- 13 hours ago
Pixar movies have given us some unforgettable villains—characters who made us cringe, but also tugged at our heartstrings. From lonely collectors and misunderstood creatures to broken heroes chasing lost dreams, these baddies come with backstories that are equal parts heartbreaking and relatable. Join us as we explore the struggles behind the masks of Pixar's most tragic antagonists.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00When my voice box is fixed, I'll finally get my chance.
00:05Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we'll be looking at baddies from Pixar movies with origin stories
00:11that made us feel for them. Since we will be discussing plot points, a spoiler alert is in
00:16effect. I learned an important lesson. You can't count on anyone, especially your heroes.
00:23Number 20. Al McWiggin, Toy Story 2.
00:27The Al's toy barn proprietor admittedly crosses a line when he steals Woody.
00:32We can't say that Al had a good reason, but we can see what drove him to this point.
00:36My little cowboy friend are gonna make me big b-b-b-bugs!
00:42The guy has spent who knows how long accumulating the ultimate Woody's Roundup collection,
00:47although the most crucial piece of merchandise was missing. Having finally found Woody himself,
00:52Al can cash in and collect a huge payday. Al doesn't have much else going for him.
00:58I can't miss this flight! I gotta pack, alright, let's see, wallet, keys, tickets, passport,
01:04beef jerky, very expensive over there, shower. I can skip the shower. I just gotta get out of here now!
01:09He clearly isn't content running his toy store, and he comes home to a lonely apartment where he
01:14falls asleep in front of the TV every night. Once Woody and the gang get lost in transit,
01:18Al crawls back to his pathetic life, selling toys at discounted prices.
01:23Welcome to Al's toy barn. We've got the lowest prices in town. Everything for a buck, buck, buck!
01:32Number 19. Chef Skinner, Ratatouille
01:36Cooking is Remy's passion, and he's the cleanest rat who'll ever prepare your meal.
01:40That said, he's still a rat. Sorry, but if given a choice between a meal from Remy or Skinner,
01:46we're going with the human. I can't be constantly checking for a yes-or-no
01:50head shake from a rat! The rat! I saw it! A rat? Yes, yes, a rat!
01:58While lacking Remy's innovation, Skinner is a gifted chef, hence why he's set to inherit
02:03Gusteau's business. Even if Skinner is temperamental and a sellout, he worked hard to get where he is.
02:09I have in mind a simple arrangement. You will create for me a new line of Chef Skinner frozen
02:14fools, and I, in return, will not kill you.
02:19Yet it's all taken away when Gusteau's illegitimate son arrives. Everything Skinner
02:24earned disappears because of a nepo baby and a rat. While we can't get on board with Skinner
02:29kidnapping Remy and planning to use him for profit, calling the health inspector is what
02:34any responsible chef would do.
02:36Yes, Inspector.
02:37I wish to report a rat infestation.
02:40It's taken over my rest- uh- uh- Gusteau's restaurant.
02:44Gusteau's, eh? I can't buy it.
02:46Number 18. Otto, Wally.
02:48Otto has been the true captain of the Axiom since it departed Earth. When Wally and Eve bring back
02:54evidence that the abandoned planet can't sustain human life again, Otto attempts to prevent the
02:58truth from coming out.
03:12While this makes Otto an antagonist, it doesn't have much choice in the matter. This AI is following its
03:18directive to ensure humans survive. Humans were greedy and lazy, programming literal autopilots to do
03:25all the work for them. They allowed Earth to become uninhabitable, instructing autopilots never to
03:31return. Although things have changed, Otto can't process this.
03:35Give me the plan.
03:36Tell me what's classified.
03:37The plan.
03:38Tell me, Otto! That's an order!
03:40We can't blame Otto, being a human-made creation. AI is flawed. But that's largely because humans over-rely
03:47on it and use it carelessly. Otto is a prime example.
03:51I can't just sit here and do nothing! That's all I've ever done!
