Matilda

Matilda
Old Matilda Young Matilda Legend of Mana Remaster artwork Legend of Mana Remaster artwork
First appearance	Legend of Mana (1999)
Latest appearance	Echoes of Mana (2022)
Title(s)	Abbess Matilda Priestess of Gato The Seventh Wisdom
Homeland	Gato Grottoes
Role	Support
Gender	Female
Species	Human

Matilda is a major supporting character in Legend of Mana and a recurring character in the Mana series.

Background

Matilda grew up together with Daena and Escad in the Gato Grottoes. While Matilda was born into a family of priests and Escad was brought to become a Holy Knight of Liotte, Daena's family had a long tradition of acting as protectors of the temple. Matilda met Irwin the demon during their childhood and treated her and Escad as equals. The young knight resented that treatment and believed the demon to be a harbinger of doom, so much so he tried to kill Irwin in the Ulkan Mines. In a cruel twist of fate, it was Escad who ended up falling into the Underworld.

Due to Irwin taking up all of her elemental powers in the mines, her body aged rapidly as her health declined. Despite being stated by Daena to be 26 years-old, she appears in present times to be more an double her age and was forced to become bedridden inside the Dreamweaver room for most of her adult life.

History

Legend of Mana

“Born into a family of priests in Gato, she began to question the life that awaited her. Matilda became attracted to Irwin and his free way of life.”

—In-game Encyclopedia

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SPOILERS ENCLOSED! Click "show" to reveal, otherwise skip to the following section.

Two Torches

The hero encounters Daena again in the Temple of Healing in Gato Grottoes. The female monk asks them if they know about a guy named Escad, as he is a good friend of Matilda and he's apparently came back to visit her. In the Dreamweaving Room, Escad is seen next to the frail Matilda telling her it's only been ten years since he's been to the Underworld. He doesn't understand how she aged that much since. The old woman is glad to see her friend, even though she lost her precious other friend Irwin for the same amount of time. Escad tells her to stop thinking about that demon since he took her elemental powers to fuel his own ambitions. Matilda replies she's not as unhappy as he thinks. The two friends are interrupted by the main character entering the room, annoying Escad who asks them if they heard their conversation. Daena comes into the room and tells Escad he should go too since he's been inside for a while. The swordsman replies he learned to fight with sword thanks to Olbohn and its his will as a Wisdom to kill the demon Irwin. Matilda tells she wishes she would put the past aside and rejoice with her friends, but Escad warns her to be careful with that demon as he should not be trusted. He leaves the room afterwards.

As the main character decides to exit too, they find a strange Nun entering the Dreamweaving Room next to an injured one. As they reenter, the Nuns becomes belligerent, claiming her lord commands it before vanishing along with Matilda. Daena is seen in a weakened state lying on the ground as she curses the disguised Nun for kidnapping her friend. She joins the party by entrusting the hero to find her missing friend. She orders a Nun to lock all doors to the temple while they search the entire vicinity.

Fortunately, Escad has ambushed the culprit right outside the temple and is questioning them about working for Irwin. The impersonating Nun states she merely follows her master Irwin's orders and teleports away with Irwin. As the team search every nook and cranny around Gato, Escad is seen waiting for Daena near a cave, telling her he lost them. The female monk recalls a sealed meditation room they haven't looked at yet, and she arranges it to be opened as it is an emergency. Escad decides to look around the cave some more while the protagonist and Daena teleport to the aforementioned place. There they find Matilda and the antagonist who claims they have fallen right into their trap. However, the Abbess is escorted back to the temple by two Nuns, foiling the impersonator's plans. They battle them and defeat the threat.

Escad, Daena, Matilda and the protagonist are then seen back in the Dreamweaving Room. The Abbess explains to Escad she never wanted to give up her freedom to become a priestess, as it was Irwin who wanted to free her from a life bound by rules. Escad retaliates by saying Irwin wanted her powers he took from her, but Daena stops the conversation by telling Escad to leave the Abbess alone and that she should rest. The Knight replies he will not sit by idly as that demon grow ever so powerful as he storms off. Matilda claims only heavenly silence comforts her.

In Search of Faeries

Matilda asks the protagonist to find Daena after she said she wanted to talk to Irwin. After witnessing what happend to the cat monk and the demon in Lake Kilma, the main character heads back to the Temple of Healing and tells the Abbess what happened. Upon learning she's in the Land of Faeries, she wonders if Irwin is there too. She thanks the hero for their help and recalls seeing faeries a lot then she was young. Escad could not seen them and used to make a face when she was talking with them. The Holy Knight of Liotte told her earlier he could see them now, albeit faintly.

