Liza is a pink female Chameleon and a friend of Valdez and Espio the Chameleon. A member of the Shinobi Clan of the Dragon Kingdom, she resided for a time in Rainbow Valley on Angel Island, before returning to the homeland of her people following the Clan Wars.
History
Island and Kingdom
Part of a community of Chameleons living in Rainbow Valley on Angel Island, Liza welcomed Espio when he arrived from the Dragon Kingdom to begin observing Knuckles the Echidna for the Bride of Constant Vigil. Whether or not she was a native of the island, she, like Espio and his mentor, Valdez, was a member of the Dragon Kingdom's Shinobi Clan. She later approached Espio during his time as a member of the Chaotix after he came across a wounded friend of theirs, Barney, and had Julie-Su take him to Echidnaopolis for medical attention. Though disapproving of Espio's taste in friends, she agreed to reveal the mystery of Barney's injuries to him. Espio got more than he bargained for when she led him to a roboticized Valdez, who had subjugated the Chameleons on the orders of his master, Dr. Eggman. (KtE: #30, SU: #16)
When Valdez ordered his Shadowbots to take her prisoner, Liza revealed to Espio why she had gone looking for him: she had hoped that he might be able to reach the true Valdez they had both known. Having believed Liza to prefer Espio to him for some time, Valdez ordered her roboticization as an example to the other Chameleons as to what would happen if they opposed him. It was also to convince Espio to tell him everything he knew about Knuckles the Echidna or else see the other Chameleons meet Liza's fate. The Roboticized Liza then accompanied the pair of them as they set out to find the Master Emerald. When Espio outwitted Valdez and sent him to a watery demise, Liza was left to wonder what she would do next. (KtE: #31, #32)
Liza with her fellow guards.
Liza later reappeared alongside the other Shinobi Clan ninja when they showed themselves to Sonic and Tails in the Shinobi Clan Sanctuary. Having been De-Roboticized by the Bem, she apparently returned to the Dragon Kingdom to rejoin the main body of her clan. (StH: #123, SU: #16)
Personality
Like many of the Shinobi Clan, Liza seems primarily concerned with the preservation of her own people, and was puzzled by Espio's willingness to mingle with outsiders.
Abilities
Like all Chameleons, Liza was capable of cloaking herself in such a fashion that she would be undetectable to anyone without the most highly tuned senses, such as Knuckles the Echidna and Lightning Lynx. Given her presence in the Bride of Constant Vigil's guard, it is likely that she was a well-trained ninja.
Background Information
- Liza was later de-roboticized by the Bem, but she had not been seen since Knuckles the Echidna #32 and thus her fate remained unknown for some time. Recently, however, a chameleon greatly resembling Liza appeared in SU: #16 among the Shinobi Clan and it was heavily implied in a blog and later confirmed by current writer Ian Flynn that the chameleon was indeed Liza. [1][2]
- An early concept for "The Chaotix Quest" (Sonic Universe Issues #46-#49-would have featured Liza as a character. Apparently NOT originally a member of the Shinobi Clan by birth, Liza would have been rejected by the Rainbow Valley Chameleons following her De-Roboticization, and a sympathetic Espio would have put her in touch with the Shinobi Clan. When Mighty the Armadillo and Ray the Flying Squirrel went searching for Mighty's sister Matilda, Espio would have contacted the Shinobi Clan and Liza would have been sent to trail the pair, partly to help them and partly to help her get over her mistrust of non-Chameleons. Apparently still a novice in terms of Chameleon stealth skills and Shinobi ninja techniques, she would have bungled along a bit but would have proved helpful in interacting with Matilda and other formers Robians due to her own past experience. Aleah Baker also intended to add to her design somewhat, similar to aborted plans for Saffron Bee and Hershey St. John. [3]