Amihan is a character and the protagonist of the Encantadia series, written by Suzette Doctolero. The Encantadia franchise, consisting of four series Encantadia, Etheria, , and Encantadia, is primarily focused on Amihan's journey to the throne of the Kingdom of Lireo. Amihan is portrayed by actress Iza Calzado on the first 3 series, and in the spin-off movie, while Kylie Padilla portrayed the character in the 2016 series of the same name. In Encantadia, Amihan is the daughter of Mine-a, the Queen of Lireo and Raquim, prince of Sapiro. She was sent to the mortal world to save her from the Hathors who are planning to kill her, as she has been visionized as a threat to the Hathoria Kingdom. Her ancestry has never been kept secret from her as she was taught by her father about Encantadia during her childhood days. When the Hathors followed them in the mortal world, and succeeded in killing his father, she returned to Encantadia and reunited with her mother and 3 sisters. She succeeded her mother as the Queen of Lireo in Encantadia and continued her reign until Etheria. She was then succeeded by her sister Danaya in Encantadia: Pag-ibig Hanggang Wakas.
Concept and creation
Encantadia is a spin-off of Mulawin. In Mulawin, a similar character named Banayad was Encantadia's diwata of wind/air and could be considered as the first version of the character. In the Philippines, Amihan refers to the season dominated by the trade winds, which are experienced in the Philippines as a cool northeast wind. It is characterized by moderate temperatures, little or no rainfall, and a prevailing wind from the east. Encantadia writer, Suzette Doctolero based it on that concept as Amihan is the keeper of Gem of Wind/Air. In the series, four gems of nature referred as Brilyante control balance in their world: the air, fire, water and earth.
Background
Amihan is the second oldest of the four daughters of Mine-a. She is named after Mine-a's sister in the hope that she would grow to be as kindhearted as her namesake. She is the child that would fulfill Cassiopeia's prophecy, a great ruler foretold to bring forth the ruin of the kingdom of Hathoria. Because of this, Hagorn, the King of Hathoria planned to assassinate the young child through Gurna, a Hathorian spy in the Lireo Kingdom. Due to the unsuccessful murder plot, Mine-a sent Amihan together with Raquim to the mortal world to save her daughter. She grew up in the world of the mortals, and doubting Encantadia as a mere fairy tale conjured up by her father Raquim until Hagorn attacked them one night and killed her father. She was brought back to Encantadia and reunited with her mother and sisters. Amihan is the mother-figure among the Sang'gres with a soft heart and just personality. She is regal and majestic, often exhibiting an aura of power and nobility, an ideal quality for a queen. Because of this, she was eyed as a threat to her eldest sister Pirena who dream of ruling their Kingdom.
Appearances
Encantadia (2005)
Amihan is born on the day that Arvak was killed, fulfilling the first half of Cassiopeia's prophecy. When Mine-a was asleep, Gurna kidnapped Amihan and brought her to the forest to kill her but failed. Because of this incident and because of Cassiopeia's warning, Mine-a decided it was best for Raquim to bring Amihan to the human world for their child's safety. When his father was killed, she was brought back to Encantadia and reunited with her mother and sisters. When the time that Mine-a had to choose a successor, Amihan was put to test including her other sisters in which she had won. Amihan became the Queen of Lire-o to which her elder sister Pirena did not agree to. Pirena stole the gem of fire and defected from Lireo to make new allies in the Hathoria Kingdom. Amihan started her reign in the middle of a sprouting war between Lireo and Hathoria. Mine-a sought help from Emre and Emre's response to Mine-a is a child which Amihan will bear. After the death of their mother, Pirena surprises everyone by asking for repentance for all her sins. Unknown to her, Pirena is planning a coup-de-etat against her and eventually succeeded. Amihan was dethroned and took refuge in the forest of Lireo. She headed the War of the four Gems attempting to regain her throne, and eventually did.
Etheria (2005-06)
A prophecy by Ether was established a long time ago that if the last keen of the diwatas was born, the fallen Kingdom of Etheria will rise again. When Cassandra, granddaughter of Amihan was born, the prophecy became true and the fallen Kingdom poses a threat to now peaceful Encantadia. Amihan with her three sisters went back to the past to revert the prophecy by changing the history. Amihan headed their fight against the four Herans of Etheria in which they gain victory with the help of the "Inang brilyante". She was then succeeded by her youngest sister, Danaya as the Queen of Lireo.
Encantadia: Pag-ibig Hanggang Wakas (2006)
Because of the defeat of the Etherians, Ether flew around her kingdom which was all destroyed to find the Four herans. She found them all and kept their spirits in a crystal ball and brought them to the future. The Crystal ball broke and their spirits became free. They practiced fighting and planned to steal the four gems so Etheria may once again rise back in glory. Amihan fought against the Etherians once again to keep the gems in their territory. After the fight between them and the Etherians, Amihan was never seen again the Kingdom of Lireo and believed that they vanished with her other sisters.
Encantadia (2016)
The 2016 series is a reboot to the 2005 fantasy serieswith the same name. It is the fourth series of the Encantadia franchise and is 11 years apart from the third one. It features the same character and story of Amihan with the 2005 series. It was portrayed by actress Kylie Padilla who underwent vigorous trainings in martial arts.
