TV-Series
Description
James Ironside is a character who serves as a secondary antagonist. He is Diva's sixth and final Chevalier, a human transformed into a powerful chiropteran servant to serve the queen of his kind.
His background reveals that he was born into poverty and lost his mother at a young age. He became a soldier, serving as a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Army and fighting in the fall of Berlin in 1945 during the Second World War. After suffering a near-fatal wound, he was approached by Amshel Goldsmith, who offered to save his life. Amshel was interested in having a Chevalier of African ancestry, and thus James was transformed. Following his transformation, he retained and advanced his military position, becoming a high-ranking Naval Officer with the authority to command an aircraft carrier, which made him the Cinq Flèches organization's primary contact with the US military. Despite being over 70 years old during the events of the story, he appears as a physically fit man in his mid to late twenties, with a dark complexion, neatly cut black hair, and deep brown eyes. He almost always wears a black naval officer's uniform.
In terms of personality, James Ironside is characterized by his stoic, serious, and punctual nature, noted by others as lacking a sense of humor. His personality is heavily shaped by his military background; he values strategy, efficiency, and order, and is described as never making a mistake by Amshel. He is generally calm but can lose his composure when teased, particularly by his fellow Chevalier, Nathan Mahler.
His core motivation stems from a deep psychological need. Having grown up without a mother, he came to regard Diva as his mother, believing she gave him a new life. This devotion is absolute; he keeps a locket with her picture and states that those who do not obey Diva do not deserve to exist. His primary goal, therefore, is to protect Diva at all costs and eliminate her twin sister, Saya, whom he views as the greatest threat to his queen. He is ambitious, strong-willed, and displays great determination and confidence in combat.
James’s role in the story is that of a primary enforcer for the Cinq Flèches. He is appointed by Amshel as the leader of the Corpse Corps, a unit of bio-mechanic soldiers designed to hunt chiropterans, and is given the direct task of killing Saya. His relationships with other characters are defined by his loyalty and military mindset. He is unfailingly loyal to Amshel, defending him against any suspicion. He is often blunt and distrustful of Solomon, and later takes pleasure in taunting him for his perceived betrayal. He dislikes Karl, seeing him as unstable and a detriment to their plans. His relationship with Nathan is more complex, marked by Nathan’s teasing and his own irritated reactions, though Nathan does eventually rescue him.
Throughout the story, James undergoes a significant development. After his first major battle with Saya, he is severely wounded and presumed dead, crystallized and falling into a nuclear waste dump. He is later rescued by Nathan and resurrected, but his missing limbs and body parts are replaced with those of Schiff creatures. This imperfect, monstrous new body causes Diva to reject him, saying she no longer wants him. This abandonment by the person he loves most causes James to lose his sanity, becoming more frantic, manic, and cruel as he becomes obsessed with killing Saya to prove his worth.
As a Chevalier, James possesses several notable abilities. His primary power is his incredibly resilient, armored skin, which is hard enough to withstand bullets and Saya's sword, making him a formidable tank-like opponent. In his chiropteran form, he takes on a demonic appearance with dark brown, spiky armor, two horns protruding from his head, and fur on his legs, which are his only vulnerable area. He can fire sharp, bone-like projectiles from his shoulders or arms. After his resurrection with Schiff body parts, his abilities change; his armor becomes even harder, and he can extend his middle finger into a long whip-like weapon and fire stakes from his fingers and palms. He also learns to wield Saya's own sword against her, suggesting some knowledge of swordsmanship. Like all chiropterans, he possesses superhuman strength, speed, agility, and a rapid healing factor. He also demonstrates deadly accuracy, even in human form, such as when he flicks a coin to slice a lock of Nathan's hair.
His background reveals that he was born into poverty and lost his mother at a young age. He became a soldier, serving as a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Army and fighting in the fall of Berlin in 1945 during the Second World War. After suffering a near-fatal wound, he was approached by Amshel Goldsmith, who offered to save his life. Amshel was interested in having a Chevalier of African ancestry, and thus James was transformed. Following his transformation, he retained and advanced his military position, becoming a high-ranking Naval Officer with the authority to command an aircraft carrier, which made him the Cinq Flèches organization's primary contact with the US military. Despite being over 70 years old during the events of the story, he appears as a physically fit man in his mid to late twenties, with a dark complexion, neatly cut black hair, and deep brown eyes. He almost always wears a black naval officer's uniform.
In terms of personality, James Ironside is characterized by his stoic, serious, and punctual nature, noted by others as lacking a sense of humor. His personality is heavily shaped by his military background; he values strategy, efficiency, and order, and is described as never making a mistake by Amshel. He is generally calm but can lose his composure when teased, particularly by his fellow Chevalier, Nathan Mahler.
His core motivation stems from a deep psychological need. Having grown up without a mother, he came to regard Diva as his mother, believing she gave him a new life. This devotion is absolute; he keeps a locket with her picture and states that those who do not obey Diva do not deserve to exist. His primary goal, therefore, is to protect Diva at all costs and eliminate her twin sister, Saya, whom he views as the greatest threat to his queen. He is ambitious, strong-willed, and displays great determination and confidence in combat.
James’s role in the story is that of a primary enforcer for the Cinq Flèches. He is appointed by Amshel as the leader of the Corpse Corps, a unit of bio-mechanic soldiers designed to hunt chiropterans, and is given the direct task of killing Saya. His relationships with other characters are defined by his loyalty and military mindset. He is unfailingly loyal to Amshel, defending him against any suspicion. He is often blunt and distrustful of Solomon, and later takes pleasure in taunting him for his perceived betrayal. He dislikes Karl, seeing him as unstable and a detriment to their plans. His relationship with Nathan is more complex, marked by Nathan’s teasing and his own irritated reactions, though Nathan does eventually rescue him.
Throughout the story, James undergoes a significant development. After his first major battle with Saya, he is severely wounded and presumed dead, crystallized and falling into a nuclear waste dump. He is later rescued by Nathan and resurrected, but his missing limbs and body parts are replaced with those of Schiff creatures. This imperfect, monstrous new body causes Diva to reject him, saying she no longer wants him. This abandonment by the person he loves most causes James to lose his sanity, becoming more frantic, manic, and cruel as he becomes obsessed with killing Saya to prove his worth.
As a Chevalier, James possesses several notable abilities. His primary power is his incredibly resilient, armored skin, which is hard enough to withstand bullets and Saya's sword, making him a formidable tank-like opponent. In his chiropteran form, he takes on a demonic appearance with dark brown, spiky armor, two horns protruding from his head, and fur on his legs, which are his only vulnerable area. He can fire sharp, bone-like projectiles from his shoulders or arms. After his resurrection with Schiff body parts, his abilities change; his armor becomes even harder, and he can extend his middle finger into a long whip-like weapon and fire stakes from his fingers and palms. He also learns to wield Saya's own sword against her, suggesting some knowledge of swordsmanship. Like all chiropterans, he possesses superhuman strength, speed, agility, and a rapid healing factor. He also demonstrates deadly accuracy, even in human form, such as when he flicks a coin to slice a lock of Nathan's hair.