Animated TV shows and movies have a special place in our hearts, allowing us to escape into captivating worlds of visual splendor and emotional depth. Within these worlds, we make deep connections with all kinds of characters and storylines.
However, some cartoon characters were never really given a chance, and we can’t help but feel bad for them. Whether it’s torturous deaths or not living the lives they deserved, these sad cartoon characters deserved so much better.
Nuka: “The Lion King 2”
Issues in our childhoods can lead to intense resentments in our adult lives, as Nuka clearly shows us in The Lion King 2. Despite being the oldest son, his father overlooked Nuka when deciding to give a title to his younger half-brother, fueling Nuka’s rage.
We can’t help but feel bad for the lion, whose fury and jealousy were the results of never being good enough for his parents. We don’t condone his behavior, but we understand it.
Bing Bong: “Inside Out”
As we grow up, the things we used to play with become forgotten memories left behind in the storage boxes of our minds. In Inside Out, Riley’s childhood imaginary friend, Bing Bong, was a joyful thought, before she started to forget him.
In an act to save Riley from being overpowered by her emotions, Bing Bong sacrifices himself, allowing his memory to be completely forgotten. This sweet act to save his friend makes our hearts break.
Eeyore: “Winnie the Pooh”
One cartoon character that has always tugged at our heartstrings is Eeyore, the gloomy donkey in Winnie the Pooh. With such a sad outlook on life, he has a hard time enjoying just about anything.
We wish we could give him a big hug, but we doubt that’d cure his lack of hope. What this donkey needs are some prescribed antidepressants. At least his friends continue to invite him and allow him to really feel his feelings.
SpongeBob SquarePants: “SpongeBob SquarePants”
SpongeBob SquarePants is the most positive guy in Bikini Bottom. He’s a hard worker and a good friend. So when bad things happen to him, we can’t help but feel terrible.
Whether being publicly humiliated for getting a kiss from his grandmother or getting his underpants ripped right off of him, Spongebob goes through some tough times. Hey, at least he maintains his optimistic attitude.
Larry Need lemeyer: “The Amazing World of Gumball”
The Wattersons are known for their shenanigans throughout The Amazing World of Gumball, and Larry Needlemeyer is a constant victim of their actions.
As the cashier for just about every store in Elmore, he’s just trying to do his jobs, which proves to be extra difficult when Gumball, Darwin, and their family disrespect his role. The guy is just trying to make a living and the Wattersons have no empathy for their hardworking retail worker.
Coral: “Finding Nemo”
People don’t talk enough about the unsung hero in Finding Nemo: Coral. Coral was Marlin’s mate and the mother of over 400 clownfish. Not only was she a rock star when it came to having the baby fish, but in the face of trouble, they were her first priority.
When a barracuda came to their reef, she sacrificed herself in an attempt to save her babies. Unfortunately, she was killed along with most of them, but she did manage to save one. We wish she and her children could’ve survived, but her bravery is something we didn’t overlook.
Dr. Doofenshmirtz: “Phineas and Ferb”
As so many villains do, Dr. Doffenshmirtz seemed hyper-focused on taking over the Tri-State area with his evil plans in Phineas and Ferb. However, instead of hating the antagonist, we only feel bad for him.
With his constant failures and his terribly sad villain original story, we can’t help but wish better for the evil scientist. After all, he’s working hard to overcome his own sad childhood and support his kids. He deserves some sympathy.
Customer That Experienced High Tide Guy: “SpongeBob SquarePants”
Feeling lonely one day, SpongeBob SquarePants blows himself a friend out of bubbles. The rest of Bikini Bottom is unhappy with the disregard the two friends have for others when they are together, but one guy, in particular, experiences the worst of Bubble Buddy.
This fish appears as an angel, clearly having died after experiencing high tide, taken to the surface by Bubble Buddy himself. Who knew SpongeBob’s friend would be so violent?
Combat Carl: “Toy Story”
From the moment we saw him in Toy Story, we all greatly disliked Sid, the evil kid who lived next door to Andy and treated his toys terribly. However, he took it too far when he attached one of the Combat Carls to an explosive.
Not only is blowing up your toys a sign of psychotic behavior, but from the other toys’ perspective, Sid just committed murder in front of their eyes. That little toy soldier didn’t do anything to deserve that.
