Pride Rock had fallen into a dismal state, and that all the friends and family he had grown up with were suffering.
The Lion King
Cast
The Lion King is an animated film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios. Released in 1994, it tells the story of Simba, a young lion cub who faces the responsibilities of adulthood and reclaiming his birthright as king of the Pride Lands. Featuring an iconic voice cast that includes Matthew Broderick, James Earl Jones, and Jeremy Irons, the film explores themes of family, duty, and the circle of life.
Despite understanding this, Simba still chose to cast her aside, instead opting to continue living his worry-free life with Timon and Pumbaa. Although he was later convinced to return home, Simba’s initial reaction to Nala’s request is undeniably selfish, particularly for someone who (as the rightful king) had an obligation to help the animals of Pride Rock.
9The Beast Kept Belle As His Prisoner
Beauty And The Beast (1991)
People rememberBeauty and the Beastas a heartwarming love story, one that emphasizes the importance of loving who a person is on the inside, rather than how they appear on the outside. While this is certainly an excellent message to present to young viewers, some of the specific details of the love story are a bit more unnerving. After all,the titular pair only fall in love after the Beast decides to keep Belle prisonerin his castle, despite knowing that she was not guilty of anything herself.
Beauty and the Beast
A selfish prince is doomed to become a monster for the rest of his life, unless he manages to fall in love with a beautiful young woman.
Looking back on it, the love story between Belle and the Beast definitely seems a bit less than proper. Although it was good of Belle to look past his fearsome appearance, she (and the rest of the characters) did seem to forget about the fact that the Beast was unfairly imprisoning her rather quickly. The idea that doing something like this could spark a romance feels like a pretty questionable message to be sending to young audiences.
8Judy Discriminated Against Nick And The Other Predators
Zootopia (2016)
The 2016 animated film,Zootopia, is definitely one of Disney’s most topical films in recent memory. Set in a world entirely populated by animals,Zootopiaoffers a compelling commentary about society and the divisions that can form between different groups of people. While the film predominantly presents a positive, inclusive message, its protagonist, Judy, does say some things that are bound to raise a few eyebrows.
Judy was openly expressing the idea that only a certain category of individuals in Zootopia would be capable of performing the vicious attacks, due to the nature of their DNA.
During a press conference, Judy calls attention to how only predators had been committing crimes in the film, evenshowing hesitation towards her friend Nick, a fox. Given thatZootopiacan largely be seen as an allegory for modern society, it is very easy to interpret Judy’s words as a vocalization of racism.
Zootopia
Disney’s Zootopia takes place in the titular city, a place where anthropomorphic animals peacefully coexist. Following Officer Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin), a rabbit, as she strikes up an unlikely partnership with a con artist fox (Jason Bateman). Working together, the pair discover a criminal conspiracy that involves the disappearance of predators, and follow it all the way to the heart of the city.
Judy was openly expressing the idea that only a certain category of individuals in Zootopia would be capable of performing the vicious attacks, due to the nature of their DNA. While she later attempted to clarify what she meant, the damage was already done, asshe had inspired countless people to start acting with prejudice toward predators. Judy’s actions inZootopiaprove just how dangerous words can be.
7Flynn Rider Stole A Priceless Crown
Tangled (2010)
Near the beginning ofTangled, one of the main characters is shown successfully stealing something. However, this is not an act that could be seen as noble, like Aladdin stealing a loaf of bread to feed some starving children. Rather,Tangledbegins with Flynn Rider stealing a priceless crown from the castle, planning on using it for nothing except personal gain.
Flynn later ends up realizing the poorness of his decisions and changing his ways, but not until well after the dangerous crime was already committed. It was an interesting choice forTangledto begin by highlighting the criminal acts of one of its main characters.
Tangled
An adaptation of the fairytale of Rapunzel, Disney’s Tangled follows the long-haired princess as she journeys to discover her real identity. Kidnapped as a child by the evil Mother Gothel to exploit the healing properties of her magical hair, Rapunzel (Mandy Moore) has lived her whole life isolated in a tower. A chance encounter with a smooth-talking fugitive called Flynn Ryder (Zachary Levi) sees Rapunzel venture out into the dangerous world to find the kingdom of Corona and unlock the secrets of her past.
