Xi Wang Mu

Xi Wang Mu (西王母, lit. Queen Mother of the West) is one of the boss characters introduced in Strider (2014), as the fourth and final member of the Four Winds.

Nicknamed "The One Who Controls the Winds" (風を制す者)^[1], Xi Wang Mu is the "Si-Mo" (師母; Head Female Martial arts instructor）and mentor of the Three Sisters, having trained the Winds into mastering aspects of her fighting style. Her origins enshrouded in mystery^[1], she serves Grandmaster Meio as one of his top lieutenants, calling herself "the spear of a new god". Xi Wang Mu employs knuckle guards with free form-changing capabilities which allow her to use a variety of fighting styles in battle.^[1]

As the master of the Three Wind Sisters, Xi Wang Mu is considered the Fourth Wind, although it is rare for her and the sisters to fight together, or for her to be in active duty since no one has ever seen her in action^[2]. There are only rumors whispered about "another martial arts fighter" besides the sisters located on Kazakh City, but no one knows the veracity of such claims, much less her actual identity.^[3]

It is unknown if she has any ties to the sisters, whether as another sister, their mother, or someone else all together. Years ago in her quest for martial arts perfection, her skills had seemed to transcend the mortal concepts of the martial arts.^[4]

Story

Strider (2014)

Before Hiryu's infiltration in Kazakh City, Xi Wang Mu fought and eliminated Strider Shouyo inside the Research Facility with her magnificient technique^[5]. After the Wind sisters' third and final defeat at the hands of Hiryu, Meio calls upon the Queen Mother of the West to take the Strider down. Xi Wang Mu fights not just to fulfill her orders, but to avenge the defeat and subsequent death of her students.

Xi Wang Mu awaits patiently within the Research Facility's Test Lab area, springing into attack as soon as Hiryu enters her chambers. She presses Hiryu many times using forms of Taoist sorcery combined with the skills she taught the girls, albeit more powerful; and even transforms into a violet panther very similar to Option-B. In the end she was bested by the Special-A Class Strider, leaving behind a cryptic warning to him that he will meet his end, just like the other Striders that came before him.

Skills and Abilities

Xi Wang Mu is a formidable fighter in battle, and it is said she hides unimaginably power within her. In battle she wields a set of knuckle guards capable of creating weapon simulations^[6]. This ability to freely change forms to suit any situation provides her with a large variety of styles to choose from, a great fighting ability developed from having throroughly studied all forms of martial arts, including those she taught the Three Sisters^[1]. She compliments her physical strength and skills with Taoist techniques: unleashing powerful whirlwinds of energy emanating from her entire being and transforming herself into a panther-shaped energy form.

During battle, Xi Wang Mu uses the fighting moves of her three students, switching between simulations of her weapons on the fly and attacking Hiryu with enhanced versions of their attacks, or blocking and dodging whenever Hiryu gets a few hits in. After receiving enough damage, she then interrupts her pattern to perform her "Rise Vortex" attack, which can only be stopped by reflecting the red orbs she releases back at her or using long-range attacks. She continues with this pattern until the end of the battle.

Attacks

• Rise Vortex: Xi Wang Mu's signature technique. Floating at the center of the room, she unleashes a powerful wind that pushes Hiryu back while releasing several red and purple energy orbs from her body. The orbs come out in different patterns and fly to the edges of the room, setting purple flames on any surface they come in contact with. The only way to damage Xi Wang Mu in this state is to barrage her with explosive kunai, reflect the red orbs back at her or use Option-C.
• Panther Form: Xi Wang Mu transforms into a violet energy panther and runs around the room, slashing Hiryu if he stands in her path. The technique works identical to Hiryu's Option-B.
• Three Sisters' Techniques: Xi Wang Mu can mimic one of the attacks used by the three sisters, by creating a plasma construct of their weapon of choice.
  • Spin Dive: Xi Wang Mu does Tong Pooh's spinning attack, leaping forward while spinning with a construct of her weapon. She always follows this attack with the Panther Form right after landing.
  • Wild Shooting: Xi Wang Mu performs Pei Pooh's wild shooting attack, releasing fire blast all over the room.
  • Twin Slasher: Xi Wang Mu performs Pei Pooh's spin attack, doing two swinging strikes with a construct of her weapon.
  • Spear Thrust: Summoning a construct of Nang Pooh's Houtengeki, Xi Wang Mu thrust it at Hiryu's direction. It can be aimed upwards if Hiryu is jumping.
  • Flying Dive Kick: Xi Wang Mu performs the diagonal diving attack used by all three sisters.
  • Blade Block: The sisters' defensive move, used to block continuous attacks. It can be broken by using a Charged Cypher attack.
  • Backflip & Spin Dodge: The sisters' evasive moves, used to move around Hiryu when cornered.

Design Notes

Xi Wang Mu's name comes from the Taoist deity that acts as the consort to Yu Huang Di (玉皇帝; Jade Emperor), the Chief Deity of the Taoist Pantheon of Immortals in the Celestial Bureaucracy. Her tiger motif and Panther morph may be inspired by the earliest known depictions of the goddess, which described her as a "ferocious goddess with the teeth of a tiger".

The Kuniang team's original youngest sister, Sai Pooh, was most likely replaced with/renamed Nang Pooh as a way to maintain the "four cardinal winds" theme naming with Xi Wang Mu, as both characters names' use the word "West".

Other Appearances

Game Appearances

TEPPEN
Xi Wang Mu and the rest of the Four Winds debuted as unit cards in the 14th expansion for TEPPEN, "Defying the Light", where they serve the Goddess Myria from Breath of Fire III as brainwashed followers.

Gallery

Official art (hi-res)

Portrait art

Concept image

Xi Wang Mu's form changing weapon

Xi Wang Mu's portrait after defeat, the one time her eyes are shown

Unit Card in TEPPEN

Trivia

• At the start of their battle, she will state that Hiryu will pay for the deaths of her students. It is not explained how they died, but it can be speculated that Meio, being tired of their failure, killed them himself.
• Xi Wang Mu refers to the sisters as her progeny in some of her battle quotes. This could serve as revelation that she is both their mother and their teacher. In the Japanese script, however, she exclusively refers to them as her "disciples" (弟子).

References