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Fiona Goode (full name: Fiona Borgia Vandenheuvel Goode)[1] is the late mother of Cordelia Foxx and a former Supreme of the coven of the Salem descendants. She is a character in Coven primarily portrayed by Jessica Lange.

Background[]

As Supreme Witch of the Salem descendants, the glamorous Fiona Goode lives a life of luxury, traveling the world and hobnobbing with celebrities. Now, she returns home to Miss Robichaux's Academy for Exceptional Young Ladies in New Orleans with plans to rule her coven again and repair her relationship with her estranged daughter.[5]

Fiona is obsessed with eternal youth and despises her aging body. Though her powers allow her to drain the life of her victims, she has yet to achieve her goals. She has a strained relationship with her daughter, who sees her as an intrusion to her attempt at education at the academy. Fiona, however, disregards Cordelia's wishes and begins to instruct the girls on the true power of witches, while searching for immortality.[5]

Personality and Appearance[]

Fiona is a beautiful, graceful, intelligent, witty and charismatic woman, though exceedingly vain, particularly when it comes to aging. She has moments of extreme kindness, for instance, using her power to resurrect a baby that died at birth, but she is also ruthless, exhibiting no guilt over murder. She also finds amusement in taunting and belittling others, although she dislikes racism. Fiona favors wearing black, though she is derisive towards other common stereotypes of witches. Anyone she deems useless she eliminates, whether by simple memory wipes, or by inhaling their very life force

Upon learning she has cancer, she becomes depressed and begins to lose the will to live, but upon meeting the Axeman, she returns to her normal self. She has shown several psychopathic traits such as deception and manipulation. She manipulates the Axeman into doing her bidding on more than one occasion. She is not above manipulating anyone else either, she commonly uses other people for her own gain. After being told by Papa Legba that she had no soul for him to take, her first idea was to kill all of her fellow witches.

Despite being selfish on major occasions, Fiona still somewhat cared for the well-being of the Coven, going out of her way to the Academy to teach the witches how to protect themselves. She also saved Queenie and fought the Minotaur by herself. She later dealt with the Witch Hunters and put an end to their terrible acts of murder against her kind once and for all.

Fiona was also seen to favor witches who can fight and dislike those who are emotional and fearful. This was shown when she lectured Madison and Zoe that even the weakest among the witches (pointing at Zoe) is a lot more powerful than the rest of normal humans. This possibly encouraged Zoe to fight a horde of zombies in order to protect her fellow witches and the Academy. 

Fiona also appeared to have great sense of pride for being both the Supreme and a witch. Being the coven's ruler, she displayed a good amount of leadership skills, taking the lead on eliminating threats against her coven.

Story[]

Fiona Goode is sitting in a luxurious office, where Dr. Zhong tells her of a new drug that may, possibly, reverse aging. Intrigued by the promising serum, she demands that she be given it immediately. Taken aback by the forceful request, the scientist informs her that the drug must first be put through the proper trials and review before being administered. Disinterested in these bureaucratic obstacles, she reminds him that she holds the purse strings to his research and he eventually submits.

In her room in Los Angeles, Fiona is in a cocaine-fueled rage, with the serum proving ineffective. The scientist visits the witch at her request and is met with her distress that the once-promising serum is not working. Angry himself and fed up with the vain woman, he rebuts that aging is a part of life; that all humans die. He tenders his resignation and is about to leave when Fiona telekinetically bars the doors and throws him against a wall. She then drains him of his life force until he is nothing more than a withered corpse. Fiona smiles at her now youthful appearance, but the happiness is short-lived as her face quickly returns to its former state. As her magic is not strong enough to grant her eternal youth, she begins to suspect that the rise of a new Supreme is draining her vitality.

Fiona returns to New Orleans after learning that a witch, Misty Day, was burned at the stake. She confronts her daughter, Cordelia Foxx, in the academy she heads, Miss Robichaux's Academy. Her daughter informs her that she is not welcome, but Fiona is indifferent to her daughter's rejection and resolutely informs Cordelia that she isn't leaving and that she will promptly start teaching the students how to defend themselves.

