10 Iconic Characters Who Had To Repress Their Magical Abilities

Magic powers have their advantages, but many famous characters have hidden their abilities, from Harry Potter to Elsa from Frozen to Luke Skywalker.

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A common narrative within the fantasy genre is the concept that someone of great power must repress their magical abilities. It’s usually to protect the protagonist or those around them, whom they could possibly endanger. Occasionally it’s to stop the backlash of the public, who may fear such powers.

There are a number of iconic characters across fiction, that have been adapted to the big and small screen, who have had to deal with this kind of persecution. In each case, the character ends up redefining who they are and channeling their gifts. But the results aren’t always the most heroic of endeavors. Sometimes this repression can lead these magic wielders down a dark path.

10 The Scarlet Witch (MCU)

The comic books have always painted Wanda Maximoff as a complex character. With a life of crime behind her, Magneto as her father, and a Mutant gift that so many have come to fear, it’s not that surprising that some have tried to limit her potential.

The same can be said of the Marvel Cinematic Universe; the Scarlet Witch is constantly trying to hide her full power. She did this after the tragedy of an Avengers mission and later, in a strange town that she and Vision have come to live in.

9 Harry Potter (Harry Potter)

It’s wizarding law that a magic-user must hide their abilities as best as they can from those in the Muggle world. Underage wizards and witches are not allowed to practice their magic outside of Hogwarts at all. To do so could have grave consequences.

Harry Potter has struggled with these rules for much of his life. He has trapped his cousin in a zoo with a snake, blown up his aunt like a big balloon, and was forced into using the Patronus Charm on some Dementors in the Muggle world. Harry has even been on trial for public struggles with magic.

8 Elsa (Frozen)

“Conceal don’t feel.” That’s an incredibly important quote from the Disney film Frozen and one that perfectly sums up Elsa’s struggles. At an early age, she started to exhibit amazing powers that couldn’t be fully explained.

Elsa spent most of her life trying to repress these gifts. But, she eventually lets go of that restriction and demonstrates her full capabilities. The world comes to accept Elsa as she is in a touching story; both Elsa and Anna have truly proven themselves to be complete badasses.

7 Raven (Titans)

The Teen Titans have one member who could prove to be a danger to them all, yet they continue to support her, on the condition that she holds back on her powers. Raven is constantly having to repress what she really is.

Her gifts are inherited from her father, Trigon. The demonic monster has essentially gifted his daughter the powers of Hell itself. Raven continues to struggle with her abilities and members of her team have come to fear her over time.

6 Merlin (Merlin)

Both in the BBC show Merlin and indeed in classical fiction, the famous sorcerer has been forced to hide his powers from society so that he can continue to do right by the kingdom of Camelot. Sometimes these powers end up being revealed and Merlin is praised as a hero.

For the TV show, he continued to hide his gifts, although multiple people came to find out about his secret. Ultimately, Merlin wished to stay hidden so he wouldn’t be persecuted for his powers and remain effective in protecting the King.

5 Jafar (Aladdin)

Jafar has spent his whole life trying to rise through society. Fans of the original Aladdin didn’t come to learn quite so much about the evil sorcerer as they did from the live-action adaptation. Jafar seems to have had quite the difficult upbringing.

Magic seems to be the only path to success for Jafar and yet he must hide it at the same time, repressing his true power. This comes to corrupt him, despite his understandable origins of trying to get out of poverty and help those around him. Jafar unleashes his magic but ultimately pays the price.

4 Elphaba (Wicked)

For fans of Wicked, it may be shocking that there has still yet to be some kind of on-screen adaptation of the hit Broadway musical. Known to many as the Wicked Witch of the West, Elphaba’s story is a tragic one.

The best in class, it was revealed that she was persecuted for her powers and vilified for the color of her skin. The Witch embraced the image that was painted of her but secretly always held a kind heart. This is a complex story about how repressing one’s true self can have harmful consequences.

3 Moana (Moana)

Moana has a deep connection with the sea. Able to control it and negotiate with it, these magical gifts are something she seems to have inherited from her grandmother and her ancestors. But Moana’s role on the island means she must turn away from her fate.

Her family continually pushes her away from the water until she rebels and fully displays her potential. With a spin-off off in development, audiences will surely see so much more of what the young princess can do.

2 Morgana Le Fay (Merlin)

Heading back to the world of Merlin, there’s another powerful sorcerer who had to hide her gifts in fear that society would turn on her. But unlike the titular wizard, Morgana Le Fay has always chosen the path of darkness.

Her power is corrupting and to continue to hold back means she is only giving in to the paranoia of those without magical gifts. It’s a story told time and time again, where an innocent yet powerful person can be completely changed by the world’s perception of them. Morgana’s magic imprisons her as much as it gives her freedom.

1 Luke Skywalker (Star Wars)

It may be controversial to say, but in many ways, Jedi are in fact magic wielders. With Star Wars often compared to a fantasy movie rather than science fiction, the wizards known as Jedi are tasked with keeping peace in the galaxy.

Thanks to his past mistakes, though, Luke Skywalker cuts himself off from the force. Essentially repressing all of his powers, he eventually comes to claim them once again to go on one last heroic mission, which proves to be a noble sacrifice.

Link Source : https://screenrant.com/famous-characters-hid-magic-powers-harry-potter-elsa-frozen/