Harry Potter has infected the worldwide language of pop culture in a way that few franchises achieve. Everyone knows what kind of pet they would bring, what kind of wand they would have, and what their favorite Hogwarts subject would be without any of it being real. It is unlike any other film series in this way.
Perhaps the biggest indicator of Harry Potter fandom, though, is knowing which Hogwarts House you fall into. Once more, these houses can be applied to other fictional characters too, similar to a pseudo personality test. Looking specifically at the world of Disney, here are ten villains sorted into their Hogwarts House.
Captain Hook - Hufflepuff
Strangely enough, not every villain fits squarely into the Slytherin category. Certainly, they all commit despicable acts, but just like in Harry Potter, not everything is as clear-cut as it seems. Peter Pettigrew, for example, is one of the evilest characters in the entire series but was originally a Gryffindor. This being the case, many of the villains ended up falling into many other houses outside Slytherin.
Captain Hook is an interesting figure because most of his evil is fairly justified. The only reason he is enemies with Peter Pan is that Peter literally sliced his hand off. Once again, this child amputated a man’s limb. Hook shows often that he’s really a normal guy who is on his wit’s end (and even shows a soft side at times). He embodies the persona fully of a fallen Hufflepuff.
Cruella de Vil - Slytherin
Though a few villains never landed anywhere near Slytherin, there’s no denying that most did. Half the time, Disney mixes their characterizations up, giving audiences surprising new villains. Other times, though, especially in their older films, the villains are fairly cookie-cutter baddies with evil ambitions.
Cruella de Vil is one such villain. Her entire character embodies a lack of empathy for other living things, and she is only about self-preservation and luxury. Unlike most decent human beings who would never consider skinning puppies, Cruella doesn’t give it a second thought. She will do anything to get what she wants.
Gaston - Gryffindor
Gaston is one of the most iconic and unique Disney villains. Unlike many of them, he is not a quintessential evil mastermind. He’s a big dumb jock full of misplaced and toxic confidence. It’s this reason alone that makes him so scary. Everyone knows a Gaston.
In regards to his house placement, Gaston would most likely fall straight into Gryffindor. Although most of our heroes fall into this house, many stuck-up, overly cocky characters do as well. Cormac McLaggen instantly comes to mind. Gaston’s boisterous energy and loud personality would make him the embarrassment of the whole Gryffindor House.
Hades - Ravenclaw
Hades as a character easily could have fit into the Slytherin archetype. He’s cunning, ambitious, and incredibly hungry for power. Hades holds a snooty air of self-importance, though that feels like a Ravenclaw gone bad. So many of his remarks and his overall demeanor comes across as someone who feels like his brilliance is going unnoticed.
Not to mention, the incompetence and stupidity of his minions, Pain and Panic, drive him up a wall. Hades in many ways, then, does fulfill the many defining characteristics of a Ravenclaw. Although he is evil, he really is often the smartest one in the room. Not to mention, Hades is witty beyond belief, and it extends beyond any other villain in all of Disney.
Mother Gothel - Hufflepuff
Mother Gothel was an incredibly disturbing villain. Her motivations were simple and not evil. All she craved was self-preservation, but not for ambitious purposes. That being said, the means in which she achieved these goals are the disturbing aspect. Kidnapping, neglect, and overall emotional abuse are just a few of her crimes.
Her ability to understand human emotions, and not to mention her problematic but honest compassion towards Rapunzel, indicates that she would most likely be sorted into Hufflepuff. This does not validate her actions whatsoever but reveals how she was able to pull them off. Gothel is an incredibly empathetic individual, and sadly, she uses those instincts for malevolent purposes.
Scar - Slytherin
Scar is embodied by his jealousy and harmful ambition. The entire time he is on screen, his only goal is to gain more power at any cost (even if it means murdering his brother and banishing his nephew). Because of this, Scar is clearly a Slytherin.
There are other elements to Scar’s personality that could allow him to slip into other roles too, though. If puns are your thing, he could fit right into Gryffindor (but this is Harry Potter and Disney we’re talking about here, so it needs to be taken seriously). On the other hand, Scar holds similar traits to Ravenclaw as well. He is full of wit and misplaced arrogance in his capability as a leader. His ambition, though, is clearly what defines him most, making him a clear-cut member of Slytherin house.
Jafar - Slytherin
Jafar is a madman—there is no doubt about it. That being said, he is cunning and precise in his search for power. Like many of these villains, he is defined mostly by his ambition. Jafar has a whole other dynamic with his ambition, though, and that is his pure entitlement.
Similar to Scar who believes he is the rightful ruler, Jafar believes he is entitled to more wealth, power, and not to mention women (that scene between him and Jasmine is disturbing upon rewatch). Jafar is the absolute worst because of this. Like the pureblood politics of the wizarding world, Jafar’s beliefs are steeped in abusive entitlement. It also doesn’t help that he turns into a snake.
Maleficent - Ravenclaw
One of the most fan-favorite villains in the bunch, Maleficent is an icon of Disney animation. Everything about her, from her excellent costume and character design to the perfect voice performance from the late Eleanor Audley, exudes a sophisticated evil. She has no peers in the canon of Disney villains.
Her personality, though, shines through even more than her appearance and voice. Maleficent is regal and sophisticated but also has a terrifying short fuse. Although she turns into a scaly winged serpent, Maleficent falls far more under the Ravenclaw banner than the Slytherin one. She is frustrated by incompetent followers just like Hades and has no patience for short-minded fools.
Yzma - Ravenclaw
Yzma, played perfectly by the late, great Eartha Kitt, is obviously a Ravenclaw. All of her motivations are certainly steeped in the ambition of gaining power, but her reasonings are less selfish. Yzma knows that Kuzco is not the smartest tool in the shed and that she has better reasoning and knowledge to be empress. Sadly, it is her lacking empathy that impacts her ability to be a great leader.
It is fascinating how many of these villains fall into one of two categories: Slytherin or Ravenclaw. Perhaps it is because so many villains are seen as villains because their exposure to the harsh realities of life led to an interpretation of evil or even nihilism. No matter what, it is an interesting aspect of these characters.
Ursula - Slytherin
Once again, many of the villains are purely defined by their ambition and lust for power. Ursula is no different. So much of her desires in The Little Mermaid surround revenge against Triton and then a regaining of authority under the sea. She is calculated and mischevious in her methods, which also points to her innate tendency to be seen as a Slytherin.
It is a shame that so many of the past villains are so similar in characterization. Obviously, it is easy to point to these traits as the most discernable personification of evil, but it is proven with characters such as Mother Gothel that evil comes in many forms. Perhaps as Disney moves forward, their villains will adopt more well-rounded characterizations.
