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SPOILER WARNING: Plot details follow. Caution is advised!

I do not have to be only one thing. I can choose what suits me when it suits me. The trousers and jacket do not make me a man, and the necklace does not make me a woman. They are only what makes me feel beautiful and powerful in this moment. I am exactly as I choose to be. I am a Shadowhunter who wears gorgeous suits and a legendary pendant.

–Anna thinking about her new look, Every Exquisite Thing

Anna Lightwood is the eldest child of Cecily Herondale and Gabriel Lightwood, and the older sibling of Christopher and Alexander.

History[]

Early life[]

Anna was raised primarily in London, along with her brother and James and Lucie Herondale. As a child, Anna was very high-spirited and excitable. She would sometimes try to leave the London Institute to go for walks on her own in London, but her Auntie Jessamine, a ghost, always shooed her back inside. She also had a habit of taking her father's clothes and hats.[2]

In her adolescence, her family moved in with her other cousins in Idris for a few years. During the time when she would have been sent to the Shadowhunter Academy, she was said to be very vocal about not wanting to go, even saying that she would run away and become a mundane bullfighter if she was forced to.[3] Eventually, all of her family returned to London permanently to be close to one another.

Becoming Anna[]

At some point, Anna took to borrowing her brother Christopher's clothes and trying them on in front of the mirror in her room, admiring the way the clothes made her look and feel. Anna did her best to keep this activity a secret, taking clothes no one would notice were missing and then hiding them in her closet, always changing back into her dresses when her family was around.

In 1901, her mother told her they had been invited to dinner by Inquisitor Bridgestock who had just moved to London with his family from Idris. Anna was not excited about having dinner with the Inquisitor but agreed to keep an eye on her brother to make sure he didn't set anything, or anyone, on fire during the meal. There she met Ari Bridgestock, the Bridgestocks' adoptive daughter. Anna was immediately enthralled by her beauty and tried to make conversation with her. After dinner, Ari asked Anna to be her training partner, which the latter agreed to.

A week later, Ari paid Anna an early morning call and brought her to the Bridgestock's house to train. During the training, Ari asked Anna to take her somewhere fun. She decided on a Downworlder club Matthew Fairchild had shown her in Soho. At the club, they were forbidden to enter, making them curious as to what was going on since last time it had simply been an artistic salon. They climbed through the attic window and found the mundanes summoning Ravener demons with the guidance of Leopolda Stain. As the demons began killing the gathered mundanes, Anna and Ari started fighting them off with the help of Brother Zachariah. During the battle, Anna was stung in the arm while shielding Ari, so the other girl brought her to her house to treat the wound. They then spent an intimate night together kissing.

The next day, Anna returned to the Bridgestocks' house with flowers to find that Ari was set to be betrothed to Charles Fairchild. Heartbroken, she rejected Ari's offer to be lovers until Charles return from the Paris Institute in a year. She returned home and was confronted by her mother, who explained that she not only knew but accepted her daughter for who she is. Cecily then gifted her a new suit and her ruby pendant. After cutting her hair and admiring her new look, Anna vowed that she would not allow herself to be hurt by romantic love like that again.[4]

She eventually moved out into her own flat and enjoyed the bohemian lifestyle of fornicating with as many women as she pleased. She gained a scandalous reputation and disapproval from the older set but was very popular and respected among her peers. She even became well-regarded in Downworld and a regular at a Downworlder salon, the Hell Ruelle.

New arrivals[]

In August 1903, the London Enclave welcomed the arrival of the Carstairs and Blackthorn families. At the same time, they were ambushed by a Mandikhor demon and its Khora offspring that were impervious to daylight. During the first attack, Ari was bitten and poisoned, triggering Anna's old feelings for her and making her determined to defeat this new enemy.

Despite all this chaos, Anna decided to befriend Cordelia Carstairs; wishing to talk her out of her obvious hopeless love for James. She soon realized those efforts were fruitless and decided to go a different route—buying her new dresses that better suited her in hopes of getting James to notice her. After tea, Anna took Cordelia with her to the Hell Ruelle to ask questions in Downworld about the attacks. Together they managed to get Hypatia Vex and Malcolm Fade to give them some information and even send for Ragnor Fell.

