Characters / Disney Riders Empress Oscura

Warning: Due to the sheer number of spoilers associated with this character, all spoilers are left un-marked.

Luz Noceda/Empress Oscura/Kamen Rider Oscura/Kamen Rider Lechuz

“The moment I had that curse put on me there was no going back to anything that I used to be. It just took me a while to finally understand what I’ve really become... I was never meant to be the hero. I was just the bigger bad who was supposed to kick Phillip off his throne.”

^{Click here to see Scyn Oscura} "I became what they all see me as, Luz. I’ve become the monster they wanted. Now you shouldn’t have any problems giving me a good fight. You’ve only destroyed monsters up until now. You haven’t taken a real life. Well, now I’m a monster, in every sense of the word now. So, come at me with everything you have."

^{Click here to see Kamen Rider Lechuz} "I’ll win this game! Without becoming a monster! I will never become O-O-Oscura again!!!"

^{Click here to see Kamen Rider Oscura in the DGP} "I’m done running from my past, I’m done trying to reject the darkness. It’s a part of me, Oscura is a part of me, but she does not rule me. I am Luz Noceda. Now and always. I will wield the darkness as my sword to make things right and never lose sight of myself again. I am Kamen Rider Oscura, the hero who uses the darkness to bring forth the light."

An alternate version of Luz from a universe where the Everlasting Oath she made with Amity was never undone, so she lost the ability to do magic. This Luz was so desperate to achieve her dream in spite of all the pain trying to do magic now causes her as a side effect of the Oath, she ended up performing the Sabbath ritual to get her magic back, obtaining the powerful Philosopher's Stone and unleashing the Phantom onto the Boiling Isles. After killing Emperor Belos and stopping the Day of Unity, she was rejected by the people of the Boiling Isles, so she ended up usurping the throne herself.

Years after being saved from the darkness, Luz finds herself becoming a Kamen Rider again as part of the Desire Grand Prix. However, not only are the people there aware of her past as Oscura, a mysterious supporter wants to see Luz use Oscura’s powers, even giving her a custom-made Raise Buckle that mimics the magic Oscura has.

