Mine-a

Mine-a (Enchanta: ᜋᜒᜈᜒ-ᜀ, snow) is a character from the Filipino telefantasya saga Encantadia produced by GMA Network. Also known as Ynang Reyna, Mine-a is a queen of the Diwata kingdom of Lireo, and the mother of main characters Amihan, Pirena, Alena and Danaya.^[1][2]

Mine-a has been played by several Filipina actresses. Dawn Zulueta played Mine-a in the first Encantadia series. Nadine Samonte, on the other hand, played the young Mine-a in the Etheria series. However, the Ynang Reyna character was originally played by Giselle Toengi in Mulawin, the series from which Encantadia spin-off. On the 2016 requel of the series, Encantadia, Marian Rivera takes on the role of the Ynang Reyna.

Character background

Named after the word for snow in Enchanta (the Encantadia language). Long ago, in the earlier days of Etheria, there was a diwata named Esmeralda, who had powers in whatever words she lets go from her mouth. Once, a couple of Etherians tried stealing her sceptre but they did not succeed. Instead, Esmeralda had bestowed unto them and the whole of Etheria, a curse that one of her race would be the one to bring Etheria into nothing but ashes, leaving memories of their kingdom being a dreadful one. This threatens the kingdom and begins to turn diwatas into their slaves, keeping an eye on every diwata being born and killing whoever does even just a small heroic work. All these were done to prevent the threatening prophecy from happening.

They became even more horrified when the papers indicating every prophecy mentioned that there would be a diwata who would someday be a powerful queen- Mine-a. She was then adopted by Etherian Queen Avria, the latter being barren. This was done so that Mine-a would be the future queen of Etheria rather than being the queen of the diwatas, who would be the one to fulfill Esmeralda's curse. She grew up recognizing Avria and Memen as her real parents, and that she is a true Etherian. Little does she know that the diwatas that she loathes the most is her race. Avria, upon the goading of Barkus, killed Mine-a's real mother and raised Mine-a as her daughter.

Before the Sanggres changed history, the young Mine-a was angry at the betrayal of her father. Although she appeared the dutiful daughter who is engaged to Prince Hagorn of Hathoria, Mine-a led a double life. She enchanted the Kabilan to become a weapon to destroy the Diwatas, then disguised as a lowly diwata servant (Queshya) she hunts for her father and his mistress in order to kill them. It was during one of these forays that she would meet Prince Raquim, who would know her as Queshya. After learning that she has Diwata blood in her like her father, Mine-a realized that what she is doing is wrong and desired to vindicate herself for what she has done.

After Cassiopea left Lireo (she was banished because she separated the brillante into four pieces), the throne of Lireo was entrusted to Queen Ursula after which was succeeded by Queen Demetria. Their reigns were short because of the Hathorian disease that swept the diwatas and claimed their lives. Evades came to Mine-a and told her that she was to become the next queen. She asks Evades why and he answers because it is her destiny and with the mark on her back to signify that she will reign in Lireo longer than any of its past rulers.

As queen of Lireo, Mine-a was the keeper of the Jewel of Air and the magical scepter (this will later be claimed by Hagorn during an invasion of Lireo) and mother to the four elemental goddesses who will later carry the magic that the four jewels bear.

When Hathoria invaded Adamya, which was aided by Sapiro, the three jewels kept by the three kingdoms fell to Prince Raquim of Sapiro's possession. With Adamya defeated and Sapiro the next target of Hathoria, Raquim brought the jewels to Lireo. This was how all four elemental jewels came to be guarded by the diwatas.

Mine-a had four daughters, each one (except Alena & Danaya) having a different father. Pirena is her daughter with Hagorn, King of Hathoria. They were once betrothed when Etheria was still standing, but the two later became enemies. Amihan is her daughter with Raquim, Prince of Sapiro and her beloved. However, both Raquim and Amihan were parted from Mine-a when Raquim decided to leave Encantadia and live in the world of mortals, taking his daughter with him. Alena and Danaya were the only sisters who shared the same father, Enuo, who was killed while fighting the Hathors. These two daughters were born not out of love but out of destiny. Since Enuo was so good and kind, he was entrusted to be the father of both Alena and Danaya. With the exception of Amihan, who grew up with her father, Mine-a's daughters never met, or even knew the identity of their fathers. When Hagorn crossed the portal into the mortal world to find and kill Raquim, the young Amihan was found by the queen's guards and reunited with her mother.

