Blackfriar

*I'm Blackfriar, a member of the St. Iris Knights. I joined the same time that Ohana did. Part of the Zeroth Generation that formed before the SSS. I'm the drill instructor for all Out-Siders, so you can leave the training of all the newbies to me. I can turn any ruffian into a kitten, you just watch.*

## Trivia

* Blackfriar's birthday is the opening date of Blackfriars Underground station in 1870.
* Blackfriar is the drill instructor for the Out-Siders of St. Iris, and is the superior of individuals such as Fayette and Finchley - The Outsiders are the special operations division of St. Iris, equivalent to the SOF of the United States and the UKSF of the United Kingdom.
* Blackfriar's liking for bridges is a reference to the Blackfriars road and foot bridge located directly next to London Blackfriars, as well as the train station itself, located across the Thames river.
* Who dares wins is Blackfriars motto, a possible homage to the British Special Air Service (SAS), that made the motto popular among English speaking communities.
* The flag of England and the English Dragon (Welsh: Y Ddraig Wen, meaning 'the white dragon') can be seen in Blackfriar's weapon design, as well as the shoulder pads of the outfit of [The Black Hawk's Daughter]. The white dragon is a symbol associated in Welsh mythology with the Anglo-Saxons as well as the English.
* By extension, the red arrows Blackfriar uses likely symbolizes the Welsh Dragon (Welsh: Y Ddraig Goch, meaning 'the red dragon') is a heraldic symbol that appears on the national flag of Wales. The young Merlin in the History of the Kings of Britain (c. 1136) tells King Vortigern to free the two dragons (red and white) as they are the cause of the demolition of the castle walls and foundations every night.
* The dome-like design on the Blackfriar's bow stave, as well as the background building in [The Bridge to Victory], is a direct reference to the St Paul's Cathedral, an Anglican cathedral in London that is the seat of the Bishop of London, located near the train station.
* The white bridge positioned to the left of the background of [Strength to Keep Challenging] is the Blackfriars Bridge, located alongside London Blackfriars across the River Thames.
* The Flag of England, and part of the United Kingdom flag can be seen in Blackfriar's badge in [The Bridge to Victory].

## Counterpart

Blackfriars station, also known as London Blackfriars, is a central London railway station and connected London Underground station in the City of London. Its platforms span the River Thames, the only one in London to do so, along the length of Blackfriars Railway Bridge, a short distance downstream from Blackfriars Bridge. There are two station entrances either side of the Thames, along with a connection to the London Underground District and Circle lines.

The railway bridge across the Thames was delayed because the City's controlling government, the Corporation of London, were unsure as to what it should look like and how many arches there should be. The station was designed by Joseph Cubitt and had a long roof with walls that stretched up to the riverbank. Cubitt subsequently designed the original bridge, which carried four tracks on a 933 feet (284 m) lattice girder bridge, supported by sets of stone piers supporting iron columns. Services began across the bridge on 21 December 1864.

Blackfriars Underground station is served by the Circle and District lines and is between Temple and Mansion House stations. The underground station pre-dates the mainline one and was opened on 30 May 1870 by the Metropolitan District Railway (MDR) as the railway's new eastern terminus when the line was extended from Westminster. The MDR had been created as a new company to complete the Circle line, which would split the budget from the District and Metropolitan Railways.

In 2009, the station underwent major refurbishments to improve capacity, which included the extension of the platforms across the railway bridge and a new station entrance on the South Bank. The underground station was rebuilt at the same time, and work was completed in 2012. Wikipedia

Blackfriars Bridge is a road and foot traffic bridge over the River Thames in London, between Waterloo Bridge and Blackfriars Railway Bridge, carrying the A201 road. The north end is near the Inns of Court and Temple Church, along with Blackfriars station. The south end is near the Tate Modern art gallery and the Oxo Tower.

The first fixed crossing at Blackfriars was a 995-foot (303 m) long toll bridge designed in an Italianate style by Robert Mylne and constructed with nine semi-elliptical arches of Portland stone. Beating designs by John Gwynn and George Dance, it took nine years to build, opening to the public in 1769. It was the third bridge across the Thames in the then built-up area of London, supplementing the ancient London Bridge, which dated from several centuries earlier, and Westminster Bridge. It was originally named "William Pitt Bridge" (after the Prime Minister William Pitt the Elder) as a dedication, but its informal name relating to the precinct within the City named after the Blackfriars Monastery, a Dominican priory which once stood nearby, was generally adopted. It was later made toll free.

The bridge gave its name to Blackfriars Bridge railway station on the southern bank which opened in 1864 before closing to passengers in 1885 following the opening of what is today the main Blackfriars station. Blackfriars Bridge station continued as a goods stop until 1964 when it was completely demolished, and much of it redeveloped into offices. The River Fleet empties into the Thames under the north end of Blackfriars Bridge. The structure was given Grade II listed status in 1972.Wikipedia

## Map

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