W.I.T.C.H.: Difference between revisions

*W.I.T.C.H.*
W.I.T.C.H.
	File:WITCH Magazine Cover.jpg
Publication information
Publisher	Disney
Schedule	Monthly
Format	ongoing
Publication date	April 2001 ~ present
No. of issues	90
Main character(s)	Will Vandom; Irma Lair; Taranee Cook; Cornelia Hale; Hay Lin; Orube
Creative team
Created by	Elisabetta Gnone, Alessandro Barbucci, Barbara Canepa
Written by	Elisabetta Gnone, Francesco Artibani, Bruno Enna, Teresa Radice, Paola Mulazzi
Penciller(s)	Alessandro Barbucci, Donald Soffritti, etc.

Browse history interactively

← Previous edit Next edit →

Content deleted Content added

VisualWikitext

Inline

Revision as of 09:15, 13 October 2008

This is about the comic book series. For the animated version of this series, see W.I.T.C.H. (TV series). For organization "W.I.T.C.H.", see Women's International Terrorist Conspiracy from Hell.

W.I.T.C.H. is a fantasy/superhero comic series created in Italy by Elisabetta Gnone. It is a comic and tells the story of five teenage girls who are chosen to be the new Guardians of Kandrakar,^[1] who protect the center of the universe from people and creatures who wish to cause harm to it. For this purpose, they have been given powers over the five elements. The new guardians are Will, Irma, Taranee, Cornelia and Hay Lin, whose initials form the title acronym W.I.T.C.H.

The comic was never published in Japan, and instead a manga based on the comic, with art by Haruko Iida (飯田晴子, Iida Haruko), was published by Kadokawa Publishing (角川書店, Kadokawa Shoten) in their monthly magazine Asuka Monthly (月刊あすか, Gekkan Asuka) and later collected in two Tankoban volumes, upon which the comic was canceled. The paperback volumes contained covers by Daisuke Ehara (江原大介, Ehara Daisuke).

The only American releases until 2005 were written books adapted from the comic. In 2005, graphic novels containing two issues each were released. The graphic novels are released about every two months, and at the beginning and end of every story there is a pin-up or miniature poster.

Lene Kaaberbøl has written nine books taking place in the W.I.T.C.H. universe, published 2002-2003.^[1]

Characters

Main Characters

Wilhelmina "Will" Vandom^[2] – Will has a red bobcut, brown eyes and she is 14 years old at the start of the series. Her birthday is January 19, making her a Capricorn. She is in class 3A at Sheffield Institute. She is the leader of W.I.T.C.H. and the keeper of the Heart of Kandrakar, which allows the girls to magnify their powers. She first came to Heatherfield after leaving her hometown of Fadden Hills. Will has issues with trusting people because she is scared of being let down. She is a bit of a tomboy, but is also sensitive towards other people. She excels at biology, science and swimming, and she collects frog items. Her powers include giving life to electrical appliances, which allows them distinct personalities and the ability to speak. Animals are empathetic to her feelings and she can understand their thoughts. She has the ability to teleport people wherever she wants and can sense strange phenomena. She can shoot and manipulate large forms of energy and change her appearance at will. Her big crush is Matt Olsen who incidentally feels the same way about her. She also spends time at Matt's grandfather's pet shop.

Irma Lair – She has light brown hair and blue eyes. Her birthday is March 13 (Pisces). Irma is 13 at the start of the series, class 2A. Irma is a bit sassy and unpredictable. Irma seems to be the "Class Clown" of the group. She is always late for events and can be found using her powers for personal gain rather than the good of humanity. She owns a pet turtle, Leafy, who is the only one in the world to know her deepest secrets. She relishes shopping, rock music, making up nicknames for her friends, and indulging in long baths and showers without getting wrinkles. Her powers include intuition and manipulating water to do her bidding. She has also been known to exhibit light mind control. Her latest power allows her to see visions in the water. She can make people do her bidding(mind control). She lives with her father, who is a police officer, and her stepmother, Anna^[3], who she often finds herself at odds with. She also has a younger half-brother, Chris, who annoys her to no end. Her theme color is turquoise (blue) and her symbol is a blue wave crest. Irma is crazy about boys. Martin Tubbs thinks Irma likes him, but really, he is "just a friend" to her. Her big idol is the rock artist Karmilla. Her crush is Joel Wright and her best friend is Hay Lin. Her sense of humor is not always appreciated. Sometimes she mocks the Oracle, mostly behind his back.

Taranee Cook – Birthday is March 23 (Aries) Taranee is 13 at the start of the series, class 2A. Her name originates from the Hebrew word 'Tara' which means 'palm tree'. She may be shy and laid-back, but Taranee can be very determined when she sets her mind to a goal. Out of all her friends, she is usually the one that has to remind every one about an important task at hand. Her hobbies include basketball, photography, listening to classical music, and even math. Her powers include controlling fire at her will, producing heat waves, reading minds and being able to communicate with people telepathically.^[4] She is very close to her family, which consists of her mother, father, and older dread-head brother Peter who is very nice to her. Though she is shy and somewhat sensitive, Taranee gets extremely annoyed when someone hurts her feelings and she becomes dangerous after it happens. Her theme varies from red to orange and her symbol is a red triangle with a corner opened. Her boyfriend is Nigel Ashcroft, which is greatly disapproved by her mother due to him once being part of Uriah's juvenile delinquent gang.

Cornelia Hale – With long blonde hair and blue eyes, she might seem to be a stereotypical girl of that kind whose interest is seeming worthy of both love and envy. However, her character develops much in other directions. Her birthday is May 10 (Taurus). She's 14 at the start of the series, class 3A. Cornelia comes off as tough and overconfident, but buried deep within her is a romantic girl begging to be released. Cornelia loves shopping. She is a competitive ice-skater and has won numerous medals for her achievements on the ice. Her best friend is Elyon Brown (also called Elyon Portrait in some countries) and she owns a cat named Napoleon which she received from Will. She can manipulate earth, stone, metal, and wood and speak with the Earth, make plants and flowers grow big and tall, can move objects with her mind (psychokinesis), and can sometimes experience prophetic visions from the earth. Cornelia is very Down-To-Earth, which suits an Earth guardian, and she is a natural born leader, except in the group. She understands plants the way Will understands animals. Cornelia can also be extremely cold. She has a younger sister, Lillian, who is a big pain in her neck. Her theme color is green and her symbol is a green circle with a dot in the center which symbolizes earth. Her crush was Caleb in the beginning of the series, but their love faded as she left Meridian until they realized that they were just friends. She then started to like Peter Cook, Taranee's brother. Her name is the female version of the Latin name 'Cornelis', which means 'the horned one'. Cornelia is a total control freak, which really ticks off Irma.

