Mother Ginger

Mother Ginger
Background information
Feature films	The Nutcracker and the Four Realms
Portrayed by	Helen Mirren
Inspiration	Mother Ginger from the story by E. T. A. Hoffmann and the ballet by Pyotr Tchaikovsky
Character information
Occupation	Regent of the Land of Amusement

Mother Ginger is a major character from The Nutcracker and the Four Realms.

She is the kind and wise ruler of the Fourth Realm, known as the Land of Amusement, who was manipulated into carrying out the evil schemes of the sinister and deranged Sugar Plum Fairy. In the end, Clara Stahlbaum and Phillip the Nutcracker realize the kindness within Mother Ginger and help Mother Ginger defeat the Sugar Plum Fairy.

Mother Ginger is based on the character of the same name from the story by E.T.A. Hoffman and the ballet by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.

Background

Mother Ginger is the fourth Regent of the Four Realms, known as the Land of Amusement, alongside the Regents of the Land of Sweets, the Land of Snowflakes, and the Land of Flowers. She used to be a toy but was brought to life using the machine invented by Marie Stahlbaum, who was the Regent of the Middle Realm.

Unfortunately, she got tangled up with The Regent of the Land of Sweets, The Sugar Plum Fairy, and was tricked into carrying out her nefarious deeds. Sugar Plum pinned all of these deeds upon Mother Ginger, convincing Marie to remove her from The Regent's council. Upon being removed, Sugar Plum banished Mother Ginger to her respective realm, getting most of her inhabitants to flee and join the others. The only inhabitants that still stayed with Mother Ginger were an assortment of mice and 6-7 clowns who defended her giant moving palace (shaped like her).

When Clara Stahlbaum entered the world her mother had created, the first thing that she had done was venture into the Land of Amusement to find the key, which one of Mother Ginger's mice had stolen. Once entering Mother Ginger's realm, she encountered The Mouse King, whom she successfully evaded from. From the recluse of Mother Ginger's palace, she tried to call upon Clara to warn her about Sugar Plum, but she fled from her.

When Clara ventures back into her realm to reclaim the key, Clara is grabbed by Mother Ginger's giant palace and thrown inside, in which she is then greeted by a bunch of clowns. The clowns tease and torment her before sending her up to Mother Ginger's chambers, in which Clara tricks Mother Ginger, snatching the key to return it to Sugar Plum. In fear of what Sugar Plum has planned for the realms, Mother Ginger sends her trusted mouse advisor to chase after Clara.

After Clara's confrontation with Sugar Plum, Phillip the Nutcracker and Mother Ginger make an agreement that Phillip will distract Sugar Plum's troops while Mother Ginger navigates through passageways to find Clara. This mission proves successful, as she helps Clara in aid to disable her mother's machine, which results in the death of Sugar Plum, in which she is turned back into a toy.

Mother Ginger then takes Sugar Plum's spot on The Regent Council, returning to her former regal-ware, and making some passive agressive comments about nobody listening to her before her banishment. She tells Phillip that he is now the General of the Soldiers, and bids Clara farewell on her journey back home.

Gallery

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Media The Nutcracker and the Four Realms (soundtrack/ video) Characters Clara Stahlbaum • Sugar Plum Fairy • Mother Ginger • Phillip the Nutcracker • Drosselmeyer • Louise Stahlbaum • Fritz Stahlbaum • Benjamin Stahlbaum • Marie Stahlbaum • Hawthorne • Shiver • Cavalier and Harlequin • Ballerina Princess • Mouse King • Polichinelles • Mice • Toy Soldiers • Mrs. Ashmore • Owl Songs Fall On Me