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Disney might be known for family-friendly content, but some of their character deaths are shockingly dark and intense. Join us as we count down the most terrifying and unforgettable demises that pushed the boundaries of animated storytelling.
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00:00Luna!
00:02I love me!
00:04Over here!
00:06Hurry!
00:07Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're looking at a chronology of some of the scariest character
00:12deaths from the history of Disney movies.
00:14For this list, we'll be running through the House of Mouse's cinematic history, creating
00:19a timeline of some of the most childhood-ruining character deaths by film release date.
00:24Coral, get inside the house, Coral.
00:28No, no, Coral, don't!
00:29They'll be fine.
00:30Just get inside.
00:31You, right now.
00:351937, The Evil Queen, Snow White and the Seven Dwarves.
00:41The Evil Queen might have succeeded in offing Snow White, but she soon learns that even monarchs
00:47can't get away with murder.
00:54As the Seven Dwarves race back to the cottage, the Queen absconds up a nearby mountain.
00:59And attempts to crush her pursuers with a giant boulder.
01:03When a lightning bolt strikes the cliff, though, the Queen becomes the first of many Disney
01:07baddies to fall to their death.
01:13Even if the fall didn't kill her, the boulder most certainly did, providing dinner for some
01:18lingering, hungry vultures.
01:291940, Stegosaurus, Fantasia.
01:42Prehistoric nature sure is fascinating, but also extremely deadly.
01:46During the Rite of Spring segment of Fantasia, a herd of dinosaurs peacefully enjoy lunch,
01:52when a T-Rex charges in, looking for a meal of its own.
02:00It takes a bite out of a Stegosaurus's tail, but the armored dino is having none of that.
02:05The two get into a fearsome, balletic brawl.
02:08It sadly ends when the T-Rex chomps on the Stegosaurus's neck.
02:13The carnivorous victor then proceeds to feast on the loser's remains,
02:17giving us a grim reminder of the food chain in the dinosaur kingdom.
02:351942, Bambi's Mother, Bambi.
02:40This is arguably one of the most infamous deaths in cinema history.
02:44Bambi and his mom are enjoying some spring grass when his mother senses danger.
02:49Bambi, quick!
02:51The thicket!
02:54She urges Bambi to keep going as a faceless hunter pursues them.
02:58The young prince reaches safety, but where is his mother?
03:02We made it, mother!
03:05We...
03:07Mother!
03:08He emerges to look for her, only to realize his mother is gone.
03:12Along with how sudden the death was,
03:14what really makes the scene horrific is how much we don't see.
03:18Just the sound of the gunshot is enough to terrify us.
03:26There probably wasn't a child alive that wasn't affected by this scene when it first premiered.
03:31Your mother can't be with you anymore.
03:371951, The Oysters, Alice in Wonderland.
03:43Oh, please!
03:49Curiosity can be a dangerous thing.
03:52Tweedledee and Tweedledum try to teach Alice this by telling her the story of the curious oysters.
04:05A hungry walrus and carpenter trick a family of young oysters into following them into a seaside restaurant.
04:12Unfortunately, the oysters' fun is ruined when the walrus gobbles them all up, leaving only their shells behind.
04:19It's even more chilling considering that the poor mollusks were just children.
04:24We get the message loud and clear.
04:26Don't talk to strangers and never let your curiosity get carried away.
04:30You might not make it out alive.
04:32The end.
04:391959, Maleficent, Sleeping Beauty.
04:43Now shall you deal with me, oh prince, and all the powers of hell!
04:52You'd be hard-pressed to find a Disney movie with a bigger, more exciting final showdown than Sleeping Beauty.
05:01In the film's climax, the wicked Maleficent decides to bring her A-game to the table by calling on the
05:06powers of hell
05:07and taking on the form of a fire-breathing dragon in a garden of thorns.
05:12Thanks to the three fairies' magic, though, Prince Philip strikes Maleficent in her black heart with his virtuous sword.
05:18Thus, a ghastly villain meets her gruesome end, notably shedding some fairly graphic blood for a Disney movie.
05:411985, The Horned King, The Black Cauldron.