Penelope: “Looney Toons”
If you’ve ever had to deal with an overly aggressive man who can’t seem to get the hint, then you’ve experienced Penelope’s pain. This kitty cat never asked for the affection of Pepe Le Pew, and yet she never seems able to get rid of him.
No matter what she does, whether it’s smacking his head between two cymbals or running as far away as possible, there he is, right behind her. This cat has a case of an obsessed stalker, and she never gets the safety she needs.
Candace: “Phineas and Ferb”
If you’re an older sibling, you’ve probably felt Candace Flynn’s pain at having to deal with annoying little brothers. However, we’ve never seen someone so gaslit in our lives.
Yes, she was a tattletale and yes, she wanted to get her brothers in trouble, but she didn’t tell lies. Her brothers really were doing all of the crazy things she said they did. We can’t imagine being seen as insane was very good for her mental health.
Old Man: “Emperor’s New Groove”
During an obnoxious, overdrawn song at the beginning of Emperor’s New Groove, Kuzco bumps into an old man desperately trying to get out of his way. This poor guy doesn’t even get a chance to say anything before the emperor had him literally thrown out of a window.
If he couldn’t move quickly enough standing up, we can’t imagine he was able to survive the fall. We knew Kuzco was conceited, but we didn’t know he was so ruthless. No wonder he turned into a llama.
Singing Birds: “Shrek”
We’ve heard of people breaking glasses with a high note, but we’ve never heard of someone blowing up a bird with their voice. In Shrek, we felt terribly for Fiona who had been locked in a tower for her whole life—until she did this.
We’re sure there was a better way to find eggs to make for breakfast than singing to a bird until it exploded and taking the eggs from the nest. No bird deserves this kind of treatment.
Cotton Candy Kid: “Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius”
The children in Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius were initially overjoyed to find that their parents were gone and they could do whatever they wanted. This excitement quickly turned to sadness when they realized they needed their moms to make them lunch and help fix their boo-boos.
One kid, in particular, didn’t know when to stop eating cotton candy. The poor boy was so full, he couldn’t help but cry. The pain in his voice made us want to cry as well.
Stitch: “Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch”
After proving himself to be a loyal and loving friend to Lilo, Stitch’s past comes to haunt him in the second movie, Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch. It turns out his molecules were not fully charged on his home planet, which causes him to glitch and cause destruction on Earth.
We were so frustrated for Stitch, who couldn’t help the outbursts that caused his friends around him not to trust him. After lots of close calls, we were so relieved when he was fixed in the end.
Dogs at the Pound: “Lady and the Tramp”
We hate seeing dogs at the pound with nowhere to go, and seeing it in cartoon form isn’t any better. The dog pound in Lady and the Tramp is full of sad canines with little to no hope of getting adopted.
With tears in their eyes and downtrodden faces, our hearts ache for the cartoon pups—especially when they watch the man working there take one of the dogs through a door and come out holding an empty leash.
Yeti: “Monsters, Inc.”
In Monsters, Inc., Yeti is a misunderstood guy. His nickname indicates that he’s a scary guy, but he’d much rather be called the “adorable” snowman instead of “abominable.”
On top of this, he was banished to the Himalayas, far away from Monsters, Inc. after accidentally discovering important information his company didn’t want to be exposed. With such a friendly personality, we feel so bad that this snowman is stuck in a cave all alone.
Meg: “Family Guy”
Typical of the eldest sibling, Meg gets very little attention from her family in Family Guy. However, as the series progresses, Meg’s treatment by her family gets worse and worse.
Meg is the butt of jokes, the scapegoat when things go wrong, and ultimately, the seemingly least important member of the Griffith family. This lack of love and attention can’t be good for any developing teenage girl.
Squirrel: “The Sword in the Stone”
In The Sword in the Stone, Merlin the wizard turns himself and Arthur into squirrels to learn about love. In their endeavors as small creatures, a brave female squirrel comes to Arthur’s rescue, saving him from a wolf.
Along the way, she falls in love with him. Unfortunately, Merlin eventually has to turn Arthur back into a human boy, much to the disappointment of this female squirrel. Unrequited love never seemed so sad.
