| “ | I am who I am because I've been part of your family. Never forget, Jules. The choices we make, make us. | ” |
–Diana about choices, and choosing to be their tutor, Lady Midnight | ||
Diana Wrayburn is a Shadowhunter who used to run a weapons shop called Diana's Arrow in Alicante. After the Dark War, Diana volunteered to be stationed at Los Angeles to become the tutor of the Blackthorn children.
Biography
Early life
Diana was born David Laurence Wrayburn. Though she always knew that she was a woman, she was born with the body of a man. She had an older sister, Aria, who accepted her for who she was. Even her parents, Aaron and Lissa, allowed her to be herself in their home but asked her to "be David" when in public.[2]
At one point, Diana had a mentor who shaped her personality.[3] When she turned eighteen, she and Aria took their travel year and went to Thailand to study at the Bangkok Institute. Diana became free to express herself in Thailand; she lived as Aria's sister, Diana—a name she got from their father's shop, Diana's Arrow, after the goddess of the hunt. There,[2] she met Catarina Loss, a warlock who also worked at mundane hospitals as a nurse.[3] Diana spent many years in Thailand and traveling Southeast Asia, either to fight demons or simply to travel, visiting Angkor Wat and other historical sites.[1]
She and Aria decided to investigate an island where it was rumored there were Thotsakan demons but were instead faced with dozens of revenants. They were gravely injured in the ensuing battle and were rescued by Catarina, and while Diana was nursed back to health, Aria passed away, and Diana broke down. Meanwhile, Catarina saw her body while she tended to her injuries, and reassured her, informed her that her situation had a term in the mundane world: transgender.
Catarina told her that she could transition but it would involve mundane medicine. She decided to live with Catarina in a small apartment in Bangkok, away from the Clave. When she informed her parents of Aria's death and her plans to live out her days as Diana, her parents remained supportive and told the Council that David was the one who died so she could return as their daughter, and she had been unable to stop them.
Diana stayed in Bangkok with Catarina for three years, where she transitioned with others like her. She had no plans to return to the Shadowhunter world again, and kept putting off seeing her parents in fear of exposing their lies to the Clave. When her parents were killed in a demon attack, she mourned from afar, unable return home for the funeral.[2] She became the last remaining Wrayburn.[3]
When she heard of the Mortal War, Diana decided to fight. She returned to Idris and told the Council that she was her parents' daughter, introduced herself as Diana and wasn't questioned in the midst of the chaos.[2] She also reopened her father's weapons shop on Flintlock Street in Alicante.[4]
Aside from Catarina, the High Warlock of Los Angeles Malcolm Fade became one of her primary sources for her hormone medication.[3][2]
Dark War
Diana participated actively during the Clave meetings in Idris. Diana was appalled at the thought of losing Shadowhunters who had become Endarkened. The following day, Clary Fairchild and Jace Herondale came to her shop in search of a new sword. Diana decided to give Clary Heosphoros, the Morgenstern blade no one has even considered buying ever since it was sold to them by Jocelyn.
During the battle, Diana tried to come to the aid of the Blackthorn children but was too late, having witnessed Julian Blackthorn's need to kill his own father. Both concerned for and impressed by their resilience, Diana offered to take Katerina's place as the children's tutor at the Los Angeles Institute, an offer which Consul Penhallow considered.[4]
Los Angeles
Eventually, Diana's request was approved. She moved to Los Angeles, where she got her own house in Santa Monica. She was acquainted with a warlock whom she frequently visited at Ojai.
Reminiscent of her own mentor, Diana wished to help Emma and the Blackthorns in the same way her mentor helped her. Despite her responsibility, she refused to become the head of the Los Angeles Institute, despite knowing that Arthur Blackthorn was not a capable leader.[3]
The Lottery
In August 2012, Emma and the Institute visitor Cristina Rosales found a corpse related to a series of murders around the city, covered in the same markings as the corpses of Emma's parents from five years prior. Though the pair kept their own little investigation a secret from Diana and Arthur, they called Diana and the Silent Brothers upon finding it. Diana worried about Emma's feelings, knowing how much the case meant to her and being one of the few people who believed her theory that her parents weren't killed by Sebastian. With the Silent Brothers prohibiting Emma and Cristina from interfering with their own study of the corpse, Diana promised to tell her if she learns anything.
