Baba Yaga

Baba Yaga
Background information
Feature films	Bartok the Magnificent
Voice	Andrea Martin
Character information
Other names	The Witch of the Iron Forest
Personality	Evil (formerly), magical, devious (formerly), selfish (formerly), antagonistic (formerly), intimidating (formerly), intelligent, kind, helpful (both later)
Appearance	Obese old woman, with white long hair, red hat, gray dress, black corset, white apron, pink socks, brown shoes
Occupation	Witch
Alignment	Neutral, later good
Goal	To get Bartok to complete her tasks To help Bartok
Allies	Bartok
Likes	Witchcraft

Baba Yaga is the false antagonist from the 1999 feature film Bartok the Magnificent. She is a powerful witch with iron teeth who lives in a house on chicken legs in the iron forest. She flies in a giant mortar.

Background

Based on the legendary Russian witch, Baba Yaga is feared by the Russian people who believe she kidnaps children and (it is implied) eats them. When Prince Ivan, the heir to the Russian throne, disappears in the night, what appears to be an iron tooth is left in his bedroom. Ludmilla blames Baba Yaga for his disappearance, and Bartok is sent to rescue him.

After gaining entrance to Baba Yaga's chicken-legged house, Bartok is quickly found and trapped by the witch. Finding he has come for the prince, Baba Yaga tells him he must prove himself worthy of rescuing him, and gives him three tasks to prove himself - to find Piloff and bring her to the hut with the boulder she is stuck to; to capture the crown of Obli the metalworker, and to pluck a magic feather from the sky using only Oble's crown and Piloff's boulder. For good measure, she removes Bartok's ability to fly before the third task to challenge him further. Bartok is able to complete all three tasks, and after each one she adds something to a brew she is making.

After the third task, Baba Yaga tells Bartok he must give her something from himself to fully prove worthy. After unsuccessfully trying to figure out what this is Bartok becomes frustrated and angrily insults Baba Yaga before storming out. Unexpectedly Baba Yaga appears hurt by the insults and disappears. As he leaves Bartok hears her crying and tearfully apologizes. Baba Yaga takes his tear as the final proof that he is worthy, and adds it to her potion.

She then reveals the truth - that she never kidnapped Ivan in the first place, but he is still a prisoner in his own tower. She then presents Bartok with a magic potion to give him the strength to defeat Ivan's true kidnapper and sends him on his way. She appears one last time at the end of the movie to congratulate Bartok, and even half-heartedly agrees to a hug, then flies off, slyly suggesting they will meet again one day.

Personality

At the beginning, Baba Yaga is believed to be an evil and vicious witch by all the people of Russia. When Bartok finds her in her home, she appears to live up to this, threatening him and taunting him with her magic. She displays a mischievous sense of humor as she sets him to his three tasks, conjuring up magic lightning when he is tired or begins complaining, and laughs at his frustration. At the same time she is impatient with any excuses the bat makes, and refuses to reveal the reason behind the tasks. When Bartok angrily insults her, calling her a silly old woman who nobody likes, Baba Yaga is hurt, and retreats to her kitchen in tears. When Bartok apologizes she finally reveals that the three tasks were her way of tricking Bartok into proving himself worthy. Baba Yaga slyly points out that she never actually said she was the kidnapper in the first place.

From this Bartok deduces that the stories of Baba Yaga kidnapping children were all false, as were the other stories of her evil. She confirms this, stating that she prefers to live alone in her forest and not be bothered by people, suggesting she prefers to allow people to believe she is evil, since it keeps them away. When Bartok suggests a hug before leaving she angrily turns the gesture down, but succumbs later on, showing her own compassionate side. In addition, Baba Yaga does seem to show a certain affection for Piloff, implying she is the witch's companion and possibly pet.

Appearance

Baba Yaga is an obese old woman with white long hair, red hat, gray dress, black corset, white apron, pink socks, and brown shoes.