Grima (character)

"I am the wings of despair. I am the breath of ruin. I am the fell dragon, Grima..."

- Grima introducing himself to Validar.

Grima (ギムレー Gimurē, Gimurei in the Japanese version) is the main antagonist in Fire Emblem: Awakening.

Profile
Grima is the Fell Dragon feared through most of the world. Around 1,000 years before the start of the game, he tried to take over the continent of Ylisse, but was defeated by the first king of Ylisse and Naga and put into a long slumber. A cult that followed Grima, the Grimleal, formed a country, Plegia, in order to revive their fallen master. For centuries, the Grimleal tried to create a suitable vessel for Grima to take, someone who held the Heart of Grima. Validar's wife gave birth to a suitable vessel, the Avatar. However Validar's wife took the child away from the cult to protect them from their destiny.

In the alternate future, Grima managed to possess the Avatar and kill Chrom at The Dragon's Table, bringing destruction to the world. To prevent Lucina from interfering with his resurrection in the past, Grima followed her through the Outrealm Gate, but lost most of his power in the process. He managed to find his past self's body and attempted to fill their head with his memories, but the massive amount of memories and the weak Heart of Grima the Avatar had at the time gave the past avatar amnesia and caused Grima to lose more of his power. After Validar's death in Chapter 6, Grima approaches Validar and revives him for his grand purpose.

Two years after Gangrel's defeat, Validar introduces his hierophant, a hooded figure who looks exactly like the Avatar. However before Chrom and the Avatar can ask further, Validar reminds them to make haste to prevent Valm's invasion. After stopping Walhart and the Valm empire, Chrom returns to Plegia to receive the last Gemstone, only for Validar to betray them by stealing the Fire Emblem. With the Emblem in hand, Validar rushes to The Dragon's Table to perform the Awakening to resurrect Grima. Though Validar is killed before the Avatar can become the vessel of Grima, the mysterious doppelgänger met in Plegia before the Valm invasion warps into the Table. The doppelgänger reveals that their exact same appearance with the Avatar is because they are, in fact, the Avatar, the alternate future version of the Avatar from the same time as Lucina and the other children. Unlike the present Avatar, the future Avatar was successfully possessed by Grima, killed Chrom, and lead the future to its ruinous state. Grima tries to persuade the Avatar into accepting the Fell Dragon's influence, but they refuse. Undeterred, Grima decides to harness the power himself through the future Avatars body a resurrects his God-dragon form. Grima leaves the Dragon's Table to go to Origin Peak to regain the remaining power he needs to destroy the world.

After Chrom completes the Awakening, he learns that if he deals the final blow with the Exalted Falchion, Grima will only be sealed for another 1000 years. However if Grima "kills himself," only then can he be killed permanently. At Origin Peak, the Avatar realizes that their link to Grima means that if they kill Grima, Grima will be "killed by his own hand." However Naga warns them that by doing so, the Avatar may die in the process. After Naga warps Chrom and his army onto Grima's back, Grima severely weakens the army in one move. Grima gives the Avatar the option to accept their role or watch as he kills everyone. Regardless of their choice, Grima pulls the Avatar into the void and weakens them. When all hope seems lost for the Avatar, the voices of Chrom's army rekindles their spirit, allowing them to break free of the void. Grima prepares to kill off his remaining enemies, but is ultimately stopped thanks to the combined might of Chrom, the Avatar, and their entire army. Weakened, the player can decide how to defeat Grima. If Chrom deals the final blow, Grima will be put to sleep for 1000 years. However, if the Avatar slays him, Grima will die permanently, but the Avatar will begin to fade away due to their link to Grima. In the end, with the Fell Dragon now gone, the world is a peace.