05:46The Black Cauldron marked the first animated Disney film to venture into PG territory.
05:51That might not sound like a big deal now, but since this dark fantasy came out in the 80s,
05:57a PG rating could get away with some pretty graphic imagery.
06:00While the film is apparently toned down to avoid an even more adult-oriented rating,
06:05The Horned King's death is still pure nightmare fuel.
06:08With his skeletal body and terrifying red eyes, the villain already has a creepy design,
06:13but he's only made more grotesque as the cauldron consumes him, stripping the flesh from his bones.
06:31In retrospect, he was surprisingly easy for Taron to defeat, but this doesn't take away from the shock factor.
06:451986, Professor Rattigan, The Great Mouse Detective
06:57As much as Rattigan attempts to present himself as a refined elitist,
07:01he's really nothing more than a filthy rat.
07:03Don't tell him that, though, or else you might meet the same fate as Bartholomew.
07:16When Rattigan's schemes fall apart, he lets the beast inside run rampant,
07:21as he pursues Basil and little Olivia inside Big Ben.
07:24The use of sound and building music adds to the tension as Rattigan hones in on her heroes,
07:29practically ripping Basil to shreds with his claws.
07:41But as the clock bell tolls, Rattigan's time on Earth officially runs out,
07:46plunging him to an appropriate fate for a rat like him.
07:59June 1988, Judge Doom, Who Framed Roger Rabbit
08:04Who Framed Roger Rabbit is one Disney film that was arguably made more for adult animation fans than kids.
08:11As such, the filmmakers were able to take the creep factor a step beyond.
08:14And in the 80s, that's saying a lot.
08:17The scariest moment is saved for the climax when Judge Doom reveals himself as the tune who did in Eddie's
08:23brother.
08:25Remember me, Eddie?
08:27When I killed your brother, I talked.
08:31Just with me!
08:35Doom is destroyed by his own concoction as he's hosed down with Dip.
08:39Channeling the Wicked Witch of the West, Doom dissolves into a puddle, wailing in agony.
08:44I'm melting!
08:46Melting!
08:47Blah, blah, blah!
08:49Oh, no!
08:51Unlike the Wicked Witch, however, Doom leaves a big mess behind.
08:55And we thought getting run over by a steamroller was a dark way to go.
09:01November 1988, Sykes, Oliver and Company
09:10Although Oliver and Company has some breathtaking New York backdrops, it also authentically captures the city's grittier side.
09:17Nowhere is this more apparent than in The Final Chase, when Sykes meets his maker.
09:21This lone shark is scum, kidnapping a little girl and endangering animals in the process.
09:27As satisfying as Sykes' demise is, that doesn't make it less disturbing.
09:31Taking the pursuit onto the subway rails, our heroes dodge the oncoming train.
09:36Sykes isn't so lucky.
09:38The scene is especially terrifying when you watch it in slow motion,
09:41allowing the audience to really see the fear in Sykes' eyes as he stares down the headlights before the train
09:47obliterates his vehicle.
09:58And that, kids, is why you don't play on the subway tracks.
10:04June 1989
10:06Auntie, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids
10:14While on their shrunken misadventures, the kids come across an ant.
10:19From their miniature perspective, the oversized creature is pretty scary up close,
10:24but Auntie proves to be a friendly and helpful ally.
10:28Unfortunately, they're then attacked by a scorpion, which is actually horrifying to see close up.
10:36Get down!
10:37Hurry!
10:38Get down!
10:42Auntie protects the kids, only to be impaled by the beast's stinger.
10:54The kids manage to chase the scorpion off, but Auntie doesn't survive.
10:58It feels strange mourning an ant,
11:01but Auntie puts his own life on the line to save the children.
11:04And that makes him one of Disney's bravest heroes in our eyes.
11:08He saved my life.
11:12He's gonna be okay.
11:18November 1989
11:19Ursula, The Little Mermaid
11:23Ursula is already a pretty terrifying presence on her own.
11:26How can you make her any more intimidating?
11:28How about by having her grow like a hundred feet,
11:32giving her an all-powerful triton,
11:34and bathing her in a whirlpool of chaos?
