MIA WILDEs TROPES
by @RobinBlade

Tropes applying to the traditional nun trained to efficiently kill demons and Underworld creatures. Mia Wilde.

The Ace: The trump card of the Church of the Ancient Ones. Or so she wants you to believe. Despite her undying loyalty, resourcefulness and invaluable contributions as a nun, Mia finds herself marginalized and disdained by the high-ranking nuns of the Church. A past incident has branded her as a traitor, tarnishing her reputation and undermining her standing within the organization. Her mission to retrieve Miyuuki serves as her final chance to settle the score and redeem herself from the alleged betrayal that led to her excommunication. It is a desperate opportunity for Mia to repay her debt and secure her long-awaited return to her homeland in Ireland. However, this complicated position within the Church does not wash away the fact that she's a formidable foe. Mia remains as a constant pain in the ass to the V7D, wielding her skills and experience with lethal precision. But to say that the Church has her in high regard... that's not entirely true. 

Affably Evil: She's one of the story's most dangerous and consistent antagonists, but she possesses a surprising degree of fondness and respect for The V7D, and even a obsession/crush for Medea, despite her considering her religious beliefs of her as a blasphemous heathen. Despite her ruthless nature in combat, there's a softer side to her—a woman who appears weary rather than bloodthirsty when she's not engaged in battle or hunting monsters. Mia's positive traits gradually fade away as her fixation on Medea transforms into a more ominous, spiteful, and heedless obsession. She starts displaying an indifference to the collateral damage incurred by others in the course of her conflicts with Medea, showing a readiness to manipulate and ally with anyone who can heighten the suffering of her "beloved."...

Scarily Competent Tracker: With her cutting-edge armor equipped with advanced tracking capabilities, Mia is like a high-tech bloodhound on the hunt. There's no hiding from her keen senses and state-of-the-art gear. She can sniff out anyone, anywhere, leaving no stone unturned in her relentless pursuit. It's almost uncanny how quickly she located The V7D, a task that would have taken months for others. But Mia is not just about rushing blindly into battle. Oh no, she's smarter than that. After pinpointing their whereabouts in a mere matter of weeks, she bided her time, observing and studying her targets with meticulous precision.

Named After Somebody Famous: Mia Wilde's namesake comprises the popular porn actress Mia Malkova and the iconic writer Oscar Wilde.

It's All About Me: For Mia, it's all about her and Medea (at least from her perspective). Mia's obsession and her egotistical need to wreck Medea's life dominate her completely, even in the middle of the world undergoing literal terraforming. Eventually, Medea reaches her breaking point with Mia's poisonous fixation and tells her plainly, ''There is no US!'' before slicing off Mia's left leg just to be rid of her. Needless to say, that didn't halt Mia for long, as she quickly crafted a new prosthetic leg and geared up to confront Medea once more.

Fighting Irish: She is Irish, just like her namesake, and delights herself while fulfilling her duties. She strikes all of the usual Irish brawler notes: aggressive, unafraid of fighting despite injuries, and prone to occasional stevedore-like cursing.

Gadgeteer Genius: Mia is not just a badass nun with a mean right hook; she's also quite tech-savvy. When she got her hands on that Powered Armor made from dragon scales, she knew it had potential, but it needed a little... upgrade. With her engineering skills and a mind full of creative ideas, she turned that armor into a true marvel of modern technology. She tinkered, tweaked, and modified it until it became a perfect extension of herself.

Evil is Petty: My goal for Mia is to evolve into one of the most egregious and funnily absurd embodiments of petty villainy. Her descent into villainous actions stems from Medea's rejection following a one-night encounter marked by dubious consent. Not because Medea thought she wasn't hot or anything, but more because she was already in a relationship and sick of Mia meddling and trying to cause trouble in it. Unfortunately for Medea, Mia doesn't see it that way.

Dark is Evil: Mia really rocks the all-black look; aside from the nun robes, she even goes as far as to customize her dragon-scale armor with a sleek black spray paint job. Plus, she's got a talent for being incredibly persistent and petty, making her Medea's most irritating foe to date. Her endgame? Either winning Medea's heart or turning her life upside down before stabbing her heart.

