Aaravos

Aaravos is the main antagonist of Netflix's franchise. In the past, Aaravos was "one of the Great Ones", a Startouch Elf from the heavens of Xadia, the instigator of the wars between most conflicts including the Sunfire Elves and the Dragons, and a master manipulator of mages and others with strong hearts and minds. He was also the creator of dark magic, sharing magic with humanity for they were unable to form a connection to a primal source on their own. This instantly led to the banishment of humans to the west.
Eventually imprisoned because of the actions of the Jailer and the Orphan Queen, Aaravos seeks to break free from his prison, using several pawns to achieve his freedom. He starts an alliance with Viren and seeks to kill Azymondias by any means necessary. However, when that doesn't work he starts using Viren's daughter, Claudia to ensure his return.
He was voiced by Erik Dellums, who also voiced Koh from the Nickelodeon series Avatar: The Last Airbender. 
==History==
===Background===
Aaravos' history is mostly shrouded in mystery. He was one of the original Startouch Elves who was cast out of heaven and banished to the Earth. After the death of his beloved daughter, Leola, Aaravos cries for 100 years and created Sea of the Castout. This led to the destruction of mountains and the creation of a new sea. He later turned his attention to humans, hoping to use them to destroy the arrogance of the other Startouch Elves. He killed the Queen of the Dragons, Luna Tenebris, and later the Elven Queen Aditi so he could prevent peace, starting the conflict between elves, humans, and dragons.
Aaravos later started manipulating the world's most powerful people with strong minds and giving them the key to the mysteries of the universe. He eventually mastered all six Primal Sources and became an Archmage and came across a cube that could tell the Primal Source just by pointing at it in the right direction. However, the elf's treachery was exposed by The Orphan Queen, a young human girl who revealed this to the elves and Dragons. He was eventually imprisoned in a small pearl by the High Mage, Akiyu, and The Jailer, and the secret of Aaravos' prison was known only by the two Elves. Due to his cruelty and unpredictable nature, any text mentioning Aaravos was immediately erased and anyone who tried reading about him would blur the pages out. Avizandum, the leader of the dragons, kept a looking glass in his lair, going to keep watch over Aaravos for decades until his looking glass was stolen by Lord Viren the day he took Zym's egg.
===Book 1: Moon===
Aaravos narrated the beginning of the season's opening. A younger version of him is seen watching as the Elves babies the humans from Xadia and to the East, where the future human kingdoms came to be.
===Book 2: Sky===
===Book 3: Sun===
===Book 4: Earth===
Aaravos's scheme to break out from his prison was discovered by Ibis, who sent a message about it to Zubeia before he succumbed to the wound inflicted on him by Terry. Zubeia created an artificial storm to look into the looking glass, allowing Aaravos to possess Callum and call out the flaws of Team Zym before declaring his inevitable return. Aaravos then proceeded to release Callum from his hold before shattering the looking glass.
===Book 5: Ocean===
Aaravos received Viren warmly while Claudia combed through the Sea of the Castout in search of the prison. When Viren decided to turn down Aaravos, the Startouch Elf informed him that the Being was their child and the necessary sacrifice to guarantee the dark mage's revival would be everlasting. Despite Aaravos' warning that he had only a few hours left, Viren refused to end the Being's life and departed. Subsequently, the Startouch Elf announced to Viren that his life would cease when the sun rose the following day.
===Book 6: Stars===
===Book 7: Dark===
Aaravos gets a human disguise and offers Callum an apple. However, Corvus immediately stops him from doing so. 
==Personality==
Aaravos is the dark counterpart and arch-nemesis to Callum. He is manipulative and cunning, knowing when to cover his tracks. For years he was able to orchestrate the conflict between the humans and Xadians by giving the humans dark magic. According to Claudia Aaravos was the first to see humans' true potential, hence why she believes it is right to free him. It is also highly speculated that he had something to do with Queen Luna Tenebris' mysterious death and Queen Aditi's demise, causing the conflict between the Elves, the dragons, and the humans. This left to people sharing a split view of Aaravos, as either a gift or a deceiver. He deceived elves, Dragons, and humans for centuries before he was imprisoned in a pearl and hidden at the bottom of the ocean. However, his betrayal was exposed by a young human girl, the Orphan Queen. She later took his Key, which was passed down in her family for generations. It eventually fell into the hands of The Orphan Queen's descendant Harrow, who entrusted it to his Adoptive son, Callum.
Because of his acts, Aaravos was cast out of heaven and plotted to overthrow the other Startouch Elves for banishing him from Xadia (apparently). He is also the ambiguous narrator at the beginning of seasons 1 and 3, who claims humans discovered dark magic and destroyed the Dragon Prince to mislead the viewers. In due time it would be revealed that the Prince's egg was stolen by Lord Viren so he can use it for his dark magic purposes. He is secretive and elusive but he can also be seductive and charismatic enough to get Viren on his side.