The next day, Fiona decides to take the students out. As they walk about, she lectures the four students of the school, Nan, Zoe, Madison, and Queenie, about the need for witches to stick together and stand strong. After Nan wanders away from a tour of the grounds of Delphine LaLaurie's former residence, Fiona tracks the clairvoyant down and, from there, discovers the location of LaLaurie's grave.

Later that night, she employs two men to disinter the coffin, revealing a very much alive LaLaurie. She unties the woman and sneeringly offers to buy her a drink.

Instead, Fiona brings the confused woman home to bind and gag her, only allowing her to speak when she asks about the secret of LaLaurie's immortality. She hides LaLaurie's presence from Cordelia, who notices a strange, disgusting smell from her mother's room.

Fiona's questioning of Delphine is interrupted by the arrival of detectives, who ask Madison and Zoe about the deaths of the frat boys, especially the one Zoe killed in the hospital. Just as Zoe cracks under the pressure, Fiona steps in, magically forcing the detectives to hand over their evidence and forget about their visit. She telekinetically throws the girls across the room before warning them that the only thing they should be afraid of in this wicked world is her, Fiona.

Fiona learns from Delphine that it was Marie Laveau, the Voodoo Queen, who cursed her with immortality before burying her alive.

Fiona visits a hair salon downtown, which is run by Marie Laveau, who appears not a day older than she was when she cursed Delphine. The two women square off, exchanging insults, while Marie does Fiona's hair. The Supreme subtly mentions leverage she has against Marie and asks for the secret of immortality, but the Voodoo Queen laughs in her face. As she orders her servants to throw Fiona out, the witch magically sets fire to a shelf of expensive wigs. She taunts Marie over her "shit-hole of a shop" before leaving.

After finding out that Delphine escaped, Fiona tracks her down in front of her former mansion. Delphine is depressed and the two bond, despite the fact that Fiona points out that Delphine deserved her punishment. Delphine hopes that Fiona will kill her and the Supreme says she might at some point, but not yet. The two women return home.

As it turns out, Fiona murdered the former Supreme in 1971, who deemed Fiona unfit to lead the Coven. Spalding was a witness to the crime but because of his loyalty to Fiona, He never said anything about what happened at that time.

She then turns Delphine into the new maid of the school, despite the former socialite's protests. When Delphine refuses to serve Queenie, Fiona orders her to be Queenie's slave from now on, stating she hates nothing more than a racist.

When she tries to consult a plastic surgeon, the results of her blood work come back as disastrous. Fiona becomes increasingly suspicious when Madison Montgomery starts developing pyrokinesis. She takes the young witch in, secretly testing her advances in power. When Madison starts showing potential Concilium, Fiona gets her drunk on a seemingly innocent party tour to a pool bar. She confronts Madison about her future as Supreme among the portraits of former Supremes, telling the young witch that she is dying from cancer and regrets having been a bad leader of the coven. Madison offers help, but Fiona declines, wishing to go out in style. She confesses her crime to the young witch, ordering her to do the same to her now: cutting Fiona's throat with the very same knife she used to kill the former Supreme.

Madison refuses and, in the following struggle, Fiona seemingly accidentally slits the girl's throat. Spalding is yet again a witness to the murder, handing Fiona a towel to wipe off the blood. Her smile gives rise to doubt whether the death was an accident. She orders Spalding to bury Madison deep below the lawn, coldly stating that the coven just needs a new rug, as Madison bleeds to death on the old one.

Later, she sits in a chair with a drink, while watching Spalding roll up Madison in the rug. Sensing something is wrong, she goes to Cordelia's greenhouse, where the Minotaur has attacked Queenie. After helping Queenie back to the Academy, she storms into Cordelia's room blaming her for the attack. While she and Cordelia argue, Queenie, now unconscious, is dead. However, Fiona magically breathes life back into the injured student.

