Viren (The Dragon Prince)
Viren is a fictional character appearing in the American–Canadian fantasy computer-animation web television series The Dragon Prince, which has been airing on Netflix since 2018. Created by the show's co-creators Aaron Ehasz and Justin Richmond, the character is voiced by Jason Simpson.
Lord Viren is introduced as the High Mage of Katolis as well as the best friend and closest advisor of King Harrow, and the father of Soren and Claudia. A practitioner of dark magic, he often used his abilities to help Harrow and the Kingdom of Katolis. Following Harrow's death at the hands of Moonshadow Elf Assassins and the Princes going missing, Viren assumed rule of Katolis. The second season portrays him as trying to convince the other four Human Kingdoms to ally with Katolis and fight against the Elves, as well as his partnership with the mysterious Startouch Elf residing inside a magic mirror; Aaravos. Their relationship continues in the show's third season, where they align with most of the human kingdoms to invade Xadia.
Viren was one of the first two characters created for The Dragon Prince. Despite being a villain in the story, he was intentionally written by Ehasz and Richmond to be a morally ambiguous character—a "flawed complicated" pragmatist—as they felt this made the character more round and interesting, as well as providing for better storytelling opportunities.
The character has received positive reviews from critics and often been praised as one of the show's best characters. The character's ambiguous morality has often been the subject of attention, with many critics arguing that it makes him a compelling character and villain, praising the show for making its viewers question whether Viren's actions are justified or not. His relationships with other characters such as Harrow and his children have also been praised for helping humanize him. From the second season onwards, his interactions and relationship with Aaravos have also been singled out for commendation.
Storylines
Background
Viren was born on April 11. A member of the Kingdom of Katolis' court, he was a highly skilled practitioner of dark magic and the best friend of King Harrow. At some point, he married a woman named Lissa and they had two children; a son named Soren and a daughter named Claudia. However, Viren and Lissa would often argue over the former's use of dark magic, and eventually got a divorce, with both of his children choosing to stay with Viren.At least nine years before the show's beginning, the Queens of Duren—Annika and Neha—approached Katolis for help with a famine. Knowing that giving their own rations would result in many of their own people dying, Viren came up with a plan to go to Xadia and kill a Magma Titan, using its heart for a ritual that would improve both Katolis and Duren's capacity for farming. The expedition was succesful, but on the way back, they were attacked by the Dragon King, who succeeded in killing the Queens of Duren and Sarai.
Four months before Harrow's assassination, Viren had gathered most materials needed for a spell powerful enough to kill the Dragon King; Avizandum. Convincing Harrow to kill him, the two reached the Border. Not finding him there, they confronted him at his lair, where they managed to kill him by turning him to stone. Realizing that his mate Zubeia had laid an egg, Viren set out to find it and destroy it. With most member of the Dragonguard having abandonded their post, only Rayla's parents Tiadrin and Lain were left to protect it. While Viren was able to subdue both of them, Tiadrin convinced him to spare it, as he could use it for dark magic instead. As a means of "thanking" them, Viren trapped both inside coins and took both the egg, and magic mirror the dragons were guarding.
''Book 1: Moon'' (2018)
Alerted by a scout, Viren informs Harrow that Moonshadow Elf assassins are planning to kill him for their killing of the Dragon King and the supposed destruction of the Dragon Prince's egg. To save Harrow's life, Viren presents him with a two-headed Soulfang Serpent; a cobra-like snake which can drain people's souls. Viren could use the serpent to switch Harrow's soul with someone else, and save his life. Harrow refuses, and when pressed by Viren that any of his subjects would be willing to die for him, asks Viren if he'd be willing to sacrifice himself. Shaken by his words, Viren eventually decides to sacrifice himself for Harrow. However, before Viren has the chance to explain himself, Harrow misunderstands his sentiments as believing he is superior and above the kingdom's laws. After harshly demanding that Viren kneel and "learns his place", he grudgingly complies. With Harrow dead and the princes having run off with Rayla to get the egg back to its mother, Viren prepares to crown himself King. However, the coronation is prevented when news arrives that they are still alive. After a confrontation with the princes aunt Amaya, Viren locks her Commander Gren up in the dungeon, and sends his own children to find them. Viren tells Soren to come back with news that the princes have "perished", hinting that he should kill them. When asked about it by her, he also tells Claudia to prioritize obtaining the egg, even at the expense of Soren's life. Later, Viren visits Runaan at the dungeon; the only assassin left alive. He offers to let him go, if Runaan tells him what he knows about the mirror found in the Dragon King's lair. While Runaan recognizes the mirror, he refuses to reveal its nature. As punishment, Viren uses dark magic to trap Runaan inside a coin; something which he had threatened to do earlier.''Book 2: Sky'' (2019)