Days later, upon request of the Merry Thieves, Anna returned to the Ruelle with Cordelia, Matthew, and James in order to seduce and steal a Pyxis from Hypatia to capture the demon. Following her brother being attacked and poisoned, Anna asked Magnus Bane for help in setting up extra wards around her family's home. In doing so, she agreed to owe Magnus a favor, which she didn't mind as she expected it to be entertaining.

Shortly after, it was revealed that James had destroyed the Mandikhor and the sick were recovering thanks to Christopher and Thomas. While at James and Cordelia's engagement party, she was approached by Ari who told her that she had heard her when she visited her in the infirmary and had realized that Anna still loved her. She continued to say she now knew that nothing mattered to her if she did not have Anna. When Anna asserted her pessimism about love, Ari told her that she would change her mind and win her back.[5]

Running and investigating[]

Over the next few months, Ari tried numerous times to get Anna back but she refused her repeatedly—having been running from Ari for the last two years, she saw no reason to stop now and risk getting hurt again. Especially as she did not believe Ari had changed and would be fine being public with her if they were to engage in a relationship. When Ari continued to ask for dances and such, and proved too stubborn to give up, Anna conceded and began having a physical relationship with her. For about a couple weeks, Anna sent Ari notes for secret assignations at the Hell Ruelle's Whispering Room. However she made it clear that she was not to be won and would not be tied down with emotions and romances; Anna continued her entanglements with other women as she claimed she liked her life as it was.

After one of her infamous parties, Filomena di Angelo was found dead on her walk home from Anna's flat. Anna felt guilty about her death, feeling that she should have insisted she or someone else accompany the girl home. As such, she joined her cousins when they decided to try to track down Filomena's ghost and get information on the murderer killing Shadowhunters. After speaking with her, and fighting off an Ourobas demon, Anna told the Enclave about the discovery of Filomena's shawl in an old factory and the presence of the killer's bloody cloak; leaving out, however, the details of her ghost and the others being present.

On two occasions, Anna and Ari noticed Lucie and Grace Blackthorn having fraught meetings with Malcolm at the Ruelle. On the second, they pulled Lucie aside, asking her what was going on. Lucie explained that she was helping Grace look into the mysterious circumstances of her brother's death. Anna agreed to assist Lucie in this investigation and managed to get Hypatia to give them information—though Hypatia was still mad at Anna for having stolen her Pyxis. She explained that after Jesse's birth, Tatiana Blackthorn had reached out in Downworld for someone to put protection spells on him and Emmanuel Gast was the only one who answered. Lucie quickly rushed home and asked Anna not to say anything until she spoke with Grace.

That morning, on their way back to the London Institute, Ari opened up to Anna about her past and asked for forgiveness. Before Anna could reply, Leviathan attacked the Institute. As the battle started, Anna threw Ari behind her to protect her. This act stayed with Ari throughout the day and when Ari confronted Anna about it, she pretended she did not recall having done so. Ari continued that she could not take it anymore that Anna did not forgive her and would not allow Ari to love her, once again ending the semblance of a relationship they had. Anna played it off, saying she had someone to get to in her apartment, but after walking a short distance away, broke down on the steps of a nearby house.[6]

Personality[]

Anna has a good relationship with her friends and family, who in turn admire that she is strong, sophisticated, confident, and self-assured. She's very protective of "the boys": Matthew, James, Christopher, and Thomas.[5] Anna is well-respected and very popular among the London group, and her approval is sought after because "if Anna doesn't like you, no one will!"[7] She is also quite witty[8] and a keeper of people's secrets.[9][7][10] Anna views the world with amused tolerance, rarely going so far as to like someone and for her to dislike someone is even rarer.[5]

She rejects the binary gender identity. Anna dates women and, because she does not like to commit, has even had several girlfriends.[5]

Magnus Bane described Anna as "brash, laughing, cheroot-smoking". He also joked that Anna was one of the Lightwoods whom he actually liked.[11][12]

Physical description[]

Anna is said to have the Herondale black hair and blue eyes. She has sharp cheekbones and is extremely slender with small curves. She is tall and typically seen in the height of men's fashion.

