Top 10 Times Disney Villains Were More Relatable Than the Heroes

#10: Anton Ego

Ratatouille (2007)

Egos arc isnt really about foodits about remembering who you were before the world wore you down. Unlike Remy or Linguini, who lets be honest, just got lucky, Egos not wide-eyed or naive. Hes been through it, built walls, and buried his younger self under cynicism and control. But one bite of ratatouille cracks that shell. Suddenly, hes a kid again, back in touch with the version of himself that felt joy without judgment. That moment changes everything. Its not just about nostalgia; its reconnection. And thats what makes Ego so relatable. He changes not because he learns something new but because he remembers something true and authentic, and honestly, hes so real for it.

#9: Chernabog

Fantasia (1940)

Look, we know hes a giant-winged demon, but we get it. Who hasnt wanted to just let everything looserage, grief, chaos, all of itno filter, no apology. While most villains might hide behind some kind of mask, hes not faking anything. He is the dark cloud. The meltdown. The part of us we keep locked up until it explodes. And the wildest part is that for all his power, a church bell and a sunrise stop him cold. That hits us hard. No matter how strong we act, something soft always gets to us. Chernabog is the monster in the mirror. The one we try to ignore. But hes always there. Just...waiting.

#8: Maleficent

Maleficent (2014)

We already thought Maleficent was relatable for her FOMO-fueled outburst. Then the 2014 version added betrayal, heartbreak, and stolen wingsand while her actions might go a hairline too far, we can see where shes coming from. Stefan acts out of cruelty and greed, which forces Maleficent to hide behind her defenses to protect herself from getting hurt again. But what makes her stand out is that bitterness doesnt totally engulf her. Her connection with Aurora grows, perhaps against her better judgment. And in the end, shes the one who saves her, not out of obligation, but love. Underneath all the thorns and fury, she never stopped caring. Thats what makes her feel human.

#7: Gabby Gabby

Toy Story 4 (2019)

When you break down Gabby Gabbys motives, its hard to see her as a villain. All she wants is to be loved, but after decades of rejection because of her broken voice box, shes convinced that fixing it will finally make her worthy. Chasing Woody (and Forky) around an antique store to steal his voice box is definitely villainous, but shes not driven by evil. Still, were not sure Andys favorite toy can truly grasp how it feels to crave the love and attention shes been denied. But we see her. After all, dont we all want someone who will love us, not because weve changed, but because they see us for who we are?

#6: Edgar Balthazar

The Aristocats (1970)

Tell us you wouldnt be mad if, after years of loyal service, your boss left everything to her cats. A mansion, a chateau, stocks, and bonds for pets. What are they going to do, start a hedge fund? Look, were not defending Edgars actions, but the man snapped, and honestly, thats totally fair. With the cost of living the way it often is, that inheritance couldve meant an actual future. Meanwhile, these cats are living like tiny, furry royalty. If we were Edgar, we mightve proposed a compromise: he gets the fortune if he takes care of the cats. If anything suspicious happens to them, then yeah, he loses everything.

#5: Captain Hook

Peter Pan (1953)

In the original story, we dont get much history of Captain Hook and Peter Pans relationship other than the whole chopping of the hand and feeding it to a crocodile debacle. Now, that crocodile follows Hook around like an alarm clock with no off button. Of course, hes angry, paranoid, and unraveling. Hes a grown man being terrorized by a flying tween tyrant with no bedtime. Peters no hero either; hes a full-scale brat who throws tantrums when things dont go his way. Meanwhile, Hook is basically what happens when youre tired, downtrodden, and hanging on by a thread while dreaming of a nap, a glass of wine, or five minutes of peace.

#4: Yzma

The Emperor's New Groove (2000)

Another loyal employee tossed aside after years of serviceYzma deserved better. Sure, she mightve overstepped once or twice, but since when was ambition a crime? Meanwhile, Kuzco was born into privilege and rules for one person: himself. He literally has a theme song guy! Yzmas been holding things together behind the scenes, only to get fired by the young emperor, whose biggest concern is pool placement. Shes overlooked, age-shamed, and stuck under a career ceiling because her boss is a clueless man-child. Sure, maybe the assassination plot was a bit muchbut Kuzco got off easy with a short stint as a llama, all things considered. Yzma is basically corporate burnout in a snazzy purple ensemble.

#3: Syndrome / Buddy

The Incredibles (2004)

You know how they say dont meet your heroes? Well, this is why. But its not the only reason this Pixar villain resonates with us. The Supers are born with powers, but Buddynow Syndromehas to work for his. He builds his own path to success with tech, wealth, influence, and yes, an evil island lair. Yet, underneath the cape and gadgets, hes just a kid who got rejected, and it stung. His whole philosophy comes from that bruised ego and buried pain. Its twisted, sure, but its a response to gatekeeping and exclusion. Hes basically saying: if the elite wont let me in, Ill tear down the pedestal. If that isnt relatable, what is?

#2: Queen of Hearts

Alice in Wonderland (1951)

Its admirable how Alice remains curious and carefree no matter what Wonderland throws at her. But if were being honest, most of us are more like the Queen of Hearts. She rules over so much madness, constantly trying to assert control over unruly characters. When things dont go her way, she reacts with rage, which is unbelievably real of her. Plus, her paranoia about people undermining her position is basically the equivalent of trying to silence impostor syndrome. Like Chernabog, shes the side of us we keep hidden until its safe to scream into the void. Shes the relatable rage we try to contain, but it sneaks out when were pushed too far.

#1: Hades

Hercules (1997)

Alright, listen up. Its hard to relate to gods and demi-gods with their lofty goals of getting back to Mount Olympus. Hercules might be the hero, but Hades is also just trying to find a place where he belongs, and it sure as heck isnt the Underworld. Zeus dumped him there while everyone else parties upstairs. Its like being stuck in a dead-end job doing all the grunt work while others get the glory. Who wouldnt want something better? So yeah, when some kid threatens everything, of course, hes going to take the reins. Villainy aside, hes just a guy trying to make his life a little better. Honestly, isnt that more relatable?

Which Disney movie made you realize you might be better suited to be a villain than a hero? Let us know in the comments