Hero Antagonist: Compared to Medea, who started the story as a very dark shade of grey in her morality, even though she is not spotless in her morality. She wants to pursue Medea because she is a dangerous necromancer and mistakenly feels that Medea is making fun of Laurel by proclaiming herself to be the next Eye. Which, you know, is what Medea truly is; it's just... a little complicated. This eventually gets less and less effective as her quest becomes less ''I shall vanquish this heretic heathen'' and more ''You will be mine or your heart will stop beating''.

Deal with the Devil: Kinda literally. In a pact with Anthony, Mia agreed to serve as Freki's personal enforcer, all in exchange for a set of powered armor fashioned from dragon scales. The motive? A stronger chance of giving Medea a serious beatdown.

Horns of Villainy: Mia's mask-helmet is adorned with horns that begin at her forehead, though they're long enough to reach the back of her head, trailing down her neck and curving upward, resembling more of a jester's cap than traditional horns. It could be a subtle hint that she's fooling herself into thinking she can win Medea's love.

24-Hour Armor: Although she's shown as a typical nun in some scenes, she's primarily depicted wearing her exoskeleton and helmet. Her face is revealed only when her helmet is destroyed, which has happened on occassions, given her line of work.

Oireland: Mia's Irish heritage runs deep in her veins, hailing straight from the heart of Belfast. Growing up in that spirited city instilled in her a profound sense of national pride, a fire that fuels her in every clash she faces. It doesn't matter who stands in her way, be it human, dragon or wolf, she channels that indomitable Irish spirit to fight even if she's just tired of it.

Bullying a Dragon: In spite of being well aware of the dangerous depths to which Medea can descend when provoked, Mia persistently pushes her adversary to the edge. However, this relentless confrontation results in a catastrophic outcome for Mia. In the heat of battle, she suffers a grievous injury, her left leg torn asunder in a brutal display of Medea's wrath. The defeat inflicted upon her by Medea's hands surpasses even the severity of her previous victory over Quincey. It is a crushing blow, leaving Mia vulnerable and at the mercy of her opponent. Yet, just as it seems that Medea's wrath will claim its ultimate prize, Nicoletta steps in to halt Medea's lethal strike, saving Mia from the brink of certain death. This intervention serves as a pivotal moment for Medea, allowing her a brief respite to collect herself amidst the chaos. Meanwhile, for Mia, this abrupt turn of events delivers a brutal reality check, shattering any illusions and forcing her to confront the harsh truths of the power gap between her and the Nero Angelo.

Red Baron: The Belfast Brawling Brute. Mia's not exactly thrilled about the nickname as she's not really a brute in terms of fighting prowess, but she's smart enough to roll with it for the sake of her reputation. Let's face it, there's no denying that "Belfast Brawling Brute" carries a far more badass and imposing aura than her actual given name "Mia."

Bond Villain Stupidity: In classic villain fashion, Mia finds herself with several openings to kill Medea and the entire V7D. Nevertheless, whether she gets caught up in monologues or her sadistic tendencies keep her from delivering the fatal blow, she inadvertently provides them with openings to escape or devise a counterattack. This is somewhat justified in the case of Medea, as Mia's motives toward her involve either "love me or endure a life of personal hell, with me as the designated torturer."

Smarter Than You Look: Don't let Mia's tired and unassuming appearance fool you when she's off-duty. Behind that facade lies a seasoned soldier, trainer, and mentor. Her expertise is no joke. She unknowingly becomes a catalyst for Medea's combat growth, honing her hand-to-hand combat skills through clever tactics and unconventional methods, all while she's actually fighting her.

Freudian Trio: Of the three main villains, Mia is the Id to Warren's Ego and Anthony's Superego.

Consummate Professional: Mia is portrayed as an absolute professional from start to finish in the story. She's not one to engage in banter and remains mostly eerily silent during her initial appearances, catching her enemies off guard and attempting to quickly tear them apart. Once she sets her sights on a target, there's no turning back. However, as the story unfolds, she starts to subvert this. We gradually delve into her personality, her past, and the hidden layers beneath her surface. As we start seeing things from her perspective, she transforms from a mere entity into a fully fleshed-out character, complete with her own complexities and depth... nah who am I kidding? She's just a selfish, petty bitch.