Not only does the film call attention to Flynn’s illegal actions, but it alsoencourages the audience to root for him to succeed and escape. This does give the character plenty of room to grow and mature as the film progresses, but it does introduce him on a rather questionable note. Flynn does grow into a hero, but he never faces any real consequences for his actions.
6Baloo Tells Mowgli He Can Stay In The Jungle
The Jungle Book (1967)
Even in a film full of fun, colorful characters, Baloo has stood out as a fan-favorite fromThe Jungle Bookfor many years. The lovable bear is known for his laid-back, care-free approach to life, and for introducing the world to the catchy tune, “The Bare Necessities.” However, the attitude that made him so lovable may actually have been quite a terrible thing to impart to Mowgli, the human child who had been living in the woods.
In direct contrast with the efforts of Bagheera, Baloo happily tells Mowgli that he can live among the animals in the jungle forever. This was a terrible thing for Baloo to tell Mowgli. For one,Baloo had become a real role model to the child, so Mowgli was bound to wholeheartedly trust whatever he said.
The Jungle Book
Disney’s live-action adaptation of The Jungle Book brings the original Rudyard Kipling story to life, telling the story of Mowgli the Man-Cub (Neel Sethi) as he is cared for by the animals of the jungle. Raised by wolves and taught to hunt by the panther Bagheera (Ben Kingsley), Mowgli also befriends the carefree bear, Baloo (Bill Murray). However, the tiger Shere Khan (Idris Elba) wants to kill Mowgli, forcing him to assess whether or not the jungle is a safe place for a human.
Continuing to live in the jungle would be impossible for Mowgli, though, as he was constantly being hunted by the deadly tiger, Shere Khan. Allowing Mowgli to stay in the jungle was doing little more thankeeping him in immediate danger. If Baloo truly cared for Mowgli, he should never have created this unrealistic expectation.
5Tinker Bell Tried To Kill Wendy
Peter Pan (1953)
Since her appearance in the 1953 animated classic,Peter Pan, Tinker Bell has become one of the most iconic characters in Disney history. Many people seem to forget, though, that many of her actions in the film were actually quite terrible. Much of what Tinker Bell does inPeter Panis driven by her jealousy of Wendy, which is present from the moment the character is introduced.
When the characters first arrive in Neverland,the seemingly innocent fairy attempts to have Wendy killedby instructing the Lost Boys to shoot her out of the sky. Many Disney heroes have performed some rather terrible acts, but few have been so openly nefarious as to attempt to kill another main character.
Peter Pan
This classic animated Disney film adapts J.M. Barrie’s beloved novel for the screen. Peter Pan meets the Darling children and whisks them away with Tinkerbell to an adventure in Neverland, where they clash with the pirates led by Captain Hook.
When watching the film today, it almost feels strange that the character went on to become so beloved. This attempt to kill Wendyisn’t even the only wicked action performed by Tinker Bell.For the most part, the other characters seem largely unperturbed by this, though, appearing to forget about everything once Captain Hook arrives and poses a greater threat.
4Maui Stole The Heart Of Te Fiti
Moana (2016)
When it comes down to it, the entire plot of Disney’s 2016 instant classic,Moana, is actually set in motion by a single terrible action by one of the film’s heroes. In the introduction of the film, it is revealed that the shape-shifting demigodMaui used his powers to steal the heart of Te Fiti, the nature goddess, many years ago.
At the timeMoanatakes place, the world is beginning to be ravaged by the consequences of this poor decision, with the surrounding areas becoming increasingly devoid of life. His charisma and ultimate heroism may lead the audience to root for Maui, but one should remember thatall the bad events of the film are essentially caused by his past actions.
Moana
Moana is a 2016 animated film from Walt Disney Animation Studios. Set in Ancient Polynesia, the story follows the journey of a young Chieftain’s daughter named Moana as she seeks the demigod Maui to lift a curse affecting her island, exploring themes of adventure and self-discovery.
His greed and desire to be loved by humanity led him tosteal the life force of a goddess, turning her into a violent, vengeful being in the process. Maui may be regarded as a hero by the end ofMoana, but one could definitely make the argument that stealing the heart of Te Fiti was just about the most villainous thing done in the film.
