An all-powerful sorcerer, Constantine rarely uses his powers, preferring to let his wit and intelligence get him out of sticky situations. 21. Scholastic President Barbara Marcus Barbara Marcus kept saying do you love it? and Arthur said yes, so we went for it, a Scholastic spokesperson recalled in 2002. We Asked, You Answered: Which 'Walking Dead' Characters Would You Bring Back From The Dead? Potions and Pop Culture. This is a broad list including mystical wizards and sorcerers alongside more mundane, real-life alchemists. Sometimes witches are just people who want to drink a bunch of midnight margaritas and maybe break a family curse. Albus Dumbledore. But between Harry Potter, the Lord of the Rings film adaptations, and the emerging visibility of online Harry Potter fandom, it was increasingly difficult to ignore fantasy and science fiction as a driving force of culture, and to write off fans of these genres as niche. He is also the founder and leader of the Order of the Phoenix, the group of wizards and witches determined to stop Lord Voldermort from rising to power. Witches are not a homogenous groupthere are so many ways to practice witchcraft. Ditto in. , in which the family matriarch, Agatha Cromwell, resides in the titular town full of monsters and magic, and for whom not using magic is a perplexing arrangement. 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. The formalized education strictly points to the set of rules and regulations within the magical community. Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint), Harry Potter. Twenty-nine here, but no. Freya Beauchamp (Jenna Dewan Tatum), Witches of East End, 86. They come in all shapes, sizes, and styles, from the casters of spells in your childhood fairytales to the modern witches next door of American Horror Story: Coven. 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. 59. 7. Although in the Netflix series she does receive a more formalized education after she turns 16 and chooses that path. But you cant put a price on a talking cat. 32. Sarah Bailey (Robin Tunney), The Craft, 52. The two teaching methods highlight the distinction between magics role in their respective worlds. These women have modernized witchcraft into the 21st century, and their practice is often linked to self-care. And the list goes on: The author of the bestselling Mortal Instruments series, Cassandra Clare first gained fame online as Cassandra Claire, author of the incredibly popular Harry Potter fanfic The Draco Trilogy. Gandalf. This wonderful wizard from the Harry Potter series is the headmaster of Hogwarts. As, of course, their house is full of strange happenings. And when it looks like the valiant prince might come to her rescue? Marvel Comics (1963present), Benedict Cumberbatch in the MCU (2016present). Prior to Harry Potter, the accepted wisdom was that kids didnt have the attention span to read long books. Hungarian Horntail. Support our mission and help keep Vox free for all by making a financial contribution to Vox today. In short, hes pretty good at magic. Many modern pop culture witches can generally trace their roots back through real historical events. 9. This list contains popular wizards like Dumbledore, Gandalfand Merlin. Usually alongside a classically evil witch. He was a Numidian who lived under the Roman Empire. Sometimes, they fully embrace said reputation. Not only is the Wicked Witch of the West insanely, well, wicked, she also delivered one of historys most memorable movie lines when she cackled, Ill get you, my pretty, and your little dog, too! to a terrified Dorothy. Among the many pop culture witches whose roots lie around that infamous period in history are Samantha Stephens in the sitcom, , and Spellmans in multiple TV iterations of, (to varying specificities). D&D sorcerers don't do that. Here's What To Do Next, 130+ Famous Wizards, Occultists, and Mystics. Generic things also work for the other classes. Season 4: Episode 6 Prev. Occultists and mystics are not the same as cultists. COPYRIGHT 2023 Next Luxury ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Mesmerizing yet terrifying. Apart from the occasional word of wisdom, Dumbledore likes to leave the lessons . From habit stacking to making your habits part of your vibe, these tips will help you achieve your goals with ease. He takes on many different forms, but the most recognized is that of a disembodied eye. 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. Sabrina Spellman (Melissa Joan Hart), Sabrina: The Teenage Witch. And then, of course, there are the strictly magical communities. That's why we keep our work free. See more about - The 22 Best 90s Cartoon Characters. Gandalf features heavily in J. R. R. Tolkiens novelsThe HobbitandThe Lord of the Rings. Born Tom Riddle, the Dark Lord is responsible for the death of Harrys parents. For this poll we've created a list of the greatest wizards of all time, featuring the most famouswizards you know from movies, television, video games and more. ), 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. Merlin uses his powers for good and to help Arthurs kingdom. Cassie Blake (Britt Robertson), The Secret Circle. , 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. 5. The 50 greatest TV and movie detectives of all time. 