Emre

* Bathala (shining)
* Bathala (true face)
* Encantado
* Statue
* Drawn

**Bathalang Emre, Lord of Devas**, is the most powerful of the five deities of Encantadia.

Emre was expelled from Devas and stripped of his powers when three deities — Arde, Ether and Keros — combined their powers to defeat him. As a powerless Encantado, he seeks an alliance with the fifth deity, Haliya, in order to recover his realm.

His powers are returned when he defeated Arde and he stripped his powers from him, as he returns to become Bathala once again.

He became Bathalumang Cassiopea's love interest.

## Appearance

The face of Emre shines with golden light.

Emre wears a cloth of gold and silver.

After being defeated by Keros, Ether and Arde from Devas, he becomes an Encantado, showing his real face.

## Personality

Emre's intervention in the affairs on Encantadia is often subtle rather than direct. Sometimes he pretends to be another being (e.g. beggar) in order to test if his worshiper deserves to be granted a blessing from him.

He prefers subtle intervention due to his philosophy that his worshiper should learn patience, faith, and hope that they may become stronger.

According to Imaw, the reason why Emre is worshiped by the most is due to the values he uphold; despite being stripped off of his powers.

Emre deeply cares for Encantadia and his created beings; if deemed necessary he will directly intervene for their sake. This happened in two instances; (1) Emre attempted to force Ether to reverse her curse on Lira - even engaging her in combat; (2) Emre permitted Amihan to return at Encantadia to protect her people from the Hadezars and Hathoria

Emre tells Ades that he takes sacrifices into account, so he would intervene directly if a person has made a great sacrifice. Emre is a strict adherent to the celestial laws decreed by the Supreme Being and agreements that each bathala made; this is why he did not kill Ether and Arde despite their betrayal to him long ago.

Emre seems to have his feelings towards Cassiopea, in which made him giving the blessing and divine powers to her, turning into a Bathaluman.

## History

Emre and four fellow deities, Ether, Haliya, Keros, and Arde, visited the mortal world but were displeased by the savage and perilous life of humans, so they decided to make a world of their own. They developed the land of Encantadia and its biosphere. The humanoid Encantados were divided into four kingdoms: Adamya, Sapiro, Lireo and Hathoria, but all came to respect and worship Emre. Growing jealous of Emre, Arde and Ether attempted to kill him. However, Emre, the most powerful of the three deities, discovered the plot and turned them into animal-like creatures. Arde was turned into a dragon, eternally tasked to guard Encantadia's underworld, the Balaak. On the other hand, Ether was turned into an enormous snake as a reminder of her betrayal, though a handful of Encantados came to empathize with her, and became the first Etherians.

At some point, Emre entrusted the first queen of Lireo, Cassiopea, the Mother Gem which would hold the peace and balance in Encantadia. However, after a rebellion staged by the Diwata named Adhara, Cassiopea used the gem to attack her. Cassiopea divided the Mother Gem into the five gemstones (though she initially did not know the existence of the fifth gemstone) in order to protect it from further harm. After the battle, Emre punished the former queen by banishing her from Lireo, preventing her from stepping foot into the kingdom, and turning her into an immortal. He decreed that the curse would only be lifted if the four gems are physically one again.

Ages later, Emre sent a wondrous sign to the then-queen of Lireo, Minea, who was carrying her next child while she was praying to him for Raquim (the unborn daughter's father and Minea's true love) and the success of Sapiro.

When Minea prayed for a worthy father for Amihan's heir, the butterfly sent by Emre in response picked Ybrahim, the Prince of Sapiro, who had been raised as a mandirigma.

Emre granted Amihan's request to return at Encantadia in order to help her people in defeating the Hadezar of Hathoria; as supreme being, he cannot just let his creations suffer from the carnage set by Arde and Ether - his sworn nemeses.

