The Emperor’s New Groove: Characters Ranked By Likability

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Disney’s The Emperor’s New Groove may have been released decades ago, but the story still lives with all of us. It is one of those deemed Disney classics because of its timeless appeal to the audience. One of the best features of the film is its roster of remarkable characters.

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Indeed, The Emperor’s New Groove gave us some of the most beloved characters, especially villains, like Yzma and Kronk. In fact, everyone in the movie played a significant role. That being said, we listed the top characters from the animated film based on how likable they are, villain or not!

Kuzco

Kuzco The Emperor's New Groove

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Emperor Kuzco was introduced as a self-obsessed, stubborn, and arrogant ruler who follows whatever he wants regardless of the consequences. The most atrocious plan he devised was to build his summer house at the top of the hill where the villager Pacha and his family reside.

All throughout the movie, Kuzco still had this comedic nature despite being so selfish. He is desperate to return to his kingdom, yet he still won’t give up his ego. In the end, he managed to redeem himself, and this made him a more agreeable character.

Rudy

Rudy the emperor's new groove

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Rudy does not have that much screen time, and he is only shown at the beginning and towards the end. Despite so, his character is too memorable for the audience to forget. In the first scene, he accidentally threw off the emperor’s ‘groove’, and so the poor old man was tossed out the window.

Kuzco apologized to him in the end, and Rudy immediately forgave him. He did not hold any grudge against the emperor and he was always so cheerful and friendly.

Pacha

Pacha the emperor's new groove

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Pacha is the villager who helped Emperor Kuzco all throughout his journey in the wilderness. He is caring, thoughtful, and selfless – the complete opposite of Kuzco! After his unfortunate deal with the emperor, he found himself talking to a llama on his way home.

He tried to help Emperor Kuzco find his way home despite all the rudeness he showed. Pacha also managed to transform the young emperor into a more sympathetic person. From there, a wonderful friendship grew from their adventures together.

Yzma

Yzma The Emperor's New Groove

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Yzma is absolutely the funniest and less intimidating Disney villain of all. Her plans to murder Kuzco backfired, especially in the end when she turned into a cat. She is always with her assistant, Kronk, who she constantly abuses with mean words.

Despite Yzma’s evil nature, she is one of the most likable characters in the film. Her confidence, fashion sense, and even her witty banter make her less scary.

Kronk

Kronk The Emperor's New Groove

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Kronk is undoubtedly the funniest and most appealing character in the movie. His clumsiness and foolishness make up for the entertainment. Despite his subservient nature, Kronk is a very adorable guy. In fact, he has his own angel and devil conscience fighting each other whenever he is torn about something.

Another interesting fact about Kronk is his ability to talk to squirrels. In the end, Kronk gets a happy ending with no more mean master to boss him around.

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Written by Ariane Cruz

Articles Published: 1940

Ariane Cruz, Senior Content Writer. She has been contributing articles for FandomWire since 2021, mostly covering stories about geek pop culture. With a degree in Communication Arts, she has an in-depth knowledge of print and broadcast journalism. Her other works can also be seen on Screen Rant and CBR.