Every good sorceress knows sometimes you have to body a bitch.

Raziel Vs. Bavmorda

Elora Vs. The Crone

“Bavmorda’s spirit survived” what does that mean tho. what does that even mean and why do you have to say it like that. Because like, I get that Sorsha “you think I’m tough you should have met mine” Tanthalos obviously still has mommy issues, as you would of Bavmorda was your mom, and I think she was going for was ‘your grandmother was real unpleasant and pretty evil and we’re all probably capable of such evil under the right circumstances so just a heads up be careful’ but like. her phrasing it as “Bavmorda’s blood, her spirit, survived. In me and in your brother and in you” risks making it sound almost curse like, like it’s an inevitable fate. Which is sorta the wrong end of the stick to what she was trying to communicate and really not the kind of thing I would want to plant in an emotionally vulnerable teenagers head

What if we all got it wrong?

Maybe Bavmorda wasn't a true villan, instead Bavmorda might have been an anti-hero.

Galladoorn kept people as slaves and her husband, the King of Tir Asleen was doing nothing to stop it. So she froze him and those loyal to him so she could take power. She didn't kill them, though she easily could have. They were protected inside their amber casings which apparently nourished them as well, since they were alive and well at the end of the film.

Bavmorda then freed the slaves of Galladoorn, gave them power and let them stay at the castle of Nockmaar. Now that she's gone, those that remain are hunted like animals, had their children kidnapped and brainwashed against them, live in the woods that are believed to be cursed and get captured and killed by trolls.

And yes she kidnapped pregnant women (which is not ok), but only because one of them was going to give birth to a child that would destroy her. If someone was going to destroy you and everything you've worked to build, wouldn't you do what you could to stop them?

She wasn't even going to kill the child though, only banish her to "a realm of perpetual sorrow." Be real, we live in one of those right now. Are your parents evil for having you? Are you evil if you have children in this world?

Bavmorda had the power to turn an entire army into pigs. If she were a true villan, why didn't she ordered for them to be immediately slaughter before they could be turned back? Even if she didn't know Raziel was back, magic was not forbade then, there were other sorcerers that could have helped them.

Speaking of Raziel, her rival, who she could have had killed at any time, instead she chose to turn her in to a possum. She let her live a long life in freedom, albeit as an animal, but still. Are these the actions of an evil person?

Bavmorda infiltrated a corrupt system and was dismantling and reordering it from the inside out. She did what was necessary to keep her power and in doing so, was protecting the many even if it meant sacrificing the few. Harsh but, unfortunately, sometimes necessary.

She was never the real villan of the story.

Our "heroes" from the series might be playing for the wrong side. Sorcha and Zivian could be the real evil in this story. Just something to think about.

Jean March as Bavmorda  Willow (1988) 🎞️️ Ron Howard

sure bavmorda kills babies but has anyone ever considered that maybe those babies had bad vibes?

Queen Bavmorda.

More Willow headcanons

Jade and Mims get along splendidly once they get to spend some time together

Airk got his fashion sense from Madmartigan

Boorman's mother had been a Knight of Galladoorn (well, Dame, technically.) before she retired*

Hastur became the ruling dynasty of Galladoorn after the previous dynasty went extinct during the war with Bavmorda (possibly with some help)

Madmartigan knew Zivian Hastur before he became king.He never liked or trusted him, and may even have some dirt on him that he shared with Willow.

Bavmorda had never wanted for Sorsha to inherit her throne; as harbringer of the Wyrm, she pretty much intended to rule forever. Once it became clear that Sorsha has no magical talent whatsoever, she had to prove herself useful to her mother in other ways to survive.

While not a sorceress, Sorsha is still Blood of the Six, and Bavmorda definitely did contemplate the possibility of using her as a blood sacrifice if needed.

Airk is something of a people pleaser, and Kit's "You know everyone likes you because you're so charming and fun[...] " comment cut in more ways than one.Airk knows he is that; problem is, a part of him is afraid that those qualities are only things that people like about him, and the second he stops being "the fun one" he will be abandoned.While his cheerful attitude is mostly genuine, he also frequently uses it to mask his feelings. (Which in turn leads to some angst when said mask inevitably starts to slip after the Immemorial City)

Boorman and Allagash were getting into ridiculous petty brawls (and the occasional prank war) non-stop while questing together.

Kit is terrible with directions but stubbornly refuses to admit when she's lost. She was just taking the scenic route.

Jade and Airk are Tir Asleen's unofficial Kit Wrangling Team

Almost nobody at the Tir Asleen court is actually surprised when Jade and Kit's relationship becomes official

Graydon and Kit joke about how they used to be engaged all the time

(* Hey, Kit never finished that sentence, so I am choosing to believe that the *Girls can't be knights* isn't a thing in this fantasy universe, and the "exception" was about Jade being a commoner or some other criterium she didn't meet)

The perfect gene’s definetly got passed down

Bonus

Willow characters as D&D classes and races not because I can't sleep, but because I don't want to write tomorrow's session

Unlike my Percy Jackson version of this post, Willow has pretty clear ties to D&D, especially the 2022 show, so I'm not really going to be changing characters' races for this list. For all intents and purposes, they could be played in the world they're in, rather than adapted into a high-fantasy setting like I did with PJO. That said, I will be taking a couple of liberties with it, and trying to make it at least a little interesting. Same rules as the last one: minimal reflavoring, and no hombrew or unearthed arcana.

