Disney: 13 characters we thought were dead … but in fact not

Robin Hood

As he tries to escape from the royal castle after freeing the prisoners and stealing Prince John’s treasure, Robin Hood jumps into the moat, watered by the archers of the fortress.

Seeing that the fox is slow to come to the surface, his friends Little Jean and Bobby begin to seriously worry, especially when they see his hat floating on the water, pierced by an arrow. But a few seconds later, to their great relief, Robin – who had simply used a reed to breathe – is back!

Pinocchio

Walt Disney Animation Studios

Thanks to a strategy devised by Pinocchio, his father Gepetto manages to extricate himself from the entrails of the whale Monstro and return to dry land. But the sudden docking of their raft on the beach seems to have been fatal for the little wooden puppet, who remains lying on the ground, completely inert.

He finally comes back to life, transformed into a real little boy, when the Blue Fairy pays him a last visit and grants his dearest wish.

Caesar

Walt Disney Animation Studios

At the end of Lady and the Tramp, determined to catch up with the car from the pound, this sleuth with often uncertain flair ends up under the wheels of the cart. The heartbreaking yelps of his friend Jock may ring out in the night, but the old dog remains desperately motionless.

To the great relief of all the spectators, the old Saint-Hubert reappears fortunately from the next sequence, decked out with a simple cast on his right paw. More fear than harm !

Baloo

Walt Disney Animation Studios

At the end of The Jungle Book, after a merciless fight against the tiger Shere Kahn, Mowgli’s best friend seems to no longer want to wake up. While the little man is inconsolable and the panther Bagheera has already begun the eulogy of the bear, the latter opens one eye, then two, before fully regaining consciousness, ready to redo the fiesta in the jungle.

Emerald

Walt Disney Animation Studios

Would the pyre lit by Frollo at the end of the film have been fatal for the young gypsy, yet freed by Quasimodo just before being scratched by the flames?

Transported to the top of Notre-Dame by her faithful companion, Esmeralda refuses in any case to open her eyes, to the great despair of the hunchback. When the judge reappears, ready to get rid of his protege, she ends up fortunately regaining consciousness.

Hercules

Walt Disney Animation Studios

If he wants to save Megara’s soul, Hercules has no choice: he must dive into the greenish waters of the Styx and sacrifice his own life to recover that of his beloved. While the hero is aging visibly and his end seems near, the nobility of his decision nevertheless prevents the Fates from dealing him the fatal blow.

Immortal again, he frees his bride from the fatal river and returns to the surface, determined to put an end to Hades.

Basil

Walt Disney Animation Studios

A hot air balloon chase, a duel at the top of Big Ben between Basil of Baker Street and the fearsome Ratigan, and a fatal fall for the two rivals… For a moment, everything suggests that the courageous detective has definitively thrown into the void, following his worst enemy.

However, as the creak of a small pedalboard begins to resonate in the London sky, the rodent gradually reappears, operating a life-saving propeller with the strength of its paws.

Flynn Rider

Walt Disney Animation Studios

Stabbed by Gothel at the end of the film, the brigand breathes his last after having cut Rapunzel’s hair himself, thus seeking to save the princess from a life of isolation, but also depriving himself of the only possibility of healing from his injuries.

Against all expectations, it is finally the tears of his beloved that allow Flynn to reopen his eyes, a few seconds later.

Raya

Walt Disney Animation Studios

At the end of the film, when the characters find themselves surrounded by the evil force they call the Druun, their only way out is to cooperate. But the old rivalries have the tough leather, and to show the example to his comrades in arms, Raya must be petrified first.

His sacrifice, soon imitated by each of his friends, allows them to reconstitute the Dragon Stone, and bring everyone back to life.

Anna

Walt Disney Animation Studios

In the middle of a storm unintentionally triggered by Elsa, her sister Anna – also affected by the powers of the Snow Queen – freezes little by little and ends up freezing in place. When her sister witnesses this terrible spectacle, she cannot hold back her tears and rushes to her to hug her tenderly: a surge of love that will instantly melt the ice that held the princess prisoner.

Baymax

Walt Disney Animation Studios

Will Hiro and Baymax manage to cross the teleportation portal in time that will allow them to reach San Fransokyo? Realizing that his armor has been almost completely destroyed and that he will not be able to make the return journey, the robot sacrifices himself and saves the young boy with his rocket fist. An artifact in the heart of which Baymax however took care to slip his memory card, thus allowing Hiro to reconstruct it identically, at the end of the film.

The beast

Walt Disney Animation Studios

Stabbed to death by Gaston just before the latter falls into the void, the Beast collapses to the ground, at the very moment when the rose which symbolized its enchantment loses its last petal. As Belle bursts into tears while declaring her love to him, begging him not to die, the spell is finally broken, and the prince who was hiding behind the monstrous creature’s fur can reappear.

Snow White

Walt Disney Animation Studios

Poisoned by the apple given to her by the witch at the end of the film, Snow White now sleeps eternally, watched over by the seven Dwarfs who made her a glass coffin. As in the original tale of the Brothers Grimm, the Prince then arrives to wake her up with a first kiss, and leave with her. Thus ends the very first feature film from Disney studios.