While she gave a lesson at the Institute one morning, a faerie convoy arrived, bringing with them Mark Blackthorn, who was taken from the family during the last war. Diana stayed outside the Sanctuary during the meeting, eavesdropping into the discussion, but entered to help mediate when Arthur's status came at risk of discovery. She kept the secret from the Clave and tried to help the children investigate, though she was unable to directly help and remained fairly absent, as she was away on secret trips.
Unbeknownst to the others, Diana was also conducting her own investigation. When she realized from the poem that it was about the Blackthorns, she approached Catarina Loss about the circumstances and soon discovered that the Guardian was their trusted warlock friend Malcolm Fade. She went to the convergence site—the base of Malcolm's necromantic activies—without telling the children to confront Malcolm herself but was met with the children anyway as they had caught onto Malcolm's secret, as well, and were there to rescue a captive Tavvy. She was briefly suspected by the children when she first arrived at the scene robed, before Malcolm arrived. She tried to get the children to run, to no avail, and was bound with magic when she tried to fight Malcolm.
Diana was eventually released from the spell. After the battle, and after Malcolm's death at Emma's hands, Diana was able to safely escape the cave with everyone. Diana offered to take the blame for them, for Julian's actions and their decision to keep the investigation from the Clave, but Julian refused, telling her that it was because she was a bad liar. As a measure to make it seem that she had little to no involvement, she immediately left after dropping off Cristina and Diego Rosales at the Institute.[3]
Appealing to Jia
A few weeks after Malcolm's death, a spike in sea demon activity was noted by the Clave. Jace and Clary came and informed her that a team of Centurions was coming to find the Black Volume of the Dead, which they suspected was responsible.
Diana continued her tutoring of the Blackthorns when the Centurions arrived and tried to help make them comfortable, though she chafed against Zara Dearborn and her arrogant attitude. When Gwyn ap Nudd arrived at the Institute to tell Mark of Kieran's impending execution, Diana greeted him and was surprised when he called her "lovely lady". When Gwyn became upset, Diana gently bade him leave and received a summons for him, in the form of an acorn, as a gift.
Diana later defended the Institute when Malcolm attacked it and phoned Catarina Loss immediately after the battle to open a Portal to the London Institute. When Gwyn brought Kieran and his rescuers to the Institute, Diana was overjoyed to see them, and was stunned when Gwyn asked to court her. She then left for Idris to tell Jia Penhallow about the Seelie Queen's proposal and Zara's agenda.
While in Idris, Diana stayed at her weapons shop and went through files Jia had given her. Gwyn arrived shortly after and took her on a picnic in Brocelind Forest, where she discovered a blight, which she later reported to Jia and continued to try and convince her to take the Queen's deal, not only for the end of the Cold Peace but also for the return of Helen to her siblings and Jia's daughter, Aline.
Later, Gwyn came for her and rode to London to protect Ty, Livvy, and Kit from the Seven Riders. While binding Gwyn's wounds, he asked her why she couldn't take the Institute. Diana felt compelled to tell him the truth of her past. Gwyn's admiration for her did not change, and Gwyn asked to hold Diana, who was affected after having to tell her painful story.
Diana attended the Council meeting during which Annabel Blackthorn was to give testimony. She tried defending the Blackthorns against slander from the Cohort and later watched in horror as Annabel went mad and killed Robert Lightwood and Livia Blackthorn.[2]
Physical description
Diana has black hair, dark skin, and brown eyes with flecks of green in them. She is tall, spare, and elegant. On her cheek is a tattoo of a silver koi fish. When Diana first came to the Los Angeles Institute as the children's tutor, Emma thought she was "the most beautiful woman [she'd] ever seen."
Appearances
- City of Heavenly Fire (first appearance)
- Pale Kings and Princes (mentioned only)
- A History of Notable Shadowhunters & Denizens of the Downworld
- Lady Midnight
- Lord of Shadows
Gallery
Trivia
- Her favorite weapon is the throwing star.[1]