Line #96 Main/MagicCauldron


1	[[quoteright:183:[[ComicBook/{{Asterix}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/g32b_5084.gif]]]]
2
3	->''"And now about the cauldron sing,'' [...] ''enchanting all that you put in."''
4	-->-- '''The Three Witches''', ''Theatre/{{Macbeth}}''
5
6	In fiction, cauldrons have a special association with magic. Some such cauldrons are inherently magical, having some special power or another (an obvious one being the power to produce an endless supply of something you'd make in a more normal pot). Others are just used ''for'' magic (especially when AlchemyIsMagic), but apart from that, are just ordinary pots. They're often black, and the contents are often inexplicably green, but both those things are optional. Their actual use will vary, but will often involve the creation of {{Magic Potion}}s by mixing a HealingHerb with blood from a toad and hair from a newborn and other mysterious ingredients.
7
8	They probably have EyeOfNewt in them. In darker works, they may also have [[StewedAlive people in them]].
9
10	While all sorts of magic-users can be seen using them, they're particularly often depicted as standard-issue for any proper WitchClassic or WickedWitch (alongside the obligatory pointy hat, broomstick, etc.). If [[TheWeirdSisters three witches]] are meeting, it'll probably be around one of these.
11
12	Add some other magical tools and you've got yourself a WizardWorkshop.
13	----
14	!!Examples:
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16	[[foldercontrol]]
17
18	[[folder:Comic Books]]
19	* In the ''Franchise/{{Asterix}}'' books, the druid Getafix mixes his potions in a cauldron (Which is never stated to have any magical properties in and of itself -- it's just a pot large enough to brew sufficient potion for the entire village in one batch). Obelix fell in such a cauldron when he was young, with lasting effects. (The book ''Recap/AsterixAndTheCauldron'', however, ''doesn't'' involve a magic cauldron -- ''that'' one is of interest because it contained money, not magic.)
20	* In the ''ComicBook/SevenSoldiers'' series, Ystin's mini-series involves the same Cauldron of Rebirth found in Myth/CelticMythology.
21	* ''Franchise/WonderWoman'':
22	** ''ComicBook/WonderWoman1987'': Circe uses her cauldron for more intricate magics, and it is surrounded by shelves holding flasks of brews that she is quite proud of containing ancient irreplaceable memories, forgotten magic, and cruel poisons.
23	** ''ComicBook/WonderWoman2006'': A glowing bubbling cauldron is the key component of Circe magically stripping Diana, Donna and [[ComicBook/WonderGirl Cassie]] of their powers for her own use.
24	[[/folder]]
25
26	[[folder:Fairy Tales]]
27	* Creator/TheBrothersGrimm: Whether or not it's a cauldron or not can vary in the retelling, but a magic vessel appears in ''Literature/SweetPorridge'' (aka ''The Magic Porridge Pot''). It produces porridge ceaselessly unless the magic words are spoken, leading to a SorcerersApprenticePlot.
28	[[/folder]]
29
30	[[folder:Film — Animated]]
31	* Creator/{{Disney}}'s ''WesternAnimation/TheBlackCauldron'', as the title suggests. It's an adaptation of ''Literature/TheChroniclesOfPrydain'' books (which in turn was inspired by the Pair Dadeni from Celtic Mythology.) , but makes the evil cauldron in question more central than it was the series (where it's destroyed in book two rather than at the end of the series).
32	* ''WesternAnimation/TheLittleMermaid1989'': Ursula, the sea witch, has something which is functionally equivalent to a cauldron. It's used for Ariel's transformation sequence.
33	* Mama Odie from ''WesternAnimation/ThePrincessAndTheFrog'' has one in her hut. She is the voodoo queen of the bayou and has a incredible set of powers on her hand. While she uses it to prepare actual edible Gumbo, it works as some sort of magical mirror that can answer questions and show things happening miles away.
