8 Disney Villains Who Weren't Actually That Evil
How is trying to save an entire species evil?
On first reflection, it's simple to identify a Disney villain thanks to their hallmarks. They dress in a red or black, have magnificent evil laughs and grand, theatrical accents. Double points for a British one too, obviously.
If they've got big noses or pointy features, they're evil. If they have designs on power and fame, they're evil. Heck, even if they're a little bit rough with their toys... You guessed it, they're evil.
Sure, most Disney villains are just there to serve a narrative function and to add balance to the heroes, but take a moment to think about it and you might realise that many of them aren't actually that bad. In fact, some of them are sort of being victimised themselves.
That's not to say they're all nice people of course, but examining their pasts and motivations can reveal a lot, throwing their status of "villain" into serious doubt.
8. Gaston Was Just A Product Of The Time
There's no denying it: Beauty And The Beast's Gaston is a bit of a dick - okay a huge dick - but when it comes to placing him on the "evil" scale, he really doesn't rank all that high.
Firstly, let's look at his crimes: he's obsessed with Belle to the point of harassment. He's determined that she'll marry him, even if that's something she's not interested in. Fair enough, these days people like Gaston get a restraining order slapped on them, but back in eighteenth century France, society functioned a bit differently.
I'm not saying it's right, I'm just saying that a man pursuing a female was expected.
Secondly, when the woman he loves is kidnapped by - for all intents and purposes - a supernatural beast whose legend is ferocious and terrifying, he attempts to save her. He's TRYING to be the hero.
Gaston genuinely believes that the beast is dangerous, and so rallies the villagers in an attempt to drive him away and make safe their small French village. And what does he get for it? Tossed off a cliff to his demise - a rare death in Disney's classic animations.
The guy was an ass, but he didn't deserve to go out like that.