Evil Queen

The Evil Queen
The Evil Queen with her mirror in an American illustration from 1913
First appearance	Grimms' Fairy Tales (1812)
Created by	The Brothers Grimm (adapted from pre-existing fairy tales)
In-universe information
Occupation	Queen consort, witch (secretly)
Spouse	King
Children	Snow White (daughter in the original version, stepdaughter since the 1819 revision)

The Evil Queen (German: böse Königin), also called the Wicked Queen or the Queen, is a fictional character and the main antagonist of "Snow White", a German fairy tale recorded by the Brothers Grimm; similar stories exist worldwide. Other versions of the Queen appear in subsequent adaptations and continuations of the fairy tale, including novels and films. A particularly notable version is Disney's depiction, sometimes known as Queen Grimhilde. The character has also become an archetype that inspired unrelated works.

The Evil Queen is Snow White's vindictive wicked stepmother, obsessed with being "the fairest in the land". The beautiful young princess Snow White evokes the Queen's sense of envy, so the Queen designs several plans to kill Snow White through witchcraft. A driving force in the story is the Queen's Magic Mirror. In the traditional resolution of the story, the Queen is executed for her crimes. The tale is didactic, meant as a warning to young children against the dangers of narcissism, pride, and hubris.

In some retellings of the fairy tale, the Queen has been re-imagined or portrayed more sympathetically, such as being morally conflicted or suffering from madness instead of being simply evil. In some of the revisionist stories, she serves as the protagonist and has even been portrayed as an antihero or a tragic hero.