Disney Animated Movie Parents, Ranked By Intelligence

Over the years and throughout numerous movies, Disney has introduced parents. Some of them have passed away, some of them have been antagonists, and some of them are lovable and supportive characters. They may not be the stars of their movies, but they are important to each and every story.

Even the most caring ones have not been the smartest ones, though, as Disney has created both dim-witted and brilliant mothers and fathers. And down below, 10 of these authority figures are ranked by their intelligence, from a not-so-smart dad who tried to make the best decisions to a very knowledgeable ruler who was kind and respected.

10 The Sultan

Aladdin focused on the title character finding a magic lamp and falling in love with Princess Jasmine, and Jasmine’s father was The Sultan. While he was the ruler of Agrabah, he was not the brightest bulb. All he cared about was getting his daughter married off, so he was distracted and tricked by Jafar, his “loyal” and “trusted” advisor.

At least he was a present and friendly man, which is more than can be said about some Disney parents!

9 Goofy

On a similar note, Goofy got his own flick, A Goofy Movie, in 1995, and this tale was all about a father wanting to spend quality time with his high-school-aged son, Max. This classic Disney character is named Goofy for a reason, as he is always depicted as being silly and sort of clueless. Therefore, he has a not-so-great ranking on this list.

What he lacks in intelligence, though, he makes up for in compassion, as he is one of the most involved and loving parents.

8 Geppetto

In 1940, a wood-carver named Geppetto made a puppet, named it Pinocchio, and watched it come to life. Now, it was sweet to see this old man become a father, but he maybe should have thought things through first.

He let this little wooden boy go out in the world by himself, and from there, there was kidnapping, there were cunning side characters, and everyone ended up in the belly of a whale!

7 King Triton

A well-known Disney dad was King Triton from The Little Mermaid. On one hand, he did lead his people with dignity and power, but he seemed to be narrow-minded and closed off, as he did not like or trust humans.

While being cautious and protective is always understandable, King Triton should not have been so quick to judge, nor should he have reacted so harshly to Ariel’s dream, love, and desire.

6 Maurice

The parent in Beauty and the Beast was Maurice, and everyone in town called him Crazy Ol’ Maurice; he was an inventor, and his creations did not always go as planned. He had a special bond with his daughter, Belle, though, and she believed in him and knew his hard work would pay off.

He gets bonus points for his creativity and his adoration for his daughter. And he gets some sympathy, too. However, there have been some other characters who were clearly smarter than him…

5 Marlin

When fans first met Marlin in Finding Nemo, they may have not been blown away by his out-of-the-ordinary wit and wisdom, but he deserves a place on this list: He did whatever it took to find his son.

Furthermore, through his dangerous and daring journey, he learned to take risks, to step outside of his comfort zone, and to loosen up a little, when it came to parenting. How mature and beautiful!

4 Pongo & Perdita

On a similar note, there were the parents of One Hundred and One Dalmatians, Pongo and Perdita. They outran and outsmarted Cruella de Vil, a true and ruthless villain, and her henchman, and they ended up saving tons of other puppies, too.

Plus, they did all of this as animals… So just compare them to some of the less-than-ideal Disney parents who are human!

3 Professor Archimedes Q. Porter

It is time for the three parental figures from Disney who may be the smartest of all, beginning with Professor Archimedes Q. Porter!

He was Jane’s father in Tarzan. He was eccentric. He was nice. And he was a scientist, out in the jungle doing research and experiments.

2 Coco

In 2017, Coco told the tale of a boy named Miguel ending up in the Land of the Dead. Back at home, he was close to his great-grandmother, Coco, who had memory loss and was nonverbal.

But when Miguel returned from his adventure, he played a special song for Coco, and she sang along. This sweet woman reminded her family of important values, such as family tradition and music, changing how they lived, even after she was gone.

1 Mufasa

And the wisest Disney parent would be Mufasa from The Lion King. Before Scar murdered this king, he led with fairness and kindness and was respected and admired by (almost) everyone.

Even after his passing, the lessons he instilled in others were present, helping Simba to restore order and take his place in the Pride Lands.

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