From Batman to Bellatrix: 15 Best Cosplays of 2016

SAN DIEGO, CA – JULY 22: Cosplayer Linda Nguyen on day 2 attends Comic-Con International 2016 at San Diego Convention Center on July 22, 2016 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Albert L. Ortega/Getty Images,)

5. Maleficent

This cosplay may take the cake for the most complex on our list. Inspired by the protagonist of Disney’s live-action film, this Maleficent fan looks as though she may have made off with Angelina Jolie’s official costume. The headpiece, wings, dress, and scepter are all expertly done, ornate in all the right places (which is to say, everywhere), and ultimately breathtaking. No detail seems to have been spared, and the craftsmanship pays off.

The sheer amount of detail to this cosplay may discourage many fans from trying their hand at it. But provided you have the means and desire to do so, Maleficent is a character who’s worth the effort. The 2014 film provides an insightful commentary on abuse and its after effects, and weaves the tale through a thread of hopefulness rather than neverending pain and despair. It’s an encouraging journey, which may be Disney’s MO, but that’s often not the case with accounts of abuse. Maleficent manages to exemplify the horrors victims face whilst giving them hope that they, like Maleficent, will heal from it.

Like fandom in general, cosplay is done for the fun of it, but Maleficent has the potential to offer a little something extra. As if those magnificent fairy wings weren’t enough.

Next: Girl Gang