Ami Chizu Akiba better known under her alias The Jade Serpent or simply Jade, is a supporting character in the Moriarty comic series by Image Comics. Jade is an assassin and partner of James Moriarty determined to break free of her masters.
History[]
Dark Chamber[]
Born Ami Chizu Akiba, early in life she was enslaved and later trained to be a ruthless assassin in while taking the name the Jade Serpent, gaining enough connections from her superiors to form her own network in London though still under their control. Over time would become aquatinted with Professor James Moriarty whom she seemed to form a love affair, in doing so she and her followers became the only assassins Moriarty would employ due to their unmatched skills. While Jade did enjoy the money and power this gave her, she grew to desire for freedom and to be in control of her destiny. When Moriarty comes to her for information including on a cult known as the Black Hand, she teases him for a while leading to a brief fight when she insults Sherlock Holmes, after a brief fight that kills several of her followers, she offers to set up a meeting with the Black Hand. Soon after this when Moriarty is framed for the murder of Lord Hollingsworth along with a government agent Jade goes to help him. When Moriarty catches her off guard Jade admits she betrayed her master thus lost her network to get Moriarty more information leading to them to the Black Hand safehouse to find a device called "The Dark Chamber". There they soon find the terrorist known as Tartarus in has betrayed the Black Hand and stolen the perfected version in an attempt to level all of Europe if not the entire world, when asked by Moriarty if she was meant to betray him, she admits that was her mission but she has decided to kill her former group now. As her former allies attack Jade kills several herself and fatally wounds a friend though Moriarty kills the friend after seeing Jade was about to be stabbed. Now with her freedom but now lacking conncections, Jade continues her journey with Moriarty to stop Tartarus. When Moriarty attempts to ask a former associate, Mata Hari, on Tartarus, Jade saves Moriarty from being shot as they start to interogate Mata Hari.
As they meet at the location they were provided they meet up with Dr. John Watson, Watson does confirm he and some of the government are aware Moriarty is being framed but also points out the local law enforcement were not yet made aware. Soon Dr. Watson points out they have an incomplete version of the Dark Chamber but can't make it work as they lack the code that the blueprint, while confirming while it was never perfected its original design dates back to ancient Greece. In fear of Dr. Watson demands Moriarty to activate the machine by pointing a gun, this leads Jade into cutting Dr. Watson's arm and fleeing with Moriarty in an attempt to kill Tartatus before he can drive humanity insane. As the days pass Moriarty and Jade search the city in desperation until they find Rupert Thomason, the man who Tartarus had kidnapped and helped created the latest version of the Dark Chamber, driven mad and barely clinging to life but able to answer some of Moriarty's question though only in a cryptic way as he succumbs to the effects after tortured by Tartarus wit constant exposure to the device. After discovering Tartarus had an underwater lair, Jade and Moriarty attacked one of his ships that would dock near the entrance. Jade and Moriarty eventually were able to overpower the men with Moriarty using the latch but asking Jade to drain the tank given he lacks the diving suit that the men were using to enter the underground base. Once Moriarty enters, he was surrounded yet Jade along with Dr. Watson arrive in time for them to turn the tide in their favor. After the battle, Dr. Watson offers to let Jade join him while pointing out it seems Moriarty died in an explosion caused by Tartarus. Jade admits that she merely wants to forge her own destiny and expresses doubts Moriarty has truly died before leaving Dr. Watson.
The Jade Serpent[]
After helping Moriarty save Europe, Jade decided she wanted to head back to Japan, there she tried to continue her work as an assassin while also gaining more freedom. Not long after returning from one mission the goverment blackmailed her into hunting down an unknown man who killed a government offical. Desperate Jade finds Moriarty has visited Tokyo to help kill those who betrayed her in Europe and asks he help find the killer. As they investigate the crime scene Moriarty realizes the man wasn't killed by the stab wound but rather was poisoned through his whiskey when he was seeing a prostitute. Together they travel through a hidden passage, Moriarty points out he knows she paid a prostitute to kill the offical and planned to kill more as revenge due to being made a slave as a little girl. Unable to keep up the charade, Jade admits the truth only to realize Moriarty is still going to help her regardless. As they approach the establishment that once enslaved her, Moriarty pays for the establishment to be emptied only to have the women kill their oppressors while promising them a new life. As the women kill all the men in the building aside Moriarty and quickly vacate the building they set it on fire, freeing Jade of anyone who once controlled her and Moriarty informing her these women are her new army to train. Surprised at the outcome and how Moriarty assures her that he'd be employing her soon they depart on civil terms but admits to herself that while she owes him that even she will have to set limits to how much as she refuses to ever be in anyone's debt again.
Endgame[]
In a possible dystopian future Jade still works for Moriarty and seemingly was given a way to slow or halt her aging altogether much like Moriarty himself, that and was given a new combat suit that allowed her to fly and produce force-fields. Jade seems to have remained Moriarty's closest ally in his plans for world domination to the point he is a little more affectionate to her in public. In this time, she is also shown to not like when she believes Moriarty has given her an order and claims she stays with him more out of curiosity, right before jumping out to fight Sherlock's robots and human soldiers. While fighting them alongside Moriarty she realizes he threw a grenade and is told to activate her force-field which saves her life. As she continues to fight Moriarty confronts a now very elderly Dr. Watson. What happens to her during the ensuing battle between Sherlock and Moriarty is unclear though given her history it is very likely she has surivived and continued to aid Moriarty in his plans for world conquest.
Appearance[]
Jade is described as a very beautiful woman with a slim athletic build with long black hair that she'd often tie into a braided ponytail. When on missions she she wore a more revealing outfit primarily made of black fabrics but she is shown from time to time to wearing a red kimono and extravagent victorian dress when in public.
Personality[]
Jade is said to be one of the best assassins and to see the act of murder as an art hinting at a sadistic side that she keeps overall hidden. When around Moriarty she will occasionally tease him but overall rather polite, often acting in a graceful manner whenever in public though not above using sarcasm with anyone. Contrast to Moriarty's sceptism to magic and spirituality, Jade seems to be a rather spiritual individual and open to the idea of magic. Jade is also shown to be very honorable in terms of fighting while trying to avoid using many sneak attacks unless she deems it absolutely necessary. It also seems she has some romantic feeling for Moriarty as she stayed with him for many years in one potential timeline though acknowledges she doesn't want to be taking any orders from anyone to which he responds it is one of the things he admires about her.
Powers and Abilities[]
Jade is said to be one of the best assassins in all of Europe if not the world itself, shown to regularly kill several individuals at once. Her primarily weapon of choice is shown to be a sword though she is also shown to be a very skilled martial artist. In one potential future she seemingly hasn't aged retaining a young appearance even when Dr. Watson is shown to have aged considerably. To add to this she also has been given access to advanced technology which allows her to fly and produce a force-field for a limited time.
Gallery[]
