Iris

**Iris** (アイリス, *Airisu*) is a former sister originating from The Holy Sol Temple, and a member of the Special Fire Force Company 8. Unbeknownst to her, she is both the Eighth Pillar and the Doppelgänger of Amaterasu.

## Appearance

Iris is a young girl of average height with short blonde hair and blue eyes and a curvy figure that she tends to cover under her clothes. She wears a habit, which consists of a tunic, covered by a scapular, a veil, light sandals, long light gloves, stockings, and a brooch with a cross-like symbol engraved on it. Parts of her outfit are coated with blue lines to signify her being part of a Special Fire Force. While on the battlefield, she tops her outfit with a neck protector and (sometimes) a gas mask. Underneath her clothing, Iris wears a light bra and underwear, the latter of which has the cross-like insignia on them. When she was younger, Iris was seen wearing a necklace with the cross-like insignia as a charm. Her outfit also contains what appears to be shoulder guards. When Iris carries out a purification ritual, she dons a revealing light dress. When in civilian clothes she tends to wear conservative yet cute dresses and blouses.

## Personality

Being a sister, Iris has a strong belief in religious faith. She is very courteous to others, but is relatively shy. Iris is a caring and kind-hearted person, wishing to help and give support to everyone in need, despite the circumstances at hand. Though somewhat incompetent in a fight, she shows bravery on the battlefield, being able to stand unfazed against an Infernal. She was shown to be rather private with her feelings and tends to prioritize the security and comfort of others first. Iris is timid but is motivated by her beliefs in religion. Iris has also displayed an amount of childish curiosity, pushing buttons without thinking and expressing jealousy over the other members of Company 8 visiting Asakusa. She can also be naive, bordering on ditzy, as she could not tell the difference between two Tamaki's despite the real one using her ignition ability and the other having a deep voice, only recognizing the real one when her lucky lecher lure activated. Despite her shyness, she has shown to have a dry wit often making snide remarks about some of her teammates such as Maki's romanticism, and calling Shinra out on a few of his lewder tendencies.

## Background

During her childhood, Iris attended The Holy Sol Temple alongside Hibana, where they prayed for most the days and worship the Sun God. When the church caught fire, she and Hibana looked on as all the sisters were incinerated, leaving the pair as the only sisters to survive the incident. Shielding her little sister's eyes, Hibana decides they should run away together. Hibana eventually left Iris in order to become Company 5's Captain. Iris herself later joined Company 8 and was helped to extinguish the Infernal on the group's first mission.

## Abilities

As a sister from the Holy Sol Temple, she is fully qualified to perform prayers believed to allow Infernals to pass on peacefully as they are destroyed. Iris is also able to quickly treat a bullet wound, proving she has a degree of skill in first aid and medical knowledge. Despite her lack of power, she has shown to be a quick-thinker under pressure. Both creating a distraction when needed and being willing to bludgeon a trained assassin into unconsciousness.

### Third Generation

When the stone pillars emerged, proving the discovery of all eight Pillars, Iris was among those who found their pyrokinetic abilities strengthening. Iris demonstrates that she has the ability to create small embers from her fingers, signifying her debut and inexperience at controlling fire. She speculates that she has had this ability since childhood, given that she survived the fire at the orphanage.

During the battle with Dragon and Raffles I's doppelgänger, Iris demonstrates the ability to grant herself and her allies an unprecedented level of immunity to flames, manifesting as a protective aura of heat around those the ability is affecting. It was potent enough to completely negate the damage from the dangerous shockwave Shinra Kusakabe's abilities produce when performing light-speed kicks and shielding all of Company 8 from Dragon's blast. It's been noted by several characters to share some similarities to Pan Ko Paat's Ignition Ability. It appears this ability is reliant on Iris praying and her connecting with the Adolla Realm.

## Plot

### Introduction arc

Iris, alongside the rest of the Special Fire Force Company 8, arrives to save a train station from the Infernal, where she is ordered by Captain Obi to begin the prayers. When the threat is defeated, a light starts falling from the ceiling, but the girl is carried to safety by Shinra, whom she thanks afterward. Later, at the headquarters, Iris takes a shower with Maki, after which the two head out to the meeting room, where Obi delivers a speech about Spontaneous Human Combustion. Later that night, Iris moves out to save a factory from a Infernal. When the brigade arrives, Iris joins the others in fighting the threat. After Shinra succeeds in completing the mission, she was happy to see the boy with a delighted smile.

