Ima

* Warlord
* Formal wear

**Ima**, otherwise known as the **Egyptian Queen**, is the secondary antagonist in Season 2 of *Primal*.

She was the ruler of a seafaring, conquering, Egyptian style civilization and leader of the ship, the Colossaeus. Ima ruled her vessel with an iron fist and used her power on campaign of destruction, enslavement, and plundering other kingdoms across the world before her ultimate demise.

## Appearance

Ima was a somewhat voluptuously beauteous woman. She had a slender, yet strong figure with tan skin and black hair, rosy lips, and purple eyeshadow. She had her hair shaved on the sides barring the middle of the head, which was cut short.

Ima was seen wearing Carnelian red garments, a crop top and V-shaped briefs, which were covered by a light green cloak that spread and covered her back and rested between her crotch area. She wore a green neck ring and donned a green helmet adorned with black horns and a red gem. She also had golden bracelets on both her arms and forearms. Her boots were black and laced with green stripes.

In her casual wear, she wore a sleeveless orange top with a slit skirt. She had knee-high sandal high heeled boots and metal bands around her forearms. A gem laced with beads was strewn on her forehead and accompanied by golden hoop earrings.

In Kamau's flashback and during Fang's execution, Ima wore an orange crop top with a red gem in the middle, a metal belt, an orange skirt with a yellow strip of cloth, and metal boots.

## Personality

While possessing a poised appearance, Ima's true nature was cruel and ruthless. As a tyrannical warlord, she was determined to assert her dominance everywhere. Ima used slaves to fuel her conquest, employing Spear, Fang, and Kamau as weapons to invade other kingdoms, slaughtering their rulers and their people. She exhibited no hesitation coercing Spear and Fang into fighting for her by threat of killing Fang's unborn children and forcing Kamau to work for her against his will by doing the same with his daughter. Ima kept her sources of leverage close to her, so as to ensure her assets' obedience.

Ima showed much avarice, looting the valuables of conquered. After successfully invading the Babylonian kingdom, she took away the King's pet leopard cub as her own before having him executed. Ima's greed was matched only by her mercilessness, as she had no qualms killing innocents. She threatened to harm Kamau's daughter if he did not attack a village that had peacefully offered her food, something she showed little to no interest in.

Despite her ruthless nature, Ima appeared capable of showing generosity to some degree, as she allowed Kamau to see his daughter after a successful invasion. She also kept her in more pleasant conditions compared to her other prisoners. When not conquering and/or killing, Ima was seen seeking entertainment in the form of music and dancing women at night. She displayed a more patient side with these women, as she was willing to show Mira how to dance when she hesitated to do so, though she also proceeded to kill one of her captives while dancing, seemingly as a threat to Mira.

Even though she generally presented herself in a collected manner, Ima had been shown to lose her composure whenever she lost control over her subordinates and/or whenever events did not go as she planned. She became enraged when Kamau turned against her, threatening to kill his daughter, and when her soldiers were being slaughtered. There was a brazen aspect to Ima's personality as well, first shown when she refused to surrender during the revolution instigated by Kamau and others, and when she relentlessly and futilely attacked the former before her death at his hands.

## History

It is currently unknown how she rose to power and gained captaincy of the Colossaeus ship. Prior to present time, she led her troops against a small pseudo-African village and successfully conquered its peaceful inhabitants, who were unable to defend themselves. Only one member, Kamau, actively fought against her men to keep his daughter, Amal, safe. Coveting the strength and ferocity Kamau possessed, Ima took advantage of Kamau distracted and got hold of Amal, whom Kamau accidentally dropped during the fight, and threatened her with a khopesh, forcing Kamau to surrender. With Kamau and his people enslaved, Ima made Kamau her primary enforcer in her invasions, while confining his people to rowing the Colossaeus and Amal as her hostage to ensure Kamau's compliance. ("The Colossaeus, Part III")

One day, the Colossaeus comes across a small ship operated by Spear, Fang, and Mira. After sending Kamau and some of her soldier into ambush, Ima personally led troops to capture Spear and company, in the process. She held both Spear and Fang at an advantage by threatening to destroy another of Fang's eggs, Spear only calmed her down for the sake of the child, forcing them to do her bidding by fighting. ("The Colossaeus, Part I")

As time passes, Ima manages to invade several lands with Spear, Fang, and Kamau's reluctant assistance. Numerous innocent people are decimated, kingdoms are destroyed, their leaders executed, and many valuable treasures are taken. During her invasions, Spear discovers that Ima is forcing Kamau to act as her soldier just to protect his young daughter. At some point, the Colossaeus takes on a Philistine fleet that attempts to raid the warship. After sinking the Philistine ship and capturing their leader, Ima spends time watching her dancers in her throne room and expects Mira to do so. However, when Mira does not, Ima gives her a violent demonstration as she murders the captive leader through her dance moves and Mira proceeds to dance for Ima.

