W.I.T.C.H. is a French-American animated television series based on the Italian comic book series of the same name published by Disney Publishing Worldwide. It was produced by SIP Animation and The Walt Disney Company, with the participation of France Télévisions and Jetix's European division. The show follows five girls – Will, Irma, Taranee, Cornelia, and Hay Lin – who have respective magical powers over the classical elements quintessence, water, fire, earth and air, which they use to fulfill their duties as Guardians of the Veil. It takes place in the city of Heatherfield and various mythical worlds, primarily Meridian.
W.I.T.C.H. premiered in the U.S. on December 18, 2004, and concluded on December 23, 2006, where it aired on ABC's ABC Kids block, with reruns on ABC Family and Toon Disney's Jetix blocks, and Disney Channel. The series premiered in France on February 3, 2005, on France 3's Toowam block, with reruns on Jetix, Disney Channel, and Disney XD. Internationally, it was mainly broadcast on Disney-owned channels, especially on Jetix.
Plot
The second generation of legendary Guardians of the Veil – Wilhelmina "Will" Vandom, Irma Lair, Taranee Cook, Cornelia Hale and Hay Lin – must save planet Meridian from the evil Prince Phobos and Lord Cedric, who are searching for the tyrannical prince's younger sister, the long-lost princess of Meridian and true heir to the throne. They later find her to be Irma and Taranee's classmate and Cornelia's best friend, Elyon Brown, and the Guardians then set about saving her from Prince Phobos' cunning.
When Meridian is finally freed from evil and the true heir takes the throne, a mysterious evil sorceress named Nerissa takes Phobos' top henchmen and reforms them as the Knights of Vengeance to act as a distraction to the Guardians. Once the Guardians learn more about the evil sorceress and her evil plan of reuniting the other four former Guardians - Cassidy, Halinor, Yan Lin, and Kadma - they are able to defeat the Knights of Vengeance, only to battle with more powerful Knights of Destruction made from Nerissa's dark vengeful feelings of hatred and anger, fear and misery: Shagon, Khor, Tridart and Ember.
The Guardians' chief ally is Hay Lin's paternal grandmother Yan Lin, the former Guardian of Air. She taught the girls about their magical abilities and destiny as the second generation of Guardians of the Veil. They are also helped by Caleb, a heroic soldier from Meridian, leader of the rebellion against Phobos, and Blunk, a frog-like goblin creature (known as a Passling) who takes things from the human world to Meridian and vice versa, humorously mistaking everyday objects for other things or items of value. Matt, Will's boyfriend, accidentally learns about Meridian and when he sees the troubles there going on, he learns how to become a warrior to help them. They are also helped by the Oracle, leader of the Universe in Kandrakar, who was the one who chose the five girls.
Guardian Abilities/Magic Each Guardian's powers are further developed and magnified greatly by the mystical world of Kandrakar, transmitted to the pink Heart of Kandrakar via the Aurameres (the physical representations and source of the Guardians' powers). The Keeper of the Aurameres is Luba, a cat-like being.
When the Guardians transform, they change form (their bodies mature to its physical prime), outfits and grow wings, which help them fly. Since the Veil was taken down, the Guardians cross worlds by folding, with the help of the Heart of Kandrakar. Elyon and Blunk can fold as well.
In order to travel to another place in the same world, each Guardian can teletransport. Teletransporting is a difficult ability to learn and one can materialize into another solid object if not careful enough. If a Guardian teletransports while not connected to an Auramere or a Heart, then they will drain their life force.
Each Guardian can use their elemental powers and also manifest abilities based on their element or specific to them, such as Hay Lin's enhanced hearing as the Air Guardian. She also is an empath, able to determine someone’s future stressful emotions via dreams.
A Guardian can become a Quinto-Guardian, obtaining powers over all five elements. A Quinto-Guardian can gain the power to create solid ice out of thin air as with liquid water. The only known Quinto-Guardians are Cornelia (temporarily via the merged Aurameres) and Nerissa (by using her Seal).
The Guardians can also become their element while increasing all of their elemental abilities to their zenith of strength. This is risky and rather dangerous because it costs them their humanity, and they could be easily controlled.
Astral Drops and Altermeres Using the Heart of Kandrakar, a Guardian can create an Astral Drop, a duplicate of herself, when the words "Spord Lartsa" (Astral Drops spelled backwards) are said. The Astral Drops are doppelgangers, summoned when the Guardians have to go on a mission and need doubles so their absence is not felt. Although a Drop is a perfect physical copy of a person, they possess none of their memories, and have no personality of their own.
An Altermere is an Astral Drop brought to life through the power of Quintessence. Unlike Astral Drops, they are independent beings with feelings, emotions and memories. The concept of Altermeres is introduced in "H is for Hunted" when Will creates an Astral Drop to do her chores (laundry). Nerissa soon creates trouble by making the Astral Drop an Altermere. In "R is for Relentless", Nerissa tries to corrupt Yan Lin to her side, but is unable to do so. Nerissa traps Yan in the Seal of Nerissa and creates an Altermere double who does not realize she is not the real Yan until Nerissa tells her. In "Z is for Zenith", Yan introduces her Altermere to her son and daughter-in-law, passing her off as her long-lost twin sister Mira.
