Manon Blackbeak is a half Ironteeth, half Crochan Witch. She is the former heir to the Blackbeak Clan and a Crochan Queen.
She betrayed her grandmother, the Blackbeak matron to save her second, Asterin Blackbeak, after Manon recues Dorian and in the process, slaughters some of the Yellowlegs witches, so Asterin then goes on her way to save Manon so her grandmother won't accuse Manon. But the matron already knows it is Manon who did it, and she knows that Manon's cousin, Asterin, has already proved to be more loyal than normal (that's because Manon now knows Asterin's secret of what the matron did to her). But the day the matron was going to have Asterin executed, Manon said she wanted to kill Asterin herself to save her cousin from the old way the witches like to torture the traitors until death, but she finds that she has a conscience, and saves Asterin instead. Right there and then, she attacks her own grandmother, but her skills were futile in a match against the matron. She escapes with the help og Abraxos and her Thirteen alive and Abraxos brought her to Aelin's ship, where Dorian saw them and got them onto the ship.
Appearance
| “ | He’d never seen anyone so beautiful.
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Manon is a beautiful witch with long, moon white hair and eyes the color of dark gold, as well as distinct traits for the Ironteeth - an set of retractable fangs and nails, both made out of iron. In Queen of Shadows, Dorian Havilliard and Aelin Ashryver Galathynius say she is the most beautiful woman they have ever seen. Before the magic disappeared from Erilea, Manon looked no older than sixteen; however, ten years since the magic vanished and the aging process started, she looks to be in her mid-twenties.
Personality and Traits
Art by ProjectNelm
Manon is often cruel and ruthless, yet cunning and resourceful. She is cold, heartless, uncaring, and icy, but she slowly begins to question her beliefs, wondering if she is a monster. She begins to see hope and love in the world. She is loyal to the Blackbeaks and shares an affectionate relationship with Elide Lochan.
Biography
Lothian Blackbeak and a Crochan Prince fell in love with one another, and Lothian became pregnant with Manon. During labor, Lothian revealed Manon's parentage to Mother Blackbeak, saying that she believed that Manon's mixed blood could be the key to breaking the curse on the Ironteeth. Manon was told that her mother died birthing her; in reality, Mother Blackbeak killed her own daughter after Manon was born. Manon's father never ceased loving Lothian and his daughter, and he continued to diligently search for them. Mother Blackbeak tracked him down; she taunted him, informing him that she had killed his lover and that she would turn Manon into a monster before slaughtering him. Rhiannon, Manon's paternal half-sister, assumed the search in her father's stead.
Manon was born about 116 years prior to the series. Eyes flecked with gold have been considered a lucky trait among the Blackbeak Clan. Mother Blackbeak, after seeing the child had eyes of pure gold, took Manon away from her mother's still-cooling corpse and proclaimed her the heir to the Clan.
Manon's first kill was a young Crochan, whose red cape she took as a trophy. She wore this cape and it made her stand out from the rest because no other would risk enraging the matron's by wearing the cloak of their enemy.
Heir of Fire
Manon lived undercover as a "Crochan" in a village in Fenharrow in the hopes of flushing out the real Crochans. One night, three villagers entered her cottage uninvited. They rummaged around her house, searching for valuables and calling for her to come out, though Manon knew they just wanted to steal from her and then kill her because the people of the village were afraid of her. When two of the men exited Manon's room, she slipped out of the dresser in which she hid, snuck up behind the lone man, and disemboweled him. A second man walked in on Manon drinking the first man's blood and ran, but Manon quickly caught and killed him. When the third realized that his friends were dead, he fled into the field by the cottage; Manon tracked him and killed him as well.
She rejoined the other Blackbeaks and went to the Ferian Gap, where they were to select the wyvern they would use in battle. All three tribes were there, and Manon developed a rivalry with the Yellowlegs heir, Iskra Yellowlegs. She showed interest in the best wyvern, Titus.
When the clans were to choose their mounts, Iskra shoved Manon into the training pit where the Wyverns were showing off their qualities. Manon was immediately attacked by the vicious bull, Titus. She sensed that the bait beast wanted a shot at Titus, and, after slicing the smaller Wyvern free and killing Titus with its help, Manon claimed the bait beast as her mount. She named it Abraxos, after the Three Headed Goddess' pet that's coils were wrapped around the earth. Iskra ended up getting Fendir whom she later used to kill Petrah Blueblood's wyvern Keelie.
Queen of Shadows
Art by: taratjah (deviantart)
After winning the title of Wing Leader, Manon was sent to Morath to assist Duke Perrington. The Duke sends Manon on tasks various tasks, but primarily demands that he be given a clan of Blackbeak witches to breed with the Valg. She finds a girl named Elide who she finds has Blackbeak blood in her veins.[1] She uses her to spy on the experiments that Erawan is doing on the Yellowlegs witches. She meets Dorian Haviliard while he is still under the influence of the Valg and manages to make him remember his name. She fights Aelin when she and her court come to free Lysandra. The duel between the two ends in Manon almost dying and Aelin saving her, leaving her with a life debt towards Aelin and her court. She owns up to it by informing the queen that Dorian still has some human inside of him. Later, she rescues Elide from the Valg and takes her away from Morath, witnessing the sacrifice of Kaltain Rompier. She informs Elide that her queen is still alive and that she should join her. She then tells Elide that now that war has started, Elide should pray to never see her again. Elide answers that, despite that, she hopes they do meet again. She then leaves Elide into Oakwald.
Relationships
Abraxos
Manon is the rider of Abraxos, a wyvern. They became allies when Manon was thrown into the pit and seeing a warrior in him, she chose him has hers as he had chosen her as his. They become tight and fond of each other throughout the books. Abraxos was showed to be smaller than most of the other wyverns though much more intelligent.
Asterin Blackbeak
Asterin is Manon's second cousin and closest friend, who has been protecting her for around a century. In Empire of Storms, Asterin is to be punished by death but Manon allows her to run instead by attacking Blackbeak Mother. It's revealed there is a bond/connection between Asterin and Manon.
Dorian Havilliard
Dorian and Manon getting their jiggy on
Manon, not knowing why she cares, visits Dorian after asking Asterin about love, hinting a future romance between the two. in Empire of Storms, the two meet again and continue to tease each other, leading into a romance between the two. After a few weeks of teasing, romance, and kissing, Dorian walks into Manon's room. Manon told Dorian to "finish what he started". It is inferred that "what he started", was a night where they had kissed and Dorian had left saying "I'm not finished with you yet". Following, this, the two have sex.
Elide Lochan
Manon develops some affection for Elide and ultimately rescues her, with help from Kaltain Rompier, from being implanted with a Valg child. Manon actually smiled at Elide before they set off to different places. Later, in Empire of Storms, they meet again.
Memorable quotes
"Wrong kind of witch." - Heir of Fire
“Witches didn't need blood to survive, but humans didn't need wine, either.” - Heir of Fire
"This witch had been crafted from the darkness between the stars" - Dorian about Manon in Queen of Shadows
"We are The Thirteen, from now until the Darkness claims us. Let's remind them why." - Heir of Fire
Trivia
- She enjoys the sound of the wind and the groans of men dying;
- Manon owns a sword named Wind-cleaver.