Pernelle Flamel in Magia Record
| Pernelle Flamel | |
|---|---|
| |
| Japanese Name | ペレネル・フラメル Pernelle Flamel |
| Character Designer Primary Artist |
Golden Pe Done |
| Voiced by | Japanese: Mamiko Noto |
| ID No: | 4029 |
| Release Date (JP): | March 24, 2022 |
- For her full bio, see Pernelle Flamel.
Pernelle Flamel was a playable character in the 2017 mobile game Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story. She is an original character from Puella Magi Tart Magica: The Legend of "Jeanne d'Arc".
General info
| Physical Features | |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | Unknown (Historically 1320) |
| Age | Unknown (details) |
| Eye colour | Grey |
| Hair colour | Grey |
| Height | 160cm |
| Magic | |
| Soul Gem | A colorless circle at the center of an open-work medallion (square within a triangle with a circle), (located at the center of her lower back / waist) |
| Weapon | Staff of Hermes |
| Witch Form | Hermes Trismegistus (based on) |
| Powers and Abilities | Alchemy, can also create barriers and teleport |
| Wish | Unknown |
| Other | |
| Japanese pronoun | watashi (私) |
| Known relatives | Nicholas Flamel (husband), Torte (daughter) |
| Origins | Arcadia (a region in the central Peloponnese of Ancient Greece. Most likely Mount Kyllini). Later moved to Paris, France |
| School | Not attending |
Game Info
| Stats, Connect, Magia Data | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spirit Enhancement Data | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Summary
Wife of the legendary alchemist Nicolas Flamel, a Magical Girl from medieval France who has made a name for herself as a collaborator. She gave Tart (Jeanne d'Arc) and her friends magical weapons and advice in order to thwart Isabeau's ambitions. She is an old acquaintance of Elisa and was adored by her when she was a child.
Doppel Description
The Doppel of alchemy. Its form is a unified god. The master of this emotion divides, refines, and synthesizes purely in accordance with her curiosity. This Doppel embodies a unified divinity born from a heart that strives to reach mysticism’s highest peak, and bears the role of a messenger who links the mortal realm with realms beyond. As such, it can request intervention from higher dimensions to aid its master in times of crisis. But because its master believes that all things in nature are part of a closed Cycle, she interprets this dimensional rift as proof that the world still holds mysteries that her wisdom cannot describe. This deepens her curiosity ever further, and she often forgets to avoid the danger as a result.
Side Story
| Warning, this section contains spoilers. |
|---|
|
Pernelle's Magical Girl Story explores her actions and mindset surrounding the events of Tart Magica in the form of a memoir. There, she states that she is a very detached, knowledge-oriented person; her scientific nature coupled with her immortality has led her to a Kyubey-like attitude in which she sees humans and the world around her as mere experimental and observational subjects. All she cared for was exploring the world and its inhabitants in a strictly efficient, rational manner. Isabeau's rise to power, however, threatened the survival of the world; its destruction would put an end to her pursuit of knowledge. While she describes her and Cube's relationship as one of complicity, they agree to work together on an experiment to overthrow Isabeau by finding and engineering a magical girl with karmic potential that could overcome Isabeau's. All of Pernelle's actions from there were strictly to push that goal forward. With Elisa's help, she retrieves the Epee de Clovis from an obscure church where she had stashed it. The sword, associated with the founder of the kingdom that would become France, carried massive karmic weight that would further augment the magical girl they were seeking. In bestowing the sword upon Tart, Pernelle knew she was dooming Tart to a horrific fate, as Pernelle at this point in her life was well-versed with the universe's tendency to correct the balance of hope and despair. While willingly dooming an innocent, virtuous girl without hesitation is alone worthy of condemnation, Pernelle remarks that she has committed even greater sins; that if she and Cube were to reveal their knowledge to the world, it would instigate another war. Even so, Tart was able to make the impossible possible by defeating Isabeau, and even defied her fate of becoming a Witch. She died expressing her gratitude for everything in the world, embracing all of its goods and evils without prejudice - including Pernelle herself. While Pernelle had assumed she had become much like Cube in nature and lacked a heart, she feels remorse and sorrow for the first time in ages (or possibly ever); emotions so unrecognizable to her that she needed Nicolas to remind her of what they were. In her long life, Tart was the only person who created an emotional connection with Pernelle that matched Nicolas's. Pernelle then contemplates her pursuit of knowledge, and decides to commit herself to creating the Philosopher's Stone herself (though Nicolas did have one in his possession as well, which she had been unaware of) - deciding that she, too, wants to achieve the impossible, just like Tart. |
Abilities
Pernelle has the ability to create magical barriers. She uses them as shields and platforms. Her appearances in Magia Record demonstrate her profound defensive capabilities, such as effortlessly blocking attacks from Lapin and Minou. Her offensive capabilities, however, require much advance preparation, given that she is reliant upon weapon-making and casting reinforcement magic to maintain an offense.
