Adel (Final Fantasy)

Sorceress Adel is a minor antagonist in Final Fantasy VIII. She is a Sorceress who was once the ruler of Esthar for an unknown period of time. Though Adel is always referred to as a "she", her physical form is very masculine with a muscular frame with thick shoulders. Adel is also at least four times the size of the average person.



Appearance & Personality
One look at Adel and her most notable physical trait is obvious; she is very masculine. Possessing a torso more akin to a well built male there have been many debates concerning her gender. Her red hair is tied into a long plait down her back, and her clothing consists of a headpiece, a black skirt with frock, arm bands, and a metallic structure, reminding one of an armor (although this piece of clothing is often confused as being part of the multiple black tattoos that adorn her torso and therefore creating the impression of her not wearing something to cover up her upper body). Her skin is pure white and her eyes are of a crimson color matching her hair.

On her back, a set of her tattoos work together as a mirror-image of her wings. In the fighting sequence, the tattoo disappears and is replaced by an actual set of wings. Apparently, this happens whenever Adel summons her immense powers and intends to use them.

Adel's personality is mostly ignored throughout Final Fantasy VIII. She is actually quite the rarity in that even when she is finally resurrected and fights the party while junctioned to Rinoa, she says nothing to the player. She is said to be cruel, brutal, avaricious, power-hungry, and utterly ruthless. She has no morals and no sympathies; she is the epitome of pure evil. None of her actions in the game show anything more than this.

Story
Sorceress Adel rose to power in the country of Esthar during the time period between the destruction of the CentraEmpire and the advent of the Sorceress War. Precisely how she became the ruler of Esthar is unknown, although Selphie Tilmitt mentions similarities between the rise of Edea Kramer and Adel in her diary. It can be assumed that Adel cooperated with the former head of Esthar before taking his place forcefully. Few details are known about her rule, because it is rarely mentioned in Final Fantasy VIII. This is unsurprising, considering that in the end, Adel's own people rebelled against her, and to this day refuse to speak of her in more than hushed voices. Although Estharians have never elaborated on the enormity of the cruelties Adel had performed, it may be inferred that her atrocities were truly horrendous.