"The Childlike Empress wasn't just any ruler; she was something entirely different. She didn't rule, she had never used force or made use of her power. She never issued commands and she never judged anyone. She never interfered with anyone and never had to defend herself against any assailant; for no one would have ever thought of rebelling against her or of harming her in any way. In her eyes all her subjects were equal. She was the center of all life and every creature, good or bad, beautiful or ugly, owed their existence to her existence. Without her nothing could have lived, any more than a persons body can live if it has lost its heart." - The Neverending Story
The Childlike Empress (also known as the Golden Eyed Commander of Wishes or Moon Child) is the supreme and immortal ruler of the mystical universe called Fantasia (called Fantastica in Michael Ende's novel). She resides in Fantasia's imperial capital called The Ivory Tower.
Childlike Empress
"She was sitting, propped on many cushions, on a soft round couch of satin at the center of the great round blossom. She was looking straight forward and her almond eyes of bright gold were full of truth and wisdom but her tiny body seemed infinitely frail and delicate. She looked like an indescribably beautiful little girl of no more than ten, but her long, smoothly combed hair, which hung down over her shoulders, was as white as snow."- The Neverending Story
In the novel, the Childlike Empress is described as being a kind and gentle individual who is pure at heart. She has soft pale white skin and large, almond shaped eyes the color of bright gold. Her eyebrows are two arched lines of sepia-colored India ink, yet her long hair is as white as snow. She wears a formal silk gown of pure white and sits on a round satin couch of many cushions within the very center of a giant white Magnolia flower made of intricately carved ivory that sits high on the very top of the tower. This tower is said to be so high that it reaches up into the clouds.
The home of the Childlike Empress as seen in the film version
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At night, when the moon is full, occasionally the Magnolia petals will blossom and unfold, thus revealing the empress who can be seen sitting in the middle of the big opened flower.
The Childlike Empress as illustrated in Michael Ende's novel.
While her appearance resembles that of a slender and unbelievably beautiful little girl no older than ten, she herself is as old as time itself. She possesses a wisdom far beyond that of mortals or any other fantasy creature. She is the highest rank of all things mystical. The empress also has many magical powers, but what these supernatural abilities exactly are is never fully explained in detail.
The Childlike Empress as seen in the film version.
It appears that, periodically, the Childlike Empress and her powers grows very weak, and to regain her strength, she must be willingly given a new name by a child dreamer from the human world to maintain good health and keep alive. If the empress was to ever die, the world of Fantasia and all of its magical inhabitants would completely cease to exist as everything would be consumed by the dark and negative force simply known as "The Nothing." Luckily, Bastian renames the empress after his deceased mother "'Moon Child'" and saves her as well as the world of which she dwells and rules over.