Fiona Goodwitch is a renowned witch who is known for her magical powers and expertise in sorcery. She has been practicing witchcraft for over three decades and is considered to be one of the most skilled witches in the world. Fiona was born into a family of witches and from a young age, she showed a natural inclination towards magic. Her parents, who were respected witches themselves, recognized her potential and encouraged her to hone her skills. Throughout her life, Fiona has dedicated herself to the study and practice of witchcraft. She has spent years mastering various spells and potions, and her knowledge of magical artifacts and incantations is unparalleled.
Fiona visits a hair salon downtown, which is run by Marie Laveau, who appears not a day older than she was when she cursed Delphine. The two women square off, exchanging insults, while Marie does Fiona's hair. The Supreme subtly mentions leverage she has against Marie and asks for the secret of immortality, but the Voodoo Queen laughs in her face. As she orders her servants to throw Fiona out, the witch magically sets fire to a shelf of expensive wigs. She taunts Marie over her "shit-hole of a shop" before leaving.
Instead, Fiona brings the confused woman home to bind and gag her, only allowing her to speak when she asks about the secret of LaLaurie s immortality. Later, during a discussion with Cordelia, Ariel Augustus reveals that he knew Fiona fairly well and that Cordelia is no different from her mother a weak woman frightened of losing her power.
She has spent years mastering various spells and potions, and her knowledge of magical artifacts and incantations is unparalleled. Fiona is particularly known for her ability to conjure powerful spells of protection and healing. Apart from her magical abilities, Fiona is also known for her compassionate and kind nature.
Witch No. 3: Fiona Goode
For our third entry, I’m going to skip to the most recent witch I’ve encountered: the fearsome Fiona Goode. This delightful sorceress is the main antagonist / protagonist of American Horror Story: Coven, the third season of Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk’s anthology horror television series.
In the world of AHS, witches operate in covens; the show’s titular coven is run out of a boarding house in New Orleans, Louisiana. The show teaches us that once every generation, one particularly powerful witch is ordained as the Supreme; this witch can perform magic which is varied and grand, and has an implied responsibility to lead the coven towards greatness. At the outset of the season, Fiona Goode has held the position of Supreme for over 40 years.
But Fiona has not been a good Supreme. Despite possessing great magical prowess and a delightfully wicked wit, Fiona has used her powers to grant herself a life of luxury, forsaking the needs of the coven to pursue her own selfish desires. As age catches up with her, these desires are focussed into a single goal: finding a means to recapture her squandered youth. How can she do this? By locating and killing the next Supreme, preventing her power from being sucked away entirely by the ascending witch.
As a viewer, I loved Fiona. Her wit always cut just as fiercely as her spells, and her insistence on dressing in black was a pleasing nod to witchy tradition – she even wears a pointed hat on Halloween! She is a 21st century witch done right, a heady mix of magic and modernity, played to perfection by the indomitable Jessica Lange. Fiona’s pursuit of eternal youth makes her a relatable protagonist, just as her betrayal of the young coven makes her a barbaric antagonist. It really is an enjoyable arc.
It’s disappointing, then, that the show unravels so completely in its final episodes. Early on, I began to suspect that the writers’ motto for the show must have been “what’s the most entertaining thing that could possibly happen next?” – a philosophy which did hook me for the first half of the season, however ridiculous those twists and turns may have been. But in the second half of the season, it becomes apparent that far too many secondary plot threads have been introduced. Fiona’s quest for youth is buried beneath conflicts with misogynistic witch hunters and puritan neighbours; the show’s preoccupation with racial hate crimes further muddles the season arc. Fiona is absent for most of the final episode, which does both the show and the character a huge disservice. As the major villain of the piece, the Supreme deserved a more memorable farewell.
Fiona may have been the standout, but I liked all the other Coven witches too. Teen witch Zoe (Taissa Farmiga) was great as a new coven member suffering from a macabre curse. Emma Roberts was delightfully snarky in the role of Madison Montgomery, a young celebrity witch who seems destined to follow in Fiona’s errant footsteps. Nan (Jamie Brewer) made me laugh a lot with her psychic commentaries, and Queenie’s (Gabourney Sidibe) ability to turn herself into a human voodoo doll was possibly the wickedest power of all.
Swamp witch Misty Day (Lily Rabe) was good too, although her power of “resurgence” – the ability to bring dead things back to life – made things a bit boring later on. Here’s a spoiler: by my tally, there are sixteen major characters in the show, and fourteen of them die at some point in the season. Some of them even die twice! It’s pretty hard to create any narrative tension in a world where death isn’t a real consequence.
Still! Critique of the show aside, I enjoyed AHS for its smart portrayal of so many stylish, modern witches. Plus, the first episode of the season is called “Bitchcraft”. Can witches get any cooler than that?