Demon Slaying: The Main Characters do a lot of this in general, but for Mia, it's both her profession and a tradition.

Affectionate Parody: Mia is an affectionate parody of the ''petty villain'' archetype, a tribute to villains like Black Manta, Joker, and Reverse Flash. She's decked out in the gear, fueled by ambition, radiates malevolence, and wields the arms, but she's presented not just as a plain villain, but as an unlikable, mean jerk who simply wants to make Medea's life a total nightmare just for having the audacity of not reciprocating her feelings.

Not Good with Rejection: Getting the cold shoulder from Medea after trying to be her girlfriend didn't sit right with Mia. Throughout the story, Mia dedicates the majority of her screen time to the development of cutting-edge technology as well as her own physical prowess. Simultaneously, she brokers a literal deal with the devil, all within the framework of an elaborate scheme. Her goal is to either make Medea willingly reciprocate her affections or emotionally shatter her to the point where love becomes the only conceivable option.

Familial Foe: Medea's the hero Mia's got this twisted love/hate obsession for, but that doesn't stop her from going after her nemesis's girlfriend and best friends. And you know they're more than happy to stand up against her.

Know When To Fold 'Em: After trying to kill her obsession-love interest-prey seven times and failing miserably, getting her ass kicked in the process, and having her once strong and athletic leg cut off and replaced with a prosthetic, courtsy of Medea, Mia finally came to her senses and decided to back off... that is until Anthony offered her a deal.

Alas, Poor Villain: As the story goes on, Mia's character becomes more sympathetic, especially in terms of her motives. At first glance, she may seem like a ruthless warrior who enjoys hunting demons, but her later behavior suggests otherwise. When she appears before The High Nun's court, Mia's expressions are full of desperation and sadness, and her partner Camille Byron's comments confirm that she is a disgraced soldier akin to a Ronin who longs to return to her master's (the Church's) good graces. Her mission to retrieve Yuuki and kill Medea is not just about personal vendetta, but also an attempt to repay an impossible debt to her superior. Mia's excitement at the prospect of The High Nun arriving personally shows how much she values the chance to make amends and regain her honor.

Evil Sounds Deep: The helmet in her tracking and combat gear makes her voice sound deeper and more intense, which actually helps her avoid raising suspicion about Mia Wilde and the Belfast Brawling Brute being one and the same. Even after everyone figures it out, she sticks with it. Guess she's a fan.

Ironic Name: The name Mia has its origins in the ancient Egyptian word "Mr," which translates to "beloved." The irony lies in the fact that Mia is smitten with an Egyptian woman, yet she's far from being beloved in return.

Abhorrent Admirer: Towards Medea, but it's not because Mia is unattractive (she definitely isn't); Medea is just put off by her obsession and fanatical beliefs. Whenever possible, Medea avoids or rebuffs her. The fact that Mia once made advances while drunk, and Medea is happily with Nicoletta, doesn't make things any better.

Red is Evil: Following the destruction of her original armor by Medea, Mia struck a deal with Anthony, pledging to serve as Freki's enforcer in return for a new suit of armor. Anthony granted her request, outfitting her in a revamped version adorned in his signature reds and golds.

Clothes Make the Superman: Mia may be just an ordinary human, but she proves that she is a walking slaughterhouse by wearing a powered armor made of dragon scales. This cutting-edge armor proves totally necessary in battles against formidable foes, including super-strong vampires, du Cronos Dynasty dragons, and even the mighty Eye of Laurel. Not one to stay stagnant, Mia upgraded her armor to perform flawlessly underwater, proving her versatility in any environment. And let's not forget her epic aerial showdowns during the Atlantic War.

Handicapped Badass: During the Siege arc, Mia is shown using a prosthetic leg from the knee down, courtesy of Medea's act of slicing it with Mia's own blade. Yeah, Mia had pushed Medea's buttons one too many times with her failed assassination attempts. She still fights as good as she used to when she arrives to the Atlantic War, though.

