Aife
For other uses of the word Succubus, see Succubus (disambiguation).
| Lost Girl Series Article | |
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 Character Article | |
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Lost Girl Series Articles | |
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Lost Girl Series Characters | |
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Lost Girl Series Episodes |
| Aife/Saskia | |
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| Lost Girl character | |
 The Succubus Aife, also known as Saskia | |
| First appearance |
The Mourning After |
| Last appearance |
Family Portrait |
| Portrayed by |
Inga Cadranel |
| Information | |
| Nickname(s) | Bo's Mother |
| Aliases | Aife / Saskia |
| Species | Succubus |
| Gender | Female |
| Spouse(s) | Hades - Husband |
| Children | Bo - Daughter |
| Relatives |
Trick - Father Isabeau - Mother |
| Appeared In | 8 Episodes |
| Aligned | Dark Fae |
| Fate |
Deceased Found dead by Bo, alongside Trick due to the actions of Hades in Family Portrait |
Lost Girl is a Canadian developed and produced television series which premiered in the 2010 season on the television channel Showcase.
For further on Bo, the succubus of the series, see her article in the SuccuWiki here. For the series itself, see that article here. For a general discussion of Succubi and their mythos in the series, see that article here.
Aife, also known as Saskia, was the name of a succubus that appeared in the Lost Girl television series. The role was played by the actress Inga Cadranel. She appeared in three First Season episodes, three Third Season episodes, one Fourth Season episode and one Fifth Season episode. When she first appeared, Saskia was a succubus that had recently arrived in the city the series is placed in. She met Bo and attempted to convince her to become a Dark Fae but failed in that attempt. When she next returned, she attacked Dyson and attempted to turn him into one of her thralls.
Her most important appearance in the series was the first season finale where she was revealed as being Bo's mother and her true name being Aife. Saskia, now known as Aife, attempted to start a war between the Light and Dark Fae by eliminating the Light Fae leadership. Bo was eventually able to stop her with the help of Dyson and Trick. Aife fell to her seeming death from the top of a circular staircase, falling several stories, but her body disappeared. She was last seen in the first season of the series being carried away by what appeared to be at that time one of her thralls into the darkness of a tunnel.
She returned in the third season for three episodes, the most important one being the season finale Those Who Wander where she revealed what happened to her at the end of her fight with Bo. She also revealed information about Bo's past before she vanished again by the end of the episode.
She returned in the fourth season premiere episode In Memoriam in connection with The Wanderer plot arc where reality had been changed to cause Bo to be forgotten by everyone. Aife however still remembered Bo and hired Kenzi and Dyson to find her. While reality was altered, she seemed to be sane and rational, however upon reality being returned to normal, her insanity returned. When this occurred, Trick, her father, was nearby and she attacked him. It was not clear how Trick stopped her attack or if she had been injured by Trick in some way defending himself.
She returned in the fifth season where it was revealed that she had been placed in an institution by Trick following her appearance in the previous season. Aife escaped, found her husband Hades and seemed to be at least partly rational at first. Bo encountered Aife with Hades, having dinner with them, and being asked to join them against all others. Following Bo's refusal, Aife met with Bo, and claimed that Bo had seen her where she was being held, the two working out a plan to banish Hades from Earth. When Bo explained that she did not know that Aife was alive, let alone visit her, Aife lost her sanity again, Bo committing her once more. When Trick attempted to escape with Aife before Hades came for her, Hades foiled this plan. Bo then found Aife alongside Trick in a diorama Hades created called "Family Portrait", their throats cut and bleeding out. While Trick was still barely alive, Aife was seen to be fatally injured and was dead by the time that Bo discovered what Hades had done.
Character History
First Season
Little is known about Saskia/Aife save for what she revealed to Bo in the series. In her first appearance in the series, The Mourning After, she described herself as a "novelty whore", that she travels a great deal, and has what she calls "sugar daddies" all over the world. She is Dark Fae in nature and refuses to deal with Light Fae.
