Minerva Orland

"Manipulating the pieces according to your strategy... That is what defines a King."

- to Erza Scarlet

 (ミネルバ・オーランド Mineruba Ōrando) is a major recurring heroine of manga/anime, Fairy Tail, and the secondary antagonist of the Grand Magic Games arc.

She is a female Mage reckoned as the strongest member of Sabertooth and the daughter of Jiemma. Following the X791 Grand Magic Games, she leaves Sabertooth and becomes a Dark Mage of Succubus Eye. She later becomes a new recruit to the Dark Guild Tartaros, where she refers to herself as Neo Minerva (ネオミネルバ Neo Mineruba). After being rescued by Sting Eucliffe and Rogue Cheney she rejoins Sabertooth.

She is voiced by in the Japanese version of the anime and  in the English version.

Appearance
Minerva is a slim young woman of average height distinguished by her Eastern look: her long, straight and glossy purple (black in the Anime) hair, reaching down to her lower back, while mostly left loose, being parted in the middle of her forehead and sporting two bangs framing her face and going down below her shoulders, her hair is also tied into a pair of bun-shaped Dango loops at both sides of her head, and a braid is present some inches below each of such loops. Her facial make up is reminiscent of that worn by a Japanese "Geisha", with her lips being covered in glossy dark lipstick, and her slanted dark eyes, possessing long eyelashes, being topped by a pair of elongated, diagonal dark spots, seemingly acting as or covering her eyebrows. Her pale figure is considerably curvaceous.

Minerva's attire is yet again Eastern-looking, with the woman wearing a strapless dress highly reminiscent of a "Cheongsam". This is shown to possess a large slit in correspondence to Minerva's left leg, exposing it all up to her thigh, and comes secured to her body by a number of dark laces on the back and to her right side, exposing a part of her right breast's back side, and by a line of metal fasteners taking the shape of two horizontally-placed triangles with their bases linked together on her front left side. Such garment is dark in its back part where the laces are, and light-colored on the front, where a large decorative motif representing a "Saber-toothed cat" menacingly lurking in the grass is present, in reference to Minerva's guild. Her outfit is completed by a pair of shoulder-length ornamental gloves again bearing dual colors, dark on the arm and hand's lower part and light on the upper one, and dark boots reaching up to her middle calves.

The Grand Magic Games' fifth day had Minerva change her outfit considerably, making it more regal in appearance: her dress is replaced by a slightly more revealing one, exposing a fair share of her cleavage, the sides of her torso and her left leg; this is dark in color, sporting thin light edges, laces securing the dress in correspondence to the woman's hips, thick fur lining her cleavage and several light motifs adorning her torso's front, those being a large "V" and what looks like an "U" with a dot in its concave part. Minerva has forsaken her gloves, and instead sports several accessories composed of fur: aside from her dress, fur is also present in the form of a collar adorning her neck and of a "Feather boa", passing above her shoulders and ending in bifurcated edges.

After joining Succubus Eye, Minerva's new attire consists of a band around her upper chest, with her lower chest partially exposed and two straps connecting the band to a collar round her neck. Over it, she wears a brown fur-lined coat. Her lower dress is slit near her left leg, and she wears with high heeled boots with thigh high socks.

When joining Tartaros, Minerva undergoes a transformation into a Demon. She now has two curled horns on her head, a black patch covering her right eye that continues to her left leg. She wears a long black cloak and bandages which cover most of her torso and a pair of underwear underneath, on her arms she wears light colored arm bands and black gloves covering her hands and her guild mark is located on her left waist. She also wears knee guards and black high-top boots.

Personality
Minerva is an outwardly calm and confident person. She speaks in an archaic, old form of Japanese. Befitting her speech, she is very mature and wishes that the people around her act accordingly. However, during the Naval Battle event of the Grand Magic Games, Minerva shows a sadistic side of herself, purposely keeping Lucy within the water sphere during the fourth event when she could easily have removed her, whilst at the same time continually beating and striking her with both her body and Magic despite Lucy's inability to fight back. Even after the event was declared over, Minerva showed no remorse for what she had done, and instead held Lucy's bruised body up in a trophy-like manner, smiling at her own victory.

In battle, Minerva enjoys sadistically toying with her opponents. Excusing her actions as an act of "boredom", she tortured Millianna during Erza and Kagura's fight, slashing the former's back. Also, just to rile her opponents, she stated that the screams were like "music to my ears".

Just like her father, she views Sabertooth as the strongest guild and believes weaker Mages to be nothing more than "trash". Minerva also doesn't hesistate in taking a hostage to achieve the ends to her own means, even if the hostage is a comrade, like Lector, or her opponent's friends, such as Happy or Millianna.

When her enemies manage to thwart her significantly, Minerva's usual cold, smug attitude gives way to anger, as shown when Erza managed to get past her Magic to wound her. When outmatched and unable to flee or use any tricks to save herself, Minerva's composure is shown to collapse entirely with her begging her foe to stop and when her plans are thwarted completely, crying from humiliation. She will seek to avenge herself from such humiliations when given the opportunity.

