Welcome! Really this article should have been up months ago, but I've been a little busy so I'm sorry for that. Better late than never I suppose! In April-May 2013 I did a reverse countdown where people voted for their favourite characters from 'Beauty and the Beast' and here are the results! I'll also include some comments from users since this countdown wouldn't have been possible if people didn't vote. Thank you to all who participated!

(I didn't include the Baker so I hope he doesn't try to kill me in my sleep with a baguette or something)

18. Monsieur D'Arque

In last place we have The Wicked Witch of the West... oh wait no, it's just Monsieur D'Arque. "I'll get you my pretty... and your little dad too!" Some people enjoyed his brief presence on screen while others viewed him as the stuff nightmares were made of. Shivers down the spine stuff. Throughout the countdown he received plentiful hate with no one really professing their undying love for him - can't imagine why as he seems ever so lovely, move aside Prince Eric (!)

~"I like his voice." - BraBrief
~"he's so sinister!" - Popcornfan
~"I enjoy his dark presence." - dclairmont
~"I'll be happy as long as the freak of nature Monsieur D’Arque gets last or dies or gets lock up himself." - princecatcher93
~"The guy is a creep and it´s a nightmare. I think he´s one of the few Disney characters I hate." - CodyVenusTrent


17. LeFou

Just missing out on last place is Gaston's bumbling sidekick LeFou. Of course in French his name literally translates to "the crazy" or "the fool" and many people believed he lived up to his name. Some found this entertaining while others found it plain irritating.

~"He´s funny and it´s hilarious how everything happens to him like the water the Bimbettes splashed on him, the eggs that fell on his head and the LeFou snowman. Also what he said about Gaston to the creepy guy (that the only way for him to marry Belle was the blackmail). XD." - CodyVenusTrent
~"I don't know why people don't like him so much. ~To me, he's a very funny and entertaining character." - MissAngelPaws
~"I like him slightly because he's comic relief." - AllegroGiocoso
~"well, LeFou literally means FOOL ;p he just bores me." AudreyFreak
~"I can't stand Lefou!" milky-way


16. Enchantress

Despite being in the movie for roughly 30 seconds, she sure divided opinion amongst voters. Many commenters thought she was an interesting and compelling character, others thought of her as unreasonable and unfair for transforming an 11 year old as well as several innocent servants. Suffice it to say, regardless of minimal screentime, she's an important character as there'd be no story without her.

~"She's very interesting, mysterious and is arguably the most important character in the movie. I wouldn't say I liked her, she just intrigues me." - Mongoose09
~"Without her the Beast and Belle would have never meet." - princecatcher93
~"She's freaking badass...I love it haha XD" - prussiaducky
~"I think she's an interesting character, despite the fact that she's in the movie for less than a minute." - BelleAnastasia
~"She is not shown much in the movie but she's really mysterious and cool. - shanyuisboss
~"NO NOT THE ENCHANTRESS! I hate her. She was completely unreasonable in changing the Beast and totally unfair. And he was eleven! And had no parents! How was he supposed to know love without parents? She didn't need to go changing the entire staff, too. That was just unfair. And if the Beast couldn't find someone who defied human nature in ten years, they would all be stuck, too! It's so unfair that they would be punished for their whole lives if the Beast couldn't find someone who loved him. Also, what's wrong with him not letting a total stranger into the castle- she's heard of the Trojan Horse, hasn't she?" - rhythmicmagic


15. Gaston

Sir-Hairy-Hunksalot only placed a measly 15 - I don't think Gaston would be jumping up and down with excitement at this news! Seemingly many people thought of him as a lame villain, sort of ridiculous in a way, but simultaneously there were people who liked him a lot and thought he deserved a higher spot than #15.
.
~"I love him :( I've voted him from the start of this countdown :(" - BraBrief
~"His chest is covered in hair! Hhahha, that's definetely not a reason, but the whole song is!" - Popcornfan
~"Yes, he's an asshole, but for a villain character I think he's okay." - anonheart998
~"You can do without most of the other characters, but the movie won't work without Gaston. And would be much more boring...." - Swanpride
~"Anyone but Gaston" - KataraLover


14. Stove

A very minor character, but most people seemed to like him (well, there wasn't much negativity towards him either way). I believe most, albeit not all, simply hated the other four more and saw him as the best of a bad bunch. However a few did find him entertaining.

~"He's a stove for crying out loud!!! Stoves are cool!" - princecatcher93
~"I love the stove!" - rhythmicmagic
~"he's funny" - pretty_angel92









13. Bimbettes

Coming in at an 'unlucky' 13 are the unlucky-in-wooing-Gaston Bimbettes. I believe 50% find them annoying while the other 50% find them cute
and harmless. Not really much to say here.

