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Elina is a non-playable character in Breath of Fire IV. She is the eldest princess of Wyndia and Nina's older sister. Although she doesn't physically appear until late into the game, Elina has a significant impact on the events of the game, as she is the lynchpin in Wyndia's relationships with its neighboring countries and her sudden disappearance directly sets the game's plot into motion. She has been close friends with Cray, the current Cheftain of Worent, since Childhood and their relationship has helped to solidify relations between their respective nations. She also recently became engaged to Prince Morley of Ludia as part of an arranged marriage orchestrated to formally unite the nations of Wyndia and Ludia, who are in the midst of fighting a joint war again the Fou Empire.
Role in Breath of Fire IV[]
Shortly before the events of the game, Elina mysteriously vanished while in the midst of a goodwill visit to Synesta, a city which has suffered greatly during the ongoing war with the Fou Empire. Her disappearance causes Nina to go in search with her, with Cray accompanying her as her bodyguard. During their journey, they meet Ryu, followed by the other members of the party.
While many citizens in Wyndia believe Elina to have run away as a result of her betrothal to Prince Morley, in truth, Elina was kidnapped and held captive by the Fou Empire. She is finally discovered by the party in an underground facility in Astana. After a brief reunion with her sister, she requests to be alone with Cray, asking Ryu, whose name she intuitively knows, to leave behind the Dragonslayer sword. She is then revealed to be a captive, and test subject, of Yuna, who proudly declares that -- in his desire to create the perfect sacrifice for the Carronade -- he has succeeded in making her the first artificial Endless. Elina’s body has been permanently altered by the experiments, and everything below her waist has been replaced by an extensive structure of organs that leave her bedridden, tied to the building, and unable to die.
Alone with Cray after Yuna flees, Elina says it is too late for her and that she has no desire to live forever in her present state. She then asks Cray to take up the Dragonslayer and kill her. Despite Cray’s reluctance, Elina is at peace with her decision and, in response to Cray’s declaration of love, admits that she is aware of his feelings and chose him precisely because of that. She dies happy, knowing his will be the last face she sees.
Inspiration[]
Like Mina from Breath of Fire II, Elina serves as both a sibling and foil to her game's iteration of Nina. She also repeats certain motifs that also appear in Mina's character, as both are tragic figures who are transformed and subsequently sacrificed in some way: Elina is turned into an Endless by Yuna, and Mina sacrifices herself to become a Great Bird in her sister's place.