| “ | I didn't run from the Dark Lord. I ran from my High Priest. I was a child. We all were. All 14 of us who took part in the lottery. Younger than you. No one questioned why that was. And I was selected to be queen. | ” |
Dezmelda is a recurring character on Netflix's Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. She is portrayed by Brenda McDonald in Part 1, Abby Ross in Part 2, and Glynis Davies in Part 3.
She is a witch who lives in Moon Valley. She is also the former caretaker of Leticia, who was brought to her by Zelda Spellman.
History[]
As a child, Dezmelda was selected to be the Queen of Feast. However, the night before the Feast, the reigning High Priest tried to "initiate" her. Rather than allow herself to be violated, she fled into the woods.
Throughout Chilling Adventures of Sabrina[]
Part 1[]
Queen of the Feast[]
Dezmelda reveals why she fled
Dezmelda receives an unexpected visit from Sabrina, Madame Satan, and the Weird Sisters, in search of counseling. They heard about how she was chosen as Queen of the Feast but fled shortly after. She informs them that she ran from her High Priest, who had a revelation, delivered unto him by the Dark Lord, allegedly. The night before the feast, the High Priest was to "initiate" Dezmelda, who was just a child. Rather than allow herself to be violated, she fled into the woods. Suddenly, a shot is fired, frightening Dezmelda, who tells the girls to leave and never come back.[2]
Watching Over Leticia[]
Following the Winter Solstice, Zelda sends baby Leticia to be raised by Dezmelda due to the danger posed by the Yule Lads and Gryla. She hopes that Dezmelda will instruct Leticia in the arts as is her birthright.[3]
Part 2[]
Regaining her Youth (Zelda's vision only)[]
Dezmelda ate Leticia
Dezmelda appears in Zelda's vision. Zelda goes to Dezmelda to bring Leticia back home. She is greeted by a young Dezmelda, who tells her that the Goddess of Youth blessed her and made her young again. Dezmelda turns out to be 400 years old. She explains that the Goddess blessed her after she consumed the marrow of an infant witch. Zelda is horrified that Dezmelda consumed the baby and became young again. Dezmelda demands that Zelda invite her to the Black Wedding in return for keeping her secret.
At the wedding, Zelda finds Father Blackwood caressing Dezmelda. He claims that Satanic law allows him to snog as many women as he wants on his wedding day. Zelda demands that she stops but, Blackwood demands one good reason to stop. Several wedding guests laugh from the outside.[1]
Part 3[]
Summoning of the Hedge Witches[]
The disenfranchised and excommunicated hedge witches, consisting of Dezmelda, Pesta, Sycorax, Gryla, and Mambo Marie, are summoned to the Academy of Unseen Arts by the Spellmans for their help against with the pagans.[4]
The hedge witches are summoned to the Academy
Zelda explains that none of them are safe on their own with the arrival of a community of pagans, including a Gorgon and the great god Pan. They face a common enemy and are forced to unite in order to survive. Zelda pleads with Gryla to hear her out and tells Sabrina to fetch them some food and drinks. Ambrose then convenes with the hedge witches to collect their information. After getting settled in at the church, Sabrina and Ambrose get the hedge witches drunk off vino. Sabrina then persuades them into taking the fight to the pagans. As Sabrina goes to the carnival to confront the pagans, Ambrose and Prudence stay behind at the Academy with the hedge witches as they channel each other, as well as the stones for power to lend to Sabrina.[5]
Defeating the Pagans[]
The witches call on Hecate
After Zelda awakens with the knowledge of how to repower the coven and defeat the pagans. Zelda then asks about Hilda, who hasn’t resurrected from the Cain Pit. So the hedge witches unite with the Church of Night and call on the triple goddess Hecate to resurrect Hilda. The wind suddenly stops blowing and Hilda’s hand rises from the dirt.
After stopping the Pagans from resurrecting the Green Man, the hedge witches and the Church of Night run the pagans out of town.[6]
Part 4[]
Hilda's Wedding[]
Dezmelda attends Hilda's wedding at the Desecrated Church and her reception at Dorian's Gray Room, where the event is interrupted by the arrival of the Uninvited, who kills Dorian Gray and threatens to kill the rest of the coven until Sabrina leads him away.[7]
Physical Appearance[]
Dezmelda is an elderly woman with gray hair, wrinkles and green eyes, one of which pops out. Her clothes are very much in the style of a person living outside of civilization. As a young girl, Dezmelda was a very pretty blond witch.
Personality[]
After years of seclusion in the woods, Dezmelda has become an old grouch and rather prefers the solidarity of the wilderness.
Powers and Abilities[]
Dezmelda possesses the standard abilities of a witch, such as spell casting, telekinesis, and longevity. According to Zelda, Dezmelda is over 400 years old.[1]
Appearances[]
Part 1[]
- "Chapter Seven: Feast of Feasts"
- "Chapter Eleven: A Midwinter's Tale" (mentioned)
Part 2[]
- "Chapter Fifteen: Doctor Cerberus's House of Horror" (vision)
- "Chapter Nineteen: The Mandrake" (mentioned)
Part 3[]
- "Chapter Twenty-Five: The Devil Within"
- "Chapter Twenty-Six: All of Them Witches"
- "Chapter Twenty-Eight: Sabrina Is Legend"
Part 4[]
Trivia[]
- The actress who plays Dezmelda, Abby Ross also played Midge Klump in the seventh season of Riverdale.
Gallery[]
- See also: Category:Images of Dezmelda
