Miya Pearson
Maleficent, the self-proclaimed Mistress of All Evil, is the primary antagonist in Disney's Sleeping Beauty. She is an evil fairy who takes revenge on King Stefan and his people by cursing his daughter, Princess Aurora, to die before her sixteenth birthday. In the final battle, Prince Phillip kills Maleficent in her dragon form, causing her to fall from a great height. Phillip and the fairies then head to Stefan's castle, where he awakens Aurora with a kiss, breaking the spell. However, in the 2014 live-action version of the film, Maleficent is portrayed with more complexity, and the story takes a different turn, with King Stefan becoming the villain who needs to be defeated.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Outcome of the final battle | Maleficent falls from a great height and turns into her cape, with the Sword of Truth still embedded in it |
| Fate | Maleficent is dead, or absorbed into the Sword of Truth |
| Aurora's curse | Broken by Maleficent's kiss on Aurora's brow |
| Conflict resolution | Maleficent declares an end to her feud with Stefan, but he attempts to kill her and himself, resulting in his fatal fall |
| Maleficent's powers | Ability to transform into a dragon, summon a forest of thorns, and use hypnotic powers |
| Portrayal | Ultimate personification of pure evil, similar to Chernabog, with a fiery temper, obsessive personality, and violent mood swings |
| Motivation | Revenge for not being invited to Princess Aurora's christening |
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What You'll Learn
Maleficent is defeated by Phillip
Maleficent, the self-proclaimed "Mistress of All Evil", is the main antagonist in Disney's Sleeping Beauty. She is an evil fairy or witch who takes revenge on King Stefan and his kingdom for not inviting her to Princess Aurora's christening. Her revenge takes the form of a curse on the infant princess, dooming her to die before her sixteenth birthday by pricking her finger on a spinning wheel.
Maleficent is ultimately defeated by Phillip, who fights and defeats her in her dragon form. Phillip strikes the Sword of Truth into Maleficent's heart, causing her to fall over a cliff. Phillip and the fairies then head to Stefan's castle, where Phillip awakens Aurora with a kiss, breaking the spell on her and the kingdom's residents.
In the aftermath of the battle, Phillip looks down the cliff to see that Maleficent has transformed into her cape, with the Sword of Truth still embedded in it. The sword then turns black, suggesting that Maleficent has finally been vanquished.
Maleficent's defeat brings an end to the conflict in the story, allowing Princess Aurora and the kingdom to live happily ever after. The exact nature of Maleficent's fate is left somewhat ambiguous, with some speculating that she may have been absorbed into the sword, trapping her inside. However, in a short story sequel, Maleficent returns, adding to the mystery of her ultimate fate.
It is worth noting that in the live-action film Maleficent and its sequel, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, the character is portrayed with more complexity and given an origin story that adds emotional context to her actions in the original tale. In these films, Maleficent's defeat takes a different form, as she is not the primary antagonist and is instead reconciled with Princess Aurora, who comes to understand her godmother's actions and motivations.
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Maleficent falls from a great height
Maleficent meets her demise in the original Sleeping Beauty film. In the final battle, she transforms into a giant black and purple dragon and breathes green fire. Prince Phillip strikes the Sword of Truth into her heart, and she falls over the edge of a cliff. Phillip looks down to see that she has transformed into her cape, with the sword still embedded in it. Within seconds, the sword turns black.
Maleficent's fall from a great height brings about her end, and with her gone, Phillip and the fairies head to King Stefan's castle. There, Phillip awakens Aurora with a kiss, breaking the spell on her and the other residents of the kingdom.
Maleficent's death is not the end of her story, however. She appears in several attractions and live shows at Disney Parks, commonly alongside other Disney villains. She also features in the book sequel to Sleeping Beauty, entitled Maleficent's Revenge, and in the 2014 live-action film Maleficent, which explores her origins and provides emotional context for her behaviour.
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Phillip uses the Sword of Truth
In the 1959 Disney film Sleeping Beauty, Prince Phillip is gifted the Sword of Truth by the three good fairies: Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather. The Sword of Truth is described as a moderately-sized double-edged broadsword or longsword with exceptional craftsmanship. It is enchanted by the fairies to possess magical properties, including supernatural sharpness.
