View source for Sophitia

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{{Infobox VG character
|name=Sophitia Alexandra
|image=[[Image:Sophitia.png|175px|]]
|caption=Sophitia concept art for ''[[Soulcalibur IV]]''
|series=''[[Soul (series)|Soul]]'' series
|firstgame=''[[Soul Edge]]''
|artist=Aya Takemura (''Soulcalibur II-IV'') <br> Takuji Kawano (''Soulcalibur II-IV'', ''Legends'')
|voiceactor= Diane Holmby
|japanactor=[[Michiko Neya]] (''Soul Edge'' until ''Soulcalibur IV'') <br> [[Chie Nakamura]] (''Legends'', ''Soulcalibur IV'')
|inuniverse={{Fighting game character
|birthplace=[[Athens]], [[Greece]]
|birthdate=March 12, 1566
|weapon=[[Xiphos]] sword and [[aspis]] shield
|fightingstyle=Athenian style
}} }}

{{nihongo|'''Sophitia Alexandra'''|ソフィーティア・アレクサンドル|Sofītia Arekusandoru}} is a [[Character (arts)|fictional character]] in the [[Soul (series)|''Soul'' series]] of video games. Created by [[Namco]]'s [[Project Soul]] division, she first appeared in ''[[Soul Edge]]'' and its subsequent sequels, as well as appearing in various merchandise related to the series.

== Creation and conception==
As a character introduced in ''Soul Edge'', Sophitia's weaponry, a sword and shield combination designed to be unique amongst the other weapons in the game, were selected before other elements of the character. Her design and concept were then built to revolve around it, starting with gender, then physical measurements, and lastly background details. After her appearance and movement were fleshed out by a [[concept artist]], her character was rendered as a [[3D model]] by a design team that worked solely on her,<ref>{{cite web |author=De Marco, Flynn |date=2007-09-20 |url=http://kotaku.com/gaming/tgs07/soul-calibur-director-katsutoshi-sasaki-on-weapons-characters-and-storyline-302211.php |title=Tgs07: Soul Calibur Director Katsutoshi Sasaki on Weapons, Characters and Storyline |publisher=[[Kotaku]] |accessdate=2008-07-30}}</ref> and then animated by Tomoe Yamashita using [[motion capture]] to create her in-game movements.<ref name="opm">{{cite web |author=Staff |url=http://www.1up.com/do/feature?cId=3146108 |title=Behind the Game: Soul Calibur III |publisher=[[1UP.com]] |accessdate=2008-07-30}}</ref> Tomoe, who additionally created the "struck" movements for many other characters in the game, noted particular fondness for Sophitia while designing her.<ref>{{cite web |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20010709094157/www.soulcalibur.com/bladeblz/interview3.html |title=Interview with Yamashita-san |publisher=[[Namco Bandai]] |accessdate=2008-11-29 |work=[[Project Soul]] |archivedate=2001-07-09 |url=http://www.soulcalibur.com/bladeblz/interview3.html}}</ref>

During her creation, designers focused on maintaining an innocent appearance for her face, to give the character a sense of feeling fresh and young. Freedom of movement between the sword and shield were also emphasized, with the intention to allow for the blade to rotate around the shield for cyclonic attacks. An alternate character called Azula was conceived during the development of Sophitia's secondary outfit in ''Soul Edge'', but was abandoned.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.soularchive.jp/tmr/souledge/sophitia/soph_cha.htm |title=Sophitia concept art |language=Japanese |publisher=[[Namco Bandai]] |work=[[Project Soul]] |accessdate=2008-12-22}}</ref> The character concept would later be revisited in ''Soulcalibur IV'', appearing as an ally character in Sophitia's story mode and using her fighting style.

== In video games ==
Sophitia's life as a warrior began when she met the Olympian god of fire and forge, [[Hephaestus]]. Hephaestus told her of the evil blade Soul Edge: that the existence of such a powerful blade would put shame to his name, as he had not created it, and that if anyone were to discover it, it would bring much pain to the world. Hephaestus ordered her to come to the Eurydice Shrine and receive a holy weapon, the Omega Sword, so that she could destroy the Soul Edge. Sophitia eventually found the Soul Edge in a port in Valencia, Spain; and she fought its possessor, the dread [[pirate]] [[Cervantes de Leon]], destroying one of the twin blades. However, shards of the evil sword flew with great force from her powerful blow wounding her too greatly to finish the fight. Just as Cervantes was about to deliver a finishing blow to the endangered Sophitia, [[Taki (Soulcalibur)|Taki]] arrived to save her and proceeded to kill Cervantes. After the battle had finished, Taki carried Sophitia back to Athens, where her sister, Cassandra, had been waiting for her. Cassandra was the only member of her family or group of friends to believe her story at the time.

