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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00:00You wouldn't kill your own uncle?
00:04No, Scar. I'm not like you.
00:07Welcome to WatchMojo and today we're looking at some demises from Disney flicks
00:12that were a bit more intense than we expected.
00:15Major spoilers ahead.
00:20Number 30. Jafar. The Return of Jafar.
00:24I must go to Agrabah. You will take the lamp there for me.
00:28As the film's title suggests, the sinister sorcerer-turned-genie returns for revenge
00:34against Aladdin in this direct-to-video sequel. However, before he can finish the street rat off,
00:40Iago betrays his former master and kicks Jafar's lamp into lava.
00:50As the lamp melts away, Jafar writhes in pain and appears to be electrocuted.
00:56We even see flashes of his skeleton throughout the ordeal.
01:02Finally, the corrupt genie implodes into dust. The original VHS cut of Jafar's
01:08death was even more gruesome as we saw his skeleton flash more rapidly.
01:13This was removed for the DVD release to avoid possibly causing epilepsy in some viewers.
01:18But Jafar's agony still has us quivering.
01:21You'd be surprised what you can live through.
01:24Number 29. Cutler-Beckett. Pirates of the Caribbean at World's End.
01:30It's nothing personal, Jack. It's just good business.
01:34Throughout the second and third Pirates of the Caribbean films,
01:38practically the only obstacles to Lord Beckett's crusade to end piracy are Jack Sparrow and
01:43company. However, just when it looks like victory is Beckett's, Jack's crew gets some unexpected help.
01:50And they blow the East India Trading Company chairman's ship to smithereens.
02:09Beckett is so shocked, all he can do is take a stroll on his ship one last time as it falls
02:14apart. It's definitely chilling when a villain just accepts that they're done for,
02:19but we can't deny that watching Beckett go down with a ship was extremely satisfying.
02:35Number 28. Tadashi Hamada. Big Hero 6.
02:39They say don't be a hero. Unfortunately, Hero's older brother Tadashi doesn't believe in this
02:57saying. A fire breaks out at his university, and his favorite professor, Robert Callahan,
03:03is trapped inside. Tadashi rushes in to save him, but the building explodes,
03:08taking the heroic student's life. What makes this even more tragic is that it's later revealed
03:28that the fire was no accident. Callahan started it to get a hold of Hero's microbots. While he
03:33didn't intend to get Tadashi killed, he callously disregards his student's sacrifice in pursuit of
03:39his villainous goals. Number 27. King Agnarr and Queen Aduna. Frozen. Sometimes the most horrifying
03:51deaths are the most realistic. For all the magic in Frozen, King Agnarr and Queen Aduna meet a very
03:57grounded demise. After bidding farewell to their loved ones, the King and Queen of Arendelle set
04:02out for what they believe will be a two-week voyage. Sadly, Agnarr and Aduna never return.
04:08Their ship is engulfed by dangerous waters on a stormy night.
04:17Anna and Elsa are forced to relive the trauma in the sequel when they discover the wreckage
04:21of their parents' lost ship. Although there are no bodies on board, Elsa uses the water to summon
04:27the painful memory of her father and mother's final moments. Embracing each other, Agnarr and
04:32Aduna accept fate as the dark sea claims their lives. Number 26. Coral. Finding Nemo.
04:51It was supposed to be the best day of Marlon's life. He and his wife Coral are about to welcome
04:57hundreds of babies to their anemone home. Unfortunately, everything changes when a
05:02hungry barracuda sets its sights on the nest. Coral races to protect the eggs, but Marlon
05:08is knocked out. The scene is quick, but more than a little scary, especially when the predator
05:14snaps its jaws. When Marlon wakes up, almost his entire family is gone. All that's left
05:26is one lone egg, Nemo. It's a lot easier to sympathize with Marlon's overprotective nature,
05:40given how he lost everything in barely a minute. Number 25. Auntie. Honey, I shrunk the kids.
05:57While on their shrunken misadventures, the kids come across an ant. From their miniature
06:02perspective, the oversized creature is pretty scary up close, but Auntie proves to be a friendly and
06:09helpful ally. Unfortunately, they're then attacked by a scorpion, which is actually horrifying to
06:16see close up. Auntie protects the kids, only to be impaled by the beast's stinger.
