Witch of the Waste



In the movie she is a talented witch who was so beautiful that Howl pursued her, but after finding that she used magic to keep herself looking young and beautiful, he left her. She is still in love with Howl however, and uses her magical powers and henchmen to try and capture him after seeing him with Sophie. Which is why she arrives at night to Sophie's hat shop and insults her before turning her into a 90 year-old woman. The Witch uses ancient sorcery to put a powerful spell on Howl in the form of note in Sophie's pocket, the scorch marks reading:

'You who swallowed a falling star, oh heartless man, your heart shall soon belong to me.'

In the movie adaptation, the Witch of the Waste is not nearly as terrifying. Her role remains largely the same in the first part of the movie, as she curses Sophie. However, unlike in the book, the Witch becomes somewhat of a protagonist after Madame Suliman lures her to the castle to drain her of her magical powers, restoring th Witch to her actual appearance and age, and replacing her as the antagonist in the movie.