~"They're silly =)." - AllegroGiocoso
~"the bimbettes are so funny and cute. i wanted to look like them when i first saw this :3" - girlygirlspwn
~"They're just hilarious, I love watching them." - Jessikaroo
~"they are cute <3" - Mohanad05
~"They are a very fun and intellectual species, they are very crafty as they flirt their way into other peoples homes then when one is not looking swipe all their hard earned cash, they then leave a ton of bread crumbs around the scene so that the local bread maker gets the penalty for their misdeeds. What they do in their free time is bake for the local children, clean the homes for the elderly and spend all their hard earned cash donating it to the local orphanage. If this doesn't make great character I don't know what does." - LatinoLollipops

^^^ Best comment ever.


12. Bookseller

Aww, the bookseller. He's a very minor character but also quite well-liked despite his lack of screentime. People appreciated how he was the only one in the town who was kind to Belle and thought he was a lovely man with good intentions. A likeable character, definitely.

~"His role is short but sweet." - AllegroGiocoso
~"He only appears for a little while, but I can see that he has a very kind heart." - MissAngelPaws
~"A very sweet, wise, and lovable character. He may be minor but hey, he's a really nice addition to the story. A very nice and understandable guy" - shanyuisboss




11. Philippe

Horsey! No one really disliked him, the general opinion seemed to be that he was cute and endearing. I think the Disney horses are generally liked by all/most and Philippe is no exception. People liked him enough to place him at #11 but didn't love him enough to want him in the top 10.

~"I like him a lot =)." - AllegroGiocoso
~"I love this horse. He's more than a pet -- he's a friend!" - LightningRed
~"I really like him. He's not so bad IMO" - MissAngelPaws
~"He is alright. Does not irritate me or anything" - Jayden-G
~"I'm a sucker for animal sidekicks! Especially a draft horse <3" - LupinPrincess


10. Babette

"Isn't zis exciting?!" Just making the top 10 is Babette (otherwise known as "Fifi" sometimes). It makes sense that she's not much higher than #10 as, other than the Stove, she's the object that recieves the least screentime. People found the French maid entertaining, charming and enjoyed watching her relationship with Lumiere.

~"She deserves to be in top 10!" - BelleAnastasia
~"I love her! Also she's prettier than Belle." - KataraLover
~"she's funny" - pretty_angel92
~"Babette is so fun yet so sassy!" - GreatLance_30
~"She's beautiful & her relationship with Lumiere" - LatinoLollipops
~"I never really understood why the Beast would let a candle and a feather duster 'make out' behind curtain." - princecatcher93



9. Maurice

Belle's father seemed liked by most, albeit not particularly adored. Some viewed him as one of the better Disney fathers and loved the parent-daughter relationship. He makes some mistakes but generally he means well.

~"He's a nice father =)." - AllegroGiocoso
~"He's a really great father." - MissAngelPaws
~"Maurice is one of the better fathers" - Jayden-G










8. Footstool

Woof! Footstool never speaks but it's no surprise that he's in the top 10 as the Disney dogs seem to be universally liked by many. Even though his contribution to the story is miniscule, people find him endearingly cute. He seemed relatively unfazed by the castle's transformation but I'm sure if he could speak he would have lots to say on the situation! Or maybe he would just want food. And cats.

~"very cute!" - GreatLance_30
~"He's a dog, that's a footstool, that means win!!!!" - princecatcher93
~"Cute and funny without having a voice" - Flutey_Girl96
~"He's such a cutie." - AllegroGiocoso
~"He doesn't contribute to the story, but I love watching him nevertheless!" - milky-way


7. Wardrobe

"How embarrassing!" - Well I'm sure Wardrobe wouldn't be embarrassed at this generous placing. There was a lot of love for her, a select few may find her annoying but the majority thought of her as hilariously entertaining. It's a shame we didn't get to see more of her. (A spin-off show for Wardrobe, who's with me?!)

~"She's EPIC! I love her in the fighting scene and when she gave the dude that AWFUL make over." - KataraLover
~"She's hilarious, kind to Belle, and fights guys buy dressing them in drag and falling on them! Need I say more?" - rhythmicmagic
~"I love her!" - jainabieber7
~"I almost played her in a schoolplay. But I got a part of a spoon." - princecatcher93


6. Chip

Narrowly missing out on the top 5... Chip. Rather than people disliking him, they simply just liked the characters above him more. Users found him adorable and liked how he helped Belle and her father at the movie's climax.

~"A real cutie, not to mention rebel." - shanyuisboss
~"I love Chip! He's so adorable ♥" - MissAngelPaws
~"He's so cute and entertaining" - Jayden-G
~"I love Chip. He´s so cute and lovely. He was so sweet to both Belle and her father. It was adorable how he asked if he still had to sleep in the cupboard." - CodyVenusTrent







5. Mrs. Potts

Mrs. Potts only just made the top 5 - the vote was very close. People liked her motherly instincts; how caring she was towards others. They thought that the she held the castle together with her nurturing, maternal and supportive nature. A good, calming influence on the other characters.

