History Main / TheHecateSisters

** Among characters from [[Anime/YuGiOh the other anime series]], the three most prominent female characters Tea, Mai, and Serenity qualify -- Serenity, Joey's IllGirl little sister, is the Maiden; Tea, the TeamMom and Yugi's LoveInterest is the Mother; and Mai, the older and more worldly of the three, is the Crone.

* Downplayed with the main trio of ''Anime/LittleWitchAcademia'', as they are all the same age (around 15 or so). Akko is the maiden (new to magic, impulsive, and youthfully exuberant), Lotte is the mother (caring, nurturing, sweet disposition), and Sucy is the crone (pale skin, jagged teeth, and more mature than the other two).

** Has one of these for the Winter and Summer Courts of fairies -- Each court is ruled by three Queens—Queen Mother (The Queen Who Was), Queen (The Queen Who Is), and Lady (The Queen Who Is To Come) who are also grandmother, mother, and daughter. In the short story "Cold Case" it is revealed the titles of Crone, Mother, and Maiden are enforced upon the bearers of the mantles, resulting in [[spoiler:the Lady unable to even come close to having sex with a man out of risk she might become a mother and destroy her mantle as her mantle will override her and violently attack her would-be sexual partner. It is implied the same thing will happen if one tries having sex with the Queen Mother]]. The connection to Hectate herself is pointed out in ''Skin Game'', when the crew encounters two statues of Hecate in the Underworld, displaying the three Queens of the Seelie and Unseelie Courts respectively. It also leads to a CMOF, as Harry does a truly ''[[BadLiar awful]]'' job of [[spoiler: concealing Molly's ascension to Winter Lady from her father when he points out the similarity.]]

* Considering ''To Wong Foo'' is a FollowTheLeader to ''Film/TheAdventuresOfPriscillaQueenOfTheDesert'', who has its Hecate Drag Queens...

[[folder: Anime and Manga]]
* Manga/AhMyGoddess takes the Norns and thoroughly applies this trope to them; Skuld is bratty and innocent to love, Belldandy is young yet mature and very motherly, and Urd is the oldest (if not exactly old) and is sarcastic, very sexual, and somewhat bitter.

* The rulers of Asgardia in ''[[ComicBook/TheMightyThor Thor]]'' -- Freyja the Crone, Gaea the Mother, and Idunn the Maiden. Together, they're the All-Mother.

[[folder: Film]]
* Considering ''To Wong Foo'' is a FollowTheLeader to ''Film/TheAdventuresOfPriscillaQueenOfTheDesert'', who has its Hecate Drag Queens...

* The three women of the ''Ten Little Murder Victims'' tale in ''Literature/AndThenThereWereNone'' by Creator/AgathaChristie. Vera is the maiden (the youngest, prettiest, and most romantic), Mrs. Rogers is the mother (middle-aged, married, and domestic), and Emily Brent is the crone (an elderly, bitter spinster with contempt for anyone who doesn't fit her standards).

** ''Death Masks'' in particular has a [[GenderFlip gender-flipped]] version with the [[spoiler: Knights of the Cross]]. You have [[spoiler: Shiro]] as the calm, experienced one, [[spoiler: Michael]] as the Father and [[spoiler: Sanya]] as the youngest, most progressive [[spoiler: (bulletproof vest instead of Michael's plate armor)]] and the "naive" one, [[spoiler: having been tainted as a former Denarian himself]].

* ''Literature/{{Maskerade}}''
** The story heavily implies that much of Granny's power comes from qualifying as all three: she's [[CelibateHero still a Maiden]], as fiercely protective as any Mother, and definitely old and ruthless enough to be "the other one".
** In ''I Shall Wear Midnight'', the three girls of (or around) Tiffany's age make up one of these trios: Tiffany is the Crone (as the most experienced and practical of the three), Letitia is the Maiden, and Amber is the Mother.

* The Great Mother Goddess, commonly referred to simply as the Goddess, is the female ruler of the gods in Tamora Pierce's Literature/TortallUniverse books. She has three aspects: maiden, mother, and crone. These three aspects correspond to women's stages of life.

* In ''TabletopGame/WerewolfTheApocalypse'', the [[AmazonBrigade Black Furies]] honor a trio of juggling spirits called the triptych, who represent the Maiden, Mother, and Crone archetypes. The Furies themselves also assign maiden, mother, or crone rank to members, depending on what stage in life they've reached.

* Edward Albee explores this trope in his play ''Three Tall Women.'' The titular women, who are [[NoNameGiven only referred to with letters]], form this trio: "A" is a thin, sharp-tongued 92-year-old (Crone), "B" is A's 52-year-old caretaker (Mother); and "C" is a vivacious young lawyer who represents A's estate (Maiden). The first act is a standard drama, but things veer into surrealism in Act II, when A, B, and C (played by the same actresses) become representations of the same woman at different points in her life -- for example, A and B have bitter memories about their estranged son, but C has no idea who he is because she hasn't had him yet.
* ''Vanities'': The three characters somewhat fit these archetypes. Mary is the maiden, being a stereotypical flower child of the '60s, Kathy, the OCD head cheerleader and later head of the sorority, is the mother figure, and Joanne, who adheres to the conservative values of the bygone Eisenhower era, is the crone.

* ''Series/{{Charmed|1998}}'' really deserves a mention here as the three sisters filled the roles without much of an age difference -- however, Prue was always the responsible leader (Crone), Piper the cautious caretaker (Mother) and Phoebe, tellingly enough named after one of Artemis's epithets, was the 'wild child' (Maiden). After Prue's departure, Piper and Phoebe 'moved up one' role and half-sister Paige filled the Maiden's position. On a larger generational scale, the three sisters were all Maidens to their more magically experienced ghostly Mother and living Grandmother-Crone.

** This also extends to her [[ThePaladin Arms]], who are split into three groups, one for each aspect. Arms of the Maiden tend to stay at the temples serving as scholars, librarians, and healers. Arms of the Mother are [[KnightErrant Knights Errant]] who travel around the world helping people in her name. Arms of the Crone are avengers dispatched to bring vengeance on those who deserve it. While Arms progress through the aspects in order not all of them choose to progress if they don't have the aptitude for it and some choose to remain a Maiden or Mother for their entire career rather than progress to being an Arm of the Crone.