11:46The only thing more frightening than Ursula herself is how she perishes,
11:50as Prince Eric impales her with a ship,
11:53sending the sea witch to a watery grave.
12:00No matter how old you are, this is total scary overdrive.
12:04And it was all brought to you by the dark magic of Disney.
12:141991
12:16Gaston
12:16Beauty and the Beast
12:22After an intense battle atop the Beast's castle,
12:25it looks like Gaston and the Beast might part ways without spilling any blood.
12:29Get out.
12:31Since the phrase live and let live is foreign to the egotistical hunter, though,
12:35Gaston literally stabs his prey in the back.
12:38This proves to be Gaston's undoing as he loses his balance and plummets to his death.
12:45If you think Gaston could have miraculously survived the fall somehow,
12:50the animators ruled out this possibility by adding a skull and crossbones to his pupils.
12:55How subliminally horrifying.
13:001993
13:01Oogie Boogie
13:02The Nightmare Before Christmas
13:06During his early days at Disney, Tim Burton's gothic imagination was met with some resistance.
13:12After Burton found success with films like Batman,
13:14Disney gave his team the freedom to produce this passion project,
13:18despite it being darker than their usual fare.
13:20Director Henry Selleck didn't hold back with the demise of Oogie Boogie.
13:24Oogie Boogie is the stuff that nightmares are made of, figuratively speaking.
13:28Literally speaking, he's made of bugs.
13:30And thanks to a loose string, it only takes one fell swoop for Jack to unravel Oogie's dastardly plan.
13:36How dare you treat my friends so shapefully!
13:41Stripped of his burlap sack, which was essentially his skin,
13:45Oogie's reduced to a pile of bugs.
13:47Five bugs!
13:49Five bugs!
13:51Five bugs!
13:53Five bugs!
13:54The insects that don't fall into the scorching cauldron below get stepped on by Old St. Nick.
14:02May 1994, Jafar, The Return of Jafar
14:07I must go to Agrabah.
14:10You will take the lamp there for me!
14:13As the film's title suggests,
14:15the sinister sorcerer-turned-genie returns for revenge against Aladdin in this direct-to-video sequel.
14:22However, before he can finish the street rat off,
14:25Iago betrays his former master and kicks Jafar's lamp into lava.
14:29My lamp!
14:31No!
14:34As the lamp melts away, Jafar writhes in pain and appears to be electrocuted.
14:40We even see flashes of his skeleton throughout the ordeal.
14:46Finally, the corrupt genie implodes into dust.
14:50The original VHS cut of Jafar's death was even more gruesome,
14:54as we saw his skeleton flash more rapidly.
14:57This was removed for the DVD release to avoid possibly causing epilepsy in some viewers.
15:03But Jafar's agony still has us quivering.
15:05You'd be surprised what you can live through.
15:10June 1994, Scar, The Lion King
15:15Scar may usurp the throne from Mufasa, but he gets his comeuppance in the end.
15:21Long live the king.
15:32Being something of a Shakespearean villain,
15:35it's only appropriate that Scar is given a proper Shakespearean send-off.
15:39Oh, yes, I remember.
15:42This is just the way your father looked before he died.
15:47Unlike Gaston, Scar survives his fall after fighting the film's hero.
15:52It's what's waiting at the bottom of Pride Rock that leads to his ultimate demise.
15:56Turns out that Scar's hyena lackeys don't appreciate being thrown under the bus.
16:07As fire engulfs the area, the hyenas surround their former boss,
16:12maul him to death, and likely devour his carcass as the camera pans up from the massacre.
16:28Oh well, circle of life.
16:331996, Frollo, The Hunchback of Notre Dame
16:38Frollo has deluded himself into thinking that he's a righteous man and soldier of God
16:42when, in reality, he's committed every deadly sin in the book.
16:46It was my duty.
16:47Horrible as it was.
16:49I hope you can forgive me.
16:52Frollo's lifetime of sinning and hypocrisy finally catch up to him atop Notre Dame.
16:58Leaving so soon?
17:03Before he can do Quasimodo and Esmeralda in,
17:06Frollo finds himself standing under a crumbling gargoyle.
