Julie wrote:Why are we assuming a "he"? I mean, yes, we may be looking at pectorals instead of breasts, but we may not be. Don't get me wrong...I think it would be interesting to introduce more male characters to this story, but it's never good to assume in Wapsi. Just sayin'.
I assume male mainly because in various permutations, female Sphinxes were human headed and male Sphinxes were animal headed. That, and I refuse to believe a female would be as stupid as Senior 'Splody Head was in insulting a woman as obviously enraged as Phix is.
Along those lines, From this it becomes clear that Phix's low rank in the Sphinxes hierarchy is because of her insistence on trying to save demon infested humans and her kindness toward 'lesser races' most Sphinxes would ignore or dominate. Phix certainly has plenty of physical power. I can see where after centuries of her espousing her beliefs, the apos had come to be dismissive of her. As my father once told me "Son, NEVER, mistake kindness for weakness. Truly strong people can afford to be kind."
Also, Phix killed an Apo in one punch, and prefaced her launching Bia from the library with "I'm not a Titan, but you're on my turf now." The implication being that Titans are stronger and more durable than Sphinxes. Senior 'Splody Head would likely argree if most of his brains weren't all over Bia's mozaic. Which leaves Shelly. Either she's a Sphinx with Titanic power *clink*, or she's a Titan who has the additional ability to go Sphinxy. Since Phix implied Sphinx rules don't apply to her, I would guess the latter. Still, she could concievably lay claim to both branches of her heritage. So where DOES a Sphinx with the power of a Titan AND her own personal demonic conscience fall in the pecking order? I'm guessing it ain't near the bottom.
Which may have been Bia's aim all along. To create a being, an Hier, even more powerful than herself.