History Main / MysticalWaif

* C.C. from ''CodeGeass''. Personality wise she's more of a DeadpanSnarker, though, and can't be considered exactly naive.

* Tiffa Adil from ''GundamX''.

* Anne in ''MitsumeteKnight''. No wonder when you're a [[spoiler: CuteGhostGirl]] with heavy backstory, [[YouGottaHaveBlueHair blue hair]], [[YamatoNadeshiko sweet per]][[ShrinkingViolet sonnality]], mysterious atmosphere, and crucial importance to the heroine's and the game's storyline.

Gameplay-wise, the Mystical Waif is almost always magic-oriented. She often overlaps with the StaffChick, or if more proactive, as BarrierWarrior or SquishyWizard. She'll have weak physical stats, but strong magical stats and average-or-better speed. Her quality as a game character is almost entirely tied up in how powerful her attack spells are and whether anyone else has the ability to heal. Lots of Mystical Waifs spend a lot of time on the bench, fighting either not at all or only against bosses where constant healing is required.

* Despite not being a video game character, Hotaru Tomoe/Sailor Saturn from ''SailorMoon'' seems to have many characteristics of this trope. She is mysterious, ready for a self-sacrifice, and wears unusually dark clothes; she also has several mysterious powers even outside of her Sailor Senshi identity (although many of the other girls did too). Her situation is somewhat different, as there are [[EvilerThanThou three sides]] involved: Sailor Moon, who wants to save her; the Guardians of the Outer Solar System, who want to get rid of her as she poses a threat to the world; and the evil Death Busters, who want to destroy the world with her help. A couple seasons later, she joins the main cast, and her powers overlap somewhat with those of the StaffChick CoolBigSis, Sailor Pluto.

* Richea from ''TVideoGame/alesOfHearts'', who is ReallySevenHundredYearsOld.

* [[FinalFantasyIV Rydia]] qualifies perfectly: she starts the game as a child, has impressive magical abilities, joins the party later on and she is an orphan and has an odd hair color. Although she has a strong personality, even as a child.

* Rena Lanford from ''StarOceanTheSecondStory'' also fits here.

* Julius from ''SwordOfMana'' is a very rare example, seeing as he's male (even if he [[CampGay doesn't always act it]]) and an antagonist to boot. He's still the LastOfHisKind, exclusively uses magic, has a MysteriousPast, and is integral to the plot of the villain, who [[spoiler:[[TheVirus out-and-out]] [[HijackedByGanon hijacks his body]]]] eventually. His... uh, ''[[HoYay friend]]'' Dark Lord (the other main antagonist) seems to know exactly who and what he is and is implied to be sheltering him from the prejudice of the world while simultaneously [[MoralityChain keeping him from falling completely to evil]].

* Chi from {{Chobits}} is an almost perfect example of this trope.

* Yorda from ''{{Ico}}''

* ''{{Aveyond}} 3: Gates of Night'' - Stella.

* Meredy from ''TalesOfEternia''.
* Grune from ''TalesOfLegendia'', who spends most of the game as a {{Cloudcuckoolander}} with NoSocialSkills thanks to LaserGuidedAmnesia.
* Reala from ''TalesOfDestiny 2''.
* Richea from ''TalesOfHearts'', who is ReallySevenHundredYearsOld.

* Garnet from ''FinalFantasyIX'' -- [[LastOfHisKind One of only two remaining summoners]].
* Aerith from ''FinalFantasyVII'' -- [[LastOfHisKind Last of the Ancients]].

* [[spoiler:Ellone]] from FinalFantasyVIII - mysterious past, flowing robes, special powers desired by both sides.
* Terra from ''FinalFantasyVI'' -- HalfHumanHybrid of an Esper (the summons).

* ''{{Xenogears}}'' gives us Emeralda, who in addition to being ReallySevenHundredYearsOld is a VoluntaryShapeshifter. She fits this trope so perfectly, it's damn scary.