She also displayed the power to imbue weapons with unique, powerful, and lasting magic, such as those of Elisa and Tart.
She has also displayed the ability to teleport, during which she appears to fade away.
Observations
- Considering her husband is the famed alchemist Nicholas Flamel, and her weapon is a caduceus, it is more than likely that her abilities are alchemical in nature.
- Pernelle states she created the rifle-weapon that Elisa uses as well as the magically endowed sword the Épée de Clovis which she gifted to Tart.
- While the real-world Pernelle's date of birth has been recorded as October of 1320, Pernelle's Magical Girl Story in Magia Record indicates she is much older than that. There, it is revealed that she had created the Épée de Clovis for Clovis I (c. 466-511), the man who would become the first king of the Franks. She also forged weapons for his siblings, including Audofleda, who was a magical girl as well.
- Furthermore, she remarks in her Magical Girl Story that Kyubey used to call her "Child of Hermes." Kyubey also reveals that she was born in a cave associated with the god Hermes (which is likely referring to a cave in Mount Kyllini; according to mythology, it is said to be the birthplace of Hermes, and is the most significant cave in legends associated with him). Given this information, as well as the name of her Witch, it is possible that Pernelle was born to the Cult of Hermes, which pursued the discovery of wisdom and hidden knowledge. The figure of Hermes Trismegistus has writings that date as far back as 3 BCE, which relate to astronomy. His first writings connected to alchemy date to 1 BCE. Therefore, as of the events of Tart Magica, Pernelle could potentially be over 1400 years old.
- Hermes was also considered to be the god of writing. In Pernelle and Nicolas's civilian disguises in Paris of the year 1427, Pernelle is said to have an occupation involving manuscripts, furthering her connection with Hermes.
- Given that she has not created the Philosopher's Stone as of 1431, it is implied that her long life whilst maintaining a relatively youthful appearance is the result of her wish, or something she used her magic to create or accomplish, or simply something all magical girls are technically capable of under the right circumstances.
- She first met Nicolas in Europe shortly before the outbreak of the Black Death in the mid-1300s (which is revealed to have originated from a Witch who was a magical girl in Kaffa, who wished to fend off the invasion from the Mongol Empire to protect her hometown and received the power of disease to do so, only to annihilate her town as well, resulting in her despair).
- Her Doppel is named after the Hellenistic deity that is a combination of Hermes, the Greek god of travel and messengers, and Thoth, the Egyptian god of knowledge. During the Hellenistic period (post-332 BCE), Greek rulers in Egypt identified Thoth with Hermes due to shared roles as messengers, patrons of writing/knowledge, and guides of souls. This fusion birthed Hermes Trismegistus ("Thrice-Great Hermes"), a hybrid deity embodying both deities. This syncretism was cultural, not genealogical, as Thoth was not "older" than Hermes or vice versa, and instead, their perceived similarities led to a combined identity. He is the purported author of the Hermetica, a set of ancient texts that form the basis of Hermeticism. Their wisdom is that of both the material and spiritual worlds, dealing with the relationship between the material and the divine. Her Doppel's appearance consists of five figures sharing the same body.
- Thoth: The first/main body is based on Ancient Egyptian depictions of Thoth, taking the form of an ibis. It wears the ankh around its neck, an Egyptian symbol of life.
- Hermes: The second figure is a male Hermes, while the third is seemingly a female Hermes. They both wear winged headpieces, with the masculine's helmet also resembling a bird. The two reference Hermaphroditus, the child of Hermes and Aphrodite that possesses both male and female anatomy, and the philosophical concept of reconciling masculinity and femininity to reach balance and enlightenment. The main ibis body itself also wears Hermes' winged sandals.
- Pernelle's weapon, the Caduceus, is the weapon wielded by, as well as the symbol of Hermes which was later adopted into alchemical iconography. It is commonly conflated with the Rod of Asclepius, which is a symbol of medicine and depicts only one snake coiling around a staff instead of two.
