Bondrewd
Bondrewd, also known as the Lord of Dawn or "Bondrewd the Novel," is a legendary White Whistle Delver from the manga series Made in Abyss. Operating from the Idofront base in the Fifth Layer of the Abyss alongside his specialized squad known as the Umbra Hands, he has spearheaded unprecedented advancements in cave raiding, route opening, and Abyss research over a ten-year span. Despite his status as a pioneering figure, his extreme, highly unethical methods make him a feared and heavily scrutinized individual.
Overview
Bondrewd, also known as the Lord of Dawn or "Bondrewd the Novel," is a legendary White Whistle Delver from the manga series Made in Abyss. Operating from the Idofront base in the Fifth Layer of the Abyss alongside his specialized squad known as the Umbra Hands, he has spearheaded unprecedented advancements in cave raiding, route opening, and Abyss research over a ten-year span. Despite his status as a pioneering figure, his extreme, highly unethical methods make him a feared and heavily scrutinized individual.
Appearance
Bondrewd completely conceals his physical body under a full-body black powered suit named Gangway and a helmet with a light slit down the center. Beneath the visor lies a specialized relic dubbed the Compound Eye that enables vision, alongside a functional tail attached to his back. His personal White Whistle is crafted into the shape of hands clasped together in prayer.
Personality
On the surface, Bondrewd is a soft-spoken and polite gentleman. In reality, he possesses a completely detached and alien mindset, caring for nothing outside the resolution of the Abyss's mysteries. Devoid of personal malice, greed, or emotional empathy, he can genuinely love those around him while unhesitatingly sacrificing their lives or bodies for his research. He frequently addresses others with courtesy while coldly committing horrific violations of human ethics.
Abilities
Bondrewd relies on an array of powerful relics and technology in combat. He fires homing light beams from his mask via Gangway, emits a destructive disintegrating beam from his elbows using Sparagmos, and maneuvers or binds targets with the retracting tentacles of Farcaress. He can also inflict the Curse of the Abyss on opponents via Shaker needles. His ultimate defense against the Abyss's ascensional load is the Cartridge system, which uses human children transformed into biological components to absorb the curse in his place.
Background
Bondrewd established his stronghold at Idofront to further his relentless exploration of the Abyss. He brought orphans down into the Fifth Layer to test the effects of the Curse, mutating Nanachi and Mitty into Narehate. He later adopted and raised Prushka, eventually converting her into a Cartridge to successfully receive the "blessing" of the Abyss during his battle against Riko's party. After being defeated, he accepted their strength and allowed them to proceed into the Sixth Layer.
Relationships
Bondrewd adopted Prushka, who affectionately loved him as her father before being turned into a Cartridge. Nanachi harbors intense hatred for him due to the cruel experiments he performed on her and Mitty. He is served faithfully by the Umbra Hands. Among fellow White Whistles, Ozen views him as a completely rotten individual, while Slujo dismisses him as a masked fool. Riko disapproves of his terrible acts yet expresses a degree of sympathy for his scientific passion.
Trivia
Bondrewd is known for frequently uttering phrases like "Oya oya" and "Subarashii" (Wonderful). Each member of his Umbra Hands wears a mask with a distinct design to differentiate them. Unlike typical whistles, his White Whistle is not blown with the mouth, but rather held between both hands and vibrated to produce sound.
