10) Mother Gothel
I know, I know, I'm sorry. I know that Mama Gothel has gotten a pretty significant fan base of her own lately, and I just have to admit that I wasn't that impressed. As someone who loves Disney villains, I was disappointed by how vague her personality seemed. She wanted to be young and beautiful forever, I get that. But why? For what purpose? Where is this compulsive narcissism coming from? Her design is nice, but to me, she just came across as one of those annoying stage mothers, much closer to Mommy Sayers then Mommy Dearest.
9) Governor Ratcliffe
I just can't take this guy seriously. Any villain who wears bows in his hair doesn't deserve a spot in the pantheon of great Disney villains. He's pompous, he's silly, and he generally fails at being memorable.
8) Shan Yu
This guy has an incredible design and an incredible, scary, husky voice. Other than that, I don't really care for him that much. His motive is fuzzy, to say the least. He wants to attack China because the wall is there, so I guess it's pride thing. At any rate, he's scary and snarls a lot, but he's supposed to be a Disney villain, not a pissed off Pit bull.
7) Gaston
As far as believability, you can't beat Gaston. He's funny, he's macho, he's got a chest that looks like a 70s shag rug, and he's the very epitome of manly man-ness. I genuinely like Gaston, and I like how he's less of a villain and more of a spoiled brat. Unfortunately, compared to others on this list, his evil-ness pales in comparison, and even though I like him, I don't like him enough to elevate him higher on the list.
6) Jafar
I'm not really sure why my love of Jafar is so limited. He's a great villain, the actor's performance is superb, and his design is exceptionally high quality. However, as much as I respect the character, he's not really one of my favorites. However, he does have the best villain sidekick ever: Iago saved Jafar from being much further down on the list.
5) The Queen
The first, the original, and the standard, The Wicked Queen is as chilling and cold today as she was when she first hit theaters over fifty years ago. Cold, vain, and heartless, the Queen consults her magic mirror daily to see if she has any rivals as far as beauty, and no one is spared her wrath. I like the Queen because she inspires my curiousity. Were there other women before Snow White who were murdered because they were rivals to her beauty? Why does she have this compulsive need to be young and beautiful? Mysterious, dark, and unwilling to explain herself, The Queen is definitely one of Disney's greatest villains.
4) Maleficent
Another mysterious and powerful female villain, Maleficent is often considered the best of Disney's baddies. Her design is incredible, right down to her luminescent green skin. If Maleficent has a crack in her hide, it's her motivation. She didn't get invited to the baby shower, and she's PISSED. She broods over it for 16 long years, pouting in her castle, while she has her goons do the dirty work. Maleficent also gets wicked props for calling on all the powers of Hell in a Disney movie. However, she thinks more highly of herself than she ought to. As the self-proclaimed "Mistress of all Evil," she kind of sets herself up for failure. I kind of think that the Mistress of All Evil would have killed the baby then and there.
3) Dr. Facilier
Having grown up in the South, I relate to The Princess and the Frog. New Orleans is a beautiful place, but it's a place fraught with danger, darkness, and a genuine, tangible eeriness about it. There are still people in New Orleans who practice voodoo, and for that reason, I believe that Dr. Facilier is a great villain. I'm not entirely sure what his motive is, aside from the fact that he owes a pretty significant debt to some otherworldly force, and I like that we don't know exactly what he wants. Having spent a lot of time in New Orleans, I feel like I know Dr. Facilier, and besides that... he's got a hell of a villain song. :)
2) Lady Tremaine
Surprised? Don't be. Lady Tremaine is truly a great villain, if only because people like her really do exist. People who are cruel to children are real, and just like Lady Tremaine, their intentions aren't always clear. We assume that she doesn't like Cinderella because of her beauty, but that may not be it at all. This may be a clearer case of "Mother Knows Best," in which Lady Tremaine has to look out for her two daughters, and it really isn't anything personal. Her need for self control actually makes her more frightening than some of the more hotheaded villains, if only because you never know exactly what's she got in mind. Cold, realistic, and chilling, Lady Tremaine is a villainess for the ages.
1) Ursula
I know you saw this coming. :) Ursula is the baddest of the bad (when it comes to Princess villains, that is), and she does it all under the guise of being a public servant. There's nothing scarier than someone who offers to help you out while running a secret agenda, and Ursula does just that. Besides the fact that she's modeled after a drag queen (that's awesome), she's got a great voice, and the second best Villain song in Disney history. (The honor of first prize in that department goes to HOND's "Hellfire.") Funny, scary, and the genuine article, Ursula is my top favorite villain. Poor Unfortunate Souls, indeed.
