Maleficent (Maleficent)

Maleficent is the protagonist from the 2014 movie of the same name. In contrast to the version of the character seen in the orginal Sleeping Beauty film, this version of Maleficent is depicted as more tragic and sympathetic, having once been an innocent and good-hearted individual who became cruel as a result of circumstance eventually she redeemed herself after her sharing a parental bond with Aurora and became a hero as a result.

History
As a child, Maleficent lived a peaceful life in an enchanted forest known as the Moors and had a close friendship with the young Stefan until one day he betrayed her and stole her wings as proof he killed her so he could become king. Maleficent becomes enraged over his treachery and as her heart of gold turns to stone she becomes the most evil being in the land.

Bent on revenge, she places a curse upon the baby Aurora to fall into a "sleep like death" when she pricks her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel. However, after Stefan begs her to spare his daughter's life, she also includes that the curse can be lifted only by true love's kiss and no other power on earth can change it.

Over the next sixteen years, Maleficent watches over the young princess and despite her dislike for the little "Beastie" she reluctantly takes care of her from afar since the three Pixies are incapable and struggle with their new life as humans. By the time Aurora is fifteen, Maleficent brings her to the Moors and to her surprise she is delighted to meet. Aurora claims she is her Fairy Godmother and over the next few days they spend time together with the other fairies. All the fairies take a liking to Aurora and even Maleficent starts to warm up to her. Seeing her no longer as her enemy she tries to remove the curse from her but she is unable too since no power on earth can lift it but true love’s kiss. When Aurora says she wishes to stay with Maleficent she delighted. However after learning the truth about her past and her Fairy Godmother's identity she sadly returns to her father. Although ashamed, Maleficent knows if she returns the castle her life will be in danger.

As the sun begins to set Maleficent finds Phillip and hurries to the castle but all is in vain when her evil prophecy has been fulfilled. Maleficent and Diaval, Maleficent's loyal servant, sneak into the castle with Phillip and bring him to the sleeping Aurora, hoping that his kiss of true love will break the spell, unfortunately it doesn't. Maleficent sadly looks upon what her hatred has brought to her dear friend. She gives her a goodbye kiss on the forehead and just before she can walk away a miracle happens, Aurora wakes up. Their friendship was the strongest true love that can ever be.

As they make their way back to the Moors, Maleficent becomes captured by Stefan and his guards. She and Diaval become easily pinned down and just before Stefan can kill her, Maleficent's wings return to her after Aurora frees them. Maleficent and Diaval manage to overpower the guards with the treacherous king still standing and just when Maleficent is close to choking him to death, she decides to spare him claiming "It's all over". However, Stefan refuses defeat and jumps on her. The two fall from a tower but Maleficent manages to gain airborne but leaves Stefan to fall to his death.

With peace finally made between the two lands, Maleficent passes her crown to Aurora making her Queen of both the human and fairy kingdoms. In the last scene she flies happily through the skies with Diaval.

Trivia

 * She is similar to the Wicked Witch of the West as portrayed in Wicked in that both are alternate and more sympathetic portrayals of notorious movie witches.
 * She has some similarities with Gru from Despicable Me, as both are villains who eventually became heroes after sharing a parental bond.
 * This version of Maleficent is very different towards the Sleeping Beauty version of herself.
 * In the original version Maleficent was pure evil, while in this version Maleficent was a tragic villain, is shown to have morals and remorse, and only became evil when King Stephan betrayed her.
 * In the original version, Maleficent has light green skin, while the 2014 version has pale skin
 * Unlike the original version of Maleficent, this version is shown to not have the ability to teleport.
 * In the original, Maleficent, and her minions were searching for Aurora for sixteen years with on such luck, while in this version, Maleficent was able to find Aurora, with the help from her pet raven Diaval, almost instantly.
 * This version of Maleficent, she met Prince Phillip, but never confronted him.
 * The original Maleficent dies at the end of the film, while the 2014 version, Maleficent is still alive.
 * She ultimately felt remorse for cursing Aurora, and tried to undo the spell that she gave her when she was a baby.
 * In the Original version, Maleficent placed the curse on Aurora because she wasn't invited to the party in Aurora's favor, while in the 2014 version, she wanted to get her revenge on King Stephan for betraying her and their friendship.
 * Maleficent in this version never turned into a dragon, instead she turned Diaval into a dragon.
 * This version of Maleficent doesn't live in a castle on top of the Forbidden Mountain, instead she lives in the Moors.
 * The enchanted thorns Maleficent summoned in the 2014 version, were used as a barrier to prevent anyone from entering and destroying the Moors, while in the original version, Maleficent used the thorns to prevent Prince Phillip from reaching Princess Aurora and breaking the curse.
 * Prince Phillip was the one who broke the curse in the original version, while in this version Maleficent was the one who broke the curse.


 * In addition, Maleficent somehow share a few, if a little similarities with Jake Sully for some cases:
 * Both initially having a male ally/friend that eventually betray them/became their enemies. (King Stefan for Maleficent and Quaritch for Jake).
 * Both case of Maleficent and Jake's conflict with their enemies almost similar, which are involving nature (Maleficent wishes to protect her forest, while Jake chooses to protect Pandora).
 * Both are saved by heroines at their final battle with their respective antagonists(Aurora for Maleficent and Neytiri for Jake Sullivan).