Final Musings
— This is the only season of American Horror Story that I’ve watched; the seasons can be watched in any order, so obviously I started with my favourite setting! I’ve read elsewhere that Asylum is the best season, and I’m also intrigued by Murder House and Roanoke. The writing of Coven may have disappointed me in the end, but I suspect I’ll give AHS another chance sometime in the future.
— Jessica Lange is one of only 23 people to have won the “Triple Crown of Acting,” a feat achieved by winning an Academy Award, an Emmy Award, and a Tony Award. One of her two Emmy Awards was for her portrayal of the Supreme witch.
— Coven plays with a lot of racial imagery throughout the season; most of this imagery involves white people doing horrible things to black people. Like, really horrible things. To begin with, it looked as if the character of Delphine LaLaurie (Kathy Bates) was being set up for a redemptive arc, as the friendship she forms with Queenie (a black witch) seems to make her regret the appalling crimes she once committed against her slaves. But then the arc ultimately comes to nothing, which made all the racial torture seem like it was just horror for horror’s sake. A bit unpleasant.
— I loved the Axeman though. Did you know he was a real serial killer?
— I know two contradictory things about witches: that they live alone in the woods, and that they work together in covens. I like both of these ideas, but it’s hard to reconcile them into a cohesive whole within my own magical universe. Witches don’t appear in my first book, though, so I’ve still got a bit of time to work this out.
— It was really hard to choose a pull quote for this post, because everything Fiona says is eminently quotable. I’ll finish off here with one more of the best:
“In this whole wide wicked world, the only thing you have to be afraid of … is me.”
She often uses her powers to help those in need, offering her services to heal the sick and protect the vulnerable. Many people seek Fiona's guidance and advice when facing supernatural problems or when in need of a spell to bring good fortune. Fiona's reputation as a witch has grown over the years, and she is well-respected by both fellow witches and the non-magical community. Many aspiring witches come to her seeking mentorship and guidance, and she is always happy to impart her knowledge and help others on their magical journeys. Despite her impressive powers, Fiona remains humble and down-to-earth. She is a strong believer in the balance of nature and understands the importance of using magic responsibly and ethically. Fiona values the harmony between humans and the natural world and often advocates for environmental conservation and the protection of magical creatures. Overall, Fiona Goodwitch is a highly skilled and respected witch who has dedicated her life to the study and practice of witchcraft. Her powerful magic, kind heart, and dedication to helping others have made her a beloved figure in the magical community and beyond..
Reviews for "Exploring the Ancient Roots of Witchcraft with Fiona Goodw"
1. Sarah - 2/5 - I was really disappointed with "Fiona Goodw Witch". The storyline felt rushed and underdeveloped, leaving me feeling confused and disconnected from the characters. The dialogue was also quite cheesy and the acting was subpar. Overall, it just didn't live up to my expectations of a good witch-themed movie. It lacked depth and failed to engage me emotionally. I wouldn't recommend it to others looking for a quality supernatural film.
2. Mike - 1/5 - "Fiona Goodw Witch" was a complete waste of time for me. The plot was incredibly predictable and cliché, making it incredibly boring to watch. The special effects were cheap and poorly executed, which took away any potential excitement or intrigue that could have been generated. The acting was mediocre at best, with wooden performances that failed to captivate. It was a forgettable and unoriginal film that I regretted watching.
3. Emily - 2/5 - I found "Fiona Goodw Witch" to be quite underwhelming. The storyline lacked originality and was filled with plot holes. I couldn't fully invest in the characters' struggles because they lacked depth and development. The pacing of the movie was also off, with certain scenes dragging on while others felt rushed. Overall, it felt like a missed opportunity to create a captivating witch-themed film. I was left feeling unsatisfied and wishing that I had chosen a different movie to watch.
4. Tom - 1/5 - I really disliked "Fiona Goodw Witch". The acting was cringeworthy and felt forced, making it difficult to connect with the characters on any level. The special effects were laughable, lacking any sort of realism or excitement. The plot was convoluted and nonsensical, leaving me scratching my head throughout the movie. It felt like a poorly executed attempt at cashing in on the popularity of witch-themed films, and I would not recommend wasting your time on this one.
5. Jessica - 2/5 - "Fiona Goodw Witch" was a disappointment for me. The storyline had potential, but it failed to deliver on its promises. The plot twists were predictable and lacked any real surprise factor. The dialogue was uninspiring and the acting was average. It felt like a generic witch-themed movie that didn't bring anything new to the table. I found myself losing interest as the movie progressed, and by the end, I was left feeling unsatisfied and wanting more. Overall, it was a forgettable film that I wouldn't recommend to others.