Queenie (Gabourey Sidibe), AHS: Coven, 51. If you havent heard of Dr. Even in his declining years, the headmaster of Hogwarts was a formidable magebut in his youth, full of vigor and brio, Albus Dumbledore was a force to be reckoned with. Not only can she steal beautiful voices, Ursula has, Big Trouble in Little China | James Hong in Big Trouble in Little China (1986) Cursed by a Chinese emperor centuries ago, Chinatown gang lord Lo Pan leads a ghostly existence. The 50 greatest TV and movie detectives of all time. Entertainment Weekly may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Next. An all-singing, all-dancing, all-evil underwater witch for the ages. Vote up the best wizard characters from film, TV, and more! Obi-Wan Kenobi (Alec Guinness), Star Wars. It arranged for Harry Potter to be displayed on the front tables at bookstores, and for ads to appear in the right newspapers and magazines. Booklist found that middle-grade novels expanded 115.5 percent between 2006 and 2016, the decade in which the Potter novels were at their longest. RELATED: Ranking the scariest American Horror Story characters, 10. Elphaba/The Wicked Witch of the West. Furthermore, it consistently puts a white face to the good witch. The Horntail was one of the scariest dragons in the franchise. actually circumvented this trope by making the accused witch in question actually innocent, reminding viewers of the horrific reality of the trials. Plus, youve gotta love those cheekbones. Voldermort is one evil son of a bitch who does everything he can to takeout Harry. But he has one weakness; women. Most famously L. Frank Baums novel. D&D sorcerers don't do that. Another British Artist Elton John kept on achieving new heights and made people in the UK and the US fall in love with rock and pop. She has killer hair, a killer wardrobe, and she a turned a poor boy into a cat. Tilda Swinton in The Chronicles of Narnia (200510). However, theres an unsettling side effect. Publishers and childrens writers took notice. But, generally, witches attempting to blend into their non-magical communities arent the most seamless at it. From Hermione Granger to Sabrina Spellman. Also, really liked the cold. He is the one who helps Arthur find Excalibur and the Holy Grail. Get ready to level up your habits game with "Atomic Habits" by James Clear! Albus Dumbledore. Born Tom Riddle, the Dark Lord is responsible for the death of Harrys parents. Potions and Pop Culture. In Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, the Spellmans run a funeral home, which is the perfect cover for their spooky, gothic vibe in town. By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. The recent horror trilogy Fear Street actually circumvented this trope by making the accused witch in question actually innocent, reminding viewers of the horrific reality of the trials. From Chambers Film Factfinder After quarrelling with her aunt, farm girl Dorothy wishes herself elsewhere, only for a cyclone to grant her wish by sweeping her up and away. 16. Of course, one of the best modern homages to Marie is the one made famous by Angela Bassett in *AHS: Coven. Saruman (Christopher Lee), Lord of the Rings, 45. In recent years, Rowling has provoked controversy for her series lack of diversity, for denying queer sexuality of characters, and many, many more kerfuffles. The Most Powerful Wizards In The 'Harry Potter' Franchise, Ranked 4 Saruman Lord of the Rings Franchise 447 votes Played By: Christopher Lee What makes this character great: Very knowledgeable Masterly of dark magic Powerful 5 Professor Severus Snape Harry Potter Universe 647 votes Played By: Alan Rickman What makes this character great: Oheka Castle has been part of numerous moments in pop culture history, so it was a no-brainer to include it on this list. 77. 61. Magic is one thing. Davina Claire (Danielle Campbell), The Originals, 68. She dances. Are Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney in love, or are they good actors? Wizard: Think pretty much Harry Potter (also Voldemort is an excellent example of a Lich) Sorcerer: Elsa from Frozen is a quintessential sorcerer, born with her powers, controlled by force of personality. These witches are way more than just fairytale crones. those with magical powers). WE MAY GET PAID IF YOU BUY SOMETHING OR TAKE AN ACTION AFTER CLICKING ONE OF THESE. Anthony Carrigan Noho Hank. Each week, we explore unique solutions to some of the world's biggest problems. But the latter half of the century and certainly through the present, depictions of witches, especially specifically non-scary witches, are certainly broader. Just Tongi, a backing band and singers, and a sea of . The one where EW follows up with the cast. See more about - The 22 Best 90s Cartoon Characters. John Dee and Edward Kelly img source: sciencephoto.com British astronomer and mathematician John Dee and Renaissance occultist and psychic Edward Kelly