History ComicBook / MadameXanadu

* WellIntentionedExtremist: At her worst, she becomes one of these, such as when she stole the Spectre's power and tried to use it to remake the world according to her wishes of female dominance and restoring nature. Her first acts were to castrate an abusive pimp and murder CEOs of polluting companies, rather than actually solve any of those problems.

* MesopotamianMonstrosity: In a 1981 comic, Madame Xanadu prevents the manifestation on Earth of a couple of demonic beings calling themselves "Ishtar" And "Tammuz", implying that these were once Mesopotamian deities.

* WellIntentionedExtremist: At her worst, she becomes one of these, such as when she stole the Spectre's power and tried to use it to remake the world according to her wishes of female dominance as revenge for years of misogyny among mankind and restoring nature. Her first act was castrating an abusive pimp and murdering CEO's of polluting companies instead of actually solving any problems she mentioned.

* HotGypsyWoman: She plays up the appearance of the sexy Gypsy archetype but it's vague if she actually is one or even UsefulNotes/{{Romani}} considering her background.

* DoesNotLikeShoes: In the 2008 series, she's more often than not barefoot.

* ChessWithDeath: With her Tarot cards, Madame Xanadu convinced [[ComicBook/TheSandman Death]] to restore her power and immortality.

* WitchSpecies: She is of the Elder Folk, ancestors of the Homo Magi, but lost her ability to use magic as a last laugh by Merlin for sealing him away.

* FortuneTeller: Her whole wheelhouse.

* JuliusBeethovenDaVinci: She was the Nimue in Arthurian Lore, once known as Nimue Inwudu and the youngest sister of Morgana (to become Morgaine Le Fay) and Vivienne, the Lady of the Lake, who cast an imprisoning spell on her former lover and teacher Merlin. She blamed him for manipulating Camelot, KingArthur, and the course of history for his own gain and tried to seal him away as part of a prophecy but it backfired.

* PsychicPowers

* TarotTroubles: Her fortune telling tends to be vague, unclear, or just plain unhelpful due to the the obscure meaning behind her card results.

* WellIntentionedExtremist: At her worst, she becomes one of these such as when she stole the Spectre's power and tried to use it to remake the world according to her wishes of female dominance as revenge for years of misogyny among mankind and restoring nature. Her first act was castrating an abusive pimp and murdering CEO's of polluting companies instead of actually solving any problems she mentioned.

* TheApprentice: Charlotte Blackwood.

* TeleportersAndTransporters: Madame Xanadu has the ability to "disapparate." Interestingly, she can't fly, and her sister Morgana can fly but not teleport.

Madame Xanadu was created for Creator/DCComics by writer David Michelinie and artist Val Mayerik in 1978, initially serving as a linking character in anthology series ''Doorway to Nightmare'', a 'good witch' who'd help people out with their supernatural difficulties. She went on to join Jim Corrigan's Spectre as part of his supporting cast, and pops up from time to time in DC's other magic-based books.

In the Comicbook/{{New 52}}, she was a main character in ''ComicBook/DemonKnights'' (set in TheDarkAges) 2011-2013, an occasional character in ''ComicBook/ResurrectionMan'' 2011-2012 and was a founding member of ''ComicBook/JusticeLeagueDark'', although she's currently only a supporting character.

* BurnTheWitch: Marisol, Xanadu's lesbian lover, was burnt as a witch by the Spanish Inquisition.

* ContinuityNod: Despite being Vertigo, there's a heck of a lot of references to Franchise/TheDCU. Madame Xanadu is the sister of [[ComicBook/JusticeLeague JLA]] villain Morgaine le Fey, witnesses the summoning of ComicBook/{{Etrigan}}, is indirectly responsible for the origin of ComicBook/DoctorFate and the [[UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks Golden Age]] ComicBook/GreenLantern, and nearly prevents the origin of [[ComicBook/TheSpectre Jim Corrigan's Spectre]], while living with [[ComicBook/{{Zatanna}} Giovanni Zatara]]. Not to mention ComicBook/ThePhantomStranger. Or her teamup with the ComicBook/MartianManhunter.

* MesopotamianMonstrosity: In a 1981 comic, Madame Xanadu prevents the manifestation on Earth of a couple of demonic beings calling themselves “Ishtar” And “Tammuz”, implying that these were once Mesopotamian deities.

* UsefulNotes/TheSpanishInquisition: One of her adventures, where she meets the original Sandman, deals with a demon contracted by the Inquisition to destroy several bloodlines and her own reminiscences of the death in the pyre of one of her lovers at the height of religious hysteria in Spain.

* BiTheWay: Xanadu's romantic tastes have varied over the centuries and she has been in close intimate relationships with women and men.

