| “ | Everything I do is for Azgeda. But, what's good for Azgeda, is good for you. If you won't fight for your mother, or your Queen, fight for your clan. I want her head. | ” |
| — Nia to Roan [src] | ||
Nia was a recurring character in the third and sixth seasons. She was portrayed by actress Brenda Strong and debuted in "Ye Who Enter Here".
Nia was the Queen of Azgeda who attempted to overthrow Lexa, but was killed by her hands.
Early Life[]
She was born to King Theo and an unknown mother. At one point in her life she took over the throne of Azgeda and became the Queen. Sometime in her adulthood she gave birth to a son and named him Roan.
At some point in the past she sent her army to take land from Ash's family, when Ash was eight years old. The men executed Ash's father and burnt Ash's mother who was hiding the cellar with Ash. When Nia found out she executed the men who did this, took Ash into her clan, and started training Ash to be a warrior and spy. While the two girls, Ash and Echo were practicing archery one day and insulting the queen, Nia came upon them and ordered Echo to kill a Sangedakru spy, but she was unable to. As a result, Nia killed the man herself and ordered the girls to fight to the death. Ash was forced to kill Echo in self-defense and, as Sangedakru expected Azgeda to send them a girl named Echo, Nia forced Ash to take on the real Echo's identity.
Nia also kidnapped the lover of Lexa, Costia, whom she used for information about Lexa, then killed Costia. Commander Lexa then ordered the only way Azgeda could join the Coalition was if she banished her son Roan, so she did so.
Throughout the Series[]
In Ye Who Enter Here, Nia is surrounded by her people when Ice Nation warrior Echo approaches with updates on her mission. She informs Queen Nia that the explosion on Mount Weather was a success thanks to the information provided by the last Mountain Man. Queen Nia vows to rescue her son from Polis and to kill Lexa.
In Watch the Thrones, Nia has been arrested and is brought in before Lexa and the 13 clan Ambassadors to answer for the orchestrated attack on Skaikru at Mount Weather. Titus informs Nia that she will be put to death for her actions at Mount Weather and whether she had anything to say in her defense. She tells him that she doesn't need one, and declares a vote of no confidence in Lexa. The various Ambassadors of the 12 clans stand up and support Nia. However, she is informed by Clarke Griffin that her petition will fail because she does not have the unanimous support of all the clans. Nia dismisses her objection, until Titus informs her that Skaikru took the brand to become the 13th clan. Lexa tells Nia that she knows what she wants and to issue the challenge. Nia readily does so and names her son Prince Roan to fight for her.
In the courtyard of Polis, Nia walks with Roan and gives him advice on how to defeat Lexa. She tells him that if he kills Lexa his banishment will be lifted, and he will become a legend amongst his people.
Later, Nia is in her chambers eating while her bodyguard Ontari stands watch. Clarke enters with a proposition to vote with her and the other Ambassadors, and Nia would guarantee the protection of Skaikru from Azgeda. Nia agrees to the deal, and Clarke uses a knife to cut her palm to signify the blood oath. Clarke wipes her blood off on her sleeve and offers the knife to Nia. Nia takes the knife and is about to cut her palm when suddenly her bodyguard attacks Clarke and smells her sleeve. Ontari tells Nia that Clarke had poison on her sleeve. Nia tells Clarke that they could have been allies, but for this treachery, they are now enemies. Nia cuts Ontari's palm and spills her black blood on Clarke's face as a message to Lexa.
Nia attends the death match between Lexa and Roan with Ontari by her side. Lexa defeats Roan and instead of killing him she throws her spear into Nia's chest, instantly killing her.
In Hakeldama, her dead body is seen covered with fabric being moved on a horse carriage by Lexa and Clarke.
In Ashes to Ashes, a flashback features a girl named Echo and her best friend Ash practicing archery when Queen Nia arrives and demands they kill a Sangedakru spy. When Echo misses, Nia shoots the man in the back with an arrow and orders Echo to kill Ash for her failure. Echo pleads with Ash to fight back and make it look real. Nia gives Echo three seconds to kill Ash. However, Ash is able to kill Echo in self-defense; Nia forces Ash to take Echo's place and identity, telling her that Sangedakru was expecting a girl named Echo.
In A Sort of Homecoming, after Echo reveals her true identity as Ash, Niylah reveals that she was named for Queen Nia. Niylah's father was Trikru, but her mother was Azgeda.
Personality[]
Nia has ruled her people for many years while "holding onto power through ruthlessness and savvy." She does what she must to maintain her power, even when it puts her at odds with those closest to her; she banished her own son. Despite finding the real Echo and her best friend Ash insulting her and suggesting imaging Nia's face on a target, she showed no care as long as it let them hit the target rather than being insulted by such a thing.
Physical Appearance[]
Nia is very tall with an average build and light brown hair. She also has scars on both sides of her face.
Relationships[]
Roan[]
Roan was the Prince of the Ice Nation and Nia's son. Nia does not act very motherly towards Roan which is evidenced by when she banished him to get her clan into the coalition and when she volunteered him to dual Lexa. Roan does not seem particularly upset by his mother's death, due to his hateful relationship with her.