Normal Mode
Dragonskin
 * Grima
 * 30
 * 80
 * 35
 * 25
 * 30
 * 25
 * 25
 * 35
 * 30
 * Crimsoncurse.pngema
 * Crimsoncurse.pngema
 * Breath
 * [[File:Expiration.png]]Expiration
 * }

Hard Mode
Ignis Pavise Dragonskin
 * Grima
 * 30
 * 88
 * 41
 * 31
 * 38
 * 33
 * 33
 * 41
 * 38
 * Crimsoncurse.pngema
 * Crimsoncurse.pngema
 * Breath
 * [[File:Expiration.png]]Expiration
 * }

Lunatic Mode
Ignis Pavise Dragonskin Rightful God
 * Grima
 * 30
 * 99
 * 50
 * 40
 * 50
 * 45
 * 45
 * 50
 * 50
 * Crimsoncurse.pngema
 * Crimsoncurse.pngema
 * Breath
 * [[File:Expiration.png]]Expiration
 * }

Lunatic+ Mode
Ignis Pavise+ Dragonskin Rightful God
 * Grima
 * 30
 * 99
 * 50
 * 40
 * 50
 * 45
 * 45
 * 50
 * 50
 * Crimsoncurse.pngema
 * Crimsoncurse.pngema
 * Breath
 * [[File:Expiration.png]]Expiration
 * }

Quotes
"...I AM...GRIMA... I AM...DESPAIR..."

- Grima's Pre-Battle Quote in the Endgame

"...NNGH...AAAAUGHHH..."

- Grima's Defeat Quote in the Endgame

"DAMN YOU!"

- Grima's Defeat Voice Clip

"...At last...I can rest... ...No one else...will suffer... ...because of me... ...Thank...you... ...I hope your lives are...filled... ...with...joy... ...... ...... ...Morgan...please forgive me... ...I put you through...so...much... ...... ......"

- Grima's Death Quote in The Future Past 3

Vs Chrom (Endgame)
Chrom: I come to end you, Grima!

Grima: ...ARROGANT MORTAL...I AM THE END!

Vs The Avatar (Endgame)
Grima: ...RETURN TO ME... COME... WE ARE ONE...AND THE SAME...

Avatar: ......

Vs Lucina (Endgame)
Lucina: I lost to you once, monster. I shall not lose again! Die now, that our future can live!

Grima: ...YOU CANNOT SLAY... WHAT MAY NEVER DIE...

Avatar Slays Grima
Chrom: ...Avatar?! Wait, what--

Grima: ...WHAT...WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

Avatar: For once, I'm glad you and I are the same. Now I can give my life to protect those I care for...

Grima: ...YOU WOULD...NOT DARE!

Avatar: I would and I will. The evils you would visit on this world are unthinkable... In some way, I-we share the blame. It's only right we meet our end together!

Grima: ...NOOOOOOO!

Mysteries
Much of Grima's past is shrouded in mystery. It is speculated in the Knights of Iris artbook that Grima is descended from the Earth Dragons, but it is not clear how he would relate to the tribe or how he relates to Naga's seal on the tribe. Nor are his distinctly demonic appearance, his ability to fly, or his necromantic powers explained in any manner. The significance of the humanoid face that appears under the bones plates, that are destroyed as more damage is taken, is also unexplained. Additionally it is unclear why Grima has sentience and seeks to end the world, as the Earth Dragons were not innately destructive until they degenerated into mad beasts.

Grima can only be destroyed by his own power, but the mechanism of this is never explained and is not true of any other entity in the series.

In The Future Past 3 it is revealed that Grima had killed Naga in an alternate future, which was stated by Naga to be impossible. It is not clear if that particular Outrealm operated according to different laws, or if the Grima and Naga of the game's realm are wrong about their relationship. Although this contrasted by or arguably enhanced by Tiki taking up the mantle of Naga. That is, Naga meant the role of Naga was immortal (hence Tiki being able to fill it as the Avatar for Grima) or it is indeed more mysterious that Tiki could replace the orginal Naga as a 'new one' to still complete the Awakening ritual.

Etymology
Grima's Japanese name, Gimle, may be named after Gimlé (alternately Gimli) from Norse mythology. It was a place where the survivors of Ragnarök were foretold to live. It is described as the most beautiful place on Earth, even more beautiful than the Sun. Alternatively, in Ásgarðr (the realm of the gods), Gimli is the golden roof of a building where righteous men go when they die.

Gimli was also the name of a dwarf who belonged to the fellowship in J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Grima may come from Spanish grima meaning disgust or uneasiness, cognate to English grim. Alternatively, it may come from to Old English grima, which means mask, helmet, or ghost, cognate to English grime.

Grima was also the name of an ally of the traitorous wizard Saruman the White in in J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy, known as Wormtongue for his deceitful nature.