Nikki (Need For Speed)

Nikki is one of the main characters of Need for Speed: Carbon. Prior to the events of the game's plot, she was the Player's girlfriend, only to become Darius's girlfriend after the player left Palmont City, and a member of the Stacked Deck crew. She later joins the Player's crew after learning about Darius's betrayal and interference with the past race.
She is portrayed by Emmanuelle Vaugier.
==Appearance==
Nikki has long brown hair, which she usually keeps tied in a ponytail. Her usual outfit is a blue shirt, brown coat, khaki skirt, and black high-heeled boots. In her bio picture, Nikki wears a sleeveless gray t-shirt that has a horse printed on it, as well as some jeans.
==Biography==
During the night of the player's first race in Palmont City, Nikki was holding onto the prize money in a bag for the race that the Player was taking part in against Angie, Wolf, and Kenji, the respective bosses of the 21st Street, TFK, and Bushido crew. Nikki was waiting in the middle of a crowd at the finish line. Before the other racers arrived at the finish, upon which the player made to, the Palmont Police Department ambushed the race.
The crowd dispersed with the sudden turn of events as Angie, Wolf, and Kenji were arrested by the police, with Nikki getting knocked down by an unknown person, who switched her bag with an identical one.
Unfortunately, when the player drove through the crowd in an attempt to rescue Nikki, she too was caught by the police, yet managed to throw the prize money bag into their vehicle. The bag is later revealed to contain newspaper scraps instead of the cash reward.
At the beginning of the career mode, the player unsuccessfully fled from Nathan Cross (a vengeful police seargent-turned-bounty hunter from Rockport) and was helped out by Darius, who became Nikki's new boyfriend. Upon her arrival, Nikki attempted to attack the player for their supposed betrayal, but she was hindered and calmed down by Darius. He soon asked her to help the player to take over the perimeter of Palmont City until she reluctantly agreed. Next, Nikki drove the player to a car lot managed by Neville, who provides three starter cars for the player to select per Darius' providance. Subsequently, she called in a few of her friends to help them test their first car, then teaches the player about different crew member skills with Neville.
After the player gained two territories, Nikki stopped by the Player's safehouse, surprised to see the Player hasn't left Palmont again and was staying longer, before she introduced them to Sal Mustela. Then, Nikki left to give the player time alone with Sal, since the latter was expressing too much admiration for the player.
Further on, Nikki rode with the player to the same location where they began their first race before they had to escape because of police interference. Confused, she asked the player why they have never told her that the money was missing, which left everyone, including Nikki,  oblivious, and consequently leaving the rival crew bosses, including her, angry, believing that the player called the police to disrupt the race so that they could steal the prize money. Eventually, she decided they both should leave after she noticed Cross hiding in an alley, eavesdropping on their conversation.
Not long after, Nikki began to feel suspicious of Darius' motives in helping the player. When she met up with him, Nikki reminded Darius about the player making more progress and having more territory than him, before tracing out that he is manipulating them for a personal advantage, to which Darius denied, with his statement that he could still win without needing to race, before leaving.
At last, Nikki learned that Darius was responsible for tipping off the police, switching the bags, and ultimately ruining the reputation of the Player, putting the other crews into conflict with them therefore. After she saw Darius betraying the player and handing them back to Cross, Nikki makes a deal with Cross to race with the player and pay for their bounty, something Cross was willing to approve. Then, after informing the Player of her discoveries, Nikki joins the player's crew to exact revenge on Darius and defeat his crew - Stacked Deck.
In the epilogue, with Darius defeated in a Canyon Duel by the Player, the former hands over his car to the latter. Finally, Nikki would reconcile and continue her relationship with the Player, as they both watched Darius depart Palmont City for good.
==Trivia==
*Nikki will comment on the player, when they do not respond to her instructions during her tutorial.
*Nikki is played by Emmanuelle Vaugier in-game.
*A shortened version of "Don't Speak (I Came To Make A Bang)" by Eagles of Death Metal is played during Nikki's biography video.
*In the game files of Need for Speed: Carbon, there are two unused presets of Nikki's car for a Tier 1 Chrysler 300C SRT-8 and a Tier 2 Dodge Charger SRT-8 (2005).
*Nikki has three friends named Doyle, Goose, and Garcia, all three of whom race with the player in the Circuit race Montezuma Avenue at the begining of the career when they are testing their first car.
*Like Yumi, Nikki's specialty is a mechanic. Coincidentially, both characters are female.
*Nikki's car vinyl has a number 6, which alludes that she is the sixth and final crew member to join the Player in the game.
*Similar to Mia Townsend from Need for Speed: Most Wanted, Nikki is a female supporting character who guides the player in the story and their gameplay.
**Both of their actresses appear in a PSA video in their respective game.
**Both drive a car with a red, black, and silver color scheme.
**The main antagonists were in love with them (Razor to Mia, Darius to Nikki)
**They both are the Player's love interests (Mia is a former love interest).
==Vehicles==
Nikki drives a red Ford GT with black and silver vinyls, that are similar to the Mk1 Ford GT40's Gulf livery, which was used in the 1969 24 Hours of Le Mans. Her vehicle cannot be obtained and driven by the player.
Category:Video Game Heroes
Category:Female
Category:Honorable
Category:In Love
Category:Successful
Category:Friend of a Villain
Category:Criminals
Category:Loyal
Category:Supporters
Category:Truth-Seekers
Category:Neutral Good
Category:Villain's Lover
Category:Sympathetic
Category:Optimists
Category:Wealthy
Category:Strong-Willed
Category:Selfless
Category:Damsels
Category:Hope Bringers