- "You two can live on in this trashed world that I've forsaken. While you live around the people that hunt you, basked in despair. I'm sure you're not ready for that, Ian."
- ―Chimera
Chimera (キメラ Kimera) was the fourth strongest Knight of the Chess Pieces. She deserted the Chess Pieces after losing her War Games match against Dorothy, no longer interested in their operations.
Appearance[]
She usually dons a ghastly skeletal mask with a green wig attached to it She conceals her blonde hair color (the green color is only in the anime, however, since the cover of volume 13 shows a blonde-haired, masked Chimera). Since her enlisting for the Chess Pieces, she's fashioned her hair spiky, a mode far more commonly styled for males, and (exclusively for the anime) builds up her stature into a more masculine form, misleading people about her actual gender[1]. In addition to these extraordinary outward features, Chimera's facial appearance carries hideously unique traits: she wears a grotesque mass of eyeballs on the right side of her face, stitches a horizontal black line on the scar across her nose's bridge, and seasons the overall gruesome sight by piercing her Knight insignia earring on the tip of her tongue. She normally wears a Mandarin-style purple robe (silver in the manga).
Personality[]
Out of the 13 Zodiac Knights, Chimera is by far the most mysterious. In her every seldom appearance until the Final Battles, Chimera never takes off her mask, nor is she seen conversing with anyone in words. Always shielding her emotions behind the skull face, Chimera possesses the silence of a beast, and the behavior of one as well: she's ruthless in battles, and is a barbarous warrior, once seen ripping apart a Cross Guard soldier thrusting at her. Her savagery is commended by even the 3rd-in-command Knight Halloween[2]; and her prowess is hinted to be one of the most noteworthy among the Knights: Alan of Team MÄR once remarks he didn't notice her in the 1st War Game, which allegedly implies either she moved up to the 4th seat of the Chess Zodiac in a matter of only 6 years' times from a previous unknown lower rank, or that she entered the Chess after the 1st War Game and managed to occupy it after only 6 years (which was precisely the case)[3]. Pozun, referee of the War Game, too esteemed surviving a fight with Chimera - be the fight itself a loss - as an impressive deed (even when the survivor in question is Gaira, 3rd-in-command of Cross Guard, the Chess' nemesis in the 1st War)[4].
When stripped of her mask, Chimera's personality is shown to be an overly sarcastic and scornful one, reflected in the jeers she attributes to others, e.g Gaira whom she outfought, and Dorothy when her attacks were merely sufficient enough to land her but one blow. She's also resolutely resentful of the world, claiming she will never forsake her path of destruction, War Game or not.[5]; and refuses to decline herself to be sympathized by opponents[6]. Besides killings, Chimera appears to have interest in disfiguring (pretty) woman bodies, hints at having an entire collection of it[7]. Despite all this fiendishness, Chimera still has her own emotional insecurities, being easily irritated/incited to losing concentration.
History[]
Chimera's true name is Eileen, and she was born to loving parents in a peaceful village. Eileen had a happy upbringing and many friends throughout her youth.
Eileen, before she became Chimera.
First Great MÄR Heaven War[]
During the First Great MÄR Heaven War, Eileen met and saved a man named Marco, a member of the then-dispersed Chess Pieces. The two eventually fell in love with each other and, after the war, decided to marry.
After the War Games[]
However, on the day of their wedding ceremony, tragedy fell: when Eileen and Marco finished exchanging wedding vows and rings and were about to kiss, they were interrupted by a hostile group of villagers. The mob, who were Chess victims still living in vestiges of the war, were on a witch hunt for the Chess and knowing Marco's former affiliation, took him captive. For she loved him despite this, Eileen desperately beseeched for her fiancé's life, protesting Marco had already defected from his organization, and that the war was already over[8]. In response, a representative man of the group told her as long as any Chess Piece was still alive, their war would not end[8]. Marco, realizing he was doomed to die, accepted his fate but reassured Eileen he would return to her.
Following the incident, Eileen frequently visited the church to pray for her beloved in front of its altar, until several days later when the captors from earlier returned. In answer to her demand of Marco's whereabouts, they returned the woman his blood-stained wedding ring (in the manga, Marco's severed finger was still attached to it), much to her horror. And as she intended to wed him well-aware of who he was, the lynchers also insisted she deserved equal punishments. Eileen spent months in their captivity, physically tortured and her body mutilated[9], until she managed to escape. However, when she arrived at a lake for rest, she discovered her captors, during their month-long abuse, had left a long scar across her face, forever spoiling her beauty. She collapsed in grief, realizing she was stripped of womanhood[10].
