By Alex Espinosa
Staff Writer
In “Smite,” we are introduced to NuWa, a Chinese goddess known as the guardian of heaven and the protector of man. But according to legend, just how accurately does “Smite” capture this goddess?
Lore: When two warring gods shattered the World Pillar, heaven and earth shifted, and Armageddon was unleashed. Firestorms, floods and bloodthirsty monsters ravaged the land and stole the lives of plenty. In some beliefs, Nu Wa handcrafted all people from clay. They were her creations, her children, her responsibility.
As the earth was crumbling, Nu Wa forged five mystic stones, one for each of the elemental forces of nature: earth, water, fire, wood, and metal. With the power of these stones, she slew a gargantuan tortoise, severed its legs and raced to the broken World Pilar. She used one leg to prop the heavens aloft and with the elemental stones, she sealed it in place. Balance between heaven and earth was restored, but the world was never the same.
In the years that followed, Nu Wa and her brother, Fu Xi, took the throne of China. They ruled with wisdom and ushered in an age of recovery and prosperity, for which she is adored and worshipped for to this day. Yet, the skies grow dark once more and chaos threatens to engulf the land. Gods from all pantheons have chosen earth as a battleground, trading blows with the same thoughtless fervor that destroyed the World Pillar so long ago. Determined to prevent the repetition of such calamity, Nu Wa has summoned the elemental stones once more.
As far as the lore is concerned, “Smite” does a great job as its story is almost one-to-one with the real thing. Another thing they get right are Nu Wa’s abilities. In the game, Nu Wa’s passive ability is called “elemental crystals,” which upon using one of her other abilities activates one of her stones. When activated, they grant her stat boosts.
One of Nu Wa’s normal abilities is called “clay soldiers.” When activated, Nu Wa sum- mons an army of clay minions to aid her in combat, referencing the lore. Nu-Wa has many other abilities, mainly focused around her elemental crystals. Nu Wa’s ultimate move is called “pillars of heaven.” When activated, Nu Wa summons four pillars, creating a damage field that imprisons enemy gods, slowing them down and damaging them.
Overall “Smite” does a good job showing how amazing Nu Wa is. I highly recommend “Smite” players to give her a try.
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