Flandre Scarlet
Flandre first appeared as the Extra Stage boss of Embodiment of Scarlet Devil with the famous theme U.N. Owen was Her?, as well as a target in the Extra Stage of Shoot the Bullet. She's been interviewed in Bohemian Archive in Japanese Red and has had an article in Perfect Memento in Strict Sense and The Grimoire of Marisa. She also appeared in Foul Detective Satori.
She also appeared as a playable protagonist in Touhou Gouyoku Ibun. This was the first time she had a major role in a Touhou Project game since her introduction in 2002 in Embodiment of Scarlet Devil. It was also the first time she was playable in a Touhou game.
In Embodiment of Scarlet Devil, she is described as being quite strange and eccentric, which makes it difficult for others to understand her.[1] She's also described as being "normally docile" and generally pleasant to be around, but somewhat of a loose cannon if left unwatched. In Bohemian Archive in Japanese Red, it's suggested that she isn't very good at talking to other people, though she can get rather sassy and uppity when talking with her sister. Her friendship toward humans is very low.[2]
In Foul Detective Satori, her attitude was particularly impolite and informal, speaking in a very casual tone and generally doing as she wished without consideration of consequences, although she stopped short of seriously injuring anyone.
In Touhou Gouyoku Ibun, she appeared to only care about "destroying the indestructible" when facing off against Yuuma Toutetsu, although she did display a willingness to work with Okina Matara, insofar as it let her have some fun.
Until the time when she met either Marisa Kirisame or Reimu Hakurei in Embodiment of Scarlet Devil, she claimed to not have seen any humans other than when they were prepared for a meal, although it's left vague as to whether that was her idea of a dark joke.
During the events of Touhou Gouyoku Ibun, however, she left the grounds of the Mansion for an extended period of time of her own accord to fight Yuuma Toutetsu, marking her first major departure from the grounds of the Mansion since her introduction.
As a vampire, Flandre possesses superhuman capabilities just like Remilia Scarlet, such as enhanced physical strength, with the destructive power of oni and the nimbleness of tengu, as well as a vampire's bodily and regenerative ability. She can swing an oversized sword, though not as quickly as she would like to.[3] Since she doesn't know the proper way to attack humans, she is unable to go easy on them and blows them away without a trace.
Destroying absolutely anything and everything
Flandre can destroy anything she wants, which is truly a frightening ability with no real weaknesses.[2] By moving the "eye" of the object, where the tension is highest, and by attacking this eye, she is able to destroy the target. She is able to move the "eye" of anything into the middle of her hand, then she pours her power into it or in other words, she crushes the "eye" and unconditionally destroys the target with just a squeeze.[2] She states that everything has an "eye" and that she has the "eyes" of everything in her right hand. She destroyed a meteor with a single hand and without touching it, where Flandre stated that she "went squeeze and it went boom".[4] When Sakuya was locked in the basement with Flandre, she destroyed the lock of a door simply by holding its handle, and without making any visible explosion.[5] Everything that is made for her to play with ends up broken, which may mean why she doesn't have many playmates, to which it's recommended to never meet with her.[2]
Cloning herself
Flandre is able to clone herself as seen in one of her spell cards where she creates 3 clones that helps her in the battle. The clones attack as they like which could mean they're able to think independently to some grade.[3] It's in the category "Slave Type" so they're under the command of the original Flandre.[3]
In her hand, she possesses an object that looks like a crooked clock needle (sometimes thought to be a Lævateinn) – this is a prominent peculiarity associated with Flandre, in which the name is derived from her second spell card Taboo "Lævateinn". It shares its name with the sword (wand in some versions) of Loki, a Norse god known for causing mischief. This sword/wand is used by the fire giant Surt in Ragnarok (the Norse equivalent of the Apocalypse) to burn down the whole world, except for one safe heaven. Fitting that Flandre would be wielding a tool of such destructive might.