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. Do you want to be the first who gets the news directly to your mailbox? The Untamedfollows the story of Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji, two young cultivators that fall in love in ancient China. Theres, of course, the Bible, and then. 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. As Harry Potter gets ready to take the big screen once again, TIME examines the most popular sorcerers of all time from Mickey Mouse to Gandalf. The most recognizable version of Gandalf comes from the movie adaptations of Tolkiens books. He didn't even have hands, yet he gathered about him every fell beast imaginable, all to find the One Ring and kill whoever carries it. Sally Owens (Sandra Bullock), Practical Magic. Willow Rosenberg (Alyson Hannigan), Buffy. The Horntail was one of the scariest dragons in the franchise. 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'. 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. Stevie Wonderamazed the crowd with his second album Innervisionsthat was a major hit. 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: 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). Without further ado, 99. Opens in new tab Opens in new tab Opens in new tab. It should be noted that Sarah is a natural witch, meaning she was born with her abilities. 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. 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. Ralph Fiennes, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire | Ralph Fiennes in the Harry Potter saga (2001-present) Granted, the former Tom Riddle has a devil of a time killing just one little boy — Marvel's DOCTOR STRANGE (2016)Benedict Cumberbatch CR: Marvel, DC Comics (1964-present) A sorceress who can trace her heritage back to alchemist Nicholas Flamel, soothsayer Nostradamus, and Leonardo Da Vinci, Zatanna is one of, Aladdin | Jonathan Freeman in Aladdin (1992) This not-so-humble court vizier gives in to his delusions of grandeur — especially when he gets his hands on the, The Tempest (1600s) William Shakespeare seemed to have a little thing for magicand revenge. Wizards and witches have been featured in many cultures around the world for centuries. Links foe has appeared in many forms over the years, but nearly every iteration of the Hyrulian foe has been a memorable one. 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. 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. Challenges conventional assumptions associated not only with gender but also normativity. 4. Nicole Kidman doesnt have the best luck with portraying witches. Identifiable thanks to his long great beard and even bigger pointy hat, Gandalf is possessed with great power, but that doesnt mean he cant be killed. 48. But if you are an adult who can imagine reading for more than one reason (the pleasures of story, the joy of immersing yourself in another world), the Harry Potter books become enormously appealing. Most famously L. Frank Baums novel. Most early depictions of witches framed them as possessing malevolent energy. 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. Cedric the Sensational (Jess Harnell), Sofia the First, 83. He serves as the righthand man to King Arthur and is involved in many of the famous stories about Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table. 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? If you havent heard of Dr. The. In both the. The White Witch rules with an iron fist, turning those who oppose her into stone. 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. Sukie Ridgemont (Michelle Pfeiffer), The Witches of Eastwick. In 2007, after the series end, J.K. Rowling retroactively outed the powerful wizard Dumbledore as gay. Probably because she turns herself into a dragon. 61. After Harry Potter, childrens literature became a category full of mega-sellers. He is the one who helps Arthur find Excalibur and the Holy Grail. GojiraSoundsUnleashed/Youtube. RELATED: Ranking the scariest American Horror Story characters, 10. That counts. 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. Next. Nicol Williamson in Excalibur (1981) Probably the most famous wizard in all of popular cultureyes, even eclipsing Harry Potter Merlin's greatest feat was helping Arthur Pendragon find a. But several strictly magical communities appear throughout the series, giving just a glimpse of normal magical life. The last four volumes of the series are all doorstoppers that clock in at well over 700 pages each. 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. 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. Real Animals Mistaken for Mythical Creatures, Cryptozoological Creatures That Might Be Real, The Greatest Wizard Characters Of All Time, Gandalf Doesnt Really Do Much Magic At All, And We Can Prove It, The Most Powerful Characters In 'Lord of the Rings' And The Hobbit, The Most Attractive Anime Girls of All Time, Albus Dumbledore Decisions From 'Harry Potter' That Prove He Wasn't Great At Being A Good Guy, The Most Powerful Wizards In The Harry Potter Franchise, Ranked, Things You Didn't Know About Severus Snape If You've Only Seen The Movies, 12 Tragically Unlucky 'Harry Potter' Characters Who Cant Catch A Break. If youre the Sea Witch, you better believe people have a reason to be scared of you reasons that might include stealing mermaids voices, a cunning personality, and a penchant of turning prisoners into a helpless polyps.