Hay Lin – Birthday is June 14. She is a Gemini. She's 13 at the start of the series, class 2A. Hay Lin is a little bit cheerful, very creative, and sometimes full of enthusiasm. Hay Lin is the type of person who "Has her head in the clouds" which suits her role as the air guardian. She is also very feisty and a bit opinionated. Her family owns a Chinese restaurant called the Silver Dragon where she often works to help out. Her favorite thing to do is draw and her favorite subject is art. She also makes clothes of her own. Hay Lin loves to collect comics and alien collectibles. She can always be seen writing on her hand so she won't forget important things like names, dates, and numbers. Her powers include the control over air, ^[5] the ability to fly and being able to recall the past by the use of sound. She can also touch an object and get a complete history of where it's been and the atmosphere it came from. Hay Lin also has the powers of empathic premonition and in the show can be invisible. Her theme color varies from royal blue, to purple, to periwinkle and her symbol is a silver swirl. Her grandmother, Yan Lin, was the previous Guardian of Air. Her crush is Eric Lyndon. She met him while rollerblading shakily when her purse got caught on Eric's electric scooter's handlebars. She later came to his house and also saw him at the Silver Dragon.

Orube^[6] – A serious indigo-haired female who was trained since birth to be a destructive warrior. She bears some feline features. Unlike the other Guardians, she originates from the world Basilíade. Also unlike the others, she didn't join W.I.T.C.H. until series 3. Assuming the name of Rebecca Rudolph and posing as a college student, she lives on Earth with the other girls and has a bad case of culture shock when it comes to fitting in with humans. She controls no elemental powers, but is an expert in martial arts and is able to conjure up blasts of energy from her hands. She has an advanced form of smell and hearing which she uses to track her prey and has amazing agility, strength, and reflexes. She also has the miraculous sense of receiving radio signals. Orube is very good with pets, and this ability enables her to apply for a job in Matt Olsen's grandfather's pet shop. Orube and Irma fight a lot in the beginning when Orube becomes a member of the team. But at the end, they opened their hearts to one another and become friends at last.

In the fifth series she fell in love with Cedric when she and W.I.T.C.H. had to co-operate with him to release Matt from the Book of Elements. After he died by the hand of Jonathan Ludmoore she returned to Kandrakar with the book.

The Boys

Matt Olsen – He sings and plays guitar for his band "Cobalt Blue". He works part-time at his grandfather's pet store along with Will and shares the same interest in animals as she does. He is strong, kind, and a bit laid-back. He finds Will cute and has feelings for her, but he has a hard time admitting them. When the girls get their new powers, Matt becomes the trainer of the group, because Kandrakar is in great danger and the Oracle can't contact the girls.

Martin Tubbs – Honor student and totally dependent on his glasses, Martin is what most people would call a nerd. Despite this, he has proven himself to be brave when he stood up to the bully Uriah and his gang. He is madly attracted to Irma, who only sees him as a friend. He is a member of the Happy Bears, a boy-and girl-scout group located in Heatherfield. He is good friends with Nigel. Irma, his major crush, joins the Happy Bears a little later in the book series. She surprisingly feels comfortable there. Later, Martin gets his own girlfriend who is his French pen pal Michelle.

Andrew Hornby – Andrew Hornby is Irma's real crush, tall, handsome, and popular. She has tried to flirt with him by making her body look more mature using her magic, but that backfired when she turned him into a toad for a few days out of nervousness when he tried to kiss her.

Nigel Ashcroft – Silent and reflective, Nigel is viewed as a hoodlum by Taranee's mother, who does not trust him with her daughter since he was once part of Uriah's gang. He tries his best to prove himself to Taranee and her family that his feelings are pure and of good intentions. He is good friends with Martin. He has an older brother named Danny who holds a grudge against Taranee's mother. Since Taranee also has a good relationship with Luke Pradd he feels being put aside.

Caleb – Once a Murmurer conjured up by Phobos to do his bidding, Caleb developed a will of his own and broke free of Phobos’ control. He became the leader of the rebel forces who were opposed to Phobos' rule and has quickly gained popularity in Meridian. He is a kind and benevolent young man whose heart is bound to Cornelia's. Even before he met her, he had dreams about her and has longed to one day meet the girl of his dreams. After Nerissa's defeat, he decided to return to Meridian, leaving Cornelia disillusioned. By this act he falls into disgrace with the other Guardians, particularly with Irma, who wished to kick him back to Meridian.

Rick Fortworth – Handsome, popular, smart, and with an ego to match, Cornelia met Rick when she partook in the exchange program with Redstone Institute. Their first encounter was anything but pleasant, in fact, she purposely struck him in the head with a frisbee. But Cornelia's astral drop felt attracted to the exotic young man from another country, and she influenced Cornelia's feelings. This was Cornelia's part of a drama which all W.I.T.C.H. girls experienced later with their doubles.

Peter Lancelot Cook – Peter is Taranee's older brother. He is very kind and wholesome and loves to spend time with his family. On his free time he enjoys playing basketball, surfing, and other sports that require physical endurance. Despite Cornelia being in love with Caleb, she cannot help but find Peter cute, which makes being around him uncomfortable for her, so she tries to avoid him at all costs. When that fails, she often tries not to start any conversations with him.

Eric Lyndon – Hay Lin's new crush. A new boy in town, Eric lives at the Heatherfield Observatory with his grandfather, Zachary Lyndon, who is an astronomer. He is crazy about science and technology and his brain is bursting with imagination. He owns an electric scooter and loves to play basketball with Nigel and the other boys. His mother and father are named Louise and Charles. Hay Lin met them when she spilled soup on them in Silver Dragon restaurant. Louise and Charles travel to an island in the middle of the ocean. Hay Lin and Eric met when she was roller blading and ran into his motor scooter.