Upon Amihan's return, she requested Emre to save Pirena from death due to its unjust cause. Emre was able to defeat Ether in combat and made her promise not to return at Encantadia. But Ether warned she will return upon the rise of an Encantado/da who will sow discord again in the realm. Knowing this, Emre lifted his curse to Cassiopea to serve as the guide of the Sang'gres to lead Lireo and Encantadia.

Emre told Amihan and Kahlil that they cannot return to Encantadia because Lira will benefit from it in the future. But he promised there will come a time that the two of them will come back in order to be with their families.

Lira attempted to go to Devas again, with Mira, Wahid, and Wantuk, in order to fetch Amihan to return to Encantadia. As they approach the gates of Devas, Emre revealed himself telling them of an impeding danger that will raze the realm. He also stated that Amihan can not return to Encantadia because her purpose - by the destruction of Hathoria - has been fulfilled.

He instructed Lira and Mira to prepare for the upcoming battle ahead, a war fiercer than the War for the Gems period. Emre granted Lira's wish to see her mother for one last time.

After many years, Ades went to Emre in order to deliver a letter to Cassiopea from Minea. He explained that she doesn't need to since Cassiopea has been captured by Ether to become Avria's vessel. Ades appealed to Emre that he needs to save Cassiopea and all of his worshipers from the upcoming onslaught. Emre pointed out that he warned his worshipers already years ago and they have all the tools needed to defeat Etheria.

He permitted Amihan to eat the fruit from the Mother Tree so that she may be reborn again in order to be with Lira and Ybrahim.

Later, Emre was overthrown as supreme deity by Arde and Ether, with the help of Keros, from Devas, as he is transformed into his Encantado form. After his fall, he calls every creature to serve him in the wilderness. He later meets Imaw and Cassiopea, through a retre that Emre orders to summon them. When Imaw questioned him, Emre tells them that he is the fallen bathala from Devas.

## Abilities

### Powers

As the supreme deity, Emre's power is supreme in Encantadia. Those who disobey his commands become accursed. He is more powerful than the two other deities of Encantadia, Arde and Ether, transforming them into lesser beings as a dragon and snake, respectively. Emre is noticeably skilled in the martial arts which became evident during his initial skirmish with Ether. Being the supreme deity, he can block the powers of his fellow bathalumans in order to fulfill his will - such as blocking Ether's powers in watching Lira while the latter is at Devas. However, he cannot directly reverse the curse placed on a being by a fellow deity. He mentions that only the bathala/bathaluman who imposed the curse should be able to reverse it. However, he may reverse such a curse indirectly by giving a drink that could grant wishes. This is the reason why Emre did not change Lira's appearance back to her human form after being cursed by Ether. Only by giving her a drink that grants her a wish lifted Ether's curse on Lira.

Emre can interact with the Encantados through his statues. The blue butterflies called Retre (who were originally lambanas) were his agents.

Emre could conjure swords as well as Sky Portals.

According to Evades, Emre sometimes tricks Encantados by disguising himself as a rival deity (such as Ether in order to test Lira and Mira, who both thought of him as "Ether", by teleporting them to Evades' place), and also as a beggar (who gave Lira a sky ship toy that could transform into an actual sky ship, as an act of kindness).

Emre, like the other deities, could change their appearance and size, able to assume a much larger size than a normal Encantado.

Being the creator of the Mother Gem, Emre may create another gem at will. It is unclear whether Emre had been keeping the purple gem all this time, or if he made it just for Lira.

Despite exercising huge amount of restraint, Emre can emit righteous anger such as when Cassiopea was killed by Arde. This anger became his strength to reclaim the Dejar and defeat Arde - reclaiming his powers in the process.

Due to the presumption that Arde took Keros' powers away after the latter has been killed, it can be presumed that Emre also acquired not only his own powers but also the powers of Arde and Keros to make him more powerful.

Emre can cast his power to turn any deity into a mortal pashnea in order to remove the divine powers, such as Ether when he turns her into a mortal snake at the end of the final war.