After recovering from her wounds she suffered from the sword fragments, she returned to her life as the daughter of a baker and spent her days peacefully. However, one day, when she was out for shopping with Cassandra, Sophitia had a vision of [[Nightmare (Soulcalibur)|Nightmare]] and the true Soul Edge. She collapsed and rescued by a local swordsmith named Rothion, they fell in love, and got engaged. Later, she received a second oracle from Hephaestus to destroy the remains of Soul Edge. Hephaestus then supplied her with holy metal, which Rothion used to forge a new Omega Sword and shield; she set out on a second journey to destroy the cursed sword. Sophitia destroyed Soul Edge once again and returned home, where she married Rothion and gave birth to both Patroklos (son) and Pyrrha (daughter). However, four years later, Rothion received a shard of Soul Edge from a mysterious customer, and his and Sophitia's children began fighting over the shard. The evil aura the fragment emanated caused Sophitia's old wounds to ache, as they had been undoubtedly infected with the evil energy of the Soul Edge seven years previous, explaining her children's predilection for the bizarre aura. Cassandra, desperate to save her sister, proceeded to grab the shard from her grasp and run out the door, running away from home soon afterwards. A couple of weeks later, Sophitia decided that if she was to free her children from the evil sword's curse and ensure her sister's safety, she had to embark on a third journey. Because Cassandra had stolen Sophitia's previous weapons, which she had stored at Eurydice Shrine, Rothion forged her a new set to destroy the cursed Soul Edge once and for all.

Her journey took her to Ostrheinsburg Castle, where she encountered [[Tira (Soulcalibur)|Tira]]. Tira told Sophitia that Soul Edge was not in the castle and later kidnapped Sophitia's children in order to set them up as sacrifices for Soul Edge. Sophitia therefore resolved to destroy Soul Edge for the sake of her children until she found out about Tira's kidnapping.
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Sophitia appears in all the [[Soulcalibur]] games, with the exception of [[Soulcalibur V]]; it is stated that Sophitia died 17 years after the events of ''[[Soulcalibur IV]]'' and is replaced by her children, Pyrahh and Patroklos.

==Promotion and reception==
Yujin, released a four inch tall [[motion (physics)|immobile]] figurine of Sophitia as part of their "Namco Girls Series #3" line of figurines for [[gashapon]].<ref>Staff (2004-12-03). [http://plusd.itmedia.co.jp/games/gsnews/0412/03/news22.html ワルキューレなどナムコ女性キャラがカプセルトイに] (in Japanese). Softbank Games. Retrieved on 2008-12-07</ref> Other commercial items bearing Sophitia's likeness have also been released, such as a [[resin]] kit designed by Hiroshi Satou for manufacturer Kurushima.<ref>[http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10002094 Sophitia Alexandra (Resin Kit)]. Hobby Search. Retrieved on 2008-11-07</ref>

