Top 10 Times Troy Bolton Was the WORST
#10: He Was Late for the Audition
“High School Musical” (2006)
Okay, we know that this was because he had to sneak out and make sure no one would see him, but hear us out. Ms. Darbus specifically said that timeliness means something in the world of theatre and she was clearly ready to move on with her day. Can’t blame her, running auditions for a high school play looks stressful. In any other situation, arriving late would mean you’ve missed your opportunity. If Kelsi never tripped over, Troy would probably learn his lesson about being late to an audition. Of course, if that happened, there would be no “High School Musical” to begin with, but that doesn’t mean Troy didn’t almost blow Gabriella’s chance!
#9: Almost Ditching Gabriella During Karaoke
“High School Musical” (2006)
Speaking of, Troy wasn’t exactly impressed with Gabriella when they were on the karaoke stage at the party. Look buddy, she’s in the same position as you, give her a minute to get comfortable on stage. He was ready to ditch her and leave her out there, even though it wasn’t even her verse yet. The karaoke screen clearly showed who sings what part, so why was he so ready to ditch her? Of course, the minute she started to sing, the sparks were flying between them. We’ll ignore Troy’s fashion during this scene because honestly, that shirt wasn’t his finest choice.
#8: When He Said Gabriella Meant Nothing to Him
“High School Musical” (2006)
Okay, so Troy’s friends should’ve really backed off and let him find his other passions. But Troy should also stand his ground and not say that singing meant nothing to him, because that also meant that Gabriella meant nothing to him. Saying that she’s not important was wrong, and it clearly hurt Gabriella’s feelings. It’s totally understandable why she was so upset, considering Troy proved that their social circles are too different to be seen together. Taylor kind of had a point when she called him a lunkhead basketball man. He could honestly convince his friends without being so mean!
#7: The Way He Treated Sharpay
“High School Musical” franchise (2006-08)
Over the years, many people realized Sharpay wasn’t actually that bad. She was really passionate about theatre, but, of course, every movie needs its villain. Sure, she was extra, but that’s what made her so fabulous. But across all three movies, Troy pretty much mocked Sharpay even though the two were the most popular people of their school. Sure, it didn’t help that everyone else did the same too. “High School Musical” fans also joked that when Troy and Gabriella first met, it was the moment Sharpay’s high school theatre career started to fall apart. Sharpay worked hard on her performances and never received any credit whatsoever. Justice for Sharpay Evans!
#6: Bros Before...
“High School Musical” franchise (2006-08)
You know the rule. Troy and Chad were considered to be best friends, but the two really went their separate ways throughout all three movies. Sure, there were moments when they were together, but Troy was preoccupied with his new love. It always happens, doesn’t it? Your friend meets someone and suddenly forgets all about your friendship. It took three movies before the two had their moment in “The Boys Are Back.” But that quickly ended when Troy chose a different school, ruining the boys’ plan of staying together. Honestly, Troy and Chad were the underrated pair that deserved a much better storyline.
#5: Popular Guy in School Privilege
“High School Musical” franchise (2006-08)
If teenage movies taught us anything, it’s that popular people in schools always get special privileges. Since Troy was pretty much a celebrity at his school, he was able to get away with plenty of things. This is, of course, demonstrated across all three movies when, despite being making questionable choices most of the time, Troy is quickly forgiven. Would he be able to get a second chance at that audition, be invited to Sharpay’s country club, and have so many friends if he wasn’t a popular basketball player with singing potential? Probably not. But once again, there would be no “High School Musical” without that plot, would there?
#4: Jealousy When Ryan Hung Out with Gabriella
“High School Musical 2” (2007)
When Gabriella dared to hang out with any other male specimen besides Troy, the love of her life simply couldn’t handle it. And he made that very clear in the second movie when she became friends with Ryan. Of course, Troy never particularly paid attention to Ryan considering he was Sharpay’s brother. But in the second movie, Ryan made it very clear he wants to fit in more with the Wildcats gang. Gabriella seemed to have understood what it feels like to not really belong and the two became friends. Enter a very sassy Troy, who didn’t appreciate this new friendship.
#3: He’s the Reason Gabriella Wanted to Break up with Him
“High School Musical 2” (2007)
Troy’s identity crisis was highlighted across all three movies in different ways. But in the second movie, his behavior had a huge consequence. As Troy spent more time with Sharpay, he ended up wanting to avoid Gabriella, to the point of even skipping a date. Now that’s just simply unacceptable. He completely abandoned his relationship with his girlfriend, which is why the two broke up. And thanks to that, we got the iconic “Gotta Go My Own Way” song. Troy being overly jealous and overly ignorant at the same time was just too much for poor Gabs. Understandable. Of course, the two later made up, but Troy was totally in the wrong here.
#2: The Way He Treated His Friends in the Second Movie
“High School Musical 2” (2007)
Speaking of being in the wrong, the Wildcats gang are known for all being in it together. Troy didn’t only abandon Gabriella in “High School Musical 2,” he abandoned all his friends, too. And that was after he made sure they could all come to Lava Springs with him and work at the residence. They weren’t happy. Their boss made their life more difficult, making them feel like they were wasting their summer, all while Troy Bolton hung out with Sharpay and her family. Tension was running high that summer and honestly, it was totally understandable. Troy had to get his head out of the clouds to realize no one was really enjoying their time there.
#1: He Used Sharpay to Have a Better Future & Then Bailed on Her
“High School Musical 2” (2007)
Troy’s biggest crime in all three movies was when he pretty much sucked up to Sharpay because he realized she could lead him to have a better future. Of course, Sharpay wanted that for Troy too. But the problem with that was, he treated her badly before and basically mocked her up until that point. Sharpay let him meet all of these important people and hyped him up, and he practically pretended to have fun just so he could network. His friendships and relationships suffered because of that, but what was even worse is that he just bailed on Sharpay after! We’ll say it again - justice for Sharpay!