34	* Wicked high priest Tzekel-Khan from Creator/DreamWorksAnimation's ''WesternAnimation/TheRoadToElDorado'' has a bubbling cauldron built into the floor of his workshop. One potion mixed there brings a huge stone jaguar to life, right after adding a HumanSacrifice ingredient.
35	[[/folder]]
36
37	[[folder:Jokes]]
38	* '''Q''': Why can't Literature/HarryPotter tell the difference between his best friend and the pot he uses to make potions?\
39	'''A''': They're both cauldron!
40	[[/folder]]
41
42	[[folder:Literature]]
43	* Mentioned in ''Literature/TheBlueNosedWitch'' as part of the celebration on Halloween; there's to be dancing, chanting, and a pot of brew among the witches after their midnight flight.
44	* ''Literature/TheChroniclesOfPrydain'' features a magic cauldron as an important part of the story: the Black Cauldron is an ArtifactOfDoom which generates EliteMooks for the villains. It's inspired by the Pair Dadeni from Myth/CelticMythology, and is destroyed the same way.
45	* Literature/{{Discworld}}:
46	** ''Literature/WyrdSisters'' inevitably features some cauldrons due to its parallels with ''Theatre/{{Macbeth}}'', but because it's Discworld, it's not played straight. For example, when they need to summon a demon to extract some answers, the older witches reject Magrat's suggestion that a cauldron is necessary and decide that the big copper pot from Nanny Ogg's washhouse is good enough. As far as they're concerned, the traditional cauldron is just a symbol, not a requirement. Later, Nanny Ogg uses a cauldron as part of a MundaneSolution by knocking the Duchess on the head with it.
47	** Subsequent Witches novels frequently mention that a bubbling cauldron is good "headology" (i.e. lets people know you're a witch), but that no witch has a ''use'' for a cauldron beyond making soup.
48	* In Creator/LaurenceYep's ''Literature/DragonSeries'', a magic cauldron is important to the plot. It's powered by a soul, which results in one character's HeroicSacrifice.
49	* The children's book ''Literature/StregaNona'' makes use of a similar plot to the Brothers Grimm porridge pot story, but with pasta.
50	* In ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'', the Ordo Lebes name themselves after cauldrons based on this trope, although in fact they're not literally using cauldrons. (Harry initially translates it just as a large cooking pot until Murphy points out the obvious intention.)
51	* In the ''Literature/EnchantedForestChronicles'' it's a RunningGag that the giantess Balimore has a bottomless cauldron that can produce almost any food on demand, and that she lends it out to her neighbors when they're planning a banquet. However, it doesn't do dessert except for burnt mint custard and sour-cream-and-onion ice cream, so she has to do that course herself.
52	* In ''Literature/HarryPotter'', cauldrons are standard equipment for potion-making. Every new student at [[WizardingSchool Hogwarts]] is required to bring one, and if they destroy it during a class exercise, it's up to them to replace it. (Neville Longbottom, being hopelessly inept at potion-making, melts at least six over his time at Hogwarts.) The most notable use of a cauldron comes in ''[[Literature/HarryPotterAndTheGobletOfFire Goblet of Fire]]'', where Wormtail uses a huge stone cauldron for the combined potion and spell that restores his master Voldemort to full life.
53	* ''Literature/{{Everworld}}'' has its own take on the Undry (mentioned in passing), with the elf queen saying that sure, it produced food, but food that was barely above being fit for pigs (the main characters suspect it was corned beef and cabbage)... and the king adds that it needed salt.
54	* ''Literature/RetiredWitchesMysteries'': Witches in the series have a specific tool, depending on their respective element, that helps them focus their powers and retains some of their magic after years of use. Water witches, like Molly, have a cauldron; hers is three-legged cast iron one, and she carries a miniature copy on a necklace.
55	[[/folder]]
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57	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
58	* In ''Series/TheCrystalMaze'', one "Witches' Brew" game involves the contestant having to mix various ingredients in a cauldron: eye of newt, frog's legs, bat's blood, essence of earthworm. If done correctly, the crystal would then rise up out of the cauldron.
