Celebrating the Powerful Women of the Xenoblade Series
Rich L.
The Xenoblade franchise is an RPG series, developed by Monolith Soft, primarily for Nintendo consoles. It came a long way from being a niche RPG series that required a large fan campaign to bring over internationally. At the time of writing this, Xenoblade X: Definitive Edition has released on the Nintendo Switch—a game which has been stuck on the Wii U since late 2015, and one of the final games released on that system which hadn’t gotten ported over to the Switch yet. This means that the entire franchise (as of now) will be available on the Nintendo Switch, and by extension, most likely the Nintendo Switch 2. What better way to celebrate this occasion by reflecting on three of the coolest and most powerful women of the Xenoblade series? There will be some light spoilers for the Xenoblade series (mainly the first game with the first entry), so be warned.
Fiora (Xenoblade Chronicles)
Fiora is a main character from the first Xenoblade, which initially came out on the Nintendo Wii, was re-released on the New Nintendo 3DS, and then finally on the Nintendo Switch with the Definitive Edition.
Fiora is a resident of Colony 9 and a childhood friend of the protagonist Shulk (who appeared on the last two Super Smash Bros. entries). She starts off as a party member that uses two long knives and has straightforward skills (or “arts” as the series calls them). Fiora is a spunky, yet kind girl who likes to poke fun at Shulk but cares for him more than anyone.
SideNote: Fiora has also made a couple of appearances outside of Xenoblade. She appeared as two different spirits (a .png of a character that can be equipped to give certain stats and abilities to the player character.) in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
Fiora also disappears for a good chunk of the game and thankfully, reappears looking much different—sporting larger and more mechanical blades, with a whole new set of arts that make her a deadly all-around party member.
SideNote: It’s a shame that to upgrade many of these arts, the player has to take down some incredibly high-level enemies and hope to obtain the items that allow it
Fiora is a major drive and motivation for Shulk throughout most of the game, even when they are reunited. Despite Shulk wanting to protect Fiora, Fiora is also a force to be reckoned with and wants to protect Shulk in return. Overall, she is the full package; kind, beautiful, and dangerous in battle.
KOS-MOS (Xenosaga and Xenoblade Chronicles 2)
I’m cheating slightly here. KOS-MOS didn’t originate from the Xenoblade franchise—Monolith Soft created two other “Xeno” series before it: Xenogears on the PlayStation 1 and Xenosaga Episodes I, II, and III on the PlayStation 2. KOS-MOS comes from the latter, appearing as one of the titular characters.
KOS-MOS is an android designed to fight the Gnosis—a dangerous alien race bent on wiping out humanity. Like most war machines, KOS-MOS possesses superhuman strength and speed, and her nanomachine-powered body can summon weapons: arm blades, giant gatling guns, lasers—you name it. I still think it’s awesome that this blue-haired woman could make a huge gatling gun appear as a skill when I was 12.
SideNote: KOS-MOS also has many crossover appearances. She briefly appears in Xenoblade 2 as a rare Blade—a gameplay mechanic similar to sci-fi “Personas” drawn via a gacha system to assist in battle
Because she is a machine, KOS-MOS initially comes off as stoic and emotionless. However, her interactions with Xenosaga’s party—especially with her Chief Engineer, Shion Uzuki (the series’ main protagonist while KOS-MOS serves as its heart)—help her develop genuine feelings. She also reveals a more childlike side, complete with blue eyes, a mystery that unfolds as the series progresses. Like Fiora, a key aspect of her identity is only fully revealed later. Notably, Xenosaga is steeped in religious symbolism, a contrast to Xenoblade.
Despite all this complexity, KOS-MOS remains primarily here for the “badass” factor. When I think of a superpowered robot woman, she is the first that comes to mind. Her design, voice, and abilities make her one of the coolest characters in the Xeno series and gaming overall—one of the main reasons Xenosaga is one of my favorite turn-based RPGs.
KOS-MOS frequently appears in the Super Robot Wars series and the Project X Zone games, where she teams up with TEL-OS (an “evil” version of herself) in the first game and with Fiora in the sequel.
Elma (Xenoblade Chronicles X)
Elma hails from Xenoblade Chronicles X (X), the odd man out of the Xenoblade games. While the Xenoblade titles are mostly separate, X stands apart with a more “grounded” sci‑fi theme instead of the sci‑fi fantasy of the others. It also features multiplayer and the ability to create your character—features absent in the other three games.
SideNote: Although Xenoblade Chronicles X was generally well received, it was the only entry stuck on the WiiU, which sold poorly compared to the Nintendo Switch and lacked true portability. Now, X is free from those shackles and serves as a big reason for celebrating these characters.
Where Fiora is bubbly and KOS‑MOS is a stoic machine, Elma falls in between. An experienced soldier who witnessed the world's collapse, she is hardened and serious yet shows compassion and warmth toward Cross and the party. In battle, she is both serious and passionate. Like Fiora and KOS‑MOS, Elma hides a mystery about her identity and appearance that unfolds later in the game—initially resembling TEL‑OS before shifting to another look.
SideNote: Elma also appears outside of Xenoblade Chronicles X, recently featured in a promotion for the Definitive Edition in Tetris 99.
While many party members’ designs in X are cool, few are as memorable as Elma’s. Her tan complexion, white hair, and predominantly red outfit make her cool and “badass.” Before the definitive edition, Elma and other X characters had a doll-like look that reminded me most of Xenosaga, largely because the same character designer, Kunihiko Tanaka, worked on both.
X also features a unique class system (also seen in Xenoblade 3). Elma’s class, Full Metal Jaguar, specializes in melee and ranged accuracy, along with evasion, typically wielding two bladed weapons and a pair of small firearms.
The game also lets characters pilot mechs called skells, which adapt to different terrains. Elma’s skell, named the Verus, fits her red color scheme and her light class.
SideNote: Elma leads BLADE and the Reclaimers Division. In a world overtaken by an alien threat, Elma’s group is charged with protecting what’s left of humanity on the planet Mira.
Like KOS‑MOS, she also appears as a blade in Xenoblade Chronicles 2 (via DLC) and, like Fiora, as a spirit in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
Final Thoughts
The Xenoblade series features many outstanding female characters—seriously. These are simply my top three favorites, each representing at least one game in the series and each bringing their own flavor of power, passion, and personality to the Xenoverse. As a longtime fan of the Xenosaga series, it’s a thrill to see the legacy of the Xeno franchise continue to evolve—like a rare Blade awakening once more—with both new and classic characters thriving not just within their respective titles, but also in the broader JRPG pop culture ecosystem.