06:37The kids manage to chase the scorpion off, but Auntie doesn't survive. It feels strange mourning
06:43an ant, but Auntie puts his own life on the line to save the children, and that makes him one of
06:48Disney's bravest heroes in our eyes. Number 24. Mr. Whiskers. Frankenweenie. Let's be honest,
07:02Mr. Whiskers was unsettling even before becoming a mutated vampire. Seriously, just look at those
07:09eyes. But after his transformation, he becomes a ferocious monster, hissing and lashing out at
07:19anything in his path, especially dogs. While inside a burning windmill, he attacks Sparky.
07:29But Mr. Whiskers doesn't notice a wooden stake falling towards him from the ceiling,
07:34until it's too late. The horror ramps up with a wide shot of the beast impaled on the flaming
07:40weapon. As graphic as it was, it was fitting that a monster like Mr. Whiskers would meet
07:45such a gruesome fate. But did he really have to take Sparky with him?
07:49Number 23. The Oysters. Alice in Wonderland. Curiosity can be a dangerous thing. Tweedledee
08:09and Tweedledum try to teach Alice this by telling her the story of the curious oysters.
08:19A hungry walrus and carpenter trick a family of young oysters into following them into a seaside
08:27restaurant. Unfortunately, the oysters' fun is ruined when the walrus gobbles them all up,
08:33leaving only their shells behind. It's even more chilling considering that the
08:37poor mollusks were just children. We get the message loud and clear. Don't talk to strangers,
08:43and never let your curiosity get carried away. You might not make it out alive.
08:49Number 22. Charles Muntz. Up. Famous explorer Charles Muntz was once Carl's idol and
08:58inspiration. But years of trying to catch an exotic bird drives Muntz insane. He's willing
09:04to lash out at anyone in his way, including his biggest fan and a child. In an attempt to catch
09:17Kevin, Muntz lunges at the bird and winds up leaping out the window of the floating house.
09:23Unfortunately, a few balloon strings can't save him as he plummets toward the ground.
09:34It's hard enough watching this scene if you're afraid of heights,
09:37but knowing that Muntz let his own obsession be his literal downfall makes it all the more
09:42disturbing. Number 21. The Horned King. The Black Cauldron. The Black Cauldron
09:54marked the first animated Disney film to venture into PG territory. That might not sound like a big
10:00deal now, but since this dark fantasy came out in the 80s, a PG rating could get away with some
10:06pretty graphic imagery. While the film was apparently toned down to avoid an even more
10:10adult-oriented rating, The Horned King's death is still pure nightmare fuel. With his skeletal body
10:16and terrifying red eyes, the villain already has a creepy design, but he's only made more grotesque
10:22as the cauldron consumes him, stripping the flesh from his bones. In retrospect, he was
10:40surprisingly easy for Taron to defeat, but this doesn't take away from the shock factor.
10:49Number 20. Shan Yu. Mulan. Shan Yu is a human wrecking ball, punching through doors and slicing
10:56pillars like they're made of butter. While the Hun leader has brute strength on his side,
11:01Mulan has strategy. With a fan, a sword, one big sky rocket, and a little bit of help from
11:14her friends, she ends Shan Yu's campaign of terror. Pinned down, the helpless villain is
11:20sent flying into a tower of fireworks, blowing to smithereens. Although Shan Yu's demise seems
11:35cartoony on the surface, that's only because we're spared from seeing his crispy remains.
11:40Considering how dangerous fireworks are, it's safe to assume that Shan Yu suffered and the
11:45aftermath was not a pretty sight. For anyone with an active imagination, however, it's hard
11:50not to envision the grisly details. Number 19. Sykes. Oliver and Company.
12:06Although Oliver and Company has some breathtaking New York backdrops, it also authentically
12:10captures the city's grittier side. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the final chase,
12:16when Sykes meets his maker. This lone shark is scum, kidnapping a little girl and endangering
12:22animals in the process. As satisfying as Sykes' demise is, that doesn't make it less disturbing.
