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I told you, ogres don't live happily ever after!

—Fairy Godmother's last words

Fairy Godmother (also known as Dama Fortuna) was a fairy that had built a business, where she scammed people into her granting wishes for them. She was once a crucial figure in the city of Far Far Away, and dictated who can have a Happily Ever After.

Basic Info

One day, when an unknown witch had cursed the King and Queen's daughter, Fiona, they made a deal with her to have Fiona locked into a tower, and be saved by her son Prince Charming. Unbeknownst to them, this was actually a plot for her to inherit the throne by having Charming be a part of the royal family.

Appearances

Initial Conception

Damafortuna

Dama Fortuna in the scrapped story board for Shrek's original opening prologue

In an alternate opening to the first Shrek film, there was a character named Dama Fortuna, based on the Witch from Shrek!, who narrated the first quarter of the opening through her tarot cards. Fiona, a woman born an ogress, approaches her out of desperation to be "beautiful." Fortuna gives her a beauty potion, which has no effect; but Fortuna tells Fiona she will change between human in daytime, and ogre in nighttime until she finds true love. Her role would've then played similarly to the book, telling Shrek about the princess and their future. She was going to be voiced by Linda Hunt. Despite being a different character, her name would be carried over for the Fairy Godmother.

Beginnings

While her past is largely unknown, she would grow to become the most successful potion manufacturer in Far Far Away. Eventually she would begin to help other fairytale characters achieve their happy endings. In particular, a local frog named Harold was smitten for the princess, Lillian. She promised to turn him human, on the condition that his first-born daughter will take her son's hand in marriage.

Fairy Godmother Top Trump card from Shrek’s London Adventure

They later had a daughter named Fiona, but when they saw her become an ogress, they sought her help. She insisted only True Love's Kiss would break the curse, and decided to put her in a tower until her son Prince Charming is old enough to rescue her. Lillian however, unlike Harold, didn't like the Fairy Godmother, mentioning that she didn't trust her.

Shrek 2

In Shrek 2 she appears as the main antagonist.

Fairy Godmother 2

The Fairy Godmother checking a book to prove to Shrek that ogres don't live happily ever after

The Fairy Godmother is first seen when Fiona goes to her bedroom balcony and cries, her tears supposedly calling to the Fairy Godmother. Arriving, the Fairy Godmother is surprised to learn that Fiona is married to an ogre named Shrek. To learn more, she picks up her son and goes to confront Fiona's father Harold, who reveals that Shrek had gone to the castle and freed Fiona first. The Fairy Godmother convinces Harold to find a way to get Shrek out of the picture before returning to her "cottage", which is actually a large factory where she manufactures spells and potions.

While she's there, she is brewing a love potion, which included "a drop of desire, a pinch of passion and just a hint of lust" singing her same song. She is then visited by Shrek, Donkey, and Puss, who come to her for help. However, she spites him by saying that ogres don't live happily ever after, citing multiple endings of other fairy tales to prove her point.

When Shrek leaves, she later learns he stole one of her potions (the Happily Ever After potion to be specific), and realizes that she could use this to her advantage. She and Charming go to the castle where Charming poses as a transformed Shrek while the Fairy Godmother arranges for the real Shrek (transformed by the potion) to witness a "moment" between Charming and Fiona, making him believe she's fallen for Charming. She uses his grief to seemingly gently convince him to stop living in a fairytale, and that if he truly loves Fiona he'll let her go. The plan works at first, but is ultimately blown when she and Charming are summoned by Harold to the Poison Apple tavern.

When Charming complains that Fiona isn't warming up to him, Harold wants to call the whole thing off, declaring that you can't force someone to fall in love. Undeterred, the Fairy Godmother gives Harold the love potion from earlier. She tells him to have Fiona drink some, which will make her fall in love with the first man she kisses. She also tells him to make sure that Charming is the one to kiss her. Harold tries to defy her, but she then blackmails him by reminding him that she helped him with his happily ever after and that she can take it away just as easily, making Harold give in. Then when Charming calls her his mother, they hear someone exclaim "Mother?!" and look outside to see Shrek, Donkey, and Puss, the three of them having heard the whole thing.

Realizing the jig is up, the Fairy Godmother has her knights capture the trio and has them imprisoned while she and Charming attend a royal ball.

