4. Maleficent:   “No, it cannot be! Now shall you deal with me, O Prince, and all the powers of hell!”

After the Prince escapes Maleficent’s flaming castle and defeats her sudden forest of thorns, he stands ready to make a safe return to Stefan’s castle. Maleficent must gather all her powers and appear in person for a final standoff with the Prince. The fact that Maleficent uses the word hell at this crucial juncture effectively shocks the audience and further cements her evil nature. Phillip, Stefan, or Aurora couldn’t possibly use the word hell, and its appearance here proves without a doubt that Maleficent really is a member of the other side. Maleficent’s use of the word hell suggests that the film’s war between Good and Evil is actually a religious battle. If Maleficent can conjure the powers of hell, she is obviously a devil and an unbeliever, and her murder is justified. By association, too, the people opposing her must be devout, God-fearing believers.