12:28Taking the pursuit onto the subway rails, our heroes dodge the oncoming train. Sykes isn't so
12:33lucky. The scene is especially terrifying when you watch it in slow motion, allowing the audience to
12:39really see the fear in Sykes' eyes as he stares down the headlights before the train obliterates
12:44his vehicle. And that, kids, is why you don't play on the subway tracks. Number 18. Professor
13:00Rattigan. The Great Mouse Detective. As much as Rattigan attempts to present himself as a refined
13:12elitist, he's really nothing more than a filthy rat. Don't tell him that, though,
13:16or else you might meet the same fate as Bartholomew.
13:20Oh, Rattigan. Oh, Rattigan. You're the tops. And that's that.
13:28When Rattigan's schemes fall apart, he lets the beast inside run rampant,
13:32as he pursues Basil and little Olivia inside Big Ben. The use of sound and building music
13:38adds to the tension as Rattigan hones in on her heroes, practically ripping Basil to shreds with
13:43his claws. But as the clock bell tolls, Rattigan's time on Earth officially runs out,
13:58plunging him to an appropriate fate for a rat like him.
14:02Number 17. Commander Rourke. Atlantis, The Lost Empire. This may be the most creative death on
14:16our list, petrifying audiences young and old in a new and creative way. Even as his escape plan
14:23blows up in his face, Commander Rourke is determined to go down swinging. He nearly
14:28gives Milo the axe, but our hero compensates for his lack of brawn with brains. He cuts Rourke
14:33with a crystal shard, which seemingly only leaves a minor injury. The scratch rapidly
14:38envelops Rourke's entire body, though, crystallizing him into a phenomenally demented creature.
14:51He looks like the Human Torch, the Invisible Woman, and the Thing all rolled into one.
14:56Still refusing to give up, Rourke hits the fan and is shattered into countless pieces.
15:01And this time, it was personal.
15:12Number 16. Scroope. Treasure Planet. A lot of Disney villains die falling from great heights.
15:19Scroope's demise is the exact opposite. This scene is like something out of Alien,
15:24and while not quite as chilling as that film, it comes close enough.
15:27As Scroope attempts to snap Jim Hawkins into pieces, Ben fidgets with the artificial gravity,
15:33sending the two spiraling towards the crow's nest. Although Scroope appears to have the upper hand,
15:38or the upper claw in this case, the agile Jim bests Scroope, ensnaring him in a black flag.
15:55As Scroope spirals to a dire fate beyond the stars, we try not to think about the ensuing
15:59asphyxiation or decompression he probably endured. But hey, maybe he ran into Mr. Arrow out there?
16:05Too soon?
16:12Number 15. Judge Doom. Who Framed Roger Rabbit? Who Framed Roger Rabbit is one Disney film that
16:18was arguably made more for adult animation fans than kids. As such, the film is a bit
16:23the filmmakers were able to take the creep factor a step beyond. And in the 80s, that's saying a lot.
16:29The scariest moment is saved for the climax when Judge Doom reveals himself as the Toon
16:34who did in Eddie's brother. Doom is destroyed by his own concoction as he's hosed down with Dip,
16:51channeling the Wicked Witch of the West. Doom dissolves into a puddle, wailing in agony.
17:03Unlike the Wicked Witch, however, Doom leaves a big mess behind. And we thought getting run
17:08over by a steamroller was a dark way to go. Number 14. Oogie Boogie. The Nightmare Before
17:14Christmas. During his early days at Disney, Tim Burton's gothic imagination was met with some
17:20resistance. After Burton found success with films like Batman, Disney gave his team the freedom to
17:25produce this passion project, despite it being darker than their usual fare. Director Henry
17:30Selick didn't hold back with the demise of Oogie Boogie. Oogie Boogie is the stuff that nightmares
17:35are made of, figuratively speaking. Literally speaking, he's made of bugs. And thanks to a
17:40loose string, it only takes one fell swoop for Jack to unravel Oogie's dastardly plan.
17:51Stripped of his burlap sack, which was essentially his skin, Oogie's reduced to a pile of bugs.
18:03The insects that don't fall into the scorching cauldron below get stepped on by old Saint Nick.
18:09Number 13. Maleficent. Sleeping Beauty.
18:21You'd be hard-pressed to find a Disney movie with a bigger, more exciting final showdown than Sleeping Beauty.
