The first installment, released in 2014, offered a fresh perspective on the classic “Sleeping Beauty” tale, portraying Maleficent not merely as a villain but as a multifaceted character shaped by betrayal and loss. The sequel picked up five years after the death of King Stefan, showcasing Aurora as Queen of the Moors and on the verge of marrying Prince Phillip, much to the dismay of his mother, Queen Ingrith. The film culminated in an epic showdown where Maleficent transforms into a Phoenix, ultimately sparing Ingrith’s life, though the latter’s fate was left intriguingly ambiguous as she was turned into a goat.