Cute and Psycho: Mia's batshit-insane, but she can flash a smile and blush like an innocent girl or a loving mom, and don't forget, she's a nun during the day. Medea's thrown off by it—she despises Mia's psycho side, but she's drawn to her cute/nice side.

Arch-Enemy: While Medea ended up feeling more disappointed than angry with Warren, and she never developed a personal vendetta against Anthony to be considered a true arch-enemy, Mia has consistently been the one to push Medea to her limits and sometimes drag her back to the dark places she wanted to leave behind. In the grand scheme of things, Mia is Medea's Captain Ahab, and she'll forever be her Moby Dick.

The Only One Allowed to Defeat You: Mia's up for wiping out the whole universe if it means sticking it to Medea. But if someone else tries it, she's gonna be on the opposing team. Like when she teamed up with the Alliance to put a stop to Oceanus's terraforming plans.

Comedic Sociopathy: While Mia is often depicted as a menacing supervillain, her efforts to torment Medea sometimes veer into such absurd pettiness that they become almost comical. Sabotaging the dinner party designed for Medea to meet her in-laws, damaging a movie theater's screen to sabotage the couple's movie night, and booking every single room at the hotel where Nico and Medea were planning to honeymoon are just some of the petty shit Mia has pulled on the couple.

Secret Keeper: Once the Head Nun dropped the bombshell that she's actually a vampire and Miyuuki's own mama, things got real interesting for Mia. Her mission? Pack her bags and head straight to Italy to track down the whereabouts of the little draculina. But her boss made it crystal clear that this intel is strictly on a no need-to-know basis. And guess who ain't on the need-to-know list? You got it, The V7D.

Nun too Holy: Let's count the ways, shall we? Mia is a nun, indeed, but she's also a demon-slayer, a tracker, an oathbreaker, and is not trying to live a chaste lifestyle at all, being actively sexual with her fellow nun and partner Byron, while also being troubled by her attraction towards Medea. The kick is that she's a Nun worshipping both Anthony (who is the god of lies, promotes self-indulgence and encourages sexual freedom) and Laurel (who approves of demon slaying and violence as long as you're using it to protect yourself or somebody else).

Motive Decay: In the beginning, Mia might've had a genuinely sympathetic goal. But when it gets to Under Siege, she's become someone who just wants to keep inflicting pain on Medea over and over, ready to do whatever it takes to hurt and spite her forever. Byron even calls her out, stating that Medea is the only reason Mia's still around, and Mia doesn't even try to argue.

Hopeless Suitor: Try as she might, Medea absolutely refuses to be her partner. After Medea makes it clear they're not happening, she comes to terms with the fact that her feelings won't be returned and chooses to spend the rest of her days either tormenting Medea or accepting death if Medea decides to retaliate.

Undying Loyalty: Invoked. In the pact she struck with Anthony to secure a new suit of armor for her ongoing conflict with Medea, Mia also agreed to become Freki's primary enforcer. This commitment binds her soul to Freki, with her armor acting as a warning system by triggering headaches whenever he faces danger or imminent attack.

An Arm and a Leg: Courtsy of Medea. She created a prosthetic from her battle armor that blends good enough with it when she puts it on, it even seems to include a small jetpack and blades below the foot.

Charles Atlas Superpower: Mia is a seasoned demon slayer nun who has dedicated years to honing her skills. Her dragon scale armour is a testament to her training, as it is as heavy as it looks, yet she moves and wields it with ease as if it were weightless paper.

Victory is Boring: In an intense showdown with Mia, Medea took a gamble and invoked this trope. She basically dared Mia, handing her the gun and offering a golden chance to end her life with a bullet to her head, no strings attached. But she also revealed what Mia was unable to say: no matter how many deaths Mia seeks, it will never satisfy her to see her dead, nor will it fill the void left by the Church's excommunication or her rejection to her romantic advances. That realization hit Mia like a ton of bricks. She cursed Medea, defeated and drained of any fighting spirit, and just walked away. It was game over for her.

