For decades, Disney, and Pixar painted the world in neat strokes of good, and evil. Princesses sparkled, heroes triumphed, and villains were made to be hated. As children, we booed at Scar, scowled at Maleficent, and wished Jafar would just disappear. But something has shifted in recent years. The studios that taught us to fear the wicked have begun giving them voices, backstories, and our sympathy.
Why this change? Why take the icons of fear, and turn them into layered human beings? Perhaps because it reflects the world we live in. A world not of absolutes, but of nuance.
Giving the Villain a Voice
The decision to tell the stories of villains may have started as a creative risk, but it has struck a chord with audiences. Films like Maleficent(2014),Cruella(2021). And Pixar’s more subtle gray characters(Toy Story 3’s Lotso, or Inside Out’s Sadness, and Anger, in their way) have shown us that everyone has a reason for the way they are.
Cruella (YouTube)
Take Cruella, for example. The woman we grew up loathing for her desire to skin adorable dalmatians turns out to be a fiercely creative, wronged young designer pushed by loss, and betrayal into her eccentric, vengeful self. Suddenly, the cartoonish villain from our childhood feels real. Complex. Maybe even tragic.
Maleficent (YouTube)
Similarly, Maleficent rewrote the tale of Sleeping Beauty, showing how betrayal, and injustice hardened a once-loving fairy into a figure of menace. The moment you understand her pain, the sharp edges of her malice feel less like pure evil, and more like grief turned outward.
What This Does for the Story, and for Us
By giving villains depth, Disney, and Pixar have moved beyond simple morality plays. They’ve started to reflect the way real humans are- Gray. And not purely black or white.
In reality, no one wakes up, and decides to be a villain. Trauma, injustice, desire, and circumstance shape people. These backstories don’t excuse cruelty, but they help us understand it. When a character’s motivations come into view, our own empathy deepens.
It’s also a subtle way of teaching audiences, especially young ones. That the world is not neatly divided into heroes, and villains. That behind bad behavior, there’s often a story worth listening to. That forgiveness, or understanding doesn’t make you weak, but wise.
Lotso in Toy Story 3 (YouTube)
Other Examples of Shades of Gray
Even outside the obvious villain-centered films, Pixar especially has been adept at showing complexity in its characters.
Lotso in Toy Story 3: A cuddly bear with a tragic abandonment story that warped his sense of love.
Ernesto de la Cruz in Coco: A beloved musician hiding betrayal, and ambition under charm.
These characters don’t just scare us, they make us think. They hold up a mirror to the darker parts of ourselves.
Ernesto de la Cruz in Coco (YouTube)
Why It Matters
In a world that often demands us to pick sides quickly, these stories remind us to pause. To look closer. They quietly dismantle the myth of pure evil, and teach us that even those who hurt others are human. That empathy does not mean agreement, but understanding.
Disney, and Pixar’s shift is more than just good storytelling. It’s a cultural evolution. A recognition that fairy tales are more powerful when they feel real. And reality, as it turns out, is full of people painted in shades of gray.