Later, while getting ready to go out, she has a brief discussion with LaLaurie.

After Cordelia nervously reveals the attack on Queenie and her visit to Marie Laveau to the Witches Council, Fiona walks in and tells her daughter to stop talking. She insults Myrtle and greets the other two members of the council. Myrtle informs Fiona that a student has alerted them to the possible death of a student.

After the Council questions Cordelia and the other students, Fiona is again before the Council. Myrtle describes to Fiona all of her failings while she has been Supreme. Fiona seems unaffected and unconcerned by her lack of leadership. After being questioned about Madison's murder by Myrtle she manages to get away with her crimes again, much to Myrtle's dismay.

After Cordelia is blinded by an unknown assailant, Fiona is distraught, looking over Cordelia in her blinded state while in the hospital. She enlisted Queenie's help in framing Myrtle for Cordelia's blindness and had her burned at the stake.

She began chemotherapy in order to try to be alive longer to take care of Cordelia. She began a relationship with the Axeman, who had gotten to know her since she was a child, haunting the academy since his death. She began feeling more of the negative effects of the chemo such as vomiting and hair loss and began to worry about being left alone to die.

Cordelia, having discovered the newly resurrected Madison, discovered Fiona's crimes in her murder and began to orchestrate with the other students as well as the resurrected Myrtle. They almost succeeded in having Fiona commit an overdose, but she was saved by the ghost of Spalding who told her about the plot and Misty Day. She confronts the conspirators and observes Misty's power of resurgence. Cordelia reveals to Fiona that the attack next door was committed by a witch hunter, based on the blessed silver bullet that was discovered at the scene. Fiona receives a package of Delphine's still-living head.

Fiona goes to see Marie Laveau, bringing Delphine's head with her, and offers an allegiance against the witch-hunters, Marie Laveau rejects the offer, confident that the witch hunters are only the Salem witches' problem. Fiona discovers Kyle, and restores much of his mind, saying that the house needs a guard dog with witch-hunters around.

Fiona contacts Papa Legba and asks to be made immortal like Marie Laveau, but is denied because she has no soul. Fiona and Marie team up to kill Nan by drowning her in the tub. Fiona and Marie have a sit down with the witch hunters and everyone is killed, thanks to the Axeman. Fiona admits to the Axeman that she doesn't love him in his apartment and he hacks her to death. Cordelia has a vision, where the entire coven is killed by Fiona, only standing over Cordelia's dead body to rip her mother's necklace from Cordelia's neck. The Axeman fed her body to the alligators in the swamp.

Fiona is last seen in the living room of Miss Robichaux's Academy after Cordelia's ascension. Nearly bald and weary from cancer, she admits her true feelings to her daughter as well as what actually happened with The Axeman. She had slaughtered a goat and doused The Axeman and his axe with its blood to make it appear as if he had killed her. They hug and cry until Fiona falls limp in Cordelia's arms, finally dead.

Fate after death[]

Fiona is then seen rousing from sleep in an unknown area, appearing as she had before the chemotherapy's effects had set in. She proceeds to put on her shoes; at which point, The Axeman appears, brandishing catfish for breakfast. Fiona refuses to eat it, ridiculing him. She asks how long she has been in the house, and The Axeman says that "You can't put a clock on eternity". They argue about her drinking. After he propositions her, she slaps him, prompting him to slap her in return. He tells her to relax and accept her fate, as she cries on his shoulder. Not far from them at a table sits a gleeful Papa Legba. Thus, Fiona's personal Hell is being made to live in an unfashionable place for eternity, robbed of power and control.