03:55That's all anyone on this blasted ship has ever done! Nothing!
03:59On the axiom, you will survive.
04:01I don't want to survive! I want to live!
04:04You must follow my directive.
04:06Number 17. Mini Buzz Lightyear. Small Fry.
04:10In this short, Buzz Lightyear finds himself replaced with a doppelganger.
04:14Not the first time that's happened, although this one is much punier.
04:18See? I told you we're never gonna get played with.
04:20But we're just here to sell chicken.
04:22Chicken!
04:22Hey, wait a minute!
04:24I think I just found our ticket for playtime.
04:27Mini Buzz Lightyear has spent his existence in a display case, standing little chance of going
04:32home with a kid. We understand why he'd want more out of life, even if trying to steal the real
04:38Buzz's identity was a step too far.
04:40Listen, about this playtime...
04:41Playtime?
04:42Hey, I'll be the cowboy!
04:43Hey, come back here!
04:45Get along, little piggy!
04:48Yee-haw!
04:49Could, uh, somebody tackle him, please?
04:51Playtime is your friend!
04:53Oop!
04:53Thank you!
04:54His plan is also flawed, as nobody buys his shrunken-down-in-the-ballpit story.
04:59Except for Rex.
05:00Regardless, he's a toy.
05:02It's in his nature to want to play.
05:04Sadly, that doesn't seem to be in the cards, being sent to Poultry Palace.
05:08At least Mini Buzz finds a support group that helps him feel less small.
05:12I've done some things that I'm not proud of.
05:15I've spent a lot of playtime thinking I was the prize that came with the meal.
05:19But with the help of my sponsor, I know now that the real prize is inside of each and every
05:25one of us!
05:26Number 16.
05:27Terry. Soul.
05:28Terry is the Great Beyond's equivalent of an accountant, counting souls.
05:32It's not the most exciting or glamorous job, but it's the one that Terry takes great pride in.
05:38It's 105.2 souls per minute, Jerry.
05:411.75 souls per second.
05:44And I count every single one of them.
05:46Yep, I'm aware.
05:47It's my job to keep track of this stuff, Jerry.
05:50As such, Terry is just doing her job when Joe tries to beat the system,
05:54convinced that his exit from Earth was premature.
05:57Terry gets little help and even less respect from the Jerrys,
06:00who generally see her as a bureaucratic nuisance.
06:03Look, you all are the ones who beefed it.
06:05I'm trying to unbeef it.
06:07But you cannot be seen.
06:09By anyone.
06:11Don't worry.
06:11I'll make sure no one else sees me.
06:13I'll move among the shadows like a ninja.
06:17Please, just do it quickly and quietly.
06:19Considering how easily Joe slipped past everyone else, though,
06:23Terry is obviously the only one taking her duties 100% seriously.
06:27Maybe too seriously, as she doesn't seem to have much of a social life.
06:31She can only see the universe in numbers.
06:33Some may find that sad, but it's her spark.
06:36I'm happy to accept this very special award I requested, but that I absolutely deserve.
06:42Number 15.
06:43Lord Grygon, Elio
06:45Everyone trembles at the sight of Lord Grygon,
06:48from his subjects to the other aliens he seeks to join.
06:51If he can't join them, Grygon will gladly rule them.
06:55Like the titular Elio, Grygon is an outsider who feels like he doesn't belong.
06:59Those Cap-universe weaklings look at me like some kind of monster.
07:04How dare they reject me!
07:06The difference between the two is that Grygon hides his insecurities behind armor,
07:11threats, and physical violence.
07:13He's basically a schoolyard tormentor who pushes the other kids into
07:17submission to mask his own shortcomings.
07:19Let me remind you who you are dealing with.
07:22I am Grygon, Blood Emperor of Hylog, Scourge of the Crab Nebula,
07:28and a great father, Paul!
07:32Just as Grygon faces rejection from the Communiverse,
07:35his son, Glorden, feels unwanted by his own father.
