Ayra (Fire Emblem)
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Ayra (Japanese: アイラ) is a young female swordfighter from the Fire Emblem series, more specifically Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu. She is called Ira (even though the name of Ira is an established male name, but it is sometimes a diminutive form of Irina) in the book Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu: TREASURE and in Fire Emblem Trading Card Game. She is 17 years old in Gran 757, according to the Osawa version of the Seisen no Keifu manga. She has been highly credited by most Fire Emblem fans, especially those who played Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu through console emulation in the United States. Therefore, Ayra is one of the most popular Fire Emblem characters. She is the first popular female swordfighter in Fire Emblem history and also the first female character to start a class that is also held by male characters. She is the Nabarl character of Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu, and the first female Nabarl character, and also the only Nabarl to be recruited by a Lord (that is Sigurd). She also started the Myrmidon and Swordmaster classes. She also possesses the special skill known as Ryuuseiken, or Meteor Hit. Some fans of the Fire Emblem series consider her as symbolizing punishment due to her iron will, such as saying "Or else I'll have Ayra beat you up." Ayra is sometimes called "The Original Swordmaster", since she started the Myrmidon and Swordmaster classes, which are very popular Fire Emblem classes, and she is also called "The Original Sword Demon" of Fire Emblem, and the "Isaacian Sword Demon." Another "Sword Demon" is called Karel, a male Swordmaster from Fire Emblem: Fuuin no Tsurugi and Fire Emblem: Rekka no Ken. Ayra is often killed off in enemy state by players who are new to Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu, but she is well praised by larger fans of the game and is one of the more popular Nabarl characters. Other characters who relate to Nabarl include Rutger from Fire Emblem: Fuuin no Tsurugi, Guy from Fire Emblem: Blazing Sword, Jhosua from Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones and Zihart from Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance.
Since Fire Emblem: Fuuin no Tsurugi, the term Ayra is used by some players to refer to the female Nabarl clone, while Nabarl is used to refer to the male Nabarl clone. In this sense, Fir would be called the Ayra character of Fire Emblem: Fuuin no Tsurugi and Rutger the game's Nabarl character. Likewise Marika would be called the Ayra character of Fire Emblem: Seima no Kouseki, while Joshua is the game's Nabarl character. Some players consider Ayra an original character rather than a Nabarl clone.
Possessing the skill known as the Ryuuseiken (Meteor Hit), which a few Fire Emblem fans call "overpowered", has significantly contributed to Ayra's popularity. Ayra also has Pursuit and Awareness skill. She is considered one of the most versatile characters of Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu, and vies in competition with Levin the prince of Silesia. She has become immensely popular with fanboys and male gamers outside Japan through console emulation since the time of Super Smash Bros. Melee where fellow Fire Emblem characters Marth and Roy are playable and when Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu began to be widely played through emulation outside Japan.
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Brief bio
Princess Ayra, daughter of King Mananan (named after a mythical figure Manannan mac Lir), a descendant of Odo, one of the 12 Jugdral Crusaders, was born and raised in the Kingdom of Isaac, the northeasternmost country in the continent of Judgral. In the Gran Calendar year 757, Prince Kult made the decision to have Sigurd's Kingdom of Grandbell to subdue the Kingdom Isaac. That conflict forced Ayra and her nephew Shanan, son of her older brother Mariccle, to flee to the Kingdom of Verdane, the kingdom on the exact opposite side of Jugdral, and ended up working for Kinbois as a mercenary. She also has an iron will to protect Shanan and to win a battle. Despite her strict exterior, she is really very nice. Therefore, behind her strict and tough exterior is a smooth, soft, and caring heart.