One day, Ima docks the ship at a territory where another tribe is located. A member of the tribe calmly welcomes her and offers her his people's food as peace offering and tribute from the tribe. But Ima shows no interest in the peace offering and orders Kamau to exterminate the tribe. He refuses at first, but Ima threatens to harm his daughter unless he obeys. Left with no other choice, Kamau reluctantly slaughters the tribesman and attacks the entire tribe with his brute strength. No longer able to stand Ima's evil tyranny anymore, Spear decides that it is time that he and his friends escape the Colossaeus.

During the night, one of Ima's guards comes down to feed the prisoners pieces of meat. But Spear knocks out the guard, takes the keys, and unlocks his and Kamau's cells. Fang wished to go too, but Spear convinces her to wait. Spear gives Kamau the chance to escape, but he does not since Ima still has his daughter. Spear proceeds to climb all the way to the top of Ima's throne room to rescue Mira, Kamau's daughter, and Fang's eggs. Unfortunately, he is caught by one of Ima's slaves as he scares her. Spear fends off the guards and engages Ima in combat. As Spear fights off Ima, Mira and Kamau's daughter take the eggs and head for the door. When Ima catches them and goes to kill them, Spear thrashes her and fends off the guards, allowing the two to rush down the stairs. Suddenly, the eggs unexpectedly hatch and both hatchlings let out a cry for their mother. Fang, hearing her new offspring's cries, breaks out of the dungeons and rushes to their aid, leaving Kamau confused. Ima corners the group and takes the hatchlings hostage while one of the guards captures Kamau's daughter. With everyone completely outnumbered, she forces everyone to surrender their respective children to her, while looking expectantly at Kamau. ("The Colossaeus, Part II")

The next day, she has Spear, Mira, and Fang in line to be executed; Kamau is ordered to carry out the execution while she holds his daughter and Fang's offspring hostage. Kamau was hesitant to do it at first; however, having remembered the first time he was held back upon the first time Ima took Amal hostage, he cuts Fang free instead. Ima was outraged at Kamau's betrayal and goes to kill Amal, but Kamau saves her by flinging Ima backwards. Spear and Mira break free from their bondage and join the battle for freedom. Ima attempts to kill Fang with cannonballs and crossbows but is challenged by Spear. Though Ima gained the upper hand by slashing him, Spear still managed to hold his own against her. During the battle, one of Fang's offspring is injured by one of Ima's guards. Spear and Mira saved them by jumping overboard alongside while calling off the battle with Ima. They managed to find refuge in another boat that carried slaves, much to Ima's chagrin. Meanwhile, Kamau and his daughter manage to find the captured villagers and free them. Having lost many of her soldiers, Ima grew so angry that she attempted to take them all down herself. But she is cornered by Kamau and his villagers. She attempts to fight him herself, but she was vulnerable against him due to his massive size and endurance. Kamau grabs Ima and then throws her off the ship, sending her crashing into the boat Spear, Mira, Fang, and her offspring are in, instantly killing her and leaving her broken, bloodied corpse on the floor of the vessel. ("The Colossaeus, Part III")

## Abilities

* **Intelligence:** Ima demonstrates craftiness and cunning, both by improvising a hostage-taking of Fang's progeny when she realizes her forces are about to be overwhelmed and instantly recognizing a golden opportunity in the trio when her ship encountered them in the first place.
* **Combat Proficiency:** Despite her regal status, Ima has shown herself to be an exceptional fighter. She relies on speed and precision, which allows her to outmatch larger opponents like Spear.

## Trivia

* Based on the hanging garden-like oasis on Ima's ship, she may be a reference to the legendary Babylonian Queen, Semiramis, who originally built the "Hanging Gardens of Babylon".
	+ As the "Egyptians" of this series appear to be an allusion to the Sea People, it is worth noting that one of such cultures, the Peleset (better known as Philistines) did worship female figures foremost.
* She is the first character to ever be seen wearing makeup.
* Ironically, Ima foreshadowed her own death as she kicked the Philistine King from a high place, throwing him towards his demise, Kamau did a similar thing by grabbing Ima before throwing her off the ship, crashing into one of her slave boats.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Amina Koroma as Ima". (Thread) *Twitter* (Sep 10, 2022).