| 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, also called the Wicked Queen or simply the Queen, is a fictional character and the main antagonist of "Snow White", a German fairy tale recorded by the Brothers Grimm. The most popular adaptation of the Evil Queen is from Disney's Snow White. The character has also become an archetype that has inspired unrelated works.
The Evil Queen is Snow White's wicked stepmother, obsessed with being "the fairest in the land". When the Queen's magic mirror reveals that the young princess Snow White surpasses her in beauty, she decides to kill her using witchcraft. After Snow White is rescued, 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, and showing the triumph of good over evil.
In some retellings of the fairy tale, the Queen has been re-imagined or portrayed more sympathetically. In some such stories, she serves as the protagonist, and has even been portrayed as an antihero or a tragic hero.