But witchcraft wasnt the only evil the books were accused of peddling. But after Harry Potter became an unstoppable cultural force, and it was clear that fans would keep buying the books no matter what, it started to expand. We have selected the top wizards and witches across film, television, video games, comics, and books and ranked them according to powers + power in pop culture. avid Blaine and David Copperfield. She was repulsive even before you consider Nintendo 64s graphics standards of 1998. Never forget: Before she went to Tomorrowland, Britt Robertson was doing semi-dark magic with a group of attractive teens on The CW. Albus Dumbledore is a very smart wizard with a heart of gold who does his best to help guide Harry on his journey as the chosen one. Was any teenage witch more relatable than Sabrina? In some regions, pressure to censor the series was so high it led to lawsuits: In 2003, a judge ordered an Arkansas school district that had removed the books from schools due to promotion of the religion of witchcraft to return them. Get the latest Stanley tumbler in the new Orchid color: Stanley Soft Matte Quencher H2.0 Flowstate 40-ounce tumbler, $50. Few are wiser or more brilliant than Dumbledore, who as Headmaster of Hogwarts, could always be counted on to save the day (and the entire wizarding world). So much so that she covered most of Narnia, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring | The Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001-2003) How robust a warlock is this, the scourge of Middle-earth? He succumbs to her treachery and is buried alive in a cave. Melisandre (Carice van Houten), Game of Thrones. However, theres an unsettling side effect. Justin Russo (David Henrie), Wizards of Waverly Place, 93. The depiction of good witches in the media often pushes against the centuries-long view of witchcraft as a sinister, evil practice. Hes the most powerful witch of his age, but hes also spent most of his time stuck in a tree. Looks can be deceiving, and the seemingly frail puppet master pulling the Sith strings is not to be trifled with. Born Tom Riddle, the Dark Lord is responsible for the death of Harrys parents. sales of non-Potter kid lit were increasing by 2 percent a year, millennials read more than any other generation. (They rose only 37.37 percent between 1996 and 2006.). For Sally and Gillian Owens in Practical Magic, it appears most of their magical training is from their aunts over the course of their childhood. Season 4: Episode 6 Prev. Winifred Winnie Sanderson (Bette Midler), Hocus Pocus, She sings. These witches are way more than just fairytale crones. Tales of these sorcerers have found their way into modern pop culture, often via fantasy stories. RELATED: 15 Scary Movies We Saw as Kids That Still Haunt Our Nightmares. Antonia Gaviln de Logroo (Paola Turbay), True Blood. Of course youd try to become popular, just as Louise does. But still, with the same white creators, using the same historical backdrop to tell their stories, were not examining the beauty of witchcraft in all its forms. In most depictions of modern witchcraft, good witches live in our midst with their true powers (mostly) hidden. Other Harry Potter fans, like fan convention organizer Melissa Anelli and social activist Andrew Slack launched careers directly out of Harry Potter fandom. Harry Potter: J.K. Rowling's ever-expanding wizarding world, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwalds bonkers plot twist, explained, 7 authors tell us how 20 years of Harry Potter shaped their lives, The fight to make it harder for landlords to evict their tenants, On Succession, Sisyphus rolls the rock uphill. It lends an ounce of retroactive credibility to the witch hunters. 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. Harry Potter made it inescapable. Maleficent (Eleanor Audley), Sleeping Beauty. Speaking of teenage witches the iconic Sabrina Spellman needs no introduction. Glinda the Good Witch of the North (Billie Burke), The Wizard of Oz. sitcom and Netflix show, the titular teen initial witchs education is mostly through lessons with her aunts. Books, movies, TV shows, and other mediums have featured these spell-casting humans. He is said to have eaten poisoned cakes and drunk poisoned wine without consequence. The Harry Potter books combine the intricate plotting of a mystery with the sweep and scope of epic fantasy and the intimacy and character development of a classic boarding school narrative. We have selected the top wizards and witches across film, television, video games, comics, and books and ranked them according to powers + power in pop culture. Sectumsucks to be you! Also, really liked the cold. A spin on the ideal 1960s housewife, Samantha tried to trade her powers for a quiet life at home but the twitchy nose wants what it wants. Asa Vadja (Barbara Steele), Black Sunday, NEXT: Witches and wizards 74 50[pagebreak], 74. Who is the number one wizard that people