Noel

"Ha! Brute strength, as usual. Just like a Gorilla." --- Noel to Sophia

Noel was Claymore No.4 of Teresa's generation. She was demoted to No.5 when Priscilla was promoted to No. 2. Due to her exceptional agility, she was known as "Stormwind Noel" (疾風のノエル, Shippu no Noeru).

Etymology
"Noel" is a transliteration of the Japanese "Noeru" (ノエル, pronounced "no-er-ru").

"Noel" is derived from from the Middle English word nowel, derived from Old French word noel, meaning "the Christmas season," a variant of nael, from the Latin natalis (dies), meaning "birth (day)," in Ecclesiastical Latin, in reference to the birthday of Christ, from natus, past participle of nasci, meaning "be born."

Appearance
Noel had short, razor-cut, pale blond hair, emphasizing her boyishness. She had silver eyes and wore the standard uniform.

Height: 175cm (5 ft 8.89 in)—same height as Sophia

Personality
Noel was outspoken and easily angered. She can be compared to Helen, since their personalities are similar. Noel was more controlled and rule-abiding than Helen, however.

Exceptional Speed
Noel's defining attribute was her blinding speed, rated at an A+, which she used to attack multiple targets in a split-second, earning her the nickname "Stormwind Noel." Also, Clare noted that Noel has cut Priscilla's arm due her lighting fast speed. Sophia teasingly compared her swift, agile, acrobatic movements to those of a monkey.

Organization Rating
From Claymore Databook 1.


 * Yoki: B


 * Agility: A+


 * Muscular Strength: C


 * Spirit: B


 * Perception: B


 * Leadership: C

Employment as a Claymore
Nothing is known about Noel's early life. At some point, she and Sophia became rivals, aggressively vying for the No. 3 rank as single digits. Though the two were close in power, their fighting styles were completely different. Due to her extraordinary agility, she earned the nickname "Stormwind Noel."

Hunt for Teresa
Noel was sent to assassinate Teresa along with Sophia. Noel also expects Elda (No. 5) to show up, as well as Irene, who was assumed to be in command. But Irene tells everyone that the leader was the new No. 2, Priscilla, a novice who was promoted to the No. 2 position only months after becoming a warrior. Noel at first wanted to challenge Priscilla to a fight, believing herself to be superior, but on seeing the number of Yoma Priscilla killed she becomes afraid.

They later find Teresa at the inn and Noel used her nimbleness to attack from the window, but upon engaging in battle, she ended up being kicked and later, cut down by Teresa. After Priscilla began to pursue Teresa, Noel followed Irene to the second battleground.

After Teresa's beheading, Noel and Sophia attacked Priscilla. Noel managed to sever an arm, which was almost instantly reattached and both were quickly killed. In the anime, Noel's and Sophia's deaths were more brutal; they were killed before cutting off Priscilla's arm, the Awakened Being impaling them through their faces and torsos.

Sophia
Noel and Sophia were very competitive with each other, but whether they were friendly rivals or just rivals is unclear. Their personalities and abilities differ greatly, with the hotheaded Noel focusing on speed and acrobatics while the more levelheaded Sophia practiced a fighting style that relied on brute strength. She and Sophia come close to fighting over who killed most Yoma in a Yoma's nest, Noel saying she killed seven and Sophia killed six. This argument, however, is never resolved.

Irene
It seems that Noel was familiar with Irene before the mission to hunt down Teresa. Noel respected the Quicksword technique, saying Irene's higher rank was "unquestionable."

Priscilla
Upon their first meeting in the Yoma nest, Noel at first scorned Priscilla for being so young and yet so highly ranked. When she sees Priscilla's actual power, however, Noel is struck with both awe and fear.

Behind the Scenes

 * There seems to be some confusion concerning Noel's Claymore symbol. In the anime and manga, her symbol is clearly shown to be similar to Teresa's with two indents toward the center at the top. However, on the official manga website, Noel has been credited with a symbol that was worn on a previously established unnamed Claymore who was part of Teresa's execution party.