Master Zopu (ゾッブ老, Zobbu Rou, lit. "Old Zopu") is a supporting character in Legend of Legaia. He is the leader of the head temple of Biron Monastery, making him the highest ranking and most respected practitioner of the Biron faith. He is also the adoptive father of both Gala and Songi and is responsible for teaching them everything they know about fighting.
Appearance
Zopu has a crew cut and very long and thick eyebrows that stick out wider than his head, as well as a moustache that hangs to the bottom of his neck. Due to his old age his hair is a bright white color. Strangely, he does not appear to have a nose. Zopu's attire is one of a kind and is a long robe instead of a fighting uniform. The robe is crimson red and has a yellow strip leading down its center with red insignia stitched down the middle.
Personality
Zopu is a wise and kind man, yet his devotion to the Biron faith is so strong that he is very strict in making sure that followers of Biron adhere to the teachings. Zopu holds high expectations for Biron monks, especially Songi and Gala, making them train to their utmost efforts.
Despite his high expectations for Biron monks and devotion to the Biron way of life, Zopu has demonstrated a flexibility in his thinking and is not entirely dogmatic. Biron Monastery used to disallow women in the temple, but Zopu changes this rule and lets women live in the monastery due to the Mist.
Story
Early Life
Zopu's background is shrouded in mystery. Presumably he followed the standard path of the warrior-monk, training mentally and physically in Biron Monastery throughout the years until the previous master appointed him the leader of the monastery. However, it is clear that Zopu was famous throughout Legaia before the age of Mist, at least with monks in other parts of the world as Old Deez quickly recognizes Zopu's name.
Through unknown circumstances Zopu came across two orphans named Gala and Songi when the Mist first appeared and decided to raise them in Biron Monastery. Zopu felt a special connection with the two and raised them as his own flesh and blood. Utilizing strict discipline and tutoring in the teachings of Biron, Zopu made Songi and Gala his star pupils. After Songi developed a resentment toward Gala for being better than him in the Biron martial arts, Zopu was quick to sense this and became very distressed. However, possibly because Songi never directly stated his hatred for Gala, Zopu did not address this issue personally.
Legend of Legaia
- "Gala, I want you to take care of Songi! Even if it means wearing a Seru against the rules of Biron. You and Songi...you are two of my dearest pupils. Like my own flesh and blood! Gala, I'm counting on you to take care of Songi!"
- —Zopu to Gala
Zopu is in the middle of overseeing training when Vahn and Noa enter the monastery to look for Maya after coming from Drake Castle. Zopu witnesses them enter and halts the training, telling the monks to attend to their individual chores. Noa introduces herself and Vahn to Master Zopu, and after realizing that they are wearing Seru he decides to hold a party in their honor and let them stay the night.
At the party Zopu senses that Vahn has come to Biron Monastery in order to bring Maya back to Rim Elm. After getting confirmation from Vahn that his intuition was correct, he asks Vahn and Noa if they will revive the Genesis Trees of West Voz Forest and East Voz Forest. When they comply, he orders Gala to accompany them and allows Songi to head to East Voz Forest to protect the Genesis Tree after he volunteers to do so. The following morning he blesses Songi and his team of monks as well as Vahn, Noa and Gala in front of the shrine of Biron and bids them a safe journey.
Songi eventually returns to the monastery wearing a Ra-Seru and destroys the fans keeping the Mist out of the area. Leading a swarm of Seru to attack the monks, he causes the death of most the monks in the monastery before returning to East Voz. Zopu and a few monks along with the women of the monastery manage to hole themselves up in the kitchen to escape the Seru. Gala arrives in the kitchen and informs Zopu that West Voz's Genesis Tree had already died. Zopu tells Gala of Songi's actions, causing him to fly off in a rage, and as Vahn and Noa arrive, Zopu tells them of Gala's departure and Songi's invasion of the monastery. Vahn and Noa leave and rejoin with Gala and they eventually get rid of the Mist covering Biron Monastery by reviving the Genesis Tree of East Voz Forest.
Zopu is thankful to Vahn and the others for their heroic deed, but out of devotion to the teachings of Biron he excommunicates Gala from the monastery for wearing a Ra-Seru and strips him of his title 'Master Teacher'. However, he tells Gala that he and Songi are his dearest pupils and like his flesh and blood, and that he wants Gala to take care of Songi even if it requires wearing a Seru and defying Biron's teachings in order to do so.
Zopu is seen once again during Gala's dream into the past within Uru Mais. Taking place two years before the present, Zopu is seen informing a younger Songi, Gala, and other warrior monks that the ritual tournament for the Transmigration Festival will be taking place. He informs Songi and Gala that he expects their very best for the tournament but is ultimately disappointed in their battle when Gala falls in a single attack from Songi due to the affects of the Jigul Grass he had eaten moments prior.
Zopu later informs the heroes that he believes an evil presence is influencing Songi and thinks Songi is being corrupted. Later on, Gala informs Vahn that Zopu told him he believes there is a connection between the Mist and the past war between Conkram and Sol, an intuition that turns out to be correct. After Songi leads Juggernaut to Rim Elm and has the village assimilated, Zopu supposes that the way he raised Songi was completely wrong and that he himself is responsible for Songi's atrocities.
Zopu is seen once again in Legend of Legaia's epilogue as he steps down from his platform and lets Gala lead the training session of the many kids that have joined Biron Monastery. Due to Gala saving the entire world, Zopu welcomes Gala back in the monastery and possibly makes him the new leader.
Powers and Abilities
Zopu is never seen fighting, though because he is the highest ranking member of Biron it can be assessed that his fighting technique is far superior to that of the standard monk. Arts demonstrated by those who practice any variation of Biron martial arts are all presumably known by Zopu.
Trivia
- Though he is given the title 'Master' in the NA and PAL releases of Legend of Legaia, he is called 'Old Zopu' in the Japanese release.