Relationship:
Crusader ancestor: Odo
Father: Mananan
Mother: unknown
Brother: Mariccle
Husband: depends on the Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu love system (canonically Holyn)
Distant cousin: Holyn
Nephew: Shanan
Son: Skasaher
Daughter: Lakche
Daughter-in-law: depends on the Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu love system (most likely Yuria)
Son-in-law: depends on the Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu love system (most likely either Johan or Johalva)
Her story
In Gran 757, the Kingdom of Isaac was on the verge of destruction. Around the Prologue chapter of Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu, Prince Kult from Barhara Castle, Grandbell, makes the decision that the Grandbellian army invades Ayra's country the Kingdom of Isaac, because of public outcry involving the Isaacian barbarians from Rivough subduing Darna. Darna was once a peaceful dukedom and was cooperating with Grandbell, but there were reports of massive slaughter caused by the Rivough army. As her brother Mariccle has ordered, Ayra flees with Shanan from Isaac to Verdane, through Manster and then through Miletos, in order to escape Isaac's conflict with Grandbell. At the time, the men and children of Isaacian were to be killed, and the case for the women was slavery, and the usual from would rape and torture to death. Mariccle does not want his son Shanan or his younger sister Ayra to go all through this Grandbellian massacre the other Isaacians have to suffer. Ayra and Shanan had no other alternative than to flee their home country Isaac. The only thing was at the time, the Kingdom of Verdane was the only country that was not under Grandbellian influence, and Verdane has been hostile towards Grandbell. Even if Ayra and Shanan fled to one of the countries under Grandbellian influence with peaceful ties with Grandbell, if their identity was revealed to Barhara royalty, they could be presented as prisoners to Grandbell. Therefore, Ayra and Shanan had no alternative but to flee to Verdane to the opposite end of the continent of Jugdral. First, they fled to Manster District across the sea coast near Yied Desert. They were going to hide in Lenster Castle, but Lenster Castle has a tie with Grandbell, more specifically Chalphy castle. Ayra decided to flee to Miletos with Shanan. At Miletos, a free travel area where people around the Fire Emblem world travel to enter Jugdral or sell imported goods, Ayra and Shanan were not in any danger as long as they did not stay too long. Before they knew it, they spent two weeks in Miletos. Afterwards, they sneaked through the south tip of Grandbell near Jungby, which is far from Barhara (the central castle of Grandbell), not being in too much danger, and then arrived to Verdane.
Upon arrival to Verdane, Shanan found his new life in Verdane amusing, making a game out of it, but Ayra was struggling to find her own way in life. She found out that she had no alternative but to work as a mercenary for Kinbois, son of King Bator and brother of Jamka, as a mercenary. Ayra shows up with Kinbois in Chapter 1 of Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu, taking place in the Kingdom of Verdane, the southwesternmost country in Jugdral. Then she talks with Shanan. After that, talking to Kinbois again, she says no to double-crossing, for she would not take double-crossing too lightly. If Kinbois double-crosses her, she would decapitate him and put his head to and pierce it with a stick. Kinbois says that Ayra has a pretty face. In order to avoid threat to have Shanan cut off, she was forced to do as Kinbois wishes, which is to guard Genoa Castle and fight against her will. She stands there with three Axefighters.
When Sigurd and his forces come too close to her, Ayra says that she would kill anyone coming near her, and therefore she begins to fight against her will. Sigurd has to kill the Axefighter guarding Genoa Castle, and then conquered the castle, rescuing Shanan. Shanan says to Sigurd that Ayra was fighting against her iron will and tells him to help and recruit her. Immediately, Ayra comes and talks to Sigurd, and then Sigurd gains her allegiance in return for rescuing Shanan. Sigurd tells her that her nephew Shanan said that she would be hostile towards him and his people since he is from Grandbell. Later, after Sigurd is through talking with her, Ayra talks with Cuan about the political situation between Isaac and Grandbell. She knew Cuan before she knew Sigurd. Cuan's father King Lenster, who is ill due to the attached curse of the Gayborg, had a high opinion of Ayra's father Mananan. Mananan was assassinated by Reptor, father of Tiltyu (or Tailto), on the Grandbellian front during the declaration of Isaac's conflict with Grandbell about five or six years before the time of the game. Ayra's brother Mariccle entrusted Shanan to her, because Mariccle was prepared for death during Isaac's conflict with Grandbell. Even after she joins Sigurd's party, Ayra still views Grandbell as her sworn enemy, but Sigurd tells her that he does not want to split sides with her, and he does not care too much about the war with Isaac.
In Chapter 2, Ayra beats Holyn in the arena, and then he joins her and Sigurd's army. In Chapter 3, either Lex or Holyn would give her the Yuusha (or Heroes) Sword, since things are going to harder as the player advances through the game. Most players give her a class promotion, from Swordfighter to Swordmaster, either in Chapter 3 or 4. In Chapter 5, after Sigurd conquers Lubeck Castle, Ayra's children flee with Shanan, Oifey, and Celice to her kingdom Isaac, but to Tilnanogue Castle. After that Ayra talks with Sigurd again, and informs him that she has finished her duties to raise Shanan and that she wants to stay with Sigurd until the Battle of Barhara. The game Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu is unclear on Ayra's situation concerning the tragedy of the Battle of Barhara at the end of Chapter 5. Ayra was not mentioned in Fire Emblem: Thracia 776.