Joel Wright – Matt's friend and also the bass player of their band Cobalt Blue and it also seems like Irma has a crush on him but it looks like he likes Irma too. Irma calls him Jay, they are both sweet and comfortable with each other and they have a similar traits and attitudes. He loves to surf and he gives Irma some surfing lessons. He is also a talented cook. Joel is also a Karmilla fan like Irma, and they first met each other in a Karmilla concert. He has a younger brother named Billy who's in Grade 4 and Billy is in the same class with Irma's brother, Chris.

Luke Pradd – Taranee's classmate in the dance academy who gave her a wristband when she accidentally over-rubbed Hay Lin's phone number. Taranee has feelings for him, too. But she kept it a secret from Nigel when in the end, Luke and Taranee are now the best of friends.

Stephen - Irma's new boyfriend in the current story-arc. He lives underground with friends Marcus, Bob, Ira, Lora and Olaf.

Council/Congregation of Kandrakar

Note: Some members of the Council/Congregation of Kandrakar, such as Yan Lin, are human, but many others are aliens, as seen by the Guardians after the demise of Nerissa.

The Oracle – The wise and just being who gave the girls their powers. He is literally the God of the universe and has existed since the beginning of time itself. He possesses unimaginable powers, including the ability to tear down the Veil in seconds while Phobos was unable to for over years, possibly centuries, even. He does not ever need to walk, because he is able to levitate, and has the job as Oracle to watch over other worlds and dimensions and has observed billions of lives. His omnipotent abilities also enable him to delve into the minds of others, feeling their emotions and feelings. He can also observe others by conjuring an emerald screen that can display anyone or anything he wills it to, and can materialize anything he wants, such as the photograph of W.I.T.C.H. and Elyon together during the Halloween party seconds after it was taken. The Oracle is also capable of gazing into the future, though he never uses this useful ability to predict the actions, and thus counteract the forces of, future foes, and even permits Cassidy to be killed by Nerissa. It can be argued that he rules the element of Spirit. After being banished to Basilíade and having his title as Oracle renounced by Endarno, he lives peacefully under the name Himerish. He is allowed to return later, but his experience as a mortal made him much more human and friendlier towards the Guardians. Both sides of the Oracle's head seem to be marked with the symbol of the Heart of Kandrakar, and he always wears a long, green robe that stretches to his feet. The Oracle seems rather inferior, however, to the villains of Story-Arc 2-4, as he himself stated he was unable to defeat Nerissa due to the fact she possessed the Heart of Kandrakar, the need of the Guardians to protect him when Ari, the powerful lord of Arkhanta wages war on Kandrakar, and his incapability to discern Endarno's true self and his outrageous decision to put himself on trial, even as he knew doing so would bring great peril to the universe, which it did.

Tibor – The Oracle's faithful adviser who believes 100% in the Oracle's abilities. He has been with the Oracle for centuries and often argues with Luba. Irma said once when they visited Kandrakar, that Tibor looked like Santa Claus.

Yan Lin – Hay Lin's grandmother and a member of the Congregation. She offers advice and words of wisdom to the girls when they need it. She was the previous Guardian of Air and the only ex-Guardian to remain faithful to the Oracle, which saddens him. In the Nerissa series she is the only one who truly understands the power of Nerissa.

Luba – The first keeper of the Aurameres. She is against the Oracle's decision of giving the job of Guardianship to young, inexperienced Earth teenagers. She caused a lot of trouble for the girls by fusing the Aurameres together on purpose. She was then put on trial. During the Guardians' battle against Nerissa, it is revealed that Nerissa used Luba for her plans. Luba also sacrifices her immortality for the Guardians. Without her immortality she quickly dies because of her age. Luba is aggressive at times, but can be kind. She has a feline face and is over ten thousand years old.

Caleb – The ex-Herald of Kandrakar and Cornelia's former lover. He came into Kandrakar's service as the Herald of Kandrakar in order to give Cornelia her power of earth back. After the battle of Nerissa, he left Cornelia on Earth to return to Meridian.

Minor Council/Congregation Members

Bolgo – An elfin old man that inquired if the Oracle meant Kandrakar should intervene during the final battle against Phobos. He also discussed the Oracle's decision to simply wait and see "how events unfold" with several other Council members, including Luba and Althor.

Althor – An old man that bears some resemblance to an elf or a dwarf that first appears asking the Oracle who shall be the new Guardians, and next appears during the battle against Phobos, listening to Bolgo when he discusses the Oracle's decision to simply wait and see "how events unfold".

As-Sharwa – One of the oldest and wisest of the inhabitants of Kandrakar, and the elected Voice of the Congregation. He has an elongated forehead tattooed with mystical runes, and long gray hair, along with many wrinkles. He, representing the Council, informed the Oracle that the Congregation, that they do not wish to use the destructive power of the mighty force called the Resonance to counteract Nerissa's attacks on Kandrakar, as the results might be catastrophic for Kandrakar as well as Nerissa, but the Oracle insisted that they do activate the Resonance, as it may be their last hope. Below his chin is a device which might be a speech translator.

Former Guardians

Kadma – A black haired woman, the past Guardian of Earth. She and Halinor were banished from Kandrakar for questioning the Oracle's power when Nerissa killed Cassidy out of envy. She has been secretly guiding Will through the Rising Star Foundation in Fadden Hills until Will moved to Heatherfield and became a Guardian. She later helps Will in series 2 by giving her Halinor's diary, which Eric's grandfather decodes. She also helps Will by getting rid of her greedy father who wanted to take Will away.

Halinor – A blonde haired woman, past Guardian of Fire, now deceased. She kept a diary that contained information on the Star of Cassidy. Like Kadma, Halinor was banished from Kandrakar for questioning the Oracle's power. She was also a founding member of the Rising Star Foundation. Her diary talks about The Star Of Cassidy.

Cassidy – Russet haired woman, past Guardian of Water. She was entrusted with the Heart after Nerissa's betrayal, but was later killed by Nerissa in retaliation. Cassidy's star appeared at Will's birth and she later makes a spiritual connection with Will.

Yan Lin – Yan Lin was the past Guardian of Air, Hay Lin's grandmother, and was once extremely good friends with Nerissa and Cassidy. She later became the keeper of the Heart after Cassidy was killed by Nerissa. She also had the power to sense evil, was a telepath and had all the powers Hay Lin has. She can also see other people's memories by hearing a song or noise.