She has no qualms about killing others as has been seen in the series. She normally dressed in all black with a red leather jacket. Her attitude is somewhat flippant in nature with her sexuality overwhelmingly in the open for all to see. She is harsh when using her powers, which probably reflects her Dark Fae nature.
Based on the events of the episode (Dis)Members Only, it was shown that the name Saskia was a cover name and her story was not a real one. When Saskia attacked Dyson in that episode, he called her Aife, which was the name of a Fae that Trick had warned others about in a previous episode. Trick noted that should Aife return that it would be bad for them, and as such the events of (Dis)Members Only, pointed at Saskia being in fact Aife.
In the season finale, Blood Lines Saskia was revealed to be Aife, Bo's Mother. It was shown in the episode that she was several centuries in age, at least equal to Trick's age or close to it. At some point in the past, Trick had attempted to stop a war between the Fae, but Aife refused to go along his plans. She then attacked a Dark Fae King and killed him. She then attempted to receive protection from Trick, as she was of his clan, but she was refused that and then was handed over to the Dark Fae to be executed. However, the Dark Fae she was given to decided that it would be a waste to kill her and as a result, Aife was tortured and used sexually for centuries.
She could not overcome the Dark Fae that held her because of an amulet, called the Koushang that the Dark Fae possessed which overcame her Succubus powers by binding the Chi of the Dark Fae to his body. She did however eventually escape and spent the following century planning revenge on Trick and the Light Fae. However, the cost to her was the loss of her mental stability and going insane.
Even though all of this information was given in the episode, we did not get any idea of when Bo was born, which meant that she could be in theory centuries old in age. It was also not revealed if Bo's Father was the Dark Fae king or not. So, as a result, Bo's origins remained unclear.
After revealing this information to Bo, Aife proceeded in an attempt to eliminate the Light Fae leadership. She did this by using a thrall she had created using her powers to carry a bomb into a meeting that was underway, and then detonate it. This resulted in many of the Light Fae leadership, including The Ash, to be injured gravely or killed.
Bo made plans to stop her, including obtaining the Koushang amulet with the help of Lauren from The Ash's trophy case. After gathering her weapons and seeing to it that Kenzi would not accompany her to face Aife, Bo did so. The two succubi faced each other in Aife's mansion with swords and pikes in a battle to the death. At one point, Bo was disarmed and Aife attempted to turn her into a thrall, but failed since Bo possessed the Koushang amulet. The fight continued with hand to hand combat at the top of a spiral staircase with Aife attempting to throw Bo over the edge.
Bo received help in the form of Dyson's power when he sacrificed his love for Bo to a Norn. At the same time, Trick used his powers as a Blood Sage to attempt to alter reality by writing with his blood in a book. Dyson's power helped Bo to overcome Aife, throwing her over the bannister and leaving her hanging in mid-air by Bo's hand. She was attempting to drag Bo over the edge with her to fall to her death when Trick's powers intervened. A symbol appeared on Aife's forehead in Trick's handwriting and she suddenly changed mentally.
For a moment her insanity left her and she sacrificed herself by making Bo let go of her. and plummeting to her seeming death. However, by the time that Bo and Kenzi, who had arrived moments before, reached the bottom of the stairs, Aife's body was gone leaving only a bloody stain on the carpet.
The last image of Aife in the episode was of a Thrall carrying her limp body down a darkened hallway to places unknown. It was not known if she was alive, badly injured, or dead at the end of that episode.
Third Season
She made a short appearance in the Third Season episode The Ceremony as part of Bo's trials for her Dawning. This was an illusion only and not a return within the reality of the series. During her brief appearance she killed an representation of the woman who was given Bo to care for after her birth as part of the trial Bo went through.
At the end of the episode Hail, Hale Aife returned to the series proper when she was shown being held in a cell by Doctor Isaac Taft. She appeared to be insane or close to being so, disheveled, and not sure of what was happening around her. Her appearance in the episode was only a tease for the season finale which followed. No real information was given about her save that she asked where her daughter Bo was in a confused voice before turning away from Lauren and Dyson who recognized who she was.