She had a Vertigo series from 2008-2010, written by Matt Wagner and penciled mainly by Amy Reeder Hadley. The series runs with the revelation in Creator/NeilGaiman's original ''ComicBook/TheBooksOfMagic'' series that Madame Xanadu was Nimue and reveals her to be the youngest sister of Morgana Le Fay and [[Characters/TheLadyOfTheLake the Lady in the Lake]], an immortal who has lived for thousands of years. It chronicles Madame Xanadu from her prehistoric childhood, through Arthurian times, up through the 1960s.

!!Tropes:

* BarefootSage / MagicalBarefooter: She is a wise fortune teller who tends to go barefoot or wear open-toed sandals, which probably symbolizes her "otherworldliness".

* DealWithTheDevil: She tried to cheat Neron by ensuring he would only get her soul if she were to die, counting on her immortality. However, Neron had the last laugh on her when he increased her power by giving her three loyal demons, which acted on her slightest passing thought. He also allowed it even if he saw it coming to prove he could corrupt anyone, even more morally upstanding citizens like her. In the end, she was forced to learn to dominate herself and gain more control over the demons.

* ContinuityNod: Despite being Vertigo, there's a heck of a lot of references to Franchise/TheDCU. Madame Xanadu is the sister of [[ComicBook/JusticeLeague JLA]] villain Morgaine le Fey, witnesses the summoning of ComicBook/{{Etrigan}}, is indirectly responsible for the origin of ComicBook/DoctorFate and the [[UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks Golden Age]] GreenLantern, and nearly prevents the origin of [[ComicBook/TheSpectre Jim Corrigan's Spectre]], while living with [[ComicBook/{{Zatanna}} Giovanni Zatara]]. Not to mention ComicBook/ThePhantomStranger. Or her teamup with the ComicBook/MartianManhunter.
** It's actually less that she's indirectly responsible, and more that she keeps getting mixed up with the Phantom Stranger's various schemes to ensure they happen, while sometimes ending up being a pawn to that end (as in the case of the original GreenLantern).

* JuliusBeethovenDaVinci: She was the Nimue in Arthurian Lore, once known as Nimue Inwudu and the youngest sister of Morgana (to become Morgaine Le Fay) and Vivienne, the Lady of the Lake, whocast imprisoning spell on her former lover and teacher Merlin. She blamed him for manipulating Camelot, KingArthur, and the course of history for his own gain and tried to punish him for it.

* TheVamp: She's played this card since the beginning as Nimue to and has been doing so for centuries onward. She even at one point managed to seduce John Zatara, [[ComicBook/{{Zatanna}} Zatanna's father]], into sealing away the Phantom Stranger out of spite and even managed to have a sexual relationship with the Spectre of all beings to strip away its power for her own agenda.

* TheVamp: She's played this card since the beginning as Nimue to and has been doing so for centuries onward. She even at one point managed to seduce John Zatara, [[ComicBook/Zatanna Zatanna's father]], into sealing away the Phantom Stranger out of spite and even managed to have a sexual relationship with the Spectre of all beings to strip away its power for her own agenda.

* BiTheWay: Xanadu's romantic tastes have varied over the centuries and has been in close intimate relationships with women and men.

* CainAndAbel: Morgana/Morgaine le Fey and Nimue/Madame Xanadu.

* FriendToAllLivingThings: Xanadu.

* TheAtoner: The main reason Xanadu established herself as a minor heroine dealing with arcane problems is to repent from the guilt of allowing Jim Corrigan to die, resulting in a new host for the Spectre.
* BeenThereShapedHistory: Wandering the earth for centuries, she acquainted herself with many great historical figures.
* BiTheWay: Xanadu.

* CollectorOfTheStrange: Her parlour is full of magical books and objects.

* CrystalBall

* FortuneTeller
* UsefulNotes/TheFrenchRevolution

* HotGypsyWoman

* JuliusBeethovenDaVinci
* KingArthur

* UsefulNotes/MarieAntoinette: Madame Xanadu became her honored guest at Versailles.

* OccultDetective

* UsefulNotes/{{Romani}}

* TailorMadePrison: She contains supernatural entities in mason jars to prevent them from causing further trouble.

* TarotTroubles

* WitchSpecies: She is of the Elder Folk, ancestors of the Homo Magi.

* GreenEyes: Xanadu.

* ContinuityNod: Despite being Vertigo, there's a heck of a lot of references to Franchise/TheDCU. Madame Xanadu is the sister of [[JusticeLeagueOfAmerica JLA]] villain Morgaine le Fey, witnesses the summoning of ComicBook/{{Etrigan}}, is indirectly responsible for the origin of ComicBook/DoctorFate and the [[UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks Golden Age]] GreenLantern, and nearly prevents the origin of [[ComicBook/TheSpectre Jim Corrigan's Spectre]], while living with [[ComicBook/{{Zatanna}} Giovanni Zatara]]. Not to mention ComicBook/ThePhantomStranger. Or her teamup with the ComicBook/MartianManhunter.

* MarieAntoinette: Madame Xanadu became her honored guest at Versailles.