14 Disney Moments of Villains Who Have Mastered the Art of Gaslighting and Manipulation

As much as we love our Disney princesses and princes, most of their villains are notably iconic. As kids, we tend to automatically side with the good characters, but as adults, we come to realize how truly clever these villains are for successfully manipulating the protagonists in the first place—that, or the princesses are just completely naive and oblivious to the acts of manipulation and gaslighting done to them.

In real life, manipulators are masters at taking control of others to do or say anything they desire, using their cunning charm to their advantage. This is evident in many friendships and romantic relationships, especially when it's hard to spot the red flags initially.

Contrary to what people may think, many do not even realize they are being manipulated until years later when they reflect on what they have gone through. That's what manipulators do—they put you in some sort of trance or hypnosis to make you believe you are acting out of your own interest, but in reality, they are merely twisting you to bow down to their wishes.

Disney is excellent at showcasing this kind of mental magic in their films, especially the animated ones we used to watch as kids (and still do, honestly). Instead of just having a typical villain with powers they use to wreak havoc, they also employ manipulation and gaslighting techniques to make their characters even more sinister.

Take Mother Gothel, for example—she's the epitome of a gaslighter and a master manipulator all rolled into one. She constantly makes Rapunzel feel naive and clueless, causing the princess to question her worth throughout the time she was under the hag's care.

Take a look at some of the most prime examples of gaslighting and manipulation used in Disney films:

1. When Scar manipulated Simba into thinking that it was his fault Mufasa died.

2. This scene with Jafar from 'Aladdin'

3. When this Stinky Pete scene occurred in 'Toy Story 2'

4. Mother Gothel, master of guilt-tripping

5. Lotso's scene in 'Toy Story 3'

6. This one's more on the humorous side, but it's still a form of manipulation—when Hades invalidated Megara's feelings.

7. When Gaston and LaFou painted Belle's father as a crazy man

8. Gothel making Rapunzel question her choices once again

9. When this scene occurred in 'Zootopia':

10. Mother Gothel's consistent attempts to keep Rapunzel from leaving the tower. She's using scare tactics this time.

11. This Judge Claude Frollo scene in 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame'

12. Let's face it, this scene in Frozen was the ultimate betrayal of all! Hans was even marketed as the good guy in their promotions.

13. When Mother Gothel used a guilt tactic that parents often employ to gather sympathy from their kids, even when they're the ones in the wrong.

14. When Madame Medusa said this in 'The Rescuers'

Disney certainly has a knack for creating multidimensional characters as villains, and honestly, if it weren't for the presence of these manipulators in their films, everything would have been dull and boring—and naturally, there wouldn't be any story to tell! It's great that they are shedding light on these kinds of behaviors, and while kids may have a hard time digesting the concepts of manipulation, it serves as an excellent medium for us adults to teach them about it.

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