Maleficent

Template:Film-in-universe

Template:DisneyChar Maleficent is a dark fairy and the self-proclaimed, "mistress of all evil" and main antagonist in Walt Disney's 1959 adaptation of Sleeping Beauty. She was animated by Marc Davis, and voiced by Eleanor Audley (who also voiced Lady Tremaine, the stepmother of Cinderella). She cursed the infant Aurora to "prick her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel and die" before the sun set on her sixteenth birthday after not being invited to the baby's christening. She is viewed as one of the most powerful and sinister of the Disney villains^{[citation needed]}, as she lacks any of the "goofiness" generally present in the later ones, while still exhibiting something of a dark sense of humor. In 2001 she appeared as one of the main antagonists in the video game Kingdom Hearts she later appeared in its sequel, still as a enemy for most of the game, near the end she warmed to Sora and aided him.

Appearance

Maleficent appears in the form of a tall, pale skinned woman with yellow eyes and massive black horns, symbolic of her evilness. She is clad in a black and purple robe with bat wing-like edges, and wears a gold ring with a large circular black stone in it. She has a pet raven called Diablo, and a legion of goblins and troll-like entities at her command. In addition to this she carries a staff with a glowing green orb at the tip, through which she casts her spells, which include an ability to teleport herself from place to place or send bolts of lightning at enemies. She is also capable of shape shifting at will into numerous forms, including a will-o-the-wisp and a massive black and purple dragon. Despite this, she is in fact a fairy rather than a sorceress like the other three fairy godmothers in the movie. She is also reknowned as being somewhat beautiful in a macarbe fashion.

During Sleeping Beauty's initial release, it was reported that many small children in the theaters were actually terrified of Maleficent's appearance both as a woman and dragon, and that some parents therefore had to leave the film early.

Biography

Maleficent first appears in the film Sleeping Beauty in King Stefan's castle during the christening of Stefan's daughter, Aurora, upset and enraged that she didn't receive an invitation to the ceremony like Flora, Fauna and Merryweather. In retaliation, Maleficent places a curse on Aurora for her to prick her finger on the spindle of an enchanted spinning wheel and die on her sixteenth birthday, although Merryweather is able to weaken the curse into a deep sleep rather than death.

But Maleficent's anger is further aroused when she hears that Aurora has been taken into hiding by the three fairies, so she starts a manhunt for her, although her incompetent pig and goblin-like goons spend the next sixteen years searching for a baby. Infuriated, Maleficent smites them with lightning from her staff and tells her pet raven, Diablo, to "Circle far and wide. Search for a maid of sixteen, with hair of sunshine gold, and lips red as the rose."

Maleficent's plan is successful, as, on the night of Aurora's return to Stefan's castle (her sixteenth birthday), Maleficent takes the form of an energy-orb and lures Aurora through a secret passageway into the tower of the castle, where she transforms into the spinning wheel and goads Aurora into touching the spindle. Aurora does so, and Maleficent reveals her motionless body to the three fairies, laughing in triumph.

To keep Aurora from awakening ever again, Maleficent and her goons sneak into Aurora's old forest cottage (where she was to meet her lover, in reality Prince Philip, her future husband) to trap Prince Philip and stop him delivering Love's First Kiss to Aurora (the only cure for her slumber). They succeed, and take him to Maleficent's castle, situated in the dreaded Forbidden Mountains.

Maleficent spends the next few hours in her castle, enjoying the victory festivities with her goons. Finally bored with the same celebration, she decides to pay Philip a visit and taunt him about how he failed to marry Aurora and that he will most probably be an old man by the time he escapes from the dungeon he is in. Laughing maniacally at Philip's anger, Maleficent retreats into her own tower "for the first time in sixteen years, I shall sleep well."

But she is disturbed before long by her goons making noise. She orders silence, only to see that Diablo has been turned to stone and that Flora, Merryweather, and Fauna have broken Philip out of prison and are escorting him back to Stefan's castle. Enraged once again, Maleficent throws all sorts of spells at Philip (lightning bolts and a forest of thorns), but his mystic weapons given to him by the fairies (the Shield of Virtue and the Sword of Truth) break the curses, forcing Maleficent to face Philip herself and wields "all the powers of Hell" to reach her final form: a dragon.

Maleficent and Philip start their battle, with Maleficent gaining the upper hand with her fire breath and forcing Philip to a nearby cliff. She manages to blast the shield out of his hands, but the three fairies transfer some of their power into the sword, making it powerful enough for Philip to throw it directly into Maleficent's heart before she can attack again.

Slowly dying, Maleficent falls forward and tries to devour Philip, but she misses, and her weight causes the cliff to collapse, taking her with it and crushing her to death, leaving behind only her robe with the sword still through it.

