| “ | Since the last time I saw you, I've been keeping a low profile. The whole "legendary hero of a people" was just too much. I was exhausted. So, I decided to try to just blend in with everyone else. | „ |
| ― Ramayan to Cinderella, Fairest #23 — "Of Men and Mice, Part Three: Blue by You" |
Ramayan, sometimes referred to as Rama or just Ram, is a Fable god with blue skin. He first appears in a dream during a flashback in Fairest #19 — "The Dhole of War: The Return of the Maharaja Part Five," and makes his first real appearance in Fairest #23 — "Of Men and Mice, Part Three: Blue by You." Ramayan used to be a celebrated hero among his people and is now a trusted ally and sometimes intimate companion of Cinderella's. After realizing that a simple life suited him more, he now holds the position of head of security at a nearby temple in Deshnok, India.
History
The Homelands
Ramayan,[1] or Rama,[2][3] was a celebrated hero among his people[1] in The Indu. Prior to the invasion of the Empire, a young Nalayani had a dream that the gods were her friends and that one of them, Rama, taught her how to shoot with a bow and arrow. This motivated her to pursue training in archery.[2]
The mundane world
Eventually, Ramayan gave up his position as a hero, and settled down in the mundane world, to become head of security at the local Temple of Rats in Deshnok, India.[1]
When a group of humanoid ninja rats launch an attack on the Wolf family,[4] Cinderella travels to Deshnok to find answers. Upon arrival, she spots a man who was meant to meet her Fairy Godmother there, but she is annoyed when he makes a run for it. Her long and obstacle-filled chase is suddenly thwarted as a man tackles her, plunging her into a nearby fountain. Soaked and enraged, she turns to shout at the man, only to discover that it is Ramayan, who comments that it's been a long time since they saw each other.[1]
Following some great hello-sex, Cinderella grips Ramayan by his chest-hairs and demands to know why he stopped her. He explains that since they last met, he gave up his position as a "mega-Fable" and hero to the people, to become head of security at the Temple of Rats. One night, a skinny man had come to him claiming he was being stalked, and asked Ramayan to follow him to the airport in case things went badly. Curious, Cinderella presses him to take her to work with him.[1]
Going out in public requires that Ramayan puts on full-body makeup to cover his blue skin. He acknowledges that his make-up expenses used to be significant, but he is currently involved with a woman who is employed by Lancôme. On the way, he explains that he believes the man she seeks will be at the temple, because he lives there, after all, taking care of the rats. Cinderella follows him, but suspects something bad is going to happen. Cinderella is surprised to learn that the man who had run from her before is in fact Marcel Champagne, one of the mice who was turned into a coachman during her night out so long ago. Marcel agrees to go back to Fabletown with her, but as they make their way out though, gunfire causes chaos, and Ramayan is shot.[1]
Cinderella is forced to fight the shooter, who turns out to be her own stepsister, all while struggling to keep both Marcel and Ramayan alive. With the help of Marcel's army of rats, the trio is able to escape, but Cinderella is displeased to learn that the next leg of her journey will be travelled by boat. Even so, she thanks Ramayan for his help, and boards with Marcel. To their misfortune, the stepsister reappears and launches another aggressive attack, causing all three of them to lose balance and topple off the boat, plunging into the water below.[5]
To her step-sister's surprise, though, Cinderella and Marcel are rescued by Ramayan. When he attempts to perform CPR on her, Rama gets a face full of water, and he happily hugs her with the knowledge that she's okay. The step-sister, meanwhile, is eaten by Veruna, who graciously delivers them all to New York City. Cinderella brings both Ramayan and Marcel inside Castle Dark to talk with Snow White about everything she has discovered. Once Snow White is filled in on the situation, they are suddenly halted by aggressive pounding at the door. They are caught off guard as a swarm of wicked rat-mundy hybrids charges towards them with intent to harm.[3]
Ramayan and Cindy successfully eliminate a few rats by strangling them to death. But as more and more rats swarm around them, they are quickly outnumbered and have no choice but to flee for safety. Snow deceives some of the rats into leaping from a balcony, causing their deaths. Ramayan continues to battle against the remaining rats, while the Fairy Godmother uses her magical abilities to eliminate the rest of them.[6]
Physical appearance
| “ | Blue skin makes blending tough. | „ |
| ― Ramayan to Cinderella, Fairest #23 — "Of Men and Mice, Part Three: Blue by You" |
Ramayan has a striking appearance with shoulder-length jet black hair and blue skin, although he goes to great lengths to blend in with the mundys by using heavy make-up to conceal his unique coloring when going in public.[1]
Appearances
Fairest
- Fairest #19 (in dream; flashback) (first appearance)
- Fairest #23
- Fairest #24
- Fairest #25
- Fairest #26
Original source
Ramayan is based on Rama, one of the most widely worshipped gods from Hinduism, whose story is extensively recounted in the epic Ramayana ("Rama's Journey"). Rama's depiction in paintings typically shows him with a dark blue hue, symbolizing his connection to Vishnu.[7]
References
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