07:38Love is a universal language that even Glorden can understand, however.
07:42By the end, Grygon shows that behind his monstrous appearance
07:45is a loving father no longer afraid to show vulnerability.
07:54Number 14.
07:55Ming-Li, Turning Red
07:57We have a hard time calling Ming-Li a straight-up villain,
08:00as she is a loving mother who just wants to keep her daughter safe.
08:04You're just a child. I thought if I watched you like a hawk,
08:07I'd see the signs and be able to prepare.
08:10But it's going to be fine. I overcame it, and you will too.
08:14To say that Ming-Li is overprotective would be an understatement, however.
08:19Her constant micromanaging risks turning Mei into a social pariah.
08:23To be fair, Ming evidently grew up with her own mommy issues.
08:26Ming, this is a critical time.
08:30Mei Mei needs a strong hand, now more than ever. Don't let her out of your sight.
08:36I want mother.
08:37There's a cycle of repression in this family that might finally end with Mei,
08:42who wishes to let her red panda loose.
08:44Mei's defiance unleashes her mother's own panda.
08:47Things get destructive, but once they get past the rage,
08:50Mei discovers the fear and sadness buried beneath her mother's domineering demeanor.
08:54Mei relates to her mother, together finding that neither has to be perfect.
08:59I see you, Mei Mei. You try to make everyone happy, but are so hard on yourself. And if I
09:07taught you that,
09:10I'm sorry.
09:12Number 13. Moult, A Bug's Life.
09:15We're not going to make a case for Hopper being a sympathetic villain.
09:18His brother, Moult, is another story.
09:20Why go back to Ant Island at all? I mean, you don't even like rain.
09:24What?
09:25You're right. I didn't think it was such a good idea myself.
09:27Actually, it wasn't even my idea. It was Axel and Locos. They talked fancy to me. I got confused!
09:32One could argue that Moult isn't truly a villain at heart. He merely fell in with a bad crew.
09:37More accurately, he was born into it. Despite having an abusive brother,
09:41it's implied that Moult at least had a caring mother. So much so that she made Hopper promise
09:47not to kill his brother.
09:48I swear, if I hadn't promised Mother on her deathbed that I wouldn't kill you, I would kill you!
09:54And believe me, no one appreciates that more than I do.
09:56Shut up!
09:57Hopper honored his mother's wish, which might be the only decent thing we can say about him.
10:02Even so, Hopper mistreats Moult every chance he gets. When a bird eats Hopper, we not only feel
10:08relief for the ants, but also Moult, who can pursue his true calling in the circus.
10:13Yes, Mr. Flea. Yes, sir. Of course, sir. Right away, sir. And I just wanted to thank you for giving
10:17me a chance, because it's an honor to work with creative giants such as yourself.
10:20Shutting up.
10:21Number 12. Zerg. Lightyear. Viewers were split on Zerg's characterization in this spinoff.
10:27He's not an emperor. He isn't Buzz's father, but rather an older Buzz from another timeline.
10:32And his reason for being called Zerg is pretty lazy writing.
10:36Zerg.
10:37Isn't that cute? Robots can't quite say Buzz, so around here I'm just Zerg.
10:42Zerg.
10:43And I guess so are you.
10:44Despite these divisive changes, this Zerg certainly meets the criteria of a tragic villain.
10:49He spent years trying to rewrite a wrong.
10:52Although it appears Zerg may be on the verge of completing his mission,
10:56Buzz finds that maybe his mistake wasn't a mistake.
10:59I wasn't greeted as a hero.
11:01No, that new commander was going to arrest me for stealing the XL-15.
11:07I found a way to get them home, and they didn't even care.
11:10So I escaped.
11:12Perhaps it was for the best, but Zerg does not see it that way.
11:15Zerg is a reflection of what Buzz's obsession and isolation can lead to.
