The Stereotypical Disney Villain

While watching a movie it's usually not very hard to distinguish who is "good" and who is "bad". Although some contemporary films will make this task a bit more obscure, the Disney films do an exceptional job at addressing the evil in a character as soon as they're present on screen. However, if you ever have trouble deciphering who in Disney is the antagonist, just ask yourself this;

Are they white?

If so, nope. wrong. Chances are you've stumbled upon the hero of the story. Go ahead and start cheering.

Now, on the off chance that you find a fair skinned personality, and you start picking up some evil vibes ask yourself,

Are they objectively attractive?

If so, I hate to discredit your vibes, but try again. White and attractive?? really... Yeah, no. Start rooting, because you're most definitely looking at the story's protagonist.

Now don't get me wrong, there are exceptions to this rule, and I apologize for making such absolute statements before, because you know what beloved Disney film turns my theory on it's head?

Damn you Beauty and the Beast. But also, go you, and go Disney! If you haven't already seen it, the Beast, although at first may be portrayed as the villain, makes an exceptional glow up, and soon becomes a fan favorite. This movie is revolutionary, and one that if I were to have kids one day, I would most definitely advocate for. You see, Belle, the beautiful Disney Princess is taken captive in the Beast's castle, and uses her charm to subdue the Beast's misunderstood personality. Despite his rough exterior (I can't say he's my type, but also not not my type) Belle falls in love regardless, and really exemplifies what it means to fall in love with who someone is on the inside, not the outside.

What's even more subversive is the antagonist. 

One of the few disney villains who look like this

 and by "this" I mean white and handsome.

For those of you who sniffed this one out from the start, salute. With Disney's reputation, it's highly likely that you took one look at this guy and pegged him as Belle's savior. The hero. Why? Because he's not necessarily flawed (until he opens his mouth), and Belle, being petite and beautiful, compliments him well. They aesthetically make sense. But in a world full of diversity and choice, it's likely we will fall in love with the one that doesn't necessarily "make sense", and that's okay. I think that's why I love Beauty and the Beast so much. A part of me wishes he would've stayed in the beastly state Belle found him in, but I can forgive the end transformation (sorry, spoiler alert) simply due to the fact that she planned on loving him regardless. Leave it to Disney to tie up the story soundly. All I have to say to you kids out there reading is find your beast. They just might surprise you.