* In ''ComicBook/TheSandman'' universe they exist in a variety of overlapping forms, as the Fates (Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos), as the faces of Hecate, as three witches, the Furies, and three normal women. They seem also to acknowledge that they are in some way three faces of Eve and will not harm Eve, even in their aspect as the Furies. In some of the issues in which they appear, each of the three seems to shift between the three roles.

* Although they are all roughly the same age, [[FanNickname Ozai's Angels]] in ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'' fit this to a T. [[PerkyFemaleMinion Ty Lee]] is the maiden, innocent, optimistic and bubbly. [[MagnificentBitch Azula]] is the mother -- the more [[MyBelovedSmother controlling]] and manipulative aspects of the mother archetype, since she's clearly the leader; not so much the gentle, caring aspects. [[EmotionlessGirl Mai]] is the crone, the eldest, the most apathetic and cynical, the least emotional, and a real DeadpanSnarker.

** The Moon Goddess and the TropeNamer is said to appear in three aspects: Artemis (the protector of chastity) on earth, Selene (the mother of the stars and devoted spouse of Endymion) in the heavens, and Hecate (the aged and crafty guardian of the crossroads) in the Underworld.

* '''The Maiden''': Often [[EveryoneLovesBlondes blonde and beautiful]] and either a [[NaiveEverygirl naive ditz]] or a budding seductress). She's the adventurous woman looking for her place in the world. Usually associated with huntress deities such as Artemis.

* '''The Crone''': Often [[DeadpanSnarker sharp-witted, sharp-tongued]], bitter and unsentimental, [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold but not without kindness]]). She's wise and experienced. Usually associated with Hecate herself, a knowledgable witch deity.

* Before UsefulNotes/{{Islam}}, the people who lived in and around UsefulNotes/{{Mecca}} worshipped a trinity of goddesses. The first was Manat, the oldest and the mistress of fate (crone). The second was Al-Lat, who was worshipped during the times of war and peace and dispensed prosperity (matron). The third was Uzza, the GodOfLove (maiden). The three were said to be the daughters of Allah, who was the TopGod but seen as too remote for anyone to give prayers to, so it's up to his daughters to deal with the people. These goddesses were mentioned in Literature/TheQuran and were the subject of the infamous Satanic Verse incident.[[note]]According to a certain Muhammad ibn Ka'b, {{Satan}} tempted UsefulNotes/TheProphetMuhammad to worship for the goddess' intercession after [[ArchangelGabriel Gabriel]] revealed the verses (QS 53:19-20) questioning what the prophet thought about them. New verses were subsequently passed down which chastised the Prophet for this (QS 53:21-22).[[/note]]

** The three generations of Weasley women are 107-year-old [[ScrewPolitenessImASeniorGreat-Aunt Muriel]] who is rude to everyone, Molly who is fiercely protective of her family, and Ginny who hears Auntie Muriel say that Ginny's dress is far too low cut and responds by grinning and winking at Harry.

[[folder: Myths & Religion]]

* Haitian folk religion acknowledges a deity called Erzulie, who personifies femininity. That covers a lot of ground, of course, and at least three of her aspects are Erzulie Freda (vain and flirty; Maiden), Erzulie Mansur (protector of children; Mother), and Granne Erzulie (representing maturity; Crone).

%%%

%% Administrivia/ZeroContextExample entries are not allowed on wiki pages. All such entries have been commented out. Add context to the entries before uncommenting them to say how the characters fit the roles of an alluring young maiden, a matronly mother, and a wise crone.

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]

** The 2003 anime adaptation has a villainous example in the form of the three women on team Homunculus. [[BrokenBird Lust]] is the Maiden, being a beautiful woman desperate to find meaning in her existence; [[TheStoic Sloth]] is the Mother, tasked with caring for the Homunculi's resident CreepyChild Wrath and effectively the resurrected remains of [[spoiler:the Elric Brothers' mother]]; [[BigBad Dante]] is the Crone, a centuries old woman who treats her enemies and allies alike with condescending pettiness.
* In ''Manga/HekikaiNoAiON'' is the trio of heroines. Yuzuki is TheDitz maiden, Shizuki is the sensual and eccentric mother and Seine is the bitter crone. [[spoiler: It doesn't help that the two first are [[GodInHumanForm Goddesses In Human Form]] and the last is called a witch sometimes]].

* Downplayed with the main trio of ''Anime/LittleWitchAcademia'', as they are all the same age (around 15 or so). Akko is the maiden (new to magic, impulsive and youthfully exuberant), Lotte is the mother (caring, nurturing, sweet disposition), and Sucy is the crone (pale skin, jagged teeth, and more mature than the other two).

* In the third ''Anime/TenchiMuyo'' OVA it is revealed that there are three all-powerful sister goddesses who created the Universe to try and find the unknowable entity that created them. These godesses are revealed to be Lady Tokimi, the ManBehindTheMan of seasons two and three, Tsunami, the personification of the Jurai Royal Tree who [[spoiler:used her powers in order to save Sasami's life, and now the two are merging into one being]], and finally [[spoiler:Washu, who sealed her own powers and memories into three gems, which she later gave to Ryoko, and became mortal to analyze the mysteries of the universe]].

** Among characters from [[Anime/YuGiOh the other anime series]], the three most prominent female characters Tea, Mai and Serenity qualify -- Serenity, Joey's IllGirl little sister, is the Maiden; Tea, the TeamMom and Yugi's LoveInterest is the Mother; and Mai, the older and more worldly of the three, is the Crone.

[[folder:Arts]]

[[folder:Comic Books]]

* ''ComicBook/TheDefenders'' once went up against a trio of superpowered women sent by the Secret Empire: youthful looking and naive Cloud, aloof and beautiful Seraph, and creepy old Harridan.
* ''ComicBook/{{Fables}}'': The witches of the 13th floor consist of Frau Totenkinder (the Crone), Mother Birdie (the Mother), and [[spoiler:Ozma of Oz]] as the Child.

