#Queen Bavmorda

[xwpfan]

I'm rewatching the old Willow movie because it's a bit of a tradition to watch it in December, and because It's a favourite movie of mine.

And it reminded me that DisneyPlus removed the Willow series off of its service.

I like that damn series!

It was well written, and those were definitely Madmartigans/Sorshas kids, and we deserve to see them again!

If they are not going to make another series, the least they can do is bring back season 1!

[theconjurervfx]

Queen Bavmorda.

[pageofqueens]

Queen Bavmorda

[knight-princess]

Ok so Boorman’s line “Bavmorda knew how to romp” in episode 4 was obvious levity intended to lift Graydon’s spirits but I cannot stress how much I had not seen the movie before watching the series and I was then watching the movie, being introduced to this character:

And suddenly realising the full absurdity and hilarity of Boorman’s line. This is 100% not a character you associate the word “romp” with. So it was kind of like the real life version of me going “hold on I need to look something up. Ok yeah this is funny”

[witchesnet]

Jean March as Bavmorda  Willow (1988) 🎞️️ Ron Howard

[greencheekconure27]

Thinking about Sorsha and how terrified of magic she must be (even if she'd never go as far to admit it) and how it impacts her decisions in the show.

Bavmorda was her mother.I don't know if she was already too far gone when she had Sorsha or if Sorsha witnessed her slip further and further into evil .Either way I do think she sees magic as a corrupting force that pretty much destroyed the first half of her life. She watched it ruin Tir Asleen, her mother*, Nockmaar, just everything around her as she grew up.On top of that, from what (admittedly little but it's there) we've seen of their interactions in the movie it seems likely Bavmorda used her magic to punish/force Sorsha into obedience, either directly,by proxy, or both.

Sorsha isn't magic herself (probably another way she disappointed Bavmorda) but she did inherit the potential as well as the knowledge of just how dangerous and powerful and messed up it can be.She loves Kit and Airk, but she's also afraid and constantly looking for signs of their grandmother's evil in them.I think protecting them from that is one of the main reasons (other than the stated one) she decides to ban magic in her realm.Because by doing so she also prevents her children from studying it and thus getting corrupted even if they do turn out to have magical talent,or so she believes.Willow already told her that magic dissipates if not trained and encouraged, and we know she was willing to do that to Elora (and she does love Elora!)for the sake of her having a *normal* life, so why not the twins as well?

Which also brings me to her interaction with Willow in episode 2. I think there's more to her telling Willow he's not a great sorcerer (rude !!!) than meets the eye.It's not just her not believing in him or trying to win the argument about Elora's fate.I think that for her, Willow's is a great man Despite, not Because of him being a sorcerer.And yes she refuses to believe her friend, whom she definitely admires, is a "great sorcerer" because who had been the main and only *great sorceress* in Sorsha's life? Right.Bavmorda. Maybe Fin Raziel too but a) she was past her prime at that point and b) we'll probably never know,but I suspect she didn't trust Raziel much either.So I think that deep down she both can't really reconcile "good man" and *great sorcerer* in her mind (and since Willow is definitely a good man in her eyes he can't also be a great sorcerer) and is trying to discourage everyone around her (the twins, Elora, Willow himself) from what she genuinely believes is a dangerous path.

(* and presumably her father as well- he was supposed to be the king of Tir Asleen whom Bavmorda cursed in the movie but those scenes got cut)

[buckybxarnes]

So, I'm going crazy. I need to hear your thoughts. In episode 4 when everyone is in Bavmorda's castle, Kit has a vision with a tapestry where you can see Queen Bavmorda and The Crone, but then another person comes out riding a creature just before the tapestry catches fire …… this is supposed to be Kit, right? or am I just dumb and it's supposed to be Queen Bavmorda

but if it is Kit who appears there, I wonder if it’s a glimpse of what is to come in Kit's story in the coming seasons

[roseunspindle]

Queen Bavmorda

[agatharioscoven]

Because I'm that extra, I had to draw out the 'Found family becomes a real family' tree

[bitchypuppystarlight]

For all of my childhood I though Queen Bavmorda

And Mother Superior

were played by the same actress.

[jackiestarsister]

Reactions while re-watching Willow: Episode 4 “The Whispers of Nockmaar”

Warning: spoilers ahead.

~ Having an entire episode where characters are trapped in a location, especially a haunted castle, is so symbolic and fascinating. St. Teresa of Avila compared the soul to a castle, and that kind of symbolism is also used in stories like “Beauty and the Beast.” The characters are forced to face aspects of their history and identity as they go through the different rooms.

~ This episode provides a lot of backstory, worldbuilding, and connective tissue between the movie and the series.

~ Didn’t Ballantine and the other soldiers survive mortal wounds because of their possession? If so, why are they talking about killing Graydon?

~ I think this is the first time anyone mentions the Wyrm’s vermiscous goo. It’s so quick it’s easy to miss. So that was what went into Ballantine and Graydon when they were wounded? That tracks with how it is eventually shown.

~ Naming a specific forbidden place/action is classic fairy tale setup.

~ “I hope you never have to” = foreshadowing of Kit having to fight Airk in the finale

~ Bavmorda’s promises sound like the baptismal promises made at Easter

~ Kit lighting the tapestry on fire ties in with the Wyrm’s fire imagery

~ When Boorman talks about his partner dying, does he mean Madmartigan? I didn’t catch on to that the first time I saw it.

~ I appreciate Elora talking about the woodcutters and still feeling guilty about them. She seemed to get over it a little too quickly in the previous episode.

~ Elora following a mysterious voice to a dark part of the castle is very much like Sleeping Beauty.

~ Why did Willow leave Graydon unattended? Did Graydon/the Lich fight or frighten him?

