Thelma Bates

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Thelma Bates is a fictional character played by Jemima Rooper in Sky One's British horror dramedy series Hex.

She has appeared in every episode of the programme. After the departure and subsequent replacement of the programme's lead character of Cassie (Christina Cole), Thelma became the de facto protagonist as she was the only character who continued the series' narrative.

[edit] Character biography

In the beginning of the show's run, Thelma's lesbianism was made very apparent, along with the realisation she was in love with her best friend Cassie, with whom she attended Medenham Hall. At Medenham, Thelma was bullied by popular students Roxanne (Amber Sainsbury), Leon (Jamie Davis) and Troy (Joseph Morgan). Giving her life to save Cassie's, her death was the sacrifice instrumental in returning Azazeal's power. Becoming a ghost, unseen by most characters, she aided Cassie in understanding that she is descended from witches and later in helping Ella (Laura Pyper) battle against the demonic Nephilim. As a ghost - wrongly assumed to be a victim of suicide, Thelma herself had a few special powers, including entering the dreams of others and interacting with other time periods.

Thelma is a unique character in modern television in that for the majority of the series, her interactions were limited to the series few "supernatural" characters. With the death of Cassie, and their final kiss with both of them as ghosts, it was finally possible for her character to pursue relationships with other characters, who would necessarily have to be lesbian ghosts as well.

Thelma promised Cassie she would help Ella Dee, a 500 year old witch assassin, in her mission. She saved her life from Azazeal's plots, the servitude of Azazeal's son, and saving her from execution several centuries prior. After giving Leon (Jamie Davis) a potion of Ella's to allow him to see the spirit world, the three formed a group from which they fought against the series' new antagonist, in wake of Azazeal's mid-season departure - Cassie's son.

In part of Cassie and Azazeal's evil son Malachi's (Joseph Beattie) plan to make her unable to aid Ella, he causes the death of young lesbian Maya Robertson and position them to develop an emotional and sexual relationship as ghosts. Maya's spirit, as claimed by Malachi, bore his mark, naming him her as one of his creatures - a succubi. To weaken Malachi, Ella had to go about destroying these creatures, including Maya's spirit, for which she and Thelma temporarily parted ways.

Ultimately, Malachi systematically wins the souls of all Medenham's students by promising them their greatest desires. The only to this exceptions are heroine Ella (freed by Thelma), Thelma (having her true love taken), Tom (Leon is straight) and Roxanne (finding immunity in her redemption). As Thelma had done to free Ella from Malachi's control - entering her dream and awakening the real personality, she did again to Leon, freeing him also.

In the programme's conclusion, after helping Leon to save Ella's life, an indestructible Malachi sacrifices Roxanne as the entire school is burnt to the ground. Ella, Leon and Thelma escape to the building, Malachi's ritual bringing about End of Days. The series ends unfinished, with the final fate of Thelma left unclear.

[edit] Powers and abilities

As a ghost, from episode two onwards, Thelma displayed the ability to enter others' dreams, doing so to engage in lesbian sex with Cassie, later to communicate with the living and to free comrades from Malachi's control. While invisible to most, she seemed to retain complete tangibility, bumping into things, touching everything - even frequently eating crisps. The only exception to this is that she cannot apparently touch anything whic is alive. In one episode, she is able to save Ella in the past while standing at the same location in the present, almost as if being in two eras at once.

[edit] Criticism

• Thelma's character embodies the "dead lesbian" archetype seen throughout history. Interestingly, every other "ghost" on Hex was also gay.
• Hex, compared to Buffy the Vampire Slayer in promotional materials, often found comparison in its characters. Thelma was frequently compared to Willow Rosenberg, lesbian best friends to their respective series' heroines.