- Mercury: The fourth and fifth figures are the lion and the unicorn, sometimes considered symbols of Mercury, the Roman equivalent of Hermes, and are likely also symbolic of masculinity and femininity.
- Ironically, although Pernelle and the protagonists of Tart Magica are French and the antagonists are English, the lion and unicorn together are symbols of the United Kingdom.
- The symbolism of the lion and unicorn in alchemy evolves across alchemical stages. The Green Lion (Leo Viridis) represents the initial, untamed life force—the Prima Materia (primordial substance), which becomes the normal, or red lion after it is tamed. Meanwhile, the unicorn and its purity merges during the "Whitening" stage as the White Stone—a precursor to the Philosopher's Stone that signifies the integration of femininity and the purified self. The pairing of the lion and the unicorn embodies the Hieros Gamos (sacred marriage), where opposites are joined together to form the perfected self, the Philosopher's Stone. Additionally, alchemy itself progresses through stages marked by animals:
- Crow/Raven (Nigredo): Death of the old self.
- Green Lion (Viriditas): Reclamation of primal energy.
- Unicorn (Albedo): Purification and spiritual awakening.
- Lion + Unicorn (Coniunctio): Sacred marriage.
- Phoenix (Rubedo): Rebirth into gold (immutable self/Philosopher's Stone).
- Her Magia's name ("En to Pan") is taken from an ancient document describing alchemy that depicts an illustration of an ouroboros with the words ἕν τὸ πᾶν, hen to pān ("the all is one") in the center.
- The ouroboros is a symbol depicting a serpent eating its own tail. It is a symbol of Hermeticism and alchemy, and represents the cycle of life, death, and rebirth. In Pernelle's Magia, a giant serpent coils around the screen, dangles its tail over the enemy, and the mouth bites down on both.
- Pernelle's Doppel references the five Platonic solids, as the object she creates progresses through the shapes. They're the only convex regular polyhedrons, which have been studied since Ancient Greece for their perfect symmetry. Around 360 BCE, Plato connected the five solids to the classical elements believed to have made up the whole world, as detailed in his work, Timaeus:
- Tetrahedron (4 triangles) - Fire (sharp points and piercing like flames).
- Cube/Hexahedron (6 squares) - Earth (stable like the ground beneath).
- Octahedron (8 triangles) - Air (light and balanced).
- Icosahedron (20 triangles) - Water (many faces and flowing).
- Dodecahedron (12 pentagons) - The Universe (mysterious, like the shape of the universe).
- However, with Pernelle's Doppel, their order and their elements are changed to match the elements of Magical Girls. To include the element of Void, the sphere briefly follows after them and represents the Philosopher's Stone, but then it is immediately replaced by irregular crack marks on the air:
- Tetrahedron - Fire.
- Cube - Dark.
- Octahedron - Forest.
- Dodcahedron - Water.
- Icosahedron - Light.
- Sphere/Cracks - Void (the Philosopher's Stone).
- The different order of the Platonic solids mixes the solids for water and light, as the icosahedron has 20 faces, and 12 points, while the dodecahedron, which is supposed to follow it, has 12 faces and 20 points.
- Her Soul Gem, revealed on the Magia Archive Vol. 4, seems to be based on the symbol of the Magnum Opus (Great Work), or Philosopher's Stone. This symbol was first used by the alchemist, Heinrich Khunrath in his work, Amphitheatrum Sapientiae Aeternae, where it is included in the final plate, the Tabula Smaragdina.
- The book was published posthumously in 1609, after his death in 1605, which was more than 170 years after Tart's death.
- Additionally, despite her and Nicholas' outfits heavily featuring zippers, they were only invented in the late 19th century and became widely used in the 20th century.
- The other symbols on the zipper pulls' tabs on her body also represent the seven planetary metals.
- ☽ - The pull tab on her right arm has the crescent moon symbol, which represents silver, the brain and the moon.
- ☉ - Her left arm has the symbol which represents gold, the heart organ and the sun.
- ♂ - The one on her stomach has the symbol for iron, blood/muscles and Mars.
- ♀ - The tab which closes the front of her dress is the symbol for copper, the kidneys and Venus.
- ♃ - The tab on her right shoe is the symbol for tin, the liver and Jupiter.
- ♄ - The tab on her left shoe is the symbol for lead, the spleen and Saturn.