Other appearances

File:Maleficent220.jpg

Dragon Maleficent

Maleficent is a recurring character on the TV series House of Mouse. She also appeared in the spin-off movie, Mickey's House of Villains where she was constantly shown, but delivered only a single song lyric, "Every evil queen gets due respect." In one scene from another episode, Maleficent sits across from Jafar in human form, and it was stated by Mickey that the two villains were on a date, after which Maleficent zapped Jafar. In another episode, Mickey had to help Hades win Maleficent's heart.

Maleficent is also mentioned in the Nightwish song "FantasMic" from their 2000 album Wishmaster, in the lyrics Maleficent's fury / The spindle so luring.

Maleficent is also the main villain in the novel, The Kingdom Keepers by Ridley Pearson. In the novel, primarily based in Magic Kingdom, she is able to leave the confines of the Disney Resort, enslave humans and try to take over the real world.

Maleficent was also the final boss on the North American version of the video game Mickey Mousecapade created in 1987 for the Nintendo Entertainment System.

Maleficent's theme is heard during the intro of World of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck, since at the end of the intro, the main villain is shown.

Maleficent also became the main villian in the direct-to-video movie Mickey, Donald, and Goofy:The Royal Rescue.

Kingdom Hearts series

Maleficent appears as a major antagonist in the video game Kingdom Hearts series. She is voiced by Susan Blakeslee in the English version and Toshiko Sawada in the Japanese version. Maleficent leads the group of Disney villains who seek to harness the power of darkness within Kingdom Hearts. In the first Kingdom Hearts, Xehanort's Heartless unlocks her heart which transforms her into her dragon form. Sora defeats her but she is resurrected in Kingdom Hearts II, where she seeks a new base of operations so she can resume her intent to obtain Kingdom Hearts. At first she wants her revenge against Sora, but she ends up helping him on two occasions in order to stop Organization XIII. In Kingdom Hearts II, Maleficent recruits Pete, a long-time troublemaker banished from Disney Castle, to create a powerful Heartless army.

Fantasmic!

In the night time show Fantasmic!, performed at the Disneyland and Disney's Hollywood Studios theme parks, Maleficent is one of the Disney villains portrayed in the shows. In the shows, the Evil Queen decides it is time to finish off Mickey Mouse once and for all, and invokes Disney villains to help her. They strike Mickey through his dreams and imagination, and Maleficent is the final villain to attack Mickey - the battle between Maleficent's European dragon incarnation and Mickey serves as the climax to the show. It is to be noted that Maleficent cries out before becoming the dragon: "Now you will deal with me and all the powers of my imagination!", whereas, in the original film, she proclaimed "Now shall you deal with me, O Prince, and all the powers of Hell!" Because of the weight of the costume, she is usually played by a man.

Dream Along With Mickey

In the Dream Along With Mickey stage show at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom, Maleficent is one of the villains who appear onstage to threaten Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck and Goofy. Maleficent states that since people no longer believe in dreams, it's the perfect time for her to return to power and make the Magic Kingdom "the Place Where Nightmares Come True" - a play on the Disney parks' slogan of "the Place Where Dreams Come True." But Mickey leads the crowd in a chant of "Dreams Come True!" and scares away Maleficent's minions, Captain Hook and Smee, as well as defeating Maleficent herself.

Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party

Maleficent also makes appearances during Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. She makes an appearance through her voice in HalloWishes, a Halloween-themed fireworks show along with Ursula The Sea Witch, Jafar, and Oogie Boogie. Susan Blakeslee provides Maleifcent's voice in those cases.

During the Disney Villains Mix and Mingle Halloween Dance Party at that same event, Maleficent, along with Captain Hook, hosts the party and summons up all the villains that attend, including her co-host Hook and other villains, such as Cruella De Vil, Judge Claude Frollo, The Queen of Hearts, Jafar, and The Evil Queen.

Queen Narissa

The main antagonist of the 2007 live-action, Disney movie Enchanted, is based partly on Maleficent. Whilst also resembling her physically and possessing her dark powers, she is obsessed with killing the beautiful princess and capable of transforming into a gigantic, purple dragon. The climax of the film is quite similar to the battle at the end of Sleeping Beauty, but with a twist in the tale. It is the princess trying to rescue the hero rather than vice versa. Narissa's demise is similar to that of Maleficent. Enchanted is basically a combination of many Disney Classics.

Power Rangers: Jungle Fury

The Queen will tell Dai Shi and Camille will use the Enchantix fighter are in the Enchantix Death War are in the Enchantix Galaxy.

References

External links