Cordelia describes her as being striking, whereas Matthew prefers the french term jolie laide meaning oddly beautiful and having a face with character.[5]

Skills and abilities[]

  • Nephilim physiology: Being Nephilim, Anna possesses a myriad of enhanced physical and mental abilities granted to her by the blood of Raziel in her veins and also by the angelic Marks of the Gray Book. This includes enhanced strength, agility, stamina, coordination, and many others which improve over time and practice.
    • Runic magic: Due to the angel Raziel's blood in their veins, all Shadowhunters are able to apply runes on their skin without any real danger. These Marks, in turn, give varied effects that serve to benefit the wearer.
    • The Sight: As a Shadowhunter, Anna is able to easily see through most magical illusions and layers of glamour over reality.
    • Use of heavenly weapons: As a Nephilim, Anna is also able to handle heavenly weapons with effect, since this would normally not work for other species. In particular, these are weapons made of adamas and forged by Iron Sisters, such as seraph blades.

Possessions[]

  • Percival: A vibrantly colored, stuffed two-headed snake Anna keeps on a table by her bedroom. He was a love gift from Virginia Woolf during a party at King's College.[13] Anna named him Percy after the street name of her flat.[14]
  • Knives: Anna has a collection of knives stuck through the mantel of her fireplace. Each are a bit decorative with their jeweled or glittering hilt.
  • Basic Shadowhunter gear: such as steles, seraph blades, and a witchlight.

Relationships[]

Romance[]

LBH Anna & Ariadne 01
I have been running away from you for two years. Why should I stop now?

–Anna about Ari, Chain of Iron

Ari Bridgestock was Anna's first love.

The pair met when Anna's family went for dinner at the Inquisitor's house. Anna was immediately struck by her beauty and the pair made plans to train together. After their first training session, they went out for a night on the town and after saving Ari's life, Anna went back to her home to be bandaged up. They shared a passionate kiss and Anna knew she loved her.

When she returned the next day with flowers, Anna was hurt to learn of Ari's engagement to Charles Fairchild. Ari tried to convince her to continue their love affair until the engagement became official, but Anna refused, knowing it would only hurt more.

From then on, Anna became a skeptic of love, believing it more trouble than it was worth. She became something of rake and her name lived in infamy among the older set. However after Ari was poisoned and nearly died, Ari announced her intention of changing her mind and winning her back.

Anna avoided Ari's efforts for months. Eventually she began a physical and non-exclusive relationship with her. Though she claimed not to care for her, and had told Ari she would never love her, when things ended again, she was visibly distraught.

I choose not to have my emotions bound up in romances. When you give people your heart, you deliver them the opportunity to hurt you, and it leads to bitterness.

–Anna to Ari, Chain of Iron

Anna became a bit of a rake after her break-up with Ari. She had relations with numerous women including:

  • Mariane
  • Virna
  • Eugenia
  • Laura
  • Unnamed mundane fashion model
  • Unnamed mundane at party

Family/Friends[]

They are my special favorites, those four, you must have noticed.

–Anna to Cordelia about the boys, Chain of Gold

Anna is very close and protective of the Merry Thieves—which consists of:

  • James Herondale — Anna's cousin and someone she has a bit of a soft spot for. Watching him grow up awkward and shy made her very protective of him; and when she learned he was bullied at school, it made her furious.
  • Matthew Fairchild — Anna's pseudo-cousin whom she enjoys spending time with. Both of them enjoy fashion and a bit of the bohemian life-style, they often frequent Downworlder haunts and other disreputable establishments to have fun.
  • Christopher Lightwood — Anna's younger brother whom she is very close with. When Anna was younger, she used to borrow his old clothes to dress up in and was often asked to keep an eye on him at important functions. She considered his absent mind a sign of their similarities, in that they were both often in their own world.
  • Thomas Lightwood — one of Anna's cousins. Like the others, she is protective of Thomas. After his sister passed, she became concerned for him and did what she could to comfort him. When she became aware of his efforts to find a serial killer on his own, she made him promise to get a partner. She later did her own research to prove his innocence when accused of being the killer.

