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In the five years since King
Stefan's death, Aurora has reigned as Queen of the Moors and Maleficent as
its guardian and protector. Despite her service, the neighboring kingdom
of Ulstead, home to Prince Phillip, deems Maleficent a villain. Diaval,
Maleficent's raven and confidant, overhears Phillip proposing to Aurora.
When he relays this to Maleficent, she advises against the union, though
Aurora vows to prove her wrong.
Phillip's parents, King John and Queen Ingrith, host an intimate dinner.
Maleficent maintains her composure after Ingrith tauntingly mentions the
sleeping curse once placed on Aurora, and recalls King Stefan's death. She
openly claims Maleficent killed two human fairy poachers last seen near
the Moors. When Ingrith carelessly dismisses Maleficent's maternal bond
with Aurora, Maleficent reacts angrily and seemingly curses John, who
suddenly falls into a deep slumber. Maleficent proclaims she did not curse
him, though Aurora disbelieves her. Phillip urges his mother to try and
awaken the King with a kiss. Ingrith resists, and her weak attempt fails
because she does not love John. As Maleficent flees the castle, Ingrith's
servant, Gerda, shoots Maleficent with an iron bullet.
Wounded, Maleficent falls into the ocean and is rescued by a mysterious
winged creature. She awakens in a cavern where fairies like herself have
been in hiding. Among them is Conall, their peaceful leader who saved
Maleficent, and Borra, a warlike fairy who favors open conflict with
humans and killed the poachers near the Moors. Maleficent is among the
last creatures known as Dark Phoenix Fae, powerful fairies forced into
hiding and nearly driven extinct by human oppression. She is also the last
descendant from the Phoenix, an ancient and powerful Dark Fae ancestor.
Because Maleficent's magic is so powerful, Conall and Borra believe she is
instrumental in ending the conflict with humans, either by peace or war.
Meanwhile, Aurora grows disillusioned with being an Ulstead noblewoman but
is happy that the Moor denizens are invited to the royal wedding. Aurora
discovers that Ingrith hates all Moor fairy folk, bitterly resenting their
prosperity during a time when her kingdom had suffered and blaming them
for her brother's death. Ingrith secretly plots to eradicate all fairies
and woodland beings using iron weapons and a lethal crimson powder
developed by Lickspittle, a de-winged pixie. Aurora also learns that it
was Ingrith who cursed John, using Maleficent's old cursed spindle.
Ingrith finds out and has Aurora imprisoned. When the Moor folk arrive,
they are trapped inside the castle chapel. At Ingrith's command, Gerda
unleashes the deadly crimson powder by playing the chapel's organ. The
fairy Flittle selflessly sacrifices herself to save everyone as a last
resort by clogging the organ, rendering the organ unplayable, while
fairies Knotgrass and Thistlewit cause Gerda to fall to her death.
The Dark Fae launch an assault on Ulstead but soldiers begin massacring
them until Maleficent, channeling the Phoenix power, joins the battle. She
nearly kills Queen Ingrith but Aurora appeals to Maleficent's humanity to
spare her, and declares that only Maleficent is her mother. With
Maleficent distracted, the Queen fires her crossbow. Maleficent saves
Aurora, but is struck by the arrow, dissolving into ashes. Devastated,
Aurora mourns over Maleficent's death. However, as Aurora's tears fall on
the ashes, Maleficent is reborn as a Phoenix. Terrified, Ingrith throws
Aurora off the tower to distract Maleficent and runs away. Maleficent
saves her. Ingrith is stopped by Borra and the other Dark Fae as she tries
to escape.
Phillip forges peace between the fairies and humans and the Ulstead
soldiers stand down. Maleficent reverts to her fairy form and gives Aurora
and Phillip her blessing. Upon receiving it from Lickspittle, Maleficent
destroys the spindle and its curse, awakening John from his slumber. As
punishment for her crimes, Ingrith is transformed into a goat by
Maleficent, until she can accept the peace between the two peoples.
After Aurora and Philip are wed, Maleficent returns to the Moors with the
other Dark Fae. She promises to return for the christening of Aurora and
Phillip's future child. |
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