The Blue Fairy is a character in Disney's 1940 film Pinocchio. She is a magical being who, fulfilling Gepetto's wish, transforms Pinocchio into a living creature and later into a real boy. She also aids Pinocchio and Jiminy Cricket throughout their adventures, both directly and from afar. One of only two female characters in the film (the other being Cleo), she is nevertheless one of the most powerful characters in the cast; it is the Blue Fairy who initially grants Pinocchio life and who ultimately decides whether or not the puppet should become a real boy.
The Blue Fairy was animated by Jack Campbell from live-action footage of Marge Champion and voiced by Evelyn Venable. She is currently voiced by Rosalyn Landor.
Behind the Scenes
Design
In a story meeting of January 12, 1939, Walt Disney specified that the Blue Fairy was to 'give the appearance of loveliness... (but not look like) a glamour girl'. Early model sheets and inspirational sketches reflect this concept, depicting the character as an ethereal beauty with swirling, billowing clothes and loose, unkempt hair (to reflect the fact that the fairy has literally flown in). At some point in development this design changed to a less ethereal figure, with human proportions. This final version of the character, with her glittery dress, solid hair and more human proportions, suggests the inspiration of Jean Harlow and thus ultimately resembled the 'glamour girl' Disney had initially been anxious to avoid; however, Disney seemed pleased with this version of the character, whose newly-found sexual allure worked on both Jiminy Cricket and the men working on the film, who reportedly whistled on first seeing a color test of the Blue Fairy.
Animation
Jack Campbell's animation of the Blue Fairy closely followed live-action footage of Marge Champion (who was also the performance model for Snow White) under the direction of Hamilton Luske. Oskar Fischinger, a famous abstract filmmaker from Germany who had been hired by Disney primarily to help with Fantasia's abstract Toccata and Fugue in D Minor segment, was responsible for animation of the Blue Fairy's magic, including the effects surrounding her when she first enters the workshop and the beams of light eminating from her wand.
Appearances
Pinocchio
Gepetto's Wish
The Blue Fairy having brought Pinocchio to life.
The wishing star is first referred to in the film's opening song (with the Blue Fairy herself perhaps referred to in the song as "Fate herself"). When Jiminy Cricket begins his story, the wishing star is looking over Pinocchio's village and it, and the other stars, are 'shining like diamonds'. It's not mentioned again in the film until, inside Gepetto's Workshop. After Figaro has opened the window, Gepetto notices the Wishing Star, and prays that the marionette Pinocchio become a real boy. Everyone in the workshop falls asleep; soon, however, Jiminy is woken by an ethereal glow caused by the star as it moves closer and closer to the window. Eventually, the Blue Fairy herself appears in the workshop, stating that Gepetto deserves his wish after the happiness he has brought to others. She walks to Pinocchio and, tapping the puppet with her wand, grants him life. She tells him that he must learn the difference between right and wrong in order to become a real boy. When Pinocchio appears not to understand, Jiminy interrupts to explain, and the Blue Fairy offers him the position of conscience to Pinocchio. Somewhat dumbstruck by her beauty, he agrees, and is granted a new suit befitting his status. The Blue Fairy then leaves, reminding Pinocchio to "be a good boy, and always let your conscience be your guide."
Freeing and Saving Pinocchio
The Blue Fairy next appears after Stromboli has locked Pinocchio in a cage; the showman intends to use the wooden boy to make an enormous amount of money. Ashamed of doing the wrong thing, Pinocchio attempts to hide when he sees the wishing star approaching the caravan, though both he and Jiminy are spotted. The Blue Fairy asks Pinocchio why he did not attend school; lying, he replies that he was kidnapped by two monsters, who put him into a sack and threatened to chop him into firewood. As his lie grows, his nose becomes longer until it resembles a tree limb, complete with bird's nest. The Blue Fairy informs him that "a lie keeps growing and growing, until it's as plain as the nose on your face". When Pinocchio promises to tell the truth from now on, the Blue Fairy returns his nose to normal and frees him from the cage with a tap of her wand. She doesn't appear in person for the rest of the film- in keeping with her 'warning' as she frees Pinocchio from the cage that this is the last time she can help him-, however she indirectly helps after Pinocchio escapes Pleasure Island, while other boys were being turned into donkeys and then sold to salt mines by The Coachman, Jiminy warns Pinocchio to follow his lead to prevent the curse from taking a foothold. After returning home and seeing an abandoned workshop, the Blue Fairy, in the form of a dove, drops a message that Gepetto learned about Pleasure Island and set sail in order to rescue Pinocchio, but his boat was swallowed by Monstro the Whale. Presumably this "bonus help" was due to the fact that Pinocchio had gotten back on track by listening to Jiminy (as well as ceasing his bad boy behavior unlike Lampwick) and that Jiminy would not have realized that Gepetto had been attacked by Monstro as they were making their way back to the village. Pinocchio's dangerous decision to try and rescue Gepetto and Figaro (even over Jiminy's objections) was the final test in order to see whether or not he had what it takes to become a real boy.
Pinocchio's selflessness in saving Gepetto from Monstro costs him his life, as he drowns while saving Gepetto from the same doom. As Gepetto and Jiminy mourn Pinocchio's death, the Blue Fairy appears, saying that Pinocchio has proven his heroism and rewards him by returning him to life and reversing the Coachman's donkey curse.
House of Mouse
In the animated series House of Mouse, the Blue Fairy makes occasional appearances.
Her most notable appearance in the series is in the episode "Jiminy Cricket", where Pain and Panic try to lead Pinocchio down the path of evil. When Jiminy becomes convinced that he's no good at being Pinocchio's conscience, Mickey Mouse wishes to help, resulting in the Blue Fairy reassigning Jiminy to be Mickey's conscience. In the end, when Jiminy and Pinocchio are reunited, Pain and Panic mock the moment until the Blue Fairy reappears and turns them into ashes.