Her last appearance in the Third Season was in Those Who Wander where she revealed much information about herself and what happened after she faught Bo in the First Season finale Blood Lines. Aife revealed that the figure that was seen carrying her away at the end of the episode was Doctor Isaac Taft who she claimed had been watching her for some time, assuming that she was the strongest Fae there was. However her defeat showed that she was not and Isaac imprisoned her to gain more information on the Fae. Aife claimed to protect Bo from him by directing his attention towards Dyson instead and this seemed to happen as Isaac did not see Bo to be any real threat, assuming she was like her mother Aife. Aife also gave Bo some hints about her father and his abilities, such as being able to resurrect the dead. But Aife appeared to be insane throughout the episode and it is not clear whether she was lying or not. At one point, Aife took a killing blow meant for Bo and was severely injured. Bo was forced to leave Aife behind by Tamsin in the care of a Fae named Suneetha. The last seen of Aife was her attacking Suneetha and feeding from her in an apparent attempt to heal her wounds and escape the compound she was held in.
Fourth Season
Aife's first appearance was in the Season Four premiere episode In Memoriam. The reality and memories of everyone in the Lost Girl universe had been altered so that no one remembered that Bo ever existed. Aife came into contract with Kenzi and Dyson and asked Kenzi to find her daughter Bo. When asked where the proof was that she ever had a child, Aife indicated that any physical examination would not reveal anything as Succubi apparently completely heal from any trauma through childbirth. The insanity that Aife displayed previously in her appearances in the series was not present, this being apparently caused by the alteration of her memories. After Kenzi and Dyson restored everyone's memories, Aife found herself in the presence of Trick with her insanity returned and attached Trick with the intent of killing him. Trick survived the attack and in Sleeping Beauty School told Dyson that he had injured her, but did not know where she was.
Aife did not return at any other point in the Fourth Season and her condition and whereabouts were unknown.
Fifth Season
During 44 Minutes to Save the World, Hades claimed that Aife's story about kidnapping Bo to save her from him was a lie. The truth, according to Hades was that he saved Aife from the Dark Dungeons, taking her to Tartarus to do so, but could not heal her, blaming all of the suffering that Aife went through on Trick's actions. He also claimed that he was the one that sent Bo to Earth so that she would be safe from Aife.
In Family Portrait, it was revealed that Aife had been placed in an institution by Trick following her appearance in the previous season. Aife escaped, found her husband Hades and seemed to be at least partly rational at first. Bo encountered Aife with Hades, having dinner with them, and being asked to join them against all others. Following Bo's refusal, Aife met with Bo, and claimed that Bo had seen her where she was being held, the two working out a plan to banish Hades from Earth. When Bo explained that she did not know that Aife was alive, let alone visit her, Aife lost her sanity again, Bo committing her once more. When Trick attempted to escape with Aife before Hades came for her, Hades foiled this plan. Bo then found Aife alongside Trick in a diorama Hades created called "Family Portrait", their throats cut and bleeding out. While Trick was still barely alive, Aife was seen to be fatally injured and was dead by the time that Bo discovered what Hades had done.
Following these events, it was not made clear if Aife had made a will, if Bo received anything from her, or where Aife was buried.
Appearances in the Lost Girl Series
First Season
Third Season
Fourth Season
Fifth Season
Information revealed in the series
As Saskia
- She is Dark Fae
- She is part of a Succubus Clan
- Her powers as a Succubus are well developed
- She travels a lot, noting that she was in Berlin recently
- Thinks of herself as a "novelty whore"
- Tends to flaunt her sexuality
- Is likely heterosexual as she noted that women and Succubi are "not her type"
- Apparent age: 32 - Based on Inga Cadranel's age at the time of the character's appearance in the series.
- This would make her physically one year younger than Bo.
- However, this is not her actual age as that has been stated as being at least several centuries.
As Aife
- She is almost as old as Trick, both being at least several centuries of age. Being that she looks younger than Trick the question is when she was born with regards to Trick's marriage. She would have to be of a mature age before the time of the first Great Fae War however.