Due to the cruelty of her father's upbringing, Minerva desires to be in a position of superiority, going to great lengths to keep Sabertooth the number one guild and when that failed, leaving to join a Dark Guild with the intention of working her way up to the top. She thus shows that she doesn't feel any loyalty towards any guild that cannot stay on top and also that she doesn't care whether or not she is working on the right side of the law. She thinks very highly of herself and wishes for others to treat her as such.

One year after returning to her guild, however, her arrogance has subsided and she becomes apologetic for her previous actions. In addition, she opens herself more to her guild's events, as she participated in the annual eating contest and won.

History
In Minerva's early days, she had to endure a hellish training for her father, Jiemma, who both verbally and physically abused her whenever she displayed any sign of weakness. After a sparring match with Fingers which she arose victorious, Jiemma ordered Minerva to finish him off. Minerva, though, refused to do so as he was her guildmate. This angered her father, who despised her weak-mindedness and subsequently ended up killing the Mage himself. Some time after, Minerva was left alone in a forest to fend for herself against ferocious creatures, with her father forbidding her to come back home until she became stronger.

Tartaros arc
At Tartaros' headquarters, Minerva, described as having the qualities that the Netherworld requires, is shown to be suspended in a strange liquid, unconscious, where she undergoes a process that will turn her into a Demon. When Tempester and Kyôka mention Fairy Tail, Minerva's body begins to violently convulse, amusing the latter Demon.

Some time later, Minerva's transformation is completed. Exiting her stasis, Minerva revels in her new appearance in front of her new guildmates Jackal, Tempester and Lamy, noting that she has the power of a Demon which is currently overflowing within. Minerva later makes her way to the location of Kyôka's battle with Erza, where she tells Kyôka, who is fleeing the scene, that she planned on taking care of the Fairies even if she hadn't told her to do so. Greeting Erza, Minerva makes note of how appropriate their new place of battle is; reintroducing herself as Neo Minerva, Minerva tells Erza that she's been reincarnated as a Demon and that she'll give her a sample of her new power.

The two women begin to exchange blows before Erza is contacted by Warren Rocko of her guild, who tries to get her to retreat now that Mirajane and the other prisoners of Tartaros have been recovered. However, Mard Geer high-jacks the telepathy and casts Alegria, a Curse that deforms Cube and begins to suck Erza away. Seeing the redhead trapped, Minerva tries to strike a harsh blow, though becomes flustered when she realizes that Mard's Curse will completely consume Erza. Screaming for Mard to stop stealing her prey, Minerva curses Tartaros as she watches Erza freeze into the guild building, the Fairy Tail Mage now immobile and completely removed from her fight.

When the Celestial Spirit King activates Galaxia Blade, Minerva is left in shock wondering what that bright light is. To her excitement and pleasure, Erza is revived as a result and proceeds to attack her, and the two continue their long awaited showdown. When Erza tries to reason with her while sparring, Minerva reminds the other woman that she has been reborn as Neo Minerva, the "Ultimate Mage". Although she has the advantage at first, Erza pushes her back in a counterattack and enrages Minerva. As Erza punches her to the ground, Minerva reminisces the years of training she underwent under her father. Erza then punches Minerva and tells her to get a hold of herself and to stop this senseless fight.

Minerva, realizing her mistakes as well as her own weakness for succumbing to darkness, asks from Erza to kill her. Erza then reminds her that there are still people out there waiting for her to come home despite her fall into darkness. Their discussion is interrupted by Mard Geer, who is angry with the Celestial Spirit King for thwarting his plans, and so decides to end the lives of both Minerva and Erza himself. As Minerva is assaulted by Mard's attack, she mumbles for Erza to run while a huge explosion occurs. However, Minerva is rescued in the nick of time by Sting and Rogue who, accompanied by Lector and Frosch, tell her that they've come to save her. With Erza's words echoing in her mind, Minerva starts crying as she finally realizes that she belongs with Sabertooth.

After Sting places Minerva on the ground to rest, he tells her that they'll return to the guild together before going to fight, which greatly moves her. When Mard Geer reveals that there are now 3,000 Faces about to be activated in less than an hour and erase all Magic from the world, Minerva mockingly laughs and explains that he is probably bluffing because Face has to be manually controlled, and no one can simultaneously activate all of them. The Underworld King replies that the chairman, Crawford Seam can remotely control all of them, but Minerva insists that he's dead, with Mard explaining that he can be revived by the necromancer of Tartaros. As Erza learns that, she takes Minerva with her, as well as the Exceeds, to find a way and stop Face, but Minerva is hesitant to leave the Twin Dragons behind, as she is worried about them. Minerva, while being held up and supported by Erza, is then led away with Lector and Frosch taking point. Minerva comments that it will be difficult to find the control room as everything has been destroyed, only for the group to come across Panther Lily and Happy. After a short reunion between the Exceeds, Minerva recognizes Franmalth on Happy's head despite the Demon appearing like a strange mushroom. She then plucks him out, much to Happy's horror, and explains that the "mushroom" is one of the Nine Demon Gates, and that he will probably know where the control room is.

