Madame Hecuba (also known as Madame Noir, ノワール夫人, Nowāru-fujin in Japanese) is the main antagonist of the 1974 Japanese animated film adaptation of Jack and the Beanstalk (ジャックと豆の木, Jakku to Mame no Ki). She is an evil witch who seeks to become royalty by having her son, Tulip, marry Princess Margret.
She was voiced by the late Kirin Kiki in Japanese and by the late Billie Lou Watt in the English Dub.
Biography[]
Madame Hecuba is an evil witch, and the mother of the giant Tulip. She eats human children, and aspires to rule the Land of the Clouds by having Tulip marry into royalty and then betraying him. She is alluded to be the one that murdered the king and queen of the land.
Eventually, Madame Hecuba infiltrates the castle of the Land of the Clouds, transforming everyone into mice and hypnotizing Princess Margret into thinking that Tulip is a handsome prince and that she is a benevolent ally. However, when Jack grows the beanstalk into the land, one of the servants who was turned into a mouse escapes down the beanstalk and brings Jack and his dog Crosby up.
Jack encounters Margret, who introduces him to Madame Hecuba. Planning to eat Jack, Madame Hecuba lures him deeper into the castle and prepares him some drugged soup. Jack eats the soup and falls asleep, but Tulip interrupts before Hecuba can eat him. Not wanting to share Jack with her son, Madame Hecuba hides him, but Jack wakes up and escapes into the castle. Madame Hecuba commands Tulip to find him.
Tulip searches for Jack in the treasure room, where it is revealed that he hates his mother for her abuse, and frequently smashes toy versions of her to take out his anger. Madame Hecuba reapplies the spell to Margret, planning to wed her the next day. Jack escapes back to his home, but Crosby convinces him to return and help Margret.
Madame Hecuba sets up a wedding with a priest and audience made of paper and magically brought to life. During the ceremony, Hecuba plots that, once she is officially royalty, she will turn Tulip and Margret into mice and smash them. Jack interrupts the wedding and kisses Margret, snapping her out of trance. Tulip and Hecuba chase them, and Hecuba confronts the heroes. She begins using magic to attack them until Tulip shows up. However, tired from his mother's abuse, he finally decides to turn on her and step on her, smashing her to death.
Personality[]
Madame Hecuba is cunning and manipulative. She is devious and acts kind, but is really monstrous and power-hungry. No one, not even her own son, is safe from her wrath if she does not get her way. She is sadistic and enjoys causing pain and suffering.
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