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, Gimle in the Japanese version) is the true main antagonist in Fire Emblem Awakening, and a secret boss in Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia.

Profile
Grima is the Fell Dragon (邪竜, Jaryū lit. Evil Dragon) feared by most of the world. Around 1,000 years before the start of the game, he made pact with a man, and tried to destroy the continent of Ylisse, but both were defeated by the First Exalt of Ylisse and Naga, with Grima put into a long slumber. A cult that fanatically worshipped Grima as the god of annihilation, 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. Eventually Validar, a failed vessel for Grima, produced a child with pure enough blood to be a suitable vessel, the Avatar. However, Validar's wife feared for their child's future and took them away to an unknown location, angering Validar and delayed their process of bringing Grima back.

In the alternate future, Grima managed to possess the Avatar and kills 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 time, but ended up losing a large amount of his power in the process. He managed to find his past self's body and attempted to fuse with the Avatar to give himself his blood and restore his power, 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 even 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 and resurrect Grima. Though Validar is killed before Grima's Awakening can be completed 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 the body they use, is 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 led the future to its ruinous state. The Grima-possesed Avatar tries to persuade the present Avatar into accepting the Fell Dragon's influence. Taking the present Avatar's question about not yet being the same as their refusal, undeterred, the Grima-possesed Future Avatar decides to finish the Awakening himself by sacrificing the Grimleal, and powers up the Grima of the present. Both Grimas leave the Dragon's Table to go to Origin Peak to regain the remaining power they need 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 1,000 years. However if Grima dies by his own power 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 if their bonds in this world are not strong enough, they will die in the process. After defeating Aversa, who led a band of Grimleal to avenge Validar's death, Naga teleports them onto present Grima's weakspot, Future Grima on his nape, although they prepared in advance and protects themselves along with the remaining Grimleal. After both Grimas are weakened by the Shepherds, the player can decide Grima's fate. If Chrom is allowed to land the final blow, he will send Grima into a state of slumber for one millennia. If instead the Avatar lands the final blow, they will charge up a ball of energy, and Grima will ask them what they are doing. The Avatar responds that they are glad the two share something together and how the evils he would visit on this world would be unforgivable and believe they should meet their end together. Future Grima yells in despair as the Avatar launches the ball of energy on him, killing both Grimas. As the Grimas die, the Avatar also begins to fade away as the two are linked together. After an undisclosed amount of time, Chrom and Lissa find the Avatar on a hill, this time the Mark of Grima is missing from their hand - a sign that Grima is gone for good and the world can now enjoy peace.

The Future Past
In this alternate timeline, Grima has managed to control the Avatar's body, and at the same time, indirectly control Morgan. Like in the alternate future, Grima manages to plunge the world into despair. However, Ylisstol still continues on fighting despite being heavily outmanned by the Risen. Grima orders both Morgans, who lead a group of Risen, to stop the children from obtaining the Gemstones needed to perform the Awakening. As a unit, Grima remains in Avatar's body, but summons a spectral version of his true form's head to attack.

He is the mysterious cloaked figure that attempts to kill Lucina, but Tiki takes the hit instead and dies from her wounds.

At the top of Castle Ylisstol, Grima appears and demands the Fire Emblem and the gemstone. Lucina refuses, and Grima sends a shockwave through her, Severa, Laurent, and Gerome, severely wounding them. However, as fate would have it, Chrom and his Shepherds from the main timeline appear and assist them in defeating Grima and his hordes of Risen. After the battle, Grima attempts to kill Chrom, but due to being weakened, is stopped by the Avatar, who then teleports Chrom and the Shepherds away back to their own timeline.

Should all the children survive, Grima will taunt Lucina, telling her that her friends are most likely dead as he had sent Risen on them. However, they appear and Grima deduces that both Morgans have failed him. Despite this, he still taunts her as the Awakening can only performed at Mount Prism, far enough for Grima to regain his strength and finish them off. However, as his Risen overran Mount Prism, the holy energy searched for the next source closest to Naga; Tiki, which Grima had carelessly left inside the castle. Tiki also becomes the new Naga of this world, and because Tiki's body is the holiest source in the land, Lucina is able to perform the Awakening on the spot. Lucina finishes off Grima, the Avatar freed from Grima's control in their body's death, thanking everyone for ending their torment and apologizing to Morgan for allowing them to fall under Grima's manipulation.