As the protagonist exits the room, Matilda is visited by Selva a Wisdom and spirit of the Four Winds. He tells her he used to visit her when she was but an infant. The priestess replies he must know about how Irwin stole her elemental powers. He does, and adds that when an era comes to an end, anything can happen. Matilda asks him is he can foresee the future, but the wind spirit answers that the future is decided for those who will walk its path. He then proceeds to list all the Wisdoms of Fa'Diel and declares she's going to be the seventh, as she is the one who will end an era. Matilda replies she feel terribly guilty of causing chaos by her selfish love for Irwin and believes she deserves to be punished. Selva comforts her saying she's allowed anyone she wants and that she must learn to open her heart.

Pokiehl: Dream Teller

A younger version of Matilda is seen with Irwin in a past version of the Ulkan Mines. She is seen suffocating from the gas emanating from the grotto, and worries that they might end up in a cave-in. The duo is later spotted while resting in a quiet spot in the mines. Matilda wonders why Escad hates Irwin so much, but an earthquake puts a stop to her questioning. The young priestess is glad to have succesfully left the temple on her own volition, but she is striken with terror as the might end up stuck in the cave. Irwin reassures her saying she has the spirits power with her and they will protect her. She replies she won't be able to become a priestess because friendship with demons are forbidden for the likes of her. Irwin declares he is not her friend and just want to eat her up, like all demons do, but she doesn't believe him. Irwin then tricks her into summoning Wisp to light up the way and snatches her elemental powers in the process. He tells her people should have to freedom to use their powers the way they want before chanting a spell. A young Escad comes to her rescue, but is killed in the process.

Star-crossed Lovers

Daena has returned from the Land of Faeries and is seen in the Dreamweaving Room next to Matilda. She promptly asks her to go with her to the Mindas Ruins. Should she crosses into the Land of Faeries there, she could prolong her lifespan thanks to time flowing differently there. The cat monk adds the Abbess is the only one who can stop Irwin. Escad rushes into the room, blade at hand, accusing Daena's mind of being poisoned by the demon. Matilda tries to calm him down, but the Holy Knight swings his sword at Daena as a warning sign. Daena shouts he's the demon and he's been lying about learning from a wisdom. The ailing Abbess chants a spell and teleports her, Daena and the protagonist to the Tower of Winds.

Matilda is seen atop the tower next to Irwin. She is overjoyed of seeing him, saying she never gave hope he'd survive. Irwin tells her she haven't changed at all, which makes her laugh as she is now looking like an old woman. The demon, however, hasn't changed much, thanks to the Land of Faeries being able to bind to one's thoughts and desires. Irwin wanted to bring her here to revert her back to her young self and to make her his wife. Matilda believes that the faeries will never accept her, but the demon states they will accept whomever he chooses, just like she accepts any human rules. He adds she is part of the Land of Faeries, but she blinbly follows the path others have set for her. The Abbess replies the only choice she have is to be free.

Meanwhile, Daena and Escad are fighting at the foot of the Tower of Winds. Should the player decides to side with Escad or to stay out of it, they will join the Holy Warrior and kill Daena. If they choose to side with Daena, then they will partner with her and slay Escad. Either way, the duo climb the tower and return to Matilda. If Daena is killed, the Abbess will be in utter shock and mourn her friend. If Escad is sacrificed, Daena will try to coerce her friend to stay in the Land of Faeries. Either way, she will talk about Irwin using the legendary Wyrm of Light to destroy the world and decides to return to Gato out of her own free will.

Heaven's Gate

Matilda is back in the Dreamweaving Room where either Escad or Daena is at her side. If the cat warrior is there, the Abbess will give a bit more information about her relationship with Irwin, revealing she loves him and wishes him to make his own choices freely. If Escad is present, then she will want him to stay by her side a while longer as it might be the last time she sees him, but the Liotte Knight will storms out claiming he is the only one able to stop the world form being destroyed. In both scenarios, the main character will join Matilda's friend and ride the Cancun Bird to reach Lucemia.

After defeating Irwin and destroying the flying fortress, the ally will learn by a Gato Nun that Matilda has passed away and her body vanished at the same time. A cutscene of Matilda shows her landing in Olbohn's office in the Underworld. The Archdemon of Hell asks her if she's agreed to Selva's proposal of becoming the seventh Wisdom, to which she consents. Olbohn adds she doesn't need her old woman look anyomre and that Irwin felt guilty of what happened back in the Ulkan Mines. He transforms the frail lady into her younger self. The now young Matilda asks if Irwin is here and goes looking for him in the lower levels of hell.

