Thelma Bates is a
fictional character
In fiction, a character (or speaker, in poetry) is a person or other being in a narrative (such as a novel, play, radio or television series, music, film, or video game). The character may be entirely fictional or based on a real-life person, ...
played by
Jemima Rooper
Jemima Rooper (born 24 October 1981) is a British actress. Having started as a child actress in television series, she has appeared in numerous film and theatre roles.
Background
Born in Hammersmith, London, Rooper is the daughter of TV journ ...
in
Sky One
Sky One was a British pay television channel operated and owned by Sky Group (a division of Comcast). Originally launched on 26 April 1982 as Satellite Television, it was Europe's first satellite and non-terrestrial channel. From 31 July 1989, ...
'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 Hughes (
Christina Cole
Christina Cole (born 8 May 1982) is an English actress known for portraying Cassie Hughes in the Sky One supernatural television series '' Hex''.
Early life
Born in London, Cole is the eldest of three siblings. She has a younger sister, Cassand ...
), Thelma became the ''de facto''
protagonist
A protagonist () is the main character of a story. The protagonist makes key decisions that affect the plot, primarily influencing the story and propelling it forward, and is often the character who faces the most significant obstacles. If a st ...
as she was the only character who continued the series' narrative.
Character biography
In the beginning of the show's run, Thelma's
lesbian
A lesbian is a Homosexuality, homosexual woman.Zimmerman, p. 453. The word is also used for women in relation to their sexual identity or sexual behavior, regardless of sexual orientation, or as an adjective to characterize or associate n ...
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 (born 28 August 1978) is a New Zealand actress.
Biography
She has starred in the Sky One UK television series '' Hex'' as Roxanne Davenport. Amber has also appeared in ''Coronation Street'', ''The Bill'', '' Trevor's World of S ...
), 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
''Azazeal'' (pronounced "ahz-azeel") 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 nam ...
's power. Azazeal staged Thelma's death to appear to be a
suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Mental disorders (including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, anxiety disorders), physical disorders (such as chronic fatigue syndrome), and s ...
.
Becoming a
ghost
A ghost is the soul or spirit of a dead person or animal that is believed to be able to appear to the living. In ghostlore, descriptions of ghosts vary widely from an invisible presence to translucent or barely visible wispy shapes, to rea ...
, unseen by most characters, Thelma aided Cassie in understanding that she is descended from
witch
Witchcraft traditionally means the use of Magic (supernatural), magic or supernatural powers to harm others. A practitioner is a witch. In Middle Ages, medieval and early modern Europe, where the term originated, accused witches were usually ...
es and later helped her new young friend, 500-year-old witch
Ella Dee (
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 Murdoch in the video game '' Dead Space: Extraction''. She also played Lesley Howell in '' The Secret' ...
), battle against the demonic
Nephilim
The Nephilim (; ''Nəfīlīm'') are mysterious beings or people in the Hebrew Bible who are large and strong. The word ''Nephilim'' is loosely translated as ''giants'' in some translations of the Hebrew Bible, but left untranslated in others. ...
.
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. cc
Other plot developments
Thelma promises Cassie she will help Ella Dee, a 500-year-old witch and
assassin
Assassination is the murder of a prominent or VIP, important person, such as a head of state, head of government, politician, world leader, member of a royal family or CEO. The murder of a celebrity, activist, or artist, though they may not ha ...
, in her mission. She saves Ella from Azazeal's plots, from servitude to Azazeal and Cassie's son Malachi (
Joseph Beattie
Joseph Beattie (born 1978) is an English actor, known for portraying Malachi in the second season of '' Hex'' (2004) and Henry Crawford in '' Mansfield Park'' (2007).
Background
Beattie attended King Alfred School in Hampstead and later tra ...
), 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
A succubus is a demon or supernatural entity in folklore, in female form, that appears in dreams to seduce men, usually through sexual activity. According to religious tradition, a succubus needs male semen to survive; repeated sexual activity ...
. 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
A succubus is a demon or supernatural entity in folklore, in female form, that appears in dreams to seduce men, usually through sexual activity. According to religious tradition, a succubus needs male semen to survive; repeated sexual activity ...
and
incubi
An incubus is a demon in male form in folklore that seeks to have sexual intercourse with sleeping women; the corresponding spirit in female form is called a succubus. In medieval Europe, union with an incubus was supposed by some to result in ...
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
In monotheism, monotheistic thought, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator deity, creator, and principal object of Faith#Religious views, faith.Richard Swinburne, Swinburne, R.G. "God" in Ted Honderich, Honderich, Ted. (ed)''The Ox ...
for seducing Jez and causing his apparent suicide), Tom (who is secretly
gay
''Gay'' is a term that primarily refers to a homosexual person or the trait of being homosexual. The term originally meant 'carefree', 'cheerful', or 'bright and showy'.
While scant usage referring to male homosexuality dates to the late 1 ...
, in love with Leon, and impossible to convert because Malachi cannot make the
straight
Straight may refer to:
Slang
* Straight, slang for heterosexual
** Straight-acting, an LGBT person who does not exhibit the appearance or mannerisms of the gay stereotype
* Straight, a member of the straight edge subculture
Sport and games
* Str ...
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.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bates, Thelma
Hex (TV series) characters
Fictional ghosts
Fictional lesbians
Television characters introduced in 2004