~ There is a lot of ambiguity about whether the things the characters see and hear are real, their imagination, an effect of the castle, or the action of the Crone. Airk speaking through Graydon could be real, as he is shown coming out of a cell at the end of the episode. But Mims’ voice seems like an attempt by the Crone to drive a wedge between Elora and Willow.

~ Is that General Kael’s skeleton mask on the ground when they’re leaving the castle?

[alyx-stills]

Willow episode 1 - The Gales

Stills 621-640, 10 stills under the cut

Left - 1219 Top - 578 Bottom - 453 Right - 1073

[evilsapphyre]

I just did Neve’s veilguard hero quest again. And Amelia’s way of speaking and voice nagged at me, and I realized that she really reminded me of Queen Bavmorda.

I have no clue if that was an actual inspiration, but that’s what I was hearing.

[knight-princess]

Kinda funny how the Wyrm has to pick a new Harbinger every five minutes after he loses the last one, or they fail spectacularly or die grisly deaths. Like literally, Bavmorda is the Harbinger, then wait no it’s the Crone, nope no definitely Airk, ah shit lost him, uh . . . new guy, you, you can be the Harbinger

[agatharioscoven]

I feel like Sorsha very much had in the forefront of her mind that she didn't want to become her mother when it came to her kids.

Yes Sorsha hurt the kids in different ways, but she very much was trying not to inflict on her children the trauma her mother inflicted on her.

She didn't want to marry Kit off, as you said, the conversation she has with Boorman proves that, but being the Queen of Tir Asleen after her mother she was probably trying to get in everyone's good books.

People will remember how Bavmorda ruled and Sorsha would very much be trying to show the people that she's not her mother.

Ok flaming hot take here: Sorsha was not a bad mother.

I've spent an unhealthy amount of time browsing the tags, reading basically every Kit adjacent fanfic currently available (AND I LOVE THEM DON'T MISTAKE ME), and rewatching the series (on a loop. Gonna boost the view numbers singlehandedly if I have to because I need season 2 and 3 to keep living) and in each and every fan iteration of her character people portray her as emotionally abusive and cold.

In the series we're introduced to her at her choice to marry off her lesbian daughter to a prince of the neighbouring kingdom. I would argue that King Hastur was the driving force behind that arrangement, when we see Graydons flashback of his dad screeching about having an heir with ties to Tir Asleen. Sorsha doesn't want to put Kit through that, as we see her confiding in Boorman. I would argue that if King Hastur had a daughter she would probably have pushed Airk to get married instead but as he had a son and heirs are the point of arranged unions, Kit drew the short straw for her kingdom.

Every attempt she has made towards keeping our young heroes safe (hiding Elora, not telling Jade who she really was) were all acts made out of a genuine place of love. Doesn't mean they were right, particularly in Jades case, and obviously best intentions and all that they still caused harm in the end, but it wasn't manipulative or cruel in intent.

When Sorsha is injured in episode 1 Kit is at her mothers side helping her, they have a real conversation about things when she's recovering and Sorsha treats her with respect.

When Kit sees wyrm-Sorsha she is filled with confusion which is why she isn't receptive to her reaching out initially, but she leans into her mother's embrace after a few moments because she's glad to see her even though part of her knows it's not real.

Anyway it's 1am and I had some thoughts and feelings and basically in the long list of fictional mothers Sorsha is one of the better ones in my opinion. Show me anyone with a truly positive relationship with their mother, this one at least feels realistic.

[bberry005]

ALRIGHT EVERYONE guess what insane thing I did? I made a really rough concept for if the universe of Willow got the full Star Wars-esque saga treatment. I will say it's a lot more focused on characters and general plots than themes, but for anyone who wants to see it, here it is.

The Willow Saga (chronological order)

Kymeria, movies: movie series (maybe a trilogy?) about the fall of the Kymerian Empire and the creation of the Kymerian Cuirass. Could contain all kinds of narrative parallels to the Willow (2022) show.

Elora Danan Origin Story (Movie): A movie about the origins of the myth of Elora Danan and the past Elora Danans and all that fun stuff.

Paladins of Cashmere (series): TV series about the Princess of Cashmere and how she went missing, followed by the Paladins of Cashmere trying to find her. Provides a lot of cool worldbuilding about the other kingdoms in the realm.

Lands End (movie or 3 season series, depending on importance/vibes/plot): a tv show/movie about the war leading up to the fall of Bavmorda. About Madmartigan’s time as a knight of Galladoorn. Emphasis on the Battle of Land’s End because that’s mentioned multiple times.

The Princess (movie, working title): The story of Sorsha Tanthalos, from child to queen.

Willow (1988), movie: Nelwyn farmer Willow Ufgood finds a baby in a river and embarks on a quest to protect her after learning she is Elora Danan. He teams up with rogue swordsman Madmartigan and eventually together they defeat the evil queen Bavmorda and save the realm.

Tales from the Wildwood, TV series: Follows the story of teenage Venoma Scorpia and Thraxus Boorman as the Bone Reavers establish themselves in the Wildwood and the pair seek to find the rest of General Kael’s thirteen children.

The Cuirass, movie: Madmartigan, Allagash, and Boorman on their quest to find the Kymerian Cuirass in order to prevent Elora Danan from having to save the realm alone. Also shows some of life in Tir Asleen immediately after the war. Opportunities for tiny Kit and Airk. Willow (2022), 3 season TV series: Set approximately 20 years after the original movie, Willow (2022) follows Elora Danan as she undertakes her quest to stop the Withered Crone. She is joined by washed up sorcerer Willow Ufgood, a timid prince Graydon Hastur, valiant knight Jade Claymore, criminal and rogue Thraxus Boorman, and a cocky princess Kit Tanthalos.