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"The power of the Kishin goes beyond human understanding. It is evolution itself! Shinigami and you at DWMA have watched over and protected the world by acting as a deterrent to that power. DWMA's intent can be summed up in one expression: "Maintain the Status Quo." But time moves forward. Isn't it logical that we grow and advance along with it. It's only natural. Doctor Stein...do you really want a monotonous world...where nothing ever changes?"

— Medusa Gorgon (Chapter 15, Yen Press)

Medusa Gorgon (メデューサ・ゴーゴン, Medyūsa Gōgon) was a Witch and one of the three Gorgon Sisters. She was also the mother of the Demon Swordsman, Crona.[13] Formerly a nurse in the DWMA,[14] she secretly plotted to release the Kishin from his sealing and succeeded with the assistance of her group of assossiates.[15] Medusa is one of the main antagonists within the Soul Eater series.

Cultural References

Medusa Gorgon is an allusion to the Medusa associated with Greek Mythology. Medusa was once a golden-haired, fair maiden, who, as a priestess of Athena, was devoted to a life of celibacy; however, after being wooed by Poseidon and falling for him, she forgot her vows and married him. For this offense, she was punished by the goddess in a most terrible manner. Each wavy lock of the beautiful hair that had charmed her husband was changed into a venomous snake; her once gentle, love-inspiring eyes turned into blood-shot, furious orbs, which excited fear and disgust in the mind of the onlooker; whilst her former roseate hue and milk-white skin assumed a loathsome greenish tinge.[16]

Personality

When acting as DWMA's nurse, Medusa presents herself as a caring and supportive member of the staff, even to the point of comforting Maka Albarn when she displayed her insecurities as a Meister[17] and showing "concern" for other students within the academy such as Soul Eater.[18] However, as Franken Stein pointed out, Medusa herself is "full of lies" and in actuality cares little for anyone but seemingly herself.[19] Being a scientist, she also tends to views things like a researcher to the point of using actual individuals such as her own child, for experiments.[20] In addition, she can be viewed as irredeemable, willing to manipulate anyone for her goals and even abandon her own child after deeming them a "failure".[21] Perhaps Medusa's greatest strength, however, is her cunning and intellect. Often enough, she forms complex plans that even the DWMA at times fails to counter[22] and tends to learn from her own mistakes.[23] She even feels blasphemy is part of the nature of being a Witch.[24]

However, despite these dark and manipulative traits, even Medusa can possess some love, admitting to Franken Stein that she does have genuine feelings for him and with Arachne even confirming this notion.[25] However, as Stein even pointed out, she most likely has an inablility to truly understand the concept of love.[26] When subjected to Tezca Tlipoca's Reflect (despite not even being the intended target), it also is revealed that even Medusa herself, to some unknown degree, is aware of her treatment to Crona and even harbors some amount of guilt.[27] Medusa herself isn't infallible to even being subject to other emotions such as nervousness to the point of actually fidgeting, seen when she was going to meet Death face-to-face for the first time.[28]

Relationships

Template:Relationship

Appearance

Original

Medusa is a woman with a fairly average physical build, and a large, black, dotted snake tattoo winding down either arm. Her facial features consist of eyes containing yellow irises with black pupils, and blonde hair arranged in a spiked style, with two long strands extending downwards framing either side of her face, that entwine each other like a caduceus' snake to rest upon her chest.[29] While she wears various outfits over the course of the series, the most notable and common of these is a black body-length suit with hood, which extends downwards to her knees. The hood itself is adorned with an eye-like marking upon either side which, interestingly, when worn in addition to the shape of her hair, gives it the appearance of a snake's mouth, with teeth and fangs. It is notable that she is barefoot when not in disguise with unique toenail and fingernail polish that is black featuring yellow arrows pointing upwards.[29]

Her soul also takes a snake-like theme, closely resembling the head of the Gorgon of Greek legend, Medusa. However, instead of snakes, it has the same vector arrows that are present within Medusa's spells. The soul features a purple color in addition.[29]

Rachel's Body

Medusa Controlling Rachel's Body

Medusa in Rachel's body.

After the revival of the Kishin Asura and her defeat by Stein and Spirit, she was forced to take possession of a young child's body. This gave her the same build and frame of the child, while still retaining the majority of her original form's appearance. However, the body did have some practicalities, as she found it particularly useful in deceiving many people. Medusa still attires herself with the usual hoodie but this one has two snake-like extensions that are attached at the neck. There is also an apparent white snake head motif on its front. Also, rather than a bodysuit, Medusa sports a knee-length dress, and, unlike her adult form, does not wear nail polish. There is also the absence of the snake tattoos on her arms.[30]

Arachne's Body

Chapter 60 - Medusa's new body

Medusa's new body from Arachne.

Seeing the opportunity after Arachne's defeat by Maka during the capture of Baba Yaga's Castle, Medusa leaves her previous victim and transfers herself to the empty shell of Arachne's body. This current possession shifts Medusa's appearance much closer to her original form but now bearing Arachne's black hair color arranged in Medusa's typical style. She chooses to also adopt her typical long hoodie preceding the transformation, with it now featuring an indistinct spider's web patterning surrounding the neck line. Medusa also has a nick on her left eyebrow originally. However, the nick vanishes when she possesses Rachel and Arachne.[31]

Power

Original Body Power

Episode 19 - Stein and Medusa's soul.