Iris is seen having a conversation with Maki on the roof when the two are interrupted by a fight that broke out between Arthur and Shinra. When the two boys start bickering, Iris reassures Shinra that he has as much cachet as Arthur. After Takehisa arrives and orders Maki to fight the two Fire Soldiers, Iris overlooks the event from the sidelines. Later, she attends an incident in the Iriya District and notices the victim crying, but Obi assures her to leave the girl be. Iris gets distracted by a burst of flames, coming from the apartment, and thinks it to be Maki's doing. The brigade then storms the building, but, when Arthur impales the man with his weapon, the ceiling starts to collapse, but the team manages to escape unscathed. Outside, Iris spots Mikako on the sidewalk and wonders whether she could help her, but realizes that the best solution would be to pray. She is later present during the Rookie Fire Soldier Games, observing the event alongside her team-mates. The next day, Iris moves out to dispose of Setsuo Miyamoto, an ex-convict who turned into an Infernal in the courthouse.

When the brigade catches up to Shinra, Iris and the rest find themselves in a confrontation with the Special Fire Force Company 5. A stand-off between the brigades is catalyzed, but the two depart without any signs of struggle after Hibana notices Iris in the group.

### VS. Special Fire Force Company 5 arc

The following day, Iris heads out to the courtyard in order to perform a purification ritual, but is soon interrupted by Shinra, which leads her to put on a fake smile in order to make him feel at ease. Later on, Iris visits the Special Fire Force Combine 5 alone, where she meets up with Hibana. She questions the woman's actions, resulting in Hibana ripping her gown off and using her a bait to draw out her brigade. Before Hibana could further attack her, Shinra found the pair, leading to Iris warning him to run away. Ignoring her request, Iris watched as the two Third Generations fought and begged her sister to stop. After Shinra defeats Hibana, Iris cradles her sister in her arms. Once Hibana wakes up Iris reminds her that was the hero to all the younger sisters in the orphanage. Due to this and Shinra's promise to support her no matter what Hibana has a change of heart and works with Company 8. Finding that her little sister has become more forward and strong-willed, Hibana shows her a spectacular display of fire flowers. When asked how Company 5 and 8 are meant to cover up or explain this whole conflict, Iris recommends is hosting a dinner party between the two groups. Despite Shinra's objections, Hibana agrees with the idea and decides to lie to her troops by saying this was simply a surprise training exercise instead of an actual conflict between divisions.

### Special Fire Force Company 1 arc

Iris is seen with her fellow company members dealing with an Infernal outbreak. When spotting a distraught loved one of the Infernal, Iris wishes to talk to her but her Captain advises against it before they return to headquarters. She and Maki are entertained by Hibana's fire flowers as a means of distracting them from her troublemaking antics before taking a shower. As the bathe, Iris asks Hibana if she will be involved in something dangerous. When the trio's chatter alongside Shinra's argument with Arthur starts to interfering with Obi's strategizing, Hinawa yells at them to quiet down or leave. Inspiring Obi's plan to have Arthur and Shinra infiltrate Company 1 through the training assignment system to investigate the artificial Infernals found in Company 1's territory. Shinra discovers that Rekka had been using Fire Bugs to find a child with the Adolla Burst and had been turning children into Infernals over the years. He wonders if Rekka or his organization were responsible for the fire that killed Iris' sisters, but his suspicions go on answered especially after Rekka's death. Iris works alongside her Company to extinguish a Flame Giant. When Shinra returns, Iris welcomes him home and congratulates him for his work.

### Preacher Pursuit arc

Alongside her teammates, Iris listens to Obi and Hinawa recounts the founding of Company 8. Shinra also tells her and the rest of his allies about his encounters with Joker and that is brother might have survived the fire 12 years ago.

### Asakusa arc

Iris remains at headquarters when Company 8 travel to Asakusa due to the proto-nationalist sentiment of the town alongside members of Company 5. She is powerless to stop Hibana's attempts to cause trouble for Obi.

When her comrades return, an agitated Iris asks if they were supposed to introducing a new Fire Soldier into the Company as Hibana argues with the team's new scientific advisor; Viktor Licht.

### Vulcan's Workshop arc

As she is one of the younger members of Company 8, Iris is sent alongside Shinra and Arthur in civilian clothes to ask Vulcan Joseph to join their group as the Company Engineer. Unbeknownst to Iris, her sister has planted a wire on her. Later on, the three arrive at Vulcan's abstract-looking workshop. As they attempt to get Vulcan's attention, Shinra and Arthur are continuously hit by soda cans thrown from inside the workshop but the person inside refuses to attack Iris. Once Yū arrives and helps to get inside, Iris and the others meet with Vulcan and Lisa. Before arguments can break out, the Workshop is visited by Doctor Giovanni. Iris and the others eavesdrop on the discussion between Giovanni and Vulcan before the Captain leaves. Returning to the Workshop Iris curiosity pushes her into pushing random buttons in the building and causes miss our reactions from all of Vulcan's mechanical animals. Stopping her from messing with a spherical device, Vulcan begins to laugh and recognize that they are different from the Fire Soldiers he hates and the ones who try to exploit his genius. Despite not wanting to work with them, Vulcan chooses to reveal his dream to them. Taking them outside, Vulcan uses the spherical device to project images of all the animal life driven to extinction by the Great Disaster, a sight so moving it brings Iris to tears. Vulcan tells the three that he wishes to bring these animals back to life through his inventions. After Vulcan leaves them and Lisa elaborates on his kindness but also the death of his father and grandfather; the Company 8 officers plan on leaving. Until Shinra senses that Giovanni plans on killing Vulcan.

