Character Profile - Queen Zayara

Sigma AU Villain Profile: Queen Zayara

Species: Alien Cobra (aka Velnoth)

Gender and Sex: Hermaphrodite, female organs preferred for mating

Height: 8'10" (269 cm)

Weight: 375lb (170 kg)

Appearance: Zayara possesses an imposing, regal physique covered in smooth, glossy scales of deep sapphire and midnight black, with vibrant cyan bioluminescent patterns tracing along her hood, down her spine, and across her arms. Her eyes glow an icy blue, giving her a chilling, unearthly gaze. Her wide cobra hood features shifting bioluminescent patterns that flare with emotion or intent, often creating hypnotic, mesmerizing displays. Her movements are precise and almost hypnotic, exuding an effortless control honed through years of ruling her race.

Background:

Once a promising heir to her homeworld's throne, Queen Zayara Velnoth was cast out when her vision of evolution and strength diverged too far from the traditional views of her people. Viewing her ambitions as hubris and a threat to the social order, the empire’s council exiled her to the fringes of their star system. Undeterred, Zayara took with her a small but fiercely loyal band of followers who believed in her vision of a stronger, perfected society.

Over time, Zayara and her followers transformed themselves into a force beyond anything the old empire had ever seen. They became masters of genetic enhancement and technological advancements, evolving into an empire known for discipline, physical superiority, and unity of purpose. Years later, when Zayara’s power and influence eclipsed her former home, she returned to her birthplace—not with words of revenge, but with a demonstration of her achievements. In a final, resounding act, Zayara unleashed her empire’s might, obliterating the planet and erasing any remnants of the empire that had rejected her. With her people’s past cleansed, she turned her sights to the galaxy, seeking a challenge that might finally test her empire’s limits.

In her endless pursuit, Zayara encountered many adversaries but none worthy of her full attention. That was, until she discovered Zoey: an anomaly of strength and chaos who embodies everything Zayara despises—an undisciplined mixture of power and raw potential that defies every principle Zayara has built her empire upon. No matter how flawed or "imperfect" Zoey might seem, her strength continues to grow, untouched by the rigid principles of Zayara’s ideal of genetic purity.

Personality:

Zayara is a ruthless, calculating leader who values order, strength, and perfection above all. Her manner is commanding and unyielding, and she inspires both awe and fear in her people. Zayara has an unwavering belief in her superiority, not only over her race but over any life form she encounters. She rarely displays empathy or weakness, considering both to be vulnerabilities that undermine strength. Her intelligence is as lethal as her venom, and she uses it to great effect in manipulation, strategy, and intimidation.

Bioluminescent Features:

Eyes: Her cyan eyes glow with an intensity that she can control at will, often using them to unsettle or captivate her subjects or enemies.

Crest and Spine Patterns: Bioluminescent markings on her hood and along her spine are used to communicate, intimidate, or even hypnotize those who gaze upon them for too long.

Abilities:

Neurotoxic Venom: Zayara’s venom can induce intense paralysis and temporary mental disorientation, leaving her victims powerless yet fully aware of their state.

Regenerative Biology: Zayara’s genetic modifications grant her an advanced healing ability, allowing her to regenerate tissue and organs at a remarkable rate, making her a formidable opponent in prolonged encounters.

Hypnotic Display: The bioluminescent patterns on her hood allow her to induce a hypnotic trance, especially effective against minds that are not cybernetically enhanced or genetically altered, creating a psychic assault through mere eye contact.

Psionic Control: Due to her royal bloodline’s unique abilities, Zayara possesses a form of low-grade psionic influence, which she can use to assert control or manipulate weaker-willed individuals.

Relationship with Zoey:

Zayara’s obsession with Zoey is driven by a perceived affront to her ideal of perfection. To her, Zoey represents a chaotic, undisciplined form of power that defies Zayara's concept of genetic “purity.” Zayara sees Zoey as a “freak” creation, a Frankensteinian mix of traits and augmentations without refinement or restraint, which deeply offends her royal pride. Zoey’s chaotic and violent tendencies are, in Zayara's eyes, symptomatic of a deeper, unacceptable genetic flaw.

