Rafal Mistral, also known as The "School Master", is one of the main antagonists in the School for Good and Evil book series. He was put in charge of protecting the Storian and watched over the the two schools from a large silver tower. He also serves as the main antagonist of its 2022 Netflix film.
In the Netflix film, he was portrayed by Kit Young, who also plays his brother in the film while his disguise as the School Master is portrayed by Laurence Fishburne, who also played Jimmy Jump in New Jack City, Thrax in Osmosis Jones, Omar in Ride Along, Bill Foster in Ant-Man and the Wasp and Sade in Standoff.
Biography[]
Novels[]
Not much was initially known about the School Master or Rafal in the first book, other than the fact that there were first two twin brothers (one good, one evil) who were selected to guard a magical pen called the Storian. As a result, in the fairytale universe, Evil would win half the time and Good would win half the time. Eventually, a great war broke out that cost the life of one of the brothers. However, the dying brother cast a spell to ensure that the Storian would remain uncorrupted, causing Evil to never win a fairytale for 200 years. In the great truce, the School Master emerged, and swore to guard the Storian and the Schools of Good and Evil.
In the first book, the School Master is first seen by Sophie and Agatha, the novel's protagonists, where Sophie wants to attend Good and Agatha wants to leave. The School Master tells Sophie she cannot switch, but the two can possibly go home if they solve his riddle: "What's the one thing Evil can never have... and the one thing Good can never live without?" He then sends them back to their schools, although they later find out the answer is Love.
Towards the end of the book, The School Master turns into a handsome prince and reveals himself as the Evil twin from the story, having killed his brother 200 years before. He reminds Sophie, who is seething with evilness from earlier events, that they can prove the laws wrong by showing Evil can have love. He tricks her into kissing him, but upon witnessing their faces beginning to rot and show their Evilness, Sophie heartbreakingly remembers that Evil can never love. In a confrontation, the School Master is destroyed by the ghost of his Good twin.
In the second book, he manages to get resurrected by Sophie and becomes a main villain once again, only he becomes youthful and takes back his old name, Rafal.
In the third book, Rafal is getting closer to achieving the ultimate wish of Never More and destroying Good, which will begin once he officially marries Sophie, who later accepts the proposal. It is later explained that his return has allowed the old storybook villains to return from the dead and rewrite their fairytales, and that his conquest for evil is causing the sun to weaken by the day: if it goes out completely, the human world and the fairytale world will be doomed.
The only way to stop him is if his wedding ring is destroyed with Excalibur, and only Sophie is able to destroy it. During many battles and conquests that follow, he tries to get Sophie to kill her father. Agatha manages to remind Sophie of their friendship and how she will risk everything by letting Evil destroy Good. In a change of heart, Sophie tricks Rafal and breaks the ring, causing Rafal to rot away and effectively be destroyed for eternity.
Film[]
To be added
Appearance[]
As the School Master, he is described as being dressed in a billowing silver robe, a rusted crown, and a silver mask. His physical appearance describes blue eyes, ghostly white hair and wide, full lips. He is said to stand with a hunch.
In a mosiac picture, he is seen with his Good twin, having identical features. However, his Good twin wore a white robe and had a gentle expression, while Rafal/the School Master wore black robes and had an icy face.
As his true self, or Rafal, he stands straight. His mask is removed as well, revealing he has chiseled cheeks and alabaster-colored skin. His Good twin is said to look exactly like he does.
Powers and Abilities[]
Powers[]
- Magic: Rafal is known for being one of the most powerful sorcerers in the world, only his brother could rival him.
- Evil/Blood Magic: Rafal has great knowledge about dark and forbidden magic, he has a large arsenal of spells, curses and magical traps.
- Shapeshifting: Rafal was able to change the appearance of himself.
- Pyrokinesis: Rafal was cable of summoning fire from his hands.
- Teleportation: Rafal was able to teleport himself, manifesting a blood storm.
- Evil/Blood Magic: Rafal has great knowledge about dark and forbidden magic, he has a large arsenal of spells, curses and magical traps.
Abilities[]
- High-level intellect/Expert manipulator/Intimidation: As a high ranking sorcerer with millennium of experience, Rafal has displayed great intelligence, and is an expert in manipulation, using his intimidation and reputation to force his opponents to make the exact choices he desired them to make.
- Swordsmanship: Rafal is extremely skilled with a sword and with his long lifespan, his swordsmanship skills are nearly unrivaled, he was able to effortlessly defeat his brother in a sword fight.
- Combat Magic: Rafal was very well good with fighting with his magic when seen on multiple occasions when fight his brother and Agatha.
Trivia[]
- The name of Rafal's twin brother was Rhian. Oddly enough, there is another character in the franchise named Rhian of Camelot, except that he is the brother of Tedros. Like Rafal, however, Rhian of Camelot is evil, and is the current trilogy's antagonist.
- Before becoming the School Master, Rafal was a sorcerer.
- It is partially revealed why Rafal killed Rhian near the end of the first book. According to him, he and Rhian were entrusted to protect the Storian for all eternity, and as long as neither one of them was harmed, they would be eternally young and beautiful. However, Rafal apparently wanted the power of the Storian for himself, which is how the great war started. This is also evidenced near the very end, where he says to Sophie, "But evil cannot be but alone".