Disney. The name conjures images of talking animals, catchy tunes, and happily ever afters. But beneath the surface of sunshine and sprinkles, there can lurk some surprisingly dark moments.
While classic Disney villains met cartoony ends, the recent years have seen a shift towards more… intense demises. Buckle up, fellow Disney enthusiasts, because we’re venturing into the shadows to explore the top 10 terrifying deaths in Disney movies.
The Queen of Hearts’ Croquet Calamity (Alice in Wonderland: Through the Looking Glass)
The Queen of Hearts (Helena Bonham Carter) is back, and her temper remains legendary. This time, her fury is directed at a hapless Jabberwocky who dares to interrupt her croquet game. In a scene both darkly comedic and genuinely unsettling, the
Queen screams her iconic “Off with his head!” The card guards swiftly oblige, their blades flashing in the afternoon sun. The scene is mercifully brief, but the implication – an execution for a minor transgression – leaves a lingering chill.
Te Kā’s Death (Moana)
Okay, this one predates our timeframe, but it’s too good (or bad?) to leave out. Te Kā, the volcanic demon, is a terrifying force of nature. Our brave heroine Moana (Auliʻi Cravalho) faces Te Kā head-on, and for a moment, it seems like all is lost.
Te Kā’s fiery hand engulfs Moana’s boat, and the screen fades to black. While Moana is ultimately saved, the scene leaves us with the terrifying image of being crushed by a literal fiery goddess. Shudder.
The Soul-Sucking Swarm (Soul)
Death in “Soul” isn’t exactly physical, but it’s no less terrifying. Lost souls who fall into “The Pit” are swarmed by shadowy figures, their very essence being siphoned away.
The animation is appropriately creepy, and the screams of the lost souls are truly chilling. This is a death that speaks to a primal fear – the fear of oblivion.
The Hunter’s Grim Fate (Raya and the Last Dragon)
The Druun, shadowy plague creatures, are terrifying enough on their own. But when they touch a human, the transformation is horrifying. The Hunter (Daniel Dae Kim) sacrifices himself to save Raya (Kelly Marie Tran), and the camera lingers on his
agonizing transformation. His once-human form contorts and writhes as he becomes a Druun, a stark reminder of the consequences of facing these creatures.
The Cosmic Crunch (Lightyear)
This one plays on our fear of the unknown. Buzz Lightyear (Chris Evans) gets caught in a time dilation field, aging years in mere seconds. The scene is both visually harrowing and emotionally
devastating, as we see Buzz age from a young, confident Space Ranger to an old, broken man. The film doesn’t shy away from the physical toll this takes on Buzz, making it a truly unsettling experience.
The Glitch’s Glitching Demise (Ron’s Gone Wrong)
This may seem like a stretch, but hear us out. The film’s villain, a corrupted B-Bot named Ron Gone Wrong, malfunctions spectacularly. His glitching animation becomes increasingly erratic, his voice contorted into a horrifying screech.
As he tries to download himself into Barney (Jack Dylan Grazer), he explodes in a shower of digital sparks. It’s a visually jarring scene, a disturbing reminder of the potential dangers of technology gone wrong.
The Mother Gothel’s Tower Tumble (Tangled: Series Finale)
Mother Gothel (Donna Murphy) is a villain who deserves a memorable end. In the series finale, she attempts to use a magical flower to regain her youth. However, the magic backfires, rapidly aging
her until she crumbles into dust and falls from her tower. The scene is both satisfying and unsettling, a fitting end for a character who has terrorized Rapunzel (Mandy Moore) for so long.
The Maestro’s Meltdown (Mickey and friends trick or treat)
This steampunk-inspired film introduced a chilling antagonist – the Maestro, a tyrannical inventor obsessed with control. In the film’s climax, Mickey Mouse (Bret Iwan) confronts the Maestro atop a giant clockwork contraption.
The Maestro, defeated and desperate, tries to activate a self-destruct sequence. Mickey manages to stop the device just in time, but the Maestro loses his balance and falls into a vat of molten metal.
The scene is mercifully silent, letting the image of the Maestro’s silhouette dissolving speak for itself.
The Hydra’s Many, Many Ends (Hercules 2: The Hydra Games)
This direct-to-streaming sequel brought back the iconic Hydra, a multi-headed serpent. The climactic battle sees Hercules (Tate Donovan) and his newfound allies facing off against the monstrous creature. The fight is brutal, each severed head replaced by two new ones.
The animation is appropriately gruesome, showcasing the sheer power and terror of the Hydra. Finally, Hercules manages to bury the Hydra under a collapsing mountain, a satisfyingly final end for the multi-headed menace.
The Chernabog’s Crumbling Cacophony (Fantasia 2000: The Sorcerer’s Apprentice Segment)
This one might be a bit of a cheat, considering it’s a reimagining of a classic scene. However, the animation in “Fantasia 2000” takes the terrifying aspects of Chernabog, the demonic night creature from “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice,” to a whole new level. The scene is a visual assault of dark colors, twisted shapes, and demonic creatures.
As Mickey (Bret Iwan) confronts Chernabog, the mountain crumbles beneath them, sending the demon plummeting into an abyss. The scene is both awe-inspiring and terrifying, a testament to the power of animation to evoke genuine fear.
There you have it, folks! Ten terrifying deaths that prove Disney isn’t afraid to take things a little dark. While these scenes might leave us a little shaken, they also add a layer of complexity and emotional resonance to these modern Disney films.
So next time you settle in for a Disney movie, keep an eye out – there might be more lurking in the shadows than you bargained for.
