10 Disney men who I would trust to watch my drink at the bar
Disney might not be known for its unproblematic male protagonists, per se. But in a sea of bad apples—who have a penchant for kissing women without their consent, mind you—there are a few hidden gems. Here’s a power ranking of the top 10 Disney men I’d trust with my life, in no particular order.
10. Milo Thatch
Not only is Atlantis: The Lost Empire one of Disney’s most ambitious projects to date, but it also spotlights a very different kind of protagonist: the mild-mannered Milo Thatch. Aside from being a cutie, Milo is also a bonafide genius. And even though he’s a bookworm, he’s not one to shy away from adventure. Respectful of other cultures? Yes. Polite to women? Absolutely. Don’t let Milo’s giant specs and awkward demeanor fool you, either—he’s a certified bar brawler and sticks it to the snobbish Rourke by the end of the film, taking his place by Princess Kida’s side and becoming Atlantis’ King Consort. Trophy husband, indeed.
9. Flynn/Eugene Rider
Roguish, charming, and the result of alleged “hot man meetings” held by directors Nathan Greno and Byron Howard—he’s Flynn (a.k.a. Eugene) Rider from 2010’s Tangled. Again, there’s some excellent character development here, with Flynn electing to leave his shady past behind him in order to become a better person, all while maintaining his sarcastic bravado. Despite his difficulty trusting others and the mile-high wall he’s built around himself, his love for Rapunzel overcomes his less desirable traits, and he “sacrifices” himself after hashing it out with Mother Gothel so that she may live. Let’s just ignore the fact that he’s voiced by the literal human embodiment of “flop era” himself, Zachary Levi, ‘kay?
8. General Li Shang
Do I even have to explain myself? If shirtless Li Shang singing “I’ll Make a Man Out of You” didn’t permanently alter your brain chemistry after watching Mulan for the first time, I don’t know what to tell you. He’s a bisexual king with a heart of gold who knows how to keep his mouth shut and run the Chinese army like, well, the army. Was he, perhaps, a little tough on his men? Maybe, but Shang also proved himself to be a capable leader and warrior—with killer pecs to boot. Best of all? He didn’t treat Mulan any differently after discovering that she was a woman. Again, bi king. Shang could watch my drink anytime.
7. Roger Radcliffe
He’s a maestro, a family man, and grade A husband material; he’s Roger from One Hundred and One Dalmatians. Roger is the proud, doting father to a pack of fur babies, and when he’s not playing with his best boy Pongo or jotting down his next composition, he’s actually kind of a badass. Huffing on his pipe while anxiously waiting for Perdita to deliver her puppies? Saving one of their lives thanks to his paternal instincts? Some of the most tooth-achingly sweet moments in movie history. Right off the bat, Roger knows Cruella is bad news and goes onto create one of Disney’s catchiest songs on the spot—a musical genius à la Lennon and McCartney. How can we not stan?
6. Kristoff
Kristoff and Anna might’ve gotten off to a shaky start in 2013’s Frozen, but since then, he’s proven himself to be the kind of guy you want by your side. He’s a gentle, loyal himbo who would make you homemade chicken noodle soup when it’s cold outside, and once he works past his whole, y’know, trust issues thing, ends up being a supportive and caring partner to Anna—and the ideal King Consort of Arendelle. Plus, he loves animals! Green Flag.
5. Jim Hawkins
He built his first solar surfer when he was eight, damn it! I’m talking about James “Jim” Hawkins from Musker and Clements’ criminally underrated Treasure Planet, of course. At the start of the film, we find Jim in a tough place. He’s neck-deep in teen angst and can’t seem to clean up his act, despite having good intentions. Eventually, his call-to-adventure comes when a spacecraft crashes into the side of his mother’s inn, leading him on an epic journey across the stars, where he meets people (and very annoying talking robots) who change his life forever. Seeing Jim work through his past trauma to become a better man is truly heartwarming stuff, made all the better by a great performance by Joseph Gordon-Levitt.
4. Hercules
There are two things that can be said of fact when talking about Disney’s 1997 animated masterpiece, Hercules: 1. the soundtrack rules, and 2. the titular demigod is the only man ever, actually. Despite being a Greek god (and slightly arrogant at times), Hercules wants only one thing: to woo the free-spirited Megara. Well, he also wants to use his powers for good and bring justice to the world, but really, he’s a simple guy—which makes him all the more endearing. And trustworthy! Alexa, play “Zero to Hero.”
3. David Kawena
We love a provider, and perhaps no one fits the bill of “man I’d trust to watch my drink at the bar” as David from 2002’s Lilo & Stitch. Look, David practically raised Lilo as his own and never makes her sister Nani feel pressured into perusing a relationship. Again, green flag. He’s also a pro surfer, which automatically bumps him up on the hotness scale. But ultimately, it’s his fierce protectiveness, empathy, and patience for others that makes him such a top-tier Disney man.
2. Prince Naveen
We love a man with character development, and perhaps no one changes throughout the course of a Disney movie both literally and metaphorically as Prince Naveen. Foppish, spoiled, and unabashedly self-centered, Naveen is downright unlikeable at the beginning of 2009’s The Princess and the Frog. But even though he has a bit of a boundary problem when we first meet him in his froggy form, Naveen changes his ways as he falls more and more in love with Tiana, and grows enough to eventually take accountability for his mistakes as the two work together do undo the witch doctor’s curse. He’s fun-loving, has a smooth-as-silk singing voice, and is wickedly handsome—in my eyes, apology accepted.
1. Tadashi Hamada
We lost a baddie. The death of Tadashi Hamada in 2014’s Big Hero 6 still feels weirdly devastating for being, y’know, a children’s movie that came out a decade ago, but I digress. He was kind, smart, hardworking, and a great big bro, always looking out for the little guy. Even though a mysterious “accident” takes Tadashi’s life, his empathy lives on through his invention, Baymax—a powerful legacy. And yes, he’s super hot. Again, why did we have to kill him off, Disney?! This one still stings.
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