* In ''ComicBook/TheSandman'' universe they exist in a variety of overlapping forms, as the Fates (Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos), as the faces of Hecate, as three witches, the Furies and three normal women. They seem also to acknowledge that they are in some way three faces of Eve and will not harm Eve, even in their aspect as the Furies. In some of the issues in which they appear, each of the three seems to shift between the three roles.

** Eve herself explains that "Adam had three wives": Lilith, who was created as part of the original human being, a hermaphrodite ("Male and female created He them", Genesis 1:27); an unnamed second wife, whom Adam rejected because he saw her during construction and got {{Squick}}ed, as [[AllThereInTheManual described in medieval Rabbinic lore]]; and Eve, who grew old but never died. (Genesis 5:5 says, "And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died", but Eve doesn't get an obituary.) In order, these are Mother, Maiden and Crone.
** Women in ''Sandman'' often fall into sets of three. In the issue in which Dr. Destiny psionically tortures to death the hapless people in a diner, the hostess and two patrons become Crone, Mother and Maiden; when Dr. Destiny has them tell his fortune, they become the Wyrd Sisters. Later, in ''A Game of You,'' we meet Foxglove (Maiden), Hazel (Mother, thanks to a drunken one-night stand), and Thessaly (Crone). The climax of the ''Sandman'' MythArc in ''The Kindly Ones'' has Morpheus facing off against the Furies, whom the ancient Greeks tried to placate by calling them "kindly", but the ones who end up doing Morpheus [[DeathSeeker a kindness]] are Nuala (Maiden), Lyta (Mother) and Thessaly (Crone, again).
*** Dream calls Foxglove and Hazel "Little Maiden" and "Little Mother" respectively. For the ''Game of You'' example, Thessaly even states it almost explicitly: they need menstrual blood, and they have to get it from Foxglove, since Hazel is pregnant and Thessaly hasn't menstruated in a looong time. Later Nuala, Lyta and Thessaly aren't aware of it, but they are connected by [[spoiler:each making a separate contribution to Dream's death. Lyta was the one who gave the Furies the order to kill him; Thessaly protected her from getting killed by outside interference at the Ladies' request; and Nuala called him away at a critical moment, indirectly causing his death]].

* ''ComicBook/TheWickedAndTheDivine:''[[spoiler:Issue #34 reveals this is the case with Ananke and her sister Persephone. Ananke will reincarnate as Maiden (Minerva, the young girl who pretends to be a little naive but still wise for her age) and Crone (Ananke, the ElderlyImmortal who watches the gods), while Persy gets Mother (Persephone, who shares traits with the Maiden, but loves all the gods and wants the best for them despite her depression).]]
* Team Jinx, consisting of Magica De Spell (mother), Neraja (maiden) and Garma (crone), serve this role in ''ComicBook/WizardsOfMickey''.
* Circe plays with the concept in ''ComicBook/WonderWoman1987'' after ambushing and mentally enslaving the Amazonian witch Magala (the only Amazon in this continuity to actually appear old), she creates a plot while accompanied by her own young innocent daughter Lyta, who possesses innate magic which uses Magala who very much looks and acts the part of the crone. Thus Lyta plays the part of the maiden, Circe the mother and Magala the crone. For bonus points Circe actually possesses Hecate's soul.

[[folder:Comic Strips]]
* ''ComicStrip/OnTheFastrack'' The company Fastrack,Inc. is run by the CEO Rose Trellis (crone), her executive assistant Wendy Welding (the working mom) and (the maiden) Dethany Dendrobia.

[[folder:Fan Works]]
* This is the basis of Nora's akumatized form, Hecate, in ''Blog/MiraculousRewrite''; she splits into three different beings each representing the maiden, the mother, and the crone, and they go around changing the ages of anyone unfortunate enough to cross their paths.

[[folder:Film]]

* The three witches in Disney's adaptation of ''WesternAnimation/TheBlackCauldron'' form the classic trio, albeit with a few shifts. Orwen is the flirtatious and (relatively) kindly Maiden, although she has the [[BigBeautifulWoman large build]] usually associated with the Mother; Orddu is the scheming and experienced Mother, although she looks rather like a Crone; and Orgoch is the conniving and greedy Crone, who looks even older than Orddu.

* ''Film/{{Halloweentown}}'' has the witchy generations of the daughter Marnie Piper, main character and interested in witchcraft, the mother Gwen Piper who tries to proctect her children from witchcraft, and the grandmother Aggie Cromwell, a skilled witch.

* ''Film/PracticalMagic'' has Sally Owens, widow and mother of two, her free spirited sister Gillian Owens, and their aunts Frances and Jet together each make a part of the crone.

* In the movie ''Film/RunningWithScissors'', The Psychiatrist's wife, and two daughters make up this threesome perfectly. The youngest is dressed as a slut, and blonde. The older, Gywneth Paltrow's character, is quirky and unsentimental (though she does dig up her dead cat, but not for sentimental reasons exactly), and the mother is well, not initially motherly, but eventually motherly.
* Creator/DarioArgento's Three Mothers Trilogy, which consists of 1977's ''Film/{{Suspiria|1977}}'', 1980's ''Film/{{Inferno|1980}}'' and 2007's ''Film/MotherOfTears'', takes its inspiration from [[Literature/LevanaAndOurLadiesOfSorrow De Quincey's poem]], with each film featuring one of the titular women as an evil witch. Controlling the world from their bastion-like homes, the three include a knowledgeable (in the dark arts) crone (Mater Suspirioum/Helena Markos), a lively vicious middle aged woman (Mater Tenebrarum, though she's technically supposed to be the youngest), and a sexually depraved maiden (Mater Lachrymarum).
* The three {{Drag Queen}}s from ''Film/ToWongFooThanksForEverythingJulieNewmar'' have this dynamic. First there's Vida Boheme who's the TeamMom, then we have [[AlphaBitch bitchy]] Noxeema Jackson for that and last but not the least there's Chi-Chi Rodriguez who's the Drag Princess rather than full grown Queen.

