Red Sophia

**Red Sophia** was a chain-bikini-wearing warrior, daughter to Henrot and Mrs. Henrot-Gutch. She was Cerebus' first wife.

## Character History

After Red Sophia got out of school, she went to work for her father, but found it to be a "drag" and started to learn sword fighting. It appears she may have learned the standard Panrovian duel assault from a drunk and exiled baron. She also took dance courses.

Red Sophia was sometimes quick to claim anyone who crossed her had "bismirched" her honour. Tanes Feras apparently did so at some point, leading Henrot to hire Cerebus to torture him to death in revenge in front of Sophia. As they journeyed together to Branpur to do so, Sophia's dancing knocked Cerebus over, prompting him to call her an "idiotic brat". Having her honour bismirched, the two battled, with Cerebus the victor. Thanks to her vow that any man who bests her in a battle would possess her, Sophia indebted herself to him. Unfortunately for her, Cerebus found her annoying and didn't return her attempts at affection. This led to a jealous Thugg the Unseemly challenging Cerebus for her possession in a tavern. When Cerebus refused to kill the man, Red Sophia did it herself, having had her honour bismirched.

Upon reaching Branpur, a disturbed and annoyed Cerebus became even more unnerved when he discovered Tanes Feras is in love with Red Sophia. He abandoned his attempt to physically torture him, instead telling Sophia that to make Cerebus most happy, she should marry Tanes, which he believed would undoubtably lead to a long life of pure suffering.

Cerebus met her again when she was after the Black Blossom Lotus. She revealed that she had killed her husband because she couldn't be with someone who hadn't beaten her in battle. She planned with Cerebus to get the Black Blossom Lotus, but was left at the tracks by Cerebus, who snuck away with it.

Later Cerebus found himself in Port Seprania, married to Sophia. They remained married during Cerebus' second term as Prime Minster of Iest and during his reign as Pope of the Eastern Church. Both she and her mother left the hotel where they were staying with Cerebus. Cerebus later "divorced" her without her knowledge when he was visiting Astoria in her prison chamber.

Both Red Sophia and her mother later turned up on a talk show.

Sometime later, she married Elrod and moved in next door to Joanne.

## Skills & Traits

Red Sophia claimed that she could best any five boys in Tansubal in sword fighting.

Red Sophia believed herself to be one of the best dancers, having taken dance courses, and found it loosened her up and helped her to express herself, but wouldn't want to do it for a living, though she didn't rule it out.

She loved to cook, and believed herself to be one of the best. She "cooked" granola for Cerebus once. She showed a disdain for eating meat.

Sophia could sew, having offered to sew sequins on Cerebus' helmet or to make him a monogrammed handkerchief set. Later, she sewed one of his Papal robes.

Sophia was into hand-holding, and believed herself to be good at it, though she claimed Gurannian tonsil kissing was her specialty.

## Appearances

* *Cerebus* No. 3
* *Cerebus* No. 10
* *Cerebus* No. 90 - cameo or mention
* *Cerebus* No. 57 and *Cerebus* No. 58
* *Cerebus* No. 60 and *Cerebus* No. 61
* *Cerebus* No. 64 and *Cerebus* No. 65
* *Cerebus* No. 67 and *Cerebus* No. 68
* *Cerebus* No. 72 and *Cerebus* No. 73
* *Cerebus* No. 80
* *Cerebus* No. 90
* *Cerebus* No. 112/113 - cameo or mention
* *Cerebus* No. 163
* *Cerebus* No. 193 - cameo or mention
* *Cerebus* No. 217 - cameo or mention
* *Cerebus* No. 300 - cameo

## Basis

Red Sophia is a parody of Red Sonja, a character from the Conan books and comics. Red Sonja had her own comic book series for a while, which was drawn by Frank Thorne.

Sophia is also partially a tribute to Wendy Pini's portrayal of Red Sonja at science fiction conventions (with Frank Thorne as a wizard).

## Quotes

* "Sophia could make more than that selling her old chain mail bikinis to perverts in Iest."

## References

 1. ↑ *Cerebus* No. 3
2. ↑ *Cerebus* No. 10