The parents of our favorite Disney characters are sometimes more fascinating than their children. Disney has created moms, dads, and step-parents that are everything parents should be: loving, open, protective, etc… On the other side of the coin, Disney also has parents that could take a few lessons from the loving ones.
Child-parent relationships were important to Walt Disney, who lost his own mother when the furnace in the house he bought her leaked and caused her premature death, according toBusiness Insider. Perhaps reflecting the guilt that Disney was known to live with after the tragedy, several prominent Disney characters are also separated from their mothers. Often, they’re left in the care of ignorant fathers or evil stepmothers.
Updated on March 23rd, 2022, by Lynn Gibbs: Most Disney movies involve the bond between parent and child. Whether it’s a child trying to find themselves with the help of their parents or a child who is lost because of the death of a parent, the power of family and independence is a strong theme throughout Disney movies. From the Evil Queen in Snow White to Mufasa in Lion King, some Disney parents are fantastic while others are some of the worst.
The Evil Queen (Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs)
When it comes to Disney parents, nobody is quite as bad as the Evil Queen from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Disney comes up with a lot of terrible parents and step-parents, but the queen takes her disdain for her step-daughter to a whole new level by trying to have her killed.
The Evil Queen is so jealous of Snow White’s beauty that when she finds out that she hasn’t been killed, she transforms herself into an old which to do the job herself. The Evil Queen is deplorable but the way she was animated inspired fan art that was as chilling as her.
Lady Tremaine (Cinderella)
Cinderella’s Lady Tremaine follows closely in the Evil Queen’s footsteps in the sense that she also loathes her step-daughter because she’s secretly jealous of her. While the Evil Queen envies Snow White’s beauty, Lady Tremaine is jealous of Cinderella’s kind nature (and, probably, her singing voice, which Lady Tremaine’s own daughters lack). Cinderella had amazing traits in contrast to her daughters, which Lady Tremaine despised.
Lady Tremaine doesn’t try to kill Cinderella, but she does make her life miserable in whatever way she can. Locking Cinderella in a room so she can’t try on the glass slipper and marry the prince definitely puts her in the evil category.
Kerhak (Tarzan)
When Kerchak and Kala lose their son in Tarzan, Kala finds comfort when she finds baby Tarzan. Despite Tarzan being human, Kala intended on raising him as her own. Kerchak despised the thought of raising a human and thought he was going to grow up to harm them.
Tarzan grew up desperately trying to gain his father’s approval but he never got it until Tarzan saved everyone from a dangerous leopard. But even then, it seemed too late. Tarzan’s quotes on family and his love for his “fellow” gorillas should have changed Kerchak’s mind early on but it never did.
Mr. Darling (Peter Pan)
Mr. Darling is absent for much of Peter Pan since the majority of the story takes place in Neverland. But the few scenes viewers do see with him leave a strong impression. He refuses to let his children get lost in their dreams, despite the fact that they’re all literally children, and he also takes his foul temper out on Nana the dog. His behavior didn’t age well in Peter Pan.
Of course, Mr. Darling realizes he’s been too harsh when he sees the pirate ship flying away in the sky, remembering his own childhood in the process. There’s a glimmer of good in Mr. Darling but it takes the entire movie to see it.
Fa Zhou (Mulan)
As Mulan’s dad, Fa Zhou is a man of honor and pride in Mulan. Everything he does is for his family and for the town’s respect. With Mulan being a young lady, Fa Zhou and Mulan’s mom, Fa Li, wanted Mulan to focus on her manners so that she could marry well. However, Mulan had other aspirations in mind.
When Mulan pretended to be a boy and took her dad’s position in war so that he wouldn’t have to fight, it’s clear she does this because she loves her dad. Although he was tough on Mulan, she sought his approval and cared for his safety. Their bond proved that Fa Zhou was tough but kind.
King Triton (The Little Mermaid)
Unlike the Evil Queen and Lady Tremaine, The Little Mermaid’s King Triton really does have his daughter’s best interests at heart. But he’s just one of those dads that’s completely closed-minded and stubborn. He also has no control over his emotions and is prone to yelling at Ariel and destroying all her belongings, which leaves her feeling horrible. It was his actions that pushed Ariel to run away to land all the more.
King Triton redeems himself in the end by signing over his soul so that Ariel can be free of the sea witch. He does love Ariel — he just doesn’t know how to show it sometimes.