Holding Out For A Hero

The Fairy Godmother singing "Holding Out For a Hero"

While they're there, the Fairy Godmother notices Fiona is put off due to Charming's behavior. She then declares to the crowd of dedicating a song to Fiona and "Prince Shrek" and sings Holding Out for A Hero, causing Fiona and Charming to dance.

The plan almost works until Shrek arrives, leading to a fight over the Fairy Godmother's wand. She orders her son to kiss Fiona since she's already taken the potion. Once he does, Fairy Godmother is shocked to see Fiona headbutting Charming as a response. It turns out that Harold didn't give Fiona the potion after all as she was completely unchanged. Charming manages to recover his mother's wand and throws it to her, also exposing their family relationship to everyone. Enraged, she turns to Shrek and Fiona as a punishment, exclaiming, "I told you ogres don't live happily ever after!"

She unleashes a lightning-like energy bolt from her wand presumably to kill Shrek, but Harold jumps in at the last moment. The bolt reflects off his breastplate and hits the Fairy Godmother. Harold is partially affected and turned back into a frog with no additional harm. She is seemingly unharmed for a few seconds and attempts to try to shoot Shrek again, but as she gets into position to do so, her body suddenly bursts into bubbles and sparkles leaving only her glasses which break when they fall to ground and her wand which dims out due to her death.

Shrek the Third

Fairy Godmother Shrek the third

Fairy Godmother's picture in Charming's dressing room

The Fairy Godmother doesn't physically appear in the third film, having already died in the previous film. She is mentioned throughout the film by her son Prince Charming, who plans to avenge her death by taking over Far Far Away and kill Shrek and Fiona. This ended in failure as Prince Charming seemingly ends up crushed to death by a falling tower, leaving the Fairy Godmother's plans for conquest and power in vain. Her death is the main impact of the film making her the posthumous overarching antagonist.

Shrek Forever After

The Fairy Godmother is mentioned at the beginning by Harold when he reminds Lillian that "Fairy Godmother said only true love's kiss could break Fiona's curse." Lillian then replies "I don't trust that woman, Harold," hinting at her true role in Shrek 2. She also makes a cameo during the end credits with her son Prince Charming.

Thriller Night

Fairygodmother-thrillernight

Fairy Godmother in Thriller Night

Fairy Godmother appears as a zombie in addition to other deceased and non-deceased villains in the series, such as son Prince Charming, Rumpelstiltskin, and Lord Farquaad. Except for the growl she makes when she emerges from the ground, she has no lines in the short film. Here, the Fairy Godmother wears a pink dress instead of the usual blue dress. She is voiced by Pinky Turzo.

Video Game Appearances

Shrek 2 (video game)

Fairygodmothergame

The Fairy Godmother, as she appears in Shrek 2: The Game

The Fairy Godmother appears as the main antagonist and final boss in the game, though her appearance is somewhat different. She has a pink dress (instead of blue like the film) and looks far older than in the film as well. And in the movie she has blue wings. In the game she has pink wings. In the movie she has a blue, purple wand. In the game she has a blue wand. In the movie she wears earrings. In the game she wears no earrings.

She is faced twice within the game; she fights Red Riding Hood when the player breaks into her cottage and has to fight her on conveyor belts and again at the end of the game. She makes Trolls and Elves do her bidding and players eventually have to fight her in two periods. She fires lightning laser blasts and is protected by a magical bubble. Eventually the players overcome her and she blows up. In the Shrek 2's PC Game, the battle between Shrek and the Fairy Godmother is very simple, Shrek throws food at her and at the point in which she has no life, she blows up. Unusually, at least in the PS2 version, Fairy Godmother took her defeat well, even saying "Oh well, I guess a fairy godmother doesn't win everything." as she vanishes.

Shrek Smash n' Crash Racing

The Fairy Godmother never actually appears in the game, but pictures and statues of her can be seen around the track. Also, at the beginning of Tournament mode, Donkey finds the Fairy Godmother's wand in which he uses it to turn various objects in karts. Fairy Godmother appears on the billboard in the Downtown of Far Far Away track. Racers can crash through the billboard to find a secret shortcut. Fairy Godmother's potion factory is also a playable race track and is known as Inside the Potion Factory. In this track, numerous pictures and statues can be seen of Fairy Godmother.