He also takes his time insulting all of the members of Team Zym when he possesses Prince Callum and taunts the heroes from the inside. He calls Ezran "a winey child King" in over his head and he already knows it, sees Rayla as the Moonshadow Assassin who is incapable of killing, refers to Soren as Viren's failed son whose father wished was never born, and calls Callum the human mage already tainted by darkness. He also implies that Callum is destined to "play by his hand" in the future. This moment was so terrifying for Callum, even driven to the point where he asked Rayla to kill him if Aaravos ever controlled him again. He was mostly afraid that Aaravos wouldn't hurt him but may make him break his friends and family.
Aaravos was very charismatic, having manipulated Claudia into helping him escape so he could make his resurrection permanent. He tried to get Lord Viren to kill their son, the Being, and make his resurrection spell permanent.
is also proven that Aaravos was the one who narrated the opening sequence of Book One: Sky and Book Three: Sun. However, Aaravos is an unreliable narrator on two occasions. For example, Aaravos incorrectly said that the Egg of the Dragon Prince was destroyed by humans until it was revealed to be alive in episode 2 of Book One and hidden in Viren's vault after he stole it. The elf incorrectly claimed that humans hunted unicorns to extinction. However, Viren said that Claudia captured a unicorn in episode six of Book Three and unicorns are almost impossible to hunt and are too powerful and cunning to be hunted, according to a home page from the Art of the Dragon Prince.
According to auxiliary material, Aaravos may have held a soft spot for humanity, with others such as Claudia implying he taught them Dark Magic so they could hold their own against, if not exceed the elves. Whether he still does or not remains to be seen.
So far, Aaravos's true personal goals are due to him being mainly motivated by his daughter's death and having used it to make sure that she didn't die in vain.  The series' creators have stated he is a complex character, and that he was erased from history because he was disliked, not necessarily because he was evil. He has exhibited signs of arrogance, sadism, and cruelty. For example, he states that individuals who cannot be reasoned are simple animals who deserve to be motivated by fear, and encourages Viren to use such to against those who reject him. He also urges Viren to drain the essence of an innocent dragonling and whispers to Khessa about how her grandmother Aditi died before killing her too. Aaravos is also capable of holding a grudge, as shown by his hatred of Avizandum for imprisoning him, a hatred that remains even after almost 300 years. His reasons for teaching humans dark magic was due to how humans were never allowed to use it in the first place and Leola gifting Humans magic was what led to her execution.  
==Physical appearance==
Aaravos is an elegant Startouch elf, with long white hair and eyebrows, and violet-blue skin and yellow eyes. Before he was "fallen," Aaravos' eyes were pink and the star on his chest wasonce white. But now, as a fallen Startouch Elf, his eyes turned as pale yellow as the eclipse and the white star turned black to symbolize his inner darkness and signfiying himself as a fallen Startouch Elf. Though the sources claim that Aaravos is 6'6" without the horns, Season 6 reveals that Aaravos is actually the size of a Titan, at least 10 feet tall. He has diamond white freckles below his eyes and starry pattern on his arms, which are a darker navy blue compared to his upper body. 
==Powers and abilities==
===Powers===
*Startouch Elf Physiology
**Star Magic/Star Primal Connection: However, due to being cast out of the heavens, Aaravos only has access to a fraction of his powers.
**Immortality
*Magic Master: It is currently unclear how he acquired these powers but like Callum, it is likely that Aaravos' learned the true meaning of each arcanum and was successful in accessing them. The level of his mastery of magic is proven by the fact that he can perform spells without speaking the required incantations.
**Sky Magic
**Ocean Magic
**Sun Magic
**Earth Magic
**Moon Magic
**Dark magic: Aaravos can cast dark magical spells due to being is creator.
***Illusioncasting
***Possession: Aaravos can possess anyone who has been tainted by dark magic, like he possessed Callum and Viren. He also used to be magically linked to Callum but lost it after after he was purified of dark magic during the Star truth seeking ritual.
===Abilities===
* Familiar
* Manipulation and Persuasion
===Weakness===
==Possessions==
* Key of Aaravos: When placed in his book, the key unlocks it depending on the primal side is facing front and center. Currently in the possession of Prince Callum of Katolis.
==Evil Moments==
*Orchestrated the conflict between the humans and Xadians by giving the humans dark magic. It is also highly speculated that he had something to do with Queen Luna Tenebris' mysterious death and Queen Aditi's demise, causing the conflict between the Elves, the dragons, and the humans. This left to people sharing a split view of Aaravos, as either a gifter or deceiver.
*Plotting to overthrow the other Startouch Elves for banishing him from Xadia (apparently).
*He is also the ambiguous narrator at the beginning of seasons 1 and 3, who claims humans discovered dark magic and destroyed the Dragon Prince in order to mislead the viewers.
