19 most dramatic and over-the-top Disney villains

Governor Ratcliffe — Pocahontas

We’ve all had nightmare bosses who are impossible to impress, but very few of us can say those bosses were royalty. Pocahontas’ Governor Ratcliffe certainly rises to the challenge, however, and full on tries to commit genocide to please his king.

It’s very dark for Disney (unsurprising considering the true story of Pocahontas), but Ratcliffe goes above and beyond in the villainy sense, even so. His Disney Wiki entry says he is “highly xenophobic (even for the period in which he lives),” which is almost comical, again considering the true story of Pocahontas.

But anyway, he is a very bad man, who does not listen to reason and whose sole goal seems to be to earn praise. Indeed, his villainous fatal flaw is not arrogance, which so many Disney baddies suffer from, but instead, lack of self-esteem.

He laments that he’s never been considered a popular man, and that most people at court dismiss him as a social climber (which would, admittedly, be correct). It’s almost enough for us to want to give him a little RuPaul-esque pep talk, but you know. Cool motive, still colonization.

Not content with claiming and digging up a land that is not his own, like any good villain, Ratcliffe compensates for his lack of respect and talent by dressing in regal purples and a really natty cape. He also has two pigtails, which are historically accurate but none the less remind us of Amanda Thripp from Matilda. (Are you a pig, Ratcliffe?)

His actions point to yes. But he has a banging villain song (complete with some epic dirt and axe choreography), and we do admire his choice of tiny dog.

Percy the pug can stay. And his bowl of cherries too.