[[folder:Literature]]
* The three women of the TenLittleMurderVictims in ''Literature/AndThenThereWereNone'' by Creator/AgathaChristie. Vera is the maiden (the youngest, prettiest and most romantic), Mrs. Rogers is the mother (middle-aged, married and domestic), and Emily Brent is the crone (an elderly, bitter spinster with contempt anyone who doesn't fit her standards).
* In ''Literature/TheArtsOfDarkAndLight'', the nameless goddess worshiped by the [[PathOfInspiration Witch Cult]] appears this way, as the Maiden, the Mother and the Crone. At least one aspect of the deity also seems to masquerade as a saint in TheChurch.

* It's stated repeatedly in the ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' novels that it's "only right" for a coven to have three witches -- "the maiden, the mother, and the... other one." The coven begins as Magrat Garlick (maiden), Nanny Ogg (mother), and Granny Weatherwax ("other one"). When Magrat gets married and takes up being a queen, Agnes Nitt joins up as the maiden. When Granny gets incapacitated by a vampire attack, Magrat rejoins the coven temporarily, making the order Agnes (maiden), Magrat (mother of Princess Esmeralda Margaret Note Spelling of Lancre), and Nanny, who's not too happy about being the "other one". ("I can't start being a hag at my time of life,’ she muttered. ‘None of my bras'll fit.’")
-->"Oh, you can have more than three witches in a coven. Anywhere up to five or six, really." "What happens after that?" "Great bloody row, usually."
** Another bit of note is that actual technical qualifications can matter less than your temperament. Nanny notes that she was never really a 'Maiden', not "ment'ly", and observing that Agnes, the "maiden" of her coven, has an aunt who, despite having six children, blushes spectacularly when she hears a racy joke. Likewise, Nanny and Granny are exactly the same age, but people consistently call in [[TeamMom Nanny]] to deliver babies -- and they call on [[TerrorHero Granny]] to escort a dying soul to their rest. ''Literature/{{Maskerade}}'' implies that much of Granny's power comes from qualifying as all three: she's [[CelibateHero still a Maiden]], as fiercely protective as any Mother, and definitely old and ruthless enough to be "the other one".
** In ''I Shall Wear Midnight'', the three girls of (or around) Tiffany's age make up one of these trios: Tiffany is the Crone (as the most experienced and practical of the three), Letitia is the Maiden, and Amber is the Mother.

** The three generations of Weasley women are [[ScrewPolitenessImASenior 107 year old Great-Aunt Muriel who is rude to everyone]], Ginny, who hears Auntie Muriel say that Ginny's dress is far too low cut and responds by grinning and winking at Harry, and Ginny's mother Molly, who is fiercely protective of her family.
** In ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallows'', when Harry enters the Room of Requirement while the Battle of Hogwarts is going on he finds the room empty except for three women who had not yet joined the fight. The first to exit is Mrs. Longbottom who goes to assist her grandson. The second is Tonks who left her baby with family out of concern for her husband. The third is Ginny who eagerly joins the fight being responsible for no one but herself.

* Mercedes Lackey's ''Literature/HeraldsOfValdemar'' series features a ''four''fold goddess of the [[MagicalNativeAmerican Tayledras]] and Shin'a'in peoples, who adds the Warrior to the standard trio of Maiden, Mother, and Crone. As patron of main character Tarma in the ''Vows and Honor'' books and a fairly active diety in other stories, the Warrior is the only aspect seen. The three sister goddesses Agnetha, Agnira, and Agnoma, as mentioned in ''By the Sword,'' may also fit the trope with Agnira as Maiden/Warrior, Agnetha as Mother, and Agnoma (who is not described beyond the fact that snowflakes are her emblem) as the likely Crone. To complement the fourfold Goddess there is a Fourfold ''male'' deity, with faces matching that of the Goddess: the Rover, to match the Maiden, for East; the Guardian to match the Warrior, in the South; the Hunter, to match the Mother, in the West; and lastly the Guide, to complement the Crone, for North. Vkandis Sunlord of Karse is hinted to be the same or related to this male diety, and is mentioned to have aspects corresponding the passage of the sun across the sky, appearing in disguise as a child ("sun-in-morning") to Alberich.

** In keeping with Piers Anthony, in the ''Literature/{{Xanth}}'' series, there's the character Chameleon, who shifts between the three (though in appearance rather than age) with the phases of the moon. In her first appearance, the protagonist thought he had met three different women, until he realized that she had shifted from Maiden to Mother over the course of days, and he hadn't noticed until the transformation was complete due to change blindness.
* In Thomas De Quincey's prose poem, "Literature/LevanaAndOurLadiesOfSorrow", the narrator describes three women, who, like the Fates, Graces and Muses, are personifications of human abstraction, in this case sorrow. Here, the mother theme is dominant, with ''Mater Suspiriorum'' (the Mother of Sighs, representing despair), ''Mater Tenebrarum'' (the Mother of Darkness, representing insanity), and ''Mater Lachrymarum'' (the Mother of Tears, representing grief). In terms of age, Lachrymarum is described as the eldest (crone), and Tenebrarum the youngest (maiden).