Anna is quite fond of her youngest cousin, as seen by her constant and excessive use of terms of endearment towards her. According to Anna, Lucie has used many of her own best lines in her writing, though she does not mind.

When she noticed Lucie was becoming close with Grace and was having meetings with a powerful warlock, Anna tried to intervene to make sure she was safe, though she did offer Lucie to keep her secrets. After explaining her efforts to look into the death of Jesse Blackthorn, Anna readily told Lucie the rumors she had heard that may help and then agreed to help her get to the bottom of it.

Anna first met Cordelia at Tessa and Will's 18th anniversary ball at the Paris Institute and was curious about her family name. She was welcoming towards Cordelia, saying that any parabatai of Lucie's is essentially family.

When Cordelia moved to London, Anna noticed that Cordelia was in love with James. Hoping she could talk the poor girl out of it, she invited her over for tea. She soon realized that there was no way to do so, and instead chose to help her get James to notice her as she found Cordelia to be a wonderful person whom she liked very much. Still, when the pair did become engaged, Anna was suspicious of the circumstances though she never mentioned it and chose to be happy for them.

In December, Anna attended a bachelorette party for Cordelia at the Hell Ruelle, the night before her wedding. The girls chatted happily with one another about marriage, the wedding, and even Lucie's book. She left before the others and was at the wedding the next morning; joining the couple at their close friends table at the reception.

I have always known you, my love. You are the gem of my heart. My firstborn. My Anna.

–Cecily to Anna, Every Exquisite Thing

Anna has a good relationship with her parents. When Anna had her heart broken by Ari, Cecily comforted her and told Anna she knew about her preference for women and wearing men's clothing. Both Cecily and Gabriel bought Anna a new suit to show their love and support for their child.

Due to their differences in lifestyles, Anna had a cordial yet distant relationship with Barbara and Eugenia.[15] When Barbara collapsed at the party to welcome the Carstairs family to London, Anna saved her by cutting her dress. The next day at the picnic by Regent's Park, Anna asked Thomas about Barbara's well being.[5] Later, when Eugenia returned from Idris, she began spending more time with Anna.[16]

Anna is not fond of Charles and "cannot admire all his decisions"; not approving of his relationship with Adriane and how he broke it off with her. If she does dislike him, she won't admit it.[5]

Appearances[]

Gallery[]

See more here

Etymology[]

Cecily chose the name "Anna" for her daughter because she was very ill during her pregnancy and she had feared that Anna would not live to be born or that she too would be ill, yet she was born a beautiful, healthy child. "Anna" means "favor" and Cecily felt that the Angel had favored her by giving her this perfect child.[4]

Trivia[]

  • Anna can speak Welsh.[17]
  • Her weapon of choice is the whip.[1]
  • She is very capable of making people feel special and comfortable. She would organize tea parties under tables, tree-climbing, and hide-and-go-seek adventures for her younger cousins.[8]
  • Her fashion choices are highly-anticipated by people around her, particularly among her cousins.[8]
  • Charlotte Fairchild is her godmother.[5]
  • Her favorite book is The Secret Diaries of Anne Lister.[1]
  • Anna is partly based on artist Romaine Brooks.[7][18][19]
  • Anna's favorite animal is a snake.[1]
  • She smokes cigars.[5]
  • She has famous absinthe parties.[6]
  • While Anna Lightwood is genderqueer,[20] the series is set in a time period where the term, and the modern considerations such as gender-neutral pronouns, were still non-existent.[21]
  • According to a found family tree, Anna died in 1941 at the age of 56 or 57.
  • Anna has a black book in which she keeps a record of the names of all her successful "conquests".[5]
  • Even when Anna was younger, she wore dresses "without much enthusiasm".[22]

References[]

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