Willow Ufgood: Halfling Transmutation Wizard. Yeah, I know that all of the magic-users in the Willow-verse are referred to as sorcerers, but I think there's some nuance between how they use magic, and Willow, despite his intuition, certainly does not find his magic born within him. He doesn't necessarily have a natural gift for it, but rather finds careful study and many of years practice aiding him in becoming the magician he is by the time of the series, not to mention receiving a spellbook at the end of the movie. I struggled for a little while to decide what his subclass is, as we only really see him doing generalist magic. That said, war magic or order of scribes are out, seeing as he isn't a battlemage at all, nor does his spellbook play as important of a role as a scribe's would. So, considering his feats of returning Raziel to her human form, and restoring the Galladoorn warriors, transmutation feels like the most apt option for him.

Madmartigan: Human Swashbuckler Rogue/Battle Master FIghter. I had initially thought Madmartigan would be a champion, but thinking back on his fight against the Nockmaar soldiers, I think it's fair to say that he exemplifies the Art of War qualities that are so prevalent in the subclass. Swashbuckler is much more clear-cut. He nails one-on-one combat, and certainly has the high charisma necessary for the class, not to mention how he aids Franjean in picking the lock on the cage.

Sorsha Tanthalos: Human Hexblade Warlock. We don't see a lot of Sorsha's capabilities, so I'm gonna play flavor far more than mechanics with her. We know that she is a skilled fighter, and we see some of that, but I like the idea that her patron is her mother, and her pact ends after Bavmorda's defeat. She's certainly charismatic enough to trick Madmartigan into letting down his defenses enough to allow her a chance to escape from him, and was seemingly quite the leader in the quest for Elora, so I don't feel that this is too much of a stretch.

Rool/Franjean: Fairy Fey Wanderer Rangers. These two are interesting. I had almost made them gnomes, but I think them being fairies themselves (alongside the other Brownies) makes a bit more sense. They're definitely rangers, what with their affinity with animals, tracking abilities, and association with other fey creatures.

Airk Thaughbaer: Human Crown Paladin. We don't see a lot of Airk, but given that Madmartigan named his son after him, I think it's reasonable to put him on this list. He's kind of the ideal Galladoorn knight, fighting for country and fellow man against the forces of darkness. While I definitely think he's a paladin, other sublcasses might work for him.

Bavmorda: Tiefling Undead Warlock. Bavmorda being a tiefling is really only because she has the name "The Demon Queen." (And yes, I know that tieflings are infernal and not abyssal, but there isn't an abyssal race in D&D, so this is what I've got.) Her class and subclass seem pretty clear-cut. We find out in the series that she had made a pact with the Withered Crone, so she's clearly a warlock, though whether she's undead or undying is up for debate. In all honestly, they really aren't any different, and undead is just better.

General Kael: Human Berzerker Barbarian. Kael's so cool, but we also don't see much in the way of his combat ability. He's certainly very skilled, and he can also take a beating (the man took a sword to the face, and then kept fighting after getting stabbed), not to mention his shouting about "Now you die!" That feels very much like a raging barbarian to me.

Kit Tanthalos: Human Champion Fighter. Champion was my first choice for Kit, but I thought that I should dig deeper for her and kept trying to find something else. I've seen people say that she's a swashbuckler, or a battle master. I've even seem some people say that by the time she has taken the Kymerian Cuirass, she's gained three levels in artificer and become an armorer. And I hate all of that, because it's all too damn much. I think Kit's most important arc as a character is learning that she isn't the invnincible fighter she thought she was, and that her main character syndrome doesn't actually make her the main character. As far as that goes, I came back to champion, because I think the simplest fighter subclass conveys that journey really well.

Airk Thanthalos: Valor Bard/Oathbreaker Paladin. Airk is really interesting to me from a character creation perspective. He's clearly high charisma and low wisdom, and he isn't too shabby with a sword. He could very easily just be a paladin, and the Crone's corruption caused him to be an oathbreaker, but he's just too charming for me to not make him a bard too.

Jade Claymore: Human Samurai Fighter/Devotion Paladin. I've seen a lot of people say that Jade is a battle master, and while I see it, I think Samurai is a significantly more interesting choice for her. She's definitely not an average knight, and we can clearly see her wisdom in her fighting and her decision-making. As for paladin, Graydon aptly points out that her devotion is her driving force on the quest. If it's that important, than I'd say it counts as an oath.