Doesn't Like Guns: Initially, she wasn't keen on using guns or any kind of firearm when facing off against the V7D. She even steered clear of arrows or any other projectile, favoring hand-to-hand combat to take down both human and animal opponents. Her spiral into madness changed that, leading her to use them in the most brutal manner possible.

Malevolent Masked Woman: Her ''Tracker'' suit involves a black, horned expressive mask that enhace any type of nightmare face she doesn't want to make with her real face.

Neck Snap: In their ultimate fight, Mia was determined to end the fight quickly by snapping the Eye's neck, and she spent the first 5 minutes of the battle trying to do so. Man, she tried everything to make it happen. Multiple attempts, twisting, turning, putting all her strength into it. And finally, she got what she wanted. Crack! Medea's neck was snapped. Victory, right? Well, not so fast. Turns out, someone wasn't willing to let Medea call it quits. Annoyed as hell, Seraphim stepped in and healed Medea's messed-up spine. Before you knew it, the Underworld's Watchdog was back on her feet, good as new.

If You Ever Do Anything to Hurt Her..: Mia is on the receiving end of this threat by none other than Quincey. He's got a feeling that Mia's a bit too obsessed with Medea, and when his buddy agrees to a "date" with her, he throws out a warning that he'll go through with what he almost did last time if Byron hadn't jumped in to stop their scuffle.

Older and Wiser: After her attack on Medea cost her her left leg and she upgraded to the 'Trapper' armor, Mia displays a newfound calmness, cunning, and carefulness, which stands in contrast to her previously impulsive and emotionally driven behavior with the Tracker armor. Yet, her inherently volatile nature and profound self-disdain hinder her from fully being this.

Unrequited Love Lasts Forever: Once she ''fell for'' Medea, it's like everyone else in the world was suddenly invisible. It's all about Medea for her. But it becomes a deconstruction of this trope, where it's more about obsession than love, going as far as ruining Medea's life until she reciprocates.

The Corrupter: Mia has a habit of slowly coercing her opponents to shed their inhibitions, leading them to embrace a killer's mentality, much like her own. She came alarmingly close to compelling Medea to forsake her character development and kill her, an outcome averted only by Nicoletta's timely intervention. In a similar vein, she nearly convinced Nicoletta to forsake her non-lethal approach, but it was Medea who prevented it, emphasizing Nicoletta's mission to heal, not to destroy.

Empowered Badass Normal: Mia and Byron gave The V7D as much of a fight as any unaugmented humans could. Then she got a power suit and was able to be the second character to break into what was thought to be Medea's Nigh-Invulnerable Umbrakinesis protection.

Skewed Priorities: So, as mentioned earlier, she got shipped off to Italy to track down Miyuuki and haul her back to the Church pronto. However, upon meeting Medea and hearing her claim of being the Eye of Laurel, she becomes obsessed with her instead.

Walking Armory: In addition to her imposing armour, fashioned from the scales of a dragon, Mia remains ever-prepared for any situation, wielding a concealed blade nestled within her arm guard, an arsenal of lethal poisons, and a well-stocked medical kit, lest she ever finds herself in dire need of healing beyond the protection of her useful but not impenetrable armour.

Villainous Underdog:

Hiding Behind Your Bangs: Mia's right eye is usually covered beneath her hair, presenting a striking contrast to Medea. While Mia's right eye is perfectly healthy, she chooses to keep it hidden behind her locks. On the other hand, Medea's left eye is blind, but she's just too used to it by now so she doesn't feel the need to hide it.

Womanchild: Looking beyond the façade of the soldier-nun persona, Mia reveals herself to be almost like a deeply infatuated teenage girl. Her personality is marked by self-centeredness, a lack of foresight, and a fiery temper, and she is not hesitant to resort to manipulation or force to achieve her desires. Above all, she has constructed an intricate fantasy surrounding the life she envisions once her obsession, Medea, decides to be with her. In all fairness, many of my characters are manchildren to some extent. Even Medea.

