My Least Favorite Disney Villains

If there is one company that knows the art of making good villains, its Disney. Whether their villains appear in movies, shows or comics and whether they are completely original creations or adapted from another source, one can usually count on the House of Mouse to bring worthwhile additions to the legions of fictional evil-doers.
Usually being the keyword here, because the fact is that not every Disney-villain can be a Xanatos or a Frollo and that's fine; but some does not even reach to the level of "good", being really lackluster in the role of villain.
Below are a few of my least favorite Disney-villains and I should stress this is just my personal opinion. Oh, and the list is in no particular order. I thought about ranking them, but ultimately decided against it.
Anyway, on with the list:

Assistant Mayor Dawn Bellwether (Zootopia)

Out of all the surprise-villains in Disney-movies, Bellwether is by far the weakest. Mostly because this was the fourth time in a row that Disney used the same shtick and by then it was no longer fresh or interesting. I really like Zootopia and consider it one of Disney's finest movies, but it has nothing to do with its villain who is one of the weakest aspects of another-wise great movie.

Various Paul Murry villains (Mickey Mouse comics)

I must admit that I've never been a fan of Paul Murry's work. I'm aware that there are people who like his comics, but none that I've read have really impressed me. Especially not the ones he did in collaboration with Carl Fallberg; bog-standard mystery/adventure-stories in which a personality-free Mickey goes up against some of the blandest, most generic crooks ever seen in a Disney-comic. Considering that Mickey actually has a rogues'-gallery that any superhero would be proud of, the lack of even decent new villains (save perhaps Emil Eagle) during the Murry-era is pretty depressing.

Edgar (The Aristocats)

Edgar is usually regarded as the worst villain in the Disney Animated Canon and for good reason. First of all, he manages to be bumbling and non-threatening even for a comedic villain;
compare Edgar to Prince John from Disney's Robin Hood. Sure, PJ may have been a crybaby with mommy-issues, but he was also genuinely nasty; bleeding his subjects dry and wanting to kill the hero. Edgar lacks even the tiniest hint of any menacing qualities, which is why The Aristocats as a movie is severely lacking in terms of meaningful conflict. There's also the fact that his reason for getting rid of Duchess and the kittens really makes no sense: It seems reasonable to assume that he would be the cats' primary care-taker, which means that, as long as he took good care of the cats he should be able to spend at least some of the money on himself. What are the cats going to do about it? They're cats.

Leaving that aside, if you're going to get rid of the cats why not wait until after your employer is dead? Then again this is the same guy who believed that cats actually have nine lives, so we're not exactly talking criminal mastermind here.
I will however say one thing for Edgar: He has some pretty amusing facial expressions.

Sarousch (The Hunchback of Notre Dame 2)

The original The Hunchback of Notre Dame gave us one of the all-time great Disney villains in Judge Claude Frollo; as dark and complex a villain that you will ever find in a Disney film. A man who seemed to embody so many real-life evils such as bigotry, abuse, religious hypocrisy, all while having an amazing villain-song to boot. What does the sequel give us? A narcissistic circus-owner who wants to steal a bell. Yeah.
I know that few, if any of the sequel villains can measure up to the original and there was no way that any new villain could completely fill Frollo's shoes, but this guy was just awful regardless. Edgar may be the worst villain in the Animated Canon, but Sarousch is a strong contender for worst Disney-villain period.

Some Great One-Off Characters

Most TV-shows, whether live-action or animated, tend to rely on a recurring cast of characters that the viewer gets to know intimately during the course of the series. However, every once in a while, a character appears that manage to make a lasting impression, despite only playing a (usually) major role in one episode. Below are a few of these "one-offs" that have remained in my memory over the years. I should point out that all the characters on this list are from shows that features a recurring cast, hence why there are no examples from The Twilight Zone or Decalogue to be found on it.

Hank Scorpio (The Simpsons)

Its been a long time since I lost any interest in The Simpsons, but that does not prevent me from looking back with a certain fondness at some of the older episodes. One of my favorite episodes of the show is You Only Move Twice, in which the family moves to another city, when Homer gets offered a job at Globex Corporation, headed by Hank Scorpio.

What makes Scorpio such a memorable character is his dual-nature. On one hand, he's a megalomaniacal super-villain with dreams of World Conquest, but he's also a genuinely friendly guy who cares about his employees, making him a far better person to work for than, say, Monty Burns. The fact that he gets a Shirley Bassey-esque theme song, worthy of any Bond villain, is also a point in his favor.

