Dolem

In the anime/manga/novel series RahXephon, Dolem or are enormous mecha-like beings that are used as superweapons by the Mulians. "Dolem" is used in the English versions of RahXephon, while the Japanese versions sometimes write "Dorem". Japanese phonology gives the same pronunciation to "r" and "l". The name "Dolem" is derived from "golem". It also sounds like the first three notes in the C major scale, "Do-Re-Mi", and the Italian word "dolere" (to ache).

In RahXephon, proper Dolems are designated by TERRA as D1. The smaller fighter craft Dotem (with T instead of L) are designated as D2.

Dolem are made of clay, like golem, but are animated by a quasi-mystical force that is connected to music, as most of the controlling Mulians appear to be singing. A Dolem attacks while singing, and sometimes the attack is the song itself. Each D1 Dolem is bound to a Mulian who controls it. Some Dolem are also bound to a human host called a "sub-Mulian" or ""; in this case, the human host anchors the Dolem in the human dimension, making it possible for the Mulian in question to take over the body of the host. This binary or trinary bond is so strong that, as shown in the series, destroying a Dolem can kill both the Mulian controlling it and the human host. When destroyed, a Dolem disintegrates into blue "blood" and earth.

List of Dolem
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A
* Allegretto — This Dolem appears the most frequently in the series. It defends Tokyo Jupiter from TERRA attacks, attempts to stop Ayato and Haruka from leaving Tokyo Jupiter in the RahXephon, escorts Ayato and Quon back into Tokyo Jupiter, and engages TERRA forces after the Tokyo Jupiter barrier is destroyed. It has a vaguely humanoid appearance, with large bird-like wings instead of arms and a resemblance to a female figure. It can produce a defensive shield and attacks using a head-mounted beam weapon that pivots 360 degrees and resembles an angel's halo.

* Alternate — Two 161 foot Dolems that, at first, appears as one. While split in two, it traps Ayato Kamina and Elvy Hadhiyat in a mirrored phase space. After killing it once, the RahXephon turns back time, bringing it back to life. It is finally defeated by Vermillion.

* Arpeggio — Appears high in orbit above Nirai Kanai, at a distance too great for TERRA weapons to reach. It emitts a D-1 Aria (that only Ayato and Quon Kisaragi can hear) carrying a message from Maya Kamina. RahXephon eventually shoots it down with an arrow generated from its palms.

B
* Brillante — This Dolem accompanies , which uses Brillante as a platform to fly upon, almost like a surfboard.

D
* Dolem Hosts — Humans bound to the Dolems that are in combat. Vibrato is an example of a Dolem with a Dolem Host, as it is bound to Hiroko Asahina. As Vibrato battles the RahXephon, Asahina receives the same injuries that are inflicted on Vibrato, and when Vibrato is destroyed, Asahina is killed instantly.

* Dotem — 82-foot mobile weapons carried inside Forzando. Forzando releases swarms of Dotems to defend itself against the RahXephon, and they make an appearance near the end of the series, during the Mu counterattack.

F
* Falsetto — A 393-foot tall Dolem that appears to be a cross between a mushroom and a cuttlefish. It is destroyed by yellow bullets that flew out of RahXephon's palms.

* Fortissimo — A humanoid female figure that resembles a tuning fork. It attacks with high-frequency sound waves. It is destroyed by RahXephon in the third episode.

* Forzando — A Dolem that is 3 miles long and acts like a floating fortress. It conceals itself in the clouds, initially moving on long, spindly vestigial legs which are easily destroyed by TERRA's fighters. This causes the Dolem no appreciable harm, and as Ayato and Elvy fly into the clouds to attack it, it releases dozens of Dotems to defend itself. It also binds the RahXephon in a cloud that it controls.

G
* Grave — The first Dolem encountered outside Tokyo Jupiter. It has a squid-like appearance that resembles a stringed instrument, and attacks from underwater with its tentacles, easily ripping apart ships.