Nerissa – Nerissa was the first to carry the Heart of Kandrakar, but after her betrayal, the Heart of Kandrakar was given to Cassidy. She got so angry with Cassidy that she killed her, but regrets her action after she realized what she had done. She was locked up in a stone coffin in Mount Thanos for an eternity after the Oracle found out. She vowed to return to Kandrakar for her revenge.

Villains

Villains including Phobos, Cedric, Frost the Hunter, Nerissa and many more.

Part I villains

Prince Phobos^[7] – Sly, arrogant and ruthless, Phobos rules as prince over Meridian while searching for his sister to kill her for her power, for his sister is the rightful heir to the throne of Meridian. He spends most of his time in the confines of his castle, which is surrounded by a field of poisonous black roses. He communicates with the public mostly through his Murmurers (beings that he has conjured himself from flowers), only granting audiences to those he deems worthy to see his face. Having drained Metamoor nearly dry of its magic, he seeks to move on to other worlds and dimensions. To counter this, the Oracle of Kandrakar set up a barrier around Metamoor to separate it from the rest of the universe. Phobos' devious plan is to absorb the immense magical powers of his long-lost sister, Elyon – killing her – and thus incite the denizens of Meridian to tear down the barrier. The only ones standing in his way are the five Guardians of Kandrakar. Later on, he jumps off a balcony in Kandrakar after him, as Endarno became the Oracle, in which he will fall for eternity.

Cedric – Faithful lieutenant in Prince Phobos’ army. He was entrusted with the task of finding Phobos’ lost sister, Elyon. To this end, Cedric opened "Ye Olde Book Shop" on Earth and adopted a false human identity named Cedric Hoffman, although he presented himself to the Guardians as "Rick Hoffman" to avoid suspicion. From his bookshop, he planned his tactics to defeat the five Guardians. The shop also held a secret portal which Cedric uses to travel back and forth between Meridian and Heatherfield. He serves under Phobos in the hope that he will one day be granted the honor of becoming a Murmurer in Phobos’ garden and allowed to drink from the legendary Black Spring. Despite his orders to deceive Elyon, he felt certain affection for her.

When Endarno assumes the position as Oracle in the fourth arc, the imprisoned Cedric believes he has met a kindred spirit, since the new Oracle displays manners similar to those of Phobos.

Later still, Cedric is sent back to Earth and his occupation at the book shop. Although stripped of his powers, he still manages to threaten the Guardians in insidious ways. He later falls in love with Orube. Cedric dies shortly afterwards when he's shot by a killing beam from Ludmoore's eye. The beam was supposed to hit Orube but Cedric sacrificed himself. Cedric is depicted as being the master of deceit, as suggested by his body form: a cross between human and serpent.

The name Cedric originates from the Welsh name Cedrych, which would mean 'spectacular bounty'. In this case we must consider Cedric as a bounty hunter. Becoming a Murmurer would be the bounty then.

Frost the Hunter – Foremost among Phobos’ warrior's and a formidable tracker. Frost had never lost a battle prior to his defeat at the hands of the five Guardians. Since then, Frost had sworn revenge and devising plans for the Guardians' demise. In combat, he rides a large, green, rhinoceros-like mount named Crimson and wields a magical blade that can deflect enemy spells and fire energy blasts at his opponents. When the Veil was lowered, he accidentally found himself in Heatherfield. He took the opportunity to take revenge. The weakened Guardians defeated him rather by smartness than strength. He is currently imprisoned in the Tower of Mists.

Elyon Brown – Not really a villain but gets the impression the Guardians are the enemies at the beginning. Sandy blonde hair, light blue eyes. Her birthday is October 31 and therefore is a Scorpio. She is 14 years old and is in class 3A. Her best friend is Cornelia Hale whom helps her to make an earthquake in Meridian. Like Hay Lin, Elyon's passion is art. Shy and a bit naive, Elyon is really a long-lost princess known as the Light of Meridian (Meridian is located in the world known as Metamoor), a savior position exclusive to the females of the Royal Family. The name Elyon can be interpreted from the Hebrew language as "the highest". Her adoptive parents are Eleanor (Miriadel, captain of the Meridian army), and Thomas (Alborn, commander of the royal guard) Brown. They took her to Earth when she was just a baby to escape Phobos' sinister plans for her. Her best friend is Cornelia Hale, who is also the only one who believed in her after she betrayed the girls and tried to kill them while under Cedric's influence. In a climactic battle with her brother in issue #12 (The Challenge of Phobos), she is rightfully restored to the throne. Her power is light, and she has complete control over all matter. She has no symbol although under Cedric she wore the Seal of Phobos. Elyon is the true owner of the Crown of Light. She was in conflict with W.I.T.C.H. for quite a while, convinced by her brother that they were villains. She is currently ruling over Meridian along with Vathek and later Caleb as her advisors. Later on, after being with Caleb for so long, she unconsciously falls in love with him. In Sweden, Poland and France, her surname is Portrait.

Part II villains

Luba – Luba is a Cat-Woman and a Member of Congregation, which her role is the Protector of the Aurameres. It can be argued that she is a villain because she combined the Aurameres and awoke Nerissa. Nerissa took advantage of the mistake Luba made. Still Luba kept on saying the Guardians are not suitable for their task, and she even betrays Kandrakar by leaving. Nonetheless she is still put on trial many times in Part II. She does sacrifice her immortality for the Guardians, with which she redeems herself.

Nerissa – The previous keeper of the Heart of Kandrakar, Nerissa was consumed by the immense power the Heart gave her and eventually began to descend into evil. The Oracle sensed this and decided that she was no longer fit to keep the Heart. When he entrusted it to Cassidy (who was then the Guardian of Water), It drove Nerissa over the edge. Mad with jealousy, she turned on her fellow guardians and killed Cassidy. When she was defeated, she was sentenced to be sealed in a coffin located in Mount Thanos until the day all of the Aurameres were joined together. That eventually came to pass through the efforts of Luba, who was convinced that the girls were unworthy of their status as Guardians. Awakened from her slumber, Nerissa created the Four Knights of Revenge and after capturing Caleb she rejuvenated and declared war against Kandrakar.

