Emerode is the princess of Cephiro, called "Pillar" because
her prayers determines everything in her strange and fragile world. To a certain extent, the events in
Cephiro are the portrait of Emerode's mind. She looks like a comely
little girl with impossibly long blond wavy hair and emerald-green
eyes, simply clad in a pink dress and wearing a magnificent tiara
adorned with round jewels. The girls learn of the legend of the Magic Knights of Cephiro, which describes three girls from another world being summoned to Cephiro in times of crisis. The girls must become the Knights of the legend and save the dying
world. This is the starting point of the tale, but the painfully
learn at the end that the legend as they're told is incomplete.
Since the beginning the girls believe theirs was a
quest
to revive the Machines in order to save her from Zagato, but as the
story unfolds, she turns out to be the last, true enemy of
Cephiro----and consequently of the Magic Knights, whose only purpose
is to kill the Pillar, as the legend says, when something gets awry
with it. Considering the essence of the role of a Pillar, no being
born in Cephiro can come to harm her: which is why the Magic Knights
needs to be from another world. Emerode hopes that
the girls will have the courage and determination to kill her.
Cephiro's pillar can't think of anything but Cephiro, and falling in love with Zagato
meant being unable to devote all of her wishes to the planet,
breaking its balance and peace: the land soon becomes invaded by
monsters, the manifestation of its inhabitants fears at being
without a working Pillar. This forbidden love was doomed from the
start, by Emerode very own wish. In fact the high priest never kidnapped her,
it was her who voluntary locked herself up in the Water Dungeon after
the discovered her love was returned. She hoped by doing so to
forget
about him, but with no avail. As extreme measure, seeing her
thinking about Zagato was destroying Cephiro, she puts her duties
before her life and she decides to commit suicide. She summons the
Knights, the only beings able to grant her wish. Clef never reveals
to the girls the truth behind their role, so they overcome obstacle
by obstacle believing to be committed to a good cause, saving the
princess from the evil Zagato. In the last episode they finally
learn Zagato was actually trying to keep them from harming his
beloved Emerode, while it is them who have to kill her in order to
save the world. The Knights fight against the high priest and win
still completely unaware of what was really going on. They will
learn the truth soon. When Emerode finds out that her beloved Zagato
is dead, her firm resolve to die crumbles in pieces and she's
overcome by rage: she wills herself to take a sphinx-like Mashin
form. Carrying Zagato's swords she faces the Knights with the intent
of killing them. She's so powerful that the Magic Knights stand only
a chance of defeating her by combining their three Mashin, but they
succeed partly because until the end she never stops loving her world
and her former will briefly flickers through the chaos of Dark Emerode
and she finally prefers to die rather than betray her people's trust. The end of these unlucky lovers will rouse a deep wound in
Knights' hearts,
who get convinced of being her murders and start to question the whole
ethical system of division of people in good and bad, a theme much
developed in season II.
Princess Emerode looks like
a typical princess in need of a hero to save the day. But her situation and her wish isn't exactly the typical defeat-the-big-bad-guy-and-live-happily-ever-after. In fact, it is nearly the complete opposite. She summoned the Magic Knights to kill her, for she has done something anybody who becomes Pillar in Cephiro
is forbidden to do: she fell in love. She loves Zagato so much that she is willing to give up being Pillar, throwing everything away just to be with him. However, her
conscience doesn't allow her to, but she loves him too much to
step back. She doesn't see a chance for her to be happy with the man
she loves and she's crushed by the weight of the sin of neglecting
the well-being of Cephiro to free her won feelings. Therefore, following the legend, she summons the Magic Knights, whom are destined to kill her
and give and end to her dilemma. Knowing it'll be a hard fight, she gives Mokona to Clef and instructs him to help the Knights when they arrive, and apologize to them - since it's her fault they were dragged into this. Of course, the girls are
later taken aback and shocked from the Pillar's request, but they finally decide to grant Princess Emerode her wish so she can live with
Zagato in eternal peace...The whole battle causes death for people
the Magic Knights came to respect, as well as grieves and regrets to those who survive.
Her appearance changes with her heart wishes, she's a little
innocent-looking girl when trying to resist her love and failing as
a Pillar, but she suddenly gets older and looks like a mature woman
warrior when she's overcome by rage and selfishly tries to kill the
Knights and to wreak havoc on Cephiro, because she cares no more.
This warped love turned hate nearly destroys her completely, but she is able to hang on briefly to her former self
and the true Emerode delivers the shocking truth to the Magic Knights, and begs for death,
while her adult form fights them. She asks them to grant her wish, her "first, and last, selfish wish", to be with Zagato for eternity. She doesn't mention Cephiro, or her duties, or peace. She simply wishes to be reunited with her love. The devastated Knights
comply, and give Emerode the one thing she always lacked in her life - freedom.
Emerodo Hime ()
Personal Interests:
Birthplace: Cephiro
Comic profile (Emerode):
Princess Emerode's prayers are what support the
world of Cephiro, which is why she's known as the "Pillar".
The state of Cephiro is merely a reflection of her heart. While she
is in the Water Dungeon, she's unable to pray for Cephiro's peace
and safety which is why there are so many monsters invading the
land. She's not quite as old as Clef, but she's still ancient, even
though she looks like a little girl.
Comic profile (Dark Emerode):
As the Pillar, Emerode had to devote all of her
thoughts to keeping Cephiro safe. When she fell in love with Zagato,
she found herself unable to give all of her prayers to protecting
her people. And so she locked herself up in the Water Dungeon and
summoned the three Magic Knights in the hopes that they would kill
her and end her dilemma. After she learns of Zagato's death, she
grows older and more menacing, becoming the dark Emerode seen at the
end of season 1 (and below on your right in SD form).
Did you know
that...
Her corresponding car is "Mitsubishi Emeraude".
Her name is also officially spelt as "Emeraude".
In some versions her name is "Emerald".
Her name in the Spanish version is "Esmeralda".
Emerode's title is "Hime", which means Princess.
Her first appearance is in ep. 1
Voice actress:
Ogata Megumi
(she is the talent voice for Eagle Vision as well)
Voice sample:
"Watashi wa Cephiro no Emerode"
(I'm Emerode of Cephiro)
Magic Knight Rayearth © CLAMP
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