Zilvar

History

History[]

Background[]

Hailing from the Tiger Tribe, Zilvar's village faced danger from unsettling tremors. Despite the assurances from the Ancients of the Wyldness that the disturbances would eventually cease, Zilvar remained skeptical, viewing their words as mere superstitions. Concerned for the safety of the tribe, especially with the prospect of starting a family with Mei, he proposed relocating to a more secure area within the Wyldness. When another tremor struck, Zilvar vowed not to let his tribe down. He bid farewell to his fellow tribe members and embarked on a journey, crossing the Lava Wastes and other regions until he reached the Forest of Spirits, which he deemed an ideal new home for his tribe. With a leaf resting on his chest, symbolizing hope, he set out to return to the village, only to discover that it had been ravaged by the tremors. For days, Zilvar searched for survivors, only to find none. Overwhelmed by guilt for the loss of his tribe, he inscribed their names on the memorial stone before leaving the Wyldness. Unbeknownst to him, one member of his tribe managed to survive. With no destination in mind, he wandered through various realms, including the Never-Realm, where he encountered the Fishers and began the process of rebuilding his life.^[1]

However, when Zilvar traveled to the Realm of Madness, he was seized by the Pit-Master's Craglings and compelled to battle in the Gladiator Pit. The only way to earn his freedom was to achieve 200 consecutive victories, as promised by the Pit-Master. After the Merge, Zilvar encountered Jay, who had also been captured. Despite Jay's determination to free the gladiators, Zilvar regarded this as false hope, convinced that Jay's promise would ultimately be broken.^[2] After Jay used his Elemental Power in a match, Zilvar never saw Jay again for many years, believing he had betrayed them, not knowing the Pit Master had Administration Agent Blake Donovan suppress Jay's memories.

In the Pits[]

Many years later, Zilvar would come face-to-face with Jay again after he had regained his memories and finally came back to free the gladiators. Zilvar is determined to defeat Jay so he can get his 200th win and finally be free, but Jay attempts to get through to Zilvar saying he came back to free him and the others but he needs his help to do it, Zilvar rejects at first still believing hope is false, but Zilvar ultimately accepts and lets Jay beat him so he can free him and the other gladiators. With the help of the ninja who were disguised as well, they managed to free the gladiators and Zilvar. Zilvar then looks off into the distance thinking of his home when Jay asks if he is going to head home, but Zilvar tells him he once had a home but it is gone now, realizing he had no where else to go, Jay offers Zilvar to come with them to the Never Kingdoms which he accepts saying he had people in that land and supposes he could find them, so he boards the Land Bounty and heads to the Never Kingdoms with the ninja, finally free.

A Frozen Scar[]

Zilvar recounted to the ninja the tale of how he lost his tribe to the violent tremors that ravaged his village. Lloyd then mentioned that they had encountered another member of the Tiger Tribe named Ras, which puzzled Zilvar as he couldn't recall that name. He speculated that Ras might belong to a different branch of the Tiger Tribe, considering the vastness of the Wyldness. As they continued their journey, Zilvar and the ninja witnessed the Weapon of Desolation spiraling out of control, threatening to destabilize its containment unit. Later, while riding Grimtak, Zilvar reached the boundary separating the Land of Madness from the Never Kingdoms alongside the ninja. A debate ensued among the ninja about the safety of crossing the boundary, but Zilvar, growing impatient, decided to forge ahead with Grimtak, crossing the barrier without harm. The ninja followed suit, and they soon arrived at the Monastery of the Never Kingdoms, where they encountered the Fishers. Young Fishers greeted Zilvar with friendly waves, which he reciprocated.

That night, as Zilvar rested alongside the ninja and Grimtak, he was abruptly awakened by Kai, who was possessed by Wu. Wu's voice warned the ninja to be cautious of the Beast Warrior, leaving Zilvar bewildered. Wu then emerged from Kai, heading towards the portal gate of the Monastery of the Never Kingdoms. The following morning, Zilvar wandered through the market, purchasing fish from an Ice Fisher to feed Grimtak. During this, Lloyd approached Zilvar, suggesting that he no longer needed to accompany the ninja on their mission, given how long he had already assisted them. Lloyd pointed out that Beniro could take over from there, emphasizing that Zilvar deserved the opportunity to pursue a new life. Zilvar wished the ninja safe travels, shaking hands with Lloyd in a gesture of gratitude and respect. As night fell again, Zilvar took a moment to admire the view of the Never Kingdoms, picking up a leaf and reflecting on how much Mei would have loved the place. Suddenly, he was startled when the portal gate from the Monastery activated. Zilvar armed himself as the doors opened to reveal Ras.