Scorpia: Human Scout Rogue. There isn't a lot to go on for this one, unfortunately. She's clearly well-versed enough in combat to beat Jade, though I'd argue that she's simply a higher level. Being a scout would be beneficial for the forest-swelling Bone Reavers, and we see her have some skill with a throwing knife, which feels much like a roguish quality to me. (Ignore that Airk Thaughbaer also kills someone by throwing a knife.)

Thraxus Boorman: Human Berzerker Barbarian/Swashbuckler Rogue. I figured that Boorman was a barbarian/rogue early on, and was pleased when I saw some other people saying the same thing. I don't think Berzerker really fits him, but the only other non-magical barbarian sublcass is battle rager, and that fits him even less. (Seriously, there needs to be more non-magical barbarian subclasses.) It is possible that he never made it to three levels of barbarian, and just has a one or two level dip. (If i were to optimize him, it'd be two levels. That way reckless attack can be used to proc sneak attack at any opportunity.) I also don't think his rage is purely angry, but instead reflavored into sorrow that is masked with humor. As Madmartigan's squire, it makes sense that they would have the same rogue sublcass, and we definitely see Boorman's charisma shine through the series. Plus, like Madmartigan, he can pick locks. Ish.

Graydon Hastur: Human Lore Bard. Yeah, he's said to be a sorcerer in the show, but the man casts magic with his flute and gives other characters inspiring pep talks. If that doesn't make him a bard, I don't know what does. College of lore because he's very booksmart, and collects dead languages and ancient stories like an old lady collects little spoons.

Elora Danan: Protector Aasimar Divine Soul Sorcerer. And finally, the chosen one herself. I really wanted to make her wild magic, but divine soul unfortunately just makes more sense. I feel that of the sorcerers in the franchise, she's the only one that's actually a sorcerer. We don't know anything about how Raziel's magic works, so there's really no figuring her out, and Cherlindrea is more of an archfey than anything else. Elora, on the other hand, has an inborn aptitude for magic. She still has to practice, and reads Willow's spellbook, but that's more about control than power for her. As the child of the prophecy, and the one destined to defeat evil and unite the lands, it makes sense to me that she would be an aasimar, a divine being imbued with the power of celestials. She also has the chef feat.

There's certain characters that I left out, either because we don't see enough of them for me to properly gauge what they might be, or I think they'd be better with monster stat blocks than character sheets. But maybe I'll revisit this later and figure out characters like Silas, Lilli, and Ballantine. In any case, let me know if you disagree, I'd love to hear what everyone else thinks.

Horror movie trailer reaction images by @tyanis :: Batch 1 / Batch 2

Willow + Horror series: 3 // 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

More from Willow + Horror series HERE by @greyheadedjaco

Let’s take a shot at unraveling the mysterious tapestry that Kit finds in Nockmaar, shall we?

So here we have a clear picture of the whole piece. We can see the Immemorial City, and the impression we get is that everything flows from there.

We’ve got Bavmorda and The Crone, in front of the temple and the pool of distilled evil water. They’re completing a ritual of dedicating Bavmorda to the Wyrm, which includes renouncing her name and family and pledging to bring the Wyrm into the world to end suffering. They also mention the blood of the Six. This is all additional lore that’s not in the original movie, so we have to conclude that this is important to the overarching plot they’re going for.

We see the harbinger riding on this furry dragon guy, at the head of an evil army. It’s all very similar to the host of evil creatures we see in Graydon’s “vision” at the end of the final episode. I’m very curious to see what the Wyrm’s philosophy of “removing suffering from the world,” is. Based on what we see of The Crone’s temptations for Kit and Elora, it seems to be a relinquishing of the pain of responsibility and sacrifice-- embracing someone else making the hard choices while you turn away from your duty. Ballantine says that the Wyrm will bring an end to sickness, which is also intriguing. I think the allure of evil is always more interesting when it does make some attempts at upsetting the status quo and “righting wrongs,” whether those methods go overboard or not.

And then we zoom in on the face of that figure, and this is where things get interesting-- because that’s clearly Kit, right? There’s a possibility that the castle is fucking with Kit, as it seems to be trying to do to all of them, and this does come on the heels of Boorman telling Kit that her grandmother would be, “very proud of her,” but it still seems telling. I think Kit would probably be more frightened of the idea of Airk being in danger of corruption than herself, and something about the renouncing of the name and family pings the “and to not be a princess,” about Kit for me.

I don’t think we’ve seen the last of Harbinger Hot Potato just yet. 

And now just because, Kit and a possum.

it’s about how kael was bavmorda’s knight and how jade is kit’s knight

Willow 1988 35th anniversary continues 🎂⚔️🧙❤️

(Pic from Cheryl_tanner_actor on ig)

Part 1

Super 7 has released Willow ReAction Figures. Priced at $20, each 3.75”-scale retro-style toy has five points of articulation.

This batch includes Willow (with sword), Madmartigan (with sword), Bavmorda, General Kael (with sword), and Sorsha (with sword, bow, and helmet). Check out the packaging below.