- ☿ - The symbol on the hair tie on the back of her neck is the symbol for the element of mercury (quicksilver), the lungs, as well as the planet Mercury.
- The book was published posthumously in 1609, after his death in 1605, which was more than 170 years after Tart's death.
Etymology
- In her Magical Girl Story in Magia Record, it is revealed that Perenlle was not always known as such. Rather, it was a name she adopted for herself due to its meaning of "stone," which she relates to her pursuit of the Philosopher's Stone, and to a magical girl's Soul Gem.
Appearances
Event Appearances
- Rebel of a Dawnless Land
- End of a Legend, the Limits of Light
- The Masked Student Council Strikes Back (Holy Maiden Academy Edition)
- The Inheritors of Our Souls
Magical Girl Story Appearances
Trivia
- Originally, Pernelle had a plain pink Live2D model similar to that of other NPCs and minor characters (such as La Hire or Baron Gilles de Rais). However, for the third Tart event End of a Legend, the Limits of Light, Pernelle was given a detailed Live2D model like that of other main characters.
- Her proper Live2D model is the first time Pernelle's eyes were open and colored, confirming that her iris color is gray. The location and shape of her Soul Gem was only revealed in Magia Archive Vol. 4.
- Along with Isabeau's Witch form/Doppel keeping her name, Pernelle's Doppel is unique in being the only one from the Tart Magica characters whose name is not a word or phrase, but rather a proper name.
Gallery
Game Gallery
-
Magia Record Four Star Art -
Magia Record Five Star Art -
In-Battle Sprite -
Doppel Sprite -
-
-
-
Magical Girl Seal 2021
Official Art
-
-
-
Her original live2D -
Nicolas Flamel -
-
-
Pernelle's Magic Seal -
Pernelle's daughter, also named Jeanne (nicknamed Torte), with Kagome Satori -
Art of Pernelle and her husband, Nicolas Flamel from Masugitsune's twitter. -
Art by Masugitsune as a tribute to Magia Record.
Memoria Cards
To edit a memoria's details, click on the specific memoria
| Card | Effect | Cooldown | EN Text | Original Text |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
**Unique to Pernelle** The sword of Clovis, the founder of the Frankish Kingdom: A fragment of two swords metallurgized by an alchemist... After 1000 years of sleep, one of the holy swords is now quietly awakening... With the memories of Audofleda, the magical girl who supported her brother Clovis. | フランク王国建国の祖、クロヴィスの剣
とある錬金術士が冶金した、ふたふりの剣のかたわれ… 1000年の眠りを超えて、聖剣のひとつが、いま静かに目を覚ます 兄クロヴィスを支えた魔法少女、アウドフレダの思い出とともに |
||
 |
"I looked for you. I thought you were playing in the neighborhood, but I didn't expect this..."
"We were worried when we heard that Cube wasn't with her!" "No normal human can stand up to a Witch. Don't play with fire." "I say that, but I'm just a normal person too..." | 「探しましたよ。近所で遊んでるのかと思ったら、まさかこんな…」
「聞けばキューブも一緒じゃないって言うし、僕たち心配したよ！」 「魔女に会ったら普通の人間は太刀打ちできないわ。火遊びはダメよ」 「それを言ったら僕も普通の人間だけどね…」 |
||
 |
"At first, I just wanted to know.
I wanted to know what kind of person inspired my naming. But now I don't. I want to share the maiden's thoughts and prayers with everyone alive...!" | 「最初は、ただ知りたいだけだった
私の名づけのきっかけになったのが、どんな人かが知りたかった …でも、いまは違う “乙女”の想いを、祈りを、生きているみんなに伝えたい…！」 |
||
 |
The mid-15th century was a time of great change in the course of the restoration of French royal power and territorial integrity.
Those left behind are still running on the battlefields of Europe today In order to keep the "light" brought by their two friends alive. Your wish will come true, believe in that day. | フランス王権と領土の回復へ向けて、趨勢が大きく傾いた15世紀半ば
ふたりの友がもたらした“光”を絶やさぬため 遺されたものたちは、ヨーロッパの戦場を今日も駆ける 願いは届く、その日を信じて |
||
| Card | Effect | Cooldown | EN Text | Original Text |
External links
Gameplay Videos
- Recording of Pernelle's Transformation Video on Youtube (JP)
- Recording of Pernelle's Magia Video on Youtube (JP)
- Recording of Pernelle's Doppel Video on Youtube (JP)