10 of the Darkest Disney Villain Quotes

Disney movies are magical, with their strong protagonists, inspirational stories and happy endings. So much so that the dark sides to the movies are often forgotten. Here are ten of the darkest Disney villain quotes (spoilers ahead).

Shan-Yu - Mulan

When the Huns catch two Chinese imperial scouts spying on them as they're invading China, Shan-Yu gives them a message to take back to the emperor. He then lets them go, before telling his men: "How many men does it take to deliver a message?", having them shoot one of the scouts. The deep hatred that boils inside this villain is hard to beat, and this quote gives me the chills. You don't often hear Disney characters talk of killing someone or people dying, but Shan-Yu definitely expresses his little respect for what a life is, and how ending one means nothing to him.

Jafar - Aladdin and the Return of Jafar

"After all, there are things so much worse than death." I included this one as it's remarkably deeper than most lines from Disney movies. It's less tangible than what you usually hear villains say, as it can mean different things depending on who you're talking to. It's a thought-provoking quote that can quickly send you spiralling deep into the gloomier parts of your brain.

Honest John - Pinocchio

When Pinocchio is allowed to walk to school by himself, he runs straight into Honest John and Gideon, who immediately see the naive boy as a way to make money. After selling Pinocchio to a puppet theatre, Honest John says "And he still thinks we're his friends. And did Stromboli pay? Plenty! That shows you how low Honest John will stoop, eh, Giddy?" The second someone allows themselves to have no morals or ethics, they become dangerous and terrifying. If they don't feel like they have to abide by any rules, there are no limits to the bad things they could do to someone.

Maleficent - Sleeping Beauty

Of course I'm gonna include one of the darkest of them all, the mistress of all evil. When Prince Phillip is escaping from her castle, Maleficent appears in front of him, delivering this amazing line, before transforming into a dragon: "Now, shall you deal with ME, O Prince - and all the powers of HELL!" I just love this quote, and this scene is among the most epic in Disney history. Maleficent oozes with hatred, but she does so with style, carefully choosing her words in a calm and articulate manner that I can't help but admire.

Madame Medusa - The Rescuers

This one is from The Rescuers. Madame Medusa is trying to teach Snoops, her companion, how to get Penny to listen to him. They need her to go down into a cave to search for the world's biggest diamond, the Devil's Eye. Madame Medusa: "Snoops, you don't have a way with children. You must gain their confidence... make them like you. When Snoops asks how you do that, her answer is :"You FORCE them to like you, idiot!" Anyone who thinks it's okay to manipulate and use children for your own gain is a terrible person, and Medusa is no exception.

Clayton - Tarzan

Clayton is another villain who completely lacks morals. He is the guide helping Jane and her father search for gorillas, and tries to manipulate Tarzan to help them find them. When Jane says she has to go back to England, Clayton heartlessly tells Tarzan he could never be with her anyway: "Even if you hadn't grown up a savage, you'd be lost. There are no trails through a woman's heart." Love is such a beautiful part of our lives and for someone to put limits to a person's abilities to love is heart-wrenching. It's also shamelessly sly of Clayton to take advantage of Tarzan being in love for the first time.

Madame Mim - The Sword in the Stone

When we're introduced to Madame Mim, she hears bird-Arthur cough from the soot in the chimney he's just fallen through. Her reaction isn't to check what's wrong, she's instead excited to hear someone in discomfort: "Sounds like someone's sick. How lovely. I do hope it's serious. Something dreadful." Can you imagine hearing someone cough and then hope it's something serious? At least she's not in denial about her awful personality.

Governor Ratcliffe - Pocahontas

Governor Ratcliffe's not often mentioned, but he is by far one of the worst characters ever created. All he cares about is gold, and his attitude towards people is extremely racist and ignorant. Here's a few lines from his song "Savages": "What can you expect from filthy little heathens? Here's what you get when races are diverse. Their skin's a hellish red, they're only good when dead." Sadly, this isn't as fictional as many of the other entries on this list, making it even worse.

Professor Ratigan - The Great Mouse Detective

During his villain song "The World's Greatest Criminal Mind," one of Ratigan's minions accidentally calls him a rat, which is a big mistake. Ratigan has his huge pet cat come in and eat the poor guy, and goes "I trust there will be no further interruptions? And now, as you were singing?" One of them just got eaten, and the rest of the bunch are expected to continue on with the song like nothing's happened. Ratigan is definitely among the many leaders practicing fear as a means to achieve loyalty from his followers.

The Queen of Hearts - Alice in Wonderland

And last (but definitely not least), the queen of Wonderland's famous rule for playing croquet: "I warn you, child... if I lose my temper, you lose your head! Understand?" This is usually considered funny and part of her crazy character, but it's actually terrifying. Imagine being forced to play a game with someone, knowing they'll have you executed if you win. We know everyone in Wonderland is mad, but this is beyond insane.

I hope you enjoyed this dive into the dark side of Disney. Which of these grim quotes is your favourite?