* MOMO from ''{{Xenosaga}}'' is pretty much the poster child for this trope, although it is subverted very slightly in that she's actually the prototype for her kind, instead of the last.

* Avril from ''{{Wild ARMs 5}}'' hits almost every single criteria for this trope. Silver hair, serious expression, unfamiliarity with customs, amnesia, sought by the antagonists, good with magic (although this is customizable), and [[spoiler: ReallySevenHundredYearsOld]].

* Sheba in ''GoldenSun'' and ''GoldenSun: The Lost Age'', which is part of the reason why she's popular with the fandom. You know, for all the EpilepticTrees. Note, however, that unlike most examples of this trope, she's pretty snarky around people she's comfortable with.
* [[TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess Midna]] fits the "mysterious" and "plot trinket" part, and she ''looks'' like a young girl, or more accurately a young demoness. Unlike the standard Mystical Waif, though, she is very, very snarky.
* Alicia from ''ValkyriaChronicles'' fits many of the traits from this trope, but it's all evened out by the fact that she's also an incredibly BadAss ActionGirl.

* Despite being male, [[TheWorldEndsWithYou Joshua]] is a good example of this trope. [[spoiler: He randomly makes a pact with Neku, is arguably ReallySevenHundredYearsOld, and in a twist ending turns out to be the BigBad, who does a HeelFaceTurn [[TheUnfought after the final boss.]] ]]
* Sophie in ''TalesOfGraces''. Mysterious, plot-relevant past? Check. NoSocialSkills? Check. Futuristic clothing? Check. Lilac RapunzelHair? Check. [[LightningBruiser She's everything]] ''[[LightningBruiser but]]'' [[LightningBruiser physically weak though.]]

* Lala Ru from ''NowAndThenHereAndThere''. Ironically, she is neither pure-hearted nor kind. In fact, [[spoiler: she hates all of humanity and refuses to save the planet, even though she has the power to do so]]. [[HeelFaceTurn Until later]], of course... but [[TearJerker even then]], you [[DeathIsASadThing wish]] [[WaterWorks she]] [[BittersweetEnding hadn't]].

* The manga based on the Game/GalaxyAngel gameverse gives Chitose a bit of this.

* ''ArcTheLad: Twilight of the Spirits'' plays this straight in Lillia, and also includes a somewhat bizarro version in the demon puppeteer Bebedora.

* The second sequel to ''HowlsMovingCastle,'' ''HouseOfManyWays'' features a little white dog who is actually ''named'' Waif, who had been living with Charmain's great-uncle William (Wizard Norland) for a short time. Waif is no ordinary dog, but a rare, magical enchanting dog. Later, we find out that Waif actually is the latest generation of the Elf Gift, which (or, as it turns out, who) is supposed to protect the royal family of High Norland. However, unlike most examples, besides having magical powers Waif does not act very mystical, but like an ordinary dog, who begs for scraps, overindulges on human food, and clings to Charmain who she has adopted as her owner.

* Fina from ''SkiesOfArcadia'', despite being a fairly recent character, defines this trope to a "T", hitting almost all the major aspects. She dramatically subverts one part however; she's the least powerful attacker for 99% of the game, until her EmpathyPet is upgraded to his final form, which has the highest attack power of any weapon in the game.

* Leanne from ''ResonanceOfFate'' fits the trope plot-wise, but gameplay and personality-wise she's an ActionGirl.

* Sheeta of ''Laputa: Castle in the Sky''.

* ''Arc the Lad: Twilight of the Spirits'' plays this straight in Lillia, and also includes a somewhat bizarro version in the demon puppeteer Bebedora.

* Kisara of ''{{Yu-Gi-Oh}}'', the [[WhiteHairedPrettyGirl white-haired]] and blue-eyed Egyptian and homeless, quiet, vaguely psychic, mysterious keeper of the spirit of the Blue-Eyes White Dragon who [[HeroicSacrifice sacrificed herself]] to protect the only person who ever showed her kindness, High Priest Seto... even [[{{Reincarnation}} 3,000 years later]].

