Thelma Bates
Encyclopedia
Thelma Bates is a fictional character
played by Jemima Rooper
in Sky One
's British horror dramedy series Hex
.
She appeared in every episode of the programme. After the departure and subsequent replacement of the programme's lead character of Cassie (Christina Cole
), Thelma became the de facto protagonist
as she was the only character who continued the series' narrative.
ism was made very apparent, along with the realization she was in love with her best friend Cassie, with whom she attended Medenham Hall. At Medenham, Thelma was bullied by popular students Roxanne (Amber Sainsbury
), Leon (Jamie Davis
) and Troy (Joseph Morgan
).
In the first episode of the first series, Thelma gave her life to save Cassie's - unwittingly becoming the sacrifice instrumental in returning Azazeal
's power. Azazeal staged Thelma's death to appear to be a suicide
.
Becoming a ghost
, unseen by most characters, Thelma aided Cassie in understanding that she is descended from witches and later helped her new young friend, 500 year old witch Ella Dee (Laura Pyper
), battle against the demonic Nephilim
.
Thelma is a unique character in modern television in that for the majority of the series, her interactions were limited to the series' few "supernatural" characters. With the death of Cassie, and their final kiss with both of them as ghosts, it was finally possible for Thelma to pursue relationships with other lesbian ghosts.
While invisible to most, she seems to retain complete tangibility, bumping into things, touching everything - even frequently eating crisps. The only exception to this is that she cannot apparently touch anything that is alive.
In one episode we find that Thelma can interact with other time periods, as she is able to save Ella in the past while standing at the same location in the present - seemingly existing in two times at once.
, in her mission. She saves Ella from Azazeal's plots, from servitude to Azazeal and Cassie's son Malachi (Joseph Beattie
), and from execution several centuries in the past.
After giving the character Leon (Jamie Davis
) a potion of Ella's to allow him to see the spirit world, the three form a group who fight against Malachi - the series' main antagonist in wake of Azazeal's mid-season departure.
In an effort to hinder Thelma's ability to aid Ella, Malachi causes the death of young lesbian Maya Robertson and positions her to develop a ghostly emotional and sexual relationship with Thelma. Maya's spirit bears Malachi's mark, naming her as one of his creatures - a succubus
. To weaken Malachi, Ella goes about destroying these creatures, including Maya's spirit, for which she and Thelma temporarily part ways.
Malachi eventually seduces the entire student body romantically or by promising them their greatest desires, creating an army of succubi
and incubi
that makes him too powerful for Ella to kill. The only students who are not converted are Thelma (because the death of Maya leaves nothing for Malachi to offer her), Roxanne (who becomes a "pure soul" in her quest for forgiveness from God
for seducing Jez and causing his apparent suicide), Tom (who is secretly gay
, in love with Leon, and impossible to convert because Malachi cannot make the straight
Leon love him back), Leon (after Thelma enters his dreams), and Ella (after Thelma enters her dreams to awaken Ella's real, 500 year old, personality).
In the programme's conclusion, after helping Leon to save Ella's life, an indestructible Malachi sacrifices Roxanne while the entire school is burnt to the ground. Ella, Leon and Thelma escape as Malachi's ritual brings about the End of Days
. The series ends unfinished, with the final fate of Thelma left unclear.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
played by Jemima Rooper
Jemima Rooper
Jemima Rooper is an English actress.- Background :Born in Hammersmith, London, Rooper is the daughter of TV journalist Alison Rooper. She attended Redcliffe Primary School in Chelsea, London and Godolphin and Latymer girls' school. While working on The Famous Five, she passed eight GCSEs with A*...
in Sky One
Sky One
Sky1 is the flagship BSkyB entertainment channel available in the United Kingdom and Ireland.The channel first launched on 26 April 1982 as Satellite Television, and is the fourth-oldest TV channel in the United Kingdom, behind BBC One , ITV and BBC Two...
's British horror dramedy series Hex
Hex (TV series)
Hex is a British television programme developed by Shine Limited and aired on the Sky One satellite channel. The story is about a remote English country school that becomes the battleground between a demonic entity and the witches who oppose it...
.
She appeared in every episode of the programme. After the departure and subsequent replacement of the programme's lead character of Cassie (Christina Cole
Christina Cole
Christina Cole is an English actress known for portraying Cassie Hughes in the Sky One supernatural television series Hex.-Background:...
), Thelma became the de facto protagonist
Protagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
as she was the only character who continued the series' narrative.
Character biography
In the beginning of the show's run, Thelma's lesbianLesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
ism was made very apparent, along with the realization she was in love with her best friend Cassie, with whom she attended Medenham Hall. At Medenham, Thelma was bullied by popular students Roxanne (Amber Sainsbury
Amber Sainsbury
Amber Sainsbury is a New Zealand actress. She has starred in the Sky One UK television series Hex as Roxanne Davenport...
), Leon (Jamie Davis
Jamie Davis
For the American singer of the same name, see Jamie Davis .Jamie Davis is an English actor. He is known for playing Harley Lawson in Footballers' Wives and its spin-off, Footballers' Wives: Extra Time, Leon Taylor in Hex and Alex Partridge in "Candy Cabs".-Biography:Davis was born and brought up...
) and Troy (Joseph Morgan
Joseph Morgan (actor)
Joseph Morgan is an English actor.-Early life:Morgan was born in London, England. He lived in Morriston, Swansea for 11 years and was a pupil at Morriston Comprehensive School and then studied a BTEC Performing Arts course at Gorseinon College, now Gower College Swansea, before moving back to...