Hugo DeVries (Inspector Morse)

Based on the novels by Colin Dexter, Inspector Morse is one of the finest detective-series to come out of Britain. My personal favorite episode is one that's actually not based on a novel; namely, Masonic Mysteries. In this episode, Morse finds himself the target of a ghost from his past: Hugo DeVries, a con-man he sent to jail decades earlier and who is now out for revenge.

Vicious and intelligent, if there ever was a criminal in this series that qualified as Morse's own Professor Moriarty its DeVries. Played to chilling perfection by Ian McDiarmid, DeVries does not actually appear all that much in the episode, but his presence is felt throughout it. The scene in which he and Morse finally meet each other face to face is one of my favorite scenes of its type, in any show.

Lt. Joe Bookman (Seinfeld)

Appearing in the season 3 episode The Library (plus a cameo in the series finale), Lt. Joe Bookman is a library cop with an extreme dedication towards his job. His deadpan personality, rapid-fire way of speaking and the fact that he acts like a regular cop on the hunt for dangerous criminals, rather than library delinquents, combine to make Bookman one of the most memorable and funniest minor characters in this seminal sit-com.

Andy Von de Oniyate (Cowboy Bebop)

I was going to write something about Andy and how well he works as a reflection of the show's lead character Spike Spiegel. However, try as I might I was unable to come up with any argument for what makes Andy a great character that this post didn't make years ago and better. So go and read it and see you, Space Cowboy.

Krombopulos Michael (Rick & Morty)

Rick & Morty is not quite among my favorite cartoons, but there are some episodes of it that I really like (the one with the parasites, for example) and its not lacking in memorable one-off characters. My personal favorite is Krombopulos Michael, an alien assassin who we first see buying weapons from Rick and afterwards ends up getting killed by Morty, while trying to assassinate the telepathic gaseous life-form, which later calls itself Fart. Despite being only in two brief scenes in an episode, Krombopulos Michael's affable demeanor and his cheerful enthusiasm towards his work ("Oh, boy! Here I go killing again") makes him one of the funniest and most likable characters in the show.

Chapter 25

From The Private Journal of Her Majesty, Argath I:

Though they do not say it in my presence, I am aware that the people at court and those who make up the Royal Council, believe that I have changed since the crown was put on my head. Of course, they are mistaken; the person they knew during all these years was but a role I played, a mask that I wore, in order to help me achieve my initial goal. Now that I rule this land, I no longer have need for that kind of pretense and I can be my true self; the me that have been known only to a select few, such as my pets or Lorenzo, my loyal protege, whom I've come to regard almost as a son. Besides, if the inhabitants of the palace find me stern, so much the better. As I told the council, I expect my orders to be carried out without protest, no matter the prize.

Although my hands are red and will grow redder still in the near future, those who think me entirely devoid of compassion are mistaken. I am perfectly capable, sometimes even willing, to show kindness toward those of my subjects that I deem deserving of it. Granted, I rarely find it necessary to demonstrate the softer aspects of my character, though recently, an opportunity to do so presented itself. 

It was on this very day, in fact: Shortly after I had left my throne-room after conveying my orders to general Jeraddin, I was reached by the news that my councilman, Felix had been found unconscious in one of the hallways. 

I asked the servant who brought me the news where Felix was right now and was told that he had been taken to one of the palace wings, in which his domicile is located. 
Immediately, I jotted down a few words on a pen and paper and handed it to the servant.

"Take this to the doctor", I said.

The servant bowed and left the room. Moments later, the cake I had ordered from the kitchen arrived.

As I began digging into the slice that one of my pets (her name is of no importance at the moment) had cut out of the cake and placed on the plate before me, I couldn't help but feel concerned for my Councilman's health.  I decided to make a courtesy-call, as soon as opportunity presented itself.


My schedule, as usual, was quite full and it was not until a few hours later that I was able to make good on the promise I had made to myself. I headed to the Eastern wing. I did not bother to knock on the door (After all, do not all rooms in this palace belong to me?), but headed straight into the spacious apartment that Felix shared with his wife.

I figured that I would find the two of them in the bedroom; Felix lying in bed, having been administered to by the doctor with his wife, Lucinda, watching over him. It had been a long time since I had last visited them, but thankfully, my memory has always been good and I had no trouble locating the bedroom.

I did not enter the room immediately, but remained in the doorway, watching the scene in front of me. It was exactly as I had pictured it: Felix lay in bed, eyes closed, his breathing so faint that at first, I had trouble hearing it. Lucinda sat by his bedside, clutching one of his hands.

Soon, Lucinda rose from her chair, having detected the presence of another conscious person in the vicinity. She turned around and her eyes met mine.

"Your Majesty", she said, visibly taken aback. "What an unexpected honor".

She curtsied deeply, grabbing the hem of her dress. 

