Top 10 Disney Characters That Don't Deserve the Hate

“Brave” (2012)
This spirited redhead is a very odd target of hate. Merida is a young princess in Medieval Scotland with a talent for archery and a strained relationship with her proper mother, Elinor. When she finds out she is to be betrothed against her will, she winds up in a witch’s home with a spell to change her mother. Elinor is changed, all right — she becomes a bear. Merida’s crucial role in turning her mother into a bear didn’t win her many fans. But what is a main character without flaws or mistakes? Not a good one, we say. Merida does succeed in changing her mother back, so all’s well that ends well.

Various
One of Disney’s most iconic characters is also one of its most hated ones. This anthropomorphic duck’s mercurial disposition and fiery temper has caused a lot of problems for him — but it has also gotten him out of many situations. Donald Duck has appeared in more films than any other Disney character. Despite his iconic status, there are people who feel Donald is too annoying, too angry, and too much of a jerk to be likable. But we think he’s a great foil to Mickey Mouse. He also pairs well in stories with Daisy Duck and his nephews, Huey, Dewey, and Louie. At the end of the day, he is a cartoon duck. It’s his job to be funny.

“Frozen” (2013)
Is it so wrong to love warm hugs? This effusive snowman, voiced by Josh Gad, gets hate often. Ironically, this sentient, soft-spoken snowman was written with much subtler character humor than the typical Disney sidekick. But Olaf’s childlike naivety rubs some viewers the wrong way. His penchant for dispensing random trivia facts in “Frozen 2” didn’t exactly win him any fans either. Still, Olaf is so benign, it’s strange to feel anything close to hatred for his character. Also, we can’t help but be charmed by his cute recap of the first “Frozen” in the sequel.

“Cars” (2006)
We admit it, this character getting hate is understandable. A talented race car, Lightning McQueen begins “Cars” as arrogant and selfish. He’s definitely not a team player. In his desperation to win the Piston Cup, he winds up stranded in a desert town, forced to repave a road and learn some humility in the process. He definitely grows a lot throughout the film, but many still find his previous attitude too off-putting. Still, the character development is there, and we find it unfair that McQueen is judged for his actions in the beginning of the film when the narrative clearly gives him a reality check.

“The Hunchback of Notre Dame” (1996)
Fans have long sung the praises of this underrated Disney film. With its gorgeous score, animation, and memorable villain, “Hunchback” gets high marks. But if there’s one thing fans object to, it’s typically the gargoyles. Many feel that Quasimodo’s lighthearted friends are woefully out of place in one of Disney’s darkest films. Their comic antics tend to lead to tonal clashes. But let’s not get carried away — this movie is still for kids, with a happy ending to boot. Disney toned down a lot of the dark elements in Victor Hugo’s novel, ditching its tragic ending completely. The gargoyles are fine as comic relief, and their song is fun, with tongue-in-cheek lyrics.

“The Lion King” (1994)
It can be hard to think of anything wrong with this iconic film. After all, it’s considered one of Disney’s best. But there are still some fans that really can’t stand Zazu the hornbill. As the king’s majordomo, Zazu is officious, pompous, and excitable. Think Polonius from “Hamlet,” but with feathers. Zazu’s attitude might be tough to swallow, especially for younger viewers. But as an adult? Yeah, being a civil servant responsible for the education of the young and frankly annoying heir to the throne is tough. Sorry we judged you, Zazu.

“The Little Mermaid” (1989)
How this character is criticized more than King Triton is beyond us. This little mermaid has dealt with a lot of hate. Certainly, Ariel is rebellious and naïve at the beginning of the story. She leaves her family and home and loses her voice all for man — except she doesn’t. Ariel’s famous solo about longing for a life on land is sung way before she even sees Prince Eric. Even before that, she risks being shark meat for a fork and has a grotto full of land treasures. In the end, many of these critiques tend to reveal their own biases, since Ariel is not only independent and spunky, but also saves her prince twice. Let’s lay off her, for real.

“Toy Story” (1995)
Ironically, this character could have been much worse than what we got. During the development of “Toy Story,” one idea for Woody’s character was to make him a mean-spirited autocrat, abusing the other toys until they rebelled against him. But in the actual “Toy Story,” Woody is the caring, if complacent, leader of the toys. Sure, he’s threatened by Buzz’s arrival and jealous of his popularity. But one of Woody’s best traits has always been his loyalty to his friends, particularly Andy. And he always manages to admit that he’s wrong. In the end, he and Buzz become great friends. Character development is always great to see.

“Encanto” (2021)
Disney’s move away from outright villains could be called a double-edged sword. On the one hand, more nuanced storytelling is appreciated. On the other hand, layered characters like Abuela from “Encanto” can get unnecessary hate. Abuela is the matriarch of the Madrigals, obsessed with preserving the magic of her house after her husband’s tragic death. Her story involves realizing her strict adherence to duty has made her family unhappy. It’s resolved when she changes her ways and reconciles with her family. However, some fans seem to not come to terms with this, or maybe they think Abuela should’ve gotten more of a comeuppance. Either way, we’re not here for the hate.

“Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” (1937)
Ah, Snow White. Where to start? This character gets a lot of similar flack as her fellow princess Cinderella. People have objected to her as sickly sweet and passive and as a damsel in distress. She always has to be saved by a man. The dwarfs and even the Evil Queen are more interesting than her. The problem with these arguments is that, at its core, Snow White’s story is one of escaping abuse. Even though Snow White longs for her prince, her story isn’t all that focused on romance. The prince functions as a reward for Snow White’s suffering. Just let the girl have her prince.