The heroes and heroines of most Disney movies come from unstable family backgrounds;[1] most are either orphaned or have no mothers.[2] Few, if any, have only single-parent mothers. In other instances, mothers are presented as "bad surrogates," eventually "punished for their misdeeds."[3] There is much debate about the reasoning behind this phenomenon.[4]
A prevalent urban legend explains the phenomenon resulted from the death of Flora Disney, mother of Walt and Roy Disney, who perished in 1938 due to a gas leak in the house the two brothers had recently purchased for her. This, however, is demonstrably false. The so-called phenomenon had been present in Disney canon from before Flora's 1938 death, with the presence of the Evil Queen in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, which released in 1937. Further, the prevalence of absent mothers, or even evil step-mothers, were not creative choices made by the Disney brothers themselves, but were plot points present in the source material that were adapted into later animated films, such as the original Cinderella tale, the 1923 novel Bambi, a Life in the Woods, and Helen Aberson-Mayer's Dumbo the Flying Elephant.
Some feminists (such as Amy Richards) believe it is to create dramatic interest in the main characters; if mothers were present to guide them, they argue, there would not be much of a plot.[5] Some entertainment journalists (such as G. Shearer) believe that it is to show that a happy family does not have to consist of a mother, father and a child and that a family can be one parent and one child, or one parent and many siblings.[6] Below is a list of some notable examples of this aspect of Disney films and television series.[7]
Snow White – biological mother not mentioned; The Prince – no parents present.
Pinocchio – no mother, had a father Geppetto.[8]
Cinderella – biological mother not mentioned; Prince Charming – no mother (she was mentioned in the third film).
Alice and her sister – parents not shown.
Peter Pan – no mother; The Lost Boys – no mothers; Jake, Izzy, and Cubby – no mothers.
Young Yeller – his mother, Miss Prissy, is not shown, though he had a deceased father Old Yeller.
Prince Phillip – no mother.
Arthur Pendragon/"Wart" – no parents (his father is revealed to have died);[9] Sir Kay – no mother.
Mowgli – no human parents; Baloo – mother was mentioned.
Tony and Tia Malone – no parents.
Penny – no parents, but gets adoptive parents by the end.
Copper – no mother.
Sam Flynn – no mother. No father for the majority of his life as well.
Taran – no parents; Princess Eilonwy – no parents, assumed dead.
Olivia Flaversham – no mother.
Webby Vanderquack – no parents.
Oliver – no mother; Jenny Foxworth – her mother is mentioned to arrive in time for her birthday, but is not shown.
Prince Eric – no parents present, assumed dead.
Kit Cloudkicker – no parents, assumed dead.
Gosalyn Mallard – no parents, but gets adopted by Drake.
Belle – no mother; Beast – no parents present, assumed dead.
Jasmine – no mother;[8] a mother character was originally written for Aladdin's character, but was ultimately cut so he has no parents, although he finds his father Cassim in Aladdin and the King of Thieves.
Li Shang – no mother.
Jane Porter – no mother.
Kuzco – no parents present, assumed dead (since "Emperor" is a hereditary role); Kronk – no mother.
Boo – parents not shown.
Madellaine – no parents, assumed dead.
Wang Ai Ling and Jiejie – no parents. The Wang sisters' aunt, Daiyu, tries to take over as Ai's caretaker in the series to their resistance.
Chiro – no parents.
Pucca – no parents.
Remy and Emile – no mother, had a father Django. Alfredo Linguini – mother was not shown on screen and is mentioned to have died. His father was the late master chef Auguste Gusteau.
Ferb Fletcher – biological mother not mentioned, had a father Lawrence.
Giselle – no parents; Prince Edward – biological mother not mentioned; Morgan Philip – biological mother mentioned having left the family.
Charlotte La Bouff – no mother.
Elizabeth Griffiths – no mother.
Dipper and Mabel Pines – parents not shown.
Ralph – mother was mentioned.
Kristoff – no parents.