- She is Trick's Daughter
- She is Bo's Mother
- She does have the ability to control others by feeding on them and returning energy to them.
- She does have the ability to control other Succubi by sharing energy with them.
- She has the ability to create thralls, mind controlled slaves.
- The name Saskia was a cover story and her real name is Aife. This many be connected to this myth.
- She went insane due to being held captive by a Dark Fae King.
- She could not control the Dark Fae because he held possession of an amulet that negated her powers.
- She attempted to end a peace that Trick created in the past.
- She attempted to start a war by killing off the Light Fae leadership.
- She owned or had possession of a mansion with a number of thralls in it under her control.
- She was rescued by Isaac at the end of the episode Blood Lines and was imprisoned until the third season ended, escaping during the events of Those Who Wander.
- Her husband is Bo's father.
- It is unclear if she is insane or pretending to be at the end of the Third Season, but based on the events of the First Season, it is possible as she went insane when she was imprisoned before.
- Her location and condition was unknown at the end of the episode Those Who Wander.
- She returned in the Fourth Season premiere In Memoriam where as a result of a change in reality she appeared to be sane.
- Apparently, according to Aife, Succubi can heal all of the signs of their giving birth so there is no physical evidence of them having done so.
- Aife confirms in this episode that Bo was named for Aife's mother, Isabeau.
- When the memories of Bo were restored, Aife's insanity returned and she attacked Trick.
- Aife's condition and whereabouts were unknown at the end of the Fourth Season.
- In the Fifth Season, during Like Hell, Part II, Persephone, who identified herself as Bo's Stepmother, told of the conditions that Aife had lived under when she gave birth to Bo. Bo herself was born in Hel and Aife was not allowed to hold Bo except to feed her and was otherwise held in a cage. She found a means to escape and intended to leave with Bo but found they could not both do so. She then allowed Bo to leave in the care of a Midwife, Aife leaving Hel at at later point in time, but how she did so was not revealed in that episode.
- During Big in Japan, Trick revealed to Bo that at one point in the past, when Aife was still living with Trick's family, she went through a "dry spell" which lasted a year during which time Aife had no interest in sex. It was not revealed how she survived through this period of time, how she fed, or other details.
- Hades claims that he saved Aife from the Dark Dungeons, taking her to Tartarus to do so, but could not heal her.
- Hades blames all of the suffering that Aife went through on Trick's actions.
- Hades claims that he was the one that sent Bo to Earth so that she would be safe from Aife.
- Aife has been imprisoned in a mental institution since she attacked Trick in the episode In Memoriam.
- Aife escaped when she overpowered a male nurse, took the Chi from a female nurse and then ran away.
- Bo claims to have seen Taft kill Aife, but that's not quite true. Bo did see Taft stab Aife in Those Who Wander, Aife was still alive when Bo ran away, but she didn't see the body afterwards, no mention was made of that happening. So this is a bit of a stretch to accept all things considered.
- Trick tells of encountering Aife when she was sane. This was during the episode In Memoriam.
- Bo believes that she is the reason why Aife is insane, that the memory of her is the trigger for Aife losing her sanity at times.
- Trick informed Bo that Aife had been in the Fae mental institution and that she had escaped the night before the time the episode Family Portrait was set.
- Aife had pictures of Bo as a child pinned to her hospital room wall.
- According to Estelle, another patient, Aife was going to be released soon as she was "doing well" before she suddenly escaped.
- Bo finds Aife and Hades together at the condominium that Zee and Hera once owned.
- For all appearances, when Bo arrives, it appears that Aife is standing with Hades as husband and wife.
- Aife claimed that Hades saved her from the Dark Dungeons
- Aife claimed that Trick was the one that had her committed to the institution.
- Hades claimed that Aife is with him by her own free will and can leave him any time she wishes to.
- Aife fed on a female human in front of Bo and Hades in a somewhat violent manner. Bo's comments seeming to be the only thing that limited what she took.
- Both Aife and Hades conspired to place doubt in Bo's mind about Trick and the rest of her friends in an attempt to turn her to their side.
