Recommended music: James Horner – Escape from the Tavern
We’re still celebrating the Magic of Willow from the archives today with the Tonka Sorsha!
English actress Joanne Whalley portrays Sorsha in both the 1988 Willow film, as well as the short-lived Willow series on Disney+. The significance of her character is known as a “tritagonist”, being the 3rd most important character to the story. In the actual film’s credits, she gets second billing after Val Kilmer, but is ahead of Warwick Davis in the title role.
The daughter of main villain Queen Bavmorda, Sorsha spends most of the film as second-in-command under General Kael leading the Nockmaar army. She ultimately falls in love with Madmartigan while he defends Tir Asleen, and changes to fighting against Nockmaar, with the characters eventually marrying. Life truly imitated art as Kilmer and Whalley met on the set of the film and were married by February 1988, (separating in 1996).
These Sorsha figures show two different looks for the character, but anyone who saw these toys for sale in stores before seeing the film might have noticed a story spoiler, as her character’s base is tan (not black), the base color for the film’s heroes.
The Willow film turned 37 years old this week! I figure there’ll be a new Willow item from my collection to share here for the rest of the month. Happy 37 years to the Magic of Willow!
Dale's Toys 