Shagon, the Hate – Most powerful, and dangerous, of the Four Knights of Hate, Shagon is a tall, strong, ominous-looking demon wearing a blue metal vest that (like those of his fellow Knights) has Nerissa's seal on it. His face is concealed by a bronze mask and his long black hair resembles a nest of snakes (giving him a Medusa-like appearance). As a human, he worked as a geologist and was doing research near the mysterious Mount Thanos. While searching for his dog, Miska, he eventually came across Nerissa, who wanted a human as "material" for her right-hand man. Shagon represents Nerissa's hatred for Kandrakar, and feeds on expressions of hate. Hence, his power increases whenever he is struck by anger. His life essence was nearly absorbed by Nerissa in the final battle, but he wounded her and reverted back to his original form. Despite all the hatred he expressed he didn't forget his feelings he had as a human about the transformed dog Miska. In the animated, Matt Olsen is transformed into Shagon and his dormouse, Mr. Huggles, is transformed into Khor. Shagon/Matt gets Will to hate him because of her loving Matt, and Shagon teases Will saying that he has Matt as a hostage. Shagon also terrorizes all of the Guardians families and Matt's grandfather.

Khor, the Destroyer – Khor was the first of Nerissa's Four Knights of Hate, and also the first to encounter the Guardians. He used to be the dog Miska, who had the misfortune of crossing paths with Nerissa. Transformed into a hulking, purple-skinned, muscle man (not unlike Vathek in appearance) that carries a pair of massive cleavers, he represents Nerissa's desire to destroy Kandrakar. Even in this form, Khor still has the qualities of a loyal dog, and even senses a bond with his former master, Shagon. In the final battle, he is nearly absorbed by Nerissa, but reverts to his original dog form. In the animated series, Matt's pet dormouse, Mr. Huggles, is transformed into Khor by Nerissa who names him after a great monster from legend who fed on hatred. According to Nerissa the name "Khor" means destruction.

Ember, the Pain – One of the Four Knights of Hate, given life by Nerissa. Ember was created from the lava which flowed around Nerissa's tomb. She looks like a slender woman made of smoldering lava, with bat-like wings on her back and hair made of flames. Befitting her nature, she attacks foes with blazing hot beams from her weapon – a type of trident. She represents the pain that Nerissa felt while being locked away – that which she now wants to inflict on Kandrakar. She was absorbed by Nerissa in the final battle.

Tridart, the Despair – One of the Four Knights of Hate, created by Nerissa. Tridart was made from the numerous icy stalactites found in the cave which Nerissa was sealed in. His form is that of a bald, muscular man with large, angel-like wings, and his weapon of choice is a short, double-edged axe. He represents the despair Nerissa felt in her prison. He was absorbed by Nerissa in the final battle, alongside Ember.

Part III villains

Ari – Ari was a young farmer in the world of Arkhanta. A man of little means, he struggled to make ends meet. His wife, Jamayeda, died giving birth to his son, Maqui, who was born mute and obviously a loner, for he lived in his own little world. Since then, Ari searched incessantly for a way to rid his son of his strange affliction, consulting the land's wisest physicians and scholars, but none could help Maqui, for science could do nothing for the young troubled boy. He had heard stories of how anyone who could capture a banshee would be granted three wishes in exchange for their freedom. Ari caught Yua, the most powerful of the banshees, and would have her help his son. Alas, for all her power, Yua was not able to cure Maqui's illness. Her magic extended only to material wishes, and life and death were powers beyond her capacity. Devastated, Ari instead wished for the Scarlet Citadel, an enormous palace that would serve as their home, and sufficient wealth to satisfy any earthly desire his son could have. Lastly, he wished for the banshee's eternal servitude, and she could not refuse. With Yua's aid, Ari soon became Lord of Arkhanta, doing his best to improve the lot of the common man.

Time and time again, Ari made pleas to the Oracle of Kandrakar. The Oracle, however, reasoned that such matters were not his concern, as they had little impact in the universe as a whole. Disgusted at this, Ari eventually made war on Kandrakar, hoping that the Oracle would reconsider the statement that his pain was of no consequence. This jeopardized the order of the entire world, and so the Guardians were assigned the task to stop Ari at any cost, as even the Oracle said that Ari's power, enhanced with his undying fury and rage, is capable of annihilating Kandrakar.

Yua – Yua is the banshee whom Ari managed to capture on his journey to find a cure for his son. This sly and evil being promised to grant Ari three wishes if he were to release her. However, Ari's final wish was for her to fulfill any and all of his future wishes, and thus she was forced remained in his servitude. She is kept chained up in Ari's basement and is only called upon when he needs her magic to assist him. Her hatred for Ari grows more and more each day, and she enjoys frightening her custodians by magnifying the sound of the water drops that fall around her.

Astral Will, Irma, Taranee, Cornelia, and Hay Lin – The Astral Drops were tired of being treated like slaves to the girls, who only called upon them when they needed chores done or to take their place when they needed to go on a mission. They soon turned against them, causing horrible problems for the girls' lives on Earth, such as turning friends and family against them in acts of revenge upon the girls. The distrust the Astral Drops caused to the girls' social lives had everlasting effects on their boyfriends, families, and teachers. The girls continue to feel the aftershock of the Astral Drops' deeds even to this day.

Riddle – An elite psychic detective that was brought in to combat the W.I.T.C.H. girls when their supernatural secret was exposed to the Government. Although his skills are impressive, which range from mind control to telepathy, he is not powerful enough to combat W.I.T.C.H. directly. He also carries a handgun due to his motto "bullets are always faster than the mind" in case he is in trouble. His goal is to experiment and analyze the W.I.T.C.H. girls and uncover how their powers work. Although he was hired by Interpol, he seems to have his own agenda.

Part IV villains

Endarno – As ruthless and sneaky as Phobos, Endarno is the new Oracle after the previous one has been banished to Basilíade. He played a major role during the Trial of the Oracle, and was also the cause of Oracle's banishment. People took his side during the Trial because of his reasons for blaming the previous Oracle. He protested that the Guardians he chose did not run their tasks as asked. Will and the other Guardians do not refer to him as the Oracle, but instead call him by his name. The Council of Kandrakar calls him Endarno the Wise. He is the Guardians' biggest villain so far, since he is doing everything to get rid of the Guardians, as he sees Will and her friends as being incompetent. He also despises other people who remain loyal and faithful to the previous Oracle Himerish, such as Tibor and Yan Lin. Currently he is showing signs of Phobos' attitude and behavior in the past. It is shown that Phobos switched his mind with Endarno's with the negative emotions he felt. The minds are switched back to their respective bodies once Phobos is defeated.

