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Cheshire will always protect Alice!!

—Retrace XCV: Vincent

Introduction

Cheshire (チェシャ, Chesha), also known as Cheshire Cat (チェシャ (ねこ) , Chesha-neko), is a minor antagonist from Jun Mochizuki's Pandora Hearts. He is a Chain who takes on a form that, while mainly humanoid, is distinctly feline in nature. Cheshire is unique from all previous Chains seen, as he does not need a Contractor or to eat humans to sustain his existence. Rather he was created for one sole purpose: to serve and protect the Intention of the Abyss.

For this reason, Alice ends up lured into a trap and kidnapped into Cheshire Cat's Lair, where his power is most potent. Thus Cheshire intends to eliminate what he perceives as the greatest threat to the Intention—the B-Rabbit.

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SPOILER WARNING!
This article contains plot and/or ending details for Pandora Hearts.
Read at your own risk.
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Cheshire's existence did not initially begin as a Chain. Originally, Cheshire lived as a normal black cat with no special abilities or unusual powers. He was one of the Intention and Alice's only companions, spending their entire childhoods with them in the Tower. The only person from the outside world whom the twins were allowed to see was Jack Vessalius, whom the Intention was infatuated with. Vincent as a child had an intense rivalry with the Intention, as both believed the other would steal Jack away from them. To antagonize her further, Vincent killed Cheshire with a pair of scissors, ending the cat's mundane life.

After the Tragedy of Sablier occurred, Cheshire transformed into a Chain. Along with the dolls who had similarly been transformed, they kept the Intention company at the darkest depths of the Abyss, like a twisted facsimile of the girls' childhood. Eventually, an Illegal Contractor named Kevin Legnard was dragged into the Abyss where the Intention met him and subsequently ripped out his left eye to give to Cheshire as replacement. However, Kevin promised to fulfill her greatest wish in exchange for changing the past, and so the Intention allowed him to live and escape. Despite this Cheshire still held a grudge against the man, now going by the name Xerxes Break, and plotted to kill him to eliminate any possible threat to the Intention. Even through his unnatural continuation of life, Cheshire is steadfastly dedicated to one cause: protect the Intention of the Abyss—Alice no matter what.

Appearance[]

Cheshire Anime design

Originally, Cheshire was a simple cat with pure black fur and golden yellow eyes. In addition, Cheshire was also given a bell by Alice, tied around his neck with a red ribbon. Though this form was abandoned by Cheshire long ago, after Vincent cut out Cheshire's eyes and he became a Chain, Cheshire exhibited the ability to still shape shift into this form when he used it to lure Alice further away from Break in Cheshire's Dimension.

After his death, Cheshire's body was remolded into that of a Chain by his beloved owner, the Intention of the Abyss; who granted Cheshire a near-human form to satisfy his envy of humanity. In this form, Cheshire has shaggy black hair that sweeps over his right eye and human shoulders that blend with over sized, black, plush arms which are sewn together from his elbow to his knuckles and end in large clawed hands. Cheshire wears a high-collared sleeveless shirt with exposed sides and tied together using string in a "X" pattern that follows down the seams of his shirt, where twin buckled straps hang loosely off of him. As well, Cheshire wears a black cape that draped over his shoulders and falls down his back, branching off into two ribbons that had large bells tied to them, tight black pants and long, pointed black shoes. Cheshire previously wore the same collar he had as a cat, tied around his neck with the bell resting at it center; acting as the container of the Intention's most painful memories, though it has since been destroyed. Though appearing more human-like in this form, Cheshire retains his pointed ears, fangs and white-tipped tail from his life as a cat. Finally, since the Intention wasn't able to given Cheshire his own eyes, Cheshire now has a single red eye that was stolen from Kevin Legnard 100 years ago to fill his left eye-socket, though he lacks a right eye.

Another form which Cheshire can take is his ethereal form, which he used to spy on and kidnap Alice and during battle against Oswald. In this form, Cheshire appears as a collection of black smoke in a formation similar to the shape of a cat's head; with only two red eyes (the left being much larger than the right and lacking a pupil) and a large jagged-shaped, yellow smile visible within it.

The true form of Cheshire is one which he uses only in the most dire situations. In this form, Cheshire appears as a giant 50 foot anthropomorphic cat with shaggy black fur, long fingers ending in white-tipped fur, sharply pointed ears, a round mouth with jagged teeth and circular, pupil-less eyes.

