The champion’s defeat

Pyrrha Nikos was a difficult opponent to beat. She was exceptional among her peers: academically as well as practically. She didn’t just score high marks but she knew what she was doing by actually using the knowledge she learned and putting it to practice and use. She was taught how to fight, how to win: primarily against humans but Grimm as well. She graduated top of her class in Sanctum Academy; won the Mistral Regional Tournament four years in a row; she was rich, talented, famous; she was capable.

Yet she lost.

No matter how brilliant Pyrrha Nikos is, she is not yet a huntress. She had not even completed her second year in Beacon. More importantly, though she had won her fights prior: she had never killed a human. Her skills, talent, and mindset led her to handicap herself unconsciously. Her greatest advantage, her semblance (Polarity), was used tactically when needed to seal her victory but it also meant she never truly push the limits of her semblance without it draining her stamina. And she was too compassionate, too kind for her own good: she struck to defeat her foes but they struck to kill, to maimed, to hurt her. She was one; they were many. They took their time draining her stamina, learning her skills, identifying her weaknesses, and when the moment was right: they pounced all at once, overwhelming her.

But it wasn’t easy. She took down many bandits before she succumbed to defeat. Had she not held herself back, she would have taken down and killed many more bandits; she would still lose though. Unfortunately, she was not at a level to defeat them yet.

And she paid a hefty price for it.