Vaal – Endarno's loyal servant, he unknowingly helped Phobos, believing he served the true Endarno, not Phobos. He comes from Meridian and therefore sometimes questions "Endarno's" decisions. He in particular does not understand why Endarno wants Elyon to stop continuing as queen, since, like any Meridian citizen, Vaal thinks of Elyon as a savior. His name is based on the Semitic god of fertility, vegetation and weather, named Baal.

Part V Villains

Jonathan Ludmoore – Jonathan Ludmoore is the first Meridian to travel to Earth. Phobos ordered him to weaken the Veil by opening portals to be able to travel between the two dimensions. He discovered that Heatherfield lies in a place where the five elements meet, and tried to suppress them. When he failed he disappeared into his magic book of the five elements. When Cedric found the book, Ludmoore used him as an instrument to gather the five missing stones representing the parts of the elements he couldn't suppress. When it was finished, he trapped the Guardians, Orube and Cedric into the book where Matt had already been imprisoned in. In the end the Guardians defeated Ludmoore after he killed Cedric.

Part VI villains

Tecla Ibsen - She has the power to absorb vital energies in order to stay young, through the Ragorlang, which she can conjure up. She was attacked by W.I.T.C.H., lost a lot of vital energy, got some of the vital energy back, and cannot summon the Ragorlang. She sees the Guardians as rich sources of vital energy. After a final battle with Folkner and the Ragorlang, she and her husband Karl are welcomed in to Kandrakar by the Oracle and allowed to stay.

Part VII villains

Dark Mother -Once,she was the beautiful queen of spring,called Meter and she lived with flowers,forests and fields all over around her.But,unfortunately,her pride grew up,her heart filled with egoism and after a cruel battle with the other queens of elements,she was banished from Earth to the cold,dark space.Her seeds were spread deep underneath Heatherfield,and Kandrakar.Now,she is back,her new name is Dark Mother and her goal is to get revenge on Kandrakar.Her roots are part of her own body.

Part VIII villains

Other characters

Uriah Dunn, Kurt Van Buren, and Laurent Hampton – The three bullies that make up Uriah's gang. They love to cause trouble such as lighting fireworks in school, vandalize property, and commit robberies. Nigel used to be a part of their gang until he left to continue a relationship with Taranee. Since then, Uriah has held a strong hatred for Nigel and often tries to harm him and get him in trouble. These greasy scoundrels are always getting themselves into mischief and detentions.

Bess and Courtney Grumper – The scandalous tic sisters and the writers of the gossip section of Sheffield Institute's paper. They almost got the W.I.T.C.H. gang to break up in the ninth issue, but in the end, they got what they deserved. Cornelia told them there was a "Costume Party" after the Christmas Play, but really, no one else was in costume and the two conniving sisters were, much to their embarrassment and everyone's surprise and tremendous laughter, hilariously sitting around in pink-and-purple and puffy ballroom gowns.

Agent Maria Medina – An Interpol agent from the crime psychology department who was assigned to investigate the Brown family's disappearance. Due to her experience on the job, she believes that Will and her friends know something about Elyon's family's disappearance that they are not sharing and has decided to keep an eye on them.

Agent Joel McTiennan – Another Interpol agent who was assigned to investigate the Brown family's disappearance with Agent Medina. He is a friendly and little-speaking guy who thinks that Agent Medina's theories are off-the-wall and that the case is just a dead-end and they will return empty-handed.

Because of their different builds, McTiennan and Medina are affectionately referred to as "Big Guy and Small Fry" by their colleagues.

Agent Raphael Sylla – Handsome and charming, he poses as Sheffield Institute's newest computer teacher when in fact he is a colleague of Maria and Joel who was hired to keep tabs on the W.I.T.C.H. girls. His goal is to uncover what secret the girls are hiding and if it does in fact involve supernatural powers.

Yarr – A Commander from Basilíade, who met the banished Oracle (now referred as Himerish) while traveling with his two faithful minions, Kilubi and Ih-Sui. He recognized him from the past as a battle partner. Now he serves Himerish loyally. His weapon is a sword.

Kilubi – The feisty and colder minion of Yarr. She has dark purplish hair (like Orube) and pointy elf ears. She has red paint around her eyes. Appears somewhat tomboyish, with gold breastplates and shoulder plates as her battle attire. Her weapon is a sword.

Ih-Sui – The calmer and tranquil minion of Yarr. She hardly talks, but shows true spirit of a warrior. Like Kilubi, Ih-Sui has Orube's hair color and uses a sword to battle. She has slanted eyes. Her battle attire is a Chinese suit with long, wide sleeves.

WElcome

File:Welcome11.jpg

The Italian cover of WElcome magazine #11

WElcome is a side magazine of W.I.T.C.H. In total, there are eleven issues of the magazine. It is only published in some parts of Europe, and is not published in the UK or Australia. Its mascot is We, a creature from Basilíade.

WElcome was included with the Italian W.I.T.C.H. magazine, starting with issue #64. The Swedish W.I.T.C.H. magazine started publishing WElcome stories much earlier, instead of publishing a separate magazine.

Issues, Titles and Storylines

The W.I.T.C.H. comic book released one issue per month and written so that each story arc is twelve issues long, which equates to one year. Each year gives the readers an exciting new storyline to read. The fifth arc however lasts for fifteen issues.

Part I: The Twelve Portals

Five teenage girls – Will, Irma, Taranee, Cornelia, and Hay Lin – are chosen to become the new Guardians of Kandrakar, a group of special powered warriors who keep peace in the universe and do the Oracle's bidding. They find that balancing this honorable position along with keeping up with their lives on Earth is a difficult task. Their first mission is to defeat the evil Prince Phobos who rules over Meridian, the capital of Metamoor. He plans to suck Metamoor dry of its magic and then move on to the next world and repeat this process until he is ruler of the universe and able to defeat the Oracle.