L
* Larghetto — A 328-foot Dolem that fought RahXephon above the Pacific Ocean.

* Largo — 1.6 miles in length. Its entire lower surface works as a giant beam weapon and can obliterate entire cities. It is defeated when it is encased in a barrier similar to the one that encases Tokyo Jupiter. Bound to Masayoshi Kuki.

M
* Metronome — Several copies of this Dolem guard the inside of Tokyo Jupiter. Although they float in plain sight, and are visible to Elvy and Haruka when they are inside Tokyo Jupiter, the populace is mentally controlled to not see them. They attempt to stop the RahXephon from moving autonomously, but fail.

* Mezzoforte — 56 feet. Appears in large numbers and can crush fighter jets.

* Mud Doll — This primitive form of Dolem was found beneath Bähbem's mansion by the young Makoto Isshiki, who helped it grow by feeding it special rocks. Isshiki was able to partially bond with it, but it was not able to survive outside the protective environment of the caverns.

O
* Obbligato — A humanoid Dolem, bound to Mamoru Torigai. It rides the Dolem Brillante into battle, attacking with sharp claws on its hands and a concealed third arm in its chest.

R
* Ritardando — A 951-foot Dolem that appeared in the Aurora Australis (see Aurora Borealis). It appeared 14 years ago and destroyed eight cities in Australia, killing many people, including Kim Hotal's parents. By studying its D-1 Aria waveform, TERRA was able to predict its path and attack pattern. After unsuccessfully trying to absorb the RahXephon, it attempted a final attack, and RahXephon shattered it.

S
* Schwarzer — The second generation of Vermillions, which were built by the Bähhem foundation for exclusive use with their private army of mass-produced instrumentalists known as the D's (Designer's Children). Schwarzers have a more streamlined design than the Vermillions; the wings have been removed from the back and from the head, which now features a single eye as opposed to the Vermillion's two. Their standard coloring is black with gray and gold details. Their primary weapon remains unchanged, but the built-in Baus-Ghazal wave-optical cannon has been upgraded.

* Sforzando — This Dolem is discovered by Itsuki Kisaragi as a small crystal in Forzando's remains. After Itsuki gives the crystal to Sayoko Nanamori as a Christmas gift, it grows, assimilates her, and is able to control the weather, tapping into Sayoko's anger and pain to cause an intense blizzard on Nirai Kanai.

* Staccato — Accompanies the high-ranking Mulian officials at Hiranipra.

V
* Vermillion — A series of Dolems that were built by the Bähhem Foundation for TERRA to ensure that the tuning of the world was what Lord Bähhem had intended it to be. Unlike the Mu's Dolems, Vermillions have armor and internal components made of alloy, as well as "overtechnology" built onto them so that human pilots can control them. They are armed with a railgun and a wave-optical cannon called the Baus-Ghazal, which is capable of destroying other Dolems with a single shot. They are humanoids with large wings on their heads and the rear of their hips, and they are about the same size as the RahXephon. The original unit's coloring is a bright red with black and gold details, but the following production units have the same blue-gray paintjob as TERRA's fighter aircraft. They are carrier-launched and fly by an unknown method (although jet engine sounds are heard coming from vents in their legs during flight).

* Vibrato — This Dolem resembles a girl wearing a hooded sweatshirt, minus the legs, and is bound to Asahina. It attacks using a sharp, tentacle-like extension on the bottom of what appears to be a skirt. When it is struck by the RahXephon, it causes the city lights to turn on in a wave; it also causes the Japanese characters that Asahina is writing in her diary to appear in the city lights.

* Vivace — A bird-like Dolem with a halo over its head. It engulfs the RahXephon in its wings, disappears into a null zone, and forces a Dolem-stone into the RahXephon's (and Ayato's) mouth, causing the RahXephon to cease most functions and Ayato to hallucinate about being back in Tokyo Jupiter.

Footnotes

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