Oktavia von Seckendorff
This section may contain major spoilers!
Please refrain from reading if you are not yet familiar with all the latest media released.Oktavia von Seckendorff (OKTAVIA VON SECKENDORFF) is the witch form of Sayaka Miki. She briefly appears at the end of Episode 8 and battles with Kyoko Sakura in Episode 9. Oktavia with a new colour scheme and familiars also appears in one of the alternate timelines of Episode 10.
Oktavia appears again in Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie: Rebellion. Sayaka Miki has gained the power to summon and control Oktavia due to being part of the Law of Cycles.
She also appears in Madoka Magica Portable, Madoka Magica Mobage, Madoka Magica Online, The Battle Pentagram and Magia Record as Sayaka's doppel.
Witch Cards
人魚の魔女。その性質は恋慕。 在りし日の感動を夢見ながらコンサートホールごと移動する魔女。 回る運命は思い出だけを乗せてもう未来へは転がらない。 もう何も届かない。もう何も知ることなどない。 今はただ手下達の演奏を邪魔する存在を許さない。
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The mermaid witch. Her nature is to fall in love. Looking for the feeling that moved her so long ago, she moves with the entire concert hall. Her fortune only turns under the weight of memories and no longer moves toward the future. Nothing will reach her any longer. She will come to know nothing more. She simply allows no one to disturb her minions' playing. | ||||||||||
人魚の魔女。その性質は恋慕。ギターが鳴り響くコンサートホールの中で在りし日の感動を夢見続ける魔女。 繰り返す時間の中で僅かな違いこそあれど、運命の車輪は冷徹に回る。
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The mermaid witch. Her nature is to fall in love. The witch continues to dream of a guitar resounding in the middle of a concert hall, a deeply moving impression from past days. Repeating within that time with little but sure differences, her wheels of fate move around calmly. | ||||||||||
人魚の魔女。かつて恋慕の夢を見た。この魔女は円環の理の一部から再び個として切り離された。お菓子の魔女とは違い、人間体と魔女体でそれぞれ別行動が可能。この魔女は水さえあればどこからでも現れる。
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The mermaid witch. Once dreamt of love. This witch was cut loose once again from a part of the Law of Cycles. Unlike the witch of sweets, the human and witch's body can act independently. She can appear anywhere as long as there is water. | ||||||||||
人魚の魔女。かつて恋慕の夢を見た。円環の理は、その魂のいくつかを切り離し地上へおよこしになりました。ひとつはお菓子の姿。もうひとつは人魚の姿。そしてさらにはご自身までもが、夜露がそっと零れるよりも恭しく地上へと降りられたのです。その姿はまるで、いつかあった少女のようでした。
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The mermaid witch. Once dreamt of love. The Law of the Cycle split off some of its souls and sent them to the earth. One of them took the form of sweets. Another took on the form of a mermaid. And the Law of Cycles itself descended upon the surface, more reverently than the morning dew. Her form was like that of a magical girl who once was. | ||||||||||
Minions
人魚の魔女の手下。その役割は演奏。 魔女のために音楽を奏で続ける虚ろな楽団。 その音を長く聞き続けた者は魂を抜き取られてしまう。 この楽団は魔女のためだけに存在し、魔女には楽団が全て。
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The mermaid witch's minion, whose duty is to perform. Several of them form a hollow orchestra that continually plays music for the witch. People who listen to their music for long enough will lose their soul. This orchestra only exists for its witch; to her, the orchestra is everything. | ||||||||||
人魚の魔女の手下。その役割はバックダンサー。魔女の後ろで陽気に踊り続けるだけの存在。
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The mermaid witch's minion, whose duty is a backup dancer. She only exists to dance cheerfully behind the witch. | ||||||||||
薔薇園の魔女の手下（レンタルver.）。その役割は造園。魔女の手下達の中ではかなり従順で数も多いため、ほむら救出の主戦力として薔薇園の魔女から派遣されて来た。直接的に人魚の魔女の指揮下へ入っているため、その魔女の影響で以前とは容姿が少し異なる。胸に付けた勲章は薔薇園の魔女から付けてもらった宝物。
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Servants of the rose garden witch (rental ver.). They take the role of gardeners. As they are relatively docile and numerous, as far as familiars go, the rose garden witch dispatched them as the main combat force for saving Homura. As they are under the direct command of the mermaid witch, the influence of her magic has changed their appearances. The medals on their chests are a treasure added by the rose garden witch. | ||||||||||
History
Original Anime
Oktavia makes her first appearance at the end of Episode 8 when Sayaka finally falls into despair and becomes a witch. Most of her body is covered by her cape in her first appearance. She makes her full appearance in Episode 9 when Kyoko takes Madoka to her labyrinth to try and save Sayaka. Her familiars: Holger make an appearance in her labyrinth but never seem to attack. As Madoka tries to speak to Sayaka to bring her back, Oktavia screams at the girls and attacks them with wheels. Even when Kyoko cuts off one of her hands, she doesn't seem to notice. Homura arrives as the floor of the labyrinth crumbles and she catches Madoka. Kyoko tells her to take Madoka to safety as she plans to defeat Oktavia herself. She creates a giant spear and throws her Soul Gem into the attack, killing both of them but allowing her to be with Sayaka.