The Summit (flashback)[]

Zilvar recognized Ras as a scion of the Tiger Tribe, but he was puzzled, failing to identify him by name. As they walked, Ras disclosed his original identity as Zeras, shocking Zilvar. Ras explained the tribe believed Zilvar to be dead or had abandoned them. Zilvar denied leaving, asserting he would have sought out Ras if he had known he was alive. Feeling guilty for not supporting Ras, Zilvar listened as Ras urged him to prevent the destruction of the Weapon of Desolation, which threatened Ras' master, who created the weapon. Horrified, Zilvar questioned Ras about his master, but Ras insisted the focus should be on securing the weapon, as his master's plan was nearly in motion. Although Zilvar was willing to help a fellow Tiger Tribe member, he opposed letting the Weapon of Desolation remain, fearing it could destroy the Merged Realms. Ras dismissed Zilvar's concerns, revealing the ultimate goal to capture the Source Dragons to harness their Source Energy, aiming to reverse the Merge and restore the Tiger Tribe. Zilvar, recalling a leaf from earlier, refused, stating that capturing Source Dragons was blasphemous. Ras implored Zilvar to think of their tribe and Mei, but Zilvar reminded him of Mei's pure heart, asserting that aiding Ras would insult the memory of her and the rest of the tribe. In anger, Zilvar called Ras by his birth name, provoking Ras to claim he worked hard for the tribe that Zilvar failed to save. As Ras brandished the Icon of the Source Dragon of Strength, Zilvar warned him not to challenge him, but Ras threatened to take matters into his own hands, vowing to eliminate the ninja and even Zilvar himself for his perceived betrayal. Zilvar retorted that it was Ras who had betrayed the tribe, not him. Ras prepared to strike when Zilvar let out a whistle, summoning Grimtak, who head butted Ras, creating a moment of distraction. Zilvar quickly climbed onto Grimtak's back and declared his intention to protect the ninja from Ras.

A Frozen Scar[]

Zilvar raced to the Boreal River, where he discovered that the Weapon of Desolation had corrupted the river and Beniro. To save Zane from Beniro, Zilvar had Grimtak deliver a head butt to Beniro. When Lloyd spotted Zilvar, he was taken aback. Before Zilvar could warn the ninja about Ras, Beniro lunged at Lloyd, prompting Zilvar to demand that Beniro leave Lloyd alone. The Green Ninja insisted he could handle Beniro and urged Zilvar to focus on the Weapon of Desolation instead. Zilvar and Grimtak avoided ice spikes that jutted out from the frozen river as they reached the weapon. Zilvar seized it, freeing Beniro from the weapon's influence. Soon after, the ninja regrouped with Zilvar, and Jay was grateful, recalling how he had always believed Zilvar was a good egg since their first encounter. Zilvar, taking the compliment literally, pointed out that he was not hatched from an egg. Cole asked why Zilvar had returned, but just as the tiger was about to explain, the Weapon of Desolation began to seize control of him, leading to an internal struggle where his tempted side insisted that he must not destroy the weapon. This side reminded him how Ras could restore the tribe if the weapon remained intact before telling himself that he can't tell the ninja. In a moment of deception, Zilvar told the ninja he had a feeling they needed him. With the containment unit shattered and Beniro now unable to join the team for their ongoing adventure, the ninja reluctantly tasked Zilvar with holding the Weapon of Desolation as they pressed forward on their journey.

All Wizards Are Liars[]

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The Summit[]

As Zilvar and the ninja continued their journey to the Abyss of Eternal Night, Jay expressed his concerns about Zilvar, saying that he can sense something is bothering him. In response, Lloyd said how this journey is tough for all of them and the sooner they destroy the Weapon of Desolation, the better, saying that breeds danger whenever it goes. Meanwhile, Zilvar continued to get manipulated by the Weapon of Desolation, who tried to make him believe that it could help him bring back his tribe. Then Zilvar remembered his meeting with Ras and him helping the ninja in the Boreal River. As the weapon continued to manipulate him, Zilvar and the ninja arrived in the Abyss of Eternal Night.