Personality[]

Overall, Cheshire is driven by aggression, potentially instigated by his unjust death by Vincent's hand. In his first life, Cheshire was loving and compassionate towards Alice only when the Intention was in possession of her body, hating Alice with a burning passion otherwise. As a Chain, Cheshire retains his love for the Intention, only to a larger extreme that leads him to developing a hero-complex. Cheshire is willing to kill anyone who threatens the balance that the Intention exists in, having vowed to destroy anything that makes the Intention sad. However, Cheshire is cowardly, as displayed by his attempts to isolate his enemies and have them die by someone else's hand (as he attempted to do with Alice, Break, and more recently, Oswald and Vincent), only ever facing his enemies head-on as a last resort. Additionally, Cheshire has always envied humanity, which is why he asked the Intention for a near-human form so that he could satisfy his own desire to be like humans. Potentially, Cheshire's unbreakable loyalty is brought on by his own selfishness and desire to be accepted by his master, the Intention, the only person he's identified as his friend throughout his 100 years.

Powers and Abilities[]

16 - Cheshire 1

Cheshire's healing ability

As a Chain, Cheshire has enhanced speed, strength and endurance, as well as the ability to heal his wounds rather quickly (depending on severity), though he's still vulnerable to the powers of Mad Hatter.

  • Cheshire is able to leave the Abyss without needing a Contractor, an ability unique to him as a Chain.
  • Inter-dimensional Travel - Cheshire is able to travel between any existing dimension as he pleases.
  • Teleportation - Cheshire is able to freely move where ever he wishes to go by trailing his ribbons across his body, a power which he displayed during his fight with Equus and Sharon when he was avoiding Sharon's questions about the Tragedy of Sablier.
  • Shape-shifting - Cheshire displayed his ability to shape-shift multiple times, able to take on at least four different forms.

Quotes[]

  • ”What are you saying? This dimension itself was created from Alice's memories.”
  • ”Cheshire knows, y'know. You guys are trying to collect Alice's memories, right? Why... why are you doing that?”
  • ”Liar. Only Cheshire knows. She... Alice... wanted to forget everything! That's why... of her own accord... she tore up and threw all of her memories away!”
  • ”The shreds of her memory were scattered all over your world, and... this memory alone sealed itself within a shell. Cheshire's duty is to stay here... and prevent anyone from laying eyes on Alice's memory, and protect it. 'Cos what's here is the memory that Alice wanted to erase the most... the day that Alice lost everything.”
  • ”You're such a strange human. You're still smiling like everything is fine, even after I've hurt you so much. Even though you're the one getting hurt, you somehow seem indifferent. Even though you're definitely here, you're not anywhere.”
  • ”By the way, fellow in the black there... you have a crow inside of you, right? Why don't you bring it out of its cage? Cheshire feels more like eating a bird... than eating a human right now!”
  • ”Oh... you're sealing B-Rabbit's power with Raven aren't you? That's too bad... it looks like I won't get to say hello to Raven.”
  • ”You guys... how did you get here?”
  • ”Cheshire didn't predict that the red-eyed one would come with her... or that you two would come along too. But... if Cheshire kills you then nothing would change!”
  • ”The memories that are replayed here eliminate all intruders. In the end they'll swallow you whole... you'll suffer for all eternity in the thresholds of time. That's really painful. So you should just let me hunt you mice instead.”
  • ”If you mean the red-eyed one... he was dragged into the mirror a while ago. Held close by the arms of his past... he ought to be in a deep, deep sleep by now...”
  • ”Why (Did he target Alice and Break)? That's obvious.They're enemies of the Intention of the Abyss.”
  • ”Why do you and red-eye want to know about that (The Intention)?”
  • ”You're noisy.”
  • ”Mad Hatter!?”
  • ”The dimension is cracking!?”
  • ”Cheshire doesn't have time to play with you anymore...! Cheshire will go kill that blonde, he's trying to destroy this dimension! You... the B-Rabbit... Raven... Cheshire will kill you all!”
  • ”Cheshire exists only for her sake! And for her sake, you will all die!”

Appearances[]

Manga Appearances
Omake Appearances

(*) - Denotes that the character did not appear physically, but as a part of another character's memories.