* In the book series ''Literature/NightWorld'', witches' rank is described as mother, maiden, or crone. The heads of the witch clan are also split up into this, with each being described as head of their third of the group.
* In Creator/NeilGaiman's ''Literature/TheOceanAtTheEndOfTheLane'', the Hempstock family consists of a young girl, her mother and an old woman. Neil Gaiman is [[AuthorAppeal fond]] of this trope.
* The three main characters of ''Literature/ThePrincessSeries'' fit this trope:
** Snow -- maiden (though she's really not a maiden anymore)
** Danielle -- mother
** Talia -- crone

* In George R.R. Martin's ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'', the Mother (who is gentle, loving and a source of feminine strength... [[MamaBear especially when flipping the switch to protect any kids]]), Maiden (beauty, innocence, hope and romanticism personified) and Crone (old, wise, hard and stern) are worshipped as three of [[http://gameofthrones.wikia.com/wiki/Faith_of_the_Seven#Beliefs The Seven.]] The others are the Warrior (hunter), Smith (lord) and Father (prophet) — TheThreeFacesOfAdam — and the Stranger, an ambiguously gendered [[GrimReaper death god]]. Arguably he/it/they is ambiguously humanoid, too.
** The Sand Snakes also fit. Shape-tougued Obara is the Crone, sexy Nym is the Matron (in the sense of a confident and mature woman), and innocent, or at least seemingly innocent, Tyene is the Maiden.
** The Queens, the three female players in King's Landing after the Tyrells arrive fit the theme, even though one of them is on the opposing side to the other two. And they play their roles in a rather dark tone: Margaery Tyrell is the likely less innocent than she appears, rising Queen, ostensibly the Maiden -- also a widow after two kings, and the wife of a third, officially remaining a virgin (truthfully or not) because her husband is a child. Cersei Lannister is the psychotic Queen Mother, loathing being replaced and undergoing SanitySlippage after one of her children is killed... by the Crone, Olenna Tyrell, not royalty herself, but nicknamed "Queen of Thorns", wise and ruthless politician who actually pulls the strings around while looking like a harmless, if cranky, old lady.

* The three Webster sisters from the ''Tales form the Wyrd Museum'' series by Creator/RobinJarvis are this -- it's eventually revealed they ''are'' [[TheWeirdSisters the Nornir]], the goddesses of fate from Myth/NorseMythology.

* The witch families in Anne Bishop's ''Tir Alainn'' trilogy appear as this. Usually a grandmother, mother and daughter living together. None ever seem to be able to keep the men around. Well, at least not at the start of the story anyway.

* ''Literature/TheToughGuideToFantasyland'': The most common form of tritheism the Management opts to portray is a Mother, Maiden and Crone trio.
* The goddess Lillinara in David Weber's ''Literature/TheWarGods'' series is one individual, but her temples include separate towers for her Maiden, Mother and Crone aspects.
** This also extends to her [[ThePaladin Arms]], who are split into three groups, one for each aspect. Arms of the Maiden tend to stay at the temples serving as scholars, librarians and healers. Arms of the Mother are [[KnightErrant Knights Errant]] who travel around the world helping people in her name. Arms of the Crone are avengers dispatched to bring vengance on those who deserve it. While Arms progress through the aspects in order not all of them choose to progress if they don't have the aptitude for it and some choose to remain a Maiden or Mother for thier entire career rather than progress to being an Arm of the Crone.

* Symbolized in ''Literature/WhiteAsSnow'' in particular by gowns Arpazia wears over the course of the story, one white, one russet and one black. Arpazia is forced out of her maidenhood too soon because of Coira's birth, and she rejects motherhood, leaving her to become a crone at all of thirty-three. Most notably, when Coira appears in a white gown, Arpazia is wearing a black one. Demeter and Persephone are also re-imagined as this trio. Coira (Kore) the maiden, Demetra (Demeter) the mother and Persapheh (Persephone) the crone.
* In Gregory Maguire's novel ''Literature/{{Wicked}}'', the birth of Elphaba (who will become [[Literature/TheWonderfulWizardOfOz the Wicked Witch of the West]]) is attended by a maiden, a mother, and a crone. To add to the "Fates" theme (remember, Elphaba is DoomedByCanon), she's born inside a puppet theater. As for the archetypes of three witches themselves, Nessarose is the Maiden, G(a)linda the Mother, and Elphaba the Crone.

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* The first three episodes of ''Series/SeventhHeaven'' are about the life cycle. In the pilot, daughter Lucy is sensitive about starting her period and thus becoming a woman. She says that her type is Prince Charles because she bets that he is sensitive and shy. The second episode has mother Annie using her intuition and welcoming nature to learn that Matt's friend is a pregnant teenager. In the third episode grandmother Jenny is visited by Annie who is concerned because Jenny has Leukemia. Annie finds that Jenny is spending her final days living life to its fullest. When Annie expresses her concerns about Jenny resting and watching her cholesterol, Jenny says that she'll be resting soon enough and she's not supposed to be watching it anymore.

* Intentional or not, the Opera House visions in ''Series/BattlestarGalactica2003'' are experienced by Caprica-Six (maiden), Athena (mother) and Laura Roslin (crone). They are also experienced by Athena's daughter Hera who runs from Athena to Caprica in the visions while Roslin is known to be dying of cancer, which could reflect a progression of the cycle to Hera (maiden), Caprica (mother), and Athena (crone).
* Bill's three wives in ''Series/BigLove'': Barb (the matriarch), Nicki (the brooding manipulator) and Margene (the naive young beauty).

* The ''Series/{{Merlin 1998}}'' series, though it isn't really seen in detail except in the novelizations, where it is explicitly stated that Queen Mab was once a triple goddess who consisted of Maiden (Titania), Mother (Melusine), and Warrior (Mab-Morrigan). Merlin unwittingly tries to contact her Maiden aspect in his adolescence after seeing a statue of her in a pond, and only gets through to Nimue (before meeting her).
* ''Series/TheSecretCircle'' gives us Cassie, Diana and Faye, with Cassie as the Maiden, Diana is the Matron and Faye as the Crone.

* The three witches in the early episodes of ''Series/TheWhiteQueen'', Jacquetta Woodville, her daughter Queen Elizabeth (consort of Edward IV, not the more famous daughter of Henry VIII), and her daughter, also named Elizabeth, form this trio. Jacquetta, the grandmother and the most knowledgeable in witchcraft, and with the steadiest, most phlegmatic temperament, is the crone. Queen Elizabeth, the beautiful (and that is historically accurate, as the accounts all agree that she was gorgeous) young wife of the king, with the most passionate temperament of the three, and already with multiple children, is the mother. Little Elizabeth, being at that time only a child, and for a long time not really understanding what they are doing when they use witchcraft together, is the maiden. As time passes, and she becomes more mature and "grow[s] beautiful," as her uncle King Richard III puts it, she develops more of the seductress aspect of the Maiden.