created the so-called Enochian magic system based on conversations with spirits and angels. But even a young lifetime in hiding isnt enough: Maleficent still conjures a spinning wheel to send Aurora into a deathlike slumber. Its true that Rowlings prose is best described as workmanlike and competent; if the reason you read is solely to enjoy perfectly balanced and polished sentences, you may be best served elsewhere. With Genie's power at his disposal, Jafar took his place among the most powerful wizards in pop culture. Copyright 2023 Meredith Corporation. Aside from the cultural impact, the character itself is admirably resourceful: Mickey uses magic to do his chores for him (which eventually ends in disaster but it was fun while it lasted!). Arthur Levine, the Scholastic editor who acquired the books, had an excellent eye for British books that would work in the US, having already acquired the US rights to Redwall and His Dark Materials. As more Harry Potter fans became more active online, they made discussion of YA fiction, fantasy, and science fiction seem commonplace. Sales were falling. Twenty-nine here, but no. Miracle Max (Billy Crystal), Princess Bride. Its sort of a two-fold conundrum, because it makes sense to use the era as a jumping off point but it also overlooks the victims, killed by fear mongering puritans presiding over sham trials. According to his Chocolate Frog card, Albus Dumbledore - Hogwarts Headmaster and Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards, among other accolades - is 'the greatest wizard of modern times'. TGIF forever. His appearance is inspired by musician Sting, which is the total opposite of the movie version. All of this controversy speaks not only to concerns that Rowlings work would negatively influence children, but to the reality that many of those children grew up to be arguably even more progressive than the books they grew up reading which is, in a way, a confirmation of conservatives worst fears about the series. In, , those with magical powers attend an actual school. 7. This is a broad list including mystical wizards and sorcerers alongside more mundane, real-life alchemists. And in both iterations of Charmed, a magical mentor called a Whitelighter guides the Halliwell sistersand more recently, the Verasthrough their magical studies. Jafar was the sorcerer, but Iago was the real brains of the operation. Devon Buckley (Chandra West), The Gates, 94. Tales of these sorcerers have found their way into modern pop culture, often via fantasy stories. This largely goes hand in hand with the aforementioned real-life history of witch trials. Do you want to be the first who gets the news directly to your mailbox? Merlins demise comes about after he falls in love with the Lady of the Lake. Witchcraft is such a diverse study and the practice is intertwined with so many cultures and lore. The books proved such a success that they were adapted into a film series. In Harry Potter, for instance, the quest to remain hidden goes all the way to the top, with strict secrecy laws in place by the magical governing body. But there are plenty of reasons for a grown person to enjoy Harry Potter. Buffys bestie learns shes a witch early on in the series and her powers grow strongly; at one point, she turns to the dark side. Wizards have been part of history for centuries. Because the witching season is just around the corner, we've rounded up the most iconic witches in pop culture history, from the Disney icons to Hogwarts heroines. And anyway, the thinking went, kids werent buying their own books. Credit: Lucasfilms Ltd.; Frank Ockenfels/FX; Getty Images, Witches and wizards in pop culture: A definitive ranking. Mary Sibley (Janet Montgomery), Salem, 91. Then, of course, there were the mythological sorceresses, including Circe, Hecate, and Morgan le Fay, who while not initially presented as evil in some cases, generally saw their stories descend into tales of duplicitousness and cruelty. In short, it gave the book many more resources than are typically afforded to the average debut novel from an unknown author, and that decision paid off. There are still leagues to go in depicting witchcraft in its full diverse practice. In, , most witches and wizards live among non-magical folks. 13. 38. Grams didnt like to show off, but when her magic was needed, she did what she had to do. (Not quite, but close. Then, of course, there were the mythological sorceresses, including Circe, Hecate, and Morgan le Fay, who while not initially presented as evil in some cases, generally saw their stories descend into tales of duplicitousness and cruelty. 