Ion

Ion
Information
Appearance	Tales of the Abyss
Hometown	Daath
Age	14 (Physically) 2 (Chronologically)
Height	5'5" / 166 cm
Weight	128 lbs / 58 kg
Race	Human
Occupation	Fon Master
Weapon	Staff
Japanese Voice Actor	•Ikue Ootani (game) •Yumiko Kobayashi (anime)
English Voice Actor	Erin Fitzgerald
Character Designer	Kousuke Fujishima

This article is about the character Ion. For other uses, see Ion (disambiguation).

Fon Master Ion (導師イオン, Doushi Ion^?), or simply Ion (イオン, Ion^?), is the highest leader in the Order of Lorelei, a neutral theocracy currently trying to calm the power struggle between the kingdom of Kimlasca and Malkuth Empire in Tales of the Abyss. He is the only one who can read the Planetary Score and unlock Yulia Jue's seals.

History

Ion first joins the party in the Cheagle Woods, and from there, continues to accompany them throughout the story. Although he is often seen in conversations and skits with the group, he never fights, presumably due to his weak condition. When Luke fon Fabre and Tear Grants encounter him in the forest, he nearly faints due to overexerting his powers. Throughout the story, he is constantly pursued by the God-Generals in order to break the "Daathic Seals" on the Sephiroth Trees.

It is later revealed that Ion is the seventh replica of the original Fon Master. He was created along with six others and chosen because his abilities were closest to the original's two years before the story. The remaining replicas were thrown alive into the Mt. Zaleho volcano, notably the God-General Sync. The original Fon Master was ill, so Grand Maestro Mohs and Van Grants created the replicas; the original later died. One month after Van's initial defeat at the Absorption Gate, Ion is taken by Mohs to read the Planetary Score. However, the strain on his body is too great, and he dies. Before his death, he absorbs the miasma inside Tear's body, saving her life.

Appearance and Personality

Concept artwork for the Tales of the Abyss anime.

Ion is optimistic and soft-spoken, tending to point out the positive aspects of a person's character, even if their negative qualities are overwhelming. Despite being physically weak and docile, he attempts to use his leadership to lead the world to peace and exhibits great maturity. He refuses to be a puppet and creates a separate faction to oppose the strictly traditional Mohs, the second in command of the Order. Unlike Mohs, Ion views the Score as one possible future out of many.

Fighting Style

Cut-in image for Tales of the Rays.

Tales of the Rays marks the first time in the series' history where Ion is a playable character. He fights using his staff that has an amplified-by-magic reach, but he also incorporates his hands and legs. Because of his still weak condition, Ion has the lowest maximum HP in the game, a low CC recovery speed, and will faint if he runs out of it, though these downsides are offset by low CC costs to his artes. While he is temporarily drained out, he cannot attack, use artes, including mirrage artes, or perform any other action, leaving him in a very vulnerable state. On the upside, he will automatically evade enemy attacks during his own arte execution, and most of his artes can trigger altered artes that can reach foes in mid-range.

Other Appearances

Tales of the Rays: Fairy's Requiem

The Bloody and the Sacred Flame

In Tales of the Rays, Ion is exoflected into Tir Na Nog, and is cooperating with the Asgard Empire.

The Boy Who Glimmers with Quiet Resolve

Taking advantage of the fact that he is a replica, he strengthens his weak body with a mirrage created by Harold Berselius, giving him enough fighting power to compete on an equal footing with other members.

Although he is happy about this, the people around him are worried because of his past in his original world. As it turns out, his physical abilities, especially his strength, are incomparable to that of a normal human being. However, of course, this is something that he was only able to demonstrate after acquiring a body reinforced with mirrage technology, so Anise worries about him and only shows her true feelings once a day and only for a short period of time, as recommended restrictions are imposed.

Gallery

Artwork for Tales of Asteria.

Artwork for Tales of Link.