The world of Disney is known for its unmatched animation and heartfelt storylines. From betrayals to love interests, Disney never fails to pull on viewers’ heartstrings. Another aspect of Disney’s stories that cause fans’ jaws to drop and hearts to break is the sacrifices that characters are willing to make for one another.
Whether it was Pocahontas’ willingness to die with John Smith or Bruno’s sacrifice to disappear for his family’s happiness in Encanto, there are monumental sacrifices in most Disney films. However, there are a few that stand out as the most-heart wrenching in Disney history.
Ralph Was Willing To Be Deleted To Save Vanellope (Wreck-It Ralph)
In Wreck-It Ralph, Ralph is the antagonist of a video game and is tired of being seen as the bad guy. He goes on a journey to become the good guy, but it’s not without consequences.
Along the way, Ralph meets a glitch – and one of the more likable Wreck-It Ralph characters – named Vanellope. When the two create an unlikely friendship, he tries rescuing her from Cyborgs that were consuming her game, leaving her vulnerable and unsafe. Even though Ralph could have easily left the game to save himself, he triggered a volcano to destroy the cyborgs, knowing that he could be deleted. Vanellope switched roles and saved Ralph after he saved her, but the mutual sacrifice did not go unnoticed.
Coral Died Saving Her Eggs (Finding Nemo)
Coral was Marlin’s wife and Nemo’s mom. She was shown briefly at the start of Finding Nemo, having fun with Marlin. But their lighthearted morning turned deadly when Coral noticed a larger fish eyeing her and the place she was keeping her eggs.
The look on Coral’s face proved that she was terrified of her future children being killed, so she charged the predator to save her kids. Marlin warned Coral not to move, but she did it anyway. In Finding Nemo’s saddest moment, Coral and the majority of their eggs were killed that day, but luckily, Nemo was saved.
Anna Would Have Died For Elsa (Frozen)
Frozen shared the tale of sisterhood and the love Elsa and Anna had for each other. Born with magical powers that turned things into ice, Elsa shut the world out due to shame — including her sister Anna.
But when the antagonist, Hans, intends to kill off the sisters in order to take control of their kingdom, Anna makes the ultimate sacrifice. She dove in front of Elsa as Hans’ sword was drawn and froze to death. By freezing, she saved Elsa’s life, which in turn, ended up saving Anna’s life. Her sacrifice for her sister exemplified Anna’s best traits in Frozen.
Bruno Left For The Betterment Of His Family (Encanto)
Encanto is about the magical Madrigal family and their dedication to one another and the town they live in. Each member of the Madrigal family is given a power that they use to help the town. Bruno Madrigal was given the power of psychic abilities. However, his abilities often showed dark truths, which scared the rest of his family.
To keep his family safe, Bruno disappeared and no one knew what became of him. But as the story goes on, viewers find out that Bruno actually still lived within Casita’s walls. He didn’t want to hurt his family anymore but he still loved them and wanted to be close to them. He sacrificed his own well-being for that of his family. His actions had fans demanding justice for the noble Bruno.
Pocahontas Was Willing To Risk It All For John Smith’s Life (Pocahontas)
Pocahontas was raised to fear outsiders that could potentially endanger her tribe and other tribes like it in Pocahontas. But when she met John Smith, everything changed. She learned more about his world and what his intentions were. But when John is captured by Pocahontas’ tribe, she knew that his life was in danger.
Knowing that peace and communication was the only option for a safe life for all, Pocahontas was ready to sacrifice her own life for John’s. Before her dad was about to kill John in front of everyone, Pocahontas threw herself over John’s body. Her point was proven and John’s life was spared but it was a huge moment.
Bing Bong Fades Away So That Joy Could Take Over (Inside Out)
Inside Out was the intriguing tale of a young girl named Riley and the emotions going on inside her head. Each emotion was its own character. Inside Out delivered memorable quotes, insightful outlooks, and one incredible sacrifice.
Bing Bong was Riley’s imaginary friend, but the older she got, the more Bing Bong began to disappear because Riley was forgetting more and more about her childhood. When Bing Bong and Joy accidentally fell into the memory portal where memories are permanently lost, Bing Bong sacrificed himself so that Joy could continue on and make Riley happy.
King Triton Was Willing To Lose His Kingdom For The Safety Of Ariel (Little Mermaid)
As a mermaid, all Princess Ariel wanted was to have two feet and live a life on land in The Little Mermaid. However, as a mermaid, her father, King Triton, didn’t want her anywhere near land or humans. Ariel made a deal with Ursula the sea witch for the opportunity on land, but if she didn’t have true love’s kiss, she’d be turned into a polyp.
When King Triton found out about his daughter’s deal, he sacrificed himself and his kingdom for her safety. He took her place as a polyp so that she could be free. Viewers learned lessons through The Little Mermaid, like the power of love, using one’s voice, and staying true to one’s self.
Tala Sacrafised Herself For Her Island (Moana)
Moana shared the story of a young girl on a mission to return the Heart of Te Fitti to her island after her tribe deals with an abundance of misfortune to their land. Although it was Moanna’s dad who had the final say on the island due to him being the chief, it was her grandmother Tala who had the best relationship with Moana and her true self.
Knowing Moana had to save the island from destruction, Tala gave Moana the Heart of Te Fiti so she could give it back to the ocean. Tala knew the only thing keeping her alive for so long was the Heart of Te Fiti and without it, she would perish. By giving Moana the Heart of Te Fiti, she sacrificed herself for the betterment of her tribe.
Mulan Would Rather Die For China Than Her Father (Mulan)
In Mulan, the eponymous heroine takes the place of her elderly, injured father fighting in a battle on behalf of the Chinese Army, and this was a huge and dangerous sacrifice.
Mulan was having a hard time fitting in with the other women in her village and was tired of being the joke of her family. When the Chinese Army asked for the men of each family to fight, Mulan couldn’t let her dad join because it was likely wouldn’t come home again. Although women weren’t allowed to fight in the army, Mulan cut her hair and dressed as a man. She made the ultimate sacrifice and would rather keep her dad safe from harm than herself.
Hercules & Meg Gave Up Their Strengths For Each Other (Hercules)
Since Hercules was released in 1997, some viewers may forget the sacrifices Hercules and Megara made for each other. In the story of the Greek gods, Hercules fell in love with Megara without realizing she had a dark past with Hades.
At the end of the film, Hercules promised Hades to give up his strength (the major power that he’s known for) to save Megara’s soul. In a shocking twist, Megara then sacrificed herself to save Hercules from a falling pillar. Hercules used whatever magic he had left to bring Megara back, creating two sacrifices that are both heart-wrenching and inspirational.