In a 2002 poll by Namco prior to the release of ''Soul Calibur II'' regarding their favorite character, Sophitia placed second with 18% of the tally, behind [[Seong Mi-na]].<ref>[http://ps2.ign.com/articles/101/101406p1.html Soul Calibur 2 -- New Screens And Character Info]. Retrieved on 2008-08-02</ref> [[UGO.com]] praised Sophitia in their "Top 11 SoulCalibur Fighters" article, placing her at seventh place and describing her as "a regular little spitfire".<ref>[http://www.ugo.com/games/soulcalibur-best-characters/?cur=sophitia Top 11 SoulCalibur Fighters]. UGO.com. Retrieved on 2008-08-29</ref> She additionally placed thirty-eighth on their "Top 50 Videogame Hotties" article, which stated "Sophitia Alexandra...is a force to be reckoned with in the Soul Calibur series."<ref>[http://www.ugo.com/games/video-game-hotties/?cur=sophitia-alexandra-soul-calibur-4&morepics=1 Top 50 Videogame Hotties]. [[UGO.com]]. Retrieved on 2008-12-14</ref> ''[[Maxim (magazine)|Maxim]]'' named her one of the hottest video game females of 2008, calling her "literally, the best thing since sliced bread."<ref>Manolatos, Gerasimos. [http://www.maxim.com/gaming/lists/44117/17-hottest-video-game-babes-2008.html#6 The 17 Hottest Video Game Babes of 2008]. ''[[Maxim (magazine)|Maxim]]'' Retrieved on 2009-04-29</ref> She was listed by [[Tom's Games]] as one of the fifty greatest female characters in video game history, stating "She's a virtuous heroine who's as brave as she is cute. And she can cook, too."<ref>Wright, Rob (2007-02-20). [http://us.tomsgames.com/us/2007/02/20/the_50_greatest_female_characters_in_the_history_of_video_games/page14.html The 50 Greatest Female Characters in Video Game History]. [[Tom's Games]]. Retrieved on 2008-08-02</ref> ''Race, Gender, Media: Considering Diversity Across Audiences, Content, and Producers'' used her as an example of most female characters in video games, describing her body and clothing as being created solely for the viewing pleasure of players, often males.<ref>{{cite book |title=Race, Gender, Media: Considering Diversity Across Audiences, Content, and Producers |page=94 |author=Lind, Rebbeca Ann |isbn=0205344194 |year=2004 |publisher=Pearson/Allyn and Bacon}}</ref>

WomenGamers.Com praised her strength as a character in the series, noting of her role in the original ''Soulcalibur'', "Sophitia is probably one of the most important and pivotal of all the seekers of the twin blades." Additional praise was given to her personality in contrast to more common [[anti-hero]] characters, as well as the realism of her fighting style approach, stating that all combined made her role in the game "uniquely positive."<ref>Staff (2000-09-14). [http://web.archive.org/web/20020206231557/www.womengamers.com/dw/sophita.html Digital Women - Sophitia] (Web Archive backup). Womengamers.Com. Retrieved on 2008-11-29</ref> [[GameDaily]] described her appearance as "angelic", adding "despite looking homelier than the other girls, [she] is still jaw dropping";<ref>[http://www.gamedaily.com/articles/galleries/extreme-makeover-soulcalibur-edition-/?page=3&cp=2 Extreme Makeover: Soulcalibur Edition]. [[GameDaily]]. Retrieved on 2008-11-29</ref> she additionally ranked number five on their "Top 50 Hottest Game Babes" list,<ref>[http://www.gamedaily.com/articles/galleries/top-25-hottest-game-babes/?page=47 Top 50 Hottest Game Babes]. [[GameDaily]]. Retrieved on 2008-11-29</ref> and received mention and praise in similar articles for her character strength and evolution along the series.<ref>[http://www.gamedaily.com/articles/galleries/babe-of-the-week-babes-were-thankful-for/?page=8 Babe of the Week: Babes We're Thankful For]. [[GameDaily]]. Retrieved on 2008-11-29</ref><ref>[http://www.gamedaily.com/articles/galleries/the-soulcalibur-hotties/?page=5 Babes of the Week: Soul Calibur Hotties]. [[GameDaily]]. Retrieved on 2008-11-29</ref><ref>[http://www.gamedaily.com/articles/galleries/babe-of-the-week-hottest-blondes/?cp=1&page=4 Babe of the Week: Hottest Blondes]. [[GameDaily]]. Retrieved on 2009-01-18</ref> [[GameSpy]] named her one of their top ten women in gaming at number five, stating Sophitia "became one of the most easily recognized characters in the series. She remains one of ''Soul Caliber''{{'}}s most memorable babes since the days of her swimsuit debut in ''Soul Blade''."<ref>Johnson, Bryan (2003-05-04). [http://archive.gamespy.com/top10/may03/gamebabes/index2.shtml Top 10 Babes in Games]. [[GameSpy]]. Retrieved on 2008-12-29</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

{{Soul characters}}
{{Wikipedia}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sophitia}}

[[Category:Fantasy video game characters]]
[[Category:Female characters in video games]]
[[Category:Fictional Greek people in video games]]
[[Category:Namco protagonists]]
[[Category:Soul series characters]]
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[[Category:Video game nobility]]
[[Category:Woman soldier and warrior characters in video games]]