Lexa[]
Lexa and Nia have a very hostile relationship. At some point before the Grounders formed the Coalition, the Ice Nation (Nia's Clan) and the Trikru (Lexa's Clan) were at war with each other. During the war, Nia captured Lexa's lover, tortured her for information on Lexa, killed her, cut off her head and had it delivered to Lexa’s
bed. Later Lexa made banishing Nia's son and heir a condition of letting Ice Nation join the coalition against Mount Weather. Nia resented her clan being forced into the Coalition under Lexa and its circumstances, once Mount Weather fell she had a plan in place to challenge Lexa’s rule.Appearances[]
| Season Two | |
|---|---|
| Episode | Appearance Status |
| The 48 | Absent |
| Inclement Weather | Absent |
| Reapercussions | Absent |
| Many Happy Returns | Absent |
| Human Trials | Absent |
| Fog of War | Absent |
| Long Into an Abyss | Absent |
| Spacewalker | Absent |
| Remember Me | Mentioned |
| Survival of the Fittest | Absent |
| Coup de Grâce | Absent |
| Rubicon | Absent |
| Resurrection | Absent |
| Bodyguard of Lies | Absent |
| Blood Must Have Blood (Part 1) | Absent |
| Blood Must Have Blood (Part 2) | Absent |
| Season Three | |
|---|---|
| Episode | Appearance Status |
| Wanheda (Part 1) | Mentioned |
| Wanheda (Part 2) | Mentioned |
| Ye Who Enter Here | Appears |
| Watch the Thrones | Appears |
| Hakeldama | Mentioned |
| Bitter Harvest | Absent |
| Thirteen | Mentioned |
| Terms and Conditions | Absent |
| Stealing Fire | Mentioned |
| Fallen | Mentioned |
| Nevermore | Absent |
| Demons | Absent |
| Join or Die | Absent |
| Red Sky at Morning | Absent |
| Perverse Instantiation (Part 1) | Absent |
| Perverse Instantiation (Part 2) | Absent |
| Season Four | |
|---|---|
| Episode | Appearance Status |
| Echoes | Mentioned |
| Heavy Lies the Crown | Mentioned |
| The Four Horsemen | Absent |
| A Lie Guarded | Absent |
| The Tinder Box | Mentioned |
| We Will Rise | Absent |
| Gimme Shelter | Absent |
| God Complex | Absent |
| DNR | Absent |
| Die All, Die Merrily | Mentioned |
| The Other Side | Absent |
| The Chosen | Absent |
| Praimfaya | Absent |
| Season Six | |
|---|---|
| Episode | Appearance Status |
| Sanctum | Absent |
| Red Sun Rising | Absent |
| The Children of Gabriel | Absent |
| The Face Behind the Glass | Mentioned |
| The Gospel of Josephine | Absent |
| Memento Mori | Absent |
| Nevermind | Mentioned |
| The Old Man and the Anomaly | Absent |
| What You Take With You | Absent |
| Matryoshka | Absent |
| Ashes to Ashes | Flashback |
| Adjustment Protocol | Absent |
| The Blood of Sanctum | Absent |
| Season Seven | |
|---|---|
| Episode | Appearance Status |
| From the Ashes | Mentioned |
| The Garden | Absent |
| False Gods | Absent |
| Hesperides | Absent |
| Welcome to Bardo | Absent |
| Nakara | Absent |
| The Queen's Gambit | Absent |
| Anaconda | Absent |
| The Flock | Absent |
| A Little Sacrifice | Mentioned |
| Etherea | Absent |
| The Stranger | Absent |
| Blood Giant | Absent |
| A Sort of Homecoming | Mentioned |
| The Dying of the Light | Absent |
| The Last War | Absent |
Quotes[]
- Nia: "When you kill Lexa, your banishment will be over. In the wake of your victory, our people will be more powerful than ever. That will be your legacy and your legend"
- Roan: "Don't pretend you do anything for me, mother."
- Nia: "You're right. Everything I do is for Azgeda. But, what's good for Azgeda, is good for you. (offers him her sword) If you won't fight for your mother or your Queen, fight for your clan. I want her head."
- -- Watch the Thrones
Killed Victims[]
- Warriors who killed Ash's family (executed)
- A Sangedakru spy (shot in the back with an arrow)
- Original Echo (caused; ordered her to kill Ash, who killed her instead)
- Costia (tortured and beheaded on her orders)
- Arkadian Guards Nelson and Hill (ordered)
- Two Polis Sentries (indirectly; manipulated Bellamy and Pike to shoot them through Echo)
- 49 Sky People housed in Mount Weather (ordered)
- Gina Martin
- Shawn Gillmer's son
- 34 Farm Station survivors
Notes and Trivia[]
- Nia's was the fourth leaked audition tape, although a different actress than the one who auditioned was chosen to portray her.
- Nia's name originates from Niagara Falls, a natural wonder within the Ice Nation territory.
- Nia served as a minor and tertiary antagonist in Season Three.
- Niylah's mother named her daughter after Nia.
