When you think of Disney sidekicks, you probably think of noble characters like Jiminy Cricket, the Seven Dwarfs, and Timon & Pumbaa. But throughout the animation studio’s long history, there have been plenty of sidekicks and henchmen that have not only served the central villain but also upstaged their diabolical masters on a consistent basis. We decided to limit ourselves to those evil sidekicks that had a fair amount of screen time, which explains the absence of such notable figures as Lady in the Tramp’s Si and Am, 101 Dalmatians’ Jasper and Horace, and Sleeping Beauty’s Diablo from the following list:
1. Iago ('Aladdin')
As the sarcastic sidekick to central villain Jafar, Iago immediately establishes himself as exactly the sort of right-hand man that every bad guy needs. Iago’s willingness to help ensure the success of his master’s diabolical plan is only a small part of what makes him the ideal sidekick, with the loud-mouthed parrot’s ongoing words of encouragement for Jafar and his seething hatred of the heroes confirming his place as Disney’s most entertainingly evil right-hand man. (And, of course, you can’t talk about Iago without mentioning Gilbert Gottfried’s hilarious performance as the fast-talking character – with the comedian-turned-actor’s famously grating voice a perfect match for Iago’s curmudgeonly demeanor.)
2. Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed ('The Lion King')
Scar remains one of the most memorable villains within all of Disney’s animated films, and it’s clear that he wouldn’t have gotten to where he is without the assistance of these three vicious, thoroughly devious hyenas. Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed play an instrumental role in executing Scar’s sadistic schemes, with their repeated attempts at eating hero Simba paling in comparison to their role in the murder of Simba’s noble father, Mufasa. The only thing preventing their ascent to the top of this list is their collective decision to turn on Scar in the movie’s final moments, which ensures that they almost manage to redeem themselves after spending much of The Lion King’s running time behaving as ruthlessly as one could imagine.
3. Kronk ('The Emperor’s New Groove')
Though far from the most evil or conniving of sidekicks, Kronk is certainly one of the most entertaining henchmen to ever grace Disney’s animated landscape. Hilariously voiced by Patrick Warburton, Kronk dutifully serves the central villain in The Emperor’s New Groove, Yzma, yet also displays a surprising amount of sympathy for the film’s two protagonists (Kuzco and Pacha). Kronk, who went on to headline a direct-to-video sequel entitled Kronk’s New Groove, is generally portrayed as a dim-witted flunky who relies heavily on the advice of the little angel and devil that appear on his shoulders, with his goofy demeanor ensuring that the viewer can’t help but like him even when he’s doing bad things.
4. Flotsam and Jetsam ('The Little Mermaid')
There are few evil sidekicks within the Disney canon that are as ruthlessly efficient and unquestioningly loyal as Flotsam and Jetsam, as these two psychically-connected moray eels prove instrumental in carrying out central villain Ursula’s various plots and schemes. Voiced by Paddi Edwards, Flotsam and Jetsam use their mystical powers to provide Ursula with a view of the outside world – which the sinister sea witch uses to spy on the comings and goings of Ariel. Their dedication to their master eventually results in their downfall, however, as the pair is killed by a shot that Ursula had intended for Ariel’s two-legged beau, Prince Eric.
5. Pain and Panic ('Hercules')
Perhaps the most incompetent of all the evil Disney sidekicks, Pain and Panic’s bumbling nature ensures that they inevitably wind up foiling most of their master’s evil schemes – with their time instead spent coming up with different ways to avoid Hades’ considerable wrath. And given that the characters are voiced by Bobcat Goldthwait and Matt “Max Headroom” Frewer, it’s not surprising to note that both Pain and Panic are responsible for much of the comedic relief within Hercules. The mischievous imps are nothing short of delighted once Hades inevitably receives his comeuppance, as it means that the best friends will no longer have to cater to their boss’ every whim and desire.
1. Iago ('Aladdin')
As the sarcastic sidekick to central villain Jafar, Iago immediately establishes himself as exactly the sort of right-hand man that every bad guy needs. Iago’s willingness to help ensure the success of his master’s diabolical plan is only a small part of what makes him the ideal sidekick, with the loud-mouthed parrot’s ongoing words of encouragement for Jafar and his seething hatred of the heroes confirming his place as Disney’s most entertainingly evil right-hand man. (And, of course, you can’t talk about Iago without mentioning Gilbert Gottfried’s hilarious performance as the fast-talking character – with the comedian-turned-actor’s famously grating voice a perfect match for Iago’s curmudgeonly demeanor.)
2. Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed ('The Lion King')
Scar remains one of the most memorable villains within all of Disney’s animated films, and it’s clear that he wouldn’t have gotten to where he is without the assistance of these three vicious, thoroughly devious hyenas. Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed play an instrumental role in executing Scar’s sadistic schemes, with their repeated attempts at eating hero Simba paling in comparison to their role in the murder of Simba’s noble father, Mufasa. The only thing preventing their ascent to the top of this list is their collective decision to turn on Scar in the movie’s final moments, which ensures that they almost manage to redeem themselves after spending much of The Lion King’s running time behaving as ruthlessly as one could imagine.
3. Kronk ('The Emperor’s New Groove')
Though far from the most evil or conniving of sidekicks, Kronk is certainly one of the most entertaining henchmen to ever grace Disney’s animated landscape. Hilariously voiced by Patrick Warburton, Kronk dutifully serves the central villain in The Emperor’s New Groove, Yzma, yet also displays a surprising amount of sympathy for the film’s two protagonists (Kuzco and Pacha). Kronk, who went on to headline a direct-to-video sequel entitled Kronk’s New Groove, is generally portrayed as a dim-witted flunky who relies heavily on the advice of the little angel and devil that appear on his shoulders, with his goofy demeanor ensuring that the viewer can’t help but like him even when he’s doing bad things.
4. Flotsam and Jetsam ('The Little Mermaid')
There are few evil sidekicks within the Disney canon that are as ruthlessly efficient and unquestioningly loyal as Flotsam and Jetsam, as these two psychically-connected moray eels prove instrumental in carrying out central villain Ursula’s various plots and schemes. Voiced by Paddi Edwards, Flotsam and Jetsam use their mystical powers to provide Ursula with a view of the outside world – which the sinister sea witch uses to spy on the comings and goings of Ariel. Their dedication to their master eventually results in their downfall, however, as the pair is killed by a shot that Ursula had intended for Ariel’s two-legged beau, Prince Eric.
5. Pain and Panic ('Hercules')
Perhaps the most incompetent of all the evil Disney sidekicks, Pain and Panic’s bumbling nature ensures that they inevitably wind up foiling most of their master’s evil schemes – with their time instead spent coming up with different ways to avoid Hades’ considerable wrath. And given that the characters are voiced by Bobcat Goldthwait and Matt “Max Headroom” Frewer, it’s not surprising to note that both Pain and Panic are responsible for much of the comedic relief within Hercules. The mischievous imps are nothing short of delighted once Hades inevitably receives his comeuppance, as it means that the best friends will no longer have to cater to their boss’ every whim and desire.
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