Oktavia appears again in Episode 10 in an alternate timeline. In this timeline her labyrinth and theme is much more like a rock concert than an orchestra. She also has different familiars: Klarissa, that resemble Hitomi. Instead of orchestra members like Holger, they are backup dancers. All four girls try to defeat Oktavia in this timeline to save Sayaka but Homura defeats her with explosives to quickly protect Madoka.
The Rebellion Story
Oktavia makes a reappearance in The Rebellion Story as part of Sayaka's army. She fights Homulilly with the magical girls.
Madoka Mobage
In the event The Hollow Little Mermaid, Elise uses her unique magic to save Sayaka, who had just become Oktavia von Seckendorff. Because of this, Elise dies and becomes Oktavia von Seckendorff in her place and Sayaka lives as a result of Elise's sacrifice.
Magia Record
In-Game (Normal version) description
The Doppel of unrequited love. Its form is a mermaid. The master of this emotion suffered from young love and chose a fate so harsh that she could not bear it alone. As such, the Doppel dreams of love while it swims effortlessly through the air, playing a song for its master from its vast hollow body. It can control several swords to attack its enemies with the soundwaves that emanate from its body, but as long as the master uses it, she cannot flee from the discontent that troubles her heart.
Haregi version description
The Doppel of romance. Its form is a mermaid. Though the master of this emotion has been anguished by love all the way to the year’s end, she’s positively delighted by this opportunity to don her favorite formal wear. Even so, the unease born out of her unchanging love still lurks within her heart, quietly tormenting its master. Her Doppel has been just as lovesick, but when clad in these auspicious symbols, its confidence soars. Its glow practically seems to bestow good fortune and ward off disaster, and it fearlessly charges forward no matter what obstacles may lay in its path. Those crushed by its sheer force will witness the sun and Mount Fuji in their final moments, and will surely be able to put the sight into a masterful piece of brushwork.
Surfer version description
The Doppel of romantic yearning. Its form is a mermaid. The master of this emotion averts her eyes from the fundamental truth that “unannounced feelings cannot reach their recipient,” and continues to wait for a coincidental opportunity– her “big wave of summer”– to arrive. As such, this Doppel has an overabundance of free time, and begins swimming around exuberantly as soon as it’s set free. Its offensive techniques are a pure combination of kinetic and potential energy, utilizing the accelerating passion of summer and the overwhelming mass of a lovesick heart to crush its enemies into dust. After the relief that accompanies this momentary expulsion of emotion, the Doppel’s master will most likely continue trying to convince herself that “her ideal opportunity still hasn’t arrived”.
Madogatari
Songs
Auditorium Caution-Evoking Announcement (場内注意喚起放送) (Main timeline version)
| Original text | Translation |
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本日は御足元の悪いなか |
Thank you for attending today |
MAGICA (M・A・G・I・C・A) (Timeline 3 version)
| Original text | Translation |
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＊英文字部分は「エム」「エー」「ジー」「アイ」「シー」「エー」と掛け声で M・A・G・I・C・A「望み」 Hi 消えてしまう その前に！ M・A・G・I・C・A「喚（わめ）け」 Hi 奇跡はまだ ひとつじゃない M・A・G・I・C・A「もっと」「光を」 |
＊The letters are shouted out in English from the crowd M-A-G-I-C-A "Desire!" Hiii...! Before we fade away! M-A-G-I-C-A "Wail!" Hiii...! There's not just one miracle-- not yet! M-A-G-I-C-A "More!" "Light!" |
Observations
- Karl Sigmund von Seckendorff was a German poet who was inspired by Goethe; he enjoyed composing music for several of his poems before they were even published, and translated The Sorrows of Young Werther into French. In this story, the titular man is ultimately driven to suicide by his unrequited love, as he is unable to harm or murder others to resolve the love triangle at the source of his despair. However, Goethe thought little of his work.
- He also wrote a book called The Wheel of Fate (Das Rad des Schicksals), and could explain Sayaka's wheel attack.
- Seckendorff was also the name of a Frankish knight from a noble family .
