Atalanta

Biodata

Background and History

King Iasos abandoned Atalanta on an Arcadian mountain because he had wanted a son. Artemis sent a mother bear to raise her; Atalanta later learned to hunt and fight from the bear and hunters who entered the forest. Her abandonment and an attempted assault by two centaurs left her wary of men 318.

Guided by an oracle, Atalanta traveled to join the Calydonian Hunt. On the way, she shot Samael while he was in pterodactyl form, mistaking him for a monster threatening Circe. Feeling responsible for his injury, she cared for him and eventually allowed him and Circe to accompany her 317 318. During the hunt, Samael's shield stopped the Original Demon Boar's charge, and Atalanta delivered the fatal arrow. She claimed its fur and heart as spoils 342 343.

Afterward, Iasos brought Atalanta back into Arcadian royal life and arranged a race tied to her marriage. She rejected his plan to use her to secure an heir, returned to her hunter's clothes, and competed in earnest despite having agreed to let Samael win. Hippomenes used Golden Apples carrying Aphrodite's influence against her; an oracle later disqualified him for cheating and granted Atalanta her freedom 358 359 360 361 365. She subsequently revisited the place where Iasos had abandoned her and spoke of it without her former resentment 372.

Atalanta later served aboard the Argo and fought in the conflict at Atlantis. On Altar Street, she stayed behind with a small squad to delay pursuing forces while the rest of the crew advanced. After exhausting her arrows, she used the Calydonian Boar's hide to enter a berserk state and destroy Talos, leaving herself severely wounded 482 487 488.

Appearance

Atalanta has green hair, emerald-green eyes, cat ears, and a long tail. She prefers her hunter's attire to the silk robes and ornaments expected of an Arcadian princess 318 358 359.

• Animal features — Developed during her upbringing in the forest, possibly through its blessings and a divine mutation 318.
• Hunter's attire — Wore it into the royal race after discarding her court finery 359.

Personality

Atalanta is protective and quick to take responsibility. She nursed Samael after shooting him by mistake, took on the difficult task of finding lodging for their group, and defended him when other hunters provoked him 317 319 330. She is also guarded around strangers and alert to danger from supposed allies 318 334.

Her independence comes into sharpest focus in Arcadia: she keeps her promise to enter Iasos's race but refuses to let him use their bloodline to dictate her future 359. Her concern for children reflects her own childhood; when asked what she most wanted, she wished for a world where children could grow up surrounded by love 363.

Abilities & Skills

Archery

• Fires rapid, precise volleys, including shots at gaps in armor and mechanical enemies' cores 410 447.
• Helped clear a pack of demon boars and landed the fatal shot on the Original Demon Boar 336 343.
• Can empower arrows with divine power; on Altar Street, her last two arrows multiplied into thousands of arrow-shadows 488.
• Depends on a finite supply of arrows, which became a serious constraint in prolonged battles 337 460 487 488.

Speed and Tracking

• Possesses extraordinary speed and strength associated with her animal features. She rapidly overtook competitors in the Arcadian race and navigated its mountain terrain with ease 318 360.
• Uses her keen hearing and vigilance to detect approaching threats 334 487.

Wrathful Boar of Divine Punishment

• By invoking a Divine Utterance and applying the Calydonian Boar's hide, Atalanta enters a beast-like berserk state with claws and increased destructive power. She used it to tear through Talos's bronze body 488.
• The state diminishes her ability to sense danger. Removing the hide left her overwhelmed by pain, weakness, and blood loss 488.

Equipment and Items

• Bow of the Firmament / Sky's Bow — Her combat bow 331 333 487 488.
• Calydonian Boar hide — A trophy from the hunt and the material used for her berserk transformation 343 358 488.
• Handmade golden arrow — Entrusted to Jason to give to someone else if he returned from Altar Street 487.

Relationships

• Artemis — Goddess Atalanta reveres; Artemis arranged her care as an abandoned infant and later issued an oracle granting her freedom 318 365.
• King Iasos — Her father, who abandoned her at birth and later sought to use her marriage to secure Arcadia's succession 318 359.
• Clymene — Her mother, a sea goddess 318.
• Samael — Initially someone she injured by mistake; later a traveling companion she protected and taught archery. He helped her during the Calydonian Hunt and Arcadian race 317 325 330 343 361.
• Circe — Traveling companion whom Atalanta treated like a younger sister; Circe tried to catch her when the Argo fell 319 484.
• Meleager — Prince of Calydon and leader of the hunt, who recognized the importance of her participation 327 330.
• Castor and Pollux — Fellow hunters and later comrades in the defense of Altar Street 336 487 488.
• Little Jack — A child Atalanta helped Hiyano Riri wash and care for 1221.

Notable Quotes

“A world where all children grow up surrounded by love!” 363

“But this is what you want, not what I want.” 359