- NOTE: This is about the version of Nyra from the movie. For the version from the books, click here.
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Nyra is a major antagonist in the 2010 film Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole. She is the second-in-command of the Pure Ones and is married to Surtr (who serves as Metal Beak as Kludd is a separate character).
She was voiced by Dame Helen Mirren, who also played Morgana le Fay in Excalibur, the Snow Queen in the film of the same name and Eve Tingle in Teaching Mrs. Tingle.
Biography
Nyra was the Ablah General of St. Aggie's (a position taken by Skench in the books) and was the mate of Metal Beak (whose name is revealed in the video game to be Surtr who is a separate owl from Kludd, who is a lot younger than Nyra in this film). She was responsible for the forcing of young, kidnapped owlets to search for flecks, the magnetic particles she plotted with Metal Beak to use against the Guardians of Ga'Hoole. She believed Tytos, especially Tyto Albas, to be the purest of all owls, and took a great interest in Kludd (who greatly admires Nyra), believing him to be a valuable soldier for the Pure Ones' army. She picked Kludd and several other young Tytos, two presumably being a Sooty Owl and a Grass Owl, and trained them to be ruthless and strong like the Pure Ones. She engaged Grimble in battle while Kludd's brother Soren and Gylfie were trying to escape, and was unsuccessful at capturing them once she killed Grimble.
When the Guardians infiltrated the Pure Ones' stronghold, she battled against them with her troops, though she withdrew from most of the fighting. She engaged Ezylryb in battle along with Metal Beak when he returned to the Pure Ones' castle in search of their leader. When Metal Beak was killed by Soren, Nyra (angered and horrified at her husband's death) withdrew with her troops.
Appearance
Nyra had red markings around her eyes and on the crest of her beak and face. She was larger than any other Barn Owl in the movie, and her feathers were nearly pure white, unlike many other Barn Owls, who exhibited reddish or brownish coloring on their chests and wings. This may mark her high status, as it is mentioned that many of the high-ranking owls bleached and dyed their feathers certain colors, mostly white, to show their purity. Her eyes were a piercing hazel-blue color, but on several occasions, they glowed red during battle, perhaps as an allusion to her haggish roots or her anger.
Trivia
- In the books, Nyra was married to Kludd, though he was younger than her. In the film, Nyra is married to Surtr (who serves as Metal Beak in the film) whilst Kludd is portrayed as an adolescent and much younger than Nyra but has a crush on her.
- Also in the books, she despises Phillip (a character who first appeared in the third book) because he is a Greater Sooty owl due to the species being the lowest in rank; yet in the movie, she's the mate of Surtr, who is also a Greater Sooty owl.