* Aeon in ''{{MS Saga}}'' fits this trope to a T.

* Rena Lanford from ''[=~Star Ocean: The Second Story~=]'' also fits here.

* Oh come on! Nobody even ''thinks'' of Anthy from RevolutionaryGirlUtena? What characteristic of this trope does she ''not'' have??
** Possibly because she's not naive or pure-hearted in any sense of the word.
*** That's only in the anime. Anthy fits this trope very well in the manga.

* The manga based on the GalaxyAngelGameverse gives Chitose a bit of this.

** And from the sequel, ''{{Lunar}}: Eternal Blue'', there's Lucia.

* Chi from [[Chobits]] is an almost perfect example of this trope.

Personality-wise, the Mystical Waif is usually pure-hearted and kind, although she can seem distant at times. She is also extremely naive about the world, and unfamiliar with even the [[RaisedByWolves most basic facets]] of the characters' lives (which can be played for laughs in the more light-hearted scenes or games). Occasionally she'll begin the game not being able to speak the main characters' language. She can be selfless to the point of [[HeroicSacrifice self-sacrifice]] at times. Sometimes she provides exposition -- the introduction of the Mystical Waif (or the revelation of her true identity or purpose) is often what propels the plot from random adventuring to serious world-saving, as she recruits the rest of the party to help her [[GottaCatchThemAll collect the crystals]].

* Grune from ''TalesOfLegendia'', who spends most of the game as a RaisedByWolves {{Cloudcuckoolander}} thanks to LaserGuidedAmnesia.

* Sophie in ''TalesOfGraces''. Mysterious, plot-relevant past? Check. RaisedByWolves? Check. Futuristic clothing? Check. Lilac RapunzelHair? Check. [[LightningBruiser She's everything]] ''[[LightningBruiser but]]'' [[LightningBruiser physically weak though.]]

* Vivio of ''MagicalGirlLyricalNanoha'', the main character's adopted 6-year old daughter who has [[BoatLights differently colored eyes]] and was found trudging through the sewers while chained to a pair of cases containing [[MacGuffin Relics]]. She turns out to be [[spoiler: [[CloneJesus the clone of the Sankt Kaiser]], required by the BigBad to activate the [[KillSat Saint's Cradle]] and packing enough power to match Nanoha blow for blow]].

* C.C. from ''CodeGeass'' Personalitywise she's more of a DeadpanSnarker, though, and can't be considered exactly naive

