10 Most Satisfying Disney Villains Deaths Of All Time

The Lion King was heavily inspired by a little play called Hamlet, so the saga of betrayal and revenge isn’t exactly unpredictable. This, however, doesn’t diminish in any way the two key deaths in the film, which are some of the most impactful moments in the studio’s history.

The first is devastating, up there with Bambi’s mother. Simba’s father Mustafa is murdered and usurped by his jealous brother Scar, chucked from a cliff to his death. We all remember where we were when we saw Mustafa’s death the first time, and there’s nothing satisfying about it. Scar’s death, though? Now that’s a fist pumping moment if ever we saw one. Like the Dane, Simba channels his grief into rage, and returns to the pride to accuse Scar, now a despot, of fratricide.

Unlike Hamlet, though, Scar is mauled to death and probably eaten by a pack of wise cracking, goose stepping hyenas. It’s a gruesome proposition, but when your villain is as evil as the Jeremy Irons-voiced Scar, you’re happy to see it. Hyenas may have been a little incongruous in 16th century Denmark, but there’s no denying they add a certain something.