1. Halloween
2. The Twelve Portals
3. The Dark Dimension
4. The Power of Fire
5. So Be It Forever
6. Illusions and Lies
7. You'll Meet Him One Day
8. Meridian's Black Roses
9. The Four Dragons
10. The Bridge Between Two Worlds
11. The Crown of Light
12. So be it... for Eternity

Part II: Nerissa

The girls face off against a new foe – the previous keeper of the Heart of Kandrakar. Nerissa betrayed her fellow Guardians after the power of the Heart corrupted her mind and she killed one of her Guardians, and was sentenced to sleep for eternity in the distant Mount Thanos on Earth. She was awakened from her sleep when Luba disobeyed an order from the Oracle and merged the five powers of the Guardians together in an attempt to prove that the girls were inept at their job, which broke the seal on Nerissa's tomb. Nerissa then conjured up four powerful knights using a portion of her own power and fueled them with her hate and power to challenge the new Guardians and destroy Kandrakar. While battling this new foe, the Guardians learn about the history of Kandrakar and about the hardships the previous Guardians had to face when one of their own became corrupt with power.

13. I Know Who You Are
14. The End of a Dream
15. The Courage to Choose
16. Seal of Nerissa
17. Don't Close Your Eyes
18. Fragments of Summer
19. The Other Truth
20. A Gust of Hate
21. Shadows of Tomorrow
22. A Broken Heart
23. Farewell! ("Goodbye" in the Philippine Version)
24. Trust Me

Part III: Ari of Arkhanta

Crisis after crisis threaten to break up the girls once and for all. Along with stopping Ari, the powerful lord of Arkhanta, from rising up and destroying the Oracle, the girls have a whole bunch of new problems on Earth that needs their attention. The government discovers the secret of the W.I.T.C.H. girls and wants to capture them and use their powers for their own mysterious intentions. As if that wasn't enough, the girls' Astral Drops decide to rebel after months of being taken advantage of by the Guardians and start causing numerous problems between their families, teachers, and boyfriends. Also, Will's father returns into her life after a decade of absence, and his intentions are anything but loving and trustful...

25. Water Shadows
26. Blackmail
27. Divided
28. So Close, Yet So Far
29. The Lesser Evil
30. The Chamber of Tempests
31. The Voice of Silence
32. Behind the Mask
33. The Greatest Gift
34. The Scent of Freedom
35. Mirrored Lives
36. Rebel Souls

Part IV: Endarno

The members of the Congregation are questioning the Oracle's recent actions, and he shocks everyone by putting himself under trial. The Guardians are called in to recall his deeds. Back home in Heatherfield, Will confronts Orube and Matt, while Principal Knickerbocker goes to drastic measures to raise the girls' grades at Sheffield. In Kandrakar, the Council has to choose between Endarno and Yan Lin for the position as Oracle. After Endarno has been chosen he makes the life of the girls uneasy. Moreover, he is someone else than he appears to be...

37. The Dispute
38. Desires of the Heart
39. On the Wings of Remembrance
40. The Ultimate Secret
41. The Entire Truth
42. Beyond All Hope
43. Tricks of Light
44. Never Alone, Ever Again
45. Double Deception
46. The Power of Courage
47. The Sands of Time
48. New Horizons

Part V: The Book of Elements

The elements themselves have something in store for the girls. Their powers are growing. Even the triumvirate in Kandrakar doesn't have full understanding about it. The same time Cedric is disposed of his magic power and gets a second chance from the Oracle. He returns to "Ye Olde Book Shop" to live a decent life, under supervision of the Guardians. Nevertheless, he searches for a useful resource to get back his powers. He finds his hope in the Book of Elements, written by Jonathan Ludmoore. Thanks to Mr. Collins the girls get to know about the book too. As the book captures Matt inside of it, the girls must cooperate with Cedric to open it again. This is the only arc which lasts for more than A year.

49. Between Dreams and Reality
50. Forever Magic
51. Out of Control
52. The Eye Of The Book
53. A Whole New Song
54. One More Hug
55. The Day After
56. The Riddle
57. The Isle Of Memories
58. Illusions
59. The Fire Within
60. Air and Earth
61. World Inside The Book
62. Between the Pages
63. Arrival and Departure

Part VI: Ragorlang

When Hay Lin sleeps over at the Lyndons' home she meets Karl and Tecla Ibsen. Karl tells her about the Ragorlang, a monster which absorbs the thoughts, the voice and the sounds of its victims. The same evening she gets attacked by a Ragorlang and got saved just in time by the other Guardians. Soon they discover who's behind the new threat: Tecla Ibsen. They manage to defeat her. Once, but not for all, because Tecla returns. And at school there's a new strange doctor, Folkner. What has he to do with the Ibsens?

64. The Screaming Man
65. Only a Flower
66. Reflected Memories
67. From Your Part
68. The Dark Side
69. New Frontiers
70. Silent Stamp
71. Traces of Fear
72. The Green Ray
73. A Black Heartbeat
74. The End of The Heart

Part VII: New Power

A new evil forces the Oracle to cut off Kandrakar from all other worlds, including the Guardians, relieving them of their powers, but soon the girls gain new abilities as well as new haircuts and costumes and must use their new powers to defeat their arch nemesis Dark Mother and save the universe from a terrible crisis.

75. How you were, you are now
76. Earth
77. All of the Stars
78. Fire
79. Water
80. Emotions
81. Air
82. Energy
83. Return to Kandrakar
84. Unique Movements
85. I Am You
86. In the Heart

Part VIII: Teach To be Witch

In this new series, the Guardians have the mission to find all the magic kids in Heatherfield and to teach them how to use their magic powers. But, as usual, there is an enemy...

87. A Cold Magic
88. Who's Between You?
89. The Key of Indian Summer
90. A dive into the Heart
91. A Lot More

Graphic Novels

The titles of the American graphic novels and the issues they contain.

1. The Power of Friendship (The Power of Five and The Disappearance)
2. Meridian Magic (Finding Meridian and The Fire of Friendship)
3. The Revealing (The Last Tear and Illusions and Lies)
4. Between Light and Dark (The Light of Meridian and Out of the Dark)
5. Legends Revealed (The Four Dragons and A Bridge Between Worlds)
6. Forces of Change (The Crown of Light and The Return of a Queen)
7. Under Pressure (A Different Path and Worlds Apart)
8. An Unexpected Return (The Courage to Choose and Path of Revenge)

Special Issues

Every year, the W.I.T.C.H. comic book releases a special issue that tells a unique story about the girls, such as a what if story, or a deeper look into their own lives. So far the following special issues have been released:

Books

The W.I.T.C.H. book series consists of 26 books. The books contain comic inserts from the W.I.T.C.H. graphic novels. The series has ended at the 26th book adaptation of the comic.