11:19By fixating on the past, Zerg wastes the best years of his life, condemning himself to a bleak future.
11:26You don't want to live like this, Buzz.
11:28Waking up with that same nightmare, haunted by your mistake.
11:34But you can finally let go of that.
11:37Starting right now.
11:42Anxiety is another villain who's really more of an antagonist.
11:45Like it or not, anxiety is an emotion we all have to live with.
11:49And it can serve a necessary function.
11:51We all have a job to do.
11:52You make Riley happy.
11:54Sadness makes her sad.
11:55Fear protects her from the scary stuff she can see.
11:57And my job is to protect her from the scary stuff she can't see.
12:01I plan for the future.
12:03Anxiety shouldn't have exclusive control over a person, however.
12:06When anxiety bottles up Riley's other emotions and seizes headquarters,
12:11it's a meltdown waiting to happen.
12:13Riley's life is more complex now.
12:14It requires more sophisticated emotions than all of you.
12:17You just aren't what she needs anymore, Joy.
12:20How dare you, madam!
12:22You can't just bottle us up!
12:24Oh, that's a great idea!
12:26In anxiety's eyes, she's doing what's best for Riley.
12:29Although we don't root for anxiety, we can definitely identify with her.
12:33For some of us, she may actually be the most relatable character.
12:36Anxiety, stop!
12:44You don't get to choose who Riley is.
12:47What anxiety is doing to Riley isn't good for her mental health, though.
12:50At the same time, anxiety helps the others to see that Riley is becoming her own individual,
12:56one they must all embrace.
12:57I was just trying to protect her.
13:02But you're right.
13:04We don't get to choose who Riley is.
13:08Number 10.
13:09Chick Hicks, Cars
13:10There's no doubt that Chick Hicks was a pretty terrible race car.
13:15He resorted to cheating and violence to win the Piston Cup, and was consistently selfish and arrogant.
13:21That was some pretty darn nice racing out there.
13:24Like me!
13:26Welcome to the Chick Hicks, baby!
13:28But his bad attitude and obsession with winning stemmed from insecurity.
13:32Chick was constantly in second place throughout his career.
13:36Yet even as the King was preparing to retire, Lightning McQueen, a rookie, was standing in his way.
13:43Chick thought this was his year, Bob. His chance to finally emerge from the King's shadow.
13:48But the last thing he expected was Lightning McQueen!
13:52You know, I don't think anybody expected this.
13:54A perpetual runner-up, he just wanted to step out of the shadows and get his time in the spotlight.
14:01While none of this excuses his behavior, it makes it a bit easier to understand his motivations.
14:06However, misguided they may have been.
14:09Hey, how come the only one celebrating is me, huh?
14:12Where are the girls? Bring on the confetti!
14:15Easy, with the confetti!
14:17Number 9. Sid Phillips, Toy Story
14:20To Woody and his friends, Sid was an evil mastermind.
14:24You mean that happy child? That ain't no happy child!
14:26He tortures toys! Just for fun!
14:30Considering the way he decapitated and destroyed his toys,
14:33it's easy to understand why they feared him so much.
14:36However, Sid was just trying to cope with the pressures of being a kid by playing,
14:41aggressively no doubt, with objects he had no reason to believe were sentient.
14:45Patient is prepped.
14:49No one's ever attempted a double bypass brain transplant before.
14:54Plus, given the way the film implied his father was neglectful,
14:57his attention-seeking behavior made even more sense. There was no reason to think that Sid had malice in
15:03his heart, as evidenced by the terror on his face when he discovered toys were actually alive.
15:09We toys can see everything.
15:16So play nice.
15:21Number 8. Mordu, Brave
15:23Mordu the bear was once one of four human princes.
15:27Per his father's wishes, the land was to be split between him and his brothers.
15:32They should be the pillars on which the peace of the land rested.
15:36But he wanted it all for himself, so he went to a witch for help.
15:41He demanded I give out the strength of ten men, and he gave me this for a spell.
