Here Are The Dark And Creepy Origins Of Your Favorite Disney Characters

Disney has always made big business out of turning fairy tales into box office blockbusters. But not every adorably animated character we’ve decorated our rooms with, dressed up as on Halloween, or themed our 10th birthday party after is actually worthy of such high adolescent praise. In fact, a good majority of Disney stories come from pretty dark and murky material. And that handsome prince we’ve been waiting for to sweep us off our feet? Turns out he’s kind of a dick. So these are the dark Disney character originsyou never knew about.

Elsa (“Frozen”)

The Disney version: Elsa is the reluctant heir to Arendelle, who has the ability to manipulate ice and snow. When her powers go a little haywire, she retreats into hiding, only to discover that she’s no villain but a misunderstood protagonist instead.

Elsa (“Frozen”)

[dx_custom_adunit desktop_id=”RTK_K67O” mobile_id=”RTK_5yk0″]

The real story: She’s actually The Snow Queen from Hans Christian Andersen’s tale of the same name. She kidnaps a little boy and holds him prisoner until he’s rescued by his friend, but not before kissing him once to numb him from the cold and twice to make him forget his entire life.

Real winner.

Pinocchio (“Pinocchio”)

The Disney version: Pinocchio is a poor little puppet who wants nothing more in life than to be a real boy, but must first endure the torment and torture inflicted upon him by a number of unsavory individuals.

Pinocchio (“Pinocchio”)

The real story: Pinocchio was for sure a little puppet who wanted to be a real boy, but in the Carlo Collodi story “The Adventures of Pinocchio,” he was actually a real douche who gets Geppetto arrested for abuse, kills his talking cricket, and winds up hanged from a tree by a fox and a cat.