She finds him surrounded by a bunch of Shadoles and chase them away. Irwin is surprised by her powers, but she claims it was the power of the Universe, not hers. She adds he can also create what his soul desires. Irwin states he's a demon born only to destroy, but the priestess replies he created her and helped her forge her own path. Irwin reveals her love made a shadow cast on his heart and only wishes to be reborn as a new demon whose only purpose is to destroy. He disappears into thin air, leaving the young priestess alone sobbing in silence while Selva comes to comfort her.

Spoiler ends here.

Sword of Mana

Matilda

The young version of Matilda appears as a summon in Sword of Mana. Should the player gathers 100 amigos, she can be called upon and will cast a screen-wide powerful blast of light to deal damage and inflict charm onto enemies. With more than double the attack power of Selva, Matilda is certainly the most powerful Wisdom available.

Circle of Mana

Matilda makes a cameo appearance in the online game, along with several other characters from the Mana series. She appears in 4 sets of cards.

Rank	Attribute	Name	Classes				Quote
SUR	魔	ハロウィン・マチルダ	ハロ家の娘	司祭になる少女	[光]聖者になる少女	[闇]賢者になる少女	「でもすっごい楽しいよ！パーティーっていいよね。私こんな楽しいの初めて！」 "But it's so much fun! Parties are great. I've never had so much fun!"
SSUR	魔	マチルダ	ハロ家の娘	司祭になる少女	[光]聖者になる少女	[闇]賢者になる少女	「彼はすごく優しいよ。彼は私を特別扱いしない。私は彼といると自由になれる気がするの。」 "He's very kind. He doesn't treat me any differently. I feel free when I'm with him."
SSUR	魔	マチルダ[賢者]	ハロ家の娘	司祭になる少女	[光]聖者になる少女	[闇]賢者になる少女	「これは私の力というよりは、宇宙の力かしら。」 "This isn't so much my power as it is the power of the universe."
SSUR	魔	マチルダ[創造]	ハロ家の娘	司祭になる少女	[光]聖者になる少女	[闇]賢者になる少女	「なにをゆってるでちか。これまでのたびをおもいだすんでち！」 "What are you talking about? It reminds me of the past times!"

General information

Personality

An individual born into a venerated clerical order of priests, Matilda is fated to assume the helm of the Gato Temple. The life that Matilda thus led prior to her meeting with Irwin was sequestered, one that was intended to shield her from being tainted by the influences of the outside world. Presumably having been subjected to rigorous training that involves the traditional precepts and principles upheld by her clan for generations being drilled into her, Matilda proves to be resistant to the fate of her birthright.

As a passionate, romantic person with strong personal ideals on how her life is to be shaped, Matilda is naturally discontented with the oppressive nature of her lot. This eventually gives birth to a sanguine desire to break free from the shackles of responsibility that have been imposed on her since birth and pave her own way through life. This is evidenced through her making the decision to escape from the confines of Gato Temple with Irwin in order to embark on an excursion to the Ulkan Mines with him, and later remarking that she is tired of a life that is governed by adults constantly "telling her what to do", alongside questioning why "demons and humans can't be friends".

It is through this same trip to the Ulkan Mines that one observes that nestled within Matilda's idealism is a deep-seated naivety that is derived from her lack of exposure to the harsh reality that exists outside the Gato Temple. Her decision to make the trip is alone rash and compulsive, completely born of the desire to be free without any heed being paid to the possible consequences. Her juvenile reaction to the caving in of the Mines' entrance further proves this, as she breaks down and remarks that the trip "no longer seems fun anymore".

It is this same naivety that motivates Matilda into agreeing to Irwin's proposal to leave Gato to begin with; seeing her desire to be free reflected in the wild, unbridled freedom that defines Irwin, she is attracted to him, and a curiosity to savour the liberation that he offers thence spurs her flight.

This attraction will eventually transform into a love that proves to be fatal for both parties; on Irwin's end, his love for Matilda causes him to seek the world's destruction, along with the oppressive people directly responsible for separating him and Matilda, in order to be with her; on Matilda's end, her love for Irwin compels her to forgo her moral code and sanction his world-destroying plot, citing her not having the right to encroach upon his "freedom" to do so as the principal reason. Matilda's naivety once again comes into play here; her apparent display of selflessness in sanctioning Irwin's actions is in fact selfish, as it is solely motivated by her being blinded by her love for him, to the extreme where she hypocritically disregards the right of the rest of Fa'Diel's inhabitants to continue living.

This naivety of Matilda's eventually leads to the couple being, ironically enough, tragically separated for all eternity, in spite of being reunited in the Underworld after death. Her complete unawareness of her existence being one that is painful to Irwin is one that causes his choice to reincarnate to shock her, whereupon she despairingly sobs over his departure.

Gallery

For this subject's image gallery, see Gallery:Matilda.

• 
  Matilda encyclopedia entry
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  Matilda encyclopedia entry

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