FAIRY TAIL is a hugely popular series, but who exactly is Erza, one of its key characters? What makes Erza so strong? What is her past, and what does it mean that she was a slave? We will thoroughly investigate the popular character Erza and analyze her story.
FAIRY TAIL, created by Hiro Mashima, is a beloved series that ran in Weekly Shonen Magazine from 2006 to 2017. The series has collaborated with various mobile games, produced two anime seasons, and even spawned a movie, making it widely known even by those who might only recognize the title or the main characters.
In this article, we’ll introduce “Erza,” a character who plays a major role alongside the protagonist Natsu in FAIRY TAIL. We will explore who Erza is, her past, and the extent of her strength.
One of the critical elements in FAIRY TAIL is the concept of “guilds.” These guilds are numerous in the world of FAIRY TAIL and serve as organizations that mediate jobs for wizards.
Each guild has its own emblem, which members display on their bodies or clothing. Generally, only members and clients are allowed inside guilds, but outsiders can freely enter for shopping or dining.
Erza belongs to the guild “FAIRY TAIL,” and she is one of the few recognized as an S-Class Mage within the guild. S-Class Mages are selected by the guild master and must pass a highly challenging promotion test. Currently, there are eight S-Class Mages in the guild. This alone indicates Erza’s considerable strength within the guild.
As mentioned earlier, Erza is an S-Class Mage in the guild FAIRY TAIL. She is characterized by her long, beautiful scarlet hair, which extends to her waist, and she often wears armor over her clothes. She is always seen wearing armor and loves weapons and armor to the extent that she decorates her home with them. Erza also has a fondness for cheesecakes and soufflés and can become enraged if someone takes them from her.
Within the guild, Erza often takes on a leadership role and steps up in the absence of the guild master, earning both fear and respect from her fellow guild members. She has an eccentric side, occasionally displaying a naïve demeanor and imposing her own rules on those around her.
Now let’s delve into Erza’s past and background. She was abandoned in a village called Rosemary shortly after birth. The village was later attacked, and she was enslaved to help construct the Tower of Heaven. During her time as a slave, she met Jellal and Simon.
Erza led a rebellion to free the slaves but was captured and saved by Jellal. During this time, she discovered her ability to use magic after seeing her friends harmed. However, Jellal, who had been brainwashed by the spirit of Zeref, expelled her from the outside world.
Afterward, Erza learned that a man named Rob, who saved her life in the tower, belonged to “FAIRY TAIL.” Following in his footsteps, Erza joined FAIRY TAIL. However, the trauma from these events caused her to distance herself from others, despite her previously cheerful personality, out of fear of losing those she cared about.
Previously, we mentioned two individuals, Jellal and Simon, who are deeply connected to Erza. To understand Erza better, we need to explore these characters. Let’s delve into their stories.
Jellal is one of the characters Erza met when she was enslaved in the Tower of Heaven. He is characterized by his blue hair and the distinctive marks on his face. When he first met Erza, he was a spirited young boy with a strong sense of justice, often leading the other slaves. He became a surrogate for Erza when she was captured during a rebellion aimed at freeing the slaves.
During his captivity, Jellal was brainwashed by the spirit of Zeref, causing him to become irrational. He exiled Erza and took many of their fellow slaves, including Simon, hostage, forcing them to continue building the Tower of Heaven for eight years. As an adult, Jellal infiltrated the Council under the alias “Siegrain” and aimed to activate the R-System of the Tower of Heaven to resurrect Zeref.
The name “Scarlet” in Erza Scarlet was given to her by Jellal, inspired by her scarlet hair when they first met. Erza cherishes this name deeply. Throughout their story, both Erza and Jellal have shown that they care for each other, even after growing up and reuniting, indicating the strength of their bond.
Simon is another person Erza met during her enslavement in the Tower of Heaven, alongside Jellal. During the slave rebellion led by Erza, Simon used his well-built body, trained through his enslavement, to fight off guards and support Erza.
Simon has a sister named Kagura. Kagura’s statements suggest that Simon and Kagura’s hometown is the same village as Erza’s, Rosemary, although this is not definitively confirmed. As an adult, Simon is heavily armored and wears an eyepatch over his left eye. He was the only one aware of the true nature of the Tower of Heaven and continued to support Erza.