During the final battle, Prince Phillip uses the Sword of Truth to fight against Maleficent, who has transformed into a dragon. The sword is capable of cutting through thick briars and piercing dragon skin. The sword also protects Phillip from Maleficent's breath weapon, which would have otherwise badly burned him.
As Phillip and Maleficent face off, the sword plays a crucial role in defeating the villainous fairy. Phillip delivers the final blow by hurling the Sword of Truth into Maleficent's chest, slaying her. With Maleficent's death, the spell she had cast on Princess Aurora and the kingdom is finally broken. Phillip then awakens Aurora with a kiss, and peace is restored to the kingdom.
The Sword of Truth, along with the Shield of Virtue, serves as a powerful symbol of good overcoming evil. It represents the strength and courage required to face and defeat darkness, embodying the idea that truth and virtue will always prevail.
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Maleficent's curse is broken
In the original Sleeping Beauty story, Maleficent is defeated by Prince Phillip, who strikes her with the Sword of Truth, causing her to fall over a cliff. At the bottom of the cliff, only her cloak and the sword, now turned black, remain. It is left ambiguous whether Maleficent is truly dead or simply absorbed into the sword.
In the 2014 live-action film Maleficent, a different ending is presented. In this version, Maleficent is the focus of the plot, and her backstory and motivations are explored in more detail. Maleficent is portrayed as having a tender regard for Aurora, her goddaughter, and it is her kiss on Aurora's brow that breaks the spell. This act of love transcends the curse, and Maleficent's wings are restored to her. Maleficent declares an end to her feud with King Stefan, but he attempts to kill her, only to fall to his death from his castle's highest turret.
At the end of the film, Aurora is free to move between her castle and the Moors, while Maleficent watches over her goddaughter and protects the Moors in peace. This ending presents a more nuanced view of Maleficent, showing her emotional complexity and giving her a redemption arc.
Maleficent's curse is ultimately broken by love and compassion, both for Aurora and from Aurora in return. This breaks the cycle of revenge and allows Maleficent to let go of her bitterness and thirst for vengeance. Her wings are restored, both physically and metaphorically, and she is able to find peace and protect those she cares for.
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Maleficent's wings are restored
Maleficent is a fictional character who first appeared in Walt Disney's 1959 animated film Sleeping Beauty. She is the self-proclaimed "Mistress of All Evil" and is based on the wicked fairy character in Charles Perrault's fairy tale Sleeping Beauty. Maleficent is portrayed as the ultimate personification of pure evil in Sleeping Beauty. She is similar to Chernabog in that she wreaks chaos and destruction for the fun of it rather than with a specific goal in mind.
In the final battle against Maleficent, Phillip struck the Sword of Truth straight into her heart, and she fell over the edge of a cliff. At the bottom, only her cloak and the sword embedded in it could be seen. Suddenly, the sword turns black, leaving the audience to wonder if Maleficent is truly dead or if she was absorbed into the sword.
In the 2014 live-action version of the film, Maleficent is given an origin story and a great deal of emotional context for her feelings towards humans. It is revealed that the only human she ever met and fell in love with betrayed her and stole her wings. At the end of the film, Maleficent has her wings restored, allowing her to protect the Moors and watch over her goddaughter, Aurora, in peace.
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Frequently asked questions
Maleficent is defeated by Phillip, who strikes her with the Sword of Truth. She falls from a great height, and her body is not seen.
It is heavily implied that Maleficent dies at the end of Sleeping Beauty. Phillip strikes her in the heart with the Sword of Truth, and she falls from a cliff.
The Sword of Truth turns black after Phillip strikes Maleficent with it.
After Maleficent's defeat, Phillip and the fairies head to Stefan's castle, where he awakens Aurora with a kiss, breaking the spell.
Maleficent appears in several other Disney productions, including Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep (2010), Mickey Mousecapade (1987), and the book sequel to Sleeping Beauty, Maleficent's Revenge.
