Glow

The world of Glow is rife with characters who possess magical abilities. These various forms of magic become a motif that symbolizes power and agency. While characters other than royals, both fae and human, are capable of demonstrating magical abilities, those of high status are particularly prone to misuse their magic to dominate and control others.

On the fae side, Stanton exhibits the power to break. Although he is not a royal, he uses his magic in service to his king to break the bridge connecting Annwyn to Orea. Stanton rejoices when Slade first exhibits rot power at the age of eight. He assumes that his son will use it to amass more wealth and influence for the family, and is disappointed when Slade seems uninterested in domination. He tries to use Slade’s powers for himself, which represents Slade’s lack of agency in their dynamic. When Slade turns his magical abilities against his father, the moment represents a crucial break in which Slade claims his own agency for the first time.

Magical abilities also illustrate the power dynamics between political players. On the human side, Malina is treated as an outcast by her own father, the king, because she has no magical abilities.