When her children had grown into lovely young women, Mine-a learned that she would soon die and leave for Devas. To determine the successor to the throne, she consulted her advisors and then told her daughters to prepare for a test. During one of Mine-a's discussions with Imaw, Pirena overheard her mother wish that any of her three younger daughters, and not Pirena, would become queen. Mine-a mentioned something about Pirena's "blood" (but did not expound on the subject, which mystified even the wise Imaw) and that she is sorry that Pirena would not be able to fulfill her ambition. By then Pirena had already gone, angry and hurt with questions on her mind.

The test for the sisters turned out to be fighting with a cloaked warrior. The goal is to take the "key" that the warrior possessed. The warrior wore a white cloak with a brown face covering (intriguingly, the attire of a common Sapirian warrior) and wore a key pendant around its neck.

Danaya went first and it was her battle that was most difficult (she even stepped on traps). Defeated, she went home sulking. Alena went next and also succumbed to defeat the warrior but she was just happy about it (to everyone's puzzlement). Next went Amihan. When she proved to be strong, Pirena joined in and together they fought in forcing the warrior to retreat to the woods. In their pursuit, Amihan fell off a cliff. Pirena then tried to save her sister but remembered that Amihan was also her rival, thus, she kicked Amihan's hand, letting her fall down. The cloaked warrior flew down, rescuing the diwata. It was at this moment that Amihan recognized the warrior as her mother. Mine-a uncovered her face and told Amihan that she just found the key: a child should know that her mother's love would always show through, despite any sort of disguise.

Back on the cliff, Mine-a announced Amihan as the winner. This news was not received well by Pirena, who challenged her mother to another duel. Mine-a would rather not duel with her daughter but was forced to accept the challenge in accordance to the rules of Lireo.

Pirena was surprisingly stronger and faster during the second duel, almost defeating Mine-a if not for the intervention of Mine-a's other daughters. The intervention enraged Pirena, who left Lireo to join forces with its enemy, Hathoria.

The diwatas soon realized the source of Pirena's new strength when they discovered that the jewel of fire was missing. The theft showed that it is not enough to put the jewels in a guarded room. Mine-a decided that each of her three remaining daughters should guard one of the remaining jewels. Thus Amihan, who succeeded as queen, came to be the guardian of the air jewel, the water jewel was given to Alena, and the protection of the earth jewel was given to Danaya.

Mine-a died in Lireo just before Lira (Milagros) was born, She was believed to be at least 3,000 years old when she died. Thereafter she resided in the peace of Devas. She reappeared later in the Encantadia series when Lira came to Devas for advice. She told Lira that the only way Encantadia will be united is the unification of her four daughters, who have gone astray by Bathala's will, and Lira is the key for this to happen. Lira had been identified by Cassiopea as luntaie, the saviour. Mine-a is also the reason why Kahlil wanted to go back to Devas when he was resurrected by Alipato, Pirena's spirit guide.

Powers

Minea is one of the most powerful diwatas of Encantadia she possess many powers:

• Teleportation- Minea has the ability to transport herself to another place without occupying space. She can only teleport when she knows the place. This is also a common sanggre ability.
• Energy Manipulation- Minea can manipulate and generate various energy which can be used in many ways.
• Blessing & Curse Bestowal- Minea can bestow someone with a blessing and curse. She inherited this ability from her mother: (ESMERALDA, the most powerful diwata).
• Telekinesis- Minea has the ability to move/manipulate objects through her mind.
• Elementalist- Minea possesses the ability to control or create fire, wind, water, and earth. This power was heightened when the 4 gems were entrusted to her.

Minea also possesses a variety of unspecified powers

References