For every hero, there is a villain. These are the despicable individuals that are meant to be hated and rooted against. When you really think about it though, how heroic would Disney Princesses and Princes be without the Villains who threaten their happiness? I'm going to go out on a limb, and say not very. They would probably be extremely boring ordinary people sitting around and moping for no good reason. For me, the Villains have always been the true stars of Disney classics. As much as I loved the Princesses, I have to admit that the Villains were pretty cool. Now that I am older, I truly appreciate just how amazing, essential and complex these foes are. After watching the classic animated films and the ABC series "Once Upon a Time," I have gathered that Disney Villains are definitely my spirit animal. Here are a few of the reasons why...
1. Call everyone fools
Calling someone a fool is oddly fulfilling. Disney Villains, like my girl Maleficent, say it like there's no tomorrow. She has enough power and standing to be able to say it like a boss while everyone cowers in a corner. Meanwhile, Aurora is dancing with animals in the woods and singing about the love of her life that she met in her dreams (not even in reality). And Disney wants us to believe that Maleficent is the crazy one...go figure.
2. Have evil henchmen
You have to admit that it would be great to have people serve you and do all your dirty work for free. A girl could get used to that. While most of the henchmen happen to be idiots, like Horace and Jasper, they are still loyal followers. They will do your bidding no matter how insane your plan is. And boy is Cruella insane! But that's why she's so lovable and fabulous. Not to mention, that catchy theme song she has...Sorry if that is stuck in your head now. I'll be humming it for the rest of the day. Oh well...
3. Know what you want in life
Villains always know exactly what they want. Captain Hook wants to destroy Peter Pan, Jafar wants to be Sultan and rule the world, and the Evil Queen wants to be the "fairest of them all." Although, on "Once Upon a Time" the Evil Queen knows she's beautiful. She wants to destroy Snow White's happiness, not because of her beauty, but because she told a secret that got the queen's true love killed. Can we really blame the Queen for wanting to rip out her heart?
4. Strive for what you want
Not only do these villains know what they want, but they actually go for it. They have the determination to go all the way. They know that nothing in life is guaranteed and will go down fighting to get what they want. Unlike the Princesses, they don't just sit around hoping and wishing that their dreams will come true, they do something about it. No wishing star or Fairy Godmother is going to show up all "bippity boppity boo" and make Scar king! So a guy's gotta do, what a guy's gotta do.
5. Never have to worry about consequences
Villains don't have the privilege of having Jiminy Cricket tell them what could happen if they attempt to kill an Emperor. Yzma doesn't have anyone chirping in her ear or sitting on her shoulder telling her what she should and should not do. How freeing to be able to do what you want without feeling guilty! Not once does it cross Yzma's mind that she could get caught and have to own up to what she's done to Kuzco. She has total faith that she's going to get away with it and be Emperor until she dies.
6. Be a total bad-ass
You are so powerful and everyone knows it. They live in fear because they never know what evil thing you will do next. Talk about intimidating! Ok, let's just discuss how totally bad-ass Jafar is. He managed to get everything he ever wanted within a ten minute time frame. That's crazy! He went from being a Royal Vizier, to having Jasmine as a servant, becoming Sultan, being an all-powerful sorcerer, and ultimately becoming a genie. While the whole genie thing didn't really work out, it was still a good try. At least Jafar really went for it.
7. Cool powers
While not all Disney Villains possess powers, the ones that do, have really cool ones. Ursula can do anything your heart or hers desires, Jafar turned himself into a giant snake when he was a sorcerer, and the Evil Queen made herself into a hag and created a poisonous apple. My personal favorite though, is Maleficent and her ability to transform into a dragon. When all else fails, just use your powers from Hell to turn yourself into a dragon and try to torch the Prince of the chick you put to sleep for all of eternity.
8. Look good while being evil
On "Once Upon a Time," every villain looks fabulous. Ursula, Maleficent, Cruella, and especially, the Evil Queen, are all beautiful ladies. The Evil Queen, also known as Regina, has elaborate outfits that standout no matter what the situation. She could be ripping out a still beating heart while wearing an outfit like the one shown above. Evil never looked so good!
9. Have many layers
Not all Villains are as tough and cold as they appear on the surface. They have feelings too. One of the reasons for "Once Upon a Time's" success, is that many viewers can relate with and root for Regina (The Evil Queen) and, therefore, keep watching to see what happens with her storyline. Actress Lana Parrilla, breathes life into this character and has made her someone that people are able to like even though she has done a lot of terrible things. She reminds viewers that second chances are worth taking and that everyone deserves a happy ending. Yes, I am saying that under the right circumstances, villains deserve happy endings too.
"Once Upon a Time" believes that "evil isn't born, it's made." Next time you watch a Disney classic, keep this idea in the back of your mind as the Villain enters the screen. For this reason and the nine that I presented, consider the fact that villains are more interesting than heroes. Who knows, you may even come to find that villains are your spirit animal.
