12. Who saved the day more than Hermione? Barbarian: The Hulk is hardy and hits even harder, and is angry the entire time. 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? 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. And it introduced an entire generation to the idea that its possible to interact with the pop culture you love to write about it and with it, to make music and art about it, and to build a business around it. Probably the most famous wizard in all of popular cultureyes, even eclipsing Harry PotterMerlin's greatest feat was helping Arthur Pendragon find a very nice sword (Excalibur) and an even nicer cup (the Holy Grail). 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. Here are just two of the ways Harry Potter changed publishing, and how those changes affected the rest of pop culture: 1) The books made it possible to publish long works aimed at children. 25 Best Pop Culture Examples (A to Z List) - Helpful Professor Rebel witches always beat goody-two-shoes witches (sorry, Diana). Roxie Torcoletti (Rebecca Romijn), Eastwick. This largely goes hand in hand with the aforementioned real-life history of witch trials. Whatever you want to call them, all of these characters and famous people can be defined as wizards. Wizards are known to be mysterious, with powers to help or harm others. would put her toward the top of any list when it comes to powerful beings. Wizards have been part of history for centuries. Merlin uses his powers for good and to help Arthurs kingdom. 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. She was the star pupil in her classes at Hogwarts and the savvy, level-headed member of the triumvirate that includes Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. She almost brings about Buffys demise but is saved and embarks on a redemptive arc in the series. People are supposed to love to hate witches, not hate to hate them or mobbing to burn her at the stake. But even he didnt know that Harry Potter would grow as big as it did. Anyone who can teach herself magic is a badass in our book. SOME LINKS MAY BE AFFILIATE LINKS. James Hong in Big Trouble in Little China (1986). RELATED: 15 Scary Movies We Saw as Kids That Still Haunt Our Nightmares. The Wizard - popculture.com Whenever a publisher acquires a book, it creates a budget for that book. It lends an ounce of retroactive credibility to the witch hunters. Being a Bennett witch is no easy task, but Bonnie has proven that she can handle it. And while she might look innocent on the surface, never mess with the woman who became so powerful she eventually altered reality enough to create entire armies out of thin air. Harry Potter YouTube/Cartoon Network Asia Arguably the most famous wizard on this list comes from the mind of author JK Rowling. While we can look back fondly on their scheming ways, for centuries they were best remembered (mostly by men) as unnatural cautionary figures. So shes got some pretty awesome skills. , the Spellmans run a funeral home, which is the perfect cover for their spooky, gothic vibe in town. Get ready to level up your habits game with "Atomic Habits" by James Clear! Who is the number one wizard that people just can't get enough of? Harry Potter made YA book-to-movie franchises into one of the biggest forces in pop culture. As with most evil types, Saurons quest for power doesnt end well, but while alive he remains a terrifying character throughout The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Even Agatha Harkness has roots in Salem. 55. Alyson Hannigan on Buffy the Vampire Slayer (19972003). Without further ado 99. This NBA Finals bet based on How to Lose a Guy in 10 days is amazing Credit: Mary Evans Picture Library/Everett Collection. Publishers and childrens writers took notice. 5. You can even have up to 255 spells at your disposal, making him the most versatile wizard on this list. A magical slip-up here and there. Warner Bros./The CW/Netflix/ABC/Paramount Pictures. Melisandre (Carice van Houten), Game of Thrones. In both the Sabrina sitcom and Netflix show, the titular teen initial witchs education is mostly through lessons with her aunts. 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. And then, of course, there are the strictly magical communities. Gillian Owens (Nicole Kidman), Practical Magic. 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. As such, attempts to stay under the radar are largely imperfect. Glinda the Good Witch of the North (Billie Burke), The Wizard of Oz. She finds herself in the magical land of Oz, populated by Munchkins and ruled over by two witches and one all-powerful wizard. Hermione Granger (Emma Watson), Harry Potter. A part of us hoped that the crazy Death Eater would last until the end. In Harry Potter, most witches and wizards live among non-magical folks. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. 6. This wonderful wizard from the Harry Potter series is the headmaster of Hogwarts. 32. After years of solo hits and an ongoing stint fronting classic rock powerhouse Queen, Lambert was back on familiar ground on Sunday night (April 30) when he returned to the Idol stage for a . In recent years, Rowling has provoked controversy for her series lack of diversity, for denying queer sexuality of characters, and many, many more kerfuffles. She led the ladies of American Horror Story: Coven with style and serious attitude. The Wicked Witch of the West (Margaret Hamilton), The Wizard of Oz. 7. Likewise, while eventually introducing a magical school, Wizards of Waverly Place mostly used the after school lessons method to teach magic. 8. She was related to Tituba, the maid involved in the Salem witch trials. As such, attempts to stay under the radar are largely imperfect. 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. Copyright 2023 Meredith Corporation. Starting the series as a timid young teenager who discovers she has magical abilities, Willow Rosenberg soon transforms into a powerful witch. 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. Even Shakespeare, who lived during a time of deep fear of witchcraft, got in on the trend. * She also taught us all the importance of water. Merlins demise comes about after he falls in love with the Lady of the Lake. 84. 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. But, generally, witches attempting to blend into their non-magical communities arent the most seamless at it. Their ancestorsor in some cases, their younger selvesmade their homes in Salem, their families fleeing during the trials. And in both iterations of Charmed, a magical mentor called a Whitelighter guides the Halliwell sistersand more recently, the Verasthrough their magical studies. Harry Dresden (Paul Blackthorne), The Dresden Files, 87. Don't know how you do the voodoo that you do. Freya Beauchamp (Jenna Dewan Tatum), Witches of East End, 86. The Most Iconic Castles in Pop Culture History - Yahoo! And thus, witches attempting to live incognito as regular humans are usually deemed eccentric by their communities. Real gentlemen know quality when they see it. avid Blaine and David Copperfield. Albus Dumbledore. Something went wrong. After Harry Potter, childrens literature became a category full of mega-sellers. Magical oversight may exist in both but the former points to it more severely. By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. Halle Bailey, Melissa McCarthy, and director Rob Marshall share the tale behind making their underwater musical with a groundbreaking Disney princess. Sound off in the comments, or vote for one of our top 10 picks in the poll below. 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. 3. Just Tongi, a backing band and singers, and a sea of . Hes the most powerful witch of his age, but hes also spent most of his time stuck in a tree. (She can also turn into a cat at a moments notice and isn't afraid to stand up to Voldemort and his Death Eaters, and, oh yeah, Umbridge.). 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. In large part, that boom is courtesy of Harry Potter, which became a surprise crossover hit adored by both children and adults, and which made it acceptable for adults to read books that are ostensibly for children. It also makes their eventual death (for some) and trauma (for all) deeply affecting. Here are just two of the ways Harry Potter changed publishing, and how those changes affected the rest of pop culture: 1) The books made it possible to publish long works aimed at children. Apart from the occasional word of wisdom, Dumbledore likes to leave the lessons . Elphaba/The Wicked Witch of the West. Most famously L. Frank Baums novel. Hulk, Drax, The Bride (Kill Bill) Bard - A story teller or musician using wits, magic, and lore to get out of (or avoid) tight situations.