59	* In early episodes of ''Series/SabrinaTheTeenageWitch'', the Spellmans used one of this to prepare magical potions. When they work on this, they use stereotypical witch wardrobe (long black dresses and pointy hats with big brims). It seems to be a part of witches' lore and tradition.
60	[[/folder]]
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62	[[folder:Mythology]]
63	* Myth/BetiPahuinMythology:
64	** The Essighlessi wizards used one to brew a magic sauce to try initiating Obame Andome by force. When they brought a spoonful to him the cauldron exploded, scalding and blinding all the sorcerers. Those who didn’t die immediately fell incurably ill before succumbing.
65	** Angry wizards from the rest of Oku kidnapped Edzang Ella in an attempt to learn who was responsible for killing the venerated sorcerers. They brewed a magic sauce in a great cauldron which they dripped on a vine, transforming it into a python. The creature attacked Edzang until he confessed it was his nephew Obame Andome who somehow caused the explosion.
66	* In Myth/CelticMythology:
67	** Welsh myth features the Pair Dadeni (Cauldron of Rebirth), which brings people back to life, but... [[CameBackWrong wrong]]. It's eventually destroyed by someone sacrificing himself by jumping into it.
68	** Medieval Welsh literature also associates the goddess Ceridwen with a cauldron from which [[TheMuse poetic inspiration is sourced]].
69	** Irish myth features a cauldron known as the Undry, belonging to a god and being counted one of the Four Treasures of the Tuatha Dé Danann. It was supposed to be a bottomless supply of food "from which no man left unsatisfied".
70	* ''Very'' early versions of Myth/ArthurianLegend (like ''The Spoils of Annwn'') have Myth/KingArthur retrieving a mystic cauldron from the LandOfFaerie. This might be the origin of [[Myth/KingArthurAndTheHolyGrail the Holy Grail and its part in Arthurian lore]].
71	* In Myth/NorseMythology, there's mention of an unusually massive cauldron (or sometimes some other kind of pot), a mile wide, which belonged to the giant Hymir. Thor and Týr want to get hold of it (to make beer in, naturally) and have to overcome a challenge set by Hymir to win it.
72	[[/folder]]
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74	[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
75	* ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' has a number of magical cauldrons, including the Armor Bath (armors body parts immersed in the water), Ambrosia (produces a delicious wine), Archdruid (has powers of many other magical cauldrons), Blindness (any food placed in it causes blindness when eaten), of Creatures (allows owner to [[VoluntaryShapeshifter voluntarily shapeshift]]), of Doom (animates a corpse into a zombie), and Foretelling (allows the user to cast an extra Augury spell per day).
76	* ''TabletopGame/{{Ironclaw}}'' has a legend based on the Pair Dadeni. The northern clan of the Phelan are rumored to have a cauldron that brings corpses back to life, but there's a tale that states one of their princes had a disagreement with the king and jumped into it and pushed it apart from the inside and hid the pieces.
77	* ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer}}:'' Ogre magicians also double as chefs, since their particular brand of magic relies on both ingredients, hunger and their gut. Hence, they carry their huge metal cauldrons everywhere, including raging battles.
78	[[/folder]]
79
80	[[folder:Theatre]]
81	* Creator/WilliamShakespeare's ''Theatre/{{Macbeth}}'' features three witches who use a cauldron for their magic. Quite a few subsequent depictions of witches' cauldrons likely stem from this.
82	-->Double, double toil and trouble;\
83	Fire burn and caldron bubble.\
84	Fillet of a fenny snake,\
85	In the caldron boil and bake.
86	[[/folder]]
87
88	[[folder:Video Games]]
89	* ''VideoGame/BubbleWitchSaga'': The bubbles fall into bubbling cauldrons that have different attached to them each time you make a match.
90	* In ''VideoGame/DragonFable'' during [[YouMeanXmas Mogloween]], the Cauldron Sisters make candy with the help of their talking magical cauldron, Myx. He's very fond of the sisters, frequently playing up their kindness, business sense, [[CargoShip hotness]]...