Unreliable Narrator: According to Mia, the Church gave her the boot over a misunderstanding, and now she's on a mission to get accepted back in Ireland and make amends with the Church. She insists it's nothing personal with Yuuki or Medea, just her to-do list. Her actions, however, paint a different picture: She demonstrates unexpected pettiness in her methods, throws herself entirely into her offensives, and doesn't hold back on the cruelty during battles.. And the fact that she's developed this romantic-possessive fixation on Medea? Yeah, that's not doing her statement any favors.

Villainous Virtues: Mia's still got enough honor to recognize that her Medea fixation led her down a dark path, like trying to kill everyone in Medea's life out of pure spite, but she's convinced there's no way back now and asking for forgiveness would be a lost cause. She also just tells Medea to send her straight to Hell, not fooling herself into thinking she's done anything worthy of a peaceful afterlife.

Honorary True Companion: At the beginning of the du Cronos Dynasty arc, thanks to a deal she cut with Anthony, Mia gets the honorary title of a temporary Du Cronos Dynasty member, kind of like an extended guest pass. Freki's like, "You can join us in taking on the V7D and we won't attack you in the meantime, but once this whole conflict is done, you gotta hit the road. And so help me Dad if I see you again." 

Dark and Troubled Past: She has a tumultuous past, shrouded in a criminal record and dark memories of drug abuse. Joining the Church was like a cosmic reset button for her. It gave her a fresh start, a chance to leave all that darkness behind and embrace a new path. But don't expect Mia to spill all the details easily. She's a closed book when it comes to her past, keeping those secrets tightly locked away.

Yandere: Mia is totally infatuated with Medea, like big time. She's "in love" with her, but it becomes way too obsessive. And she'll go all out to get back at anyone who dares to insult Medea or her lover, Byron. Mia's also super jealous of any other women in Medea's life, even her teammates! She constantly tries to mess up their lives just because they have a thing for Medea. Oh, and don't even get me started on Nicoletta. She hates her just because she's already dating Medea. And, she threw a fucking missile at Medea and Nico while they were trying to have their first kiss!

Wrestler of Beasts: Mia may use her technologically advanced suit with the appropiate amount of weaponry such armor would have when confronting fellow humans. However, when it comes to hunting for sustenance, she chooses the dragons' ways. She fully embraces her primal instincts, preferring to engage in direct physical confrontations with the creatures she hunts for sustenance. It was a jaw-dropping spectacle when we see her tackling a red deer, relying solely on her raw strength, her wits and the minimal protection of her armor's non-weaponized lower part. Unlike her approach with humans, Mia believes in honoring the animals with a fair fight before savoring their flesh as a hard-earned reward.

Moment Killer: Probably intentional. Mia descends upon the idyllic scene with a ferocious assault, bombarding Medea and Nicoletta with a lethal projectile just as they are poised to savour their first kiss amid the enchanting city of Naples.

Break Them by Talking: Mia attempts to mess with Medea's head by talking on occasion, but she's not particularly savvy at it. Her flawed moral arguments, coupled with Medea's lack of interest, don't make much of a difference.

Combat Pragmatist: She's a tactical genius who knows that in a fight, every advantage counts. When she faces off against the formidable V7D, Mia unleashes a sneaky trick up her sleeve. She slips them a potent knockout drug, cunningly timed to kick in right in the heat of the battle. With the rest of the group rendered dazed and confused, they're left helpless to intervene as Mia gears up for an epic showdown with Quincey.

Does This Remind You of Anything?: Mia, a fallen soldier-nun, has been stripped of her former glory and cast aside by her superiors, branded as a traitor due to a grave incident from her past. In an effort to redeem herself and regain the favour of the Church, Mia is sent on a solitary journey, burdened with a mission that serves as her path to absolution. However, unbeknownst to her, her partner Byron is not assigned to support her but rather to keep a watchful eye, ensuring her loyalty to the Church remains unwavering. With no place to call home and a relentless ambition burning within her, Mia traverses the earthly realm, her heart filled with an unyielding determination to fulfil her mission and earn her way back into the Church's good graces. Sound familiar? Change the church for a Japanese master, the word ''soldier'' for ''samurai'' and you'll see that Mia's story mirrors the story of a Ronin trying to find a way to become a noble and respectable samurai again.