Simon’s physical strength was evident, but during a battle with Jellal, Simon sacrificed himself to protect Erza, ultimately dying in the process. Later, during the battle against the Alvarez Empire, Simon reappears, materialized by an enemy’s magic, but is dispelled by his sister Kagura, who has come to terms with his death.
Erza’s right eye is artificial. During her time as a slave, she lost her right eye while being tortured by a magic cult after a failed escape attempt. This incident rendered her unable to cry from her right eye, as she stated, “I’ve already shed all my tears from this eye.” However, when she later returned to the Tower of Heaven, she regained the ability to cry from both eyes.
The artificial eye allows Erza to nullify magic that affects her vision. However, if both eyes are exposed to the magic, she still absorbs half of its power. In such cases, she fights with one eye closed, effectively rendering her partially blind in battle.
Now, let’s look at Erza’s magic and strength. We previously mentioned that Erza discovered her magical abilities after seeing her friends harmed during her enslavement. Let’s explore the specifics of her magic.
Erza uses a magic called “The Knight.” This magic doesn’t manipulate elements like fire or lightning but instead allows her to instantly re-equip her armor and weapons. She possesses various weapons such as swords, spears, and axes, and over 100 types of armor and outfits. These are usually stored in a magical space Erza controls, but due to storage limits, some are displayed in her five rented rooms.
There was an enemy who copied Erza’s magic and equipment, showing the extent of her abilities. The movie adaptation revealed how she stores equipment in the magical space. Each weapon and armor set has unique features and abilities, contributing to Erza’s strength.
Now, let’s delve into some of Erza’s equipment that epitomizes her strength. The first is the Heaven’s Wheel Armor. This is the first armor Erza is seen using in the series, showcasing her strength to Lucy during their initial mission together. The armor is characterized by its long skirt, four wings on the back, and numerous swords floating around Erza.
The Heaven’s Wheel Armor’s strength lies in its ability to execute multiple sword attacks simultaneously. This armor allows Erza to freely manipulate her weapons, summoning swords and spears from another dimension to launch at her enemies.
The Black Wing Armor is distinguished by its bat-like wings, cross motifs, and Erza’s hair styled into a ponytail. This armor temporarily boosts Erza’s attack power and jumping ability, allowing her to deliver powerful strikes. However, the increase in attack power comes at the expense of defense, making it somewhat vulnerable.
Due to its high attack capabilities, the Black Wing Armor is often used when Erza needs to chase down an opponent or deliver a decisive blow. The armor’s weakness is usually offset by Erza’s strategy of switching armors during battle.
The Nakagami Armor is a powerful armor that Erza can equip after unlocking her second origin of magic through intense training. It features lion-like shoulder pads and a celestial robe. This armor is so powerful that even Erza, one of the strongest in FAIRY TAIL, needed extensive training to be able to use it. It was revealed that no one had been able to equip this armor for ten years due to its immense magic consumption.
When equipped, the Nakagami Armor grants the wearer the ability to cut through space and magic indiscriminately. This incredible power allows Erza to slice through her opponent’s spells and spatial barriers, ensuring victory.
The Armadura Fairy armor is named after the guild FAIRY TAIL and is considered Erza’s most powerful armor. It features a pink color scheme with a mantle and wings incorporated into the design.
There are no specific techniques associated with the Armadura Fairy armor. Its sheer strength is enough to overwhelm groups of enemies without the need for special moves. Erza uses this armor as a last resort, highlighting its immense power.
At one point, the FAIRY TAIL guild disbands. During this time, Erza investigates Zeref alone and discovers a black magic cult connected to him. About six months before the guild’s revival, she conducts a detailed investigation with the help of Gray, another guild member. Together, they infiltrate the cult and ultimately join forces with Natsu and others to destroy it. During a battle with the cult’s leaders, Erza defeats one of them with a strike so fast that the enemy doesn’t realize they have been hit.
When the guild reunites, there is a discussion about who should become the new guild master. All members unanimously agree on Erza, making her the 7th master of FAIRY TAIL. Later, after successfully rescuing the previous master, Makarov, she returns the title to him, concluding her role as the 7th master.
We have explored in detail what kind of character Erza is in FAIRY TAIL. Erza is one of the most popular characters in the series, and it’s clear why. While many series depict female characters as somewhat weaker, FAIRY TAIL features strong and cool female characters like Erza.
This article focused on Erza, but FAIRY TAIL includes many other unique characters. By understanding the strengths and backgrounds of these characters, both new and longtime fans can gain a deeper appreciation for the series.
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