Shrek Forever After (video game)

Rumpelstiltskin has changed Shrek's world and the ogre is in search for Princess Fiona's tiara at the Dragon's Keep. Rumpelstiltskin realizes that if Princess Fiona kisses Shrek before his "ogre day" is over, life goes back to normal and Rumpelstiltskin wouldn't be king anymore. So Rumpelstiltskin decides to negotiate with a greedy woman who would do his bindings if she could be "queen for a week". The devious woman was the Fairy Godmother.

Fairyforeverafter

The Fairy Godmother, as she appears in Shrek Forever After: The Video Game

When Shrek arrives at the "odd" Dragon's Keep, he discovers that Dragon is missing and that someone else is staying at the castle; the Fairy Godmother. She stands before Shrek, Donkey, and Puss in her usual blue dress, but it's ripped and covered in dirt. It seems that as king, Rumpelstiltskin hasn't been good for her business. The Fairy Godmother is also found wearing Fiona's tiara and parsing herself in a mirror (saying, "Ah! Fit for a fairy queen!").

Eventually, Shrek calls her "Granny" and she doesn't respond well, saying that that's no way to treat their "new queen". Soon, an epic battle begins with witches, poison apples, potions, and fire. Eventually, the Fairy Godmother surrenders and gives Shrek back Fiona's tiara and as she flies away from the castle, she screams in anger and says, "This doesn't mean anything, you know! I'm still the queen! You hear me?! THE QUEEN!".

Personality & Traits

She is loosely based on the fairytale Cinderella's "Fairy Godmother," a common fantasy archetype throughout various pieces of media. She seeks to get the best for herself and her son Prince Charming, rather than others. She often resorts to blackmail and trickery through magic to get her way. She loves to eat whenever she is distressed ("someone get me something deep fried and smothered in chocolate", when Shrek makes a mess of her potion factory, and during her talk with Harold in the carriage about Shrek, it is shown that Harold ruined her diet, so she orders food from Friar's Fat Boy).

The Fairy Godmother isn't like her classic benevolent counterpart who uses her magic for the heroic reasons. Instead, she is a conniving businesswoman who is only out to use others to benefit herself and her son Prince Charming. The equivalent of a crime boss, The Fairy Godmother isn't above blackmail; not only did she threaten Harold by taking away his happily ever after, but she proudly admits that she forces others to fall in love all the time. The Fairy Godmother is also very close to some of her previous clients (like King Harold) who she uses to her own advantage many times during the film.

She has no qualms about using her magic to get what she wants, and is spiteful to those who interfere with her plans or business. The Fairy Godmother is no fool; she uses any and every underhanded trick, some that make her appear more benevolent and kinder than she really is. She pretends to be gentle and kindly when the moment calls for it (her first appearance to Fiona, for example), but if there is any interference with her plans she shows her true colors. She is ruthless, unreasonable, vengeful, evil, cruel, selfish, and will stop at nothing to remove those who stand in her way. Like many characters in the Shrek universe, she has a deep-seated prejudice toward ogres. Unlike Lord Farquaad, however, her bigotry comes from experience, claiming that ogres "don't live happily ever after," and cites several examples of other fairy tales just to prove her point. Ironically, she arranges for her son to marry Princess Fiona, despite her curse.

The only one the Fairy Godmother seems to love truly is her son, Prince Charming, whom she frequently dotes on and wants to become king. That said, however, she didn't seem concerned for her son when he got knocked out by Fiona outside of anger at her plans being foiled, leaving it ambiguous as to whether she did indeed love her son or was simply using him to vicariously gain influence through marrying Fiona.

