Jinana

Background

Jinana is the leader of the Maribel, one of the six Tribes of the Junkyard. Her primary rival tribe is that of the Solids. The Maribel are significantly weaker than the Solids in personnel, numbers, and position, and are only held together through the strong leadership of Jinana and the exceptional skills of a few key Maribel, such as Bat. Adding to the problems with the Solids is the fact that their leader, Mick the Slug, never appears in combat, instead preferring to remain safe in his base at Anahata, thus eliminating any possibility of a quick victory for the Maribel. These two key factors mean that the Maribel are subject to constant Solids raids and have developed a distrustful nature to those who are not of their ranks.

After the events at Ground Zero, members of the Maribel begin being able to transform into demons. Many Maribel lose themselves to their demon forms and devour their own tribesmen, leading Jinana to the conclusion that the demons are a curse. As a result of this, Jinana refuses to both transform into her demon form as well as devour others.

Events of Digital Devil Saga

Jinana is first seen at the gathering of tribe leaders at the Karma Temple. Here, she asks Angel what a demon is, but is told that "you cannot yet understand." Thus rebuked, Jinana continues in her view of demon power as a

curse. Not long after returning to her base at Manipura, her territory is approached by Serph, Heat, and Argilla of the Embryon. Jinana is interested by their offer of an alliance and proposes that, if they can prove their strength by making it through Manipura, the Maribel will consider an alliance. When the Embryon do manage to make it through the fortress, Jinana sends Bat to fight them, not to prove their strength this time, but to see what they believe about their demon powers. The Embryon defeat Bat, but do not devour him. This impresses Jinana, and she agrees to the alliance. However, this decision would awaken Bat's anger, and would be the Maribel's ultimate downfall.

Jinana proposes a plan to take down the Solids: she and the Maribel will stage a frontal assault on the Solids base at Anahata and draw their attention, while the Embryon sneak in through the back and take out Mick. The Embryon agree to this proposal, and the plan begins. Bat, however, betrays Jinana, and alerts Mick of the plan. As a result, the Embryon are ambushed in Mick's room and Mick himself joins the battle against the Maribel, laying waste to their ranks. Jinana, too weak from hunger to really fight, is defeated by Mick. The Embryon arrive just in time to see her casually flung aside by the callous Mick. However, Jinana's hunger after having not devoured anyone causes her to lose control of her demon form and attack her allies, the Embryon. She battles them and loses, mortally wounded in the struggle. Argilla grieves for Jinana, and her tears bring about the realization that Jinana truly was the Embryon's comrade. So saying, her emotions awaken, she closes her eyes, and passes on. Her territory and personnel pass to the Embryon, per the law of the Junkyard.

Events of Digital Devil Saga 2

Jinana makes a brief appearance as solar noise on the Sun. Here, rather than fighting, Jinana will (depending on the player's choices in Digital Devil Saga 1) present Argilla with her unique skill: Seraph's Lore.

Significance

Jinana's significance comes primarily through character development. She is used to shed further light on the emotions swelling within both Argilla and Bat. Argilla and Jinana quickly become close through their common view on the recent developments in their world. Jinana is interesting because she leads a warlike tribe whose goal is to eliminate others, and yet she cannot stomach "needless killing". It is this perceived weakness that causes Bat, her second-in-command, to betray her to the Solids. Jinana is also the first character to lose complete control of her demon form. While this was hinted at with Gale, Jinana is the first of what will be two examples of characters completely losing control of themselves, forcing their friends or allies to defeat them.

Miscellaneous Info

Atma Avatar - Usas

Atma Mark - Aurora

Mark Locale - Right buttock

Emotions awaken - After accepting Argilla and the Embryon as comrades, just prior to her death

Voice Actor (Japanese) - Kazue Ikura

Voice Actor (English) - Mary Elizabeth McGlynn