Mother Witch

Evil-doer
Full Name	Unknown
Alias	Mother Witch
Origin	Hocus Pocus 2
Occupation	Witch
Powers / Skills	Witchcraft Alchemy Immortality Shapeshifting Aerokinesis Teleportation Enhanced strength Supernatural smelling Hypnotic voice Bibliomancy (formerly) Ictiokinesis
Goals	Serve Satan (ongoing). Initiate the Sanderson Sisters into the ways of witchcraft (succeeded).
Crimes	Malefic Murder Cannibalism Kidnapping
Type of Villain	Fanatical Witch

“	Magic has a way of uniting things that ought to be together.	„
	~ The Mother Witch to the young Sanderson sisters.

The Mother Witch is one of the overarching antagonists of the Hocus Pocus franchise. She is an enigmatic Salem witch who came across Winifred Sanderson, alongside her younger sisters Mary and Sarah, around the 17th century.

The Mother Witch is the one responsible for giving Winifred a dark magic spellbook created by Satan, making her responsible for the Sanderson Sisters becoming evil witches.

She was portrayed by Hannah Waddingham, who also played the Wicked Witch of the West in the original production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Wizard of Oz, Septa Unella in Game of Thrones, Gail Meyer in The Fall Guy and Jinx in The Garfield Movie.

History

Past

The Mother Witch was an unnamed woman living in Salem during the 17th century. She was a witch either by birth or directly selling her soul to Satan and making a pact with him. At some point, she became in possession of the Manual of Witchcraft and Alchemy — the spellbook originally bequeathed by Satan himself — by either it being gifted to her by Satan or from the witch who owned it. Whatever the case, she then resided in the the forbidden woods of Salem, during the 1600s, which acts as a sacred space for witches, and strengthens their magic. She also feasted upon children to maintain her youth and gain immortatlity. Presumably, at some point, after the Mother Witch performed the "Magicae Maxima" spell, she lost her coven.

Hocus Pocus 2

The film begins in 1653 with the Mother Witch, scouring the sky in the form of a red-winged blackbird, as she watches over the town of Salem.

When the young Sanderson sisters enter the forbidden woods after being banished from Salem by Reverend Traske, she gazes them from afar. The young girls become fearful of their surroundings, and the Mother Witch tries to lure them with a song. When Winifred beckons Sarah, who is bewitched by the song, back to her, the Mother Witch transforms into her human form before them, and grabs hold of Sarah by the neck. Winifred and Mary attempt to rescue their sister, but the Mother Witch summons a gust of wind through her hand, to hold them back. The Mother Witch prepares to feed Sarah the Life Potion to steal her soul, but Winifred loosens her grip on Sarah. The Mother Witch grabs Winifred in retaliation, but fearfully let goes, upon sensing her. Upon taking a closer interrogation of Winifred, she comes to realize the young girl differs from the other children she has eaten, and is feared by the townspeople, due to her corruption. The Mother Witch takes note of young Winifred's temper, and on the raw power she holds. She informs the girls that the woods they entered is feared upon, because it is a sacred space for witches such as herself, to charge their magic, and displays her powers before them. The Mother Witch declares Salem to be run by fools, and will one day be ruled by the likes of them. She gifts the girls a spellbook, and wishes Winifred a happy sixteenth birthday. As the girls explore the book's pages, they come across a spell, entitled "Magicae Maxima, the Power Spell", which makes a witch all-powerful, but the Mother Witch warns them against using such a spell, and has them promise not to do so. The Mother Witch comments on the luck they have in their relationship, as a witch needs her coven, for which she no longer has. Before Winifred can give her thanks, the Mother Witch disappears before them. This encounter led Winifred, Mary and Sarah to become fearsome witches, leading to the events of the first film.

In 2022, after Becca, Izzy, and Cassie defeated the newly-risen Sanderson sisters, a bird identical to the one that the Mother Witch had shapeshifted into flies overhead them. This implies that the Mother Witch is still alive and active as of the present day, though it's currently unknown if she has become aware of the defeat of the Sandersons and what she will do next.

Appearance

The Mother Witch is hundreds of years old, but she looks young with long bushy gray hair and blue eyes. She wears a red and orange witch dress that had an eye in the center of her stomach, along with golden jewelry and a long black cloak.

Powers and Abilities

Powers

• Magic: The Mother Witch is a powerful witch who utilizes magic to transform into a red-winged blackbird or brew potions.
  • Spell Casting: It is implied that the Mother Witch had a coven, but she cast the Magicae Maxima spell which killed her own coven but made her all-powerful.
  • Aerokinesis: The Mother Witch generated a large gust of wind to push back young Winifred and Mary Sanderson after they attempt to save Sarah.
  • Shapeshifting: The Mother Witch has shown the power to shapeshift into a red-winged blackbird.
  • Potion Craft: She was able to brew the Life Potion which she almost used on a young Sarah Sanderson.
  • Enhanced Strength: She was able to grab a hold of Sarah Sanderson and have her in a chokehold.
  • Supernatural Smelling: Through smelling Winifred she could sense what no one else could.
  • Hypnotic Voice: She was able to hypnotize young Sarah Sanderson with a song whilst in the Forbidden Forest.
  • Witchy Intuition: The Mother Witch was able to tell that it is Winifred's 16th birthday without even being told it was.
  • Light Manipulation: The Mother Witch was able to conjure a ball of light and flick it up into the sky.
  • Teleportation: Before Winifred was about to thank the Mother Witch for giving her a spellbook, she disappears before her, implying the Mother Witch can teleport.

Former Powers

• Bibliomancy: Before bestowing the book to the Sanderson Sisters, the Mother Witch has ownership of it.

Trivia

• Before the premiere of Hocus Pocus 2, it was rumored that Mother Witch could possibly be a fourth unseen Sanderson sister who didn't appear in the original film, though after the first trailers and teasers were released, many assumed that the Mother Witch could actually be the mother of the Sanderson Sisters. It wasn't until the film's release that it was finally revealed who the Mother Witch really was.
• The Mother Witch appeared to be responsible for Winifred and her sisters' desire for witchcraft and youth obsession.
• It is implied that the Mother Witch lost her coven after performing the "Magicae Maxima" spell.
• It has been announced by Hocus Pocus 2 writer Jen D'Angelo that Mother Witch will return in Hocus Pocus 3 with a greater role. Despite this, Hannah Waddingham has disclosed that she hasn't been approached to reprise the role yet and the movie is still yet to enter production.