Trivia[]

PH 24 plus 1 Cheshire profile

Cheshire's profile in 24 + 1: Last Dance

  • Cheshire is based directly off of the Cheshire Cat[1] from Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.[2]
  • He likes Alice, as in the Intention of the Abyss. His dislikes are, in order, the B-Rabbit, the Mad Hatter, Vincent, Gilbert, Jack, and Glen.
  • His skills include climbing trees and catching mice. He is weak when it comes to water and citrus fruits.
  • Mochizuki's comment on him is that she initially intended for him to not appear again until the very last chapter, but ended up having him appear and shake things up slightly earlier. She wishes happiness for him and the Intention, Alice.
  • Whenever referring to himself, Cheshire always does so in the third person.
  • Cheshire also occasionally "meows" casually during conversation.

References[]

Navigation[]

v - e - t Pandora Hearts
Characters

Main: AliceGilbert NightrayOz Vessalius
Vessalius: Ada VessaliusAda's CatsJack VessaliusMrs. KateOscar VessaliusRachel CecileSara VessaliusXai Vessalius
Nightray: Bernard NightrayBernice NightrayClaude NightrayEchoElliot NightrayErnest NightrayFred NightrayHansLeoMrs. FinnRaymond NightrayVanessa NightrayVincent Nightray
Rainsworth: EmilySharon RainsworthShelly RainsworthSheryl RainsworthXerxes Break
Barma: Arthur BarmaCalum LunettesGrunerMiranda BarmaReim LunettesRufus Barma
Baskervilles: CeliaDugFangGlen BaskervilleGlen Baskerville (♀)JuryLacieLeviLilyLottieNoiseOswald
Abyss: The Core of the AbyssThe Intention of the Abyss
Other: Flower GirlThe GeneralHarris WatsonHeadhunterIsla YuraJyantaMariePhillipe WestRytasTurnerWilliam West
Chains: AlbusB-RabbitBandersnatchCardsCheshireThe CookDemiosDodoDormouseDuldeeDuldumEquusFawnFlower Girl's ChainGrimGryphonHedgehog ChainsHumpty DumptyThe Intention's DollsJabberwockLacie's ChainLarsLeonMad BabyMad HatterMarch HareOwlRavenRocking-Horse-FlySnap-Dragon-FlyTove
Caucus Race: Dahlia GarlandGarland ButlerGeraldGreat MotherJosephineMarcelMia

Nobility Barma DukedomBaskerville ClanNightray DukedomRainsworth DukedomSinclair FamilyVessalius DukedomWest Family
Terminology Species & Factions: Black Winged ChainsChainsContractorsIsla Yura's CultPandora

Objects: Arthur Barma's Memoirs"Chains"Doors to the AbyssJack Vessalius' Pocket WatchKeys to the DoorsSilent Clock TowerStone Seals
Events: Coming-of-Age CeremonySuccession CeremoniesTragedy of Sablier
Miscellaneous: AngelsChildren of Ill OmenLacie (Song)Holy KnightStatice

Locations AbyssBarma HomelandCarillonDimensional PlaneÉbaucheHouse of FiannaLacie's TombLuca's GateLutwidge AcademyReveilSablierTower
Volumes IIIIIIIVVVIVIIVIIIIXXXIXIIXIIIXIVXVXVIXVIIXVIIIXIXXXXXIXXIIXXIIIXXIV
Omake Maidora HeartsBumbling Sleuth BreakMagical Girl Ill-Omened❤LaciePandora Academy
Episodes 12345678910111213141516171819202122232425Special Episodes
DVDs IIIIIIIVVVIVIIVIIIIXBonus Story
Guidebooks & Artbooks 8.518.524 + 1Official Animation Guide〜Odds and Ends〜「There is.」
Light Novels 123
Drama CDs Pandora Hearts Drama CDNightmare of Vessalius Academy!Alice's Tea PartyAnimedia Radio SpecialRadio Special 1Radio Special 2Radio Special 3Retrace 42.5Another Story of A Promise Lost
Soundtrack OST 1OST 2Parallel HeartsMazeWatashi wo MitsuketeEverytime you kissed me
Character Songs Swear to...Kinjirareta AsobiTruth
Calendars 20102011201220132014
Extra Pandora HearchuMochizuki's MusingsTimelineReal-World References
Author Jun Mochizuki
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