Raya – no mother.
Alberto Scorfano – no mother (his father abandoned him); Giulia Marcovaldo – her mother Maria, only shown in the end credits.
Clod – parents not shown.
Valentino – no mother (mentioned only).
Queen Grimhilde, Snow White's stepmother.
The Blue Fairy, mother figure to Pinocchio.
Lady Tremaine, Cinderella's stepmother.
Rita, mother figure to Oliver.
Carol Newman-Calvin, mother figure to Charlie.
Linda Flynn-Fletcher, mother figure to Ferb.
Queen Narissa, mother figure to Edward.
Queen Miranda, mother figure to Amber and James.
Aunt Cass, Hiro and Tadashi's aunt.
Giselle Philip, mother figure to Morgan.
Dumbo – his mother Mrs. Jumbo, is locked up for the majority of the film, but is not killed.
Bambi – mother killed by a hunter.
Tod – mother killed by a gunshot.
Pocahontas – no mother[8] (mentioned only; revealed to have been dead for years).
Quasimodo – mother killed by Frollo.[8]
Kovu, Nuka, and Vitani – their mother Zira fell to her death in the river and Nuka was crushed to death by a falling log.
Tarzan – mother (and as well as father) killed by Sabor.
Aladar – his mother, along with 11 other siblings, was killed by a Carnotaur.
Ursula and Morgana – mother dead prior to the events of the film.
Kida Nedakh – her mother was killed while trying to save Atlantis from its first fate. Father dies of internal bleeding in the film.
Yuna Kamihara – mother dead prior to the events of the series.
Nemo – his mother Coral, along with all other 400+ siblings, was killed by a giant barracuda.
Koda – his mother was killed by Kenai and Sitka fell to his death in the ice.
Chicken Little – mother dead for unknown reasons.
Ariel, Aquata, Andrina, Arista, Attina, Adella, and Alana – their mother Queen Athena, killed by pirates.
Flynn Rider – mother killed when was very young. Cassandra – Mother Gothel withered away from old age. Pascal - mother killed by a snake.
Amber and James – their mother Queen Lorelei, dead for unknown reasons.
Anna and Elsa – their mother Queen Iduna (as well as father King Agnarr), killed in a shipwreck.
Aurora – her mother Queen Leila, died halfway in the film (offscreen).
Hiro Hamada – mother (as well as father) died when he was 3 years old and his brother Tadashi was killed in a fire.
Elena and Isabel – their mother Queen Lucia (as well as father King Raul), killed by Shuriki; Chancellor Esteban – mother (as well as father) killed in a shipwreck.
Chief Tui – his mother Tala, died and manifested in the form of a manta ray.
Elena Rivera – her mother Coco, died after the events of the film.
Sprig and Polly Plantar – mother eaten by a heron when they were young.
Estella/Cruella - her adoptive mother Catherine, was killed by the Suffolk coast's Dalmatian dogs.
Cinder Lumen – mother died of old age; Lutz – no mother (mentioned by Wade to have died).
Mrs. Jumbo, Dumbo (Jumbo Jr.)'s mother – single.
Lady Tremaine – mother of Drizella and Anastasia.
Mary Darling – mother of Wendy, John, and Michael; Wendy Darling – mother of Jane and Danny; Mama Hook, Captain Hook's mother.
Queen Leah, Aurora's mother.
Perdita – only to the original litter of 15 puppies.
Margaret McKendrick – mother of twins Sharon and Susan; Elizabeth James – mother of twins Hallie and Annie.
Kanga, Roo's mother; Christopher Robin's mother (name not mentioned); Mama Heffalump, Lumpy's mother.
Danke, mother of Wilhelmina, Heidi, and Chloe; Duchess, Brutus' mother.
Winifred, Haithi Jr.'s mother; Messua, Ranjan's mother; Shanti's mother (name not mentioned).
Duchess – mother of Toulouse, Marie, and Berlioz.
Diane Szalinski – mother of Amy, Nick, and Adam.