17:10Staring a devil in the face,
17:11Frollo drops to his final resting place in a sea of hellfire and molten copper.
17:15Talk about an ironic way to go out.
17:29June 1998, Shan Yu, Mulan
17:34Shan Yu is a human wrecking ball,
17:36punching through doors and slicing pillars like they're made of butter.
17:39While the Hun leader has brute strength on his side,
17:42Mulan has strategy.
17:44It looks like you're out of ideas.
17:50Not quite.
17:52With a fan, a sword, one big skyrocket,
17:55and a little bit of help from her friends,
17:56she ends Shan Yu's campaign of terror.
17:59Pinned down, the helpless villain is sent flying into a tower of fireworks,
18:04blowing to smithereens.
18:05Get off the roof, get off the roof, get off the roof.
18:15Although Shan Yu's demise seems cartoony on the surface,
18:18that's only because we're spared from seeing his crispy remains.
18:21Considering how dangerous fireworks are,
18:24it's safe to assume that Shan Yu suffered
18:26and the aftermath was not a pretty sight.
18:28For anyone with an active imagination, however,
18:31it's hard not to envision the grisly details.
18:36You are a lucky bird.
18:43November 1998
18:44Hopper, A Bug's Life
18:48On paper, this death might not sound especially macabre.
18:51We mean, birds feed bugs to their young every day.
18:55Seeing the carnage from the bug's point of view, however,
18:57we're given a first-hand look at just how grim the food chain can be.
19:01Lured to a bird's nest, Hopper assumes that this is another fake that the ants have cooked up.
19:06Well, what's this? Another one of your little bird tricks?
19:10It dawns on Hopper too late that this bird of prey is the real deal.
19:14By this point, his fate is sealed.
19:16Dangling from the bird's beak,
19:18Hopper is lowered into the nest where three hatchlings need to feed.
19:21The chicks look fairly realistic for a late 90s CGI,
19:25which adds to the horror as we zoom into one's mouth as Hopper is consumed.
19:29I know! I know! I know!
19:34I know! I know!
19:411999, Clayton, Tarzan
19:46Right off the bat, we see how a leopard has dispatched with Tarzan's parents,
19:50as well as a baby gorilla.
19:52But those horrors will be topped by the end of the film.
19:55Clayton's death seems more like something out of a Final Destination movie
19:59than a Disney animated feature.
20:03I've got some hunting to do.
20:05Sure, there's no gore, but there might as well be.
20:08In the midst of a jungle brawl with Tarzan,
20:11Clayton finds himself tangled in a cluster of vines.
20:14Unaware of the vine wrapped around his neck,
20:17Clayton gets reckless with his machete,
20:19and hangs his head in defeat.
20:31The only glimpse the audience gets of the body is via its shadow,
20:35which is almost as haunting as seeing the actual carnage.
20:412001, Commander Rourke, Atlantis, The Lost Empire
20:47This may be the most creative death on our list,
20:50petrifying audiences young and old in a new and creative way.
20:54Nothing personal!
20:55Even as his escape plan blows up in his face,
20:58Commander Rourke is determined to go down swinging.
21:00He nearly gives Milo the axe,
21:02but our hero compensates for his lack of brawn with brains.
21:06He cuts Rourke with a crystal shard,
21:08which seemingly only leaves a minor injury.
21:10The scratch rapidly envelops Rourke's entire body, though,
21:14crystallizing him into a phenomenally demented creature.
21:24He looks like the Human Torch,
21:26the Invisible Woman, and the Thing all rolled into one.
21:29Still refusing to give up,
21:31Rourke hits the fan and is shattered into countless pieces.
21:34And this time, it was personal.
21:51A lot of Disney villains die falling from great heights.
21:55Scroop's demise is the exact opposite.
21:58This scene is like something out of Alien,
22:00and while not quite as chilling as that film,
22:02it comes close enough.
22:03As Scroop attempts to snap Jim Hawkins into pieces,
22:07Ben fidgets with the artificial gravity,
22:09sending the two spiraling towards the crow's nest.
22:12Although Scroop appears to have the upper hand,
22:15or the upper claw in this case,
22:17the agile Jim bests Scroop,
22:19ensnaring him in a black flag.
