Countdown Of The Best And Worst Disney Guardians Ever

It's no secret that Disney films thrive on the absence of parents in the main characters' lives. Some characters are lucky enough to get awesome guardians who raise them well, and others are stuck with guardians who are not so well-meaning. This is a countdown of Disney guardians from the very best to the very worst.

13. Amphitryon and Alcmene- Hercules

These two made amazing foster parents for Hercules. They defended Herc when the townspeople were mean to him, and they supported him when he decided to go on a quest to find his true place in the world.

12. Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather- Sleeping Beauty

These lovely fairies spent sixteen whole years raising little Aurora into a kind and gentle young woman. They deserve kudos for their dedication, and they get an 'A' for effort for their ambitious birthday party shenanigans.

11. Kala- Tarzan

She rescues baby Tarzan from a vicious leopard, and then raises him all by herself. She also reminds Tarzan that he really isn't that different from the rest of them.

10. Widow Tweed- The Fox and the Hound

She adopts baby Tod and raises him up to be a brave and handsome fox. She would do anything to protect him, and stands up for him as best she can. But she realizes eventually that the safest thing for Tod is to be set free in the wild, and she does so despite how much she'll miss him.

9. Bagheera and Baloo- The Jungle Book

Little Mowgli could never have survived in the jungle without sensible Bagheera and loyal Baloo. We also need to give a special shout-out to Akela the Wolf who raised Mowgli before passing him over to Bagheera.

8. Timothy Q. Mouse- Dumbo

Calling him Dumbo's guardian may be a bit of a stretch, but Timothy Mouse was Dumbo's only friend and mentor in his mother's absence. The reason why I had to give Timothy the #8 spot on the list and not higher is because of the time he accidentally got Dumbo drunk. No baby elephant should have to hallucinate about "technicolor pachyderms."

7. Timon and Pumbaa- The Lion King

While these two were awesome guardians to Simba in many ways, they also initially taught him that it is okay to run away from your problems. So while they were certainly fun, some of their parenting techniques were a tad bit questionable. Eh, hakuna matata.

6. Fagin and the Gang- Oliver and Company

When little Oliver follows Dodger home, Fagin and his family of dogs welcome the tiny kitten and try to teach him how to survive on the street. Unfortunately, what they teach him is how to steal, which is why they didn't get to be higher on the list.

5. Sir Ector- The Sword in the Stone

Sir Ector may not be as scary and mean as other guardians, but he definitely isn't the nicest. He forces little Arthur to do all the chores, and tries to deny him an education from the wizard Merlin.

4. Lady Tremaine- Cinderella

A perfect example of a "wicked stepmother," Lady Tremaine forces her stepdaughter to do all the housework, and even tries to sabotage her chances at true love so that her own horrible daughters might become royalty themselves.

3. Mother Gothel- Tangled

Mother Gothel made it in the top three of this list for three very excellent reasons: 1) She kidnaps Rapunzel as a baby. 2) She only keeps her around so that she can use her hair to keep herself young. And 3) She tries to kill Flynn! To destroy a man capable of that kind of smoulder is a crime all in itself.

2. Judge Claude Frollo- The Hunchback of Notre Dame

First off, he only kept Quasimodo because the archdeacon insisted that if he didn't he'd probably go to hell. Second, he spent twenty years hiding Quasi away, telling him that no one could ever accept or love him. Oh, and he also tries to kill him. That too.

1. The Evil Queen- Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

The word "Evil" is in her character's name. She orders a huntsman to take her stepdaughter into the forest and cut out her heart. Then tries repeatedly to kill her, simply because she is insecure about her own beauty. The Evil Queen is not just the worst Disney guardian ever, but also one of the most despicable villains of all time.