The wicked witch of the south is a notorious character in the world of literature and folklore. She is often depicted as a powerful and evil sorceress who lives in the southern regions of a mystical land. Unlike her counterparts in the north, east, and west, the wicked witch of the south possesses a unique set of magical abilities and traits. In many tales, the wicked witch of the south is portrayed as a cunning and manipulative individual who seeks to cause chaos and harm to others. She is often associated with dark magic and spells that can bring about destruction and despair. With her vast knowledge of the arcane arts, she is a formidable adversary to anyone who crosses her path.
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Although there is a possibility that this one tale has actually happened in real life, as the witch was documented on Journal 3 As the Palm Reader , and the hand that Stan had in his shop was seen moving on their own after he dropped it. This story, however, appears to be fake and created by Stan to sell merchandise, with the Witch seemingly just being someone who sells watches in reality.
With her vast knowledge of the arcane arts, she is a formidable adversary to anyone who crosses her path. The wicked witch of the south is known to be a master of disguise, often assuming different identities to deceive her unsuspecting victims. She uses her shapeshifting abilities to infiltrate communities and gain their trust before revealing her true, malevolent nature.
Gravity Talks: “Little Gift Shop of Horror” [Review]
Welcome back to Gravity Talks, our review series for Gravity Falls with a release schedule that’s just as sporadic as the show. Apparently this premiered on Friday instead of on a Monday like they said this season would. The real mystery of Gravity Falls is when does this show even air.
This week, “Little Gift Shop of Horrors” gives us some short stories, claymation, and the second best guest star in animation history. Probably. I didn’t research that last part too much, if we’re going to be honest. As always, we’re going to have plenty of mild spoilers, even though this episode is allegedly non-canon.
In the vein of The Simpsons‘s “Treehouse of Horror” and last season’s “Bottomless Pit!”, “Little Gift Shop of Horrors” is an anthology episode as told by Grunkle Stan pitching products to a faceless customer whose point of view gives a slightly disturbing perspective on the Pines family we’d rather not see again.
We’re once again taking a detour from the main mystery of the show and at this point I should just accept that season two of Gravity Falls isn’t going to be as consistenly ruthless as I had anticipated with “Into the Bunker” and “Sock Opera”. Still, “Little Gift Shop of Horrors” proves to be as entertaining an episode as any other one, if only because it simply goes all out.
The first short, ‘Hands Off’ follows the time-tested formula of following Stan around and letting him be his terrible amoral self. After stealing a wrist watch from a Hand Witch, Stan loses his hands and is pretty annoyed, eventually caring enough about the situation to go find the Hand Witch and get his digits back. Again, just letting Grunkle Stan wander around and be his morally bankrupt self is enough for any episode so scenes like Stan asking for his hand back so he can flip off the witch or getting Mabel to build him new hands so he doesn’t have to talk to the witch are just delightful.
Also of note is the Hand Witch herself who earns her place as the breakout character of the episode. Note: I love how the Gravity Falls team is so skilled at crafting compelling characters that you can actually have a “Breakout Character of the Week” award and actually award one for each episode. In the Witch’s case, she’s an instantly likable old crone by Stan who’s following rules of magic that she basically makes up on the spot, like how the only way to break the curse is to make out with her, please make out with her.
Even though this episode and its stories are allegedly noncanon, we’ve reached the point in Gravity Falls where these might as well have happened. Isn’t the Hand Witch as credible as Soos’s yandere waifu? We like to think so, and as such we’re kind of dying to see Hand Witch in future episodes, hopefully with her hunky mountain climber she acquired at her story’s end.
Speaking of characters who are unfortunately relegated to never showing up in another episode again, “Abaconings” featured Waddles the pig having his intelligence boosted to the point where he’s voiced by Neil deGrasse Tyson.
This was a thing that happened and it went precisely as spectacular as you’d expect. Tyson’s not the best voice actor (not to diss him, he has a thousand other achievements more important than being good at making cartoon pig voices) but his natural charm and personality are so unnaturally perfect for Waddles and his lazily adorable persona. The story itself feels a little rushed, with a nice emotional ending that concludes everything just a bit too soon and without much discussion, but at the very least the best supporting character on Gravity Falls got his time in the spotlight and, I cannot reiterate this enough, was voiced by Neil deGrasse Tyson.
