Gwen and Norah often elicit diverse first impressions although both may be equally respected commanders of the Dawn Alliance.
The commander of a mechanized brigade, Norah excels at lightning-fast charges, disrupting enemy formations, ambushes, and daring raids. By contrast, Gwen exudes a scholarly, bookish aura.Her high standing in the Dawn Alliance has come only from her revolutionary flying machines which can mark enemy movements from high above the battlefield. An exceptional pilot, Gwen has pioneered a myriad of intricate inventions instrumental to many difficult Dawn Alliance missions.
As the machinist Jessie once said of Gwen: "An engineering prodigy, one of only a few in the world, Gwen's trinkets have done the Alliance enormous good. But I think what Gwen really wants is to create aircraft that will conquer the skies."
Gwen is not fond of combat, but her father's tragedy has also left her with the realization that sometimes fighting and its brutal consequences cannot be avoided. Gwen is a remarkably strong fighter thanks to her older sister Norah's guidance and training.Gwen's prudence still shines through as she tends to disengage when the outcome is uncertain. Ironically,Gwen finds herself most at risk when testing out new machine prototypes. Invention can often be arisky endeavor.
The love Norah holds for her younger sister Gwen is undeniable, yet their journey together has not been without its fair share of conflict. Despite Norah's many attempts to make Gwen wise to the ways of battle, she still harbors profound fears for Gwen's safety in a real firefight. Norah does not want to go through the loss of another family member. Similarly. Norah is anxious about her sister's obsession with flying machines. She worries for Gwen's sister's safety during the invention process and that all these trinket may well prove fruitless. There is also Norah's perspective on Gwen's scientific efforts, highly reminiscent of their father. Just like their father's tragic tale, Norah believes that all the knowledge in the world is futile when faced with the threat of violence and need for self-preservation.
Norah and Gwen's sisterly relationship has improved.For example, Norah has recently embraced Gwen's active involvement in combat and focus on research.A considerable part of this positive transformation has come from Gwen's exceptional contribution during a particularly nasty engagement with Phaethon. One fateful morning, Phaethon launched a vicious invasion led by mechanized infantry backed by heavily-armored guards in what can only be described as a ring of steel around the city. It was a daunting, hopeless sight. Gwen, who had earlier been evacuated, returned in an airship which dropped barrage after barrage of explosives on confused enemy forces. Phaethon's panicked response provided Norah the perfect moment for an effective counterattack. Norah had witnessed her younger sister's extraordinary courage, skill, determination, and resourcefulness with a dawning realization: her sister was no longer a child in need of protective guidance. Gwen was fully capable of protecting herself.