While walking towards the control room, Minerva expresses her worry about Sting and Rogue's well being, and when Erza tells her that they can only believe in them, Minerva agrees. Under Franmalth's guidance, Minerva and the others find the former chairman's corpse operating Face. When Erza attempts to stop him, Seilah binds her, along with Minerva and the Exceeds, using her Macro Curse. Minerva angrily calls out to Seilah and Kyôka, and the latter mockingly asks her whether she's still alive. The two explain that all 3,000 Faces are about to be activated, shortly before Mirajane interferes and frees Minerva and the others. Minerva then prompts Erza to fight Kyôka, as she has all the information they need to stop Face.

Minerva watches Erza's fight against Kyôka, and congratulates her when she manages to slash her. When she hears an eerie sound in the distance, Minerva wonders what is going on; not knowing, she looks to the sky to see what is approaching. However, despite the appearance of both Acnologia and Igneel, Minerva's attention stays locked on Kyôka, as the Demon merges herself with the Face device via an Organic Link in order to speed up the firing of the pulse bomb. As the timer ticks down even faster, Minerva tries to draw Erza's attention to it, though the redhead stays locked in battle against Kyôka, needing to kill her in order to stop Face. During their battle, Kyôka zaps everyone in the room with her Curse, and Minerva and her friends fall to the floor, writhing in pain as Erza too is crippled by the attack, and then has her senses taken. Seeing the redhead fall, Minerva admits their incoming defeat, though is then shocked when Erza stands despite her injuries and punches Kyôka blindly.

Despite Erza then gaining the upper hand in the fight, Minerva continues to worry about Face's countdown. Erza then incapacitates Kyôka, though fails to fully kill her, falling to the ground exhausted as Face still gets closer to activating. Seeing the Fairy Tail Mage's sword flying through the air, Minerva swaps positions with Erza, and, spurring herself from the ground, grabs the blade and thrusts it down into Kyôka's chest, killing her. However, her actions prove to be for naught, as Face's timer hits zero, and the device sets to fire. Minerva watches as the many Faces across the continent start up and begin to drain Earth Land of its Magic, declaring their defeat. Shortly enough, however, she notices as the active Faces are taken down one by one by the Dragons. After all the Face devices are destroyed, Minerva looks on, considerably more relieved.

One week after Tartaros' defeat, Minerva, now restored to her original form with the treatments from Porlyusica, is brought back to Sabertooth by Sting, Rogue and the Exceeds, where she is happily greeted by everyone. Crying tears of joy, Minerva exclaims that she has returned to where she belongs.

Magic and Abilities
Territory: Her Magic revolves around the manipulation of space, which allows her to manipulate any spatial region within her line of sight. This has been used to block one of Natsu Dragneel's powerful Lightning Fire Dragon techniques with little to no effort. It also allows her to teleport things instantly out of thin air, such as when she had Happy, who was nowhere near her present location, materialize in her arms via her Magic, not to mention moving Lucy from the edge of the water orb towards her direct line of attack during Naval Battle. She can also switch positions with her chosen target, by simultaneously teleporting her target and herself to each other's location. It can also be used offensively: the waves can harm a human heavily, having effects similar to lead, being directly sent at a target or surrounding the target and causing several attacks at once. She can also change the properties of a space such as changing the temperature and as a result producing heat underwater or creating explosions.

Yagdo Rigora: A secondary Magic, Minerva casts this by chanting the incantation "Niel Wielg Mion Terse Elcantaeus: Yagdo Rigora" while waving her hands in a circular motion, which conjures a large statue with intricate designs and patterns over its body that creates a powerful blast. This Magic is one of eighteen referred to as the Yakuma Eighteen War Gods Magic.

Enhanced Strength: Minerva possesses an above average physical strength as she could easily lift Lucy Heartfilia with a single hand after defeating her at Naval Battle.

Immense Magic Power: Minerva has been shown to possess a tremendous amount of Magic Power. She was able to produce a spell that completely blocked Natsu Dragneel's powerful Lightning Fire Dragon techniques without breaking a sweat; she brutalized Lucy for a near non-stop ten minutes with her Magic; even after confronting Erza Scarlet and Kagura Mikazuchi, despite having unleashed her ominously devastating Yagdo Rigora, she did not look tired in the least. When used, her Magic Power could be felt throughout the entirety of Crocus, all the way to the stadium, as noted by Chapati Lola and Yajima. When exerted, her Magic Power is purple in color.

Acrobatic Skills: Minerva has been shown to possess flexibility that allows her to do acrobatic moves. She has demonstrated the ability to, with the use of her Magic, appear from thin air and, while twisting in the air, throw both Erza Scarlet and Kagura Mikazuchi and still be able to land perfectly on both feet.

Expert Hand-to-Hand Combatant: Minerva possesses considerable skill in bare-handed fighting, kneeing Lucy in the ribs right after teleporting her. Furthermore, she was able to parry the slashes of both Erza Scarlet and Kagura Mikazuchi intercepting them with her hands, albeit shielded by her Magic. After using her Magic to swap places with Erza, she was able to deal a powerful kick to her, sending her crashing into a remnant of Cube.