Frog: “Shrek”
While Shrek and Fiona were discovering their love for one another, they seemed to have absolutely no care for anyone around them. They had only eyes for each other and were decently inconsiderate of every other creature around them.
This frog was probably just minding his business when Shrek grabbed him and blew him up like a balloon to give to Fiona. He didn’t ask for such treatment. Love really can make people do terrible things.
Ice King: “Adventure Time”
Though the Ice King in Adventure Time is one of the more insufferable characters, the exposure of his backstory made us feel quite conflicted about him.
The king once had a fiancé, who left him when a crown he had found began to take over his mind, and then his body. While the manifestation of powers bestowed on him from the crown turned him into a pitiful character, we feel sympathy for the person he used to be.
Seymour: “Futurama”
Fry’s dog Seymour was special. The two formed a close bond after Fry found the dog wandering the streets of New York. They were unfortunately separated until Fry stumbled upon the remains of the dog 1000 years later.
Fry was convinced Seymour had forgotten about him quickly after they were separated, but he couldn’t have been more wrong. Instead, the pup waited in the same place every day for Fry to come back for him. Pass the tissues.
Charlie Brown: “Peanuts”
Nothing ever seemed to go right for Charlie Brown. Despite being the main character in the Peanuts group, he frequently suffers, often at the hands of his friends and sister.
With the catchphrase “good grief”, this lovable guy constantly has bad luck. His pessimism and losing streak are a part of his charm, but we wish the writers gave him more of a chance at succeeding.
Air Conditioner: “The Brave Little Toaster”
The appliances in The Brave Little Toaster all share one goal—to find their master. Well, all except the air conditioner, whose grumpiness keeps him from relating to the other appliances. Soon, we realize that his bitterness comes from a life of being stuck in the wall.
We never thought we’d feel such sympathy for an old, animated appliance, but his lack of autonomy and the fact that their master never played with him has us feeling some type of way.
Old Man: “SpongeBob SquarePants”
In one episode of SpongeBob SquarePants, our protagonist flees down the main road, yelling that someone is coming to kick his butt. When the townspeople turn, all they see is a sweet old man standing at the bus stop. Mistaking him as the bully threatening Spongebob, they decide to teach him a lesson.
This little old man was simply going about his day, waiting for the bus. He didn’t deserve to be beaten. The smile on his face is so unassuming that it’s heartbreaking.
Shoe: “Who Framed Roger Rabbit”
Judge Doom is the evil judge of Toontown, and the ultimate villain in the movie Who Framed Roger Rabbit. His actions and mannerisms themselves make him a scary guy, but it’s the murder of the shoe that really seals the deal.
After creating a concoction that causes fatalities to toons that break the law, he shows off its powers by melting a toon shoe without a second thought. This made us hate Judge Doom even more—and feel sympathy for a cartoon shoe.
Cabbage Merchant: “Avatar: The Last Airbender”
While we were always rooting for Aang and his friends in Avatar: The Last Airbender, we couldn’t help but feel frustrated on behalf of the casualties they left along the way—like the cabbage cart they kept destroying.
The cabbage merchant was just trying to make an honest living. We bet no one even compensated the man for destroying his cart and the produce for the day. How is a guy supposed to survive and feed his family if his cart keeps getting run over?
Fungus: “Monsters Inc.”
As the main antagonist in Monsters, Inc., Randall is an evil monster, driven by his jealousy to commit wicked acts. He deserved what was coming to him. His assistant Fungus, on the other hand, didn’t.
Instead of rescuing Fungus from the groups of Randall’s manipulative and bossy claws, Sully puts him in front of the scream extractor to be tortured while he rescues Mike. There must’ve been a better way to escape the situation without placing someone through unnecessary pain like that.
Eugene: “Hey Arnold”
Eugene’s generally optimistic attitude is surprising given how often he suffers from some kind of misfortune in Hey, Arnold. In addition to getting bullied by his fellow students, Eugene seems to attract bad luck just by existing.
Arnold himself plays a role in Eugene’s accidents and misfortunes, but even if he wasn’t involved, poor Eugene would probably still have issues. We blame the fact that he was born on Friday the 13th.