Six-Year Interlude[]
Peta's offer to Eileen for revenge.
Afterwards, Eileen was seen staying by the side of the lake, cloaked and hooded to hide her blemished looks until she met Peta, who at the time was traveling around MÄR Heaven to recruit members for the Chess' reestablishment. At once he perceived her magnificent latent sixth sense (presumably unearthed in her desperation) and offered her a refuge inside the Chess Pieces to extract her revenge along with some Ghost ÄRMs she appeared to have affinity with[11]. Inspirited at the prospect of vengeance, with little reluctance she acceded to Peta's proposal, and also to his condition: she was to forsake the name of Eileen and everything of the woman who was associated to it. From that day on, she would be known as Chimera[12].
During the following years the Chess Pieces had to prepare itself for the upcoming second war, Chimera relentlessly engaged in battles, honing her innate aptitude at Ghost ÄRM into mastery. Her efforts turned fruitful – in less than six years, she’s ascended three Chess classes to its exclusive and elite rank - the Zodiac Knights; reaching the rank of 4th Knight. In exchange, Chimera’s completed her part of the deal with Peta; her past Eileen woman self, as well as her humanity, have been fully renounced [12].
Chimera, along with her fellow Chess Pieces, were present for Phantom's resurrection and they assembled together at Lestava Castle, seizing it from its king and court. In Phantom's "throne room", the Chess gathered for a hearing on the initiation of the second war.
Second Great MÄR Heaven War[]
When the Chess finally launched its full military invasion out for the uproar, Chimera accompanied her fellow Knight Halloween and a legion of Pawns to Acalupa Port. Together they obliterated the Cross Guard troops stationed there, set the region aflame, and saw the port come to near demolition.
Some time after this, Chimera was assigned to oversee Ian's punishment for his violation against Phantom's orders by Halloween, by inflicting torture upon his sweetheart, Gido. She questions Gido about not being afraid despite the unknown horror that would be inflicted. Gido responded that she had faith Ian would eventually save her, and would patiently wait. Amused, Chimera used a Ghost ÄRM that ended up transforming Gido into a creature with her body fused with tentacles, unable to speak.
War Games[]
Chimera's first War Games introduction was in its preliminary round, dispatched to mingle into the Pawn combatants and knock out one participant from the opposing line - and emerged victorious, beating her opponent Gaira.
After witnessing Ginta's first battle, Peta later mentions to Phantom that Chimera is amongst the Chess Pieces that would like to fight Ginta Toramizu.
After the fifth round, the Knights are called into Phantom's room for a meeting. Phantom then specified that the only Knight who needed to be punished was Rapunzel, for her senseless murder spree of Chess teammates during the fourth round. Phantom offered her a chance to save herself by dueling against a Rook named Ian.
Chimera and her fellow Knights go outside to the surface below where the castle floated to observe the duel between Rapunzel and Ian. Ian effortlessly brushes off Rapunzel's attacks and immediately kills her with one attack. Phantom promotes Ian to the Knight class, taking Rapunzel's position, and hands him the Knight pierce. Ian turns to the other Knights and announces his intentions as a new Knight to kill whichever one of them hurt his beloved.
Round 7[]
Chimera entered in the third match of the final battle, her opponent being Dorothy of Team MÄR.
Dorothy VS Chimera
Dorothy swiftly equips her Nature ÄRM, Zephyrus Broom, as Chimera responds by summoning a school of monstrous multi-eyed fish that charge at Dorothy as she charges in. She swings her broom to repel the fish with her wind, which then goes for Chimera. Chimera merely exerts magic power that cancels the wind out and rushes up to confront Dorothy face to face during which Chimera's right arm takes on a grotesque monstrous appearance and attacks Dorothy with it. Dorothy takes the powerful attack but Gaira warns that Chimera's power is much greater than what has been displayed so far. Chimera's left arm transformed, this time into a dinosaur-like skull and spine and again attacks Dorothy. She holds Chimera back briefly with her broom before Chimera manages a quick swipe at her left side, ripping some of Dorothy's clothes. Chimera laughs, complimenting her sexy body. Disturbed by this perversion, Dorothy asks if toying with girls was a hobby. Chimera admittedly chuckles, and Dorothy charges again with her broom.
