Arnold

Arnold is an Empire Spirit remembered first as Axelor's murderous manipulator and later revealed as a deep-cover Protector of the Peace carrying out Emperor Fenoras's last-resort mission.

Biography

Apparent betrayer, hidden protector

Arnold possesses Safiros, drives Axelor's purges, tortures Faxul, and competes for pieces of the Grand Inheritance. Daneel defeats him by exploiting partial possession: killing the host destroys the attached portion of Arnold's consciousness and leaves the remainder dormant. Arnold later returns beside the Church during Axelor's blood sacrifice, apparently confirming that he has betrayed Angaria and sacrificed tens of thousands of Axelorians. (Chapters 581–601 and 893–906)

The final invasion reveals the longer plan. Fenoras had learned that the criminal Arnold was secretly pursuing justice in the manner taught by his murdered father, recruited him, and ordered him to defect if Angaria's survival required it. Arnold uses his Church body and infiltrated command to turn the second wave's weapons on its allies, then brings the captured arsenal home. Daneel publicly restores his true title, and Arnold's tears show the cost of accepting generations of hatred without certainty that his purpose would ever be known. (Chapters 1,118–1,120)

Appearance and personality

In his Church body Arnold is about ten feet tall, with long shoulder-length hair, handsome features, and sleek crimson robes. He is theatrical, arrogant, ruthless, and capable of appalling collateral harm, even when serving a concealed defensive purpose. Beneath that performance remains a desire to protect Angaria and to have the sacrifice recognized. (Chapters 1,118–1,120)

Abilities and power

As an Empire Spirit, Arnold can inhabit a stone pedestal, partially possess a willing or controlled body, cast mind-control attacks, and attach consciousness to a host through specialized trinkets. Partial possession has a critical weakness: if the body dies, the attached consciousness disperses and the original is grievously injured. Later, Arnold uses an ancient consciousness technique to take over a much stronger Church commander; the act either costs part of his consciousness or requires long hibernation, and succeeds largely because the victim does not expect betrayal. He also understands ancient formations and the control of the Church's artifact weapons. His latest confirmed state is embodied, lucid, and allied with Angaria. (Chapters 581–601, 893–906, and 1,118–1,120)

Relationships

• Emperor Fenoras: Fenoras sees the buried Protector in Arnold and entrusts him with the deep-cover mission that defines his later life.
• Daneel Anivron: They begin as enemies; Daneel later recognizes Arnold's purpose publicly and accepts the weapons he captures.
• Safiros: Safiros willingly cooperates for promised power, but Arnold uses his body as a host and loses part of his consciousness when Safiros dies.
• Queen Arafell: Arafell first denounces Arnold's apparent betrayal, then is the first public ruler to welcome him home as a Protector.

Items

• Grand Inheritance: Arnold guards two pieces in Axelor and uses their value as bait during the Race; he never reassembles or safely wields the complete inheritance.
• Empire Spirit Pedestal: Arnold's ancient consciousness is anchored to Axelor's pedestal before he acquires later bodies.