- Oktavia is the German form of the Latin name Octavia which means "the eighth" (child, month or musical interval) or "from the family Octavia". It is the direct root of octave in English (an octave being the eight interval of a scale). The name was most likely chosen because of the link between Sayaka and music.
- It might also reflect how her first appearance was in episode eight.
- Holger is a Scandinavian masculine given name derived from the Old Norse name Hólmgeirr, the prefix hólmr meaning "island", and the suffix geirr meaning "spear". It is most common amongst Danish people.
- ‘Herr Holger’ is an old Swedish song [1] performed by the dark folk band Garmarna. Its central character, Sir Holger, gets beheaded for his crimes and buried, but then turns undead and goes back to his wife to warn her against going to Hell. Yet the lady won't listen to the warning: "Go to Hell with your squires, ... And I will follow with my maidens".
- Holger Simon Paulli was a Danish conductor and composer who contributed to the spread of Richard Wagner's work with his performances of Lohengrin and Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg.
- The Movie version has new runes, in it Oktavia's barrier has runes that read, "Desiderantes Affectibus": Summis desiderantes affectibus (Latin: "Desiring with supreme ardor") was a papal bull issued by Pope Innocent VIII on December 5, 1484. The bull was written in response to the request of Dominican Inquisitor Heinrich Kramer for explicit authority to prosecute witchcraft in Germany, after he was refused assistance by the local ecclesiastical authorities. The bull recognized the existence of witches.
- The bull, which synthesized the spiritual and the secular crimes of witchcraft, is often viewed as opening the door for the witch hunts of the early modern period.
- The musical notes on Oktavia's grief seed also resemble crescent moons. They are symbols of femininity and the moon is commonly associated with water, which relates back to Oktavia being a mermaid.
- The pink ribbon around Oktavia's neck may be a reference to the pink ribbons that Madoka wears in the series.
- They could also represent the witch wanting affection and attention as the color pink is normally seen as a color associated with love.
- Oktavia's barrier shows rail tracks (as well as wheels, that may be there for the same reason), which is possibly due to what Sayaka heard from two men in the train right before she turned into a witch.
- In Episode 9 when Kyoko passes through Sayaka's barrier, it is shown that when Oktavia shouts, a distorted scream is also heard and is known to be Sayaka's voice. This most likely meant Sayaka wanted to express her feelings but she could not because of her broken state. As seen before her transformation to be a witch, she had issues speaking to Kyoko. With her life reaching its end, she could not help herself in the situation.
Trivia
- The entrance to her barrier has the sayings Love Me Do which is, incidentally, a Beatles song.
- In the beginning of episode 9 near the name of the witch, there are floating notes of "Symposium Magarum".
- Oktavia is briefly shown in Kazumi Magica as background when Juubey explains how a magical girl becomes a witch.
- It appears Sayaka Miki is the only magical girl that has been shown to be able to separate from her Witch, as in Rebellion Oktavia fights along Sayaka as a separate being meaning Sayaka no longer has to turn into her.
- Oktavia appears in all timelines in which Sayaka makes a contract.
- The specific runic font used for Oktavia and Holger's cards resembles musical instruments and notation.
- One of the alternate timelines shown in episode 10 gives her barrier a slightly different appearance with familiars that resemble Hitomi. Some design documents also indicate that Kamijou is a guitarist rather than a violinist in the alternate timeline.
- In The Hollow Little Mermaid, an event in Puella Magi Madoka Magica Mobage, a magical girl named Elise (Mobage) used her magical girl ability and became Oktavia in exchange for Sayaka reverting back to a magical girl.
Gallery
See Gallery:Oktavia von Seckendorff
Memoria Cards
To edit a memoria's details, click on the specific memoria
| Card | Effect | Cooldown | EN Text | JP Text |
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| **Unique to Homura Akemi** "Homura-chan, you can go back to the past, right? You said you could change history so it doesn't end like this, right?..." With a heart that was entrusted with Madoka's "life", she drew the curtain on this time. Heading to the past again....some day, in search of a future that will save Madoka. | 「ほむらちゃん、過去に戻れるんだよね？
こんな終わり方にならないように、歴史を変えられるって、言ってたよね…」 まどかの“命”とともに託された想いを胸に、彼女はこの時間に幕を引き 再び過去へと向かう…いつの日か、まどかを救う未来を求めて |
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| Card | Effect | Cooldown | EN Text | JP Text |
External Links
- Oktavia von Seckendorff card at official website (Japanese)
- Oktavia von Seckendorff card at official website (Japanese) (Alternative card)
- Holger card at official website (Japanese)
- Klarissa card at official website (Japanese)