The Sultan (Aladdin)
The Sultan’s heart is in the right place as far as raising Princess Jasmine in Aladdin goes, but he’s still not the best father in the world. He tried pressuring her to marry awful princes and it makes her feel trapped in her own palace. Plus, his ignorance and naivety lead to Jafar totally manipulating him and their family.
In the end, the Sultan makes it up to Jasmine by changing the law to allow Jasmine and Aladdin to marry, even though he’s not a prince, proving that the Sultan wasn’t a bad dad. His jolly nature made him one of the more likable characters but he could have done more to keep his daughter safe and happy.
Bambi’s Mom
Bambi told the tale of a young male deer, Bambi, who was orphaned as a child and had to find his way in the forest with a little help from some forest friends. At the start of the film, viewers are introduced to baby Bambi and his mother.
Not much is known about his mother but viewers saw her protecting him from the elements and teaching him about life. Once winter came and hunting season approached, Bambi’s mother knew their lives were in danger and encouraged her son to run deep within the forest. She lost her life that day to a hunter, but she did it to protect her son. Her selflessness is a big reason why Bambi is turning into an upcoming live-action movie.
Maurice (Beauty And The Beast)
As far as Disney parents go, Maurice from Beauty and the Beast is a pretty good dad. When Belle is locked in the Beast’s castle in his place, he tries to get help for her, never worrying about the fact that the locals in the village believe he’s insane.
When Maurice can’t rally the help he needs to go and rescue Belle, he finds the courage to go after her on his own and face the Beast. Belle worried about her father’s health during the entire ordeal, proving how close these two were. His dedication to his daughter’s safety made him one of the movie’s most-liked characters.
Chief Powhatan (Pocahontas)
For Pocahontas, it was difficult having her dad be the chief of their tribe because he wasn’t always there when she needed him. This is why she relied on Grandmother Willow so much. Because of his position in the tribe and not being around a lot, Chief Powhatan did everything he could to protect Pocahontas. He taught her about nature and her intuition… A prequel for this Disney movie would be prevalent for fans.
In the end, Pocahontas was the one to remind her dad about love and respect and he listened to her the way a good dad does.
Pongo And Perdita (One Hundred And One Dalmatians)
It’s pretty clear why Pongo and Perdita from 101 Dalmatians are two of the best parents in the Disney universe. Aside from raising all of those puppies, Pongo and Perdita put themselves in danger to save their puppies from the evil, villainous Cruella de Vil.
When more puppies need rescuing, Pongo and Perdita’s parental instincts kick in and they decide to adopt them all and bring them home. The pups couldn’t ask for a better mom or dad, and neither could Disney.
Duchess (The Aristocats)
Anybody who’s seen The Aristocats will know how much Duchess loves her three kittens, Toulouse, Berlioz, and Marie. She’s with them every waking minute and also sleeps with them in a crib next to their Madam’s bed. When all four of them are catnapped and dumped in the countryside, she watches over her kittens protectively until they find their way home.
As their mother, Duchess turned a very sad situation into an adventure. Duchess always puts her kittens’ needs ahead of her own and raises them to practice their manners and the etiquette expected of high-society cats.
Geppetto (Pinocchio)
Pinocchio’s Geppetto might not be Pinocchio’s father in the biological sense, but he is his father for all intents and purposes. And he is one of the top parents in Disney thanks to his sheer love for Pinocchio. He is overcome with joy when he discovers that Pinocchio has come to life and is endlessly grateful for the opportunity to be a real father.
When Pinocchio goes missing, Geppetto searches to the ends of the world for him, getting swallowed by a whale in the process. Thankfully, Pinocchio does become a real boy in the end, fulfilling his father’s wish.
Mufasa (The Lion King)
Mufasa from The Lion King is easily the most iconic parent on the Disney scene. Of course, he has a temper that makes Simba a little scared of him, but he is detected to raise Simba to be a strong ruler and capable king. Before his passing, Mufasa spends the majority of his time teaching Simba the ways of life.
On top of raising him well, Mufasa also sacrifices himself to save Simba’s life, falling right into Scar’s trap. We can all agree that watching him die is one of life’s most traumatic pastimes, but even in death, Mufasa uses his wisdom to guide Simba to the right path.