Viren attends a council meeting where he argues that their kingdom is in danger and that a summit of the Pentarchy—the five Human Kingdoms—must be called. When Opeli and the other members refuse, as only a monarch can do that, he visits the Crow Master and threatens him to send a scroll calling for a meeting with the other monarchs. Viren uses a potion to strip the magic mirror of its illusion. While initially angered at the apparent failure of his spell, he's eventually able to see that in shows another room. After some waiting, Viren is able to see a cloaked elf inside the mirror. Initially being the only one who can see inside the mirror, the elf casts a spell allowing him to see Viren as well. The elf gestures to Viren to gather specific herbs. While initially following through with some instructions, he states that he needs time to think the situation through and leaves. In a meeting with the Pentarchy, Viren informs the monarchs of the impeding attack by Xadia. During the summit, he manages to sway three of the four leaders present into backing his campaign of war. However, the current queen of Duren and daughter to the late queens before her, Queen Aanya, sees through his honeyed words and despite Viren sharing a story of how he and the kingdom of Katolis helped her mothers and Duren while the kingdom was starving, remains unwilling to repay the debt by sending millions to die where her mothers did. Not long after, the other leaders reconsider their desicions as well, leading to a unanimous refusal of Viren's declaration of war. Not long after, Viren is exposed as a treasonist and is stripped of his title and power as king regent. With no other options left, Viren follows through with the elf's instructions. The spell causes an insect to teleport from inside the mirror to Viren's location, which crawls to his ear and allows the two of them to communicate. The elf finally reveals his identity; a Startouch Elf named Aaravos. When Viren tries searching for information on Aaravos in the library, it magically disappears from the scrolls and books. Upon demanding to know what's going on, and why Viren should trust him, Aaravos replies that he shouldn't, but that he is willing to help him. When Viren admits that the leaders of the other human kingdoms refuse to listen to his warnings, Aaravos agrees to help him. First, he has Viren chant a spell to create spectral versions of the elven assassins to terrorize the other monarchs. When castle guards attempts to arrest him, Aaravos casts spells to help Viren fight them off. However, he's eventually outnumbered and despite protests, he stops when Aaravos tells him to, telling him that he'll stay with him, as the insect crawls into his ear.''Book 3: Sun'' (2019)
Despite having been put in the dungeon and despairing, Aaravos tells Viren not to give up. When his children visit him, he learns that the egg has hatched. When they inquire about their missions, he tries to save face in front of Claudia that he never actually told Soren to kill the princess, which she seems to believe, but Soren isn't pleased. With the death of two monarch and King Ahling in critical condition, his son decides to work with Viren to wage war on Xadia. The caterpillar weaves silk over Viren's right eye, allowing him to see an apparation of Aaravos, just in time for Ezran to step down as king and allow Viren to assume the throne. That evening, Viren declares to his subjects that they will fight Xadia. Respecting Ezran's last wish as king, he allows whoever doesn't want to fight to leave, but not before branding them as "cowards". On the way to Xadia, Aaravos inquires how Viren was able to slay the Dragon King, and Viren explains himself. As part of their plan to conquer Xadia and give humanity a chance to prosper, Viren enters the home of the Sunfire Elves; Lux Aurea. His plan works, and Queen Khessa's attempts to purify him of his dark magic leads to him and Aaravos corrupting the Sun Forge; the source of their power. Using its power, Viren is able to make Kasef and the rest of his army stronger. The battle, which Viren's forces was gradually losing, is later revealed to be a mere distraction for him to reach the Storm Spire Mountain. He attempts to harvest the Dragon Prince's power for himself. However, before the spell can be completed, Rayla tackles him over the cliff edge. She is rescued by Callum, but Viren falls to his death. His body is found by Claudia, who uses dark magic to resurrect him. Together they see Aaravos' caterpillar inside a cocoon, metamorphosing into something else.Development
Concept and creation
According to series co-creator Aaron Ehasz, Viren was one of the first two characters created for The Dragon Prince. The first concepts created for the series were those of the magic system; primal magic and dark magic. The first scene Ehasz wrote set in The Dragon Prince universe was a mage explaining the differences between primal and dark magic to his child; the mage would eventually become Viren. According to co-creator Justin Richmond, Viren is named after a personal friend of Ehasz. The only aspect of Viren that Ehasz's friend inquired about after being informed of his moral character was if he was "practical"; upon being informed that is the case, he approved of his name being used. During development, Viren's design was altered. His eye color was changed from purple to gray, as it was viewed by the crew to be too similar to Rayla's eye color and to avoid confusing the fans into believing that he is part elf.Regarding Viren's role as a villain in the series and his morality, co-creator Justing Richmond stated that "the most interesting villains don’t think they’re villains". Elaborating on the subject, as well as the role of other villains in the series, Richmond stated that Viren's ambiguity—which he described as "shades of gray"—was a conscious decision on the behalf of the writers, as they wanted the characters, including their villains, to be complex, round, and fleshed out; this allowed for more complex and layered storytelling.