Despite missing, she then knees Chimera in the face and kicks back. Chimera attempts to attack but she brushes it off and summons her Guardian ÄRM, Rock Giant Golem, onto the arena. The landing nearly crushes Chimera and stirs up a dust cloud. Dorothy then recalls Brikin, thanking it as she kisses it in its accessory form.
As the dust settles, Chimera is revealed to still be standing as Brikin only destroyed the mask. Laughing, Chimera's true identity is revealed: a woman with a large scar across her face and a mass of eyeballs over her right eye socket. In response to Dorothy's shock that she was a woman, Chimera laughs more in amusement, stating that she is simply "Chimera", nothing more and nothing less. Chimera then exclaims that Dorothy will be added to Chimera's collection. Dorothy disturbingly acknowledges her to have "great taste" in victims and refuses, calling her a hermaphrodite. She taunts Dorothy by saying she isn't much for a sorceress, just like how the old geezer wasn't either.
Chimera continues by asking if Dorothy is she is aware of what Ghost ÄRMs are. Dorothy mentions that they are forbidden ÄRMs that fuse with the body when used. Chimera finishes the conversation by mentioning that she is a master of them and fires a blast with her Ghost ÄRM, Howling Demon, which hits Dorothy exposing more of her body. The crowd exclaims that Chimera's hand isn't human to which Chimera responds that she threw away her humanity after her fiancé was murdered and she herself mutilated by a mob of Chess-hating civilians.
Alviss asks Alan if civilians were truly doing such acts. Alan confirms it, saying that groups frequently went on witch-hunts for them after the first war. Horrified, Alviss acknowledges Chimera as another victim of the war. Chimera turns her attention to Alviss to state that she doesn't need any sympathy from the Cross Guard, as she joined the Chess for revenge, and emotional pain only hurts if one has a human heart.
She showcases her Ghost ÄRMs for each arm and comments that they suit her mutilated body. Dorothy having heard Chimera's story informs her that Chimera is living on the hate from the war but will get no pity for Dorothy regardless of the past Chimera is burdened with. Chimera exclaims that she's fine with that and proceeds to attack again. Dorothy's pretty body and defile it and add it to Chimera's collection, just like with the pawn Gido.
Hearing the confession, Ian leaps down onto the arena between the two fighters to confront Chimera for being responsible for Gido's ongoing suffering. Dorothy kicks Ian back and reminds him that it's currently her battle and that regardless of the outcome he needs to wait his turn. Ian reluctantly agrees and steps off the the arena. Pozun calls for the match to resume.
Chimera activates the Ghost ÄRM, Ogre Hand, and both of her arms once again deform, becoming overly long and grotesque. Chimera launches a flurry of blows as Dorothy summons her Guardian ÄRM, Crazy Quilt. The chatterbox observes how how undressed Dorothy has become until she's ordered to do something about Chimera. Chimera ask what can such a small ÄRM do, which offends Crazy Quilt. As Chimera launches on of the Ogre Hands at Quilt, Quilt dodges it quite easily even after Chimera sends the other arm to stop Quilt. Quilt gets face to face with then proceeds to recite an awful song. Though Crazy Quilt attacks with sonic waves through song, it has no effect on Chimera. Chimera uses another Ghost ÄRM, Ghost Tail, to swipe at Crazy Quilt, knocking the bottom spin cap off. Dorothy recalls Crazy Quilt as there's no further use for her in the current battle.
Dorothy challenges Chimera to ask her own heart what it is that she truly hates. Agitated, she yells at her to shut up and insists that it's all of the world she hates and that she threw her heart away long ago. Dorothy calmly tells her that she has thirty seconds to either realize the truth or defeat her, and should Chimera fail to do either in that time frame then Dorothy will finish the battle once and for all.
Chimera activates her strongest Ghost ÄRM, Chimaira. Chimera is fused to the chest of a giant monster with drills for arms and proceeds to try and take out Dorothy. Dorothy taunts her by evading the attacks with a sort of dancer's grace while Chimera's own energy is rapidly draining. Dorothy calls out that thirty seconds have passed, and asks again if she's realized the truth yet. Chimera simply answers with the content she'll have if all humans are wiped out. Disappointed, Dorothy asks if she herself would be saved by doing such a thing. She further explains that all she was doing was using hatred to cover a heart stained with sorrow, and that her participation in the War Games was proof that heart still existed.
