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The end is near, witch hunter. I wish I could say it'd be painless, but that would be a lie.
~ Muriel to Hansel

Muriel the Grand Black Witch is the main antagonist of the 2013 dark fantasy comedy horror action film Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters. She is the leader of the Black Witches and the arch-nemesis of Hansel and Gretel.

She was portrayed by Famke Janssen, who also played Xenia Onatopp in GoldenEye.


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Muriel
Background information
Feature films Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters
Television programs
Video games
Park attractions
Actor
Actress Famke Janssen
Animators
Voice
Performance model
Designer
Inspiration The Candy Witch from the tale Hansel and Gretel
Awards
Character information
Other names Muriel the Grand Black Witch

Muriel the Witch

Personality Evil, cruel, domineering, sadistic, psychopathic, cunning, mean, sneaky, rude, uncaring, greedy, spietate, vain, calcolating, manipulative, wicked
Appearance Tall, pale, cracked skin, long black hair and lips, blue eyes
Occupation Leader of the Black Witches
Affiliations Bad
Goal Sacrifice Gretel and the 12 children on the Blood Moon Sabbath to gain an immunity to fire (failed)
Home
Friends The other witches
Enemies Hansel, Gretel, Mina, Benjamin Walser, Jackson
Minions The other witches
Likes Witchcraft. terrorizing local villages, abducting children to use for the Blood Moon Sabbath.
Dislikes Her plans being foiled, people tresspassing into her land, Hansel and Gretel killing her minions
Powers and abilities Spellcasting

Potion making Levitation Regression Transformation Pyromancy Telekinesis Molecular combustion Chlorokinesis Cunning Superhuman strength Superhuman speed

Weapons Her wand
Fate Gets decapitated by Hansel and Gretel
Quote "There are no children here. Here, there's only death!"

History[]

Beginnings born In 1851[]

Muriel was a powerful Grand Black Witch who sought an immunity to fire. In order to do so, she needed to sacrifice the heart of a Grand White Witch in a ritual sacrifice on the Blood Moon Sabbath. Muriel plotted to use the young Gretel as the sacrifice, but feared her and Hansel's mother, Adrianna, the Grand White Witch. Muriel would proceed to expose Adrianna as a witch to the village, leading to her and her husband being killed by the townsfolk while Hansel and Gretel were hidden away in the forest. However, in spite of this, the Blood Moon Sabbath had already passed, foiling Muriel's plans.

Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters[]

Many years later, during which Hansel and Gretel had become famed witch hunters, Muriel conspired with the witch coven to resume their plans to gain an immunity to fire. They terrorized the town by abducting twelve children to use for the Blood Moon Sabbath. The kidnappings prompted the mayor to hire Hansel and Gretel to rescue the children. However, Sheriff Berringer paid a group of hunters to venture into the forest with the same goals.

Muriel soon came across the hunters in the forest. Upon the hunters revealing their intentions of rescuing the children, Muriel unveiled her true form and had the hunter's own attack dogs maul them to death. Muriel cast a spell on one hunter, allowing him to return to the town. Upon entering the tavern, however, the man exploded; Muriel intended to use this as a warning to the town.

After this, Muriel and the other witches tested the potion on a captured boy, murdering him and boiling him down into the potion. The potion temporarily made the Horned Witch immune to fire, but the spell eventually wore off. Some time afterwards, the Horned Witch was captured by Hansel and Gretel. Despite being captured, the Horned Witch managed to telepathically communicate with Muriel, prompting her to arrive at the town with the Red-Haired Witch and a troll, Edward, to rescue her and aquire the final child. Muriel set fire to a section of the town and confronted Gretel, easily subduing her. Muriel spared her, however, needing her for the Blood Moon Sabbath, and merely knocked her unconscious. Muriel then proceeded to kill a guard, Jonathan, via forcing him to kill himself with his shotgun. In the midst of the chaos, the final girl was captured by Edward.

In the aftermath of the destruction, Muriel confronted Hansel and Gretel when they reunited at their childhood home. Muriel revealed to the siblings their past, explaining that Gretel herself is a Grand White Witch. Following the revelation, the siblings attempted to fight Muriel, but she easily subdued both of them, stabbing Hansel and abducting Gretel for the Blood Moon Sabbath. However, Hansel was healed by Mina, a witch who he had earlier fallen in love with. Along with aspiring witch hunter Benjamin "Ben" Walser, the two set off to stop Muriel.

Muriel invited witches from across the world to take part in the Blood Moon Sabbath. The witches took Gretel and the abducted children, intending to sacrifice them and gain immunity to fire. As Muriel prepared to kill Gretel, however, the witches were ambushed by Hansel, Mina and Ben. Edward turned on Muriel in favor of rescuing Gretel, leading Muriel to knock him off a cliff. In the midst of the chaos, Gretel was freed and took part in battling the witches. As the children were rescued and the witches were slaughtered, Muriel fled into the forest. However, she was knocked off her broom by Ben. While Hansel, Mina and Ben pursued Muriel, Gretel remained to revive Edward.

Muriel arrived at the Gingerbread House, where Hansel and Gretel killed their first witch. Muriel easily incapacitated Mina and held Ben hostage. As she prepared to kill him, however, Hansel shot Ben in the shoulder, prompting Muriel to release him. Mina recovered and attempted to defend Hansel, but she was overpowered and fatally wounded by Muriel. Hansel shot Muriel repeatedly, knocking her into the cabin, and comforted Mina in her final moments, before proceeding to battle Muriel. Gretel joined Hansel in their battle against Muriel, and the two managed to overpower her. Ultimately, the siblings killed Muriel by decapitating her with a shovel. The siblings then proceeded to throw Muriel's head in the oven.

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