She also possesses unusually peculiar wings, an irregular shape unlike those of any living creature, youkai or ghost,[2] or even to a vampire's typical bat-like wings (or even organic matter). Reimu even said, "I doubt she can fly with those wings". Concerning this statement, Hieda no Akyuu noted that there are plenty of those in Gensokyo who can fly without wings.[2]
Flandre has lived for at least 495 years, but she has allegedly never left the grounds of the Scarlet Devil Mansion, and rarely leaves even the building itself, if ever.[2] As she herself never tried going outside, she was apparently raised knowing nothing about the outside world.[1] However, she's shown a slight interest to go outside after the events of Embodiment of Scarlet Devil. Her initial attempt to do so was blocked by Patchouli Knowledge's rain summoning magic in the Extra Stage, but since then she has been seen outside the mansion itself when she was destroying a falling meteor.[4]
Her full name is Flandre Scarlet (フランドール・スカーレット) [6]. The name Flandre is a modern French term for Flanders, a region which makes out the northern part of Belgium. Note that the pronunciation of her name in Japanese goes more along the lines of "Flandoor" or "Flandoll" rather than "Flander/Flandre" since her name in katakana was not フランドル, which would have been the more relevant katakana for "Flandre". Generally, there isn't actually any right or wrong way to pronounce the names in non-Japanese languages.
"Scarlet" refers to a bright shade of the color red with a slight hint of orange and is a variant of "Scarlett" as a surname. The middle dot (・) in the middle of her name is used in foreign names to show where the next word begins. In Embodiment of Scarlet Devil, she was called Imouto-sama (妹様, lit. "your [her] honor, little sister [of the mistress]") by Patchouli Knowledge.
In Embodiment of Scarlet Devil's official art, Flandre has red eyes and short blond hair, which is tied into a single ponytail on her left side. Wears a red dress and vest, with a pink shirt underneath and socks. Also wears a pink mob cap with a red ribbon attached. She carries a matching wand with her, which might be the mythical Lævateinn. Arranged from her back to the tip of her wings her 8 crystals which are presented in seven colours[2]: light blue, blue, purple, pink, orange, yellow, light green and finally light blue again. In Gouyoku Ibun, the arrangement shifts by one color, presenting her wings in the following order: blue, purple, pink, light pink, yellow, green, light blue and once again blue, and there is more variation of hue within the crystals.
In Embodiment of Scarlet Devil, Flandre states she hasn't left the Scarlet Devil Mansion for about 495 years, and has been staying in the basement of the mansion since then. Hieda no Akyuu theorizes on this in Bohemian Archive in Japanese Red, stating that Flandre is probably a shut-in.
It seems her confinement in the Scarlet Devil Mansion has given her time to understand every part of it, as she has been seen wandering inside the Mansion by some humans[7][8] and even hold an interview with Aya Shameimaru in the garden[9]. In Forbidden Scrollery, Flandre appears watching the pet of her sister along with her.
GAMES:
Embodiment of Scarlet Devil
Flandre's sprite in EoSD
Flandre's bat form sprite in EoSD
After the main events of the game, Flandre makes her way out of the Scarlet Devil Mansion's basement while Remilia is off at the Hakurei Shrine. With no other choice, Patchouli uses her magic to cause a rainstorm around the mansion so that she wouldn't be able to leave it. Soon enough, the player character makes their way to her.
Main article: Reimu Extra Arc
When Reimu finds Flandre, she demands an explanation as to why her sister has been bothering her at the shrine. They decide to have a danmaku battle, and Reimu eventually emerges victorious. Flandre appears to calm down afterwards.
Main article: Marisa Extra Arc
Marisa introduces herself as Reimu, but Flandre sees through the play - apparently she's aware of the magician's identity. After Marisa defeats her, they trade quotes from a certain book, adapted to fit their current situation.
Shoot the Bullet
Flandre's sprite in StB
Flandre's sprite in GI
Flandre's bat form sprite in StB
In Shoot the Bullet, Aya Shameimaru encountered Flandre on the Extra stage and took photos of her danmaku.
Touhou Gouyoku Ibun
After Reimu, Marisa, Kanako Yasaka, Minamitsu Murasa, Joon Yorigami and Shion Yorigami are all unable to defeat Yuuma Toutetsu due to her ability to absorb any attack, Okina Matara approaches Flandre and briefs her on the situation, seeing her power to destroy anything as the way to deal with Toutetsu. Enticed by an opportunity to get out of the Scarlet Devil Mansion and let her powers loose on a foe no one else is able to defeat, Flandre agrees. However, being a vampire, she is weak against water, and so Okina prepares several opponents for her to train against and get used to fighting around water, using their backdoors to teleport right to them.