Tropes that apply to Oscura

• Adaptational Angst Upgrade: This version of Luz has more traumatic experiences to deal with than the Luz in canon.
• Adaptational Superpower Change: While Luz in the main fic is the more heroic Kamen Rider Witch, this version of Luz becomes Kamen Rider Oscura, a Rider with unbelievably powerful magic. Because the Everlasting Oath was cast during the events of "Covention", it also means that Luz never discovered the ice, plant, or fire glyphs, as well as any of the associated combos she learns in the second season of the show.
• Adaptational Villainy: This version of Luz is much more sadistic and amoral, essentially usurping the throne after killing Emperor Belos.
• Anti-Hero: After becoming Empress Oscura, Luz still displays some heroic traits. For example, she killed the Greater Basilisk when it threatened Hexside. In addition, she also killed Grom to make sure it would never cause fear again. Subverted later on when she snapped and lost her mind.
• Anti-Villain: While she may have done terrible things, she did it only to protect and/or avenge the people she cares about. Even when she finally took the throne, she still cared about the Boiling Isles, wanting to be a better ruler than Belos. Unfortunately, not many people saw it that way, especially since she summoned Phantoms to keep her in line. Subverted later on when she lost her mind.
• Break the Cutie: Understatement of the millenium. This Luz started out as the same wide eyed, determined girl eager to learn magic but by the end of her prequel story, this Luz is so broken she’s become a psychotic tyrant even worse than Belos
• Covered with Scars: Before conducting the Sabbath Ritual to break it, the Everlasting Oath prevented Luz from learning any new magic (including potions) and doing the one spell she still knew how to use (the light glyph) by physically harming her, but Luz’s determination to keep trying caused multiple scars to form around her body, even an “X”-shaped scar on her face.
• Deconstructed Character Archetype: Of the Determinator. Luz in canon was always determined to prove that even though she was just a human, she was still capable of doing magic. This version of Luz takes a darker turn on that perspective, as her refusal to give up caused her to harm herself after multiple attempts to use the light glyph, and she was so desperate to become a witch, she went through with a dangerous ritual that could have killed her. Even when she overcomes her despair, it’s less of a triumphant moment and more of a horrifying feat as she essentially killed her inner Phantom by using her own pain as a motivator. When she decided to target Emperor Belos and the Coven System, she was so focused on stopping him that she didn’t think her plan through, and only made herself seem like a monster who killed the beloved Emperor for no reason.
• Drunk with Power: Because of how powerful her magic is, Oscura develops a bit of a superiority complex, and none of her friends can help her see reason.
• Even Evil Has Standards:
  • As heartless as Oscura is as a ruler, she draws the line at having slaves, as “There’s too much of that nonsense back in her world”.
  • While Oscura essentially sees Amity’s constant attempts to assassinate her as a fun little game compared to her relatively easy conquest of the Boiling Isles (both to alleviate her boredom and find ways to improve her castle’s security), Amity attempting to kill her while in the bathroom was what caused Oscura to declare the bathroom off-limits for assassination attempts. Surprisingly, Amity went along with it.
• Evil Counterpart: To Luz/Kamen Rider Witch.
• Fatal Flaw: Overconfidence. Because Luz obtained so much power without gaining any of the wisdom and responsibility that other Kamen Riders tend to have, she has a habit of jumping into situations without thinking things through. When she took down Emperor Belos, she caused so much carnage during her crusade, and didn’t realize she could have used her Lusting Control Ring to make Belos confess to his crimes, so she had absolutely no evidence to justify her killing spree. When confronted with an image of her past self who asks her what they’ll do after beating Witch and Amp, she struggles to come up with an answer.
• Greater-Scope Villain: Oscura proves to be a threat that threatens the multiverse, and is so dangerous, Luz and Anne need to team up to stop her.
• Horrifying the Horror: During the Sabbath ritual that gave her the Philosopher’s Stone, Luz managed to literally consume this universe’s version of La Lechuza.
  Luz: You think you know what my pain is?! DO YOU?! Why don't you have a taste of it! (electrocutes La Lechuza with the same kind of lightning from the Everlasting Oath)
  La Lechuza: YOU INSECT! YOU LOWER CREATURE! HOW DARE YOU LAY OUR HANDS ON ME – AAAAAHAAAAAAHHHHH!
  Luz: I read a bit more of the book, parts that I didn't get to read since I was pressed for time back in the library. But I read that there was a way to get what I wanted! And it required me to conquer my despair! And that despair is you! (damages La Lechuza with even more lightning)
  La Lechuza: I AM THE GREAT LA LECHUZA! I WILL NOT COWER TO A MERE HUMAN!
  Luz: Sorry, I don't want you to cower! I want you to be devoured.
• Invincible Villain: Until Anne and the other version of Luz arrive, there is absolutely nobody who can stand up to the sheer power Oscura has as a Kamen Rider.
• Meaningful Rename: As she seizes control of the Boiling Isles, Luz starts to call herself Oscura. “Luz” is a name that means "light" in Spanish, and "Oscura" means "dark".
• One-Winged Angel: Oscura channels the powers of all of the Seven Sin Rings to take on a more monstrous form called Scyn Oscura. Fitting the seven deadly sins theming, she becomes a full on dark angel.
• Plot-Relevant Age-Up: The Sabbath physically ages Luz up several years after she gets the Philosopher’s Stone.
• Sanity Slippage: All the power Luz gets goes to her head, and not even the guidance of people like her friends and Eda can stop her from ending her crusade. Come her raid on the Conformatorium and she’s led to believe she accidentally killed Willow. But it turns out to be an illusion by Adrien. Suffice to say at this point, Luz absolutely snaps. Learning about her alternate self who becomes Kamen Rider Witch does not do her sanity any favors either.
• Seven Deadly Sins: Oscura's most powerful rings are themed after the Seven Deadly Sins.
  • Wrathful Destruction: Channels all of Oscura's fury into a devastating blast that annihilates anything in its path with absolutely no hope of life reemerging from it.
  • Gluttonous Devouring: Completely drains all of the magic from its targets, even magical items like Lilith's Palisman.
  • Prideful Strength: Boosts Oscura’s magical and physical strength, and if she feels more confident in her strength, her powers get even stronger.
  • Lusting Control: forces the target to tell Oscura the truth.
  • Slothful Slowing: Gives Oscura to slow down time to a near standstill for either herself or any victim she chooses.
  • Greedy Stealing: Is able to steal magic like the Gluttonous Devouring ring, but instead of destroying magic, it simply siphons it from the victim to boost Oscura’s own strength.
  • Envious Creation: Allows Oscura to either create perfect duplicates of things or change her physical appearance.
• Then Let Me Be Evil: Luz being rejected by the citizens of the Boiling Isles for killing Belos thanks to having no evidence of his true intentions causes her to snap and embrace her new role as a Dark Rider.
  Oscura: You all want to see me as a monster, as someone to be hated and feared. That’s fine, I finally understand my role in this world. I was never meant to be the hero who saved you from Belos – rather Phillip the Witch Hunter. I was here to take his place. Don’t worry, I have no intention of wiping out every witch and demon. I’m not some psychotic, bigoted piece of crap. Oh no, you’ll get to live your lives…Just under my rule. From this day forward, I will rule over this world as your new EMPRESS!!!
• Trauma Conga Line: To say this version of Luz has had it rough would be an understatement. Not only did the Everlasting Oath force her to confess that she wasn’t a witch to everyone watching at the Covention, it prevented her from doing any kind of magic without being severely harmed. Luz was so desperate to become a witch, she was reduced to begging Amity to undo it, saying that even if she went home, people would be alarmed by her scars, and her mother would be accused of abusing her. Even after getting the Philosopher’s Stone, she was forced to see what looked like people she cared about dying like Eda and Willow (the former was able to be healed, and the latter was an illusion by Adrian), and after killing Belos, she was accused of being a monster, so she chose to take over the throne and rule the Boiling Isles. Just when it seemed like she couldn’t suffer any more, the revelation that there’s another version of Luz who was actually able to achieve her dreams without any of the suffering Oscura went through caused Oscura herself to essentially snap and break down in psychotic laughter.