18:30In the film's climax, the wicked Maleficent decides to bring her A-game to the table
18:35by calling on the powers of hell and taking on the form of a fire-breathing dragon in a garden
18:40of thorns. Thanks to the three fairies' magic, though, Prince Philip strikes Maleficent in her
18:44black heart with his virtuous sword. Thus, a ghastly villain meets her gruesome end, notably
18:49shedding some fairly graphic blood for a Disney movie.
19:07Number 12. Gaston. Beauty and the Beast.
19:14After an intense battle atop the Beast's castle, it looks like Gaston and the Beast might part
19:18ways without spilling any blood. Since the phrase live and let live is foreign to the
19:25egotistical hunter, though, Gaston literally stabs his prey in the back. This proves to be
19:30Gaston's undoing as he loses his balance and plummets to his death. If you think Gaston could
19:39have miraculously survived the fall somehow, the animators ruled out this possibility by adding a
19:44skull and crossbones to his pupils. How subliminally horrifying.
19:49Number 11. Stegosaurus – Fantasia.
19:59Prehistoric nature sure is fascinating, but also extremely deadly. During the Rite of Spring
20:05segment of Fantasia, a herd of dinosaurs peacefully enjoy lunch when a T-Rex charges in,
20:11looking for a meal of its own. It takes a bite out of a Stegosaurus's tail,
20:20but the armored dino is having none of that. The two get into a fearsome,
20:25balletic brawl. It sadly ends when the T-Rex chomps on the Stegosaurus's neck.
20:30The carnivorous victor then proceeds to feast on the loser's remains,
20:35giving us a grim reminder of the food chain in the dinosaur kingdom.
20:42Number 10. The Evil Queen – Snow White and the Seven Dwarves.
20:55The Evil Queen might have succeeded in offing Snow White,
20:58but she soon learns that even monarchs can get away with murder.
21:02As the Seven Dwarves race back to the cottage, the Queen absconds up a nearby mountain and
21:08attempts to crush her pursuers with a giant boulder. When a lightning bolt strikes the
21:12cliff, though, the Queen becomes the first of many Disney baddies to fall to their death.
21:22Even if the fall didn't kill her, the boulder most certainly did,
21:26providing dinner for the Queen.
21:28Number 9. Syndrome – The Incredibles.
21:32Syndrome meets perhaps the most darkly humorous demise on this list,
21:35but it's still a terrifying way to go. Edna Mode gave several examples of why
21:40capes aren't the smartest superhero accessory.
21:58And yet, we didn't really pay much attention to Syndrome's wardrobe.
22:05That is, until the final showdown. Syndrome's undoing was hanging over his shoulders this whole
22:11time. While Syndrome avoids the car that Mr. Incredible chucks at him,
22:15his fate is sealed by a jet engine in which his cape gets caught.
22:29As clever as this resolution is, all we're thinking about now is what a turbine does
22:33to the human body. Sorry buddy, you will not be back for the sequel.
22:44Number 8. Frollo – The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
22:48Frollo has deluded himself into thinking that he's a righteous man and soldier of God when,
22:52in reality, he's committed every deadly sin in the book.
22:58Frollo's lifetime of sinning and hypocrisy finally catch up to him atop Notre Dame.
23:13Before he can do Quasimodo and Esmeralda in, Frollo finds himself standing under a crumbling
23:18gargoyle. Staring a devil in the face, Frollo drops to his final resting place in a sea of
23:23hellfire and molten copper. Talk about an ironic way to go out.
23:36Number 7. Mother Gothel – Tangled.
23:40For centuries, Gothel used the sundrop flower to remain healthy and youthful.
23:44When Rapunzel inherited the flower's properties, Gothel spent another 18 years feeding off the
23:49magic. Her age finally catches up to her when Eugene cuts Rapunzel's hair. As the hair loses
24:08its magical essence, it also loses its effect on Gothel. In a flash, Gothel transforms into a
24:14decrepit old woman. Not paying attention to where she's going, Gothel overlooks Pascal
24:20and trips out the window. By the time she hits the ground, only dust remains. It's an unsettling
24:38demise, although we have to admit it's kind of funny that Pascal finished her off. Never
24:42underestimate a frog. Uh, chameleon.
