From epic sword fights to magical duels, Disney knows how to deliver unforgettable confrontations! Join us as we count down the most thrilling face-offs between heroes and villains in Disney's animated classics. Which showdown had you on the edge of your seat?
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00:00Now this looks familiar.
00:06Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for Disney's most epic fights
00:11between the heroes and villains.
00:13Now shall you deal with me, your prince, and all the powers of hell!
00:22Number 20.
00:23Robin Hood vs. The Sheriff of Nottingham, Robin Hood
00:32Though most of the action sequences are played for laughs, the film's final act gets pretty
00:36intense.
00:37As Robin Hood is cornered by royal guards, he scrambles for refuge in the castle.
00:41He evades capture only to run into the Sheriff of Nottingham, who comes at him with a blazing
00:46torch.
00:49The set piece is surprisingly tense, as the titular character has never seemed so close
00:54to death as he is here.
00:55As the town is consumed by flames, Robin is just barely able to escape by leaping into
00:59a moat.
01:12Number 19.
01:13Elsa vs. Hans and the Guards, Frozen
01:23As beautiful as Elsa's creations can be, her abilities also make her a force to be
01:27reckoned with in a fight.
01:28Nowhere is this better demonstrated than the standoff within her ice palace.
01:32It's not often we get to see Disney heroines fully unleashing their powers upon their enemies.
01:41The Ice Queen not only delivers, she gives us a battle straight out of a superhero movie.
01:46She constructs all kinds of weapons on the fly to defend herself.
01:50Elsa may not be a monster, but she can be an intimidating fighter when she wants to
01:53be.
02:04Number 18.
02:05Ralph vs. Turbo, Wreck-It Ralph
02:14The video game villain turned hero was already a powerhouse to begin with, so you know it's
02:18serious if he's outmatched.
02:20In this final battle akin to a boss level, Ralph is put on the back foot by Turbo, who's
02:24now a massive cyborg insect.
02:34Honestly calling it a battle may be generous.
02:36The living virus proves to be just too fast and strong for Ralph to defeat.
02:40Left with no other choice, he decides to make the ultimate sacrifice in order to save Vanellope.
02:45It's about as tense and emotional as you can get for a story climax.
02:59Number 17.
03:00Tiana vs. Dr. Facilier, The Princess and the Frog
03:09Not all hero-villain encounters are full of action.
03:12In Tiana's case, her long-awaited meeting with the Shadow Man turns out to be an emotional
03:16conflict rather than a physical brawl.
03:18Instead of trying to overpower her, the antagonist offers to fulfill her dream in exchange for
03:22a talisman that would help him take over the city.
03:25Fortunately, she realizes that taking his deal would mean dishonoring her father and
03:29backs out.
03:40Seeing Tiana set aside her dream for the greater good was a satisfying moment for her character.
03:45The showdown also has an enjoyably grim end for Facilier.
04:02Number 16.
04:03Milo vs. Rourke, Atlantis The Lost Empire
04:17Even though he's just a clumsy linguist, Milo Thatch proves to be much more in the
04:21battle for Atlantis.
04:22With Kida merged with the Crystal, the mercenary Rourke prepares to escape and collect his
04:27pay.
04:28However, Milo rallies a small army to take back the heart of Atlantis.
04:39His daring attack eventually puts him face-to-face with the villain, but he is hopelessly outmatched.
04:43On top of Rourke being far stronger than he is, the two are fighting in a burning airship.
04:48But Milo is able to outwit the commander, proving that brains can outclass Brawn any
04:53day.
05:06Number 15.
05:08Basil vs. Professor Rattigan, The Great Mouse Detective
05:18One of the more underrated films in the Disney pantheon, this Sherlock Holmes-inspired flick
05:22has one of the most creative showdowns, as Basil takes on Rattigan inside the iconic
05:26Big Ben clock tower.
05:28Complicating matters is the presence of little Olivia, who is nearly crushed by the clock's
05:32years before Basil is able to save her.
05:47Rattigan gives Basil a pretty good beating, but when the clock bell strikes ten, it appears
05:51both fall to their deaths.
05:53Miraculously, Basil is able to save himself by flying a piece of wreckage from Rattigan's
05:57dirigible.
06:07Number 14.
06:09Merlin vs. Madame Mim, The Sword in the Stone
06:21Who doesn't love a wizard's duel?
06:23This showdown pits Merlin's expertise and knowledge against Madame Mim's dark magic.
06:28It's all set in motion when Mim changes herself into a cat, and attempts to eat Arthur, who
06:32has been changed into a sparrow.
