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"No one will care if I kill you."
—Raven talking to Abraham

Adrian Raven is an elf and a wizard, posing as a human history teacher at Moperville South. He was first seen at the end of the Hidden Genesis story arc as Grace and Ellen's history teacher, and was later revealed to have Nanase and Justin among his students as well. He was described by the school principal as "creepy and weird", and he has shown keen interest in some of his students, such as Grace, Ellen, Nanase, and a boy with long blond hair, later revealed to be Noah,[6] all of which are confirmed to have some kind of magic ability. His nature as an elf and as a wizard was not revealed until late into the Sister II story arc, when he fought Abraham. He is the son of the immortal Pandora Raven. He has a pet 'cat' named Max who is the same species as Jeremy.

History[]

Before the comic[]

For centuries, he wanted to be a soldier to protect people and serve his country, but was shamefully forbidden to serve in military.[7] The country in question apparently changed: Germany, France, England, United States ...[8]

When he tried to enter United States, Arthur J. Arthur wanted to deport him to Russia based on using falsified information when entering country (specifically, his age).[9]

Raven was Noriko and Edward Verres's teacher[10] and was expected to teach Tedd magic.[11] When Noriko repeatedly used the magic analysis wand to test Tedd, who was a baby at the time and appeared to be magically impaired, Raven told her to stop as it scared Tedd and wouldn't change anything, and tried to reassure her that he would still be her son even if he couldn't be her apprentice.[12] For unknown reasons he blames himself for Noriko leaving her family.[10]

Hidden Genesis[]

In his initial appearance in Hidden Genesis, he was working as the school's history teacher and assigned his students to read on the subject of World War II.[13] When Grace left his class crying,[14] he was initially angered by the disruption until Ellen informed him of Grace's naïveté on the subject.[15] Raven took Ellen and Grace to the principal's office because they both exited his class without permission[16] and he was concerned about Grace, but suggested that she take remedial classes because of her ignorance.[17] He displayed outrage and disbelief when she displayed her aptitude for reading comprehension and short term memorization,[18] although he withdrew his objections after he noticed something, presumably their magical abilities, about both Grace and Ellen.[19]

Sister II[]

Nanase later informed Ellen that he is known to choose favorites among his students, though being selected as a favorite is not necessarily a good thing, that Raven taught her mother and that she thought he dyes his hair.[20]

In Sister II, after Elliot was attacked by the Bloodgrem, Raven showed some recognition of the creature when it was mentioned on the news and he forecasted trouble for the following day, taking his cane with him.[21] He attempted to warn Ellen and Grace, but they misconstrued his meaning.[22]

His concern was proved to be well founded, as Abraham appeared at the school to kill Ellen later that same day. He placed barriers within the halls and on the doors, and confronted Abraham.[23][24] He eventually revealed his nature as an elf[25] and as a wizard and showed his cane to contain a sword.[26] They fought[27][28][29][30] and Raven seemed to defeat Abraham, but was caught by surprise when the downed wizard released an explosive spell,[31] launching him through the window. He was knocked unconscious and his mother, Pandora, arrived to restore his illusory disguise.[32]

While he was recovering in the hospital, his mother visited him and berated him for fighting with Abraham as she had let Abraham attack to teach Adrian the lesson that he was wrong to fight for selfless reasons, while Raven yelled at his mother for allowing Abraham to attack the school.[33] After Raven insisted he wanted to make a difference, Pandora said she will destroy the world as we know it and replace it with one in which Raven could do as he pleased without restraint. Raven was visibly horrified by this idea.[34]

Bringing Silly Back[]

Later, at the end of the Indiana Elliot and the Temple Of Swedish Furniture storyline, he was seen at Noah's home while Noah related to him how he met Elliot. This indicated that Raven is Noah's guardian and is coaching him in the use of magic and magical happenings in Moperville.[35]

At the end of the Hammerchlorians storyline, Jerry told Susan and Grace that Raven would be able to help them in the case of a magical emergency. It was commented that Raven got a headache at that moment but did not know why (although Dan may have just been joking, as it was in the commentary).[36]

Throughout New and Old Flames, Raven told Noah to talk to Justin[37] about the fire guy incident in order to find out what was happening.[38] As Noah had been distracted by a shadowy being while trying to talk to Justin, Raven suggested that he talk to Justin himself, but Noah said there was no need to take that risk.[39] After Dex was defeated, Noah reported that there was a pithos (a kind of ancient Greek jar that appears in the myth of Pandora) on Dex's pendant and Raven concluded that his mother was probably seeking to make good on her promise to change the world for him.[40] (It was actually Voltaire who did it[41] and the attack was a fairly straightforward attempt to kill Elliot;[42] Pandora may not even have known that Pandora's box is supposed to be a pithos[43]) He reflected on how the plan was too complicated for him to understand[44] but not as complicated as he would expect from her and on how she had risked Noah's life.[45]

9001% Serious[]

During the Death Sentence storyline, Raven phoned Edward Verres to ask him help save a large boar from being killed[46] but Edward refused to help him.[47][48] Grace, who overheard the conversation,[49] offered to help him save the boar.[50] Noah told Raven that Grace killed Damien.[51][52] When Grace asked why he wanted to save the boar[53] Raven answered that he pitied it because there was no place for it.[54] Raven only accepted Grace's help reluctantly and carried a rifle in case Grace could not talk the boar down.[55] He became even more reluctant when he learned she is Tedd's girlfriend.[56] He ended up accepting her help only on the condition that she promise to prioritize her own life over both his life and their objective,[57] He revealed to Grace that he taught both Edward Verres and Noriko Verres and feels guilt over Noriko's decision to pursue career and abandoning her family; his reluctance to involve Tedd's girlfriend in specific was because of this guilt and a lack of desire to risk further adversely effecting Tedd.[10] When the boar attacked Grace,[58] he killed the boar with his gun.[59] Afterwards he said that it was stupid to try to save the boar.[60]