Apocalypse[]

After Cordelia allows an assumed warlock, Michael Langdon, to attempt the Seven Wonders test, Myrtle argues with her, mentioning that if they learned anything from Fiona; it is that passing the Seven Wonders does not inherently mean one is fit to lead the coven. Later, during a discussion with Cordelia, Ariel Augustus reveals that he knew Fiona fairly well and that Cordelia is no different from her mother: a weak woman frightened of losing her power.[6]

Papa Legba mentions Fiona indirectly during his meeting with Cordelia, remembering the last time in which a Voodoo Queen and a Supreme gathered together to conspire.[7]

Fiona is later mentioned by Cordelia, who starts questioning her own decisions and is worried that she is becoming her mother. Myrtle denies that, saying Fiona never questioned anything or weighed the impact of her actions, nor did she care about those she hurt in order to achieve what she desired. She tells Cordelia that she will never be like her mother.[8]

Powers[]

Fiona was a very powerful natural born witch who is shown to have mastered all of the Seven Wonders.

  • Telekinesis - One of the Seven Wonders, the magical ability to move things with only the power of the mind. Fiona claims that she can lift a whole house with her mastery of telekinesis, which she jokingly threatened her daughter with if she tried to enchant the locks of the academy.
  • Concilium - One of the Seven Wonders, the magical ability to bend the will of another individual and force them to do whatever the user desires. This power is more commonly known as Mind Control. On various occassions, Fiona demonstrated sheer mastery over this wonder, using it on different instances like against the police investigators and museum tour guide.
    • Hypnosis - Fiona hypnotises two detectives in order to force them into drinking her spit (which allows her to control their memories). 
    • Memory Manipulation  - Fiona is able to easily manipulate the memories of another individual. She uses this ability by spitting into the cups of two detectives and spitting into the mouth of the Axeman to plant a false memory of him killing her, powerful enough to tamper with Cordelia's power of second sight.
    • Mental Manipulation - Fiona restored Kyle Spencer's sanity, albeit partially.
  • Transmutation - One of the Seven Wonders, the ability to move instantaneously from one place to another. This power is more commonly known as Teleportation. Fiona is said to have displayed proficiency in this power during her Seven Wonders Test.[9] And She also used this to murder Anna Leigh Leighton as a result of them having a conflict to whose taking the throne during 1971.
  • Descensum - One of the Seven Wonders, the magical ability to descend into the netherworlds of the afterlife. This power is also known as Astral Projection.
  • Vitalum Vitalis - One of the Seven Wonders, the magical ability to balance the scales between life and death.
  • Divination - One of the Seven Wonders, the magical ability to gain knowledge through indirect means.
    • Magic Sensing - The ability to sense magic in others. She could feel the power vibrating off of Cordelia, after she had been crowned the new Supreme.[10]
    • Danger Detection - The magical ability to detect imminent danger. After finding a cardboard box on the Academy porch, she scanned it magically to sense any danger in.[11]
  • Pyrokinesis - One of the Seven Wonders, the magical ability to create, control and manipulate fire with the power of the mind. She used this power several times, mainly to light her cigarrettes. Fiona is said to have displayed proficiency in this power during her Seven Wonders Test.[9]
  • Clairvoyance - The magical ability to read the minds of others and project their thoughts to them. Fiona develops this power for the first time during one of her last visits to the chemotherapy.
  • Spellcraft - Fiona has an affinity for casting spells and performing rituals which allowed her to do a variety of feats. 
    • Sleep Spell - A spell used to help a person sleep. Fiona used it on Marie Laveau to help her fall asleep after her tribe was attacked.
    • Papa Legba Summoning Spell - A spell used by Fiona to successfully summon Papa Legba in an attempt to have a deal with the deity, asking for immortality in exchange of anything. The spell was not passed down by Fiona to any descendant leaving Cordelia to seek help from Dinah Stevens on calling forth the presence of Papa Legba.
    • Bankruptcy Ritual - Fiona used this ritual paired with Marie to make the Delphi Trust company fail.

Quotes[]

  • To Myrtle Snow: "Life is a carnival, Myrtle. Some play it safe on the merry-go-round, others go for the thrills on the roller coaster."
  • To Miss Robichaux's Academy's girls: "I read your files. You will never be great women of our clan, sitting around at Hogwarts."
  • To Madison Montgomery: "You know, I've gotta hand it to you. A bus flip? That's not easy. But you were sloppy, little witch bitch."
  • To Marie Laveau
    I think when they say 'Good black don't crack', they're not wrong. What's your secret?


