The Top 10 Witches and Magic Wielders of Pop Culture
Witches are often synonymous with Halloween. Although brooms and comically large hats often come to mind, pop culture is awash in witches of all kinds and during every time of year. From the skies of Oz to the suburbs of Salem, witches have worked their way into many of the stories geeks have come to love.
In honor of the release of Wicked: For Good, here are our 10 favorite witches and magic-wielding women in pop culture.
Elphaba (the Wicked Witch of the West)
Most fans of pop culture are familiar with The Wizard of Oz and the magical inhabitants of Oz from the time they are small children. In 1995, the story was retold in the novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West. Gregory Maguire’s reimagining casts the Wicked Witch of the West in a more favorable light before Dorothy ever found herself in Oz. The novel was adapted to the beloved Broadway musical Wicked in 2003. The first half of the musical flew into movie theaters with an all-star cast last year, and now they’re returning for the long-awaited Wicked: Part 2.
Before she was the main antagonist of Oz, the Wicked Witch of the West was known as Elphaba. When Elphaba reaches adulthood, she attends Shiz University, where she meets Glinda and Fiyero. Despite her appearance and awkwardness being alarming to many, both Glinda and Fiyero eventually see that there is much more to their green-skinned classmate than meets the eye. She is eventually noticed by the Wizard of Oz himself, and begins to learn two important things: the magic that she is capable of and what she wants to stand for. In For Good, we’ll see what really happened when Dorothy visited Oz amid all the magical infighting.
Wanda Maximoff
Viewers first meet Wanda Maximoff in the Marvel Cinematic Universe before she becomes the Scarlet Witch. Although she has not yet adopted her iconic moniker and the astonishing abilities that come with it, her magical prowess is already considerable. In Avengers: Age of Ultron, she is a formidable adversary turned invaluable ally to the Avengers with her telekinetic and telepathic powers. After the Infinity War, Wanda struggles with grief and loses her family during WandaVision.
Eventually, she embraces her destiny as the Scarlet Witch, leading her powers to grow exponentially. Those powers paired with the possession of the Darkhold, however, lead Wanda down a dark and terrifying path. Although she appears to atone for her transgressions by sacrificing herself in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, many fans believe they have not seen the last of the Scarlet Witch in live action. Will that be in Avengers: Doomsday? Only time will tell.
Zatanna
As both an accomplished stage magician and super hero, Zatanna Zatara lives an interesting life. Thanks to her ancestors’ abilities and training from her father, Giovanni Zatara, Zatanna can wield magic both for entertainment and for the greater good.
Zatanna’s charming personality and intellect belie her impressive powers. Her magical abilities are vast and varied, and her trademark move is to chant incantations backwards (like her father). Although she often spends time on her own, she has lent her skills to the Justice League, Justice League Dark, and other members of the DC universe throughout her history. On many occasions, Batman and Wonder Woman have owed Zatanna their lives, not to mention her on-again, off-again paramour John Constantine.
Galadriel
As the Fellowship makes their way into Lothlórien, Gimli warns the Hobbits that “an Elf witch of terrible power” dwells within the Golden Wood. While she is perhaps not a witch in the typical sense, Galadriel’s mystical qualities are considerable thanks to her heritage, her long life, and bearing one of the three Elvish Rings of Power.
Her abilities to look into the hearts and minds of others, speak telepathically, and even aid others in seeing the past, present, and future set her apart from the other Elves in Middle-earth. She is an extremely powerful figure in The Lord of the Rings. Fans of Galadriel can look forward to more of her history as Rings of Power continues to develop.
Hermione Granger
Hermione Granger is often referred to as the “brightest witch of her age” with good reason. She grows from being perceived as a somewhat awkward know-it-all to a loving, invaluable, highly intelligent friend. Besides her enduring loyalty to Harry Potter and Ron Weasley, her dedication to learning and book smarts is commendable in and of itself.
What truly sets Hermione apart, however, is the courageous, loving, and inspired application of her intelligence. She saves the lives of her friends on at least an annual basis, and her steadfast support and ingenious plans are integral in the final defeat of Voldemort.
The Weird Sisters
Although the show is named after Sabrina Spellman, the Weird Sisters are arguably the most compelling witches in Greendale. Prudence, Agatha, and Dorcas often relish in making life difficult for Sabrina throughout The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. However, they do ally themselves with her on more than one occasion. The three presumed orphans were raised as sisters and became a powerful and fearsome trio, with Prudence Night the strongest and most interesting of them all.
Over the course of the series, Prudence becomes more morally ambiguous and complicated. She uses her powers for both vengeful self-interest and for the greater good when the occasion calls for it.
Tia Dalma/Calypso
First appearing in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest, viewers first come to know Tia Dalma as the powerful witch that gave Captain Jack Sparrow his enchanted compass. With supernatural perception, the ability to see the future, and the power to raise the dead, Tia Dalma was already a witch of incredible power.
Eventually, she is revealed to be the sea goddess Calypso bound to human form. Later she is freed by the Brethren Court that once imprisoned her and learns that Davy Jones was the one responsible for binding her to mortality. When given the opportunity, she conjures a maelstrom and only calms the seas once her vengeance is complete as Davy Jones dies.
The Nightsisters
The Nightsisters are members of a matriarchal society from Dathomir, which is also Darth Maul’s homeworld. Fearsome in appearance and in power, the Nightsisters wield the dark side of the Force and leverage the magical ichor at the core of their planet to cast their spells. These witches, led by the cunning Mother Talzin, make their first appearance in current canon in Star Wars: The Clone Wars™. Their powers include the ability to create illusions, influence the minds of others, and even raise the dead to do their bidding. Asajj Ventress also has Nightsister heritage, as shown in Tales of the Underworld™.
Melisandre
Also known as the Red Woman, Melisandre’s singular focus in Westeros is to serve her god, the Lord of Light. In her efforts to do so, the 400-year-old sorceress does downright villainous things on Game of Thrones. She puts leeches on Gendry after tricking him into trusting her, births a shadow spirit to kill Renly Baratheon, and convinces Stannis Baratheon to burn his daughter at the stake as a sacrifice.
In contrast to these wicked acts, she also resurrects Jon Snow, defends Winterfell from the army of the dead, and helps Arya Stark understand how the Night King can be killed. Once her mission is complete, she removes the necklace that granted her immortality and willingly perishes in the snow.
The Sanderson Sisters
The Sanderson Sisters establish their wickedness early on in Hocus Pocus. In their efforts to stay young forever, the sisters cast a spell to steal the life force of young Emily Binx and turn her brother Thackery into an immortal cat. They are hanged for their crimes but make their return when Max Dennison lights the Black Flame Candle.
Despite their hilarious antics and penchant for performance, the sisters are downright terrifying in their pursuit of eternal youth. In the end, the children Max, Allison, and Dani, along with Binx the cat, prevent the sisters from claiming the life of another child. The Sanderson Sisters recently made their highly anticipated and musically infused return in Hocus Pocus 2.
Witches in pop culture are wicked, good, and everywhere in between. Their powers have immeasurable influence, creating challenges for other characters or providing them with vital support in the darkest times. Whether they are self-serving or kind-hearted, these powerful witches enrich the stories they inhabit.
Who are your favorite witches in pop culture? Join the conversation with other fans over at Sideshow Social Network or in side.show/geekgroup, and don’t forget to Let Your Geek Sideshow!