The final short of the episode is no less impressive, as “Clay Day” gives tribute to the claymation of Ray Harryhausen by delving into Mabel’s fear of claymation monsters like those seen in Jason and the Argonauts. The relatively simple premise swiftly takes off as the Pines family and Soos find Harry Claymore, the creator of the claymation films, who reveals that he actually use black magic to bring his monsters to life.
Claymore’s monsters then predictably attack the Pines which results in a remarkably impressive show of animation. Gravity Falls has always had some excellent animation but the integration of the claymation, done by Stoopid Buddy Stoodios, is flawless. The monsters feel like they belong in Gravity Falls, like they’re not just green screened onto the show. And it’s made all the more impressive when Mabel climbs on top of the Cyclops and mushes his face up. Though it’s writing wise the most simple of the stories, technically it’s an artistic milestone for Gravity Falls in terms of animation.
“Little Shop of Horrors” proves just how flexible Gravity Falls can be as a series. Though it stumbles at moments, it’s an excellent demonstration of the imagination that fuels the adventures of the Pines family, even if they’re just showing off their expensive claymation segments.
Final Verdict: 8.4 – Neil deGrasse Tyson voiced Waddles. What more do you want?
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James JohnstonJames Johnston is a grizzled post-millenial. Follow him on Twitter to challenge him to a fight.
In the episode "Little Gift Shop of Horrors", Stanley Pines tells a story about his encounter with the witch. He saw her selling watches at a carnival, and stole one. As punishment, the Hand Witch cursed him so that his hands vanished. Wanting to remove the curse, Stan took Dipper and Mabel to the Hand Witch's lair and asked forgiveness by returning the watch. The Hand Witch demanded a kiss as an apology, but Stan refused. However, the Pines learn that lifting the curse has nothing to do with a kiss, and that the witch was just lonely. Dipper and Mabel offer to help her search for love by decorating her cave lair, and the satisfied witch returns Stan's hands. After the Pines leave, a hiker stumbles upon the cave and seems instantly taken with the witch. This story, however, appears to be fake and created by Stan to sell merchandise, with the Witch seemingly just being someone who sells watches in reality.
This allows her to sow discord and spread fear among the inhabitants of the land. Some legends tell of the wicked witch of the south possessing an army of loyal minions who carry out her wicked deeds. These minions could be enchanted creatures or humans under her control, further enhancing her power and influence. With such an army at her disposal, she can carry out her sinister plans with ease. Despite her wickedness, some stories add depth to the character of the wicked witch of the south. They delve into her motivations and explore how she became the dark sorceress she is today. These tales often reveal a tragic past or a series of unfortunate events that led her down the path of darkness, making her a more complex and compelling character. In popular culture, the wicked witch of the south has been depicted in various works of literature, movies, and plays. One of the most notable portrayals is found in L. Frank Baum's iconic novel "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz." In this book, the character of the wicked witch of the south, named Glinda, is the kind and benevolent ruler of the southern regions, contradicting the traditional portrayal of the wicked witch. Overall, the wicked witch of the south has become a symbol of malevolence and fear in literature and folklore. Her mystical powers, deceptive nature, and thirst for chaos make her a captivating antagonist in many tales. Whether she is a truly wicked being or a misunderstood character, the wicked witch of the south continues to intrigue and fascinate audiences around the world..
Reviews for "The Wicked Witch of the South: Fear and Fascination"
1. Sarah - 1/5
I found "The Wicked Witch of the South" to be a disappointing read. The characters lacked depth and were incredibly one-dimensional. The plot was slow-paced and predictable, with no real surprises or twists. Additionally, the writing style felt amateurish and lacked finesse. Overall, I was bored and unengaged throughout the entire book and would not recommend it to others.
2. John - 2/5
"The Wicked Witch of the South" had an interesting concept, but it fell flat for me. The protagonist was unlikeable from the start, making it difficult to connect with the story. The pacing was inconsistent, with long stretches of monotonous and unnecessary descriptions. The dialogue felt forced and unrealistic, making it hard to believe in the interactions between the characters. Ultimately, the book failed to hold my attention and left me feeling unsatisfied.
3. Emily - 2/5
I was really excited to dive into "The Wicked Witch of the South," but unfortunately, it didn't live up to my expectations. The world-building was lackluster, leaving me with more questions than answers. The author seemed to rely heavily on cliches and tropes, resulting in a predictable and unoriginal story. The writing style was simplistic and uninspiring, making it difficult to become fully immersed in the narrative. Overall, I felt let down by this book and wouldn't recommend it to fans of the fantasy genre.