  • To Marie Laveau
    Such a nice place you got here. Maybe, in another century, you could have two shit-hole salons.


  • To Spalding: "This coven doesn't need a new Supreme. It needs a new rug."
  • To Spalding: "Bury her deep. God knows what all that shit in her body will do to the lawn when it comes up in the spring."
Tumblr mvp44ayOqV1rr9hnvo1 250
  • Fiona Goode: "Who's the baddest witch in town?"
  • Police Officer
    Are you in charge here?
    Fiona Goode
    I'm Fiona Goode. I'm in charge everywhere.


  • Fiona Goode: "Haven't you heard? I have no soul. I'll just kill them all."
  • To Cordelia Foxx: "Crying over me, isn't that the ultimate twist?"
  • To Papa Legba: "I want terms defined. Life everlasting, no aging, no decrepitude, forever."


  • To The Axeman: "I can’t spend eternity here. It reeks of fish, and cat piss. What is this, knotty pine?!"

Notes[]

  • She is the third character to be portrayed by Jessica Lange. For a complete list of her characters, see Cast. Lange's portrayal earned her the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie and a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film.
  • She is the second character with the name Fiona. The first was Fiona in Murder House.
  • She is the only known Supreme to have given birth to the next generation's Supreme, which means a witch related to the current Supreme could ascend to Supremacy.
  • Fiona is also the first Supreme to have survived her successor's full ascension into Supremacy, although only for a few days at most.
    • Later, Cordelia becomes the second Supreme to survive her successor's full ascension, after Michael's performance, which was not associated with the Salem descendants, and Mallory's Test of the Seven Wonders.
  • Fiona associates with many celebrities; of those brought to light are her close friendship with Stevie Nicks, knowing Eminem personally, being invited by Emeril to a tasting, going on a spiritual retreat with Shirley MacLaine, and having an affair with Levon Helm (drummer for The Band) in Woodstock.
  • Fiona was born on October 17, 1950.
  • Fiona's surname "Goode" is similar to the surname of Sarah Good, one of the first three women accused of witchcraft during the Salem Witch Trials. It is possible that Fiona is a descendant of Sarah and the family name could have evolved over time. 
  • Fiona shared an affiliation of unknown depth with Ariel Augustus. As the warlock stated that he had known Fiona "fairly well".
  • Fiona shares many similarities with Endora from the television series Bewitched. They are both very powerful witches, have difficult relationships with their daughters and despise their sons-in-law. 
  • Fiona Goode, Zoe Benson, Madison Montgomery and Cordelia Goode are the only four characters to appear in all episodes of Coven.
  • Fiona is one of two immortality-seekers present in the series, with the other being Mamie Eisenhower
    • While Mamie did live for years without aging, both she and Fiona ultimately failed at their goal to live forever, as Fiona died of cancer and Mamie was killed by the very aliens that gave her immortality.
  • Fiona Goode was assumed to be stabbed with an axe by The Axeman. The only one who knows her truth of death is Cordelia.
  • It can be assumed that Fiona has lots of money - presumably millions, she once mentioned that her late husband donated lots of money to scientific research studies that aims to find the cure to aging.

Gallery[]

References[]

  1. See passport image.
  2. In Boy Wonder she makes no appearance, but is mentioned by Cordelia Goode, Myrtle Snow and Ariel Augustus.
  3. In Traitor she makes no appearance, but is mentioned by Cordelia Goode.
  4. In Fire and Reign she makes no appearance, but is mentioned by Cordelia Goode and Myrtle Snow.
  5. 5.0 5.1 Episode: Bitchcraft
  6. Episode: Boy Wonder
  7. Episode: Traitor
  8. Episode: Fire and Reign
  9. 9.0 9.1 Episode: Fearful Pranks Ensue
  10. Episode: The Seven Wonders
  11. Episode: The Sacred Taking
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