role
her significance
Although
Salvia appears in less than twenty anime episodes (including the OAV)
and only two of the manga volumes, she is a key member of the Wedding
Peach cast. After reading through the information indexed on this
character shrine however, you may still be asking yourself "What
is Salvia's ultimate role in the series?". She is indeed
an intriguing character - an angel who does not fit in with her companions
and seems to have a whole other agenda beyond saving the world. Yes,
there's definitely something about the lovely Angel Salvia...
Salvia is a character who has been hurt considerably in the past. Having lost so many companions to war, including her best friend, Salvia transformed herself into a lone warrior. In the present, Salvia pushes others away to prevent attachment - a desperate measure to stave off any potential pain. Her purpose in the series is to find a new life and, through her her interaction with the other love angels, she is ultimately freed of the burdens that have been holding her back.
To the other angels Salvia is a challenge unlike any they've come across before. She is supposed to be an angel like them, yet she heaps them with scorn. The girls rise to Salvia as a challenge, even if her pig-headed nature causes them numerous headaches along the way. They could have falsely befriended her just her long enough for the Saint Something Four to activate, however, their intent was always pure - they didn't just need her to save the world, they needed her as a friend.
This is what truly brings Salvia out of her shell; she is needed by people who love and accept her. While she desperately tries to protect her inner fragility with a tough exterior, Momoko and the others work persistently to show her they care. Their efforts pay off. Salvia had always known that she couldn't remain alone and longed to escape her self-imposed loneliness. It is only when she meets the other love angels however, that she actually begin to make changes to her outlook on life.
Salvia's role is a complicated one. If you were to look at the series in a standard manner you'd note that she is an archetypical loner anti-hero with a bit of an attitude who needs to be brought around to help the main group of heroes. (A role that has since become fairly common in modern magical girl series.) Beyond the basics however, she's a girl who has been living as her own worst enemy and whose interaction with the rest of the cast brings about the redemption she has been seeking for so long. While you can probably link her role to that of similar characters in other series, there is little doubt that Salvia is still a compelling character in her own right. A broken angel trying to piece herself together with the help of newfound friends. It's all rather lovely, really.