Emre successfully revives Cassiopea and he gives her the divine powers to make her as a Bathaluman.

### Weaponry

In Episode 98, Emre conjured a sword as his principal weapon against Ether during their skirmish in order to force her to reverse her curse on Lira.

This sword is presumed to be his personal weapon and summons this at will - which the heavens will respond.

Emre successfully wielded the De-jar after taking it away from the stone where it was stuck in Balasir and became his secondary weapon.

## Trivia

* In Episode 32, the likeness of Emre appeared, but it was just Pirena in disguise.
* Lira is the first living being, in recent memory, in Encantadia whom Emre revealed himself to personally welcome her at Devas
* The Luntaies, based on the narratives in Encantadia, are considered as the champions of Emre to restore peace in Encantadia. Based on Pagaspas, the first Luntaie may have been alive during the Etherian War and subsequently killed by Ether; the second Luntaie, Lira, will be the instrument to unite all of Minea's estranged children and the five elemental gems - as per Ades told to Lira during her first stay at Devas.
* Bathalang Arde implied by sowing chaos at Encantadia, Emre's power will wane hoping that it would be enough for him and Ether to exact their revenge against the entity who cursed them. However, Emre's reaction and calm demeanor implied this may not be necessarily true, he maintains that Lira will succeed in her mission - realizing how important Lira's mission, as the Luntaie, means to Encantadia.
* So far, only Lira and Amihan are the beings whom Emre granted their earnest requests directly; the former in lifting the curse of Ether and the latter in permitting to return at Encantadia. Both even faced similar temptations, Lira being offered wealth and power while Amihan being offered a high reward and to meet her deceased parents, Raquim and Minea - both refused.
* For the first time, Emre was slashed and wounded by Ether when Arde distracts the latter. However, it isn't fatal enough as he healed his wounds quickly.
* Emre revealed himself to Lira, Mira, Wahid, and Wantuk upon their approach to the gate of Devas.
* Emre's name might be a reference to **M**ark **Re**yes, the director of *Encantadia* series.
* Zoren Legaspi previously portrayed Bagwis from *Encantadia* 2005 series as a guest character, and from *Mulawin* 2004 series as one of its recurring characters.
* For unknown reasons, Emre's real face has never revealed to any living Encantado (including the Sang'gres) and/or to some ivtres, as they mostly see his shining face. However, his real face is shown only to Cassiopea and few ivtres like Gamil, Kahlil and Alira Naswen in the final episode.

## Version differences

* Emre was portrayed by Miguel Faustmann (credited as Miguel Faustman) in the first book of 2005-2006 series, and played Raymond Bagatsing in the second book.
* Emre is comparably mystical in the 2016 version than in the 2005 version. His face is not even shown initially, and he has not yet appeared in person before any living individual, even though he appeared in Sapiro in Episode 94. His real appearance is finally shown when he is overthrown by Arde and Ether from Devas.
* In the original series, Emre wields a staff and shows up to the Diwatas using his statues adorned in the Palace of Lireo.
* In the original series, Emre was never overthrown by Arde and Ether. In fact, he did not directly interfere in any case except when he gave the Hope Gem to Rama Meno of Sapiro, Nunong Aegen of Adamya, Hara Cassiopea of Lireo, and Rama Bartimus of Hathoria.
* In the original series, Emre curses Arde and Ether for falling in love with each other.

## References

1. ↑ Episode 163
2. ↑ Episode 186
3. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/BQMwVreggdv/
4. ↑ Episode 140
5. ↑ Episode 153
6. ↑ Episode 212
7. ↑ Episode 140
8. ↑ Episode 146
9. ↑ Episode 96
10. ↑ Episode 203
11. ↑ Episode 117
12. ↑ Episode 132
13. ↑ Episode 133
14. ↑ Episode 145
15. ↑ Episode 147