Obsession with Zoey:

To Zayara, capturing Zoey is not only a matter of pride but also a symbolic act of “cleansing” what she considers a genetically unworthy anomaly. Zoey’s strength intrigues her, but she despises the unpredictable, almost feral edge Zoey displays. Zayara is convinced that Zoey's very existence is a threat to her ideology of perfect order and genetic control. She wants to capture Zoey and “correct” her flaws, either by breaking her spirit or reengineering her genetic structure entirely. Zayara sees this as an act of purification, intending to strip away Zoey’s chaotic elements and mold her into a creature she deems worthy—if only as a warning to others.

Determined to prove that no being can escape her vision of perfection, Zayara has become obsessed with capturing Zoey, intent on purging her chaotic nature through any means necessary. To Zayara, transforming Zoey into something she deems worthy would be the ultimate test and demonstration of her power, a final challenge after which there would be no question of her empire’s—and her own—supremacy.

Zayara ignores Etrius because he doesn’t challenge her concept of genetic purity and perfected evolution the way Zoey does. In Zayara’s eyes, Etrius, while formidable and clearly enhanced, was transformed through a more deliberate, systematic process. His augmentations and engineered resilience align with what Zayara respects: calculated modifications that create controlled strength without the chaotic nature Zoey represents. She recognizes his power and respects him as a capable fighter but ultimately consider him a mere roadblock on her path to Zoey.

Weaknesses:

Energy Reliance: Zayara and her people rely almost exclusively on advanced energy-based weapons, which they see as elegant and efficient compared to what they view as the “crude” mechanics of projectile weaponry. This results in armor and shielding that is vulnerable to kinetic impacts, rendering her forces susceptible to heavy ballistic weaponry. For Zayara, encountering Zoey’s relentless use of projectile weapons, particularly her anti-material rifle, is not only a tactical frustration but also an affront to her view of combat superiority.

Telepathic Dependency: Zayara’s race communicates telepathically, and her ability to mentally project complex strategies or instructions is unparalleled among her people. However, her attempts to communicate verbally are awkward, stilted, and often nonsensical, making her seem unintentionally comical. This forces her to rely on telepathy to issue orders and discuss critical plans within her inner circle, but when dealing with outsiders or foes, her lack of verbal skill quickly undermines her aura of command.

Physique and Armor Aversion: Towering over Zoey yet significantly lighter, Zayara’s physique is built more for agility than raw durability. She has a disdain for armor, considering it a sign of weakness or lack of confidence in her abilities. Her lack of armor makes her highly vulnerable to physical attacks, a fact that only fuels her hatred of Zoey, who relishes the empowering security of her mecha armor. Zayara’s body may be agile, but she’s at constant risk of being outmatched in close combat, especially against someone with Zoey’s resilience and physical fortifications.

Repressed Perversions: For Zayara, maintaining her image of flawless purity is paramount. Yet, she harbors intense and deeply hidden perversions that she considers shameful. Despite numerous attempts to “purify” herself of these urges through mental conditioning, every intervention has backfired, amplifying her desires. This self-loathing and constant internal struggle not only distract her but sometimes cloud her judgment. These concealed desires also undermine her self-image, creating cracks in her carefully cultivated persona of perfection.

Hubris: Zayara’s pride in her empire and vision of “perfected” evolution often blinds her to practical concerns, especially when facing the unrefined tactics of her enemies. She underestimates her opponents, particularly those like Zoey who don’t conform to her ideals. This makes her overly dismissive of unconventional tactics, leading to strategic missteps that give her adversaries unexpected advantages.

Limited Physical Stamina: Although Zayara’s species has exceptional agility and mental discipline, their physical endurance in sustained hand-to-hand combat is lacking. Zayara, unaccustomed to extended bouts of direct confrontation, tends to tire quickly against heavily armored or relentless opponents, leaving her vulnerable in drawn-out encounters with foes like Zoey and Etrius, whose endurance far outlasts her own.