Sister 3[]

After Pandora learned about the threat of magic change, she visited Adrian[61] to ask him to remove her dam on the flow of magic. Adrian called out his mother on her actions[62] and accused her of almost killing Noah (as he still didn't know that it was Voltaire).[63] Pandora blamed Noah himself and Adrian for putting him in danger and Adrian concluded that she did it to punish them for fighting for selfless reasons. He told her to help people instead and said that his father would hate what she had become.[64]

While Raven was at the mall for his veteran charity,[65] he met Susan and Diane[66] and felt a strange familiarity with Susan.[67]

Later that day the mall was attacked by vampires (sent by Sirleck to attack him in order to distract Helena and Demetrius[68] on Magus's behalf[69]). Pandora warned Adrian about the vampires and told him to protect Diane and Susan.[70] Adrian borrowed Susan's summoned sword[71][72] and killed two of the vampires.[73][74] Then another vampire, a wizard, attacked Adrian, with fire, which Adrian blocked.[75] While Adrian was distracted by that fight another vampire tried to shoot Adrian[76] but then Pandora killed the vampires.[77] Before she was reset for breaking immortal law she told him that Susan is his descendant and Diane is his daughter.[78]

Later Sarah, who knew that Pandora was upset about misinforming her son about something,[79] phoned Adrian Raven to tell him that she knew his mother[80] and visited him.[81] She told him that Pandora would be back with real memories of him and he told her that he had learned that he has a daughter.[82]

The Road Ahead[]

Later the paranormal division of FBI sent Raven to accompany Abraham on the mission to apprehend Magus, in order to keep Abraham in check,[83] and arranged for him to be hired as a history teacher by Moperville University.[84] Thus Raven retired from teaching at Moperville South High School[85] and went to Colorado[86] with Abraham, agent Wolf and Vladia on their mission.[87]

Abilities[]

Raven (human)

Raven disguised as a human.

  • Raven is a powerful half-immortal, with some apparent magical abilities and skillful swordsmanship.

Unknown[]

  • Disguise: Raven uses transformation[88] to hide his true youthful nature behind the appearance of an old man. He needs more power for that than for illusions. When knocked unconscious, he reverts to his true form.[89]
  • Raven has the ability to sense magical potency in at least two ways. First, the "ooh-ee-ooh thing",[90] second, when in elf form, his ears can taste power.[91][92]
  • It is unknown whether these Raven's abilities to disguise himself with transformations and sense magical potency are due to him being an elf or being a wizard, since he is the only confirmed elf in canon.

Spells[]

  • Murder Shroud:[93] A cloud of darkness envelops Raven, allowing him to move undetected and releasing a barrage of exploding crows.
  • Illusions: Raven can alter appearance of both himself and others with illusion.[88] Affected people still see them as themselves, but they see how others will see them in mirrors.[94] Another disadvantage is that shifting can disrupt the illusions.

Trivia[]

  • Raven's Murder shroud is named after the fact that a flock of crows is also known as a "Murder".[93]
  • He has seen or read the Lord of the Rings, even joking about using Mount Doom to destroy the Dewitchery Diamond.[95] When Abraham did not get the joke, he was outraged by that fact until Abraham told him he had lain dormant in stone all that time.
  • As a half-immortal, Raven believed that he could not have children.[94] This was later revealed to be incorrect - a lie previous incarnation of Pandora told current one[96][97] - with Adrian being named as the father of Diane and an ancestor of Susan.[98]
  • He has an interest in special effects in movies. One of his favorite films is Jurassic Park, and when it was first released, he liked Star Wars Episode One. He got the DVD for the special features.[99]

Gallery[]

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 EGS Sketchbook Comic for 2018-10-16
  2. 2.0 2.1 EGS Sketchbook Comic for 2014-11-04
  3. EGS Sketchbook Comic for 2014-08-19
  4. EGS Main Story Comic for 2011-12-16
  5. EGS Main Story Comic for 2016-07-11
  6. EGS Main Story Comic for 2008-07-02 ("A New Contender for Most Disturbing Panel in El Goonish Shive!")
  7. EGS Main Story Comic for 2009-06-18
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  15. EGS Main Story Comic for 2008-01-25
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  19. EGS Main Story Comic for 2008-04-07 ("Did He Just Realize They're Hot or Something?")
  20. EGS Main Story Comic for 2008-07-02
  21. EGS Main Story Comic for 2009-02-13
  22. EGS Main Story Comic for 2009-03-17
  23. EGS Main Story Comic for 2009-06-03
  24. EGS Main Story Comic for 2009-06-06
  25. EGS Main Story Comic for 2009-06-13
  26. EGS Main Story Comic for 2009-06-18
  27. EGS Main Story Comic for 2009-06-25
  28. EGS Main Story Comic for 2009-06-30
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  30. EGS Main Story Comic for 2009-07-08
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  36. EGS Main Story Comic for 2010-07-26
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  93. 93.0 93.1 EGS Main Story Comic for 2009-07-04
  94. 94.0 94.1 EGS Main Story Comic for 2012-01-17
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  99. elgoonishshive twitter status ID 1130135097083092993
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