22:21Do say hello to Mr. Arrow.
22:27Tell him yourself!
22:31As Scroop spirals to a dire fate beyond the stars,
22:34we try not to think about the ensuing asphyxiation or decompression he probably endured.
22:40But hey, maybe he ran into Mr. Arrow out there?
22:43Too soon?
22:512003, Coral, Finding Nemo.
22:58It was supposed to be the best day of Marlon's life.
23:02He and his wife Coral are about to welcome hundreds of babies to their anemone home.
23:07Unfortunately, everything changes when a hungry barracuda sets its sights on the nest.
23:12Coral races to protect the eggs,
23:15but Marlon is knocked out.
23:17The scene is quick,
23:18but more than a little scary,
23:20especially when the predator snaps its jaws.
23:28When Marlon wakes up,
23:30almost his entire family is gone.
23:33All that's left is one lone egg,
23:35Nemo.
23:39There, there, there.
23:41It's okay, Daddy's here.
23:43It's a lot easier to sympathize with Marlon's overprotective nature,
23:47given how he lost everything in barely a minute.
23:50I promise I will never let anything happen to you, Nemo.
23:572004, Syndrome, The Incredibles.
24:02Syndrome meets perhaps the most darkly humorous demise on this list,
24:06but it's still a terrifying way to go.
24:09Edna Mode gave several examples of why capes aren't the smartest superhero accessory.
24:13Melt the man, express elevator.
24:15Diner guy, snag on, take off.
24:18Splash down, sucked into a vortex.
24:20No capes!
24:21And yet, we didn't really pay much attention to Syndrome's wardrobe.
24:24That is, until the final showdown.
24:26Syndrome's undoing was hanging over his shoulders this whole time.
24:30While Syndrome avoids the car that Mr. Incredible chucks at him,
24:33his fate is sealed by a jet engine in which his cape gets caught.
24:47As clever as this resolution is,
24:49all we're thinking about now is what a turbine does to the human body.
24:53Sorry, buddy, you will not be back for the sequel.
24:56Oh, man.
24:57That was totally wicked!
25:042007, Cutler Beckett, Pirates of the Caribbean, At World's End
25:10It's nothing personal, Jack.
25:12It's just good business.
25:14Throughout the second and third Pirates of the Caribbean films,
25:18practically the only obstacles to Lord Beckett's crusade to end piracy are Jack Sparrow and company.
25:25However, just when it looks like victory is Beckett's,
25:27Jack's crew gets some unexpected help.
25:30Fire.
25:31Fire!
25:32Fire!
25:34Fire!
25:34Fire!
25:36And they blow the East India Trading Company chairman's ship to smithereens.
25:49Beckett is so shocked.
25:51All he can do is take a stroll on his ship one last time as it falls apart.
25:56It's definitely chilling when a villain just accepts that they're done for,
25:59but we can't deny that watching Beckett go down with a ship was extremely satisfying.
26:16May 2009, Charles Muntz, Up.
26:22Famous explorer Charles Muntz was once Carl's idol and inspiration.
26:27But years of trying to catch an exotic bird drives Muntz insane.
26:31He's willing to lash out at anyone in his way,
26:35including his biggest fan and a child.
26:43In an attempt to catch Kevin,
26:46Muntz lunges at the bird and winds up leaping out the window of the floating house.
26:51Unfortunately, a few balloon strings can't save him as he plummets toward the ground.
27:01It's hard enough watching this scene if you're afraid of heights,
27:05but knowing that Muntz let his own obsession be his literal downfall makes it all the more disturbing.
27:11That was cool!
27:12Ha ha ha!
27:14Don't chuck around so much, kid!
27:19November 2009, Dr. Facilier, The Princess and the Frog.
27:25Where Frollo only figuratively fell into hell,
27:28Dr. Facilier is literally dragged there in this scene from The Princess and the Frog.
27:32Facilier believes that he has the upper hand with demonic powers on his side,
27:36but he underestimates Tiana and her sticky tongue.
27:39It's not slime! It's mucus!