just can't get enough of? Something went wrong. He was a Numidian who lived under the Roman Empire. It should be noted that Sarah is a natural witch, meaning she was born with her abilities. NEXTLUXURYDOTCOM LLC IS A PARTICIPANT IN THE AMAZON SERVICES LLC ASSOCIATES PROGRAM, AN AFFILIATE ADVERTISING PROGRAM DESIGNED TO PROVIDE A MEANS FOR SITES TO EARN ADVERTISING FEES BY ADVERTISING AND LINKING TO AMAZON.COM. In general, the Harry Potter fandom was among the first to see a number of people actively leveraging their success through fandom toward their professional careers. Theres, of course, the Bible, and then. Samantha wants to use her powers, all she has to do is wiggle her nose. The news prompted Christian scholars to declare the move nonsense, while queer fans were in turn angry that Rowling had done so little to make the queer subtext of Dumbledores character overt during the time he was actually being written (and alive). Whether theyre tangentially connected to the witch trials or overtly, both have an overlapping trait: there were witches in Salem. In 2005, students at Vermonts Middlebury college created the first real-life Quidditch game, which went on to spawn an international real-world college sport. If only his [SPOILER ALERT] death wasn't so sudden and easily avoidable. He might be called a king and not a wizard, but Jareth has incredible magical powers he uses to try and stop Sarah Williams from saving her baby brother in the cult classic Labyrinth. If you havent heard of Dr. People generally didnt read the Harry Potter books in isolation; they wanted to talk about it with their friends, and then find more friends who loved the books as much as they did. From habit stacking to making your habits part of your vibe, these tips will help you achieve your goals with ease. Do you want to be the first who gets the news directly to your mailbox? Katrina Crane (Katia Winter), Sleepy Hollow. Everygirl Sabrina Spellmans life was a generous helping of teenage wish fulfillment (who wouldnt want to change outfits and humiliate her high school rivals with a swish of a finger? Still, it was up through the turn of the 20th century where the first major rumblings of non-threateningor outright good witchesappeared in media and literature. And when it looks like the valiant prince might come to her rescue? Strange was once a gifted, narcissistic neurosurgeon who, after losing the use of his hands, looked for a cure in the mythic Himalayas. Their ancestorsor in some cases, their younger selvesmade their homes in Salem, their families fleeing during the trials. This wonderful wizard from the Harry Potter series is the headmaster of Hogwarts. But you cant put a price on a talking cat. Prior to Harry Potter, the accepted wisdom was that kids didnt have the attention span to read long books. 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. This largely goes hand in hand with the aforementioned real-life history of witch trials. In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Harry competes in the world-famous Triwizard Tournament. Around the same time, the Wizard Rock trend (shorthanded Wrock) gained momentum as Harry Potter fans on YouTube formed a litany of music groups the first one being Harry and the Potters devoted to personifying and singing about various characters from the books. Thomas Edison. would put her toward the top of any list when it comes to powerful beings. In. You barely even saw him, and he instilled everyone with a knee-knocking sense of dread. Twenty-nine here, but no. Elphaba/The Wicked Witch of the West. As, of course, their house is full of strange happenings. In America, they often descend from the witches of Salem, our most notedthough certainly not singularinstance of witchcraft persecution. Despite boasting a charmed legacy, even this most complicated and powerful of sorcerers apparently could not resist a certain femme fatale. The 50 greatest TV and movie detectives of all time. This inquisitive little guy is one of the most enduring children's book characters of all time; the first Curious George story was penned by Hans and Margret . Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain hes not even actually a wizard. Cordelia Foxx (Sarah Paulson), AHS: Coven, 43. Copyright 2023 Meredith Corporation. But still, in the Netflix seriesthough slightly less so in 90s sitcomthere are plenty of humans in on the secret. Sukie Ridgemont (Michelle Pfeiffer), The Witches of Eastwick. More often, a witch living a non-magical life is noted for their eccentricities. Shes as good as they come, leading the way for Dorothy to make it back home and even gain some wisdom along the way. They are shrouded in secrecy, living among non-magical beings. Merlin The myth of Merlin can be traced all the way back to ancient Celtic lore, but it wasn't until an English bishop published Historia regum Britanniae in 1135 that the wizard became, by. Lets not even talk about the Eva Green iteration. 