91	* ''VideoGame/TheBlackCauldron'', being an adaptation of [[WesternAnimation/TheBlackCauldron an adaptation]] of ''Literature/TheChroniclesOfPrydain'' (itself an adaptation of Myth/CelticMythology), of course features the titular evil cauldron.
92	* ''Videogame/NiNoKuni'' has the [[MeaningfulName appropriately named]] Al-Khemi, a [[GenieInABottle genie]] who (after being defeated) uses a cauldron to help with ItemCrafting.
93	* In ''VideoGame/GemsOfWar'', the Hag unit is depicted carrying a sort of mini-cauldron, overflowing with a bubbling, glowing, purple substance.
94	* ''VideoGame/GwentTheWitcherCardGame'': [[TheWeirdSisters The Crones]] are depicted gathered around a cauldron, stirring a skull into a glowing brew of flesh and bones.
95	* Subverted in ''VideoGame/{{Minecraft}}'' -- there are relatively standard-looking black cauldrons located inside witches' huts, but their only practical uses in the game (thus far) are temporarily storing water (up to three buckets' worth) and removing dye from leather armor. Ironically, witches use potions in combat, yet the tool actually used for crafting potions, the brewing stand, is not present in witches' huts.
96	* ''VideoGame/MonsterHunterPC'' have cauldrons which spawns witch mooks in various levels.
97	* Gruntilda from ''VideoGame/BanjoKazooie'' has her cauldron Dingpot. Like most inanimate objects in the game, it's alive and can talk back. It later pulls a HeelFaceTurn being used for one too many disgusting things. There are also several other unnamed cauldrons who can be used as warp points throughout Gruntilda's Lair by jumping into them.
98	* ''VideoGame/PinkPantherHokusPokusPink'': Nathan, the wanna-be magician boy, has one in his room. He uses it to make the 2 potions.
99	* In ''VideoGame/ShopHeroes'', the potion-making station you can install in your shop has a big cauldron full of green liquid.
100	* ''VideoGame/SorcererKnights'' have a WickedWitch boss who have a cauldron in the same area you fought her which is her source of powers, while you attack she will summon projectiles and extra goblins from said cauldron as an attack.
101	* In ''Rhiannon: Curse of the Four Branches'', broken pieces of a cauldron must be collected and merged to create a vessel for the Water element's ingredients.
102	[[/folder]]
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104	[[folder:Web Original]]
105	* The WebSerialNovel ''Literature/{{Worm}}'' features a SuperSerum manufacturer which has named itself Cauldron after this trope, though it's actual method is stranger.
106	* ''Literature/VoidDomain'' averts the magic cauldron trope despite taking place at a WizardingSchool. The alchemy professor explicitly states that cauldrons had been phased out of use in favor of modern chemical laboratory equipment.
107	* Based on the Strega Nona example, the Website/SCPFoundation has [[http://www.scp-wiki.net/scp-4503 SCP-4503]][[note]]formerly known as SCP-503-ARC[[/note]], an Infinite Pasta Pot.
108	[[/folder]]
109
110	[[folder:Western Animation]]
111	* In ''WesternAnimation/TheSmurfs'', the evil alchemist Gargamel occasionally makes use of a cauldron in his work, although he actually has a reasonable array of more sophisticated equipment.
112	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Gargoyles}}'' has the Cauldron of Life, supposedly granting immortality to someone who creates the right brew in it. This involves using gargoyle skin. It has an ExactWords twist, though: it promises life "as long as the mountain stones", and [[spoiler: it turns you to stone]].
113	* Zecora from ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' uses one of this to work in her potions. She is somewhat of a herbalist with ambiguous knowledge of magic.
114	* In the Australian cartoon series ''Arthur! and the Square Knights of the Round Table'', Merlin is shown throwing all kinds of gunk into a bubbling green caudron, zaps it with a spell...then [[MundaneMadeAwesome jumps into the cauldron to bathe]].
115	[[/folder]]

Context Main / MagicCauldron