King Stefan

King Stefan (Maleficent Film)
Home	a castle
Occupation	King
Story appearances
Feature films	Maleficent
Actor	Sharlto Copley

King Stefan in the Maleficent universe is the Main antagonist of the titular 2014 film of the same name played by Sharlto Copley. He is much different from the classic 1950 Disney film version of King Stefan. The 2014 film shows how Maleficent became the mistress of all evil in the first place.

History

The Moors were disturbed by the presence of Stefan, who escaped after stealing a precious gem from the human kingdom. Maleficent showed up and told him to give the gem back, which he does reluctantly after realizing there was a pool filled with jewels in the Moor kingdom, and tosses it into the water. They both admit that they were orphans and both of thier parents died, and that meeting one another is forbidden in thier worlds. 

However, Maleficent and Stefan eventually became the best of friends, and on Maleficent's 16th birthday, Stefan showed her true love's first kiss, but it was never meant to be.

Over the next couple of years, Stefan stopped visiting the Moors for an unknown reason, and due to attacks in the Moor kingdom by the ruthless King Henry, Maleficent became her homeland's sworn protector. With her forest army by her side, she defeated and wounded the king and his army. On his deathbed, King Henry demanded to be avenged and promises that whoever killls Maleficent shall become the new king and marry his daughter, Princess Leila. It is revealed that Stefan has become one of King Henry's servants, and wanting to claim the throne, journeys to the land of the Moors to find Maleficent. The two are reunited and spend the night together like they used too, but while Maleficent is sleeping as Stefan tricks her into drinking a sleeping potion that puts her into hour long comma, Stefan takes the opportunity to cut off Maleficent's wings by using metal chains so that he can take them to the dying king, leaving Maleficent crying out in agony over what happened to her wings.

After creating a wooden staff to help her walk, she journeys to an abandoned castle where she hides in the shadows, sad and alone.

One day, she sees a farmer beating up a raven, and saves him by turning him into a human, causing the farmer to run away in fear. The raven man introduces himself as Diaval/Diablo, and in gratitude for Maleficent saving him, he decides to be her humble servant. After hearing this, Maleficent first tasks him to find Stefan. Diaval finds Stefan in the human castle and witnesses him being crowned king having now married Queen Leila. When Diaval had informed Maleficent of what he has learned, she becomes enraged, and darkness spreads across the Moors's homeland. After rooting a throne, Maleficent sits there and claims herself as the Evil Queen of the Moors.

One day, the Queen gives birth to a child named Aurora, and a royal christening is taking place in the human castle in honor of her birth. Before Flittle/Merriweather can present the last gift, Maleficent shows up and decides to bestow her own gift upon the child, saying that before the sun sets upon her 16th birthday, Aurora shall prick her finger on the thimble of a spinning wheel and fall into a sleep like death. Maleficent then says that the curse can only be lifted by true love's kiss, and that no power on Earth could change it. She then leaves the party.

Paranoid, Stefan has every spinning locked up and burned inside the deepest dungeon of the castle. He also has the three fairies take Aurora to an abandoned cottage so that they can raise her there. Stefan also develops an obsession in killing Maleficent and hunting her down, and doesn't even care that his wife is dying of a bad sickness.

By the time that Aurora has turned 15; Maleficent saves her from Stefan's soldiers and takes her to the Moor kingdom. After breaking Aurora out of her trance, Maleficent notices that Aurora is delighted to see her, and is even calling Maleficent her fairy godmother. Over the next few days, Aurora continues to see Maleficent and Diaval in the Moor kingdom, and little by little, Maleficent sees Aurora as a friend. Maleficent tries to break Aurora's curse but to no avail. Maleficent and the three fairies tell Aurora the truth, leaving her heartbroken and returning to her father.

Even though Stefan is happy to see his daughter back after 16 years, he is still furious at the pixies for their failure to bring Aurora back after her 16th birthday, and has Aurora locked up in her room and prepares for Maleficent's arrival.

As night draws, Maleficent and Diaval sneak into the castle with Prince Phillip in tow in order to find Aurora to break the curse. Turns out, it didn't work as planned, and the curse is broken when Maleficent kisses Aurora in the cheek. As Maleficent and Aurora are escaping to get back to the Moors, they are cornered by King Stefan and his men who trap Maleficent in a chain net, which hurts Maleficent. However with the last of her strength she is able to transform Diaval into a dragon as he attempts to fend off King Stefan's men as they trap him. Meanwhile Aurora finds Maleficent's wings trapped in a glass case and tips the case, breaking the glass and freeing Maleficent's wings. Just as Stefan is about to finish off Maleficent with a sword, Maleficent's wings fuse back into Maleficent's back and she is able to fly again and avoid the attack. She then flies toward Stefan and they charge through the castle window as she flies Stefan over the top of the roof. She almost chokes him to death, but decides to spare Stefan and tells him the battle is over, However, Stefan still refuses to accept defeat and attempts to kill her as he tackles her off the castle roof. Fortunately Maleficent is able to free herself and remain airborne as Stefan plummets off the castle roof to his death bellow.  

Trivia

• King Stefan, as portrayed in this adaptation, is like the Wizard of Oz in the novel Wicked, as they are originally good guys in their original sources, but depicted as evil, yet they both have good public images.