06:34Merlin arrives just in time to save his life, whereupon Mim challenges Merlin to a wizard's
06:38duel.
06:43The wily witch attempts to defeat the old mage by cheating and using black magic, but
06:48in the world of Disney, good always triumphs over evil.
06:52After a long and inventive battle, Merlin eventually outwits Mim by turning into a germ
06:56and infecting her with a chickenpox-like disease.
07:18Number 13.
07:19Raya vs. Namari, Raya and the Last Dragon
07:37Whether or not this film delivered on its promise of a thrilling fantasy adventure is
07:40up to you, but there's no denying that Raya's final confrontation with Namari is breathtaking.
07:46The stakes have also never felt so personal, as Raya marches right into the lion's den
07:50to avenge Sisu.
07:52Everything here from the lighting to the use of color sets the stage for a memorable showdown.
08:07The swordplay also just feels so swift and deadly.
08:10Plus, the shots of the crumbling palace and the people trying to escape the Druun raise
08:14the tension of the one-on-one fight occurring simultaneously.
08:24Number 12.
08:26Emperor Kuzco vs. Yzma, The Emperor's New Groove
08:29It's important for showdowns to put us on the edge of our seats.
08:44We often do so by depicting the hero in the fight for their lives, but this one isn't
08:48so much dark as it is hilarious.
08:50Instead of a white-knuckle duel or a fight to save the world, the final act revolves
08:54around a chase for a chemical vial.
09:07All kinds of cartoon and magical hijinks ensue, and the gags just keep on coming, but that
09:12doesn't mean there isn't room for great emotional payoffs.
09:14By the end, Kuzco and Pacha are finally able to work together and scale the palace wall,
09:19proving that even the most selfish people can change.
09:39Number 11.
09:41Big Hero 6 vs. Yo-Kai, Big Hero 6
10:10The final act of this Oscar-winning film is one of Disney's most impressive visual spectacles.
10:15In an attempt to destroy Crytek, the vengeful Kalligan opens a portal above San Fransokyo.
10:20Hero and his friends arrive to stop him, but become progressively overpowered by his microbot
10:25army, which can create pretty much anything.
10:39The heroes are then forced to think outside the box to win the day.
10:43From Gogo Tamago's super speed to Fred's side-spinning, this fight has all kinds of
10:47awesome superhero action.
10:49The depiction of each skill set is so creative that it's basically impossible to look away
10:53from the screen.
11:14Number 10.
11:15Moana and Maui vs. Tayka, Moana
11:39This duo's first assault on Tayka ended in disaster.
11:42Moana's sailing was reckless, and Maui nearly lost his source of power in the process.
11:47Fortunately, the two would later find their inner strength, and work together to restore
11:51the heart of Te Fiti.
11:52The ensuing battle actually feels like a showdown between two gods.
12:07Maui does everything in his power to hold off the massive lava monster, even going as
12:11far as destroying his trusty hook to save Moana.
12:14His sacrifice was worth it in the end, however, as he bought the time she needed to figure
12:17out the truth behind Tayka and Te Fiti.
12:36Number 9.
12:37Peter Pan vs. Captain Hook, Peter Pan
12:53Who doesn't love a good swashbuckling sword fight?
12:56On board the Jolly Roger, Peter Pan faces off against his longtime nemesis, Captain
13:00Hook.
13:01Although the atmosphere is generally playful, things ramp up as the pirate captain becomes
13:04more bloodthirsty.
13:14The finale gets a suspenseful edge, as Hook comes closer than ever to beating his foe.
13:19Of course, Pan takes him down and reminds him of the coward that he really is.
13:22It's a thrilling sequence from start to finish, but we'd expect no less from one
13:26of Disney's most iconic fantasy films.
13:41Number 8.
13:42Tarzan vs. Clayton, Tarzan
14:00This showdown results in one of the nastiest deaths ever seen in a Disney film.
14:04After blasting Kerchek with his shotgun, Clayton attempts to shoot Tarzan, who flees into the
14:08trees.
14:09Tarzan follows him, and the two engage in a vicious fight.
14:17Tarzan has Clayton where he wants him, but making the typical Disney good guy mistake,
14:21he spares the villain's life, after which point Clayton naturally tries to do him in.
14:25Tarzan then gets the upper hand by immobilizing his nemesis with vines.
14:28Clayton begins wildly hacking away at them, but does not cut the one around his neck,
14:32and gets what he deserves.
14:50Number 7.
14:51Fa Mulan vs. Shan Yu, Mulan
15:06At first, this seems like less of a showdown and more of a beatdown, as Shan Yu chases
15:10Mulan throughout the palace, nearly decapitating her with his sword.