~"She is a caring and motherly to everyone. The castle would fall apart without her" - Jayden-G
~"I love her motherly personality, she knows how to keep the castle in shape." - shanyuisboss
~"I've always loved her, she's so caring and reassuring." - AllegroGiocoso





4. Cogsworth

"If it's not Baroque, don't fix it!" Cogsworth was well-liked with the voters, just not enough to make the top 3. People thought his stern, stubborn persona was amusingly comical. His dry/serious personality was what endeared people to him. Additionally commenters loved his relationship with Lumiere - the pokerfaced one with the more spirited one.

~"He's really funny in his seriousness!" - rhythmicmagic
~"I love the pair Lumiere-Cogsworth, if I have to choose one, I go with the second one." - Popcornfan
~"I just freaking love Cogsworth so much. He's funny and smart and just great, not to mention he knows the way to a girls heart. (Chocolates? Promises you don't intend to keep? Just lol) Lumiere's pretty close, I love both of them a lot." Jessikaroo
~"He is so funny, he has such a dry sense of humor. I love him! I have a tendency to like the straight man more than the comic." - rhythmicmagic

On to the top three...

3. Lumiere

Ah, the suave French candelabra comes in at third place. Many think of him as one of the best Disney sidekicks (if not the best), while others are entertained by him nonetheless. Rather than just being amusing, people also find that he has a good heart and is caring towards others. His friendship with Cogsworth is well-praised as is his song "Be our Guest" - I think most people are surprised that the Beast didn't hear it all!

~"He's kind hearted, funny, free spirited and just plain awesome. I love his accent even though that's not exactly how French people speak." - dimitri_is_hot
~"He is so funny and always shows up cogsworth. I also love his accent." - shanyuisboss
~"He's so awesome!" - BelleAnastasia
~"He's an amazing character" - sweetie-94
~"He is so cool, and sets the mood for many things. Definitely one of Disney's best sidekicks" - Jayden-G
~"I want to marry him." - Mongoose09


2. Beast

A very complex and well-written character in the eyes of many. Some seemed to like him in his "GO AHEAD AND STARVE!!" stage while others were more drawn to him as his soul gradually became kinder and more 'human'. People like the transition the character goes through from the beginning of the movie to the end. Truly a developed character and highly fascinating and interesting.

~"I love beast, he reminds me of a teddy bear. Well, maybe a teddy bear with a big temper but that doesn't matter. He still rocks!" - shanyuisboss
~"One of Disney's most developed characters." - AaronHaley4ever
~"I love how he changes throughout the movie, from being rude into being a nice guy" - sweetie-94
~"At the time the movie was made, he was a very complex character for Disney. I liked how he became a better person but I loved him more at the beginning when he was rough, it goes well with his cool character design. I also liked it when he turned back into a human because he looks very unconventionally handsome." - dimitri_is_hot

aaand in first place is...

*drumroll*


1. Belle

Not much of a surprise really, Belle is our winner! This doesn't really require much explanation but users thought of her as admirable, compassionate, independent and they respected her for seeing beyond the appearance of others. People loved her relationship with the Beast and how they gradually fell in love as opposed to love at first sight. The main character is victorious - congrats to Belle! *throws confetti*

~"I love Belle, she is independent and stubborn but also kind and looks beyond outer appearances. A princess worth admiring." - shanyuisboss
~"My favorite Disney character! She's so smart, kind, sweet, beautiful and gentle. I love her genuine nature and her ability to give second chances and to see beyond appearance. And I love that she loves to read, this makes her so likable!" - BelleAnastasia
~"She is definitely the bet character of the movie. She is quiet and independent, but she does have her limits when aggravated. She is respectful, and I like the fact that she does not care what the people in her town thinks. She is not the girl who would fall for Gaston, as she knows her worth." - Jayden-G
~"Definitely! She's my fourth or fifth favorite heroine overall and third favorite princess. She's so kind, gentle, yet also firm, and a great role model, and I love how she loves Beast for who he is." - AllegroGiocoso
~"Of course Belle. She's my favorite Disney princess and animated human heroine of all times. She's not too sweet, not too sassy, she's "just right." I love her strong-mindedness and occasional temper, as well as her kindness and compassion. I admire her for being able to look beyond appearance and see deep into the heart. And her beauty is a plus." - LightningRed
~"She is my favorite character in all Disney World (not the themed park), so, yeah, that means she's my favorite in her movie as well." - Popcornfan
~"My 4th favorite Disney Princess and of course my favorite character in the movie :)" - sweetie-94
~"She's the main character, and the main character is the person who is meant to be the most liked one. Even in aggressive variations. They put the balance in the characters. SURE, Belle isn't very funny and SURE she isn't as flawed as Beast but she's got a balance. A little bit of all. Or just a little bit of the greater things and nothing of the low. That's what makes her the best." - hajirah4

Thanks for reading!