M'Ma Crackshell, Fenton's mother; Ma Beagle – mother of the Beagle Boys.
Rebecca Cunningham, Molly's mother.
Cody's mother (name not mentioned) – single.
Binkie Muddlefoot – mother of Honker and Tank.
Mrs. Potts – single mother of 12 children, including Chip.
Peg Pete – mother of P.J. and Pistol.
Sarabi, Simba's mother; Sarafina, Nala's mother; Nala – mother of Kiara and Kion; Ma, Timon's mother.
Demona, Angela's mother; Diane Maza – mother of Elisa, Derek, and Beth.
Laura Miller – mother of Charlie and Lucy; Carol Newman-Calvin, Buddy's mother.
Andy and Molly's mother – single; Sid and Hannah's mother (only her voice is heard); Bonnie's mother.
Ellie Detweiler – mother of T.J. and Becky; Flo Spinelli – mother of (Ashley) Spinelli, Vito, and Joey; Vince and Chad's mother; Mikey's mother; Doris Grundler, Gretchen's mother; Madge Griswald, Gus's mother.
Lydia Pearson – single mother of Pepper Ann and Moose.
Opal Otter – mother of Peanut, Jelly, and Baby Butter; Wanda Raccoon – mother of Pinch and Scootch; Betty-Lou Beaver, Munchy’s mother; Shirley Duck, Flick’s mother; Georgina Snootie – mother of Ootsie and Bootsie.
Fa Li, Mulan's mother; Grandmother Fa, Fa Zhou's mother and Mulan's paternal grandmother.
Mrs. Polina Polie – mother of Olie and Zowie; Bonita 'Chiquita' Bevel – mother of Billy and Binky.
Tino's mother; Lor and his brothers' mother; Carver, Penny, and Todd's mother; Tish's mother.
Plio, Suri's mother.
Ariel, Melody's mother.
Chicha – mother of Chaca, Tipo, and Yupi.
Nora Lee Nebulon – single mother of Lloyd and Francine.
Trudy Proud – mother of Penny and twins BeBe and CeCe; Sugar Mama Proud, Penny's maternal grandmother and the mother of Oscar and Bobby.
Mike's mother (only shown in the outtakes); Sheri Squibbles, Squishy's mother; Millie Tuskmon, Tylor's mother; Duncan's mother (name not mentioned).
Esmeralda, Zephyr's mother.
Sora's mother (only her voice is heard).
Dr. Ann Possible – mother of Kim and twins Jim and Tim; Ron's mother (name not mentioned).
Sarah Hawkins, Jim's mother (his father left the family).
Mertle's mother (name not mentioned) – single; Pleakley's mother (name not mentioned).
Helen Parr/Elastigirl – mother of Violet, Dash, and Jack-Jack.
Susan Shi Long – mother of Jake and Haley.
Frieda Pesky – mother of Maggie, Aldrin, Pupert, and Bella.
Lewis' mother (name not mentioned) – single; Franny Robinson, Wilbur's mother; Petunia Robinson – mother of Laszlo and Tallulah.
Linda Flynn-Fletcher – mother of Phineas and Candace; Vivian Garcia-Shapiro, Isabella's mother; Ballet's mother; Biffany Van Stomm, Buford's mother; Jeremy and Suzy's mother; Stacy and Ginger's mother; Charlene Doofenshmirtz, Vanessa's mother; Heinz and Roger's mother.
Penny's mother (name not mentioned) – single.
Russell's mother (name not mentioned) – single.
Eudora, Tiana's mother (her father James was killed in the war); Queen of Maldonia – mother of Prince Naveen and Prince Ralphie.
Queen Arianna, Rapunzel's mother.
Priscilla Northwest, Pacifica's mother; Janice Valentino, Robbie's mother.
Queen Elinor – mother of Merida and triplets Harris, Hubert, and Hamish.
