Avi are a species of winged Humanoids native to Tinae, Schilaff, and other islands and cities around the Avion Sea. of the Special Region. They rarely appear in GATE Season 1, but they serve a key role in GATE Season 2: Tides of Conflict.
Appearance
An adult mature Avi like Mizari wears Odette's outfit through Tokushima Hajime's imagination.
Avi have six limbs; two arms, two legs, and two full sized avian wings that sprout from just below their shoulder blades. They have been seen with feathers that are white, black or tan, typically matching their hair color. These feathers only appear on their wings or sometimes on their head in the spots that hair would normally appear on a human. Otherwise, their other features excluding their elf like pointed ears are functionally human. It is highly likely that Avi are split into different sub-races, with black-feathered Avi often employed by piracy groups while white-feathered Avi are employed by legitimate governments. Avi have light bones (might be hollow too similar to birds) which help them fly in the air and to withstand flight stresses, so younger working Avi like Odette and Odile often have lithe bodies and slim busts, while more mature or flightless Avi are as curvy as any other race.
Abilities
In addition to flight, Avi have excellent vision during specific day time situations and are sensitive to atmospheric pressure and humidity changes. This makes them natural spotters and meteorologists.
Despite these abilities' advantages, also come with downsides. Their light bones meant that an Avi is more susceptible to injury of various types than typical humanoid and they have poor night vision under night or low light environments. Their wings' flight muscles must also be frequently maintained, as some Avi like Mizari have lost their ability to fly after living in a city where flight isn't permitted.
Guardian Protector Role
Most Avi in the Avion Sea serve as the "Guardian Protector" for ocean-going ships. The role is partially functional, partially ritual, and partially religious.
In functional terms, the Avi serves as the eyes of the ship. A Guardian Protector works as navigator and pilot in complex waters, scouts for hazards like Armored Whale pods, and also acts as the ship's weatherman, messenger, and mascot. Everyone on a ship knows who their Avi is, and will both respect and defend her, though not enough that they won't also tease her if the opportunity arises.
The religious function of the ship's Guardian is to ward off the wrath of the four goddesses of the sea. This is critical in ensuring the safety of the ship and its crew. The religious nature of the role and their seeming control over the sea gods results in the assigned Avi being placed in a position of respect in a ship's crew, second only to the Captain.
This religious component has led to certain rituals surrounding the Avi assigned as Guardian to a particular ship. The ship is given the same name as its assigned Guardian, the Avi "becomes" the ship, and is expected to continue serving aboard the ship until she dies or the ship is decommissioned.
"The spiritual ceremony tying me to the ship had already been done at its launch. I am already that ship and that ship is already me."[1]
If the ship is destroyed or sunk for any other reason, the Avi is expected to commit harikiri or otherwise go down with the ship, thus 'returning to the sea'. This part of the ritual is debated in the Avi culture, with members like Odette rejecting it as radical orthodoxy and are willing to move to other ships if their assigned ship is lost.
She suddenly grabbed Curaçao’s sword nearby and thrust its blade through her chest. [...] “Just give it up already. A dead ship means a dead guardian protector. That’s how… we become part of the ocean…” The winged girl uttered to Tokushima as she breathed her last.[2]
Since an Avi "is" the ship, it is up to them to approve the nomination of new captains. This means that when pirates board a ship, cornering the Guardian Protector is a priority, as only she can nominate one of the pirates as the new captain to complete the capture. If the Avi refuses, or is too injured to nominate someone, or the ship is foundering, the pirates would scuttle the ship, forcing the death of the Avi as well.
Known and Suspected Members
This list includes Avi that are explicitly shown in GATE. Beyond these, it is safe to assume that every named vessel in the Avion Sea has an Avi Guardian Protector by the same name, even if they are not shown.
Trivia
"Avi" and "Avion Sea" strongly suggest that one is named after the other, though most likely named after avians AKA birds.
Gallery
