Durandal
Durandal is a primary character in Honkai Impact 3rd, serving as an S-rank Valkyrie and the captain of Schicksal's elite squad, the Immortal Blades. Recognized as the strongest Valkyrie of the current era, her official name is Bianka Ataegina, while Durandal serves as both her warrior moniker and a key symbol of her destiny. Dedicated to protecting humanity from the threat of the Honkai, she stands as an indispensable frontline leader and hero within the organization.
Overview
Durandal is a primary character in Honkai Impact 3rd, serving as an S-rank Valkyrie and the captain of Schicksal's elite squad, the Immortal Blades. Recognized as the strongest Valkyrie of the current era, her official name is Bianka Ataegina, while Durandal serves as both her warrior moniker and a key symbol of her destiny. Dedicated to protecting humanity from the threat of the Honkai, she stands as an indispensable frontline leader and hero within the organization.
Appearance
Durandal features long blonde hair bound in a ponytail with hair between her eyes, paired with blue eyes. Her attire incorporates dresses, bare shoulders, jewelry such as earrings, hair ornaments, and gloves. Her outfits include Valkyrie Gloria, modeled after military dress uniforms with an officer cap, and Bright Knight: Excelsis, a fourth-generation god-slayer suit featuring a skirt with multi-thrusters. She also wears the star armor of Dea Anchora, the mounted and lancer gear of Palatinus Equinox, and a smaller avatar form in Reign Solaris featuring her late mother's hairstyle.
Personality
Durandal possesses an unflinching, iron-willed spirit, constantly striving for perfection with relentless discipline. Highly composed and mature beyond her years, she commands intense admiration from her fellow Valkyries. Because her overwhelming effort has resolved countless past challenges, she sometimes displays a surprisingly straightforward, highly physical mindset, expecting others to match her rigorous standards. At her core, she remains a sincere and gentle individual who constantly questions right and wrong. Although she was headstrong and fiercely competitive in her early youth, guidance from her mentors transformed her into an honorable hero. She is deeply fond of cats, demonstrating a charmingly youthful side when interacting with her pet.
Abilities
Durandal is a master of lance combat, utilizing high-velocity charges and throw techniques. Through rigorous training, she possesses immense raw power, capable of defeating Emperor-class Honkai beasts unarmored and going toe-to-toe with Kevin Kaslana in hand-to-hand combat. She holds parallel world bubbles within her body via the Holy Sword Durandal and is a compatible wielder of the Divine Key Abyss Flower. Her battlesuits grant specialized combat styles: Valkyrie Gloria relies on fire elemental thrusts and counterattacks; Bright Knight: Excelsis employs shield defenses and summons knight units; Dea Anchora focuses on hand-to-hand strikes and archer-like fire shots; Palatinus Equinox toggles between mounted combat on Krishna and lancer forms; and Reign Solaris utilizes hoverboard mobility.
Background
Durandal lost her memories prior to age ten and survived a life-threatening brain tumor caused by Honkai exposure through specialized treatment provided by Otto Apocalypse. Inspired by the Valkyrie Ragna Roddbroek who visited her orphanage, she enlisted at age twelve and rapidly became the youngest A-rank Valkyrie in history. Later, she embarked on an expedition into the Sea of Quanta alongside Rita Rossweisse, exploring parallel world bubbles. To save a collapsing world, she anchored the world bubble within her own body using the Holy Sword Durandal, taking on the moniker Durandal upon her return. Promoted to S-rank, she became captain of Schicksal's elite Immortal Blades.
Relationships
Otto Apocalypse served as her physician and leader; she obeys his orders while maintaining a nuanced understanding of his character. Rita Rossweisse is her trusted deputy captain and closest companion, supporting her both in battle and daily life. Durandal acts as a mentor figure to Kiana Kaslana, challenging and watching over her growth across several encounters. She considers the Valkyrie Ragna Roddbroek, the adventurer Shakespeare, and Shigure Kira as key life mentors who shaped her path. She also keeps a uniquely intelligent Himalayan cat named Stan as a cherished pet.
Trivia
While widely known as Durandal after inheriting the title from the sacred sword, her actual name is Bianka Ataegina. Within Schicksal, she holds noble titles such as Bright Knight and Inheritor of the Sacred Lance. Her strict discipline extends to her eating habits; if she indulges in a single bite of birthday cake late at night, she makes up for it by adding an extra kilometer to her morning run. She continuously seeks self-improvement through meditation and mental visualization techniques learned from a fellow Valkyrie, using any spare moment outside of missions for training.
