Disney Villain Rater – The Headless Horseman

Disney Villain Rater – The Headless Horseman

Hello again, readers! Once again, I bring you another look at the Disney Universe's most wanted, courtesy of the Disney Villain Rater! In the previous Villain Rater article, I stated that the next movie from which I would take a character to profile is The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (1949). This movie is really two different halves of one whole; the first segment is the classic fantasy based on the Kenneth Grahame novel, The Wind in the Willows, in which Rat and Mole try to curb the irresponsible tendencies of J. Thaddeus Toad. The villains in that half of the movie are nothing to write home about—a bunch of weasels who trick Toad out of his property and send him to prison. Impressive to a degree, but not nearly the caliber of Snow White's stepmother.

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, the second half, however, that's a different story.

Once again, the following will be placed on a scale of one to ten:

DESIGN – How the character looks and moves, body language, clothing, etc.

PERSONALITY – How the character thinks, acts, speaks, etc.

GOALS – What that character wants to have or do, and the intentions behind their goals.

AMBITION – How much the character wants, how far/low he/she is willing to go.

ABILITIES – What the character can do (magic, intellect, special skills, etc.).

HENCHMEN – Who works for him/her, their effectiveness and character significance.

DEFEAT – How the villain's quest ends (death, prison, reformation, etc.).

VOICE – The voice actor's vocal performance and celeb status.

As I also mentioned in the previous installment, I have been looking forward to writing this article, because the centerpiece of this profile is one of my all-time favorite villains, not just in Disney lore, but in literature, as well. He is the malicious specter told about in Washington Irving's legendary post-Revolution story upon which the film is based. He is a relentless murderer who will not rest until he has claimed the main protagonist's head as his own. He is a legend stretching back to the very foundations of American history. Without further ado, I present my profile of the segment's titular character, the Headless Horseman.

THE HEADLESS HORSEMAN (The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad)

DESIGN –

Right off the bat, the Horseman shines in his design alone.  A sweeping black cape, leather gloves and boots, a lethally-sharpened sword, a flaming jack-o-lantern, and a ferocious black bronco are just the decorations on the main attraction—a headless man.  Let me repeat that . . . a headless man.  Not only would he be a dangerous, psychopathic killer with a head, but without it, he can see you, track you, find you, and decapitate you with ease.  Such is the power of the supernatural.  He rides like a bolt of lightning, he swings his blade with demented enthusiasm, and his imposing figure is more than enough to make viewers look over their shoulders long after the film is over.

DESIGN: 9

PERSONALITY –

If there is anything lacking in the potency of the Hessian's malice, it's his vague personality.  He never speaks, or even makes his character solid at all.  He merely laughs, rides after his quarry, and swings his sword.  However, the suspension of belief activates instantly when he releases that laugh—an evil cackle that chills one to the bone and freezes the blood in its veins.  Whatever this violent phantom is really like, we can easily assume that he enjoys his activities greatly.  That laugh makes me shiver every time.

PERSONALITY: 6

GOALS –

The Hessian is a ghoulish man, but a simple one—all he wants is to kill Ichabod Crane.  While this is not particularly impressive or complex, it is a very chilling goal.  The Queen in Snow White had a similar goal, but whereas the purpose of her intended murder is to win a popularity contest in her own mind, the Horseman's quest of blood run much deeper than something so petty.  According to legend, the Hessian rides through the night, seeking to behead all those he seeks until his own head is recovered (unlikely—also according to legend, the soldier's own head was destroyed by an oncoming cannonball).  This desire is far weightier than just simple jealousy.  This is vengeance.

GOALS: 7

AMBITION –

Another area in which the Horseman is less equipped, we're not entirely sure how far he is willing to go to do what he wants—at least, from his lack of coherent dialogue.  But we must remember, this is a ghost—which is to say, a once-living man.  His ambition can thus be judged by his willingness to return from the grave to enact his revenge on the living.  Defying all laws of biology and nature, the Horseman is relentless and ever-persistent in his hunt for Crane's head, so much so that his one weakness, his inability to cross a certain bridge, doesn't stop him—he will kill from all the way across said bridge if he has to.  For someone who is supposedly incapable of crossing this bridge, he doesn't let this inhibition stop him.

