Vanity

One of the recurring themes of Disney Villainy is vanity.  It isn't exclusive to the female villains, either, as Gaston has proven.  In Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Disney's first animated feature, Snow White's stepmother is obsessed with being the most beautiful in the land and becomes murderously jealous when Snow begins to mature into a woman lovelier than she.  Ironically, the Queen sacrifices the very beauty she cherished in an effort to poison her rival.  In this image, I present the cold, arrogant beauty of the Queen in contrast with her magical disguise.

Evil Queen/Hag copyright Disney

Disney Villains

The best stories have awesome villains. Yes, you can craft gripping tales of people overcoming personal challenges or setbacks, but when you can put a face to your opponent, there's a tangible presence against which to rally. Young adult novels may feature their characters struggling with internal issues about first loves and achieving goals, yet they don't ignore the real threats of bullies intent on causing physical harm. Harry had to deal with the abuse from Draco and his friends, didn't he? But what elevates JK Rowling's series from the average story is the greater threat on an existential level in the form of Lord Voldemort, an individual feared by the entire community at large, but one who has focused his hateful attention on our protagonist. Not many creators generate a villain on that kind of scale, but the animated films of the Disney Company provide more than a few. As I post the character illustrations in this series, I will make some comments about the film and the characters, but those opinions, like the art, are mine. Those characters are copyright Disney and/or Pixar, but I drew them.