Maleficent

Let us tell an old story anew,

and we will see how well you know it.

Once upon a time,

there were two kingdoms that were the worst of neighbors.

So vast was the discord between them

that it was said only a great hero

or a terrible villain might bring them together.

In one kingdom lived folk like you and me,

with a vain and greedy king to rule over them.

They were forever discontent,

and envious of the wealth and beauty of their neighbors.

For in the other kingdom, the Moors,

lived every manner of strange and wonderful creature.

And they needed neither king nor queen,

but trusted in one another.

In a great tree on a great cliff in the Moors

lived one such spirit.

You might take her for a girl,

but she was not just any girl.

She was a fairy.

There you go.

And her name

was Maleficent.

Good morning, Mr. Chanterelle!

I love your cap!

No. No, don't do it!

You missed me!

- Good morning. - Good morning.

Lovely work, girls!

What's all the fuss about?

The border guards have discov...

Why do you get to tell her? I want to tell her!

I want to!

There are rules, Flittle. I tell this time, you tell next time.

No, you told last time,

so I should tell this time, and Thistlewit next time.

Tell me what?

Fine!

Thank you.

Maleficent, the border guard...

The border guards have found a human thief at the pool of jewels.

I'm sorry.

She's always in a hurry, with her big wings.

Humans, here. I hope there's not another war.

I'm not afraid.

Besides, I have never seen a human up close.

Come out!

No. They mean to kill me.

And besides, they're hideous to look at.

That's extremely rude.

Don't listen to him, Balthazar. You're classically handsome.

It's not right to steal,

but we don't kill people for it.

Come out.

Come out this instant!

Are you fully grown?

No.

I believe he's just a boy.

And you're just a girl.

I think.

Who are you?

I'm called Stefan.

Who are you?

I'm Maleficent.

Yes, right.

You have to give it back.

Give what back?

If I knew you would throw it away, I would have kept it.

I didn't throw it away.

I delivered it home, as I'm going to do for you.

Someday, you know, I'll live there.

In the castle.

Where do you live now?

In a barn.

So your parents are farmers, then?

My parents are dead.

Mine, too.

We'll see each other again.

You really shouldn't come back here, you know.

It's not safe.

And if I made that choice,

if I came back, would you be here?

Perhaps.

- What's wrong? - Your ring.

Iron burns fairies.

I'm sorry.

I like your wings.

Maleficent thought of how Stefan cast away his ring,

he who had so little in the world,

so that their hands might touch again,

and her heart was moved.

Thus did the young thief who had hoped to steal a jewel...

Maleficent!

...steal something far more precious.

Maleficent?

Maleficent!

After all these weeks,

look who came back.

I thought it worth the risk.

So, what do you do for fun?

Stefan and Maleficent became the most unlikely of friends.

And for a time it seemed as if, in them at least,

the old hatred between men and fairies had been forgotten.

As it will, friendship slowly turned into something else.

And on her 16th birthday,

Stefan gave Maleficent a gift.

He told her it was true love's kiss.

But it was not to be.

As the years passed, Stefan's ambition pulled him away from Maleficent,

and towards the temptations of the human kingdom.

While Maleficent, the strongest of the fairies,

rose to become the protector of the Moors.

Maleficent often wandered alone

and sometimes wondered where Stefan might be,

for she had never understood the greed and envy of men.

But she was to learn.

For the human king had heard of a growing power in the Moors,

and he sought to strike it down.

Guard, halt!

Guard, halt!

There they are,

the mysterious Moors where no one dares to venture

for fear of the magical creatures that lurk within.

Well, I say crush them!

Go no further!

A king

does not take orders from a winged elf.

You are no king to me.

- Bring me her head. - Battalion!

Advance!

Arise and stand with me!

Hold the line!

- It's the dark creatures! - It's the dark creatures!

Charge!

You!

To the king!

You will not have the Moors!

Not now, nor ever!

You...

When I ascended to the throne,

I promised the people

one day we would take

the Moors and its treasures.

Each of you

swore allegiance to me and to that cause.

Your Majesty.

Defeated in battle.

Is this to be my legacy?

I see you waiting for me to die.

It won't be long. But what then?

I will choose a successor

to take the throne and care for my daughter.

Who among you

is worthy?

Kill the winged creature.

Avenge me,

and upon my death you will take the crown.

Maleficent.

Maleficent!

So, how is life with the humans?

Maleficent, I've come to warn you.

They mean to kill you.

King Henry will stop at nothing.

Please, you have to trust me.

They spoke of many things,

and the years faded away.

And she forgave Stefan his folly and his ambition,

and all was as it had been long ago.

You thirsty?

Maleficent?

What is this?

I have avenged you, sire.

She is vanquished?

You have done well, my son.

You have done what others feared to do.

You will be rewarded.

I shall do my best to be a worthy successor,

Your Majesty.

I've got you!

- You wicked bird! - Into a man.

It's a...

It's a demon!

What have you done to my beautiful self?

Would you rather I let them beat you to death?

I'm not certain.

Stop complaining.

I saved your life.

Forgive me.

What do I call you?

Diaval.

And in return for saving my life, I am your servant.

Whatever you need.

Wings.

I need you to be my wings.

I present to you the first of his line,

His Royal Highness King Stefan.

He did this to me so he would be king.

Now what, Mistress?

Her wings!

It's a girl!