Queen Miranda, Sofia's mother; Helen Hanshaw, Ruby's mother; Winifred the Wise – mother of Cedric and Cordelia; Queen Emmaline – mother of Oona and Cora.
Moon Butterfly, Star's mother; Angie Diaz, Marco's mother.
Jill Andersen, Riley's mother.
Maleficent, Mal's mother; Queen Grimhilde, Evie's mother; Cruella de Vil, Carlos' mother; Belle, Ben's mother; The Fairy Godmother, Jane's mother; Aurora, Audrey's mother; Cinderella, Chad's mother; Fa Mulan, Lonnie's mother; Ursula, Uma's mother (only her voice is heard).
Momma Ida – mother of Arlo and twins Buck and Libby.
Bonnie Hopps – mother of 276 children, including Judy; Nick's mother (only shown in flashback).
Jenny, Dory's mother.
Captain Scarlett Turner, Naomi's mother; Rafa, Mateo's mother; Blanca Núñez, Gabe's mother.
Brigette Murphy – mother of Milo and Sara.
Sina – mother of Moana and Simea.
Mamá Imelda, Coco's mother and Miguel's late paternal great-great-grandmother; Elena Rivera, Miguel's paternal grandmother and the mother of Berto, Carmen, and Enrique; Luisa Rivera – mother of Miguel and Socorro; Gloria Rivera – mother of Abel, Rosa, and twins Benny and Manny.
Nancy Green – mother of Cricket and Tilly; Alice Green, Bill's mother.
Anne Boonchuy's mother (name not mentioned).
Camila Noceda, Luz's mother.
Laurel Lightfoot – mother of Ian and Barley.
Libba Gardner, Joe's mother.
Virana, Namaari's mother.
The Baroness, Estella/Cruella's mother.
Daniela Paguro, Luca's mother; Grandma Paguro, Daniela's mother and Luca's maternal grandmother.
Sharon McGee, Molly's mother.
Julieta Madrigal – mother of Mirabel, Isabela, and Luisa; Pepa Madrigal – mother of Dolores, Camilo, and Antonio; Alma Madrigal, Mirabel's maternal grandmother and the mother of triplets Julieta, Pepa, and Bruno.
Ming Lee, Mei's mother; Ping, Lily's mother; Grandma Wu, Mei's maternal grandmother and the mother of Ming, Ping, and Chen.
Giselle Philip, Sofia's mother; Malvina Monroe, Tyson's mother.
Meridian Clade, Ethan's mother; Penelope Clade, Searcher's mother and Ethan's paternal grandmother.
Cinder Lumen, Ember's mother; Brook Ripple – mother of Wade, Alan, and Lake; Eddy Ripple – mother of Marco and Polo.
Beryl Chatterley, Kiff's mother; Mary Buns – mother of Barry, Harry, Terri, and Kristophe; Mrs. Fox, Candle's mother; Mrs. Angstrom, Trevor's mother.
Patricia Banks – mother of Hailey, Dwayne, and Johnson; Sunny Denoga – mother of Scott and Becker.
Sakina, Asha's mother.
Bibi Ramirez Humphrey, mother of Tater, Nellie, and Bud.
Perdita - only to the other 84 puppies.
Raksha, Mowgli's adoptive wolf mother (formerly); Messua, Mowgli's adoptive human mother.
Penny's adoptive mother.
Mrs. Polina Polie, Coochie and Coo's adoptive mother.
Alcmene, Hercules' adoptive mother.
Kala, Tarzan's adoptive mother.
Plio, Aladar's adoptive mother.
Nani Pelekai, Lilo's older sister and legal guardian.
Mena, Bambi's adoptive mother (formerly).
Karen "Agent K" Daring, adoptive mother of Todd and Riley.
Lucille Robinson, Lewis' adoptive mother.
Mother Gothel, an example of an evil adoptive mother.
Bulda, Kristoff's adoptive mother.
Aunt Cass, Hiro and Tadashi's aunt and legal guardian.
Catherine, Estella/Cruella's late adoptive mother.