Ironwood

Ironwood
Home Planet	Zamballa
Race	Zamballan
Gender	Female
Age	Unknown
Abilities	Enhanced strength and endurance, ability to create armored shell to protect herself during hibernation

Queen Ironwood is the leader of the Zamballans, the original keeper of the Heart of Zamballa, and also one of Kadma's closest friends. She shares her life on Zamballa with her husband, Bitterroot, and her child, Bowbreaker. At first she was hostile towards the Guardians when she met them due to Nerissa manipulating her, but she eventually opened up to them and began to trust them, but still holds them in a dubious regard. Ironwood is now the current ruler of Zamabala 

Personality

Ironwood is a sensitive and caring mother, but also a passionate and determined warrior who will stand up and fight for a cause she believes in. She does what is best for her and her people, even if that may hurt or discomfort other people, but she never means any ill will in these actions; she merely holds the interest of the her people and the greater good higher than the feelings of anyone else.

Character History

Spoiler warning: This section contains detailed spoilers for main plot events of the show.

Shortly after his ascent to the throne, Prince Phobos had his eye on conquering the lush planet of Zamballa. The remaining Guardians at the time, Halinor, Yan Lin, and Kadma, defended Zamballa from his attempted invasion and were regarded as heroes by the Zamballans. Ironwood, the keeper of the Heart of Zamballa, was so impressed with Kadma's valor that she offered her the Heart of Zamballa. Kadma accepted her offer and decided to stay on Zamballa. Shortly after these events, the remaining two Guardians disbanded and the Veil was raised to protect other planets from falling to Phobos' infectious evil while the Council of Kandrakar waited for a new generation of Guardians to emerge. Kadma was stranded on Zamballa, but she and Ironwood became close friends and watched over the peaceful planet together. Many years later, Nerissa's Knights of Destruction, who were glamored as the Guardians, arrived on Zamballa and attacked Ironwood and her family. She was separated from her child, Bowbreaker, during one of Ember's many forest fires, and at the risk of being burnt alive, Ironwood told Bowbreaker to activate his Armor of Sleep which would protect him from the flames. Bowbreaker did as his mother instructed and fell into a deep sleep inside of his armored shell. Ironwood was distraught over the possibility that her child may never awaken from hibernation, but felt comfort in knowing that at least he was alive.

When the real Guardians arrived on Zamballa to warn Kadma of Nerissa's intentions of enthralling her, they ran into Ironwood who immediately attacked them in rage over the loss of her child. Yan Lin warned the Guardians not to fight her and ordered them to retreat, with Ironwood attempting to pursue them. During the battle between Kadma and Nerissa, Blunk used himself as bait to lure Ironwood and Bitterroot to the scene of the fight in order for them to assist Kadma in defeating Nerissa. Faced with overwhelming odds, Nerissa and her Knights decided to retreat, but not before ordering Ember to kill Ironwood as a parting gift to Kadma. Ironwood activated her Armor of Sleep at the last second, however, and was shielded from the attack, but entered a hibernation and would have never awoken from if it had not been for the combined efforts of the Guardians using their powers to awaken Ironwood from her slumber.

During the many weeks of the Guardians and Kadma fighting Nerissa on Zamballa, Ironwood and her family volunteered to guard Yan Lin and keep her safe from Nerissa's attempts at enthralling her. After Nerissa obtained the Heart of Zamballa and enthralled Kadma, however, Ironwood became the leader of Zamballa once again. Her first acting order was to banish the Guardians from Zamballa, stating that as long as they were allowed to stay, Nerissa might return to Zamballa and continue to use their planet as a war zone. The Guardians understood Ironwood's pain of losing so many people she cared for during the fight against Nerissa and left Zamballa.

However, the Guardians accidentally did returned to Zamballa some time later during Nerissa's attempts to enthrall Yan Lin. When they came under attack by the Nerissa and the Knights of Destruction, Hay Lin ordered Blunk to fold her and Yan Lin somewhere safe. Blunk panicked and folded them to in the middle of the Zamballan forest. Yan Lin scolded Blunk and reminded him that they were never suppose to return to Zamballa due to Ironwood's orders and Blunk apologized, replying this was the only safe place he could think of. Ironwood arrived and ordered the three of them to leave Zamaballa at once, but Nerissa and the Knights of Destruction soon arrived in pursuit of Yan Lin. To everyone's surprise, however, Ironwood attacked Nerissa and ordered Yan Lin, Hay Lin, and Blunk to flee while the Zamballans bought them some time, stating even though she doesn't want any part of their conflict, she can not simply stand by and watch more innocent people suffer due to Nerissa. After thanking her, the three of them folded away.

In the epilogue, Kadma returns the Heart of Zamballa to Ironwood out of shame of losing it in the first place and decides to live the rest of her life on Earth. Ironwood bid her friend farewell and resumes watching over her home world with her family.

Abilities

Like all Zamballans, Ironwood possesses immense strength and endurance due to her large size. She also possesses the ability to create the Armor of Sleep, a scaly rock armor which surrounds her and allows her to fall into a deep hibernation if she is threatened with the possibility of never waking up. She displays this ability when Nerissa's Knights of Destruction start a forest fire disguised as the guardians