Teacher's Pet
The Blue Fairy as she appears in the Teacher's Pet movie.
The Blue Fairy makes a few cameos in the Teacher's Pet movie in Spot Helperman's dreams. Due to the show's art style, the Blue Fairy looks noticeably different than her past appearances. Notably, Rosalyn Landor, who had voiced the character in House of Mouse, reprised the role here.
Once Upon a Time
The Blue Fairy in Once Upon a Time.
In the ABC original series, The Blue Fairy plays a supporting role only seen in Story Book Land and is portrayed by Keegan Connor Tracy. Her Storybrooke counterpart is Mother Superior. She first appears in "Pilot". She creates the Red Quill, which helps Cinderella and Prince Thomas imprison Rumplestiltskin. She also transformed Jiminy Cricket into a real cricket, guiding him to help Geppetto after his parents were turned into puppets. In "Dreamy" she instructed a fairy Nova how to distribute fairy dust. And later with the dwarf Bossy convinced Grumpy to end his relationship with Nova. That way Nova could become a fairy godmother. In "The Return" it was revealed Rumplestiltskin's son Balefire asked for her help. She gave him a magic bean to send him and his father to a world without magic. Rumplestiltskin let go of his son at the last second not going with him. He later confronted the Blue Fairy who said that was the last bean. When he inquired other ways he realized a curse would be best. He then tried to attack her but she fled. She presented the idea of putting Snow White in a wardrobe fashioned from a magical tree that could ward off any curse. However, when it comes to magic, she cannot undo the work of Rumplestiltskin.
The Blue Fairy's counterpart, Mother Superior.
In Storybrooke, she is Mother Superior, the head of Storybooke's convent. She appears in the Dreamy episode, only in a supporting role and is also seen in a Land Without Magic in Henry's hospital room, probably for his final blessings. After Emma Swan breaks the Dark Curse, Mother Superior joins the group of Snow White and Prince Charming and acknowledges her previous existence as the Blue Fairy when Henry calls her by her former name. When Henry requests that she do some magic, she responds by stating that although she can feel the magic released into the town by Mr. Gold, she cannot use it because magic works differently in Storybrooke. She also mentions there is no Fairy Dust and that she doesn't have her wand either.
Video games
Disney's Villains' Revenge
The Blue Fairy in Disney's Villains' Revenge.
The Blue Fairy's role is minor in the game. After Jiminy rips out the happy ending pages and the four villains of the stories fail to steal the happy ending pages, The Blue Fairy appears. She tells Jiminy and Pinocchio (the player who's unseen and unheard) that with the happy endings gone the villains have started to change the stories. She tells them they must go to fix them and enchants the book allowing you to enter.
When you do something wrong or are killed you are returned to the room where the Blue Fairy offers you tips or tells you to do the right thing. Once you've completed the four stories and defeated the villains for a second time, The Blue Fairy shows a fifth story was added to the story book of your adventures and enchants a few toys in the room as mini games. She also says you can return into the book and replay the stories as many times as you wish before vanishing completely.
Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance
The Blue Fairy makes an appearance in her homeworld Prankster's Paradise. Where she arrives at the scene and gently scolds Pinocchio for lying to Jiminy. Pleading for the Blue Fairy to help his nose return to normal, Pinocchio promised to never lied again. The Blue Fairy forgives him, but she warned he will remain a puppet forever if he keeps lying before she returned his nose to normal and release him from the cage. She later appears before Sora to tell him that Geppetto had been swallowed by Monstro and that Pinnochio and Jiminy ran off to find the whale to save him.
Disney Parks
The Blue Fairy at one of the Disney parks.
The Blue Fairy appears occasionally in Disney Parks around the world. She is usually found in Disneyland. She also has her own spell card known as "The Blue Fairy's Wand Wish" in the attraction Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom.
Wishes
An the nighttime spectacular wishes, The Blue Fairy hosts along with her love Jiminy Cricket. In contrast to Jiminy, she only makes a few speaking appearances.
Main Street Electrical Parade
The Blue Fairy makes notable appearances in both versions. In Disneyland she was a staple part of the parade but was recently removed and replaced by a Tinker Bell float. At Walt Disney World, she is currently making regular appearances and to date the only live appearance in the Magic Kingdom.
Jubilation!
In Tokyo Disneyland, the Blue Fairy can be seen in an extremely tall standard in the parade. She rides in a carriage driven by Pegasus.
Trivia
- The Blue Fairy is the opposite of the Fairy in Carlo Collodi's original story. In the story, the Fairy has turquoise hair, wears normal clothing and lives in a cottage in the woods. Later she lives in a house on a place called Busy Bee Island.
- The Blue Fairy is the only female character in the movie (other than Cleo).
- The Blue Fairy appears as a statue in the film A.I. Artificial Intelligence at the end of the film.
- The Blue Fairy bears a resemblance with Cinderella, in that they both have similiar blonde hairstyle and seen wearings blue.
- Although not part of the Disney Princess franchise, it was present in an ancient image of the franchise, along with the Disney Princesses.
- Most of her facial expressions are much similar to Snow White's, no doubt because she shared the same live model for the animators, Marge Champion. Some of her facial expressions were used as an inspiration for Cinderella.
- Unlike all of the other characters in the film, the Blue Fairy was animated via rotoscoping rather than by freehand.
- While Pinocchio considers Geppetto to be his father since he was the one that created his body, it's implied that the Blue Fairy is actually his mother, since she was the one that brought him to life in the first place.
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