Baby Fish: “Finding Nemo”
There were quite a few sea creatures we felt badly for in Finding Nemo. No fish seemed to have it easy in this movie, including the baby fish at the beginning of the movie.
While the rest of the young fish were having a lovely time bouncing on the sponge beds, this one lost his balance and fell off. We can tell by his cry that this baby hadn’t experienced pain like that. Poor fishy.
Scrat: “Ice Age”
Every Ice Age movie starts with the adventures of Scrat, the squirrel with one thing on his mind—taking care of his nut. He’s gone to the ends of the earth and the depths of the iciest waters to make sure his nut stays safe.
We have to give him props for remaining steadfast in his protection, especially in the face of adversity. We just wish he didn’t have to go through so many hardships for just one nut.
Firebender Soldier: “Avatar: The Last Airbender”
In a scheme to take over one of the Firebenders’ airships, Sokka gathered all of the soldiers at the base of the ship with the excuse of celebrating a birthday. When they arrived, the Firebender soldiers were all dropped in the ocean—but not before one soldier walked in, ecstatic that the captain had actually remembered his birthday.
We weren’t big fans of the Firebenders in general in Avatar: The Last Airbender, but this guy seemed so happy to be acknowledged by the captain. He deserved at least a song before being dropped out of the ship.
Sunburned Guy: “Lilo and Stitch”
There are few background characters that are as unlucky as the sunburned guy in Lilo and Stitch. No matter what he was doing, he always had a delicious-looking ice cream cone that somehow melted or got knocked out of his hands before he could get one lick.
Being in the wrong place at the wrong time was this guy’s forte. All he wanted was an ice cream cone to deal with the heat. We feel for this dude.
Tom: “Tom and Jerry”
We grew up thinking that Jerry the Mouse was constantly on the run from the big bad cat, Tom. Every time something happened to Tom, we cheered as he once again was outsmarted by the clever mouse.
Now that we’re older, we realize just how bad Tom has it. Not only does he get hurt by Jerry at every opportunity, but he’s facing enormous pressure from his owners to kill the mouse. This guy just can’t catch a break.
Milhouse: “The Simpsons”
In The Simpsons, Milhouse is the best friend of Bart Simpson, though Bart doesn’t act like it. Already the victim of bullying, Milhouse unfortunately is often a victim of Bart’s own mistreatment of his friend, often taking advantage of his gullibility.
Poor Milhouse can’t seem to catch a break from anyone around him, but the lack of regard he gets from his best friend makes us the most upset.
The Powerpuff Clones: “The Powerpuff Girls”
With their special powers, the Powerpuff Girls are a force to be reckoned with. When a jealous friend of Professor Utonium tries to recreate their powers and creates clones of the superhero girls, chaos breaks out.
In the end, the clones attack the mad scientist and sacrifice themselves to defeat him and save the original three girls. They definitely weren’t perfect, but they didn’t ask to be created. Their sacrifice doesn’t go unnoticed.
Sebastian: “The Little Mermaid”
As King Triton’s advisor in The Little Mermaid, Sebastian had many duties to fulfill, many of which went against his own moral compass. When it came to watching over the young and rebellious Ariel, Sebastian had his hands full.
No matter what he did, it would upset one of the mermaids. Loyalty was his biggest priority. All he wanted to do was to be a friend to both of them, but Ariel and King Triton constantly put him in a difficult place.
Littlefoot’s Mother: “Land Before Time”
In an attempt to escape from a terrifying T-Rex, Littlefoot’s mother saved her child in Land Before Time. However, nothing could prepare the dinosaurs for the great earthquake that broke the land in two.
Littlefoot was left to discover his mother, who had gotten hurt and was unable to get up. She offered her child some sweet words of inspiration before she finally succumbed to her wounds. We’ve never been able to get over her death and the fact that Littlefoot had to go off on his own.
Mort: “Madagascar”
A sweet and somewhat annoying lemur, Mort is a hilarious side character in Madagascar. With huge eyes and a tiny body, he gives the impression that he’s innocent and easily scared.
In the face of Alex the Lion, an animal that doesn’t know its own size, Mort experienced true terror. While he eventually got over his fear and ended up liking Alex, he’ll probably never forget that first interaction of coming face to face with the lion’s big teeth.
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