[[folder:Music]]

[[folder:Myths & Religion]]
* In RealLife, while there have since been several triple-goddesses, the idea of Maiden, Mother and Crone is almost certainly modern, invented in the 20th century. In ancient times, goddess triplets were depicted as equally old. The trope's widespread application to numerous goddesses from multiple pantheons is certainly entirely modern.

* The Arthurian romances have the perfect example of the triad in the three 'Damosels' encountered by Sirs Gawain, Ywain and Marhaus. One is a maiden of fifteen; one a woman of thirty or so; and the final 'Damosel' is an old woman of sixty years.
* Wicca (or rather some forms of it) centers around the triple goddess: Maiden, Mother and Crone. There is also a variation of this this concept with four goddesses or forms of the Goddess: Maiden, Mother, Matriarch/Priestess, or Crone.

** The Moon Goddess is said to appear in three aspects, Artemis, the protector of chastity, on earth, Selene, the mother of the stars and devoted spouse of Endymion, in the heavens, and Hecate, the aged and crafty guardian of the crossroads, in the Underworld. There [[http://www.paleothea.com/SortaSingles/Hera.html is a legend]] that the goddess Hera was given the titles Maiden, Mother, and Widow over her life, which, considering that she was a protectress of all women, would certainly make sense. Lastly, Hecate returns as the go-between of Demeter, the EarthMother goddess, and her daughter, youthful Persephone, queen of the Underworld.
** The three virgin goddesses qualify as well--young, lively Artemis is the Maiden, nurturing, responsible Hestia is the Mother and wise but fierce Athena is the Crone.
** Due to an odd bit of DecompositeCharacter, Aphrodite is sometimes depicted as this trope with ''herself''--[[ReallyGetsAround Aphrodite Pandemos]] being the sexual, vivacious Maiden, [[AllLovingHero Aphrodite Urania]] being the more chaste Mother and [[LadyOfWar Aphrodite Areia]] being the warlike Crone.

* The Mayan goddess of fertility and healing, Ix Chel takes three forms (although she is most frequently seen in her Crone form). She is a young woman with a snake on her head, who practices medicine, a slightly older woman holding a rabbit (a symbol of fertility), who has taken time off from her career as a healer to focus on her family, and an old woman pouring out water, and going back to her career as a healer.
* Haitian folk religion acknowledges a deity called Erzulie, who personifies femininity. That covers a lot of ground, of course, and at least three of her aspects are Erzulie Freda (vain and flirty; Maiden), Erzulie Mansur (protector of children; Mother) and Granne Erzulie (representing maturity; Crone).

[[folder:Podcasts]]

[[folder:Tabletop Games]]

* In the ''TabletopGame/NentirVale'' setting of ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons,'' the firbolgs -- a race of quasi-Celtic fey [[OurOgresAreHungrier ogres]] -- worship a female pantheon consisting of a Maiden/Mother/Crone trinity, with Melora (Goddess of Nature) as the Maiden, Sehanine (Goddess of the Moon) as the Mother, and the Raven Queen (Goddess of Death, Fate and Winter) as the Crone.

* The [[WickedWitch Circle of The Crone]], one of the covenants from ''TabletopGame/VampireTheRequiem'', is a group of pagan Goddess-worshiping vampires who believe that their existence is perfectly natural. In their social structures they have roles that are similar to The Hecate Sisters, but with a vampiric twist. First there's The Maiden (a.k.a. [[VirginPower The Virgin]]) who is ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin, but for vampires being a Virgin means never having killed someone. They're typically newly Embraced, and their role is to remind the others of their former humanity, although they themselves struggle to [[BewareTheNiceOnes control]] [[HorrorHunger their own urge]] [[UnstoppableRage to kill]]. Next is [[EvilMatriarch The Mother]], whose duty is to [[EvilChancellor advise]] and [[AffablyEvil comfort]]. Mothers don't have much power on their own, so they often rely on [[ManipulativeBastard subtle manipulation]]. And to complete the trinity they have [[TheDreaded The Crone]], a rare and potent role. They symbolize destruction and act as judges and executioners within the Circle.

* The Elven pantheon of gods in ''{{TabletopGame/Warhammer}}'' has three very straight-up examples in Lilaeth the Moon Maiden, Isha the Earth Mother and Morai-Heg the Crone. All three have influence on aspects of magic, fate and nature. They also have dark counterparts in Atharti the Seductress, Ereth Khial the Pale Queen and Hekarti Mistress of the Dark.
* In ''TabletopGame/TheWerewolvesOfMillersHollow'', the village is protected by a little girl, a fortune teller and a witch.
* In ''TabletopGame/WerewolfTheApocalypse'', the [[AmazonBrigade Black Furies]] honor a trio of jaggling spirits called the triptych, who represent the maiden, mother, and crone archetypes. The Furies themselves also assign maiden, mother, or crone rank to members, depending on what stage in life they've reached.

[[folder:Theater]]
* The three women in the cast of ''Theatre/{{Fools}}''. Sophia the Maiden, Lenya the mother and Yenchna the crone.
* As an exploration of themes regarding femininity, it is fitting that the women of ''Theatre/OnTheVerge'' form this trinity: Alex (Maiden), Fanny (Mother), and Mary (Crone).

[[folder:Video Games]]

* ''VideoGame/DragonQuestV'' has the Hero's three potential brides: Bianca (the Maiden) is a beautiful, somewhat innocent blonde woman; Nera (the Matron) is ladylike and motherly; and Debora is a very snarky and {{Tsundere}}ish Crone.

* Alma in ''[[VideoGame/FirstEncounterAssaultRecon FEAR: Project Origin]]'' has three appearances she manifests in: Her [[CreepyChild child form]], representing last memory of herself before she was locked in the psychic insulator and her need for help and contact with others (the maiden), an emaciated, pale and haggard woman representing how her body actually looked when she died and her desire for vengeance on those who did it to her (the crone), and an idealised, healthy-looking woman [[spoiler:who turns out to represent Alma's desire to have a 'real' family by seducing the main character (the mother).]]

