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We all know what the fairy tale says. And by the looks of it, we can even tell it by ourselves if we are told to do so. Needless to say, if you ever read the tale of Sleeping Beauty you know who Maleficent is. Maybe not by her name, but by her looks. Moreover, who would forget that horrible thing she did in the tale?
You know it, she is the one who cursed baby Aurora. It is the curse which promises that Aurora will fall into an eternal sleep when she pricks her finger on a spinning wheel as she turns 16.
Anyway so much for the introduction. For those who watched the movie, you may have observed these lessons I’m going to share. But for those who are still on the lines waiting outside the box office with no idea what movie to watch, you better start reading to consider “Maleficent” in your ‘to watch list.’
1. FIRST IMPRESSIONS NEVER LAST (NO, THEY NEVER REALLY LASTED)
Remember that moment when the film begins with the young Maleficent meeting a young boy named Stefan who intruded the Moors, only to reveal that the boy stole a jewel. Maleficent confronts him and takes the jewel from the young theft and throws it into the lake. While Maleficent escorts Stefan out of the Moors, he tells her that if he discerned she was about to throw that precious jewel away, he would have kept it. In retort, Maleficent says to Stefan she didn’t chuck it away. Rather she sent the jewel back home.
Well, this just tells that we don’t just simply judge an action and jump to a final conclusion. This brings danger for we don’t even know the facts. Lesson is, we may be rather wrong right at the first impression.
2. IF IT HURTS OTHERS, THROW IT AWAY
As we meet Stefan, we are then just oriented that fairies like Maleficent are hurt by iron forged by humans. You see, Stefan had an iron ring, and when they tried to shake hands, the fairy withdrew her hand with pain. Learning from this fact, Stefan didn’t hesitated to throw away one of his only keepsakes.
We can learn firsthand from this that we have to get rid of anything that might hurt those people around us. Whether it is a thing or a bad habit, what course of actions would you take to take those harmful things off?
3. TITLES NEVER WORK WITHOUT GAINING RESPECT
In the film, we see Maleficent and the old king waging a war at the borders of the Moors. In this specific scene, she shouted “You’re no king to me,” as the king remarked to claim the enchanted place. With a sarcastic response, the king brutally answered back, “I don’t take orders from a winged elf.”
See the logic? Titles do work, but respect for each other’s abilities and limitations should come first.
4. BE THANKFUL, JUST BE THANKFUL
In the film, we see Maleficent’s act of saving a crow trapped in a metal net and is about to killed by its captor. Maleficent saved the poor crow by turning him into a man, later on to name himself Diaval. As he turned into such, he questions Maleficent about her ruining his beautiful self. Maleficent responds in an unlikely manner of “Stop complaining. I saved your life.”
Diaval realizes his actions and relents. He began thanking Maleficent and promises her his service at any cost. In the same manner, if someone helps us out in anything, we should be thankful no matter what.
5. TEMPTATION KILLS
In the film, we see Stefan losing his interest in seeing Maleficent and began desiring to be the King. Eventually, when he heard first hand from the King that anyone who kills Maleficent will have the crown, he starts to plan things that later on turned his head haywire, leading him into great downfall in the end.
Do I still have to reiterate the lesson right here? I strongly believe everyone experience temptations regularly, it’s only a matter of choice whether to dwell in that temptation or not.
6. ANGER AND VENGEANCE TURN YOU INTO THE VILLAIN (SERIOUSLY)
Just like what happened to King Stefan throughout the film, falling into his darkest temptations that destroyed whatever simple and little he had when he was younger, his desire for revenge against Maleficent turned him into the villain. The same works for Maleficent as well when she chose to avenge herself by cursing little Aurora. Again, the same works for us.
7. THERE IS ALWAYS AN ANOTHER SIDE OF THE COIN (I MEAN THE STORY)
When we’re little, we are always told of the tale of the Sleeping Beauty. However, Maleficent flipped the coin and opened the possibility that in every story told, there is always an another side to it.
Here we can learn that we have to open our hearts and stop closing our minds that the story we are told is the absolute truth. Whilst Sleeping Beauty introduced Maleficent as the evil and wicked fairy, the film obviously did a role shift that the King was the true culprit why all the crap ‘cursing cute little Aurora’ had happened.
8. ENVY SETS A RELATIONSHIP ON THE ROCKS
This is seen in the separation of the kingdoms. It is revealed that things will work more effectively and happy with the two kingdoms’ unity, rather they were separated. Moreover, one kingdom wanted the other destroyed because they desired to be the most powerful. As a result, this caused the conflict and tragedy in the film.
Frankly, this happens in real life too. Envy builds a wall that hinders people to be intimate enough with one another.
9. TIME RESTORES ANYTHING, EVEN HARDENED HEARTS
Maleficent was tormented when Stefan left her. Even more, she agonized deeply when he shows up again just to cut her wings off. In short, she is deeply broken, inside and outside. This caused her heart to harden and to seek revenge. This even caused her to put a curse into Aurora.
However, we see Maleficent’s heart being restored when she began to care while watching over the young baby being incompetently cared by the inept fairies struggling to feed and raise her well. We even saw that she goes as far by establishing a mother-like relationship with Aurora.
Well, lesson here is, time heals almost anything.
10. THE HERO AND THE VILLAIN CAN BE THE SAME
One of the most shocking twists we have in the film is the fact that it wasn’t Prince Phillip who awoke the sleeping beauty from her slumber. Rather, it was Maleficent’s kiss on her forehead which awoke the beautiful Princess Aurora.
This simply explains that if you’ve done horrible things in the past, it doesn’t define you any less of who you are and what changes in your life you have pursued. Maleficent was the villain, but she chose her path that lead her to become the hero in the film.
Question is, what would be your choice right now, would you be the villain or the hero?
So that’s it. I hope I have given you enough reasons to reconsider Maleficent in your ‘to watch list.’ Honestly, I never really expected much at it first, but as I ventured inside the theater and watched the film, I became attached to the enchanted lessons I have observed.
How about you? Do you have any other enchanted lessons learned in the film? We’d like for you to hear from you so share it below.
Photo Credits from Walt Disney Studios.
Nice post. Lesson I’ve learned is that; be careful of what you wish for, it might come true as expected. Another is that, no matter how bad a person is– there’s still certain goodness in him/her. Maleficent is a beautiful movie with a moral lesson about life.