[[folder:{{Anime}} and {{Manga}}]]
* Despite not being a video game character, Hotaru Tomoe/Sailor Saturn from ''SailorMoon'' seems to have many characteristics of this trope. She is mysterious, ready for a self-sacrifice, and wears unusually dark clothes; she also has several mysterious powers even outside of her Sailor Senshi identity (although many of the other girls did too). Her situation is somewhat different, as there are [[EvilerThanThou three sides]] involved: Sailor Moon, who wants to save her; the Guardians of the Outer Solar System, who want to get rid of her as she poses a threat to the world; and the evil Death Busters, who want to destroy the world with her help. A couple seasons later, she joins the main cast, and her powers overlap somewhat with those of the StaffChick CoolBigSis, Sailor Pluto.
* Yagami Hikari from DigimonAdventure and DigimonAdventure02, the human lightbulb. Also an IllGirl, she is the only one to have a Crest (Light) that ''doesn't'' refer to an innate virtue or trait. The powers of this Crest usually manifest themselves in weird ways, and she has been shown as both 1) unusually self-sacrificing and 2) drawn to the Dark Ocean, because of her powers and walled-in emotional problems. She's also empathetic to the point of being borderline psychic, which sends her into two {{Heroic BSOD}}s in 02 (and during the last one, her best friend Miyako has to [[GetAHoldOfYourselfMan literally bitchslap her]] back to sanity).
* Reverie "Ren" Metherlence of ''ElementalGelade'' is a mysterious and legendary weapon who is frequently rendered helpless and constantly protected by the main character.
* The manga based on the GalaxyAngelGameverse gives Chitose a bit of this.
* Kisara of ''{{Yu-Gi-Oh}}'', the [[WhiteHairedPrettyGirl white-haired]] and blue-eyed Egyptian and homeless, quiet, vaguely psychic, mysterious keeper of the spirit of the Blue-Eyes White Dragon who [[HeroicSacrifice sacrificed herself]] to protect the only person who ever showed her kindness, High Priest Seto... even [[{{Reincarnation}} 3,000 years later]].
* Vivio of ''MagicalGirlLyricalNanoha'', the main character's adopted 6-year old daughter who has [[BoatLights differently colored eyes]] and was found trudging through the sewers while chained to a pair of cases containing [[MacGuffin Relics]]. She turns out to be [[spoiler: [[CloneJesus the clone of the Sankt Kaiser]], required by the BigBad to activate the [[KillSat Saint's Cradle]] and packing enough power to match Nanoha blow for blow]].
** Also, Ixpellia from [[AllThereInTheManual the CD dramas]].
* Sheeta of ''Laputa: Castle in the Sky''.
* Melfina from ''OutlawStar''.
* C.C. from ''CodeGeass'' Personalitywise she's more of a DeadpanSnarker, though, and can't be considered exactly naive
** [[spoiler: Except when she loses her memory, then she fits the trope perfectly.]]
* Tiffa Adil from ''GundamX''.
* Arguably, Lalah Sune from the original ''MobileSuitGundam'', though she counts a bit more as WaifFu since she's one really powerful Newtype ''and'' a skilled pilot.
* Rei from ''NeonGenesisEvangelion''.
* Nia Teppelin from ''TengenToppaGurrenLagann''.
* Chi from [[Chobits]] is an almost perfect example of this trope.
* Asuna Kagurazaka from ''MahouSenseiNegima''. The only exception is that she is rather {{tsundere}}, but shows the canonical catatonic personality in flashbacks.
* Alvis Hamilton from ''LastExile'' epitomizes this trope in every way, as "the key to the [legendary ship] Exile."
* Yukina from ''YuYuHakusho'' appears young but, like her brother Hiei, is a demon and therefore may be much older than she appears. She is pure-hearted, kind, distant, naïve, and has blue (or, arguably, sea-green) hair. She is targeted by villains either for her gem-making powers (They come from her tears! Awwww!) or because the main characters care about her and she is no ActionGirl. She occasionally serves as [[TheMedic the group's healer]], due to her abilities in that field.
* Lala Ru from ''NowAndThenHereAndThere''. Ironically, she is neither pure-hearted nor kind. In fact, [[spoiler: she hates all of humanity and refuses to save the planet, even though she has the power to do so]]. [[HeelFaceTurn Until later]], of course... but [[TearJerker even then]], you [[DeathIsASadThing wish]] [[WaterWorks she]] [[BittersweetEnding hadn't]].
* Kagura Tennozou from SpeedGrapher.
* The titular Eureka from ''EurekaSeven'', though, like Ms. Sune further up the list, she's quite the accomplished pilot.
* [[spoiler: Marie Parfasy]] from ''{{Gundam 00}}''. Subverted when she grows up into [[spoiler: WhiteHairedPrettyGirl and DarkActionGirl Soma Peiris.]]
* Oh come on! Nobody even ''thinks'' of Anthy from RevolutionaryGirlUtena? What characteristic of this trope does she ''not'' have??
** Possibly because she's not naive or pure-hearted in any sense of the word.
*** That's only in the anime. Anthy fits this trope very well in the manga.
* Quon from ''RahXephon''.
* Sulia Gaudeamus in the FatalFury Motion Picture.
* Very rare male example: Kakyou Kuzuki from {{X 1999}}.
* Neya from ''InfiniteRyvius''.
* Alice from ''KingOfThorn''.
* Cheza from WolfsRain
* Wendy from ''FairyTail'' has elements of this, including a mysterious past, bad guys wanting her (in the case of Brain), non-action status, bit of a DistressedDamsel, purehearted and kind, and TheMedic.

