Editor's Note: The following contains spoilers for The School For Good and Evil.
From its opening scene, The School For Good and Evil starts to deconstruct the events that we normally associate with fairy tales. The battle between good and evil is less of an epic clash and more of a balancing act, thanks to the titular school, which separates students into future villains, or "Nevers," and future heroes, referred to as "Evers." The Nevers tend to be fairly easy to get along with, while the Evers' social standing has made them rather arrogant and unpleasant to be around. But the biggest surprise concerns the concept of true love, and how it relates to the film's protagonists Sophie (Sophia Anne Caruso) and Agatha (Sofia Wylie).
In the first act of The School For Good And Evil, Sophie and Agatha are stuck in their home village of Gavaldon, and it's a living hell for the both of them. Agatha's harassed for being a "witch," and Sophie dreams of living out a fairy tale life. Both of them find an unexpected way out when Sophie writes a letter to the School for Good and Evil, and both are dragged there by a horrific skeletal-like bird. When they get to the school, they end up in the last place they'd thought they'd be. Agatha lands in the School for Good, which clashes with her tomboyish nature and inquisitive spirit. And Sophie is clearly not made for the School of Evil — she's scared of everything in it!
A Twist on Fairy Tales
In order to change their fate, the girls ask School Master Rhian (Lawrence Fishburne) what they can do to switch schools. Rhian tells them that only true love's kiss can reverse Sophie's fate. This is a pretty standard staple for most fairy tales: a princess is cursed, a brave knight fights against the odds to rescue her, and said knight breaks the curse with true love's kiss. Rinse and repeat. It's even lampshaded at the beginning of the film when Sophie talks about how much she loves Cinderella!
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And at first, it seems like the film will play into that trope when both Sophie and Agatha are introduced to Tedros (Jamie Flatters). Tedros seems like the perfect prince: he's handsome, he's charming, he's good with a sword. And his father happens to be King Arthur — yes, that King Arthur. It's unsurprising that Sophie falls for him, but things soon intensify due to the presence of the dark wizard Rafal (Kit Young). Having formed the School of Good and Evil, Rafal wants to tip the balance in Evil's favor, and he intends to do so through Sophie.
The Real Meaning of True Love
This is where the film starts to break away from the usual "true love" formula, as Sophie — now fully embracing her Never nature thanks to Rafal — resorts to dark magic and trickery to win Tedros over. Normally in these types of stories, the princess usually wins over her true love with her kind heart and gentle nature. Sophie going to such desperate measures is meant to instill dread in the viewer's heart. And soon enough, she tricks Tedros into reversing the fate of the Nevers and Evers when he attacks the students at the School of Evil, breaking the sacred law of Good only using its powers to defend.
Rafal himself knows all about the ups and downs of true love. After all, that's how he manipulated Sophie into doing his bidding and accepting the dark gift of blood magic. He even points out that he was there for her when nobody else was, and that they can rule together. It's rare that a villain is able to play the long game this effectively, but Rafal exceeds at it. However, his methodical planning leads to his downfall, as Agatha points out that his union with Sophie really isn't true love. True love is about putting someone before yourself, and Rafal's only acted in his own interest.
In fact, it's revealed that Agatha is the one person who's acted out of true love for Sophie. She constantly looked after her friend, and she uses her magic to save her during a trial where she and Tedros were attacked by a malevolent spirit. And when Sophie suffers a fatal wound at Rafal's hands, Agatha kisses her, fulfilling the conditions and freeing her. Even the ending is a spin on the usual "happily ever after," as Agatha and Sophie leave the School for Good and Evil behind to return to Galvaldon. It goes to show that true love doesn't always have to come in the form of a handsome prince; sometimes it's your best friend.
