The villains are some of the most beloved and popular characters in the world of Disney. Bold, charismatic, and ruthless, Disney villains have delighted, amused, and frightened audiences for generations and continue to do so today. They remain memorable and one such reason is because of some wickedly delightful quotes.
With the variety of villains, there is guaranteed to be a quote that matches their personality. Some villains have catchy, toe-tapping songs which include lyrics that could easily summarize the villain. Others would perhaps cringe at the thought of singing but nevertheless, they have a distinct quote that reflects them perfectly.
Captain Hook
"But I Have Given My Word Not To Lay A Finger, Or A Hook, On Peter Pan. And Captain Hook Never Breaks A Promise."
Captain Hook has remained one of fiction's most iconic villains for generations but perhaps no version is more recognizable than Disney's dastardly version from the animated 1953 classic Peter Pan.
Whilst more comedic than most versions, especially when the Crocodile comes on the scene, Hook is cunning and shifty whilst also charming and a gentleman by nature. One such example is that even though he initially wins over Tinker Bell and promises not to lay a finger (or hook) on Peter, he finds a devious loophole in this and places a bomb in the Lost Boys' hideout. This moment is sly yet technically not breaking the rules, highlighting just how sinister a pirate and villain Hook is.
Maleficent
"You Poor, Simple Fools, Thinking You Would Defeat Me! Me! The Mistress Of All Evil!"
The wicked sorceress Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty is perhaps the most famous of all the Disney villains. This is partly because she is one of the most powerful classic Disney villains to date, with strong curses and most memorably transforming into a giant dragon.
Maleficent often refers to herself as "the mistress of all evil" so to have mentions of evil in her summary quote is evident. But what makes this particular quote perfect to represent Maleficent is when she addresses the three good fairies: "you poor, simple fools, thinking you would defeat me!" This part shows Maleficent's arrogance and disdain towards others she considers lesser than herself, which is perhaps everyone in the movie.
Cruella De Vil
"My Only True Love, Darling. I Live For Furs. I Worship Furs! After All, Is There A Woman In All This Wretched World Who Doesn't?"
Even before she got the live-action prequel treatment, Cruella de Vil is one of Disney's most beloved creations and possibly the most popular character in 101 Dalmatians. But what perhaps makes Cruella particularly ghastly, and stand out from other Disney villains, is that she is a villain of a contemporary, real-life setting.
Cruella is all about fur, to the point where it's her number one priority in life, as she gushes to her ever-patient friend Anita: "I live for furs, I worship furs!" This line not only shows her fur obsession but highlights how little she thinks of the simpler things, as she callously makes fun of Anita and Roger's lifestyle afterward, who do appreciate and are content with the simple things in life.
Ursula
"Yes, I Have Had My Share Of Complaints, But On The Whole, I've Been A Saint!"
The octopoid Ursula is the sultry yet sinister sea witch in The Little Mermaid. Mysteriously exiled sometime before the movie's main plot, Ursula helps other merfolk in need from the depths of her cavernous lair, but at a price.
The Little Mermaid has many wonderful songs, and one of the best Ursula's "Poor Unfortunate Souls". It perfectly shows the audience Ursula's personality: a sneaky, sensuous, and villainous sea witch hiding behind a mask of kindness and willingness to help. What makes the above line especially perfect in encompassing Ursula as a whole is the first part, which is as though she's openly admitting to being evil.
Gaston
"It's About Time You Got Your Head Out Of Those Books And Pay Attention To More Important Things. Like Me."
The handsome yet boorish Gaston is the villain of Beauty and the Beast. Wishing for Belle's hand in marriage, Gaston stops at nothing to get what he wants, to the point of cruelly getting Belle's father locked in an asylum and hunting the Beast down to kill him. All this makes his death one of the most satisfying Disney villain deaths.
Gaston is extremely arrogant and misogynistic, and this is clearly evident when he's trying to get Belle's attention from the book she's reading. Gaston doesn't appreciate that Belle is a thinker and a reader but only cares for her looks. Though perhaps not quite as much as he cares about himself, as the above quote strongly proves.
Jafar
"His Power Does Exceed My Own. But Not For Long."
From the moment Jafar appears on-screen in Aladdin, the audience knows straight away he is the movie's villain. Jafar is the cunning and sinister royal vizier who is plotting to take over Agrabah.
Jafar may be intelligent but he is also very greedy and craves power above all else. Aladdin uses this to his advantage against Jafar (at this point, in giant serpent form) and says the Genie is more powerful than him, deliberately planting the idea to become a genie himself. Although part of Aladdin's plan, the above quote emphasizes Jafar's intelligence as well as his lust for power. What's more, it captures his sinister side fully, as his serpent voice is more than enough to send chills down any spine.
Scar
"Well, As Far As Brains Go, I Got The Lion's Share. But, When It Comes To Brute Strength... I'm Afraid I'm At The Shallow End Of The Gene Pool."
The Lion King is one of Disney's most beloved and successful animated pictures to this day. One such reason is its excellent cast of characters, which includes the devious and treacherous Scar, who wishes to be king of the Pride Lands. But with his brother Mufasa in charge and the birth of Simba, this does not look likely - until Scar comes up with a very evil plan to dispose of both his brother and nephew.
Scar is intelligent and knows which battles to pick, and when to send in hyenas to do the dirty work. This is evident when Zazu asks him why he would never challenge Mufasa to a fight. By acknowledging that he isn't the strongest, this quote not only highlights his cleverness but also uses it to gain pity and mercy from Mufasa. He tries this again on adult Simba but it ultimately fails.
Hades
"Aren't We Forgetting One Teensy-Weensy, But Ever So Crucial, Little Tiny Detail? I OWN YOU!"
Flame-haired Hades is the silver-tongued Lord of the Underworld, scheming to kill Hercules so he can rule Olympus without anything to stand in his way. Sarcastic, sharp-witted, and prone to bursting into a fiery tantrum, Hades is one of Disney's funniest and most popular villains.
Hades has a number of hilarious quotes but none perhaps summarize him more than his reaction to Meg deciding she's had enough. Hades' most distinct character traits are his witty fast-talking ways and his very short temper. The above quote captures both of these key traits in one line, highlighting Hades both as comic relief and a sinister villain.
Dr. Facilier
"Shake My Hand. Come On Boys, Won't You Shake A Poor Sinner's Hand?"
Facilier was a welcome addition to the Disney villain lineup, bringing some villainous nostalgia to audiences in The Princess and the Frog. Charismatic yet devious, Dr. Faciler is perhaps the most underrated Disney villain to date.
"Friends on the Other Side" is the toe-tapping villain's song of the movie, and perfectly encapsulates Facilier's showmanship and evil side. But it's perhaps when he asks Naveen and Lawrence to shake his hands that really captures the essence of the character. It shows just how easily he can charm others over, even though he openly calls himself a sinner.
Mother Gothel
"Great. Now I'm The Bad Guy."
Mother Gothel from Tangled is one of Disney's more recent villains and perhaps currently the last animated one to be an 'obvious' villain. Regardless, thanks to her charm, humor, and her memorable song "Mother Knows Best", Gothel has managed to win over a number of fans' hearts.
Gothel is charming but she is also manipulative, as mainly demonstrated when she is with Rapunzel. And the quote that perhaps best shows this is when she declares "Great. Now I'm the bad guy" after a fight with Rapunzel. This line not only demonstrates how cruel and manipulative she truly is under the loving mother act but it is somewhat ironic. She basically called herself the "bad guy" when that is exactly what she is.