While Shinra runs to see what the Company 3 captain is doing, Arthur and Iris attempt to warn Vulcan. Only to see an entire army of White Clads Knights advancing on the Workshop. While Iris remains inside, Arthur goes out to confront the army and learns in is simply two Knights creating a massive illusion. Vulcan plans on having Iris lead an escape so Yū and Lisa can survive with her and tells her that his family created the Amaterasu Generator that powers the nation. Before they can escape, Lisa turns on Vulcan and reveals her allegiance to The Evangelist. Once Giovanni arrives he attempts to beat the information about the Key to Amaterasu out of Vulcan after shooting Yū in the chest. While treating the boy's bullet wound, Iris begs Giovanni to stop destroying the inventions created by Vulcan's father. Shinra arrives and tries to battle both Lisa and Giovanni but is quickly overwhelmed. Iris tries to help by pressing random buttons again and causes havoc inside and outside the Workshop. This creates an opening for Vulcan to break Lisa's hold on Shinra and allows Shinra to beat Giovanni through the wall. The tide of battle shifts again as the Knights of Ashen Flame receive reinforcements and their leader quickly dispatches Hibana, Arthur, and Shinra. Iris and the other escape with Vulcan and Yū thanks to the timely arrival of Viktor and the mysterious Joker covering their escape.

In order to keep Vulcan safe, Company 8 allows him to stay with them and Iris is seen enjoying Hinawa's cooking. Iris later volunteers to serve tea at the meeting between Obi and Company 8's allies, which Hibana objects to. She briefly confuses Konro with her attempts at Asakusan slang. Later, Yū visits Iris and Company 8 on a robotic bed to thank her for saving his life through her first aid.

### Ōbi's Rescue arc

Learning that Obi was arrested by Tokyo Army and that they were in league with the White-Clad, Iris and her brigade decide to rescue him at the cost of being branded as traitors to the empire.

Iris joins the operation to save Captain Ōbi but she and Licht to not directly fight the enemy. When Licht starts trying to find a counter to Gold's ability, Iris expresses her total faith in him and is rewarded when Company 8 are able to overcome the assassin. When Dragon arrives she worries about Arthur's chances of victory. These concerns prove valid as Dragon overwhelms Arthur at every turn and destroys his weapon while knocking him unconscious.

Iris is among those who are almost killed by Dragon's attack and she prays for their safety at the last moment. The group emerge and unharmed, thinking that Maki protected them, but Licht looks at Iris while Dragon realizes they could have only been protected by Grace. The White Clad arrive planning on killing all of Company 8 expect 'The Pillar'. Iris and the others are saved by the arrival of Benimaru, flying away with Tamaki on one of his Matoi.

### Stone Pillar Arc

After three months of a giant stone pillar erecting from the ocean, Iris felt a sense of unease, leading her to approach Shinra. Talking to him about her feeling about being some sort of imitation, he hit her in the face and told her to stay away from him. Afterward, Shinra was chained up. The next day, Shinra was released after it was discovered he wasn't in control of his body over the last three months, prompting Iris to talk to him alone. Informing him about the effects on the Second and Third Generations from the stone pillars erecting, Iris revealed to him that she was a Third Generation. She then informed him of the reason she approached him yesterday.

## Trivia

* There are several characters in *Fire Force*whose names are allusions to or directly taken from both monotheistic and pantheistic religions and notable religious figures.
	+ In Greek mythology, Iris is the personification and goddess of the rainbow and messenger of the gods.
* According to her Character Profile in Volume 3:
	+ Iris' favorite food is tomatoes and she doesn't dislike any sort of food in particular.
	+ Iris' favorite type of music is gospel music.
	+ Iris' favorite animal is a sheep and her favorite color is light blue.
	+ Iris prefers people who go after their dream.
	+ Iris highly respects Hibana, dislikes people who don't cherish life, and finds violent people scary.
	+ Iris' hobby is gardening and her daily routine consists of praying, watering plants, and studying pastry recipes.
	+ Iris' dream is world peace.
	+ Iris' foot size is 23cm (9 in) and her eyesight is 1.5 (20/12.5).
	+ Iris' favorite subject is national language, while her least favorite is mathematics.

## References

1. ↑ Fire Force Manga: Chapter 200, Page 9
2. ↑ Fire Force Manga: Chapter 0, Page 3
3. ↑ Fire Force Manga: Chapter 4, Page 16
4. ↑ Fire Force Manga: Chapter 19
5. ↑ Fire Force Manga: Chapter 38
6. ↑ Fire Force Manga: Chapter 60, Page 2
7. ↑ Fire Force Manga: Chapter 81