** Of the three [[BarrierMaiden Dreamers]], Monomon the Teacher is the Maiden, Herrah the Beast is the Mother (literally, to [[spoiler:Hornet]]), and Lurien the Watcher is the Crone.
** The three female Great Knights: Fierce Dryya is The Maiden, Kindly Isma is The Mother, and Mysterious Ze'mer ([[spoiler:The Grey Mourner]]) is The Crone.
* In ''VideoGame/KingsQuestVII'', Valanice summons herself into a pocket dimension in Etheria, and finds the Three Fates generally minding their own business and doing their cosmic work. Atropos is an enthusiastic, spiky-haired teenager (who happily severs the fates of women and men), Clotho is an elegant, mysterious and soft-spoken woman (who spins the thread of fate), and Lachesis (the only one of the three with significant dialogue, and who measures the length of the thread) is a matter-of-fact, somewhat harsh older lady.
* The female playable characters in ''VideoGame/LastScenario'' are this. Lorenza is the maiden, [[spoiler:Zawu]] is the mother, and Matilda is the crone.

* In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSkywardSword'', Zelda is the maiden, Impa is the mother, and [[spoiler:Impa]] the old woman the crone.

* ''{{VideoGame/Lusternia}}'' directly references the ''Moirae'' of Greek mythology: Clotho, the maid (who spins the threads of life), Lachesis, the mother (who measures the threads) and Atropos, the crone (who cuts the thread upon death). They govern the destinies of all mortals who are marked by the Portal of Fate -- namely, [[PlayerCharacter every player character]].
** Lisaera also takes on the form of the maiden, mother and crone as and when it pleases her.

* ''VideoGame/YesYourGrace'': The rodzanice spirits that can be summoned to ensure that Eryk's youngest child is male consist of a little girl, a young woman and an old woman.

[[folder:Web Animation]]
* ''WebAnimation/{{Eddsworld}}'' brings us the female versions of the main trio (formerly a quartet), Ell (female Edd), Matilda (female Matt) and Tamara (female Tom). Matilda, being ditzy, vain and energetic is the Maiden; Ell, being the leader who keeps her cool under pressure is the Mother; and Tamara, being cynical and prone to sarcastic quips, is the Crone.

[[folder:Webcomics]]
* ''Webcomic/ArthurKingOfTimeAndSpace'' gives us the three women to hold the title of Lady of the Lake. Nimue, only recently graduating from Merlin's apprentice, is the Maiden. Morgan, visibly the eldest and with a past she deeply regrets, is the Crone. Vivienne would be Mother by process of elimination, but she doesn't do anything especially motherly, unless you count raising Lancelot offpanel.

* ''Webcomic/KillSixBillionDemons'': The Demiurge Nadia Om is an old woman who is capable of de-aging herself [[spoiler:through eating a fruit made from HumanResources]], usually switching between her ancient, withered form (her 'true' age), the form of a preteen girl (which represents her life before she was married) and a young to middle-aged woman (as 'Mother Om' and the wife of Hastet Om). The trope gets almost directly referenced [[https://killsixbilliondemons.com/comic/breaker-of-infinities-1-30/ when she uses one of her most powerful attacks]] in the fifth book.
* ''Webcomic/TheWeave'' has three seers who are called "the sisters" despite one of them clearly being an old crone, one a middle-aged woman (though with nothing that identifies her as a motherly figure) and one a young woman. They also seem to lean towards the Fates from Greek mythology.
* The Norns in ''Webcomic/GunnerkriggCourt'' appear as [[https://www.gunnerkrigg.com/?p=2341 differently-aged versions]] of [[AppearanceIsInTheEyeOfTheBeholder whoever looks at them]] (which so far has just been women), with Skuld appearing as child versions of Annie and Kat and a teenage version of Anja; Verdandi as the characters are now; and Urd as grown-up versons of Annie and Kat and an elderly version of Anja. The way Anja sees them in particular fits the trope. Kat questions why Skuld, the Norn of the future, looks like her past self, and Urd, the Norn of the past, as her future one, and [[https://www.gunnerkrigg.com/?p=2344 is told]] she's looking at it from the wrong perspective; Skuld appears as someone who ''has'' a future to look forward to, and Urd as someone with a long past to remember. (This seems to be the way Myth/NorseMythology saw it, in contrast with the Greek Fates, who are generally seen as the other way round.)

[[folder:Western Animation]]

* The Weird Sisters in ''WesternAnimation/{{Gargoyles}}'', who in addition to being the three witches from ''Macbeth'' also represent the three Fates/Norns, the three Graces and the three Furies. (They are ''not'', however, the three women who carried Arthur to Avalon. By WordOfGod, those were the Lady of the Lake, Nimue and Morgana.)

-->'''Phil:''' I'm tellin' ya, they're double dipping!

* In ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls'', the three titular characters are all the same age, but otherwise they fit the trope pretty well. Blossom is the Mother; she's the most level-headed and sensible of the girls and frequently has to keep her sisters on the right track, and because of this she can come across as bossy and overbearing on occasions. Bubbles is the Maiden; she has the most youthful and cheery attitude of the three, and her naivety is sometimes taken advantage of by some of the recurring villains. Buttercup is the Crone; she's bad-tempered, abrasive and sarcastic, and acts as something of a skeptic to Blossom's plans from time to time, but she'll always come through for her sisters and loved ones in the end.

** Amethyst, Pearl, and Garnet fit this well. Amethyst is the youngest of the three and acts the most childish. Pearl, though skinny as a rail, is eccentric in her love for Steven's mother Rose and acts the most motherly towards Steven. Garnet is able to see into the future, and she controls her emotions better than the other two.
** The members of the Diamond Authority fit this as well. Pink Diamond (the most childlike and implied to be the youngest) is the Maiden, Blue Diamond (the most openly caring for her sisters) is the Mother, and Yellow Diamond (stoic and businesslike) is the Crone. Going by current members of the Diamond Authority, Blue Diamond (most openly emotional) is the Maiden, Yellow Diamond (the responsible one) is the Mother, and White Diamond (implied to be the oldest) is the Crone.