15:13They eventually end up on the roof, where Mulan uses her fan to steal Shan Yu's sword.
15:26After a beautiful leg swipe, Mulan pins him down with the sword.
15:29Then, acting on Mulan's orders, Mushu blasts a bag of fireworks at him, sending him flying
15:34across the sky to his own demise.
15:48Number 6.
15:50Prince Eric vs. Ursula, The Little Mermaid
16:02This is your classic Disney showdown.
16:04The villain takes the form of a giant monster, while the prince shows up at the last second
16:08to rescue the princess.
16:09Things look bleak for Ariel and Eric when Ursula transforms into a giant and creates
16:13a massive whirlpool with her newly acquired trident.
16:26Unfortunately for her, this causes several sunken ships to come to the surface, one of
16:30which is boarded by Eric.
16:32The prince then steers the ship into Ursula, impaling her and ending the nightmare once
16:36and for all.
16:58Number 5.
16:59Quasimodo vs. Judge Claude Frollo, The Hunchback of Notre Dame
17:15It's hard enough taking on a sword-wielding religious madman on your own.
17:19It's even harder when you have to prevent the girl you love from falling into a pit
17:22of fire at the same time.
17:24Quasimodo is able to save Esmeralda, but there's still the evil Judge Claude Frollo to contend
17:28with.
17:29The Quasimodo account is notable in that it doesn't have a classic fistfight or duel.
17:33Instead, there's a lot of verbal fighting as Frollo unleashes vicious insults, including
17:38one about the death of Quasimodo's mother.
17:44Quasimodo doesn't hold back either, denouncing Frollo as the cruel, prejudiced monster that
17:48he is.
17:49Fortunately for the Hunchback and for the audience, the fiendish Frollo finally falls
17:53to a well-deserved fiery death.
18:16Number 4.
18:17Aladdin vs. Jafar, Aladdin
18:28Aladdin is truly up against the odds in this showdown.
18:30His best friend, an all-powerful genie, is enslaved by his enemy, who turns into a giant
18:35snake.
18:36As if that wasn't enough, the girl he loves is trapped in an hourglass with sand threatening
18:40the suffocator.
18:49Aladdin shows some skill with a sword and is able to fight Jafar off, but winning against
18:53this villain takes quick thinking more than brawn, and our street rat hero is all about
18:57thinking on his feet.
18:58By appealing to Jafar's giant ego, Aladdin triumphs and saves the day.
19:24Number 3.
19:25Prince Philip vs. Maleficent, Sleeping Beauty
19:38Arguably one of the most famous scenes in the entire Disney canon, this showdown is
19:42everything you want from a fairy tale.
19:44A knight in shining armor taking on a dragon to save a princess.
19:47And while the fight ultimately comes down to Philip vs. Maleficent, the three fairies
19:51are also heroes.
19:52They equip the prince with the magical Sword of Truth and Shield of Virtue, which help
19:56him hold his own against the witch, even in her terrifying dragon form.
20:00But eventually, Philip is cornered, so the fairies expertly enchant his sword.
20:13Its aim is true, and it pierces Maleficent's heart, causing her to fall to her death, and
20:17breaking her spell in the process.
20:34Number 2.
20:36Beast vs. Gaston, Beauty and the Beast
20:44There are no dragons, genies, or magic spells in this showdown.
20:48This fight comes down to brute strength vs. brute strength, as Gaston and Beast settle
20:53their differences high atop the castle roof.
20:55While Gaston is strong, something he never lets us forget, he is no match for Beast's
21:00monstrous power.
21:01Beast refuses to kill Gaston, however, and is literally stabbed in the back for his mercy.
21:12Of course, like all good Disney villains, Gaston ends up paying for his treachery.
21:21Beast's life is spared, as Belle professes her love for him, breaking his curse, and
21:25finally changing him back into his human form.
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22:04Number 1.
22:05Simba vs. Scar, The Lion King
22:21The minute Scar killed Mufasa, you knew this moment was coming.
22:25Simba finally gets a chance to confront his father's killer, but mercifully gives Scar
22:29a chance to save himself by telling him to run far away from Pride Rock.
22:33Naturally, Scar refuses, and the two engage in an epic and fiery fight.
22:49Both sides land solid blows, but it is Simba who gets the upper hand when he flips a lunging
22:53Scar over the side of the cliff, resulting in his death at the hands of his own hyena
22:58henchmen.
22:59The irony is delicious.
23:17Were there any showdowns where you were rooting for the villain?
23:20Let us know in the comments!