When it came to casting, Viren was one of the three characters that Jason Simpson auditioned for, alongside Runaan and Aaravos. According to him, Runaan was the role he initially wanted, and was disappointed he was booked as Viren instead. However, he quickly realized that Viren was a "once in a lifetime" role for him, liking how complex Viren was.
Characterization and progression
Ehasz has described Viren as a character who is "flawed complicated", and stated that his ambiguous morality makes him fun character to write. Regarding Viren's unscrupulous actions, methods, and use on dark magic, he stated that "people can do bad things for good reasons, or for what they think are good reasons".He has also been described as a pragmatist. Regarding this aspect of the character and the fact that Viren often "cross the line", his voice actor—Jason Simpson—has stated that Viren is someone who "sees the end result, knows he can ", which is why he often performs immoral actions. Simpson also described him as a character who is driven to what is right.
Regarding his complex characterization, Ehasz has stated that part of Viren wants to do is become a champion for humanity out of a desire to protect his kingdom and "do the right thing". However, he also wishes to achieve this role in order to "be great and recognized". Commenting further on Viren, Ehasz stated his belief that the only aspect of Viren's identity that can challenge his desire to be a "great figure" is his role as a father; especially in his relationship with Claudia.
Ehasz admitted that Viren's role in the third season was more akin to that of a villain, with Simpson also noting that change from the first two seasons where he "could always believe there was a reason . Despite this change, Ehasz praised Simpson's performance for still giving layers to Viren's character, and that Simpson became more receptive of Viren's role in the third season after the two discussed the direction the character would take in the following two seasons; where "some of complexities be revealed and introduced".
Powers and abilities
In the world of The Dragon Prince, magic can be used only by magical creatures, as they have magical energy within them. All magic originates from one of the six Primal Sources: the Sun, the Moon, Stars, the Earth, the Sky, and the Ocean. As a human, Viren lacks a connection to a Primal Source, using dark magic instead to cast spells. Dark magic is performed by siphoning the magical energy from magical creatures. Viren uses dark magic by saying the spell he wishes to perform in reverse.Overuse of dark magic seems to have a negative impact on Viren's body. After performing a powerful spell that traps Runaan inside a coin, the spell causes Viren's face to become "cracked, dead-seeming, ice-like". At one point, he performs a spell which involves killing a butterfly and appears to reinvigorate him. Ehasz later confirmed that Viren's appearance from using dark magic is his true appearance, and the spell involving the butterflies is similar to a "daily cosmetic ritual" he performs to appear normal.
Reception
Viren's character and role has often been praised by critics, who describe him as complex, and sympathetic. Heather Alexander of Kotaku described him as a far better villain that Fire Lord Ozai from . Michal Schick of Hypable praised Viren's role as an antagonist in the season, commending the series for making the character's morality and motived "nuanced and real", rather than him being an "unambiguous villain". Reviewing the second season, Caroline Cao of Slashfilm, while praising Viren—and the show's portrayal of humanized villains as one of its strengths—reiterated this statement; describing the character as "tragic", she acknowledged how season 2 further displayed his moral ambiguities and "swerve with the audience’s expectations". Polygons Samantha Nelson described him as a nuanced antagonist throughout the series, and in a separate review, Petrana Radulovic and Cass Marshall also described him as a "compelling villain". Similar remarks were made by Forbes, with Erik Kain remarking that Viren is a complicated and sympathetic character, despite his "myriad of flaws".Viren's relationship with King Harrow and especially his children—Claudia and Soren—have also been praised for helping humanize the character. Alex Barasch of Slate described Viren's "fraught relationship" with Harrow as one of the most compelling aspects of the first season. Nelson, writing for The Verge, despite viewing Viren as a character who has done "terrible things with his dark magic", appreciated how the second season portrayed Viren's genuine love for Harrow through flashbacks, and how his actions are done to prevent further tragedy. IGN's David Griffin also reacted positively to the use of flashbacks in the season for displaying the complexity of Viren's character and making the audience question his morality. Radulovic and Marshall argue that one of Viren's most compelling traits is his relatability, noting that his relationship with his children—especially Claudia—while not absolving him of his crimes, his desire to "leave a legacy behind for his children an empathetic motivation to his drastic deeds" that helps humanize him.
Starting with the second season, attention has been given to Viren's interactions and relationship with the Startouch Elf Aaravos. The Daily Dots Gavia Baker-Whitelaw, who described Viren as having the best storyline out of every character in the season, noted his relationship with Aaravos as being "intriguing". In the third season, the praise given to Viren's relationship with Aaravos continued. Hypable praised the relationship and how the goals and actions of these two characters provided a contrast to those of Callum, Rayla, and Ezran. Polygons Samantha Nelson also reacted positively to the relationship between the two characters and how Aaravos "preys on Viren’s ambition and desperation to fulfill his own mysterious, malevolent goals". Forbes Kain also took note of his relationship with Aaravos and how it was causing Viren's descent into villainy.