Toto tears Chimaira's body to shreds.
Enraged, Chimera moves to rip her apart. Dorothy yells that her hatred can't be resolved in the War Games as she summons her Guardian ÄRM, Rain Dog, and orders Toto to eat his fill of her pain. Toto leaps around to dodge Chimaira's attacks. He gets pinned under the right drill but breaks it apart. Toto jumps up to shatter the left drill with a swipe of his paw, and proceeds to tear apart Chimaira's body. Crying out in pain, her ÄRM deactivates and she lands on her back. Dorothy walks up to Chimera, who weakly insists that it still doesn't hurt. She then regains some strength to stand up, and announces that she no longer cares about the War Game and teleports away. Pozun declares that the match is over and that Dorothy is the winner.
After the War Games[]
Immediately after her match with Dorothy, Chimera went on the run from Ian who was in hot pursuit of her. For nearly a week, she tried to shake him off her trail, but was unsuccessful. She eventually came across a trio of Pawns in the woods who were wandering aimlessly trying to find Lestava Castle. She asks for food and immediately takes it from the lead Pawn, sitting down to stuff her face and ignore their perplexed inquiries. Chimera notices Ian's attack from afar and quickly evades, resuming her flight through the woods. Hopping from branch to branch of the trees, Ian clashes with Chimera, intent on making her restore Gido to normal. With the allure of the ultimate Ghost ÄRM up ahead, she arrives at a clearing, being a wasteland with a tall butte emanating an evil aura.
Chimera began making her way to the butte with delight and ignored the numerous skeleton soldiers and vengeful ghosts that were active around her. While the undead soldiers targeted Ian, the ghosts that flew around flocked around her as she climbed. Chimera exerted some of her magic power to push them out of her way. Just as Ian arrives at the base of the butte, Chimera reaches the top. She sees the ÄRM in a podium at the center of a pool of toxic liquid. Despite the painful sting at her ankles, Chimera endures it as she wades through to the podium and reaches to obtain the ultimate Ghost ÄRM, Hydra.
The ÄRM initially rejected her first attempt to grab it, as it sensed she still had a human heart that she subconsciously clung to. Chimera declared she would then offer what was left to it, successfully grabbing it on her second attempt. Before it would allow her to use it, she had to let the ÄRM consume her memories and remaining human heart. Marco appeared before her in her last memory yet to be consumed, and looked at her with anguish.
Meanwhile, Ian summoned his Guardian ÄRM, Peryton, and mounted it to meet Chimera in dangerous combat. Ian resolved to destroy Hydra, insisting that he couldn't allow her to have such a wicked power.
Ian and Peryton evaded the first series of attacks, and the monster fired a powerful energy beam from its mouth. Peryton countered with its own attack, with both appearing to be evenly matched. While standing his ground and giving Peryton more magic power, Ian witnessed the physical metamorphosis occurring to Chimera's body as she laughed maniacally. Suddenly Marco appeared to Chimera in a vision, asking her to stop, for she was not a monster, but the woman whom he loved. Chimera argues that she is Chimera and nothing more than that. Marco tells her she's wrong, but before he can remind her what her real name is, she screams at him to not say it, causing the horn that grew from her forehead to shatter. Ian seizes the opportunity to attack and destroy Hydra, leaving both of them severely wounded.
Out of frustration, Chimera gets back up to smack Ian around and assured that she wouldn't give him an easy death, intending to destroy his beloved first. She immediately warps back to Lestava Castle and her adrenaline depletes. On her way to the dungeons, she eavesdrops on a few Rooks who were packing their luggage, two of which were Rondo and Kalerin. She makes her presence known to them after they dissed on the Knights and claimed they were better. Rondo drops his mug in shock and she offers them a chance at proving their strength for the right to be a Knight. The Rooks cower in fear, but Chimera casually proceeds to kill them, before leaving her Knight pierce behind and continue to the dungeons.