**In due time it would be revealed that the Prince's egg was actually stolen by Lord Viren so he can use it for his own dark magic purposes.
**In Season 4, it would later be revealed that it was actually Aaravos who gave humanity dark magic.
*Deceived elves, Dragons, and humans for centuries before he was imprisoned in a pearl and hidden at the bottom of the ocean. However, his treachery was exposed by a young human girl, the Orphan Queen. She later took his Key, which was passed down in her family for generations. It eventually fell into the hands of The Orphan Queen's descendant Harrow, who entrusted it to his adoptive son, Callum.
*He "consumed" the previous Queen of the Sunfire Elves.
* Aided Lord Viren in his plans to conquer Xadia.
*Possessed Prince Callum and taunted the heroes from inside. 
**He called Ezran "a winey child King" in over his head and he already knows it.
**Sees Rayla as the Moonshadow Assassin who is incapable of killing.
**Referred to Soren as Viren's failed son whose father wished was never born.
**Calls Callum the human mage already tainted by darkness.
*He also implies that Callum is destined to "play by his hand" in the future. This moment was so terrifying for Callum, even driven to the point where he asked Rayla to kill him if Aaravos ever controlled him again. He was mostly afraid that Aaravos wouldn't hurt him but may make him hurt his loved ones.
*Manipulated Claudia into helping him escape so he could make his resurrection spell on her father permanent.
*He tried to get Lord Viren to kill their son the Being, and make his resurrection spell permanent.
*Manipulated both Callum and Claudia into freeing him and restoring him to his full power. He temporarily possessed Callum and had him switch the real prison with a decoy so Claudia could retrieve it. He also told her the story of the loss of his daughter Leola to Claudia, who used love to fuel the spell that would free him.
*Had Sol Regem attack Katolis, likely out of spite against Ezran, for his ancestor, the Orphan Queen was the reason that Aaravos' was imprisoned.
==Gallery==
==Quotes==
*"Ahhh, how long I have waited to hear the sound of another voice."
* You tried to win over the other humans with loyalty and friendship, but they ignored you. Those who fail tests of love are simple animals. They deserve to be motivated by fear.
* You won’t. You are too curious. Hungry for knowledge and power. Both things I can provide. Allow me to earn your trust.
* Search your heart. There’s something that you want very badly. But something or someone stands in your way.
==Relationships==
===Family===
* Leola † - Daughter
* The Being † - Son
===Allies===
*Viard †
*Claudia - Subordinate
*Terry - Subordinate
===Enemies===
*The Stern One
*The Merciful One
*Dragons - Former Allies, Captors and Enemies
**Zubeia
**Avizandum
**Luna Tenebris † - Victim
**Rex Igneous
*The Orphan Queen
*Aditi
*Khessa
*Karim
*Janai
*Sol Regem
*Startouch Elves - Targets
*Tidebound Elves
**Akiyu
*Celestial Elves
*Team Zym - Enemies
**Callum - Former Vessel and Arch-enemy
**Rayla
**Ezran
**Soren
**Azymondias
*Lord Viren - Former Ally
==Victims==
* Luna Tenebris 
* Aditi
* Khessa 
* Viren (indirectly) 
==Trivia==
*There was a popular theory that Aaravos was Callum's biological father or at least a distant ancestors. However, it was debunked in an interview because Callum's father was human and further confirmation that Callum's father was identified as a human poet named Damien in Book Six: Stars
*According to Aaran Eshaz, Aaravos is "disliked" not hated and that everything is going according to Aaravos' plans. He also states that Aaravos never lies, but the narration proves otherwise.
*It is heavily possible that Aaravos is the one who is instigating the war in Lux Aurea and influencing Pharos for several reasons. This was somewhat proven when Aaravos reveals himself possessing Pharos' body to Sol Regem.
*Leola is named after the mother of Erik Todd Dellums, the voice actor of Aaravos. Ironically, the roles are reversed, where Leola is the name of Aaravos's daughter.
==Similar Characters==
*Just like Prometheus stealing fire from Mount Olympus and gifting it to humanity, Aaravos granted humanity the gift and knowledge of dark magic.
*However, to the citizens of Xadia, Aaravos is a "Fallen" Startouched Elf from the Heavens, like Lucifer is the fallen angel. In a preview for Season 7, he (in human form) tempts Callum an apple but Corvus purposefully rejects it for him. This is similar to the biblical story, Paradise Lost, where Lucifer offers an apple to Eve from the Garden of Eden and further solidifies Lucifer as an inspiration for Aaravos. 
*Like Sauron is a Fallen Maiar, Aaravos is a Fallen Startouched Elf. Both were a deceiver of the people (such as the dragons for Aaravos and the free people of Middle-earth) and master manipulator before being exposed.
==References==
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