Lina and Sylphiel
(An essay written by Philip Mak)
Why Lina, of all people? Lina and Sylphiel seem to share a special bond
- some sort of mysterious "understanding" between them. Lina is usually
not one to be concerned about others' feelings, but she seems to
understand how sensitive and vulnerable Sylphiel can be; she even hits
Zelgadis on the head for making an insensitive comment that made Sylphiel
cry. As for Sylphiel, she seems to be one of the only people who sees that
Lina is really a lot nicer than she makes herself out to be.
In front of most people, Lina has her reputation of being a strong
sorceress to keep up. Her magic power is a fundamental part of her
relationship with Gourry and Zelgadis; Amelia sees her as a role model in
the fight against evil; Martina is a sort of rival that she would want to
appear strong in front of. But in front of Sylphiel, an innocent and
unassuming person, Lina does not have as much pressure to appear strong at
all times (she is strong, but everyone has their weak moments), and
can be herself more.
Sylphiel's quiet personality complements Lina's aggressiveness. If they
spent a lot of time together, Sylphiel could learn to be more assertive
(in fact, she already has thanks to Lina's influence), while Lina could
learn to think more before charging headlong into a situation, either
figuratively or literally.
Escape to: Philip Mak's Lina and Sylphiel Shrine
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