Desperately Seeking Sora[]

As Zilvar approached the abyss, he grappled with the decision to drop the Weapon of Desolation into the chasm. Despite the ninja's reassurances, he found himself torn, tempted by the weapon's immense power. He wrestled with his thoughts, questioning whether he should discard the one chance he had to protect his tribe. On one hand, he recognized the weapon's destructive potential, but on the other, he recalled Ras' words, suggesting that keeping the weapon could be the key to their salvation. Zilvar's inner conflict deepened as he reflected on how Ras had changed, doubting his intentions. His tempted side argued that the tribe relied on him, and letting go of the weapon would mean abandoning them. Memories of the Tiger Tribe's fate haunted him, intensifying his struggle. Just as he hesitated, a vision of Mei appeared, pleading for his help as she fell. Overwhelmed by the weapon's influence, Zilvar turned against the ninja and summoned Elemental Monsters to fight on his behalf, resolving to save his tribe.

The ninja battled the Elemental Monsters as Lloyd urged Zilvar to destroy the weapon. Despite Lloyd's plea, Zilvar summoned even more Elemental Monsters to the fray. Zilvar called forth Grimtak, compelling the Dragon Beast to turn against the ninja as the tiger warrior mounted him. From Grimtak's back, Zilvar continued his attack on the ninja. The ninja transformed into their Draconus Form. Meanwhile, Zilvar and Grimtak confronted Lloyd as he attempted to reason with Zilvar, ultimately managing to dislodge the tiger from the Dragon Beast's back. After Grimtak retreated, the Weapon of Desolation then unveiled its hidden abilities to Zilvar. Learning them, Zilvar absorbed an Ice Monster and unleashed a beam of ice at the ninja, only to be thwarted by Zane's creation of an ice wall. Subsequently, Zilvar absorbed a Fire Monster, obliterating the ice wall with a powerful blast of fire that knocked the ninja back. Continuing to absorb more Elemental Monsters, Zilvar unleashed a barrage of acid and fire upon Lloyd and attempted to blast Jay with acid. The Blue Ninja tried reaching out to Zilvar. Despite Jay's efforts, Zilvar absorbed an Earth Monster and attempted to fire asphalt at Jay, inadvertently hitting Cole instead. Persisting in his assault, Zilvar summoned more Elemental Monsters and combined his powers into a beam that sent the ninja reeling. Jay continued to empathize with Zilvar, sharing his own experiences of being torn from his former self and manipulated by others. Jay implored Zilvar to recognize that he too could overcome the corruption and find a new path, just as Jay had done with the support of the ninja. For a moment, Zilvar seemed to break free from the weapon's control in response to Jay's words, but ultimately, the Weapon of Desolation reasserted its control over the tiger. Zilvar struck Jay with an uppercut and unleashed a torrent of Elemental Powers, rendering the latter unconscious. Enraged, Kai charged at Zilvar, only to be met with another beam of Elemental Powers that sent him reeling.

Dangerous Connections[]

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Appearance

Appearance[]

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Personality

Personality[]

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Relationships

Relationships[]

Allies[]

Tiger Tribe (deceased)
- Mei (mate; deceased)
Grimtak
Fishers
Ninja (former unwitting enemies)
Elemental Monsters (formerly)

Enemies[]

Pit-Master
Cragling henchmen
Ras (former ally)
Weapon of Desolation

Appearances

Appearances[]

Sets[]

71863 Zilvar and Grimtak

Ninjago: Dragons Rising[]

Season 4[]

Behind the scenes

Behind the scenes[]

His minifigure uses a white version of Ras' head mold. Due to this, he is the only other tiger character with a braided beard.
Zilvar was the subject of a hoax wherein an Ecuadorian man claimed to news outlets that he had designed the character as part of a global internet contest conducted by LEGO and WildBrain.^[3]^[4] His claims were disproved when Chi Wing Lee stated that Zilvar was actually designed by LEGO graphic designer Renato Rangel Esper.^[5]

Trivia

Trivia[]

He bears a resemblance to Battle Beast from Invincible, as both are white felines with red, yellow, and black color schemes who wield maces.
He's the second anthropomorphic animal from the Wyldness to have a surname, following Alfonzo Frohicky.
He has many similarities to Tormak, another character from the Wyldness.
- Both are tigers who have a strong bond with a loved one (Mei for Zilvar and Li'Ella for Tormak) before losing them (Mei's death for Zilvar and Li'Ella's kidnapping by Fangar for Tormak).
- Both spiral and succumb to the temptations of their enemies (corruption by the Weapon of Desolation for Zilvar and blackmail by Fangar for Tormak).
- Both end up briefly turning against their allies to briefly further the interest of the very enemy manipulating them (Zilvar fighting the Ninja and Tormak stealing the Artifact to bring it to Fangar).
- Both of these decisions backfire and leave them worse off than they were before (Zilvar feeling shameful and guilt-ridden for indirectly causing Lloyd's death, and Tormak getting incinerated).
In the Polish dub, Lavertus and Zilvar share the same voice actor.