Sphinxes are rare and gifted supernatural species that were thought to not even exist until one made his debut on the seventh episode of the second season of Legacies. The unnamed sphinx was released from Malivore, but unlike other monsters, he did not serve Malivore and found a new master, one more terrible. It remains to be seen if others of his species still exist, having been consumed by Malivore or if he was the last of his kind.
History
Virtually nothing is known about the early history of sphinxes. However various cultures, Greek and Egyptian, mentioned their penchant for riddles or being protectors, respectively.
Throughout Legacies Series
Season Two
In It Will All Be Painfully Clear Soon Enough, the unnamed sphinx is released from Malivore and introduces himself to Hope, Lizzie and Josie as the all-holy and ever-divine sphinx. The girls remain rather unimpressed and make the first move. Hope restrains the new 'monster' with a spell and to avoid the possibility of passerbyers from seeing them, the three work together to make him and themselves invisible.
They take the sphinx to the Salvatore Boarding School for the Young & Gifted and lock him in the werewolf transition space, leaving Rafael to guard him. While reading books and lore on sphinxes, the sphinx asks him a riddle. Rafael gives him an answer with ease, that it's a classic riddle of the sphinx. He's prideful about his reputation and questions what else Rafael's books write about him. He tells him that according to Egyptian mythology, sphinxes were protectors that stood guard outside the temples of oracles. The sphinx is offended, that with so many books, there are so few facts. He is not a protector of oracles — he is the oracle. Since Rafael answered his riddle correctly, he gives Rafael one question to ask. Rafael initially refuses, but the sphinx reveals that he cannot lie. With some prodding, Rafael asks the sphinx how he can keep Landon safe from Malivore. The sphinx reveals that there's no keeping Landon safe as long as he remains at the school or Mystic Falls. He must get Landon out of this place if he wishes to keep him from Malivore.
Having devised a plan to close the Malivore portal, Lizzie takes Simulandon to the sphinx. Lizzie opens the cell door, hoping the sphinx would take him to the portal, but he is not interested in him. This excites Simulandon, but confused Lizzie. Every monster that comes out of the portal wants him for Malivore. The sphinx reveals that he's not here for Landon Kirby, but refuses to tell her outright as he wants an answer for an answer. Lizzie's had enough of riddles but the sphinx tells her that he'll answer her question; however it will be in the form of a riddle - In blackness, a light emerges, illuminating the path for darkened souls to follow. Two forge their own way, but a third sees a new path.
Later that night, Alaric and Dorian visit the sphinx, having solved his earlier riddle for Lizzie. They deduce that unlike the other Malivore monsters, the sphinx follows a new path — he follows a new master. He also warns the two that as terrible as Malivore is, what's coming is even worse. Having answered Lizzie's riddle correctly, the sphinx gives them one more riddle about what's to come. With his task complete — Landon is away from Malivore's grasp — his work is done. He bids the two "until we meet again," and cuts his throat with his claws, spilling sand. His entire form then disintegrates into a pile of sand.
In What Cupid Problem?, the Necromancer mentions to Chad to put Pothos' corpse with the unnamed sphinx. Though not seen, this indicates that they retrieved his body, rather his pile of sand.
Psychological Characteristics
Unlike many of the creatures that have come out of Malivore, the sphinx is calm and well-mannered. He shows no hostility and or ill will towards the students, Alaric or Dorian. He doesn't give answers right away until said person correctly answers the riddle. He shows offense at how the mythology wrote him as being a protector of oracles, not stating he is the oracle.
Physiology
The sphinx was more or less human-like in appearance and stature, though possessing distinguishing features that sets him apart of the general populace. He has a prominent, flat, feline-like nose, raised cheek bones that stick out, and large hairy claws. As the oracle, when divining the future, his eyes would turn completely white.
Powers and Abilities
- Divination: The ability to gain insight on future events through mystical means. The full extent of the sphinx's abilities remain unexplored and seemingly could only divine future events. The accuracy of his predictions remain unknown.
- Resurrection: The sphinx implied that he has some form of self-restorative ability, his last words to Alaric and Dorian being "until we meet again." Upon his supposed death of slitting his own throat, he disintegrated into a large pile of sand. The sphinx, however, has not displayed such ability.
Weaknesses
- Truth: By his own admission, sphinxes cannot lie, though the bounds of this remains unexplored, such as telling half-truths, omitting information, or being vague on details, etc.
- Witchcraft: Sphinxes are still susceptible to the powers of witchcraft. Hope performed a restraintment spell on the unnamed sphinx followed by a cloaking spell with Lizzie and Josie in order to take him to the boarding school.
Prophecies
- "There are two prisoners. One is the master of his cage. The other returns home without power. The sins of the father are visited upon the daughters here. And not here. New hero rises but can be felled by the golden arrow. The wolf among you has many faces. When time fractures, darkness overwhelms. But the greatest destroyer of all ... is love"
- —Unnamed Sphinx explains what's to come next in It Will All Be Painfully Clear Soon Enough
Having been freed from Malivore and found a new path, with a new master, the unnamed sphinx gave Alaric and Dorian a prophecy upon his self-induced demise. Alaric first attempted to get Dorian's help with the prophecy in This Christmas Was Surprisingly Violent, however with the arrival of Krampus, there efforts were derailed. In This is Why We Don't Entrust Plans to Muppet Babies, Alaric figures out another piece of the prophecy when Lizzie refers to the "fishbowl of doom" fracturing. Alaric realizes that the "time fractures" part of the prophecy is about the mora miserium and allows Lizzie and Josie send the sandclock away to a prison world. However, unbeknownst to the Saltzman, Alyssa linked the newly created 2028 and the 2018 ascendants and sent them to the 2018 prison world. With them gone, Dorian enlisted Emma Tig's for her knowledge to help him figure out the prophecy. Dorian believes that "the sins of the father will be visited upon the daughters here and not here" is talking about the prison world. Emma's reluctant — prophecies are like horoscopes, purposely vague so you can apply them to almost anything. Despite Emma's claims, "A new hero rises but can be felled by the golden arrow," however, isn't vague to Dorian. Even though some portions of the prophecy has been revealed, it has not yet come to complete fruition. In You Can't Save Them All, Hope has a dream that Landon is the new hero that rises. Landon, despite literally hovering off of the ground, doesn't believe the prophecy to be about him. In fact, he even offers that it could be Wade, who discovered he was a fairy and has actual wings. Landon was subsequently stabbed with the golden arrow in Life Was So Much Easier When I Only Cared About Myself by Rafael, who was reanimated and controlled by the Necromancer.
Appearances
- It Will All Be Painfully Clear Soon Enough
- What Cupid Problem? (Mentioned)
- You Can't Save Them All (Voice)
Known Sphinxes
| Sphinxes | Description | Status |
|---|---|---|
 Unnamed Sphinx
|
The unnamed sphinx was released from Malivore, but unlike others, he found a new path to follow - a new, yet more terrible master. Seemingly, his only goal was to get Landon away from Malivore's grasp and did not seek to take him, either to Malivore or his new master. With his work complete he slit his throat and turned into sand. | Unknown (disintegrated into sand) |
Trivia
- Rafael Waithe read that sphinxes were protectors of oracles, however, the unnamed sphinx took offense to this, remarking that they were the oracles.
- It is possible that this is true, and the mythology is incorrect.
- There is at least two different depictions of gender for the sphinx. In Greek tradition, the sphinx is female, being treacherous and merciless. Those who cannot answer her riddle will be killed and eaten. In Egyptian tradition, the sphinx is typically male and viewed as benevolent.[1]
Gallery
