Disney might have the monopoly on fairy tale movies, but when it comes to fairies themselves, DreamWorks has had a few in their films over the years, either as heroes, villains, or side characters.
Exactly what counts as a fairy is complicated. In some stories, fairies can be anything from spirits of the dead to a primordial race of humans. They can also be cast as good or evil, and many classic fairy tales feature both. Some stories treat fairies as an all-female race, other stories either eschew this entirely or give them some sort of male counterpart. And thanks to video games, fairies are a hero's go-to companion.
8 Laurie The Lousy Fairy: Laurie's A Lousy Fairy, But Her Spells Go Horribly Right
Laurie, the titular heroine of the Laurie the Lousy Fairy web series, is a fairy-in-training who's still in school. As her name suggests, her spells rarely work. Sometimes the wording of the spell is the problem, and other times there's no discernable reason why it doesn't work. Despite this, her spells often backfire in a way that grants a wish on a technicality. For example, when a girl wishes for a bully to stop picking on her, Laurie accidentally gives the mean girl an army of crows; however, this gets the bully sent to detention for bringing animals to school, giving the other girl a break.
7 Shrek The Musical: A Fairy Godmother & The Sugar Plum Fairy Are Among The Evicted Fairy Tale Characters
Flutterbell, also known as the Fairy Godmother, is one of the fairy tale outcasts evicted by Lord Farquaad in Shrek: The Musical. Her design, particularly her hair and glasses, is similar to that of the more sinister Fairy Godmother from the movies. Despite this, she seems to be on the heroes' side, causing fans to debate whether they're the same character or somehow related, and many fans treat them as sisters. Another fairy, the Sugar Plum Fairy, also appears in the show and seems to be close with Gingy, the joke being that the fairy can be played by the gingerbread man's puppeteer.
6 Shrek 2: A Fairy Helps Break Shrek Out Of Prison In The Video Games
A fairy, identified simply as "Fairy," can briefly be seen in the Shrek 2 video game, where she's a friend and ally of Shrek and Donkey. She notably appears during the "Prison Break" level, where she teams up with Gingy, Little Red Riding Hood, and the Big Bad Wolf.
Brash and sarcastic, she's the one leading the charge to rescue the "boys," as she calls them She also comes up with the team's attack plans. She isn't able to attack physically, but she can use her magic to float people, both allies and enemies, in midair and stun enemies.
5 Rise Of The Guardians: Baby Tooth Is A Loyal Ally To Jack Frost
In Rise of the Guardians, Baby Tooth is one of the more prominent Mini-Fairies. While the Mini-Fairies are meant to be extensions of Toothiana, Baby Tooth has shown some level of independence, such as being jealous when Tooth embraces Jack Frost at the ending. She was also unaware of the mice who helped Tooth collect teeth as part of her European division, and attacked one doing his job. She's brave and fiercely loyal to Jack after being saved by him. When Pitch attempts to go back on a deal he made with Jack, Baby Tooth attacks the villain with her beak, only to get thrown into an ice wall. Despite this, she proves useful throughout the story and helps Jack regain his memories.
4 Shrek Forever After: Rumpelstiltskin Can Rewrite Reality If You Wish It
Even in the original fairy tale, it's a little unclear just what Rumpelstiltskin is supposed to be. People have guessed things from demon to elf and everything in between. He's the villain of Shrek Forever After, where he's shown to have reality warping powers. He's able to erase someone from existence as long as they make a wish that allows it. In his prime and the alternate timeline where he rules, he leads an army of witches who he controls with an iron first (and even melts one unfortunate witch). Of course, as in the classic story, all of his contracts come with an escape clause that allows his victims a way out. An alternate Rumpelstiltskin appears in Shrek the Third, causing some fans to speculate how there might actually be a race of "Rumpelstiltskins" running around.
3 Rise Of The Guardians: Toothiana Is The Tooth Fairy & Commands The Mini-Fairies
In Rise of the Guardians, Toothiana is the Tooth Fairy and the Guardian of Memories. She's based in a castle in Myanmar. Resembling a human-hummingbird hybrid, she's covered in feathers that often mimic clothes. According to the original books, she's descended from a race of winged women called the Sisters of Flight, but had a human father. She initially resembled a human until she sprouted wings and feathers after losing her baby teeth.
Given her bird-like attributes, she has a strong connection to wind and air and was once able to twist herself into a tornado. Skilled in combat, she's good with a sword and can use her wings as blades. One of her most notable powers is her control over Mini-Fairies, essentially little extensions of herself to who she's mentally connected. The Mini-Fairies have a variety of uses, from helping her with her tasks to being used in attacks.
2 Rise Of The Guardians: Jack Frost Gets More Powerful As The Story Goes On
It's a little complicated figuring out just what Jack Frost is in Rise of the Guardians. According to supplementary material, he's an ice elf. He used to be human, but, as mentioned, this is occasionally a prerequisite for fair folk. Having been transformed by the Man of the Moon after his death, Frost is the personification of winter. His work varies from painting frost on windows, making it snow, and even shooting frost-like lightning from his staff. However, to his chagrin, people generally can't hear or see him and seldom believe in him. He also seems to have a strong kinship with leaves, being able to command and manipulate them. At the end of the film, after his battle with Pitch, he becomes even more powerful and obtains the title of Guardian of Fun. He even manages to get people to see him.
1 Shrek 2: The Fairy Godmother Is Secretly An Evil Mastermind
The Fairy Godmother appears as a villain in Shrek 2, where it's revealed she schemed to have Princess Fiona marry her son, Prince Charming. As the story goes on, it's revealed that Fiona's father was a frog she transformed into a human so he could marry her mother. She's ultimately destroyed by one of her spells being reflected against her. Famously, before she goes down, she orchestrates a lavish cover of "I Need a Hero." She later appears in the video game adaptation of Shrek 4, where she's still alive in an alternate reality without Shrek. This fairy is subject to a lot of fanon ideas. Many viewers believe she's the alleged "witch" who cursed Fiona, though this is never said to be the case. A lot of fans also like to conflate her with Dama Fortuna: a fortune-teller character who'd been deleted from the first film.