A spirit sharing her name with her creator, the Witch of Greed, she met Anastasia by pure chance. After Julius had his name eaten, Anastasia allowed her to possess her so she would not forget him. In Arc 6, she guided Subaru and his companions to the Pleiades Watchtower. In the arc's climax, she gave Anastasia her body back, causing her to forget Julius but also allowing the two to start over.
Echidna takes the appearance of a white fox with snow white hair and sharp black eyes, though she usually takes the form of Anastasia's scarf.
Personality
Similarly to her creator, Echidna speaks, sounds, and acts just like the Witch herself. However, she has no memories of her past aside from her name. Because of this, Subaru nicknamed her Eridna (Scarfidna). She's also shown to deeply care about Anastasia, going to extreme lengths to make sure no one would find out about their condition. According to the author, she is the equivalent of Echidna in personality if she had a heart.
History
Whilst it is known that the Witch of Greed created Echidna, the exact purpose of her creation and what happened prior to her meeting Anastasia is unknown. However, Echidna states that she felt like the purpose of her birth was completed the second she was born.
Nine years prior to Subaru’s arrival to the world, Mother tasked a former slave named Reisel with retrieving an object relating to the legacy of the Witches. The object in question was a fox-like artificial spirit created by the Witch of Greed roughly four centuries prior. Echidna met Anastasia eleven years before the story after finding her enclosed within a wooden box that had been delivered to her in some cargo. Due to her inability to make a contract with humans, Echidna ended up becoming Anastasia's consultant because she was intrigued by her.
Shortly after the events of the Great Disaster, Anastasia, accompanied by Julius, Halibel, and Eridna, returned to Kararagi, where they decided to report their discoveries to the mayor of the Third City Ivada, Orgo Hayata. Unfortunately, there was yet another problem: the windstorm created by the Slasher, Zarestia, that was thrust upon Banan. After learning of this, she, Anastasia, and Julius made their way to Banan to meet up with Ricardo. Sometime after Ricardo quelled Zarestia's rage, Anastasia's group arrived and were led to the holding cells in Riften Magoji's mansion, where Zarestia was being held. During their conversation, Anastasia learned that Riften went missing, Julius noticed that Zarestia was a Great Spirit and introduced himself, and Halibel unintentionally riled her up by noticing her strange constitution, that something was missing. However, when Anastasia mentioned Zarestia being responsible for other such town-destroying wind cataclysms, Zarestia declared otherwise, saying that she only rampaged in Banan. Shortly afterward, this is confirmed when a massive tornado appeared outside of Banan, not made by Zarestia. After giving her orders and securing Zarestia's assistance, the group made their way to stop the tornado.
Abilities
Artificial Spirit (人工精霊, Jinkou Seirei): As an artificial spirit, Echidna lacks in certain ways compared to a normal spirit.[1] Though considered a great spirit,[2] she lacks the ability to contract with humans and it is difficult for her to use magic to defend herself with, and in exchange, she is skilled at concealing herself.[3] She is also a low-consumption spirit.[4]
Magic (魔法, Mahō): Echidna has a natural affinity for the yang attribute.
Jiwald (ジワルド):
Eridna (in Anastasia's body) using Jiwald against Capella Emerada Lugunica.
Jiwald is a yang attribute spell that allows Echidna to fire heat rays from her fingers.
El Jiwald (エル・ジワルド): Echidna can fire several rays from her fingers which are then brought down in a claw-like motion.
Cognitive Disruption (認識阻害, Ninshiki Sogai): The mechanism which Echidna can suppress others being able to recognize her true form. This ability doesn't work on Anastasia herself due to her defective Gate.
Possession: In emergencies, Echidna can overwrite her existence onto Anastasia's Od, making her able to temporarily borrow her body, and by doing so, she can draw on Anastasia's Od to use magic at the former's expense.
Trivia
Echidna's name refers to 42355 Typhon I Echidna, 42355 Typhon's moon and a companion to a binary asteroid. In Greek mythology, Echidna is a monster who was the mate of Typhon.
Echidna is indirectly stated to be the second artificial spirit created by the Witch of Greed, Puck being the first and Beatrice being the last.[5]
According to the author, the difference between Echidna and Eridna is the existence and nonexistence of a human heart.[6]
References
↑“I’m a being lacking in a lot of ways compared with a normal spirit.”Re:Zero Light Novel Volume 20, Chapter 7, Section 5.
↑“I’m unable to contract with a human. It is difficult for me to use magic to defend myself as well. In exchange, I am good at concealing my presence.”Re:Zero Light Novel Volume 20, Chapter 7, Section 5.
↑“I am a particularly low-consumption spirit and have never once burdened Ana with my mana needs.”Re:Zero Light Novel Volume 20, Chapter 7, Section 5.
↑"Of the artificial spirits that were created by the "Witch" Echidna, in which Beatrice is included, only 3 exist in the world. The first of which is Puck, and the last is Beatrice."Beatrice's Everyone is Troublesome, I Suppose: Section 2.