15:48A spell that would change his fate.
15:51And did he get what he was after?
15:53Oh, yes!
15:54His beastly transformation ensued, and the kingdom was destroyed.
15:59Mordu put his desire for power above everything, including his family.
16:04Thus, his fate as a bear, on the inside and out, became permanent.
16:09He changed his fate.
16:12Oh, no.
16:14The prince became...
16:22It's a sad tale of a man who failed to realize what was important in life,
16:26and lost everything as a result.
16:29His expression, when Merida and Eleanor killed the bear and set his spirit free,
16:33truly said it all.
16:35Number 7. Randall Boggs, Monsters, Inc. and Monsters University.
16:40In Monsters, Inc., Henry J. Waternoose and Randall Boggs made up a despicable team.
16:46The CEO, motivated by the need to keep the company going,
16:49wasn't given an in-depth backstory.
16:52However, Monsters University reveals that the evil lizard-esque monster,
16:56and Waternoose's partner in crime, wasn't always a villain.
17:01Hey there, I'm your roomie.
17:02Name's Randy Boggs, scaring major.
17:05Mike Wazowski, scaring major.
17:07I can tell we're gonna be best chums, Mike.
17:09Randall was actually a reserved student,
17:11who was roommates and friends with Mike Wazowski.
17:13But when he joined the Cool Roar Omega Roar monsters,
17:17he started acting like them.
17:19Let's be honest, boys.
17:20You're never gonna be real scarers, because real scarers look like us.
17:27He lacked confidence, and began to tear others down in a bid to be accepted.
17:32But when his camouflage backfires because of James P. Sullivan in the Scare Games,
17:36he is quickly tossed aside by his so-called friends.
17:40In that moment, Randall swore he'd never be seen as less than Sully again.
17:45It's actually quite tragic.
17:47That's the last time I lose to you, Sullivan.
17:51Number 6. Gabby Gabby, Toy Story 4.
17:54Gabby Gabby was an antique shop doll who wanted Woody's voice box because hers didn't work properly.
18:00We gotta go.
18:01You can't leave yet.
18:02You have what I need.
18:04Right inside there.
18:08While her plan to get a working one was creepy and cruel, it's easy to sympathize with her.
18:13She was manufactured without a functional voice box,
18:16and longed to experience love and play like Woody had.
18:20All I want is a chance for just one of those moments.
18:26I'd give anything to be loved the way you have.
18:30She felt that her quote-unquote defect was standing in the way of that,
18:34so she was desperate to fix it.
18:36Yet even after she did, Harmony rejected her.
18:39By this point, Gabby Gabby doesn't feel like much of a villain anymore.
18:43In fact, everybody was thrilled when she found a little girl to comfort and create memories with in the end.
18:50I'm Gabby Gabby. Will you be my friend?
18:53I'll help you.
18:55Number 5. Charles F. Muntz, Up.
18:58Charles Muntz started off as an adored explorer who had the world at his fingertips.
19:03But when people doubted his discovery of a rare bird skeleton, he was dubbed a fraud.
19:08No!
19:09The organization strips Muntz of his membership.
19:12So he vowed to find the species alive to prove himself, and fell off the map for years.
19:18Though he initially fooled Carl and Russell, they quickly realized he was consumed by this quest.
19:23Thus, he had grown rather evil.
19:26Here they come, these bandits, and think the bird is theirs to take.
19:30But they soon find that this mountain is a very dangerous place.
19:36He would do anything, including hurt them, in order to capture Kevin and get the recognition
19:41he felt he'd always deserved.
19:44That's just how desperate he was.
19:52Ultimately, Muntz missed out on building a life because he was stuck in the past.
19:57And it's unfortunate, to say the least.
20:03The prospector desperately wanted to be displayed in the Konishi Toy Museum, but that was only
20:09possible if Woody went too.
20:11The museum's only interested in the collection if you're in it, Woody.
