,

From The Grinch, to ‘The Lion King’s’ Scar, Here Are 14 Fictional Characters That Scared the Hell Out of Black Kids

The holiday season sparked this discussion online, as many people confessed to being scared of The Grinch when they were kids.

Screenshot: The Little Mermaid, Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas, The Lion King

When you’re a kid, you never know how certain images are going to affect you. Sure, you know Candyman, Freddy Krueger and Chucky are going to terrify you, but you never expect cute little family movies to have scenes and characters that become nightmare fuel for the rest of your life. The holiday season sparked this discussion online, as many people confessed to being scared of The Grinch when they were kids. That might seem silly now, but when you’re young, The Grinch is supposed to make you uncomfortable. This made us realize that we need to examine some of these other shockingly scary characters from our youth. It’s time to recognize these feelings and move past them with the surprising characters that scared us when we were kids.

Video will return here when scrolled back into view
Trump’s Tariffs Might Stick Around. What Should We Buy Now?
Trump’s Tariffs Might Stick Around. What Should We Buy Now?

The Grinch - ‘Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas’

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Hj3U18FHgQ

We’re not supposed to like The Grinch. He’s a creepy loner who lives in the mountains and hates everything about his neighbors. He’s actually a sad character. When you get older, his green monster appearance looks more like a “Sesame Street” monster than something scary, but as a kid, we can see how it would creep you out.

The Flying Monkeys - ‘The Wizard of Oz’

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SESI19h4wDo

If you’ve seen “Wicked”—and the huge box office numbers suggests a lot of you have—you know how tragic the Flying Monkeys’ story is in that adaptation. However, in the original “Wizard of Oz” movie, they’re actually quite terrifying as the Wicked Witch’s loyal army. When you’re little, the image of the skies filled with flying monkeys is going to stay with you for a while.

Scar – The Lion King (1994)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=US3Z0o6DVgg

“Mufasa: The Lion King” tries to justify Scar turning on his brother, but we always knew he was bad news. Jeremy Irons exquisite voice performance gave us chills, making him a Disney villain we were genuinely afraid of.

Maleficient - ‘Sleeping Beauty’

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTDb4G-v9zw

When “Sleeping Beauty” was released in 1959, the animation of Maleficient turning into a dragon was the height of advanced technology. It felt like real life. That’s why the scene has captivated and scared children for generations, and Maleficient remains an iconic villain.

Subway Scene - ‘The Wiz’

Screenshot: The Wiz Screenshot: The Wiz

The entire subway scene in “The Wiz” is creepy nightmare fuel, but the pillars slowly surrounding Dorothy is the kind of image that scars you for life, and makes you avoid subways as much as possible.

Oompa Loompas - ‘Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory’

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkC8wPSmcPg

There’s a lot of disturbing elements in “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory,” but the Oompa Loompas showing up to sing a catchy little tune every time one of these kids allegedly dies is seriously messed up.

Broken Toys - ‘Toy Story’

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNf3J0ay8Wc

As much as we love the “Toy Story” movies, there’s something inherently creepy about toys coming to life when humans aren’t around. In the first film, that idea is taken to another level when Woody and Buzz find themselves trapped in Sid’s room with his menagerie of broken toys. It’s both sad and frightening.

Puppets - ‘The Polar Express’

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXDg2mzujuI

In case you haven’t had enough creepy toy talk, let’s get into “The Polar Express’” train car full of puppets. This is the scene we all skip during its many, many holiday airings.

Other Mother - ‘Coraline’

Screenshot: Coraline Screenshot: Coraline

Honestly, we could probably put Other Mother on the horror movie list. That’s how scary she is. From the moment we meet her, she’s just a little off, and gets increasingly more terrifying as the movie goes on. Frankly, it’s the eyes that have stuck with us all these years.

Large Marge - ‘Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure’

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzolCu-QLw0

At this point, we know to expect a certain level of craziness from Tim Burton. However, this early in his career we weren’t ready for the insanity yet. While we knew Pee Wee Herman would give us something unexpected, we still weren’t ready for Large Marge. It just comes out of nowhere to scare the crap out of us, then she acts like nothing happened.

E.T. - ‘E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial’

Screenshot: E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial Screenshot: E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

Yes, this scene with E.T. and Elliott in the operating room is one of the most emotional in movie history. But for some, it’s also a little scary, as they’re creeped out by the alien’s pale, weak appearance.

Audrey II - ‘Little Shop of Horrors’

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQJagD96X8U

It’s not just Audrey II’s size and that it eats people, it’s the evil glee that Four Tops legend Levi Stubbs brings to his vocals that makes the “Mean Green Mother” so unforgettable.

The Grand High Witch - ‘The Witches’

Screenshot: The Witches Screenshot: The Witches

In 1990's “The Witches,” Anjelica Huston goes full camp with her portrayal of the Grand High Witch. But things take a turn into crazy town when the witches remove their human faces, showing their true demonic appearance. It’s one of those scenes you never forget, and you never watch again, no matter how old you are.

Ursula - ‘The Little Mermaid’ (1989)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4t3kQf3lWBs

Now that we’re older, we can appreciate Ursula’s brilliant manipulation of Ariel. She’s a top three Disney villain. When we were younger, her intimidating presence combined with the constant movement of her tentacles made her a very scary bad guy.

Straight From The Root

Sign up for our free daily newsletter.