* The Norns in ''Webcomic/GunnerkriggCourt'' appear as [[[[https://www.gunnerkrigg.com/?p=2341 differently-aged versions]] of [[AppearanceIsInTheEyeOfTheBeholder whoever looks at them]] (which so far has just been women), with Skuld appearing as child versions of Annie and Kat and a teenage version of Anja; Verdandi as the characters are now; and Urd as grown-up versons of Annie and Kat and an elderly version of Anja. The way Anja sees them in particular fits the trope. Kat questions why Skuld, the Norn of the future, looks like her past self, and Urd, the Norn of the past, as her future one, and [[https://www.gunnerkrigg.com/?p=2344 is told]] she's looking at it from the wrong perspective; Skuld appears as someone who ''has'' a future to look forward to, and Urd as someone with a long past to remember. (This seems to be the way Myth/NorseMythology saw it, in contrast with the Greek Fates, who are generally seen as the other way round.)

* The Norns in ''Webcomic/GunnerkriggCourt'' appear as [[[[https://www.gunnerkrigg.com/?p=2341 differently-aged versions]] of [[AppearanceIsInTheEyeOfTheBeholder whoever looks at them]] (which so far has just been women), with Skuld appearing as child versions of Annie and Kat and a teenage version of Anja; Verdandi as the characters are now; and Urd as grown-up versons of Annie and Kat and an elderly version of Anja. The way Anja sees them in particular fits the trope. Kat questions why Skuld, the Norn of the future, looks like her past self, and Urd, the Norn of the past, as her future one, and [[https://www.gunnerkrigg.com/?p=2344 is told]] she's looking at it from the wrong perspective; Skuld appears as someone who ''has'' a future to look forward to, and Urd as someone with a long past to remember. (This seems to be the way UsefulNotes/NorseMythology saw it, in contrast with the Greek Fates, who are generally seen as the other way round.)

** In ''I Shall Wear Midnight'', the three girls of (or around) Tiffany's age make up one of these trios: Tiffany is the Crone, Letitia is the Maiden, and Amber is the Mother.

* Glorantha (setting of ''TabletopGame/{{Runequest}}'', ''[=HeroQuest=]'', ''VideoGame/KingOfDragonPass,'' ''VideoGame/SixAges'', and others) has this going on with the major Earth goddess. Voria is the Maiden, young and innocent. Ernalda (and sometimes Esrola, mother of animals and grains, as well) is the Mother, generous and influential. Asrelia is the Crone, who keeps her treasures close. They are at once different faces of the same goddess, and three generations of the same family. Then there are their Dark Earth counterparts, another sister in each divine generation: Babeester Gor the Avenger, born to avenge the wrongs done to her family; Maran Gor the Destroyer, goddess of earthquakes and dinosaurs; and Ty Kora Tek, the guardian of the grave, who is Asrelia's twin. Most Orlanthi women cycle through several of their cults: Voria as children, Ernalda as mature women (with some worshipping Esrola or the Gors instead), and old women worshipping Asrelia and Ty Kora Tek together.

This trope has the unusual distinction of being either OlderThanFeudalism, or NewerThanTheyThink: Most of what we know about triple-goddess mythology comes from the author and mythologist Robert Graves, who, like many of his early 20th-century contemporaries, tended to add his own ideas wherever he felt they were needed. Initially, the triad reassembled more TheWeirdSisters, with no substantial variations in the goddesses' personalities. When Graves got his hands in the matter we got the idea of each goddess symbolizing a stage in womanhood.

Compared with TheThreeFacesOfEve, the maiden combines the naivety of the child with the sexuality of the seductress, the mother combines the liveliness of the child with the maturity of the wife, and the crone maps most closely to the wise, levelheaded wife. However, the sexuality of the Hecate Sisters is mutable -- if the Maiden is a young girl, then the mother might take on the role of [[StacysMom an experienced and sensual woman,]] who happens to be maternal as well.

Age wise, compare the ThreeSuccessfulGenerations. A trio of supernatural women that is not differentiated in this way are TheWeirdSisters. Also compare TheThreeFacesOfAdam and SameSexTriplets.

Sub-trope of PowerTrio and cousin to TheThreeFacesOfEve: The three aspects of a triune goddess or trinity of goddesses appear as sisters. They are the maiden (often [[EveryoneLovesBlondes blonde and beautiful]], and either a [[NaiveEverygirl naive ditz]] or a budding seductress), the matron/mother (often [[ChubbyMamaSkinnyPapa plump]] and rather eccentric, or pregnant) and the crone (often [[DeadpanSnarker sharp-witted, sharp-tongued]], bitter and unsentimental, [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold but not without kindness]]). In terms of a FreudianTrio, the maiden is the Id, the crone is the Superego, and the mother is the Ego. Even though they are the same being, they seem to know and think different things, so they bicker. In fantasy stories, these characters may be exactly what they appear, or they may be a trio of witches or wise women who reflect the aspects of the goddess.

This trope has the unusual distinction of being either OlderThanFeudalism, or NewerThanTheyThink: Most of what we know about triple-goddess mythology comes from the author and mythologist Robert Graves, who, like many of his early 20th-century contemporaries, tended to add his own ideas wherever he felt they were needed.

* Creator/DarioArgento's Three Mothers Trilogy, which consists of 1977's ''Film/{{Suspiria|1977}}'', 1980's ''Film/{{Inferno}}'' and 2007's ''Film/MotherOfTears'', takes its inspiration from [[Literature/LevanaAndOurLadiesOfSorrow De Quincey's poem]], with each film featuring one of the titular women as an evil witch. Controlling the world from their bastion-like homes, the three include a knowledgeable (in the dark arts) crone (Mater Suspirioum/Helena Markos), a lively vicious middle aged woman (Mater Tenebrarum, though she's technically supposed to be the youngest), and a sexually depraved maiden (Mater Lachrymarum).