After three of these fights, Okina takes Flandre to the Sea of Petroleum in Former Hell to fight Toutetsu. Before they are able to find her, Flandre encounters Reimu, who is embarrassed by her failure to defeat Toutetsu and wondering if it would be fine to just let her be. Disgusted by Reimu's cowardice, Flandre fights her to try to reawaken her resolve. Flandre wins, but she is pleased with Reimu's ferocity during the fight, and leaves satisfied.
Flandre then encounters Toutetsu, who tries to convince her that she is not a threat, but Flandre tells her that she is no hero of justice, and she is just here to unleash her full strength and triumph over an opponent that no one else was able to overcome. She defeats Toutetsu once, but Okina appears and tells Flandre she won't be able to destroy Toutetsu by fighting that way, and so she reveals the true form of the Sea of Petroleum as the Abandoned Hell of Blood Pools and uses its power to strengthen Toutetsu. Flandre defeats her again, and forces Toutetsu to begin inhaling large quantities of blood to recover. Flandre absorbs blood to create bullets capable of destroying anything, shaped like apples, and throws them down Toutetsu's throat, defeating her.
After this, Toutetsu makes a deal with Okina and the surface-dwellers to share the petroleum rather than hog it all for herself. Flandre wonders if Toutetsu's survival means she failed, but Okina reassures her that she succeeded: the Toutetsu that had absorbed the greed of the Abandoned Hell of Blood Pools was destroyed, and the current Toutetsu has only absorbed the greed of the surface dwellers.
LITERATURE:
Bohemian Archive in Japanese Red
Flandre destroying a meteor in her article in Bohemian Archive in Japanese Red.Main article: Bohemian Archive in Japanese Red/Flandre
In April 2006, Aya Shameimaru reports on the strange explosion of a meteorite above Gensokyo. She learns that Flandre was the one who destroyed it, but becomes increasingly confused as Flandre explains she destroyed it by squeezing the eye of the meteorite in her hand. Even more perplexing information is given by Flandre's older sister, Remilia Scarlet. Apparently, it was planned that the meteorite was supposed to be aimed at the Scarlet Devil Mansion and that Flandre would destroy it. Inexplicably, Aya ends the article with a report that spring has begun.
In her follow-up, Aya interviews Flandre about the explosion and Remilia's information. Flandre gives the same explanation for how she destroyed the meteorite, and, when questioned, says that her sister just acts like she knows what's happening. Remilia interrupts (for which Aya is thankful), and confirms that what Flandre said was true, insinuating that Aya just can't understand, while giving strange information about the meteorite's source.
Sakuya Izayoi was locked in to the basement with Flandre Scarlet by the other mansion residents. However, Flandre let her out of the basement shortly after by destroying the lock on the basement door, revealing that she stays in the basement because she finds it comfortable down there, and that she couldn't actually be locked in even if they tried to.
Later on, sensing "powerful malice" inside of Hong Meiling she attempted to "exterminate" her, the other residents however quickly revealed that this was due to Mizuchi Miyadeguchi having possessed her recently.
Her boss theme ("U.N. Owen was her?") and her second-to-last spell card (Secret Barrage "And Then Will There Be None?") are references to Agatha Christie's novel And Then There Were None. The plot of the book follows eight people who were invited to a small, isolated island by Ulick Norman Owen and Una Nancy Owen. Shortly after their arrival, a gramophone record is played, accusing each visitor of committing murder and escaping justice. The characters discover that none of them actually knows the Owens, and they conclude that their initials - "U.N. Owen" - are a shorthand for "Unknown". As the novel continues, every character meets their end, with each cause of death reflecting a part of a nursery rhyme. ZUN referred to this in the title of Flandre's song because she's, essentially, an unknown being.[1]
Currently there have not been many portrayals of her relations other than to her older sister, but since it has been stated that "she has few friends even among the youkai of the Scarlet Devil Mansion, and spends most of her time in isolation",[2] she probably does not have very favourable relations with other residents.
Residents of the Scarlet Devil Mansion
Remilia and Flandre, as illustrated in Bohemian Archive in Japanese Red.
