Pixar films delight their audiences, bringing with them the joys of adventures, families, and friendships that will last through the ages. Yet, to fully enjoy the highs of happiness, the audience must first suffer the lows of despair, and what's more tragic than the death of a beloved character?
Whether it's a spouse, mentor, or beloved friend, sometimes the deaths are the hardest things to bear in Pixar movies. The bittersweet goodbye of a character gone too soon is a burden the audience must handle if they want to carry on with the story. Whether in fiction or real life, the show must go on.
10 Doc Hudson Was The Perfect Mentor, Even In Death
Doc Hudson was the metaphorical calm in the eye of a hurricane. When Lightning needed him the most, he was there to offer sage advice. He also guided Radiator Springs into achieving a peaceful life. Although Doc Hudson's death is only implied to have happened off-screen before Cars 2, it doesn't make it any less sad. His death meant no more words of wisdom for the cars that knew and loved him most, and it's because of his lack of advice that Lightning McQueen spent months alone, suffering in silence.
9 Even Saving One Child Was Worth It For Coral
When people say that opposites attract, they're referring to couples like Coral and Marlin: two fish who couldn't be more different yet complement each other perfectly. Coral was the mother Nemo needed. When Marlin held onto the reins too tight, Coral would've been there to make him ease off, and whenever Marlin didn't know what to say, it would've been her giving motherly advice.
The worst part about Coral's death is that she didn't die alone. She died trying and failing to protect her unborn children from a threat they didn't stand a chance against. Although Coral could have survived in the anemone, she was a completely selfless mother and made the ultimate sacrifice to save a single egg.
8 Wilden Lightfoot Transcended Death To Meet His Sons
Wilden Lightfoot was a man so nice, he had to die twice. It isn't so much Wilden's death that's sad, but rather his lack of a presence within his sons' lives that's the real tragedy. Throughout Onward, the audience cannot help but root for Ian and Barley to succeed in their quest, allowing them to properly meet and say goodbye to their father. However, by the end of the film, although Ian desperately wished to meet his father, he gives up that right to Barley, allowing his brother to say goodbye to the man he knew and loved. It's a truly heart-wrenching scene.
7 Poppa Henry Saved What Mattered Most
"You're me and more." Those are among the final words that Poppa Henry said to Arlo before his death in The Good Dinosaur. Although Poppa Henry was a stern parent to Arlo, he just wanted what any parent wants for their child; to teach them how to be unafraid and prepare them for a world where they might not always be there to protect him. In the last minutes of Henry's life, when he looks at Arlo, there's no trace of fear or sadness in his eyes, only love. This was a father who knew he was going to die but made peace with it, for he'd saved what was most important to him.
6 Bing Bong Died A Hero
When Bing Bong first came on screen, a lot of viewers expected him to be the villain. Much like King Candy from Wreck-It-Ralph, Bing Bong is a goofy, colorful character who could have easily been posing as a hero. As a forgotten imaginary friend, he had the motive, and he even had the means, stealing Riley's memories for himself and leading Joy and Sadness supposedly to Headquarters. Yet, Bing Bong was a true hero in the end and sacrificed his life so that Joy could save Riley.
Ultimately, fading into nothingness with only the simple wish that Joy should take Riley to the moon for him, Bing Bong was the true hero of Inside Out, dying a noble death.
5 Mor'du Had A Tragic Life And A Peaceful Death
As far as villains go, Mor'du is a complex character. He was a power-hungry tyrant, which ultimately led to the destruction of his kingdom, and he killed his siblings and countless others in the process. He should have been hated and feared by the audience. However, trapped in the body of an immortal bear who succumbed to the darkness and went mad in the process, Mor'du is actually a very tragic character, as can be seen in his death. When Elinor fought Mor'du to save Merida, ultimately crushing him with a stone pillar, the ancient Prince's soul was released from its shackles. Instead of fearing the afterlife, the prince welcomed it, nodding gratefully to Merida and Elinor as he passed on. This reminded the audience that they weren't just saying goodbye to a villain, but to a human being who suffered tremendously under the weight of his curse.
4 Wall-E Was A Robot With A Soul
As the only robot to outlast its expected lifespan, Wall-E may as well have given up. However, the soulful robot continued in its mission to clean up the Earth alone, whilst building a collection of things it loved. Among Wall-E's collection were various replacement parts that the bot could use to repair itself. Yet, after millennia of keeping itself going, Wall-E was willing to sacrifice itself so that humanity could live. The death is made more emotional by Eve, who desperately wishes to keep Wall-E alive and does everything to ensure that Wall-E will be revived.
3 The Combined Heroes Of The Incredibles
When trapped on Nomanisan Island, Mr. Incredible discovered the computer detailing Syndrome's plan, including the blueprints for the previous Omnidroids. As if it wasn't bad enough for Mr. Incredible to learn that all the previous Omnidroids had been built to destroy him, he also learned about the deaths of all of the heroes prior to him. Mr. Incredible knew every one of the heroes personally, although he'd lost track of them during the superhero purge (when all of his old friends had been given secret identities). Arguably, the worst part of Mr. Incredible's discovery is that all his old friends died trying to relive their glory days, just like he was trying to do.
2 Héctor's Family Never Knew He Was Murdered
While Héctor's death itself wasn't the great tragedy of Coco, the implications following it are terribly sad. Héctor was murdered and his family never learned his fate, even in the afterlife where they shunned him for abandoning them. They never knew that he was trying to make his way back to them. For years after his death, Héctor spent his time in the afterlife trying to reconcile with his family, and when that failed, all he wanted to do was see his daughter on the Día de Muertos. Who knows how many years he tried to cross the bridge to the land of the living only to fail because his family wanted to forget about him.
1 Ellie's Death Was An Unexpected Tragedy
Up has one of the happiest beginnings of any Pixar film. Through it, the audience is regaled with the charming tale of how Ellie and Carl met. One tenacious and wild, the other reserved and shy, Ellie and Carl become the perfect couple as the audience is shown their wedding, the house they built together, and their jobs in the zoo (among other things). In this silent heartfelt montage, the audience develops a strong attachment to Ellie and Carl. Celebrating with them through the highs of their life and suffering with them through the lows, Carl and Ellie quickly become one of the most authentic depictions of a relationship Pixar has ever shown. So, when Ellie falls ill and the audience travels with her and Carl to the hospital and then to the funeral shortly after, they're left with the same hollowness that Carl experiences in her wake, and watch as he has to go home alone.