- “I told you ogres don't live happily ever after!”
- ―The Fairy Godmother last words.
The Fairy Godmother, also known as Dama Fortuna, is the main antagonist in the DreamWorks film, Shrek 2. She was a fairy that ran her own business offering "happily ever afters" to customers in the form of potions that would change them in various ways.
Background
In the original draft of Shrek, the Fairy Godmother was a fortune teller named Dama Fortuna, who narrated Fiona’s past through her tarot cards. When Fiona approaches her and tells her what she wants, Fortuna gives her a Beauty potion, which gives her her curse. When this story was scrapped, Fortuna became the Fairy Godmother, but kept her name (though it wasn’t mentioned in the films).
The Fairy Godmother transformed Harold into a human to marry Lillian in return for the hand of their future daughter. However, unlike Harold, Lillian didn't like the Fairy Godmother, mentioning that she didn't trust her when she and Harold went to sign their kingdom away. When they saw Fiona become an ogress (possibly due to the Fairy Godmother), they sought her help.
Personality
She appears to be a sweet and stereotypical fairy godmother, but in reality, she is a deceitful and cunning manipulator who will stop at nothing to get what she wants.
Physical Appearance
The Fairy Godmother is an old-looking lady that has gray hair with sparkles. She wears a long light blue dress with light blue glasses, purple star earrings, light blue slippers and wears four rings on her fingers, two on her right pointer and ringman, and two on her left tallman and pinky. She also carries around a wand. At Fiona's wedding ball, the Fairy Godmother wore a red dress that matches her earrings, glasses, and slippers.
In the movie game, her role is the same as in the film, but she has a pink dress.
Appearances
Shrek 2
When Shrek consults the Fairy Godmother to try to mend his relationship with Fiona, she dismisses them, saying that ogres don't live happily ever after. After briefly insulting Shrek (until somebody arrives), Shrek says he's leaving but steals a "Happily Ever After" potion that he believes will restore Fiona's love for him; when the Fairy Godmother hears about this, she says that this could work to her and her son's advantage.
When Shrek arrives at the castle under the effects of the Happily Ever After Potion, hoping to see Fiona, she sends Prince Charming to intercept Fiona and pose as Shrek and proceeds to have the magic furniture block the available exits and keep Shrek away from Fiona. After Shrek tries and fails to get Fiona's attention, Fairy Godmother explains to Shrek that he's "messed her life up enough" and pretends to be kind, caring, and sympathetic, pretending to gently explain that Fiona can finally be happy now that she's found the prince of her dreams. Shrek tries to explain what he tried to do for Fiona, but Fairy Godmother explains that Shrek needs to "stop living in a fairy tale," claiming that Fiona's a princess and that Shrek's an ogre and claims that is something that no amount of potion will ever change no matter how much Shrek wants it. Later, when Harold arrives at the Poison Apple Inn and heads to the backroom to talk with Fairy Godmother and Prince Charming about how Fiona isn't warming up Prince Charming. Fairy Godmother then gives Harold a love potion to make Fiona fall in love with the first man she kisses. When Harold objects to this, stating that morally she can't just force someone to fall in love, Fairy Godmother blackmails Harold, explaining that she helped him with his happily ever after and that she can easily take it away permanently. When Fairy Godmother discovers that Shrek has learned of her true intentions and true colors, she has Shrek, Donkey, and Puss in Boots captured to stop them and keep Shrek away from Fiona.
At the ball, while Fairy Godmother sings, "I need a hero," as Charming is about to kiss Fiona, Shrek interrupts him, having just broken into the castle.
Then, Fiona knocks him out with a head-butt. The Fairy Godmother then blasts a spell at him, presumably to kill him, but Harold sends it back on her, she is seemingly unharmed for a few seconds and was about to attempt to blast him again, but then the spell reduces her to bubbles and sparkles while her wand falls to the ground and dims.
Shrek the Third
The Fairy Godmother doesn't appear in Shrek the third because she is dead, but she is mentioned several times by her son and is seen in a photo.
Shrek Forever After
The Fairy Godmother is mentioned at the beginning of the film, when the King and Queen are going to see Rumpelstiltskin, by King Harold when he says “Fairy Godmother said only true love’s kiss can lift Fiona’s curse.” Lillian then replies “I don’t trust that woman, Harold”, possibly hinting towards Godmother’s true role in Shrek 2.
She makes a cameo in the end credits as they show the moments of the previous films as the film was the final chapter of the Shrek saga.
Video Games
Shrek Forever After
Rumpelstiltskin negotiates with the Fairy Godmother a that if she does his biddings, she will be his “Queen for a Week.” She is seen in Fiona’s tower and wearing Fiona's Tiara and the following dialogue takes place:
- Fairy Godmother: Ah, fit for a fairy Queen!
- Shrek: Um, hello?
- Donkey: Um, between you and me, Shrek, she is definitely not the fairest of them all.
- Shrek: Alright, Granny. Hand over the tiara and we’ll be on our way.
- Fiary Godmother: That’s no way to talk to your new Queen, is it?
- All: Queen?!
- Fairy Godmother: Yes. Even if it’s only for a week, it’s a start. It’s something I’ve always wanted.
- Shrek: Stiltskin. Yeah, well, whatever you are, we’re not leaving without that tiara.
- Puss in Boots: The ogre is right, Senora. That tiara will be ours. On guard!
After this, a battle occurs between Shrek, his friends, Godmother, witches, and spiders. After it, Fortuna gives Shrek the tiara, shouts “This doesn’t mean anything, you know. I’m still the Queen! You hear me! THE QUEEN! and flies away.
Quotes
- "He endured blistering winds, scorshing deserts, climbed to the highest bloody room of the tallest bloody tower, and what does he find? Some gender-confused wolf who tells him that his princess is already married!"
- [first lines:] "What? Is it on? Is it on? [clears throat] This is Fairy Godmother. I'm either away from my desk or with a client. But if you come by the office, we'll be glad to make you an appointment. Have a 'happy ever after'."
Trivia
- It is quite possible that she is actually the one that had cursed Fiona as part of her plan. However, (if this was the case) it would have gone horribly wrong since Shrek saved Fiona and not Charming.
- The Fairy Godmother is the first DreamWorks villain to use the term "bloody".
- In the Shrek 2 video game, her dress is pink/purple/magenta instead of blue. Why they changed its color is unknown.
- She was originally slated for her to appear as the main antagonist in Shrek, but she was cut for unknown reasons a used later in the film's sequel.
- The Fairy Godmother is the third female character in DreamWorks Animation to be a main antagonist, following Mrs. Tweedy from Chicken Run and Eris from Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas.
- Her name, Dama Fortuna, means “Dame Fortune” or “Lady Luck.”
- When she was in the Shrek 1 alternate opening, she was going to be voiced by Linda Hunt.