24:46Number 6. Dr. Facilier – The Princess and the Frog.
24:51Where Frollo only figuratively fell into hell, Dr. Facilier is literally dragged there in this
24:56scene from The Princess and the Frog. Facilier believes that he has the upper hand with demonic
25:01powers on his side, but he underestimates Tiana and her sticky tongue. With his voodoo charm
25:14destroyed, Facilier's friends from the other side appear to collect their debt. In Mardi Gras
25:19fashion, an army of masks, dolls, and shrunken heads take Facilier to their world, whether he's
25:25ready or not. The moral of the story? Don't screw with voodoo.
25:48Number 5. Hopper – A Bug's Life.
25:52On paper, this death might not sound especially macabre. We mean, birds feed bugs to their young
25:57every day. Seeing the carnage from the bug's point of view, however, we're given a first-hand look at
26:02just how grim the food chain can be. Lured to a bird's nest, Hopper assumes that this is another
26:08fake that the ants have cooked up. It dawns on Hopper too late that this bird of prey is the
26:17real deal. By this point, his fate is sealed. Dangling from the bird's beak, Hopper is lowered
26:22into the nest where three hatchlings need to feed. The chicks look fairly realistic for a late 90s
26:28CGI, which adds to the horror as we zoom into one's mouth as Hopper is consumed.
26:33Number 4. Scar – The Lion King.
26:45Scar may usurp the throne from Mufasa, but he gets his comeuppance in the end.
26:49Being something of a Shakespearean villain, it's only appropriate that Scar is given a proper
26:54Shakespearean send-off. Unlike Gaston, Scar survives the attack of the lion king and is
27:02what's waiting at the bottom of Pride Rock that leads to his ultimate demise.
27:05Turns out that Scar's hyena lackeys don't appreciate being thrown under the bus.
27:19Number 3. The Lion King – The Lion King is a great movie.
27:23Scar's character is a bit of a pain in the ass, but he's also a bit of a pain in the ass.
27:28Being thrown under the bus. As fire engulfs the area, the hyenas surround their former boss,
27:41maul him to death and likely devour his carcass as the camera pans up from the massacre.
27:46Oh well, circle of life.
27:59Number 3. Ursula – The Little Mermaid.
28:02Ursula is already a pretty terrifying presence on her own. How can you make her any more
28:07intimidating? How about by having her grow like a hundred feet, giving her an all-powerful triton,
28:13and bathing her in a whirlpool of chaos?
28:25The only thing more frightening than Ursula herself is how she perishes,
28:29as Prince Eric impales her with a ship, sending the sea witch to a watery grave.
28:35No matter how old you are, this is total scary overdrive,
28:39and it was all brought to you by the dark magic of Disney.
28:47Number 2. Bambi's Mother – Bambi. This is arguably one of the most infamous deaths in
28:53cinema history. Bambi and his mom are enjoying some spring grass when his mother senses danger.
28:59She urges Bambi to keep going as a faceless hunter pursues them.
29:03The young prince reaches safety, but where is his mother?
29:15He emerges to look for her, only to realize his mother is gone. Along with how sudden the death
29:20was, Bambi's mother is also in danger. Bambi's mother is also in danger.
29:28What really makes the scene horrific is how much we don't see.
29:32Just the sound of the gunshot is enough to terrify us.
29:40There probably wasn't a child alive that wasn't affected by this scene when it first premiered.
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30:11Number 1. Clayton – Tarzan
30:14Right off the bat, we see how a leopard has dispatched with Tarzan's parents,
30:19as well as a baby gorilla. But those horrors will be topped by the end of the film.
30:24Clayton's death seems more like something out of a Final Destination movie than a Disney animated
30:29feature. Sure, there's no gore, but there might as well be. In the midst of a jungle brawl with
30:38Tarzan, Clayton finds himself tangled in a cluster of vines. Unaware of the vine wrapped
30:44around his neck, Clayton gets reckless with his machete and hangs his head in defeat.
30:59The only glimpse the audience gets of the body is via its shadow,
31:03which is almost as haunting as seeing the actual carnage.
31:06What Disney death still haunts you? Let us know in the comments.