Latest from The Root

Our Fave Moments From A$AP Rocky's Fashion Show During Paris Men's Fashion Week

Our Fave Moments From A$AP Rocky’s Fashion Show During Paris Men’s Fashion Week

The rapper showed of the latest AWGE collection at a Paris Fashion Week show ...
15 Sneaky Moves Pulled by Trump That'll Have A Grave Impact You

15 Sneaky Moves Pulled by Trump That’ll Have A Grave Impact You

From cutting the Job Corps to sneaking in scary artificial intelligence regulation, many fear Trump is trying to distract Americans with an onslaught of questionable moves ...

This White Singer Sang This Chaka Khan Iconic Hit and Black Internet Lost Its Mind

This White Singer Sang This Chaka Khan Iconic Hit and Black Internet Lost Its Mind

Once Hayley Williams' clip began to make the rounds on social media, a lot of Black folks had a myriad of reactions! Let's get into it ...
Will Smith Just Brought Up the Chris Rock Oscars Slap And He Doesn't Seem Sorry ...Anymore

Will Smith Just Brought Up the Chris Rock Oscars Slap And He Doesn’t Seem Sorry …Anymore

It looks like the "Fresh Prince" star is feeling a bit differently about it than before and we've got the tea to prove it! ...
Angela Bassett arrives for the 74th Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, California, on September 12, 2022. Photo: Getty Images Chris Delmas / AFP

8 Black Actors Who Got Their Start in August Wilson Plays

Some of our greatest actors have appeared in the prolific playwright's shows on and Off Broadway ...
Many Believe This Prophecy That Predicts the Return of Christ Is Coming True ...Thanks Trump ...

Many Believe This Prophecy That Predicts the Return of Christ Is Coming True …Thanks Trump …

Whether you're religious or not, we know the stories of Sodom and Gomorrah and Noah's Ark, but how about the one predicting Jesus' return? ...
50 Cent is Being Dragged Over This Super-Shady Move Toward NYC Mayor Hopeful Zohran Mamdani

50 Cent is Being Dragged Over This Super-Shady Move Toward NYC Mayor Hopeful Zohran Mamdani

50 Cent doesn't shy away from the beef, so after Zohran Mamdani name-dropped him, the 49-year-old took to Instagram to get some things off his chest ...
Why Nelly, Ashanti's New Show Has the Internet Annoyed and Angry

Why Nelly, Ashanti’s New Show Has the Internet Annoyed and Angry

While some fans were excited to get an up-close and personal look at the couple, others weren't too pleased at what they saw ...
Amazing Story Behind Why Money Dropped From The Sky To a Black Detroit Neighborhood

Amazing Story Behind Why Money Dropped From The Sky To a Black Detroit Neighborhood

The son of a local car wash owner helped his father share his final wish with the community he loved ...
Black Internet Cheered 'Pop The Balloon' Contestant's  Clap back To A Male Panelist's Remarks About Black, Female Hair

Black Internet Cheered ‘Pop The Balloon’ Contestant’s Clap back To A Male Panelist’s Remarks About Black, Female Hair

Black social media cheered the female panelist on for her bold clapback towards this male contestant's insensitive remarks ...
Why Kountry Wayne's Latest Episode is a Reminder That Black Women Never Get the Grace Black Men Do

Why Kountry Wayne’s Latest Episode is a Reminder That Black Women Never Get the Grace Black Men Do

The popular internet soap opera sees a Black woman get dragged in the comments...while her equally trashy Black male equivalent skates off ...
Black Twitter Reacts to Trump Crushing on a Beautiful Black Woman In The Oval Office

Black Twitter Reacts to Trump Crushing on a Beautiful Black Woman In The Oval Office

The Black reporter was beautiful, but did President Trump have to make her looks front and center? ...
The Best Black TV Shows, Movies on Hulu to Stream

The Best Black TV Shows, Movies on Hulu to Stream

We rounded up a handful of the newest and best Black TV shows and movies currently streaming right now ...
Joy Reid: Fascism is Coming, Whether You Voted For it or Not

Joy Reid: Fascism is Coming, Whether You Voted For it or Not

EXCLUSIVE: The host of "The Joy Reid Show" gave us some real talk about the Trump agenda ...
Trump's Tariffs Might Stick Around. What Should We Buy Now?

Trump’s Tariffs Might Stick Around. What Should We Buy Now?

Buying a car or a phone? Here’s what to know about tariffs in 2025, according to Marketplace's Kimberly Adams ...
Why Halle Berry's Latest Post Is Sparking Hilarious Britney Spears Comparisons

Why Halle Berry’s Latest Post Is Sparking Hilarious Britney Spears Comparisons

The Oscar-winning star has never shied away from baring it all on social media, and her latest post certainly has people talking! ...
When A White Woman Was Told She Could Not Be Harriet Tubman In a Play, She Took Matters Into Her Own Hands

When A White Woman Was Told She Could Not Be Harriet Tubman In a Play, She Took Matters Into Her Own Hands

The longtime actress simply wanted to portray influential historical figures, but things unfortunately went South. Let's get into it! ...
Diddy's Daughters' Tearful Exit From Trial Ignites Black America's Outcry

Diddy’s Daughters’ Tearful Exit From Trial Ignites Black America’s Outcry

Video of Diddy's daughters circulated the internet, and just as folks continue to share their thoughts on the trial, the girls were also subjected to the public's court of opinions ...
3 Ways to Think Like a Businessman, According to Executive Walter Davis

3 Ways to Think Like a Businessman, According to Executive Walter Davis

From carpentry to consulting, Davis says real business thinking starts with self-awareness and strategy ...