1. Sure these modern pop culture witches are fictional, but normalizing the idea of the good witch in a variety of mediumsin TV shows, movies, booksdirectly combats centuries of stigma against witchcraft and mysticism. 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. On-screen he is first played by Richard Harris, but after he passed, the great Michael Gambon took over. Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton), Harry Potter. Even Shakespeare, who lived during a time of deep fear of witchcraft, got in on the trend. The Blair Witch was creepy because we *didnt * ever really get to see her. It turns out Buffy the Vampire Slayers best friend is a witch. Glenn Fleshler Goran Pazar. actually circumvented this trope by making the accused witch in question actually innocent, reminding viewers of the horrific reality of the trials. It was a true tragedy when she lost her powers, but we hope shell regain that magic before the series ends. Links foe has appeared in many forms over the years, but nearly every iteration of the Hyrulian foe has been a memorable one. Unlike Stannis, we dont expect The Red Woman to go down too easily. But the latter half of the century and certainly through the present, depictions of witches, especially specifically non-scary witches, are certainly broader. And then, of course, there are the strictly magical communities. It changed the business model for publishing books for kids. Keanu Reeves played Constantine in the film of the same name, and while no classic, it is a decent adaptation of the character. Max Russo (Jake T. Austin), Wizards of Waverly Place, RELATED: 10 Wickedly Great Books About Witches, 79. Just Tongi, a backing band and singers, and a sea of . Harry Potter has since became such an all-encompassing phenomenon that from this vantage point, its hard to see the full scope what it accomplished: It feels as though publishing and fandom and childrens literature and all of pop culture have always been the way we know them today. 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. exist as a menacing force, even if theyre not remotely the only villains in that particular play. Donald Ducks temper may often get in the way, but hes a good enough magician and even better friend to Sora and Goofy that Kingdom Hearts wouldnt be the same without him. 13. Characters like Robin Hood, Merlin, Achilles, the pipe player from Hamelin, etc. For some critics, thats a worrisome development, suggesting that adults are too dull and stupid to appreciate books actually written for adults. Likewise, while eventually introducing a magical school, mostly used the after school lessons method to teach magic. The coolest and most fashionable teen witch of the 80s uses her magic to get by during the toughest time of ones life: high school. Still a whole lot of NOPE. There are still leagues to go in depicting witchcraft in its full diverse practice. 6. All rights reserved. , a magical mentor called a Whitelighter guides the Halliwell sistersand more recently, the Verasthrough their magical studies. And Harry Potter fans creativity is still being felt in and outside of the fandom. At first, the GHW appears glamorous, but shes not so pretty underneath her disguise. Making a splash: A deep dive into the live-action Little Mermaid with a new generation's Ariel. Possessing another witchs body (and surviving being burned at the stake) is another. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Comic book character Dr Stephen Strange has become much more well-known since Benedict Cumberbatch played him in the recent Marvel movies. Henry Winkler Gene Cousineau. This pattern coincided with the rise of Web 2.0 that is, an increasingly interactive and social internet. That counts. But what really makes Harry Potter stand out is the way people loved (and continue to love) Harry Potter. The man behind the myth has been variously described as the son of the devil, the product of God, a wilderness-loving madman, a worldly tutor and the prophet of the Holy Grail. 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. The one where EW follows up with the cast. Daniel Radcliffe scored the coveted role of Harry, helping make the films a massive success and spawning several spinoff movies and books. 8. But he has one weakness; women. All of the young witches on *American Horror Story: Coven * were equally iconic, but Queenie has some serious witchcraft roots. Before Liam Neeson developed a particular set of skills, he helped develop one of Star Wars wisest Jedi, and one of its most feared foes. Merlin uses his powers for good and to help Arthurs kingdom. At Vox, we believe that everyone deserves access to information that helps them understand and shape the world they live in. this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines. ), 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. Many modern pop culture witches can generally trace their roots back through real historical events.