20:15Without you, we go back into storage.
20:18So when the star sheriff decided to go home to Andy, Stinky Pete left his box in an attempt to
20:24stop him.
20:25It was assuredly evil, but he had been stuck inside his packaging his whole life.
20:39He had never known the love of a child, so it's no wonder he was angry and distrustful of them.
20:46He genuinely believed they would destroy any toy, just to ultimately toss it aside.
20:51Andy's growing up, and there's nothing you can do about it.
20:57It's your choice, Woody. You can go back, or you can stay with us and last forever.
21:03Given Pete's story, it's not hard to understand why he felt the museum was his best and safest option.
21:113. Evelyn Dever, aka Screenslaver, Incredibles 2
21:15Evelyn Dever tricked everybody by pretending to be an ally. In reality, she was pulling the Screenslaver's
21:22strings and plotting to ensure superheroes remained banned forever.
21:26You can count on me anyway.
21:28I'm supposed to, aren't I? Because you have some strange abilities and a shiny costume.
21:33The rest of us are supposed to put our lives into your gloved hands.
21:37But her reason for hypnotizing them was a heartbreaking one. Her father, a huge fan of
21:43supers, called them for help one night. But when they couldn't save him, he was murdered. Evelyn
21:49hated that he relied on them instead of hiding in the safe room.
21:52He died, pointlessly, stupidly, waiting for heroes to save the day.
22:00Thus, she used her technological prowess to take matters into her own hands.
22:04In ridding the world of supers, she hoped to make ordinary people more self-sufficient.
22:09Our sweet parents were fools to put their lives in anybody else's hands. Superheroes keep us weak.
22:16It's clear the trauma she suffered left some damage, so it's impossible not to feel for her.
22:222. Buddy Pine, aka Incrediboy, aka Syndrome, The Incredibles
22:28Syndrome was initially just an eager little kid named Buddy who loved and admired Mr. Incredible.
22:35In fact, he was his biggest fan, and even went by Incrediboy.
22:39I don't know, you don't have to worry about training me. I know all your moves,
22:42your crime-fighting style favorite catchphrases, everything! I'm your number one fan!
22:47But after repeatedly being told to leave his idol alone, Buddy went down a dark path.
22:52Though the supers were set aside by society, he didn't forget how he was rejected. Thus,
22:58Syndrome was born. He took his knack for building weapons to the next level,
23:03and plotted his revenge against the hero that made him feel small.
23:07I was wrong to treat you that way. I'm sorry.
23:10See? Now you respect me, because I'm a threat. That's the way it works.
23:15At his core, Syndrome was nothing more than a child who felt ignored,
23:19and went to twisted lengths to be feared and respected. In this case, Stan culture had some super
23:25devastating consequences. Before we continue, be sure to subscribe to our channel and ring the bell
23:38to get notified about our latest videos. You have the option to be notified for occasional videos,
23:44or all of them. If you're on your phone, make sure you go into your settings and switch on notifications.
23:50Number 1. Lotso Huggin' Bear
23:53Toy Story 3
23:54When we first met Lotso, he seemed like a bear as cuddly and sweet as any we'd ever seen.
24:00Yet he was one of Pixar's cruelest villains.
24:03Come on, guys. We're going home.
24:05Whoa there, missy. You're not going anywhere.
24:08He was ruthless, but only because he suffered great pain and loss. He once had a wonderful
24:14relationship with a kid named Daisy. But things took a turn when he and some other toys were
24:19accidentally left at a rest stop. They traveled a great distance to get home to her, only to find
24:25she'd moved on with another Lotso bear. Something changed that day inside Lotso. Something snapped.
24:33She replaced us. Come on.
24:35He stopped believing in the bond between children and toys after that, and thus began his villainous
24:40journey to Sunnyside. If that doesn't make you hug your toys a little tighter, we don't know what will.
24:47Which Pixar villain do you empathize with? Let us know in the comments.
Comments