Characters
Main All five main characters are thirteen years old.
W.I.T.C.H.
Will Vandom (voiced by Kelly Stables) is the 13-year-old leader of the Guardians of the Veil and possesses the Heart of Kandrakar, later also the Guardian of Quintessence. Will moves to Heatherfield with her mother at the beginning of the series. Originally, Will's powers primarily revolve around activating the transformation into Guardian form and sealing portals. In the second season, Will fully gains her own elemental ability of quintessence, the fifth element, which grants her electrokinetic and life-granting abilities. In addition, Will is able to communicate with electrical appliances. Her only love interest and boyfriend throughout the series is Matt Olsen. Irma Lair (voiced by Candi Milo) is the 13-year-old Guardian of Water whose ability allows her to control water, and in the second season, the power of mind control. Irma acts as the series' comic relief, providing witty dialogue and remarks, which is often a source of irritation for Cornelia. Irma is appointed as the station manager of Sheffield Institute's radio station, she titles her radio segment Lair on the Air. Unlike the other Guardians, Irma does not have a boyfriend despite her affection for Andrew Hornby and the unrequited attention from Martin Tubbs. Taranee Cook (voiced by Kali Troy) is the 13-year-old Guardian of Fire, able to create and manipulate fire, and in the second season, she has the ability to telepathically communicate with the other Guardians. Taranee is dedicated to her schoolwork, and often uses her intellect to defeat enemies. Her boyfriend is Nigel Ashcroft, whose social circle initially causes mistrust by Taranee's parents. Cornelia Hale (voiced by Christel Khalil) is the 13-year-old Guardian of Earth granting her the ability to control earth and plants and in the second season, she gains the power of telekinesis. Cornelia is vain and haughty, and is often a foil to Will. But she begins to warm up to her eventually, throughout the series. She is best friends with Elyon Brown, later revealed to be the missing Princess of Meridian. Cornelia becomes romantically involved with Caleb. His duties in Meridian later cause a rift in their relationship. Hay Lin (voiced by Liza del Mundo) is the 13-year-old Guardian of Air which enables her to control air, and also become invisible in the second season. Her paternal grandmother, Yan Lin, was the previous Guardian of Air and introduced the new Guardians to their roles. Hay Lin is of Chinese descent and her parents own the Silver Dragon, a Chinese restaurant, where Hay Lin works part-time. Hay Lin enjoys art and is a free spirit. Despite her original distaste for dating, Hay Lin becomes infatuated with Eric Lyndon who eventually becomes her boyfriend.
Allies Caleb (voiced by Greg Cipes) is a 15-year-old human teenager, who started Meridian's resistance movement. Caleb is usually accompanied by Blunk. Caleb is brave and reckless, as well a strong and quick-thinking leader and a good fighter. He tends to be a little arrogant and bad-tempered, with a sarcastic streak. Although he puts on a tough and uncaring attitude, Caleb is a loyal friend who sticks to his beliefs no matter what. Even though he is the only one of the main characters who has no special powers or abilities he is more than able to hold his ground against more powerful opponents with his experience, quick thinking and hand-to-hand combat skills. Blunk (voiced by Steve Blum) is a small and smelly creature who lives on Meridian. He is a Passling, a short frog/troll-like creature who travels through the dimensions to find and steal goods to sell. Blunk went to Earth with Caleb and the Guardians and quickly made a home there: the Silver Dragon's dumpster. Blunk, being able to sniff out portals, frequently travels to and from Earth to find goods. Elyon Brown (voiced by Serena Berman) is a 12-year-old princess (and later queen) of Meridian. Elyon was born in Meridian, lone daughter to the Queen Weira and Consort Zayden and heir to the throne. After her parents disappeared when she was a baby, a Meridianite named Galgheita took Elyon to Earth to evade Phobos, her evil older brother. Elyon was raised there as a normal girl by the Browns, Meridianites whom Elyon believed to be her parents. Cedric eventually tells her about her identity and turns her against the Guardians, convincing her to go to Meridian, where he teaches her to wield and use her powers. After Phobos and Cedric betrayed Elyon on her coronation day, she finally realizes that Phobos and Cedric are heartless tyrants lusting after her powers and helps W.I.T.C.H. defeat them. Elyon then stays in Meridian, along with her surrogate parents, and assumes her rightful place as the Heart of Meridian. Yan Lin (voiced by Lauren Tom) is the former Guardian of Air. She is Hay Lin's paternal grandmother and a helpful advisor to the new Guardians. In the second season, she is captured by her former best friend and fellow Guardian, Nerissa, and cloned via an Altermere, with the clone being corrupted and forced to work for Nerissa. Matt Olsen (voiced by Jason Marsden) is Will's classmate and starts off as her crush, later becoming her boyfriend. He is the lead guitarist and main singer of his band, Wreck 55. He first appeared in "Happy Birthday Will". Matt first learns about the Guardians in "The Stolen Heart", when he accidentally follows Caleb and the girls through a portal and finds himself in Meridian. After seeing Will in her Guardian form, Matt considers himself a part of the team. After participating in the major events in "The Final Battle", Matt decides that he wants to help, though the Guardians (mainly Will) are reluctant, in case he should be injured. As a result of this, he asked Caleb to train him in combat.
Villains