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The plot of the 1996 film The Craft is set in motion by a series of specific events involving the arrival of a newcomer, Sarah Bailey, and the realization of a collective supernatural potential among a group of high school outcasts.
The story begins when Sarah Bailey (Robin Tunney) moves from San Francisco to Los Angeles with her father and stepmother. Sarah is established as "troubled," having a history of depression and a past suicide attempt. Crucially, she possesses innate, untrained telekinetic abilities, which are hinted at when she arrives at her new home and is confronted by a vagrant carrying a snake—an encounter that subtly foreshadows the film's later use of animal imagery and magic.
On her first day at St. Benedict’s Academy, Sarah is noticed by three social outcasts: Nancy Downs (Fairuza Balk), Bonnie Harper (Neve Campbell), and Rochelle Zimmerman (Rachel True). While sitting in French class, Sarah becomes bored and unconsciously uses her powers to levitate a pencil, making it spin vertically on her desk.
Bonnie observes this act of magic and immediately alerts Nancy and Rochelle. The trio had already been "playing" at witchcraft but lacked the raw power to achieve significant results. They believe they are looking for a "fourth" to complete their circle, representing the four elements (Sarah later represents Earth, Bonnie is Air, Rochelle is Water, and Nancy is Fire).
The plot moves from interest to action when the trio approaches Sarah to recruit her. They explain that they need a fourth member to make their magic "work." This recruitment is driven by the specific needs of each girl:
The turning point that confirms their collective power occurs while the four girls are walking home from school. They are harassed by the same vagrant from the beginning of the film, who begins to chase Sarah. In a moment of shared fear and focus, the girls wish for him to leave her alone. Almost immediately, the man is struck and killed by a car.
While Sarah is horrified, Nancy, Bonnie, and Rochelle are exhilarated. They believe their "combined will" caused the accident, serving as the first concrete evidence that they are truly powerful when together. This event binds Sarah to the group and initiates the casting of the four major spells—the love spell, the beauty spell, the revenge spell, and the power spell—that drive the rest of the film's conflict.
The summary omits the name of the deity 'Manon,' which is central to the coven's belief system and the source of their power.
While the summary mentions the elements, it does not explicitly mention the beach ritual ('Invocation of the Spirit') where these elements are formally assigned.
The plot of The Craft (1996) is set in motion when Sarah Bailey moves to Los Angeles and joins a trio of outcast teenage witches (Nancy, Bonnie, and Rochelle). The catalyst for their union is Bonnie observing Sarah balancing a pencil on its tip in French class, which convinces the group she is their 'fourth' member needed to complete their circle. The group's power is confirmed when a vagrant who harasses Sarah is struck by a car immediately after they wish him away. In their rituals, Sarah represents Earth (North), Nancy represents Air (East), Bonnie represents Fire (South), and Rochelle represents Water (West).