[[folder:{{Film}}]]
* Leeloo, the title character of ''TheFifthElement'', though she doesn't exhibit any magical powers [[spoiler: (at least until the end when she destroys the BigBad)]]. She does mix it up with Zorg's {{mooks}} with some mean WaifFu, however.

[[folder:{{Literature}}]]
* Flute, in the ''{{Elenium}}'' trilogy by David Eddings, is a small girl who is revealed, slowly, to have greater magical powers than anyone else in the party. She can control time and animals, among other things. Eventually [[spoiler:they find out that Flute is actually the goddess Aphrael]], which explains everything.
* Luna Lovegood in ''HarryPotter'' Last of her line. Mother died when she was 9. Orphan's plot trinket = Butterbeer cork necklace and Dirigible plum earrings. Also pure-hearted and kind, distracted at times, weird, persecuted, absolutely adorable!
** Even more so in the (comparatively) prominent fan fiction ''The Book of Morgan Le-Fey'', where she is [[spoiler: the last heir of Morgan Le-Fey]] and hunted by the big bad.
*** Even more than that is in the fic, half kissed hero, in which she is the descendent of every major female fairy tale heroine
** Don't forget that she turns out to be pretty darned good at magic herself and can notice things that others don't.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:{{LiveActionTV}}]]
* Maia, the child with the ability of Precognition from ''{{The 4400}}'' fits many of the characteristics of this trope, with her slightly creepy otherworldliness (and, of course, her potentially important ability).
* River Tam from ''{{Firefly}}'' is the youngest member of the crew of ''Serenity'', and aside from being a peerless genius and psychic, she apparently can [[GunKata shoot people without even looking]] and [[WaifFu defeat small armies of berserk space pirates in hand-to-hand combat]] without trouble.
* Kes from ''StarTrekVoyager'' though her past is well-explained (if not her subsequent FaceHeelTurn) given that she's only lived a couple of years when the crew encounters her.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:{{Webcomics}}]]
* Jonas of Phoenix Requiem is a rare male example.
* Melissa in "Fortissima's Treasure Hunters". She was apparently encased in a large green crystal for several generations, is able to shoot fire from her fingers, speaks a backward language (literally! The words in her speech balloons are spelled in reverse), and her eyes glow when she sleeps. I'll wager that there's plenty more we haven't learned about her yet...
* In many ways, Oasis from ''SluggyFreelance'' is what you'd get if you trained her as an assassin and {{Brainwashed}} her into having a {{Yandere}} style crush.
* Silvia at first in [[http://www.goldcoincomics.com Gold Coin Comics]].
* RumorsOfWar has Occela, who fits most of the requirements for MysteriousWaif and MysticalWaif. Not sure yet if she's a WaifFu practitioner.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:{{WebOriginal}}]]
* Quito Power in the LeagueOfIntergalacticCosmicChampions.
* Our very own [[MysteriousWaifTan Mysterious Waif-tan]].
[[/folder]]

Stereotypical party member in many [[RolePlayingGame [=RPGs=]]]. The Mystical Waif is usually a physically young girl (although she may be ReallySevenHundredYearsOld) with a mysterious, plot-relevant past (often symbolized by an OrphansPlotTrinket). The bad guys usually want to exploit her powers to control/destroy the world, while the heroes want to save her out of chivalry or general contrariness. Often magically inclined. Usually the last scion of some mysterious, previously unknown society or race, and not uncommonly the [[LastOfHisKind last of her kind]]. She usually joins the party eventually, although she may spend some time as a DistressedDamsel before then.