Afterwards, she stumbles her way into Gido's prison cell in Lestava Castle. She kneels down to Gido, asking if she remembered the day they first spoke to each other, before lifting her up by the neck to strangle her. Chimera delights in teasing Gido about her "trust" in Ian coming to her rescue, before painfully recalling her own past when Marco never came back for her. Chimera laments that it's still worthless to wait, and that no matter how much she trusts him, Marco won't come.
Suddenly Ian barges open the door, ordering Chimera to let go of Gido. Chimera drops Gido to the ground to face Ian, questioning if he has what it takes to kill her. Chimera prepares to use Gido as a hostage, asking Ian if Gido was really that important to him. Ian nods in response and Chimera challenges him to take her back himself. Ian easily cuts through Chimera's attack and slashes at her chest, revealing the Ghost ÄRM that was used in Gido to transform interlocked by Chimera and Marco's wedding rings and worn as a necklace.
Chimera regains her humanity as she dies.
Chimera then offers the ÄRM to Ian, affirming that she was only handing it over as a way of "cursing" Ian and Gido to living in such a trashed world that she had long since given up on. As Ian breaks the Ghost ÄRM to turn Gido back into a human, Chimera looks back while lying on the floor, and sees herself and Marco in them. Knowing she'll see Marco again in the afterlife, she gently smiles and peacefully dies.
ÄRMs[]
Being the 4th strongest Knight, Chimera is extremely agile in battles - her speed is one to be on par with, or even outmatches, Dorothy's, the fastest of Team MÄR. In term of ÄRM fights, she masters the forbidden, and most horrendous, type of ÄRM - Ghost ÄRMs:
- Monster Arm: An unnamed ring Ghost ÄRM. Turns the user's hand into a stretching monster-headed arm with sharp, canine teeth. This was one of three Ghost ÄRMs Peta gave to Chimera.
- Howling Demon: Ghost ÄRM, turns the user's hand into a salivating stretching monster's mouth which shoots energy. This was one of three Ghost ÄRMs Peta gave to Chimera.
- Ogre Hand: Ghost ÄRM, turns the user's hands into long, giant clawed stretching arms.
- Ghost Tail: Ghost ÄRM, a sharp rag tail.
- Chimaira: Far surpassing its monstrous mythological origin, this Ghost ÄRMs drill-handed body synchronizes with Chimera's insanity to bring into existence a demon of monstrosity beyond belief.
- Hydra: From the darkest thread of legend this immemorial demon is brought forth and, merging with her deteriorated sanity, manifests a creature of such even Chimera would dread.
Trivia[]
- Chimera has many aspects which resembles to Hisui from Flame of Recca (Another manga of Nobuyuki Anzai). They both are very dangerous female fighters and both also lost their lovers.
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ MÄR manga volume 13, chapter 134, last page
- ↑ MÄR manga volume 4, chapter 32, page 5
- ↑ MÄR manga volume 13, chapter 134, page 4
- ↑ MÄR manga volume 5, chapter 42, page 6
- ↑ MÄR manga volume 13, chapter 138, page 1
- ↑ MÄR manga volume 13, chapter 135, last page
- ↑ MÄR manga volume 13, chapter 136, page 8
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 MÄR manga volume 13, chapter 135, page 8
- ↑ MÄR manga volume 13, chapter 135, page 13
- ↑ MÄR manga volume 13, chapter 135, page 15
- ↑ MÄR manga volume 13, chapter 136, page 4
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 MÄR manga volume 13, chapter 136, page 5 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "136-5" defined multiple times with different content
| v - e - d |
|---|
| King and Queen |
| Caldea's Orb · Diana |
| Knights |
| Phantom · Halloween · Peta · Chimera · Rolan · Vidar · Ian (replaced Rapunzel) · Magical Roe · Galian · Ash · Candice · Pinocchion · Rapunzel · Kouga |
| Bishops |
| Chaton · Hamelin · Emokis · Girom · Aqua · Avrute · Kollekio · Kannochi · Mr. Hook · Maira · Garon · Orco · Obit |
| Rooks |
| Loco · Fuugi · Pano · Alibaba · Leno · Garia · Rondo · Bols · Kalerin |
| Pawns |
| Gido |
| Unknown Class |
| Marco · Marl |
| Zonnen Rooks |
| Saturn · Mercury · Mars · Venus · Jupiter · Uranus · Neptune · Pluto |
| Ghost Chess |
| Kapel Meister · Sarah Band · Pause · General · The Flat Sisters |