Suspiria: Everything You Need To Know About The Three Mothers
6. Mother Suspiriorum
Making her debut appearance in the first of Argento's trilogy, Mater Suspiriorum was the primary antagonist in Suspiria.
Going by the name of Helena Markos, she founded her home in the Black Forest of Friedburg, Germany, with the Tanz Akademie, a school for dance. Started in 1895, the school was wildly successful but its occult nature began to attract the attention of wary locals. They feared that Markos was a witch, and so to avoid this unwanted attention, Markos faked her death in 1905.
In her supposed absence, the school only grew more successful. Markos remained alive in the secret catacombs beneath the academy, using her various pupils and understudies to run the school. But all the while, they became one of the most powerful witch covens in the world.
Markos' powers included invisibility and telekinesis, but she was severely weakened just before the events of Suspiria. A white witch by the name of Elisa Mandy challenged her to a duel, and although Markos ultimately won, she was horribly scarred and reduced to the hag-like appearance she had during the final act of Suspiria.