Tropes that apply to Luz after being saved

• Ace Custom: The Oscura Raise Buckle was made specifically for Luz at the request of her backer.
• Ability Mixing: While her Desire Driver allows her to use and combine the powers of two Raise Buckles simultaneously, Luz takes it further whenever she uses any other Raise Buckle with her Oscura Buckle. It seems that different Raise Buckles resonate with one of her Sin Stones.
  • Dark Boost: When the Boost Buckle is used with the Oscura Buckle, it resonates with the blue Sloth Stone. This gives Oscura Super-Speed which makes her surroundings appear frozen in time.
  • Dark Beat: When the Beat Buckle is used with the Oscura Buckle, it resonates with the violet Lust Stone. This gives Oscura the ability to cast a Mind Control spell with the Beat Axe.
  • Dark Magnum: When the Magnum Buckle is used with the Oscura Buckle, it resonates with the red Wrath Stone. This heavily increases the firepower of Oscura's Magnum Shooter 40X and gives her the additional ability to create spheres of energy she can make close in on her opponent.
  • Dark Zombie: When the Zombie Buckle is used with the Oscura Buckle, it resonates with the indigo Gluttony Stone. This gives her two Berserclaws and allows her to steal the energy of any enemy she defeats. Unlike the other forms, this also turns Oscura into The Berserker.
  • Golden Darkness Fever: When the Feverslot Buckle is used with the Oscura Buckle, it resonates with the orange Greed Stone. This gives her access to any weapon used by the DGP Riders, including the Magnum Shooter 40X, Beat Axe, Zombie Breaker, and Ninja Dueler.
• Animal-Themed Superbeing: Kamen Rider Lechuz is themed after an owl.
• The Atoner: Both of Luz’s wishes for the two rounds of the DGP she enters involve making up for her failures. Her first involves resurrecting everyone killed by her and her forces back when she was still Oscura, and her second involves bringing back Anne after she was killed by the Final Boss Jyamato Luz was too hesitant to use her Oscura Buckle to stop.
• Character Development: Luz initially wants nothing to do with her past as Oscura to the point of refusing to use the Oscura Buckle offered to her. It was only after Anne’s death that inspired Luz to start to grow more comfortable with using her Oscura powers to help people.
• Dark Is Not Evil: This is part of Luz’s core philosophy after her Character Development.
• Death Glare: Luz seems to have kept the death glare that she has developed as Oscura, which can paralyse people and render them speechless. Just ask Zoey.
• Implied Death Threat: Luz gives one of these to the Game Master at the end of the Reprise Arc.
  Game Master: So, now that you have discovered the DGP’s secret, will you stop playing?
  Luz: I’m still going to play, and win because I want to bring Anne back. But do not put my family in danger again, understand?
  Game Master: Are you threatening us, Oscura?
  Luz: No, that was a warning. A threat entails a consequence. Like... (adopts a more serious glare like the one she had as Oscura) If you ever put my family in danger like that again, the moment the round is over, I'll make you regret it. (goes back to her cheery expression) See the difference?
• It Only Works Once: Luz's Oscura Buckle has the ability to replicate her Seven Sin spells, but she can only use each one once per round. If all seven spells are used in a single round, the Buckle loses power until the next round.
• My Greatest Failure: Everything about her past as Oscura is this to Luz.
• Poisonous Person: During the second round of the DGP she takes part in, Luz starts using the Zombie Buckle instead of the Magnum Buckle.
• Reformed, but Not Tamed: Although Luz wishes to atone for her past as Oscura, she still has some of the darker tendencies she had four years ago. It's deconstructed later on thanks to continuous use of the Oscura Buckle secretly drawing out Oscura's spirit and encouraging her to make dark choices.
• Stop Worshipping Me: Luz isn't exactly happy that there is an entire cult full of people who worship Oscura.
• These Hands Have Killed: Luz is aware that she has killed a lot of people as Oscura, and doesn't want anyone else to make the same mistakes she did. It's because of this that she tries to kill Jacob himself to prevent Masha from dealing with the emotional baggage.
• Trauma Button: Being reminded of her past as Oscura initially wasn’t a good thing for Luz, before she started to accept her past and try to use her Oscura powers for good. Winding up back on the Boiling Isles is just the thing to push that button to the point where Luz starts having a full on breakdown.
• Unwitting Instigator of Doom: During her rule, she inadvertently gave Bria the idea to start a cult worshipping her.