TV-Series
Description
Cardia Beckford is the central character of the story. At the outset, she lives in isolation within an abandoned mansion on the outskirts of a steampunk version of 19th-century London. Her body is the source of a powerful, deadly poison that causes anything her skin touches to rot or melt away instantly, with the sole exception being her own hair. Due to this affliction, she has been shunned by society and feared as a monster. She has no memories of her life from more than two years prior, having seemingly awakened in the mansion with only fragmented knowledge. Her primary motivation is to find her father, Isaac Beckford, the man who created her condition and who she believes holds the key to her lost past.
Cardia’s personality is initially defined by her tragic isolation. Having spent years without meaningful human contact, she displays very few emotions and her demeanor is often compared to that of a doll. Her lack of social interaction means she has difficulty understanding common knowledge, popular trends, jokes, and romantic feelings, which can lead to her reacting in oddly literal or naive ways. Despite her reserved exterior, she is not cold-hearted. She is deeply troubled by being labeled a monster and carries a profound fear that she will harm those who get close to her. This insecurity hides an innately kind and amiable nature that emerges as she begins to trust others.
As the protagonist, Cardia is the catalyst for the entire narrative. Her life changes when the British Army attempts to capture her, only for her to be stolen away by the gentleman thief Arsène Lupin. She then embarks on a journey with Lupin and a group of other remarkable individuals, including the vampire Saint-Germain, the inventor Impey Barbicane, the physician Victor Frankenstein, and the former vampire hunter Abraham Van Helsing. Her primary role in the group shifts from a guarded, isolated figure to an active member who is determined to learn and contribute. While she initially requires protection, she gradually becomes more proactive, learning self-defense, mechanics, and other skills from her companions. Her secondary role is often that of an emotional anchor; her own experiences of being ostracized allow her to show deep compassion for other outcasts she encounters.
Throughout the story, Cardia’s relationships are the main drivers of her personal growth. Her bond with Arsène Lupin is pivotal, as he is the first person to treat her as a normal girl rather than a monster, which helps open her world. Victor Frankenstein takes on the role of a caretaker and researcher, dedicated to studying her condition and providing her with specially treated clothing that resists her corrosion. Impey Barbicane helps her see herself as more than a weapon by teaching her practical skills and offering friendship without fear, while Saint-Germain offers protection and a profound understanding of her loneliness. Abraham Van Helsing, despite his stoic nature, helps her come to terms with her identity. A significant relationship is also implied with Finis, a character who claims to be her younger brother and who challenges her understanding of her own humanity.
Cardia undergoes significant development as she spends more time with her companions. She transitions from a near-emotionless, isolated figure to a young woman capable of expressing genuine happiness, smiling, and forming deep friendships. She learns to balance her fear of being a burden with a desire to help, often putting herself in danger to protect others. A major part of her development involves confronting the truth about her existence, discovering that she might not be human but a homunculus, an artificial being created by her father, which initially shatters her self-image. Over time, she learns to accept this truth and embrace her own identity, moving past the need to simply find a cure for her poison to instead seek a life where she can be accepted as she is. Her greatest personal wish remains a simple but powerful one: to be able to touch another person without causing their death.
Cardia’s most notable ability is her lethal poison, which serves as both a curse and a form of protection. Her touch can corrode and destroy any organic or inorganic matter upon contact, making her an incredibly dangerous individual in a fight. Set into her chest is the Horologium, a jewel-like device that is the source of her poison and essentially acts as her heart. As a homunculus, this artifact grants her more than just her deadly touch; it also provides her with enhanced physical capabilities, such as heightened durability and the ability to recover from injuries more quickly than a normal person. Despite her destructive power, she rarely uses it offensively against living beings and often relies on non-lethal tactics like throwing smoke bombs to escape danger.
Cardia’s personality is initially defined by her tragic isolation. Having spent years without meaningful human contact, she displays very few emotions and her demeanor is often compared to that of a doll. Her lack of social interaction means she has difficulty understanding common knowledge, popular trends, jokes, and romantic feelings, which can lead to her reacting in oddly literal or naive ways. Despite her reserved exterior, she is not cold-hearted. She is deeply troubled by being labeled a monster and carries a profound fear that she will harm those who get close to her. This insecurity hides an innately kind and amiable nature that emerges as she begins to trust others.
As the protagonist, Cardia is the catalyst for the entire narrative. Her life changes when the British Army attempts to capture her, only for her to be stolen away by the gentleman thief Arsène Lupin. She then embarks on a journey with Lupin and a group of other remarkable individuals, including the vampire Saint-Germain, the inventor Impey Barbicane, the physician Victor Frankenstein, and the former vampire hunter Abraham Van Helsing. Her primary role in the group shifts from a guarded, isolated figure to an active member who is determined to learn and contribute. While she initially requires protection, she gradually becomes more proactive, learning self-defense, mechanics, and other skills from her companions. Her secondary role is often that of an emotional anchor; her own experiences of being ostracized allow her to show deep compassion for other outcasts she encounters.
Throughout the story, Cardia’s relationships are the main drivers of her personal growth. Her bond with Arsène Lupin is pivotal, as he is the first person to treat her as a normal girl rather than a monster, which helps open her world. Victor Frankenstein takes on the role of a caretaker and researcher, dedicated to studying her condition and providing her with specially treated clothing that resists her corrosion. Impey Barbicane helps her see herself as more than a weapon by teaching her practical skills and offering friendship without fear, while Saint-Germain offers protection and a profound understanding of her loneliness. Abraham Van Helsing, despite his stoic nature, helps her come to terms with her identity. A significant relationship is also implied with Finis, a character who claims to be her younger brother and who challenges her understanding of her own humanity.
Cardia undergoes significant development as she spends more time with her companions. She transitions from a near-emotionless, isolated figure to a young woman capable of expressing genuine happiness, smiling, and forming deep friendships. She learns to balance her fear of being a burden with a desire to help, often putting herself in danger to protect others. A major part of her development involves confronting the truth about her existence, discovering that she might not be human but a homunculus, an artificial being created by her father, which initially shatters her self-image. Over time, she learns to accept this truth and embrace her own identity, moving past the need to simply find a cure for her poison to instead seek a life where she can be accepted as she is. Her greatest personal wish remains a simple but powerful one: to be able to touch another person without causing their death.
Cardia’s most notable ability is her lethal poison, which serves as both a curse and a form of protection. Her touch can corrode and destroy any organic or inorganic matter upon contact, making her an incredibly dangerous individual in a fight. Set into her chest is the Horologium, a jewel-like device that is the source of her poison and essentially acts as her heart. As a homunculus, this artifact grants her more than just her deadly touch; it also provides her with enhanced physical capabilities, such as heightened durability and the ability to recover from injuries more quickly than a normal person. Despite her destructive power, she rarely uses it offensively against living beings and often relies on non-lethal tactics like throwing smoke bombs to escape danger.