Should Lucina be the only child to survive, Grima will taunt Lucina, telling her how he killed her father, scores of Ylisseans and her friends. The Avatar, who has temporarily regained control of their body, tells her to complete the Awakening before he wakes from his slumber. The Avatar wished to be free of Grima's possession, so that none of the events would have happened in this timeline. Lucina notes that their voice seems painfully familiar and expresses that she wants to save them, but they refuse as they are speaking freely as Grima is weakened. After Grima manages to take temporary control of their body, the Avatar claims that it is now impossible to separate the two, and leaves for his slumber, waiting for the day Lucina will kill him.

Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia
Within the Thabes Labyrinth in Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia, it is revealed that Grima and the Risen were the creations of a ruthless Thabean alchemist named Forneus, who sought to create the "perfect life" by using the blood of a Divine Dragon and discovered how to raise the dead as perfectly obedient soldiers using insects called Thanatophages. Soon after Grima was created and further strengthened with Forneus' own blood, he began hearing Grima's voice in his head, implying that he might have been the first to be possessed by Grima, as well as the ancestor to the Avatar. Additionally, the presence of a version of Grima is hidden in the depths of Thabes Labyrinth, which may be an early prototype of the creature, or Grima itself in a weakened form.

Personality
What is shown of Grima's personality indicates he has a strong loathing of humans and enjoys their suffering. Grima is overconfident believing there is no way for Avatar to regain control of their body, nor did Grima believe that Avatar's bonds with others would overcome Grima's will. A manipulative side of Grima is depicted in his exploitation of Avatar's children, controlling them through his theft of their parent's body.

Grima is also shown to be a very calm individual, firmly believing that the future is set in stone. Even though Validar's plots were foiled and Avatar did not succumb to Grima's will at the Dragon's Table, the future Grima only showed slight disappointment in Avatar, before taking Avatar's place to revive the present Grima. The only time that Grima showed genuine shock and fear was when Avatar began to finish Grima off themselves that would result in Grima's death.

Fire Emblem Awakening
Help description: A baleful dragon, who seeks to plunge the world into darkness.

Endgame

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The Future Past 3

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Stats

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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... ...... ......"

- Avatar of the Future speaking through Grima in the 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...

Mysteries
It is not explained why Grima is connected to the Dragon's Table in Awakening when it was where Degenerated Dragons were sealed in Archanea.

It is unexplained why Grima commands the Deadlords when they were the Shadow dragon Loptyr's followers.

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 original Naga as a 'new one' to still complete the Awakening ritual. This in turn makes it questionable whether Grima was actually killed here or just sealed away for another 1000 years when Lucina struck him down.

Etymology
Grima's Japanese name 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, and Grima is the name of one of the minor antagonists.

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.

Trivia

 * Grima/Gimurei's title under himself and his worshippers is the Evil Dragon in Japan.
 * Grima's traits of: having a blood bond with a human, has a Tome named after him, commanding the Deadlords, and a fanatical cult is parallel to Loptyr, the Loptyrian Cult, and Julius. If there is a relation, it remains unmentioned.
 * Although Grima does not make an appearance in Fire Emblem Fates, he is mentioned in a support conversation between Odin and Laslow, and again by Anankos in the Hidden Truths 1 DLC, and even referenced by the DLC item Fell Brand (as his title was "The Fell Dragon") and the accessory Dragon Feather, which can only be acquired by use of the Robin amiibo.
 * In the English release of Knights of Iris artbook, Art of Fire Emblem Awakening, the Mark of Grima is called "The Brand of the Defile".
 * Grima is arguably the largest being depicted within a Fire Emblem game, as he dwarfs the size of the Dragon's Table and Ylisse. The final battle takes place on his back. However even within Awakening, Grima's size is not consistent.
 * Grima is the first ever antagonist that acts both as a final boss (Future Grima in his Avatar vessel) and as the map in which he is fought (Present Grima's true body).
 * Despite this, Grima in his true form is never actually fought, and only the hierophant body from the Future is directly battled.
 * Grima is significantly smaller in Fire Emblem Echoes, from a designer perspective, this is likely because he's actually fought as opposed to being the battle's background as in Awakening.