Lene Kaaberbøl

Danish author Lene Kaaberbøl has written a number of novels set in the W.I.T.C.H. universe which have been published in Denmark. The first five of them each have one of the five girls as the main character in the order of the first letters in their names (Will, Irma, Taranee, Cornelia and Hay Lin).

1. When lightning strikes (The Heart of the Salamander)
2. Enchanted Music (The Music of the Silencer)
3. Heartbreak Island (The Fire of the Ocean)
4. Stolen Spring (Green Magic)
5. The Cruel Empress (The Terrible Empress)

Her next series of W.I.T.C.H. pockets is called "Crystal Birds", containing the following titles:

1. The Stone Falcon
2. The Talons of the Eagle
3. The Shadow of the Owl
4. The Golden Phoenix

New Power

In issue #76 the W.I.T.C.H. girls get a new power and their costumes change completely, with their power signs appearing on their new shirts. Their wings can change in size, and they appear older and more mature. Additionally, Irma's hair becomes longer, Taranee's is restyled in dreadlocks, and Hay Lin's is no longer in pigtails.

Influences

The origin of the Heart of Kandrakar is based upon the story of the Four Dragons.

Yellow Dragon – the dragon of Earth.
Black Dragon – the dragon of Air.
Red Dragon – the dragon of Fire.
Pearl Dragon – the dragon of Water.

Jade Emperor – a cruel and uncaring ruler who punished the dragons for bringing rain to the people. He had the dragons sealed away in four mountains.

Xin Jing – a nymph, her name means Heart of Crystal in Chinese. When the Emperor sealed away the dragons, Xin Jing used all her powers to gather those of the four dragons together and turn their bodies into the four rivers of China. All that remained of Xin Jing was a small crystal: the Heart of Kandrakar. Will reminds Nerissa about the origins of the Heart.

Magical items

Heart of Kandrakar – a small crystal kept on a chain, held by Will Vandom. The Heart was absorbed into Will's body and emerges when it is needed. Created by (and containing the spirit of) Xin Jing, means heart of crystal, the Heart possesses the power to turn the five basic elements into pure energy. It transforms the girls into Guardians and strengthens their elemental powers. At first, the Heart's primary function is to transform the girls and close portals, but after absorbing the Seal of Phobos, it is able to open portals as well. It also has other various powers: the gift of regeneration, creating Astral Drops, and putting up force fields. According to Cassidy, the Heart leaves a "spark" of itself in its Keeper.

Map of the Twelve Portals – An ancient map given to Hay Lin from Yan Lin, who is her grandmother. It displays portals to Metamoor when the Heart is held over it. Destroyed by Yan Lin when the girls first visited Kandrakar. Later it redeveloped itself though, and was given to the Guardians in order to help them finding the four stones of the Elements. The map merged itself on the wall of the basement in 'Ye Olde Bookshop'.

Seal of Phobos – Kept in a secret book in Elyon's basement, the Seal has the power to open the portals. The seal and the book were absorbed into the Heart of Kandrakar.

Crown of Light – Especially reserved for the Light of Meridian (Metamoor's matriarchal savior). Elyon is the current queen of Meridian.

Star of Cassidy – A copy of the Heart of Kandrakar, previously part of Cassidy and later absorbed into the Heart itself.

Breath of Time – A sandglass with which time can be stopped when the Guardians are on a mission. After it cracked due to a fall it's been destroyed, and a replacement is developing.

Transfiguring Cards - A deck of cards with which the messages of the Elements can be read. The pictures on the cards can change depending on any situation.

Book of Elements - The book in which Jonathan Ludmoore noted his experiments to get control over the elements themselves. Gradually the book became a living being on its own. After the defeat of Ludmoore and the death of Cedric Orube is keeping it in her possession.

Globe of Lagadath - This globe is a tool to see things from afar. The original is lost, yet there's only a copy left. Due to its consistency it doesn't function very well.

The Portal - This portal appeared in the basement of 'Ye Olde Bookshop' after the defeat of Jonathan Ludmoore. The Guardians learned it works as a communication device with Kandrakar, seeing things live at unlimited distance and as a direct entrance to any destination. The control of the portal is by thought. Those thoughts must be well controlled to prevent unwanted effects.

Notes

^ In Italy and most of Europe, Will's full name is "Wilhelmina", while in Anglophone countries her full name is "Wilma".
^ Orube first appeared in issue 28 during the Arkhanta saga, and therefore she is not part of the W.I.T.C.H. acronym.
^ Unlike the five other Guardians, Taranee goes through a hair change from her ordinary self to her W.I.T.C.H. costume. Cornelia's and Hay Lin's hair grow a little longer when transforming, but these are not as obvious as Taranee's hair change.
^ It is slightly ironic that Hay Lin is the Guardian of Air. While the group stays with the Classical Elements (Air, Water, Fire, and Earth), Hay Lin is of Chinese culture and in Chinese culture, Air is not one of the five elements - rather, they are Earth, Fire, Water, Metal, and Wood. This also counts for the ancient Chinese myth of the four dragons and the nymph Xin Jing.
^ In Italy, most of Europe, and Asian publications, the spelling is 'Kandrakar', but in Anglophone (excluding England, where it is the original Candracar) countries it is 'Kandrakar'. It is also not spelled 'Kandracar' or 'Candrakar' in Hungary, Czech republic and Poland where it is called 'Kondrakar'.
^ On the W.I.T.C.H. TV series, Anna is Irma's birth mother, not her stepmother, as she remembers when Irma was a baby.
^ The name Phobos means "fear" in Greek. Phobos is the Greek God of fear and horror. He is the son of Ares and Aphrodite.
^ The Italian (and thus the original) version speaks of a Wall instead of a Veil.

Video Game

Currently, W.I.T.C.H. (video game), from the creators of Zathura, is being published by Buena Vista Games.

A PC game, made by Creat Studios, is being published by Disney Interactive in Russia since 2008.

References

^ "Lene Kaaberbøl". Kaaberbøl's W.I.T.C.H. books. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessdaymonth= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)

External links

[1] "Lene Kaaberbøl". Kaaberbøl's W.I.T.C.H. books. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessdaymonth= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)

[1]

@@ Line 314: / Line 314: @@
 *90. A dive into the Heart
 *91. A Lot More
-*92.
 ===Graphic Novels===