3Elsa Froze All Of Arendelle
Frozen (2013)
As soon asFrozenwas released in 2013, Elsa became one of the most iconic characters to come out of a Disney movie in a long time. She quickly became a fan-favorite character to many, thanks to her strong personality, complex story, and stunning voice provided by Idina Menzel. However, Elsa’s story did not conclude without her performing some rather awful actions.
The persistently freezing weather likely affected practically every aspect of life, including forcing many people to suffer as they struggled to endure the cold.
After fleeing the kingdom of Arendelle on her coronation day, her inability to control her magical powers resulted inher inadvertently leaving the kingdom in a permanent state of winter.Frozendoesn’t dive too deeply into how this unforeseen winter impacted the residents of Arendelle, but one can infer that it definitely made things quite a bit worse for a lot of people.
Frozen
Frozen, released in 2013, follows young princess Anna of Arendelle on a perilous quest to halt an eternal winter cast by her sister, Elsa. Joined by Kristoff, his reindeer Sven, and snowman Olaf, Anna navigates themes of friendship, courage, family, and love in her journey.
The persistently freezing weather likelyaffected practically every aspect of life, including forcing many people to suffer as they struggled to endure the cold. Elsa may have learned to control her powers by the end of the film, but it doesn’t erase the damage she dealt to Arendelle.
2The Whole Madrigal Family Shunned Bruno
Encanto (2021)
One of the most successful Disney films in recent years is undoubtedlyEncanto. ThisOscar-winning 2021 filmtells the story of the Madrigals, a Colombian family in which (almost) every person possesses some form of magical gift that they use to help their community. The family does not treat each one of its members equally, though.
10 Disney Songs That Are Actually Kind Of Messed Up
Disney is known for their feel-good ditties, some of the songs featured in their supposedly family-friendly movies are actually quite disturbing.
For having a gift they viewed as unwanted and potentially dangerous,the Madrigal family shunned Bruno inEncanto, prompting him to secretly live inside the walls of their house for many years, feeling unwelcome but unable to fully leave. The protagonist, Mirabel, ultimately triumphs in reuniting the family, but it is hard for many viewers to fully move past what had happened.
Encanto
Encanto tells the tale of an extraordinary family, the Madrigals, who live hidden in the mountains of Colombia, in a magical house, in a vibrant town, in a wondrous, charming (and enchanted) place called an Encanto. The magic of the Encanto has blessed every child in the family with a unique gift from super strength to the power to heal—every child except one, Mirabel (voice of Stephanie Beatriz). But when she discovers that the magic surrounding the Encanto is in danger, Mirabel decides that she, the only ordinary Madrigal, might be her exceptional family’s last hope. Mirabel will seek out her missing cousin, Bruno, to discover the truth that Abuela has buried away for all of their lives.
Bruno had been so heavily vilified by his own family for ten full years, having to live on small scraps of food and having only rats as friends. When the audience finally gets to actually see the character, it is revealed that he is nothing more than a kind man with an unusual gift (not the monster the Madrigals described him as), making the situation even more heartbreaking.
1Aladdin Lied To Make Jasmine Fall In Love With Him
Aladdin (1992)
Aladdin may have been a diamond in the rough at heart, but he did make some dubious choices driven by his love for Princess Jasmine. Instead of merely returning to her and explaining the full truth about himself, Aladdin used one of his wishes to turn himself into a prince, making him appear not as Aladdin, but as an extravagant, wealthy ruler. He had many opportunities to come clean, but insteadcontinued to deceive Jasmine as a means of earning her affection.
Aladdin
Aladdin, directed by Ron Clements and John Musker, is an animated film featuring a street urchin who discovers a magical lamp. The story follows Aladdin’s adventures, including his encounters with Princess Jasmine and the villainous Jafar, who seeks to wield the lamp’s extraordinary powers to seize control.
He does eventually explain what had happened, butAladdin spends a significant part of the film lying about who he is. This is never a good thing to do, but it is even worse when done with the goal of getting someone to fall in love with you. Looking back on the film, the way Aladdin approaches his potential relationship with Jasmine feels creepy and manipulative, certainly not traits one would hope to see in a movie’s hero.