).
In the first episode of the first series, Thelma gave her life to save Cassie's - unwittingly becoming the sacrifice instrumental in returning Azazeal
Azazeal
Azazeal is a fictional character in the British television series Hex, played by Michael Fassbender.The character is seemingly based on the similarly spelled Azazel from The Book of Enoch. However, past the name, the similarities end...
's power. Azazeal staged Thelma's death to appear to be a suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
.
Becoming a ghost
Ghost
In traditional belief and fiction, a ghost is the soul or spirit of a deceased person or animal that can appear, in visible form or other manifestation, to the living. Descriptions of the apparition of ghosts vary widely from an invisible presence to translucent or barely visible wispy shapes, to...
, unseen by most characters, Thelma aided Cassie in understanding that she is descended from witches and later helped her new young friend, 500 year old witch Ella Dee (Laura Pyper
Laura Pyper
Laura Pyper is a Northern Irish actress, known for portraying Ella Dee in the second season of Hex, Jane Fairfax in Emma and Lexine in the video game Dead Space: Extraction.-Background:...
), battle against the demonic Nephilim
Grigori
The Watchers is a term found in the Old Testament Book of Daniel, and later sources, which is connected to angels...
.
Thelma is a unique character in modern television in that for the majority of the series, her interactions were limited to the series' few "supernatural" characters. With the death of Cassie, and their final kiss with both of them as ghosts, it was finally possible for Thelma to pursue relationships with other lesbian ghosts.
Powers and abilities
As a ghost, Thelma displays the ability to enter others' dreams, doing so to make-out with Cassie, later to communicate with the living and to free comrades from Malachi's control.While invisible to most, she seems to retain complete tangibility, bumping into things, touching everything - even frequently eating crisps. The only exception to this is that she cannot apparently touch anything that is alive.
In one episode we find that Thelma can interact with other time periods, as she is able to save Ella in the past while standing at the same location in the present - seemingly existing in two times at once.
Other plot developments
Thelma promises Cassie she will help Ella Dee, a 500 year old witch and assassinAssassination
To carry out an assassination is "to murder by a sudden and/or secret attack, often for political reasons." Alternatively, assassination may be defined as "the act of deliberately killing someone, especially a public figure, usually for hire or for political reasons."An assassination may be...
, in her mission. She saves Ella from Azazeal's plots, from servitude to Azazeal and Cassie's son Malachi (Joseph Beattie
Joseph Beattie
Joseph Beattie is an English actor, known for portraying Malachi in the second season of Hex and Henry Crawford in Mansfield Park.-Background:...
), and from execution several centuries in the past.
After giving the character Leon (Jamie Davis
Jamie Davis
For the American singer of the same name, see Jamie Davis .Jamie Davis is an English actor. He is known for playing Harley Lawson in Footballers' Wives and its spin-off, Footballers' Wives: Extra Time, Leon Taylor in Hex and Alex Partridge in "Candy Cabs".-Biography:Davis was born and brought up...
) a potion of Ella's to allow him to see the spirit world, the three form a group who fight against Malachi - the series' main antagonist in wake of Azazeal's mid-season departure.
In an effort to hinder Thelma's ability to aid Ella, Malachi causes the death of young lesbian Maya Robertson and positions her to develop a ghostly emotional and sexual relationship with Thelma. Maya's spirit bears Malachi's mark, naming her as one of his creatures - a succubus
Succubus
In folklore traced back to medieval legend, a succubus is a female demon appearing in dreams who takes the form of a human woman in order to seduce men, usually through sexual intercourse. The male counterpart is the incubus...
. To weaken Malachi, Ella goes about destroying these creatures, including Maya's spirit, for which she and Thelma temporarily part ways.
Malachi eventually seduces the entire student body romantically or by promising them their greatest desires, creating an army of succubi
Succubus
In folklore traced back to medieval legend, a succubus is a female demon appearing in dreams who takes the form of a human woman in order to seduce men, usually through sexual intercourse. The male counterpart is the incubus...
and incubi
Incubus (demon)
An incubus is a demon in male form who, according to a number of mythological and legendary traditions, lies upon sleepers, especially women, in order to have intercourse with them. Its female counterpart is the succubus...
that makes him too powerful for Ella to kill. The only students who are not converted are Thelma (because the death of Maya leaves nothing for Malachi to offer her), Roxanne (who becomes a "pure soul" in her quest for forgiveness from God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
for seducing Jez and causing his apparent suicide), Tom (who is secretly gay
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
, in love with Leon, and impossible to convert because Malachi cannot make the straight
Heterosexuality
Heterosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the opposite sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, heterosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, physical or romantic attractions to persons of the opposite sex";...
Leon love him back), Leon (after Thelma enters his dreams), and Ella (after Thelma enters her dreams to awaken Ella's real, 500 year old, personality).
In the programme's conclusion, after helping Leon to save Ella's life, an indestructible Malachi sacrifices Roxanne while the entire school is burnt to the ground. Ella, Leon and Thelma escape as Malachi's ritual brings about the End of Days
Armageddon
Armageddon is, according to the Bible, the site of a battle during the end times, variously interpreted as either a literal or symbolic location...
. The series ends unfinished, with the final fate of Thelma left unclear.