"We can not stand here" I said, gesturing for her to rise. "Let us resume this conversation in your living room."

As I sat down in a plush red sofa, Lucinda, always the gracious host, asked me if I wanted any refreshments.

"Coffee", I said and immediately after, my stomach growled. "Oh, and something light to nibble at, if you have it."

"As you wish, Your Majesty."

"We can dispose with the formalities" I said, magnanimously. "After all, have I not been a friend of your family for many years?"

"It has been so long since you last visited, we feared that we might have done something to make us lose favor with you.

I smiled.

"Believe me, Lucinda, if you had done something to make me angry, I would have been sure to let you know it. No, I have simply been busy."

Having been thus reassured that she was still in my good graces, Lucinda went out into the kitchen. Despite their wealth, she and her husband do not employ any servants and so, she would have to prepare the coffee on her own.

Shortly thereafter, she returned, carrying a tray, which she sat down on the coffee table. Having taken a sip of the coffee and helped myself to several of the small, triangular sandwiches that Lucinda had prepared, I decided it was time to cut to the chase:

"I heard that your husband is not feeling well", I said. "Its nothing serious, I hope?"

"The Doctor did not tell you?" Lucinda asked, with some surprise. "I thought he would have."

I confessed that I had not had the opportunity to talk to the Doctor yet.

"Apparently, its a relapse of the fever he had recently, brought about by a severe shock. The doctor has given him some medicine, but he is to remain in bed for a few days. I'm afraid he'll have to be absent from some of the Council meetings."

"Perfectly understandable", I assured her, reaching for another sandwich. 

My eyes drifted across the room and eventually came to rest upon a portrait of two boys, arms on each other's shoulders, which hung on the wall.

"How are the twins doing at school?" I asked, recalling that Felix and Lucinda's offspring were attending their first year at the same prestigious boarding-school that their father had once attended. 

"Oh, they are doing just fine", Lucinda said, smiling the smile of a proud mother. "Its kind of you to ask."

"Not at all. I shall send them a small gift, do you think they would enjoy that?"

Lucinda beamed.

"They'll be delighted."

Shortly thereafter, I bade Lucinda farewell, telling her to give her husband my regards when he woke up. I was relieved to hear that he was not suffering from anything life-threatening. However, there was something that bothered me:

According to Lucinda (and the Doctor), the reason for Felix' collapse had been a severe shock. What exactly could have been the reason for this shock? I had to find out.

I went to Lorenzo's quarters, where I found my fox busying himself with his throwing-knives.

"Do you know if Felix have been talking to someone today?" I asked.

Lorenzo went and retrieved his knives from the dartboard.

"Didn't he remain in the meeting room together with old Cornelius, before coming to the throne room?"

"Come to think of it, he did" I said. "Curious, those two are not exactly bosom friends."

"Shall I make some inquiries?" Lorenzo asked, astute as always.

"Yes, see if you can find out anything and report to me when you've learned something of interest."
Lorenzo bowed.

"As you command, my Queen."

With that, there was nothing more to say and so I left my fox to his devises.

It is now night outside and I am about to put the quill aside and go to bed, after another day of seeing to the Kingdom's affairs. Soon, one of my servant-girls will come, carrying with her the doctor's potion.

 I must commend my Royal Physician; his mixture has allowed me to sleep peacefully every night since I took it. If any specters appear, I pay them no heed. 

The potion is not without its side-effects, however. For one, I no longer dream at all: About an hour or so after I've taken it, I fall into a deep, dreamless sleep. Sometimes I wonder if this is what death is like? If so, than death is nothing to fear, though I do prefer to live.

One might argue that I have no need of dreams, seeing as how I am in the process of turning all my dreams into reality and I will admit that that is a good point. That said, there is one type of dream I miss: The dream in which he, my brother, is still alive.

The other side-effect is of a more physical nature: I woke one morning and realized that I needed to replace most of my wardrobe. The Last time I had to do that, was when I had my growth-spurt, suddenly finding myself taller than my older half-brothers. This time though, the change to my figure was in its width rather than its length. Since I have always managed to keep myself slim, despite my healthy appetite, I can only conclude that the potion has had a negative effect on my metabolism. Not that my newly acquired corpulence bothers me. In fact, combined with my height and muscular arms, I think it makes me look rather imposing, if I do say so myself. Besides, as Queen I set the standard for beauty in my realm...

*****

Argath put the quill away and, closed the journal. She looked up and saw that she was no longer alone in the room.

"Put it over there" she said.

Having received her instructions, the servant-girl put the silver-tray with the small vial on it, down on the night-stand. She then turned to the Queen:

"Is there anything else Your Majesty require?" She asked.