AMBITION: 8

ABILITIES –

From what we see in the film, the Headless Horseman is a skilled equestrian and swordsman, each only strengthening his speed, efficiency and malevolence.  Aside from this, and his ability to override the barriers of his own black magic, we also know that he was able to hit Ichabod with a pumpkin from across a bridge.  If nothing else, he has perfect aim.

ABILITIES: 8

HENCHMEN –

Unless his black horse counts, the Hessian has no henchman to speak of.  However, if his swift and deadly steed is included, the Horseman succeeds here where the Queen, Stromboli and the Coachman failed.  The black stallion he rides is fast, powerful, and capable of catching up to Ichabod at any time the schoolmaster believes he's lost the demon rider.  Another impressive assessment, and one that most deserves the Horseman's moniker in the original story, “the Galloping Hessian”.

HENCHMEN: 8

DEFEAT –

Similarly to the Coachman in the previous article, this portion of the profile will score a bit differently.  In fact, a lot differently.  Unlike any other villain in Disney continuity, the Headless Horseman actually succeeds in the endeavors we see him strive for.  In the short time we see him on screen, he has one goal—the murder of Ichabod Crane—and at the very least, it is heavily implied that he accomplishes this goal, almost effortlessly.  Disney has created some of the worst villains that animation has to offer, from Jafar to Ursula, from Scar to Mother Gothel, from Maleficent to Dr. Facilier, but none come even remotely close to the Hessian's level of success.  Until Ichabod Crane is found alive (no rumors), the high score is given in this category for the one thing that sets the Horseman apart from every other Disney villain.  He wins.

DEFEAT: 10

VOICE –

Despite my best efforts in my research, the voice behind the Headless Horseman still eludes me.  I have to assume the narrator of the segment, legendary crooner Bing Crosby, also supplied the voice of the Hessian along with the rest of the main (male) cast.  But even then, it's hard for me to believe that such a recognizable voice could portray a character in such a sinister, malevolent, and spine-tingling manner.  As I mentioned before, that laugh is one of the wickedest details about the Horseman, perhaps surpassing even his status as a phantasm, his dexterity with a blade, and the fact that he is without a cranium.  The insane enthusiasm he has for his undertakings, his wild, psychotic movements, his imposing figure, all of it can be traced back to that single, cold, horrifying sound echoing from his throat (or lack of one).  So far, where villainous laughter is concerned, the Galloping Hessian blows them all away.

VOICE: 9

As The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad saw no return for the Horseman, there will be no extra points for his score. As such, we move on straight to the final tally:

COMBINED SCORE: 65

FINAL SCORE: 8.125

To compare, the Evil Queen ended up with a total score of 56 and an average of 7, while the highest-scoring villain from the Pinocchio article, the Coachman, received a total of 55 and an average of just under 7. It is clear from this assessment that the Hessian beats them both quite soundly, for the short time he's allowed on screen. His only real glaring insufficiency is in his personality; with only two or three minutes of screen time, his character is not fleshed out in the slightest. However, the Hessian accomplished in three minutes what Honest John, Stromboli and the Coachman couldn't do it one act each (two for the fox) and what the Queen failed to do in an entire movie. With a frightening presence, lethal efficiency, a single sidekick that every villain dreams of, and murderous desires and actions that he easily accomplishes before the end of the film, I'm sure Washington Irving himself would be proud to see the Headless Horseman take his rightful place as one of the greatest Disney villains of all time.

Thanks again for joining me on another character profile, one that I didn't think I'd finish nearly as quickly as I did. As I said, this was a profile I was really happy to write, on a villain I was very happy to write about. I very much hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

On the next Disney Villain Rater article, we'll return to more classic, iconic Disney by profiling the wicked stepmother herself, Lady Tremaine, from 1950's Cinderella. I hope you'll return to read. Until then, watch your heads.

Thank you again for your time, and for your eyes.