Stein and Medusa's souls are about the same size

Medusa is known to be one of the most powerful witches in the series, supported by comments from Franken Stein who remarked on Medusa possessing an enormous soul [32] as well as Eruka Frog claiming there's no other witch as powerful as her during the time she went to revive the Afreet.[33] She also was able to evenly battle the likes of Stein wielding Death Scythe, with both being herald as the most powerful Meister and Weapon within the Academy (sans Death).[34] According to the How to Make a Death Scythe Guidebook, she is labelled as a "High Level Witch".[35]

Rachel Boyd's Body Power

After taking Rachel Boyd's body, it is known that her power and capability had diminished due to needing to build back up magical power, although the exact extent is unknown.[36]

In the anime, however, she was still able to fight against Crona, Marie Mjolnir, and Maka Albarn with Stein supporting her. And even after, was able to fight Stein (using Marie's Mjolnir transformation) on her own.[37]

Arachne's Body Power

Enrique kicks Medusa

Medusa defends herself against Enrique.

After inhabiting her own sister, Arachne, it is clear she has returned to being at least as powerful as before, if not more powerful. She was seen able to easily defend herself against Death Weapon Meister Enrique and was confident in being able to fight both Enrique and Tezca Tlipoca, remarking she could end then in a "blink of an eye".[38] She was also able to fight against Justin Law and hold her own, although her Magic alone was not capable of damaging Justin due to it's weakness against the Madness Wavelength emitting from the Madness Fusion.[39]

Quotes

Battles

Trivia

  • Prior to the emergence of Arachne Gorgon, Eruka's comment of no other witch matching up to her in power insinuate that Medusa herself was perhaps the most powerful Witch.[40]
  • Medusa's Vector theme appears to be based on Shotaro's "Bones of Medusa"'s ability to fire vectors/snakes like Medusa's vectors from Atsushi's earlier series B. Ichi.
  • In the "Atsushi Bar" postface of volume 4, it is revealed that Medusa's braid is curling to the right when she is as a witch and curling to the left when she is as a nurse. However, the first time she appears as a witch, her braid is mistakenly curling to the left. Atsushi, the creator of Soul Eater, did this purposely so that if anyone had asked him "Wouldn't people be able to figure out who she is?", he could answer "Her hair is twisted differently so they think she's a different person."
  • In Episode 40 of the anime, it is seen that, on her prison door, her name is misspelled as "Witch Medousa".

References

  1. Soul Eater Volume 2; Chapter 4, page 104
  2. Soul Eater Volume 8; Chapter 30, page 102
  3. 3.0 3.1 Soul Eater Manga: Chapter 6
  4. Soul Eater Manga: Chapter 15
  5. Soul Eater Manga: Chapter 89; Anime Episode 45
  6. Soul Eater Volume 2; Chapter 5, page 182
  7. Soul Eater Volume 3; Chapter 9, page 137
  8. Soul Eater Volume 5; Chapter 18 - This chapter is when Medusa's group is first seen together
  9. Soul Eater Manga: Chapter 9
  10. Soul Eater Manga: Chapter 68
  11. Soul Eater Volume 7; Chapter 25, page 110; Chapter 26, page 124
  12. Soul Eater Manga: Chapter 25
  13. 13.0 13.1 Soul Eater Manga: Chapter 17 — Medusa:The Demon Sword Child was not "abducted"......Crona is my real child.
  14. Soul Eater Manga: Chapter 5
  15. Soul Eater Manga: Chapter 21
  16. Greek Mythology: Medusa
  17. Soul Eater Volume 2 Chapter 5, page 184
  18. Soul Eater Volume 3; Chapter 9, page 148
  19. Soul Eater Volume 5; Chapter 17, page 125
  20. Soul Eater Volume 6; Chapter 19, page 26
  21. Soul Eater Volume 6; Chapter 19, page 26-28
  22. Soul Eater Manga: Chapter 18-22
  23. Soul Eater Volume 17; Chapter 69, page 54
  24. Soul Eater Volume 17; Chapter 69, page 55
  25. Soul Eater Volume 15; Chapter 58, page 20
  26. The Yen Press translation of the manga has Stein say: "You must be joking... You're just like me... There's no way that you could understand such a thing as love." (Volume 6, Chapter 22)
  27. Soul Eater Volume 16; Chapter 69, page 71
  28. Soul Eater Volume 12; Chapter 45, page 39
  29. 29.0 29.1 29.2 Soul Eater Anime: Episode 7
  30. Soul Anime: Episode 29
  31. Soul Eater Volume 15; Chapter 60, page 94
  32. Soul Eater Manga: Volume 2; Chapter 5, page 172 (eBook)
  33. Soul Eater Manga: Chapter 21, Yen Press English translation. Eruka: There just aren't any other witches as powerful as her.
  34. Soul Eater Manga: Chapter 17-21
  35. Soul Eater Guidebook: How to Make a Death Scythe
  36. Soul Eater Volume 11; Chapter 45, page 35 (eBook)
  37. Soul Eater Anime: Episode 45
  38. Soul Eater Volume 15; Chapter 60, page 101
  39. Soul Eater Manga: Chapter 68-69
  40. Soul Eater Volume 6; Chapter 22, page 180

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