Joining Sigurd
Getting Ayra to join Sigurd's forces is difficult, but she is worth it. First, Sigurd and his forces already in his army have to lure her westward to the forest west of Marpha castle. It is not recommended to lure Ayra near Evans Castle, which may result in a "Game Over" message. Sigurd gains the allegiance of Ayra after rescuing Shanan, Ayra's nephew.
Related characters
Isaacians
- Shanan: He is Mariccle's son and Ayra's nephew. He was rescued by Sigurd from the clutches of Ayra's former master Kinbois. He is the only one allowed to wield Odo's Holy Weapon the Balmunk. Mariccle, Ayra's older brother, was prepared for death when he entrusted Shanan to Ayra. Shanan fled with Ayra to Verdane to escape Isaac's war with Grandbell, and in Chapter 5, he fled with Oifey, Celice, and Ayra's children Lakche and Skasaher back to Isaac. In Chapter 3, while Sigurd was away and Diadora was abducted by Manfroy, Celice was in Shanan's arms.
- Holyn: Also known as Holin, Holyn is Ayra's male counterpart and very distant relative, as a descendant of Odo. He has Gekkoken (Moonlight Sword) skill. He was retconned from Oguma of Fire Emblem: Monshou no Nazo. He is from Sophara castle in the Kingdom of Isaac. He is very protective of Ayra, and he knew her when he was a boy and has romantic interest in her, just like Lex. He moved to Agustria and became a gladiator, because he wanted money. Holyn spent his life in the arena of Evans castle as a professional gladiator until he was beaten by Sigurd's Army (most likely Sigurd or Ayra, or by the way of the Weapon Triangle, Cuan or Fin). He cannot be recruited with Mideel or Jamka. Cash was his motivator all those years in the arena. Immediately thereafter, Holyn decided to join Sigurd's army and fight for a greater cause instead of cash. Ayra is traditionally paired up with Holyn.
- Lakche: Ayra's daughter. Lakche takes much after Ayra. She hates the Granbellian Empire, run by Emperor Alvis, very much. Johan and Johalva are obsessed with her, but she would love only one of them in return. Lakche and her brother Skasaher were raised by their cousin Shanan in Tilnanogue Castle. Mareeta of Fire Emblem: Thracia 776 was retconned from Lakche.
- Skasaher: Ayra's son. Skasaher is very protective of his sister Lakche. He promotes to Forrest class.
Fire Emblem: Thracia 776 Isaacians
Ayra is not mentioned in Fire Emblem: Thracia 776, but she is referred to through Lakche.
- Galzus: A mercenary powerhouse with Ryuuseiken.
- Mareeta: Taken hostage at the beginning of the game. She initially has Gekkoken skill, and she learns Ryuuseiken skill from Shanam.
Non-Isaacians
- Sigurd: He saved Ayra's nephew Shanan and gained her allegiance in return after he conquered Genoa castle.
- Lex: Some players of Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu pair up Ayra with Lex, and those who do so also pair up Lachesis with Fin. Lex is also the uncle of Johan and Johalva.
- Cuan: Cuan's father King Lenster had a high opinion of Ayra's father King Mananan. Ayra knew Cuan since she was young.
- Johan: He is obsessed with Lakche, wanting to be Ayra's son-in-law. He cannot join Celice's army if his brother Johalva has already joined. Lakche must choose between Johan and Johalva, and must kill the other one.
- Johalva: He is Johan's brother having the same feelings for Lakche. He cannot join Celice's army if Johan has already joined.
Name controversy
The use of the Treasure name of Ayra, that is Ira, stirs some mild controversy. Ira is actually an established male Hebrew name, meaning "watchful" or "vigilant." The practice of naming a female character using an established male name is done not only in Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu, but also in Fire Emblem: Monshou no Nazo, which has a female character named Cecil. It has been believed that Ira and Levin are named after Ira Levin, as influenced by a male Fire Emblem character Levin bearing the last name of the playwright. According to Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu: TREASURE, the character and the name of Ira are actually a reference to Polynesian mythology (See Ira (mythology)).
External link
- Kiwi's House of Saphiria - Burning Behind - A story about Ayra with her as the narrator. (http://www.saphiria.net/kiwa/feshrine/burning.htm) - She is called Aila at Saphiria.net.