NBLA

## Team NBLA

The team NBLA emblems

Lujayne Volts

Kurt Albatross

NBLA (Pronounced "Nebula") is a first-year team of students formed in the year 78av from Haven Academy which is comprised of the main characters: Kite Neros, Bianca Grace, Lujayne Volts and Kurt Albatross.

They were first shown together as a group in "The Cragow Cliffs" and became an official team in "Playing Your Cards Right".

Upon first meeting collectively in "The Cragow Cliffs" Team NBLA already had divisions within the group stemming from an existing rivalry between members Lujayne Volts and Kurt Albatross. Although there has been some progression in the team's relationship, issues continue to revolve around Lujayne Volts who by the end of book one in the chapter "Darkness in the Lighthouse" betrays his team to go off on a solo endeavor leading to his injury.

The first battle to include the four members fighting together as a group takes place in "Playing Your Cards Right", though it happens before the team's official formation. The team later went onto be formed in the same chapter. The team retrieved the four King playing cards from the Cragow temple.

## Members

**Kite Neros** is the team leader of Team NBLA

**Bianca Grace** is a member of Team NBLA

**Lujayne Volts** is a member of Team NBLA

**Kurt Albatross** is a member of Team NBLA

## Trivia

* Team NBLA is comprised of characters inspired by types of energy.
	+ Kite is inspired by gravitational energy and his desire to overcome it by flying.
	+ Bianca is inspired by light energy and her ability to control it using her staff.
	+ Lujayne is inspired by electrical energy having use of it via his semblance.
	+ Kurt is inspired by kinetic energy using it both as an athlete and as a sharpshooter.
	+ The team name "Nebula" references a large collection of conflicting energies like what is seen within the team. Caine makes reference to this when formulating the final teams in "Playing Your Cards Right."

* Aside from Lujayne all the other members of NBLA have bird aspects to their characters representing how Lujayne as the lightning possesses a potential danger to the birds.
	+ Kite is a bird Faunus.
	+ Bianca's symbol is that of a white dove.
	+ Kurt's surname "Albatross" references the bird species of the same name.

* The inspiration for the character's names is as follows:
	+ "Kite" is a reference to the "Black Kite" bird species of which Kite is a Faunus of. His surname "Neros" means "black".
	+ "Bianca" means "white". Her surname "Grace" references her and her family's elegance, politeness and kindness.
	+ "Lujayne" means "silver". His surname "Volts" references a unit of electric potential.
	+ "Kurt" as a name means "Loyal Adviser" referencing his role as a mentor to Kite and his loyalty to his friends. His surname "Albatross" references the term for three-under-par in golf as well as the bird species of the same name,

* The inspiration for the character's weapon names are as follows:
	+ Kite's sword Icarus is a reference to the tale of Icarus in Greek mythology, a man who when granted wax wings flies too high to the sun and falls to his death when his wings melt.
	+ Bianca's staff Dawnstar is a reference to the sword Dawnbreaker in the Elder Scrolls Series, the weapon on which Bianca's was inspired from.
	+ Lujayne's bo-staff Thoron is a reference to the powerful lightning spell of the same name found in various fantasy card and video games.
	+ Kurt's golf club Ganton is a reference to a famous golf course in the United Kingdom.
	+ Kurt's golf bag Birdie Bomber is a name relating to the missile-launching capability of the weapon as well as being another reference to a golf score with birdie meaning two-under-par. It was the winner of a Facebook poll to officially name the weapon in 2014.

* Considering their position as the leading team of the Nebula series as well as their relative strength compared to other teams of their year-group it is fitting that team NBLA chose the King playing cards as well as their secondary meanings.
	+ Kite's selection of the King of Diamonds is a tarot reference to his courage and energy. Diamond's are also a key feature in his weapon's design.
	+ Bianca's selection of the King of Hearts is a tarot reference to the season of spring and the power of light she posses.
	+ Lujayne's selection of the King of Spades is a tarot reference to the season of winter and the characters active but darker personality.
	+ Kurt's selection of the King of Clubs is a tarot reference to the character's wealth and perceived luck. Kurt's primary weapon is also a club.