Shrek 2 Dama Fortuna Top Trump card

Powers/Abilities

  • Magic: As a magical being, The Fairy Godmother has many powers or abilities. Her method of teleportation is Smoke-Sparkling, which is channeled by her wand, like her other powers. She posses the power of Projection, which she uses to grant the people wishes, or whatever she wants. Also in her final scene in Shrek 2, she demonstrated the power of Electrokinesis, combined with the ability of Spell Casting, when she throws to Shrek and Fiona a blast of electricity, and Harold gets in the firing line, causing to the blast to reverse the Happily Ever After potion or spell. She also posses the power of Telekinesis, which she also channels by her wand, to trap Shrek in Fiona's bedroom, and Animation to give inanimate objects a life of their own. Also, as mentioned before, she posses two basic abilities, Spell Casting, and obviously (because of the many potions that she sell) Potion making.
  • Spell Casting: As The Fairy Godmother, with her magic wand. She can cast powerful spells and hexes.
  • Electrokinesis: She throws to Shrek and Fiona a blast of electricity, and Harold gets in the firing line, causing the blast to reverse the Happily Ever After potion or spell.
  • Telekinesis: The Fairy Godmother has the ability to move all the objects around her. which she also channels by her wand, to trap Shrek in Fiona's bedroom.
  • Animation: She can make objects talk, move, and live. She can create animation objects by using magic.
  • Winged Flight: She can levitate and hover thanks to a pair of hummingbird wings on her back. This is one of the only magical abilities she can do without her wand.
  • Cloth Manipulation: She can manipulate her clothes, meaning that she can shapeshift her clothes to any design, shape, or form.
  • Fortune Telling: Her original character from Shrek, the fortune teller, has the ability to tell others their futures, as she has tarot cards, which she used to narrate Fiona's past.

Weaknesses

  • Magic Wand: The Fairy Godmother derives most of her magical abilities from her wand. If she is deprived from it, she is rendered nearly powerless.
  • Magic Attacks: She is highly susceptible to magic attacks, as seen at the end of Shrek 2 when she gets killed by her own magic.

Trivia

  • A character bearing her same name and physical likeness appears in Shrek the Musical. However, this was more of a visual nod to Shrek 2, and is not considered to be canon.
  • It’s quite possible that she’s actually the one that had cursed Fiona as part of her plan. However, (if this was the case) it would have gone horribly wrong since Shrek saved Fiona and not Prince Charming.
  • The Fairy Godmother is the first DreamWorks villain to use the term "bloody".
  • She’s the only main antagonist in the franchise to be female.
  • She’s a spoof of the archetypal Fairy Godmother, made popular in the fairytale, Cinderella.
  • In the Shrek 2 video game, her dress is pink instead of blue. Why they changed its color is unknown.
  • The Fairy Godmother is the third DreamWorks Animation character to be a female antagonist, following Mrs. Tweedy from Chicken Run and Eris from Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas.
  • Dama Fortuna has similarities with Ursula from Disney's The Little Mermaid:
    Fairygodmother
    • They have a similar hairstyle, they were both voiced by Jennifer Saunders at some point (Saunders auditioned for Ursula and this was how she earned the role of Dama Fortuna), and their respective spell making sequences are similar.
    • Coincidentally, both Fairy Godmother and Ursula met similar ends where they were obliterated, at least in part, by a backfired spell in an attempt to kill the heroes (Ursula attempted to use the Trident on Ariel in a final attempt to kill her, only for her to be impaled by one of the sunken ships by Eric, causing the Trident's built up energies to backfire on her and disintegrate her off-screen, while Fairy Godmother attempted an anti-Happily Ever After spell on Shrek after Harold admits he swapped the love potion-laced tea deliberately, only for the spell to be redirected back towards her thanks to Harold's armor redirecting it, causing her to explode). Both also were involved in an attempt at sabotaging the protagonist ensuring the success of a spell to be fully human by having a duplicate act in the protagonists' stead (Ursula directly interfered by posing as a woman named Vanessa to trick, and ultimately brainwash Prince Eric into thinking she saved him instead of Ariel, while Fairy Godmother had Prince Charming pose as Shrek's human form to both prevent Shrek from returning to Fiona and also ensure he actually took over Far Far Away).
  • Her name, Dama Fortuna, means "Dame Fortune" or "Lady Luck."
  • She’s the only known main antagonist to have been killed nearly instantly from the cause. Lord Farquaad was still alive in the dragons stomach only to die later; Prince Charming was implied in Thriller Night to have ultimately survived the tower falling on him; and Rumpelstiltskin is currently still alive.
  • Her actress, Jennifer Saunders, insisted the filmmakers to record her saying the line, "I'll be back!" for Shrek 2's ending. This was done because Saunders wanted to reprise the role for future installments.

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