Remilia Scarlet is Flandre's older sister. Flandre is stated to respect her sister and Remilia cares for Flandre as shown where she is considering getting her a good tutor in Imperishable Night, but it is unknown how often the two interact. Perfect Memento in Strict Sense states that it's rare (but not nonexistent) to see Flandre and Remilia together. However, they are seen depicted together many times such as in Forbidden Scrollery chapter 7 when they were looking at their pet Tupai and in Bohemian Archive in Japanese Red, which also shows that Remilia will at least allow Aya Shameimaru to interview Flandre in the first place. They also show up together in The Grimoire of Usami, Violet Detector, and Foul Detective Satori.
The interview shows that although Flandre might respect her older sister, it's to the extent you'd expect a snarky child to. She is willing to outright state when she thinks Remilia is just spouting nonsense, at which point Remilia comes in with a comment that she shouldn't be talking about her older sister like that. Her treatment of her older sister became harsh and she even called Remilia "that person" (あいつ aitsu)
Not much is known about Flandre's relationships with other residents as she spends most of her time in the basement. Patchouli is aware of Flandre's existence and the need to keep her confined to the mansion, as Remilia noted Patchouli was probably causing a rainstorm around the mansion to keep Flandre from getting out. Sakuya also serves Flandre, as Flandre is the sister of Remilia, who is the head of the house. Someone prepares Flandre's food, which are humans prepared in the shape of pastries and other pleasant things, and although not directly stated, it has to be Sakuya.
It's unknown what kind of relationship Flandre has with Hong Meiling, the Fairy Maids, the recent hofgoblins and Koakuma.
Minor Relationships
Though the shrine maiden promises to come play with her every so often during their dialogue in Embodiment of Scarlet Devil, the two have not been seen together since then, so it is likely she just said that to get her to calm down.
Her conversation with Marisa in Embodiment of Scarlet Devil leaves an impression that the two are quite friendly. However, Marisa commented, "Sometimes when I sneak into the Scarlet Devil Mansion, I run into the little sister. I had to slip by without drawin' her attention, but after goin' through all that to get into the place, I was hopin' I wouldn't run into her."[2]
During the events of Touhou Gouyoku Ibun, Okina Matara convinced Flandre Scarlet into becoming an assassin to take out Yuuma Toutetsu and thwart her plans.
- A silhouette of Flandre occupies the front of Embodiment of Scarlet Devil's jewel case.
- Flandre is one of the few characters to not appear in the background during Hopeless Masquerade, which would relate to her lack of leaving the Scarlet Devil Mansion.
- Based on her being around 495 years old during the events of EoSD, Flandre was probably born sometime in the late 15th century.
- The spell card reference ("And Then Will There Be None?") to an Agatha Christie novel is definite. It's more speculative but still worth noting that the science-fiction genre saw Philip K. Dick write a novel called "Counter-Clock World" in 1967 and Frederik Pohl write "The Gold at the Starbow's End" in 1972.
- On one end of the Lævateinn that Flandre is seen holding in Shoot the Bullet is very different compared to the Lævateinn that Flandre is seen holding in Embodiment of Scarlet Devil.
- She used the phrase "that means, you can't use a continue!" to Marisa Kirisame, which was breaking the fourth wall.
- In the Second Touhou Saimoe Tournament, the 8th game of the first round was a battle between Flandre and Suika Ibuki.[10] Although the battle ended with Flan winning, this led to ZUN posting a rough drawing of Suika that hadn't been open to the public with a message saying "don't get defeated by a little sister that hasn't even reached the age of 500!"[11].
- The "crystals" on her wings look somewhat similar to the crystals shown on Patchouli Knowledge's spell card, Fire Water Wood Metal Earth Sign "Philosopher's Stone".
- Strangely, if one uses a bomb against her in Embodiment of Scarlet Devil's Extra, she's shown to have normal wings in bat form.
- It's hard to notice, but Flandre's skirt has two white ribbons on her EoSD portrait[12].
- Shibata Masahiro's manga series "Sarai" seems to be a big inspiration for many of the characters from EoSD . Sarai is a manga about superpowered maids fighting youkai and monsters in a dystopian future. The series was published from 1997 to 2007 in Japan only.
- In Sarai there are two small maid girls with red hair and wear mob caps. This is likely what inspired Remilia and Flandre.