Most Disney characters have interesting stories to tell. The villains in Disney movies also have interesting pasts, and some of them are actually quite tragic, which also caused them to turn to the dark side.

On this occasion, Dunia Games would like to give you a list of Disney villains with the most tragic backstories. Without further ado, let’s get into it.

1. Maleficent (Sleeping Beauty)

Maleficent is the self-proclaimed mistress of evil and is infamous for cursing Princess Aurora when she was a baby. This character has various backstories, but the famous one is the one portrayed in the live-action movie.

Maleficent was born in the realm of the Moors, a place teeming with mystical, magical creatures. She once had wings that allowed her to fly across the sky. At least that’s until her supposed true love, King Stephan, the father of Princess Aurora, betrayed her and cut her wings.

This certainly caused Maleficent to go berserk. She plummeted so hard and got obsessed with gaining power, which made her the most feared entity.

2. Ursula (The Little Mermaid)

According to the Disney villain series novel titled Poor Unfortunate Souls by Serena Valentino, Ursula is actually the daughter of Poseidon and the sister of King Triton who’s completely misunderstood. As a goddess, Ursula possesses the power to take any form, and, as she chose to have tentacles, she was rejected by everyone as she’s considered wicked.

When it’s time for Triton to take the throne with his siblings, he couldn’t give up the thought of sharing the power, especially with Ursula. He then banished Ursula into the waters as a reminder that no one loves or even wants her due to her hideous form.

She was left in exile, and Ursula began to plot her and the poor souls’ revenge.

3. Lady Tremaine (Cinderella)

Tremaine’s past was also explained by Serena Valentino in Disney’s Cold Hearted. Lady Tremaine was once lost and desperate to continue her life. She lost her beloved husband, an affluent noble, and the father of their two daughters, Anastasia and Drizella.

Knowing that she has no reason to live the rest of her life as a grieving widow, she decided to marry Cinderella’s father.

Unbeknownst to her, Lady Tremaine’s new husband used all of her money to pay off all of his debts, leaving them to live on a shoestring budget. When he eventually died, it’s a bit understandable why she held such hatred towards Cinderella.

4. Te Fiti (Moana)

Moana follows the journey of a girl who tries to regain the stolen heart of the kind-hearted goddess. Te Fiti created islands full of flora and fauna, but when the islands were stolen by Maui, she spent years in despair and transformed into Te Ka.

Te Ka represents souls who are lost in a dark place. Betrayed by those who asked for her kindness, she fell into helplessness and despair, developing a belief that humans aren’t worthy of the gift of nature.

5. Lotso (Toy Story)

The most ruthless villain in the Toy Story series, Lotso is infamous for being unsympathetic and merciless. We know how the toys in this series once felt amazing love and care from their owners. When Lotso was replaced by his owner, he sought refuge in Sunnyside Daycare and quickly manipulated other toys to follow him. When he found out that he was abandoned, Lotso had a completely different perspective of the world.

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As one of the brightest villains, Lotso controls the entire daycare. He handpicks the toys that can stay in the Butterfly Room, where they can play with well-mannered kids.

Lotso sends other toys to the Caterpillar Room, a place where toys will definitely have a hard time adjusting. 

6. Syndrome (The Incredibles)

Syndrome is the main antagonist in The Incredibles. Being rejected by Mr. Incredible when he was a kid, created a deep hatred in Syndrome’s heart towards heroes. He then decided to become a supervillain and devoted his life to destroy all heroes.

Born without having any superpower, 10-year-old Buddy Pine aspired to become the IncrediBoy, as Mr. Incredible’s sidekick. After being blatantly rejected, Buddy turned into a sadistic and vengeful individual.

7. Shere Khan (Jungle Book)

The graceful Bengal Tiger, Shere Khan, roughly translates as “Lord of the Jungle”. Both in the animated and the live-action movie, The Jungle Book, he’s the main antagonist whose hatred for humans drives him to get rid of Mowgli to maintain his rule over other animals.

Shere Khan’s fear of fire and humans are his biggest drive that makes him act as the tyrant of the jungle. Just like what the live-action remake explores further, Shere Khan is a vengeful character whose previous encounter with humans left him with a blind eye. This fear leads to him associating humans with merciless creatures.

8. Cruella de Vil (101 Dalmatians)

This Disney villain also has a soft side, which was the main focus of the 2021-released Cruella.

Born into wealth, Cruella’s mother planned on getting rid of her and focused on her efforts to get all of her late husband’s inheritance. Seeking refuge in a children's home, Cruella was loved as a young woman. After losing her adoptive mother at a young age, Cruella spent her life in crime, until she found a job in the fashion industry.

9. Evil Queen (Snow White)

The Evil Queen’s story from Snow White has been retold many times over the years.

In the novel, she lives a happy life with the King and her beloved daughter Snow. When the King dies, the Queen falls into depression, and for years, is tormented by the magic mirror that’s cursed with the ghost of the evil father. 

In the series, her heartless mother forces her to marry someone else after her true love dies. Whichever version of her origin, she’s not only a victim of her inner turmoil but also loses her mind from all the cruelty around her.

So, those were the 9 Disney villains with the most tragic backstories. Stick around for more anime and gaming info, and make sure to follow Dunia Games on Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates.

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