- Aife told Bo: "The Great War. My father, your grandfather, wrote a truce in his blood between the Light and the Dark. And me, always the rebel, I refused to choose. My mother Isabeau died during that war and I avenged her death by killing a Dark Fae elder. I went to Trick for protection. But to maintain order, he gave me over to the Dark for execution. And instead of killing me, they kept me as their prisoner."
- Aife claimed that: "Quite literally Bo, I went mad. Then Jack found me and saved me." He loved me and I loved him."
- Aife told Bo: "You were born of love."
- Aife admitted: "The cage was to protect you from me. I had PTSD and in my darker times I threatened to kill you." Hades adding: "A consequence of being kept in the dark."
- Aife continued: "We never wanted to send you away but Jack thought it was for the best with me unwell and your father bound to Tartarus."
- Aife claimed that Trick only fed Bo lies.
- When asked about her own lies, about calling herself Saskia, Aife explained "You called yourself unaligned, but you were clearly with the Light. I didn't know if I could open up to you, it wasn't easy for me."
- When Bo left the dinner with her parents, Aife then appears in Bo's car with her, telling Bo that they are going to banish Hades together.
- According to Aife: "Seduction takes the perfect outfit."
- Aife described Hades as: "the ultimate bad boy. Handsome. Charming. A cunning linguist."
- Aife wanted to banish Hades because she doesn't see the spark of good in him that she thought was there.
- Aife told Bo that it was never about her, it was always about Bo.
- Aife claimed that Bo has come to see her at the institution, that Bo came up with a plan to banish Hades, but this was eventually revealed to have been Hades in Bo's form doing so.
- Following Bo's insistence that she had not made a plan with Aife, nor seen her, or knew about her, Aife lost her grip on sanity again.
- Trick attempted to rescue Aife from the institution before Hades arrived, but failed to do so. Hades then captured both and took them to his condominium.
- Trick called Aife "my little fighter." Aife tells Trick: "You've always hated that about me."
- Aife told Trick that he saved Bo.
- When Bo entered the condominium, she was greeted by a posed diorama called Family Portrait in which Trick was sitting on a throne and Aife was kneeling beside him, their throats cut and bleeding out. Aife appeared to be dead, while Trick was still alive, if barely so.
- It is not told where Aife is buried, nor if she had a will.
Name Confusion
There was an ongoing confusion with regards to how exactly this character's true name was spelt. According to the closed captioning of the episodes she appears in, it is spelt Aife. However, some other sources spelt her name as Aoife.
Aoife
If her name was spelt Aoife, then this character could be the Lost Girl universe's version of a name that is probably derived from the Irish aoibh, meaning "beauty", "pleasure" or "radiant goddess", although the name has also been associated with the Gaulish goddess Esuvia.
Aoife has also been associated with:
- Aífe or Aoife, the second wife of King Lir in the Irish myth, Children of Lir
- The twin sister of Scathach the Warrior in the novel series "The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel" by Michael Scott
- The main character in The Iron Thorn by Caitlin Kittredge
You can read more about this name at Wikipedia here.
Aife
If, however, her name was spelt Aife, then she could be the Lost Girl universe's version of Aífe, the daughter of Airdgeimm, a warrior woman in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. She appeared in the sagas Tochmarc Emire ("the wooing of Emer") and Aided Óenfhir Aífe ("the death of Aífe's only son"). In Tochmarc Emire she lived east of a land called Alpi, usually understood to mean Alba (Scotland), where she was at war with a rival woman warrior, Scáthach. In Aided Óenfhir Aífe she lived in Letha (the Armorican peninsula), and was Scáthach's sister as well as rival – they were both daughters of Ardgeimm.
This might be a better fit with the Lost Girl series as that universe's Aife creates a war like in this Irish myth, bears a child unknown to their father, and in the end, the father must battle their child. In the myth, the child is killed by the father and this may foreshadow the eventual end of the Lost Girl series possibly.
You can read more about this myth at Wikipedia here.
Resolution
Eventually, a confirmation of her true name was given by the producers of the series, and that name is Aife.
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