84. Not only could she steal beautiful voices, but Ursula could change form at will andafter stealing Triton's helm and tridenthave mastery over the seas as well. However, so much of what we see depicted in media are that of cis, white, able-bodied women. Marie Laveau was a real-life New Orleans woman whos known as the queen of voodoo. In this video, we share the top 5 game-changing lessons to build good habits and break bad ones, with some fun pop culture references to keep you entertained. Books, movies, TV shows, and other mediums have featured these spell-casting humans. But you cant put a price on a talking cat. I know, they dont possess any magical powers, but lets not forget the great Michael Jordon, who is wizard-like with his basketball abilities, did play for them. NEXT: Wizards and witches 49 25[pagebreak], 49. The Blair Witch was creepy because we *didnt * ever really get to see her. Potions and Pop Culture 3. Tobias is a content specialist with over a decade of experience writing about men's lifestyles for a variety of publications around the world. The hook came from the press: Newspapers featured articles about the little English book that had garnered such a huge sale. The first Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone, introduces young readers to Potter and his friendsHermione GrangerandRon Weasley. Top Billed Cast and Crew. ), Samanthas mother, Endora, is a little more out-there than her buttoned-up suburban daughter, and shes constantly trying to cause chaos in her daughters marriage to the mortal Darrin. Brenda Loveknot ( Discworld) Lythande ( Thieves' World, Lythande) M. Aunt Mab ( Graveyard School) Ciaran MacEwan ( Sweep) Maghatch ( Thunder Oak) Maharet and Mekare ( The Vampire Chronicles) Makenna ( The Goblin Wood) Maleen, Goth and The Leewit ( The Witches of Karres) by James H Schmitz. Sabrina learned everything from her aunts, who were always more powerful than they let on and inseparable. Roxie Torcoletti (Rebecca Romijn), Eastwick. He was befriended by Russian nobles Emperor Nicholas and Empress Alexandra and began to exert influence over the two. Take a mental break with the newest Vox crossword, Sign up for the This largely goes hand in hand with the aforementioned real-life history of witch trials. A former surgeon who is now one of the most powerful wizards in the world, Dr Strange protects the world from mythical threats. The Wicked Witchs beautiful rival, Glinda, ruled with a soft voice and enchanted Munchkins all over Oz. The result is purely pleasurable to read at any age: The puzzlebox mystery plotting keeps the pages turning propulsively forward, the fantastic mythology gives the world scope and magic and joy, and the boarding school structure makes the characters warm and familiar and charming. Magical oversight may exist in both but the former points to it more severely. While the term magician might be more apt, these illusionists are still worth mentioning in the conversation of famous wizards. Curious George, Curious George. According to the same legend, Merlin's obsession with the so-called Lady of the Lake would lead to his demise. One member of the family wholly ignoring the secrecy pact. Share. In short, hes pretty good at magic. When pop culture's most self-deprecating witch (''I don't, Tilda Swinton, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe | Tilda Swinton in The Chronicles of Narnia (2005, 2009) Pure evil. As if it werent bad enough to go through puberty, pass Defense Against the Dark Arts, and figure out how to ask a girl out, he had to avoid being killed by the greatest dark wizard in history. Harry Potter conventions drew thousands of fans, and Harry Potter cosplay became a well-known sight at larger geek and comic cons. The. The wuxia series have vast magical and sorcery cultivation, and Wei Wu Xian is the most powerful demonic cultivator of them all, (top of his generation) caring little for rules. One of the most celebrated fictional warlocks is the everyman John Constantine. Making a splash: A deep dive into the live-action Little Mermaid with a new generation's Ariel. Sorry for the spoilers. While we can look back fondly on their scheming ways, for centuries they were best remembered (mostly by men) as unnatural cautionary figures. Others, like the Cromwells in Halloweentown or Samantha Stephens in Bewitched, make a more concerted, if not wholly successful effort to keep their magical powers under wraps. RELATED: 17 Surprisingly Scary Kids Movie Moments, 50. It changed the business model for publishing books for kids. Willows rise as a witch mirrored the growth of her character and helped to make Buffy the Vampire Slayers best friend one of the shows most endearing characters. Of course, she and her coven *do * help young Thomasin discover her own powers, so its not all bad. But sometimes the rules are a bit more stringent. Granted, the former Tom Riddle had a devil of a time killing just one little boyapparently, love is Voldermort's kryptonitebut he also engineered the death of Dumbledore, the dismantling of Hogwarts, and the destruction of many a Death Eater's soul. Her son might be the King of Hell, but Rowena has enough power to spell an angel, so we wouldnt mess with her.