27:47With his voodoo charm destroyed,
27:49Facilier's friends from the other side appear to collect their debt.
27:53In Mardi Gras fashion, an army of masks, dolls, and shrunken heads
27:57take Facilier to their world, whether he's ready or not.
28:01No! I'm not ready at all!
28:03Get back! I've got lots more plans!
28:05Are you ready?
28:05The moral of the story? Don't screw with voodoo.
28:09Just a little more time!
28:14I promise I'll pay your back! I promise!
28:252010 Mother Gothel, Tangled
28:29For centuries, Gothel used the sundrop flower to remain healthy and youthful.
28:34When Rapunzel inherited the flower's properties,
28:37Gothel spent another 18 years feeding off the magic.
28:40The world is dark and selfish and cruel.
28:44If it finds even the slightest ray of sunshine,
28:48it destroys it.
28:50Her age finally catches up to her when Eugene cuts Rapunzel's hair.
28:54As the hair loses its magical essence, it also loses its effect on Gothel.
29:00In a flash, Gothel transforms into a decrepit old woman.
29:04Not paying attention to where she's going,
29:06Gothel overlooks Pascal and trips out the window.
29:09No!
29:10No!
29:13No!
29:15No!
29:16No!
29:17No!
29:18No!
29:18No!
29:18No!
29:18No!
29:18No!
29:19No!
29:19By the time she hits the ground, only dust remains.
29:22It's an unsettling demise,
29:24although we have to admit it's kind of funny that Pascal finished her off.
29:27Never underestimate a frog.
29:29Ehh, chameleon.
29:332012, Mr. Whiskers, Frankenweenie.
29:37Let's be honest, Mr. Whiskers was unsettling even before becoming a mutated vampire.
29:44Seriously, just look at those eyes.
29:49But after his transformation, he becomes a ferocious monster, hissing and lashing out at anything in his path, especially dogs.
29:59While inside a burning windmill, he attacks Sparky.
30:05But Mr. Whiskers doesn't notice a wooden stake falling towards him from the ceiling, until it's too late.
30:12The horror ramps up with a wide shot of the beast impaled on the flaming weapon.
30:17As graphic as it was, it was fitting that a monster like Mr. Whiskers would meet such a gruesome fate.
30:23But did he really have to take Sparky with him?
30:322013, King Agnar and Queen Iduna, Frozen
30:39Sometimes the most horrifying deaths are the most realistic.
30:43For all the magic in Frozen, King Agnar and Queen Iduna meet a very grounded demise.
30:48After bidding farewell to their loved ones, the King and Queen of Arendelle set out for what they believe will
30:54be a two-week voyage.
30:56Sadly, Agnar and Iduna never return.
30:58Their ship is engulfed by dangerous waters on a stormy night.
31:07Anna and Elsa are forced to relive the trauma in the sequel when they discover the wreckage of their parents'
31:12lost ship.
31:13Although there are no bodies on board, Elsa uses the water to summon the painful memory of her father and
31:19mother's final moments.
31:21Embracing each other, Agnar and Iduna accept fate as the Dark Sea claims their lives.
31:27I'm telling you, it has to be the source of her magic.
31:29Can you keep going for Elsa?
31:31The way it takes her heart is you're not!
31:382014, Tadashi Hamada, Big Hero 6
31:42I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you, so...
31:46You know...
31:48Thanks for not giving up on me.
31:55They say don't be a hero.
31:58Unfortunately, Hero's older brother Tadashi doesn't believe in this saying.
32:02A fire breaks out at his university, and his favorite professor, Robert Callahan, is trapped inside.
32:09Tadashi rushes in to save him, but the building explodes, taking the heroic student's life.
32:15Someone has to help.
32:29What makes this even more tragic is that it's later revealed that the fire was no accident.
32:34Callahan started it to get a hold of Hero's microbots.
32:37While he didn't intend to get Tadashi killed, he callously disregards his student's sacrifice in pursuit of his villainous goals.
32:45He went in there to save you!
32:47That was his mistake!
32:48Did any of these scenes give you nightmares as a kid?
32:52Let us know in the comments.
32:53Let us know in a couple
32:57that was his first time it will.
32:58You
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