Why does Disney always kill off mom?

Published on Saturday, August 23, 2003 By Brad Wardell In Movies & TV & Books

My wife and I saw "Finding Nemo". Early on, the mother fish dies. This isn't a spoiler as the more we thought about it, the more we realize that mothers are pretty disposable in Disney films.

Let's take a look:

Move Fate of Mother
Finding Nemo Mother dies in movie
Aladdin Aladdin's mother dead at start. Then again, so is Aladdin's girlfriend's mother. Both fathers are alive.
Bambi Mother killed late in the movie.
Snow White Mother dead (wicked step mother)
Cinderella Wicked step mother strikes again (father also dead but died after mother)
Lion King Mother not dead but an amazingly minor character
Little Mermaid Mother not present, unmentioned
Lilo & Stitch Mother dead (so is father)
Pinochio Literally no mother, only the father.
Hunchback Mother killed early on

Clearly, the life expectancy of a mother in a Disney film is not good.