Cattleya Baudelaire (カトレア・ボードレール, Katorea Bōdorēru?) is a character in the Violet Evergarden series. Being a figurehead Auto Memories Doll who works for the CH Postal Company, Cattleya never stops being requested and often takes on clients with love troubles. She works alongside Violet and has been close with Hodgins since before the company was established, joining as one of its initial employees.
Appearance
Cattleya's anime design.
Cattleya is a very beautiful woman with pale skin and a fairly tall, noticeably full figure. She has long, glossy, wavy black hair that goes down to her lower back and curls at the tips. Her long, middle-parted bangs frame her face. Her eyes are amethyst and she wears red lipstick.
She wears a red open bustier, which displays her cleavage and is connected to her shoulder-to-elbow charcoal gray inner garment. She also has a beaded choker, a pendant, bangles, hand chain bracelets, and rings. Her leather hot-pants are dyed blue and have golden embellishments. Her embroidered thread garter belt consists of geometrical patterns and decorates only the bare skin from the middle of her tights to her knee-high boots.[1]
Personality
Cattleya is a woman with intense and passionate emotions. Although she possesses great strength, she is very feminine and can be quite sensitive, and is constantly worrying about her appeal towards Hodgins. She is a very talented Doll who is experienced in love, which is why she is usually put in charge of lovesick clients. She treasures the concept of love, be it romantic, fraternal, platonic, sibling, or companion. She believes that love is necessary for living as it is like a symbol of happy things. However, Cattleya herself states that she doesn't get the romantic love well, and she thinks love is uncertain. But she can tell when it happens.[1] Cattleya is shown to be a very warm, kind, and welcoming woman, which is shown when she instantly warmed up to Violet and helped her with her work as a Doll. She is someone who has realistic a view on life, as she knows that words have different meanings depending on who hears them and that words don't simply tell people everything. She is understanding of people and can easily empathize with others.[2][3][4]
Cattleya also has a cheerful, sassy and teasing side to her and is someone who expects favors to be repaid.[5] She is rather straightforward and vehement with Hodgins and enjoys teasing him about his given name,[3] but she doesn't have any bad intentions in whatever she does. She also has a rivalry with Benedict and argues with him constantly. She is a prideful woman who dislikes being casually touched by others, and she also dislikes being alone since it makes her feel as if she has no charm. Although she is self-confident and is considered pompous, she doesn't believe herself to be one of those charismatic individuals who people are naturally gathered around.[1]
Cattleya is a very mature woman who is able to take things seriously and calmly. She is very polite and soft-spoken, rarely seen raising her voice or being provoked by others. However, she is not afraid to voice her opinions or properly scold people when they make a mistake.[6] She is also very physically strong, which gives her the habit of trying to solve everything with force because she has confidence in her physical strength. Despite being a beautiful adult with a mature appeal, Cattleya can actually display a very childish, innocent, and naïve personality, especially around Hodgins. She is noted to act like a child when things don't go the way she wants, and comes off as honest and blunt. She also likes being praised whenever she does something good. Despite that, she is a reliable person who loves supporting other people as well as when people come to her for advice or help. Cattleya claims that she has an older-sister kind of vibe to her and feels comfortable taking on that role.[7]
History
Cattleya claims that she had terrible parents, which is why she ran away from home and ended up being taken in by Hodgins, where there were many moments of loneliness for her since she had no acquaintances.[1] However, Cattleya eventually started working at the CH Postal Company, where she is the most popular Doll.[2]
Relationships
- Claudia Hodgins - Cattelya works for Hodgins' at the CH Postal Company, and she has been close to him ever since before she began working there. After she ran away from home, Hodgins was the one who took her in. This is why she is very fond of Hodgins and is in love with him, but the fact that she’s always brushed off is her current concern.[8] Cattleya is seen to be rather straightforward with Hodgins and has no problems expressing her feelings towards him, and she also enjoys teasing him about his given name. At the same time, Cattleya thinks Hodgins can be too insensitive when it comes to the feelings of women and is not above scolding him when necessary.[6] As old friends though, the pair shares a close and friendly connection, as they can maturely speak about rather serious matters with each other. Hodgins told Cattleya about his best friends Gilbert's fate, showing that he trusts her completely.[3] Cattleya loves spending time with Hodgins and will become disappointed when she can't go to events with him. She is also fond of his praise and acknowledgment, so she can turn a bit jealous when other girls get praise from Hodgins. Although sometimes Hodgins prioritizes someone over Cattleya, she does not comment on it but does feel lonely whenever he leaves her. Cattleya has always been attracted to Hodgins in a way she claims as a butterfly would be to honey. However, she is self-conscious about the fact that Hodgins is a charismatic who people gather around, yet that she could never become like him.[1][7]
- Benedict Blue - Cattelya has a rivalry with Benedict and argues with him constantly.
- Violet Evergarden - Violet works at the same postal company as Cattleya. They are friends.
Abilities
- Strength and martial arts - Cattleya is a former martial artist and is very skilled at self-defense. No matter who the person is, Cattleya can take down someone when given unwanted attention. She acts feebly in those situations and has quick, steady movements, which can result in pain for the victim. Cattleya is so strong that Hodgins fears for the person she is up against rather that Cattleya herself. This is proved by when she uses only her legs, which she claims aren't strong, to greatly harm her opponent. She is more skilled at using her fists than her feet.[7]
- Typing - In her work as an Auto Memories Doll, Cattleya is very skilled and is a highly-requested Doll, due to her ability to empathize with love-sick clients and properly express the clients feelings on paper. She seems to have a good vocabulary, timing and can write at a fast pace.[2] Cattleya is so talented that she was in charge of a crucial mission, writing prince Damian's letters to princess Charlotte.[5]
Gallery
<gallery widths="130" columns="4" position="center" orientation="landscape"> Cattleya Episode 1.jpg|Cattleya's debut in the anime. Cattleya Full.jpg|Cattleya's full appearance in the anime. Cattleya Iris Erica.png|Cattleya, with Iris and Erica. Cattleya helping Violet.jpg|Cattleya helping Violet. Cattleya blush.jpg|Cattleya blushing in front of Hodgins. Cattleya teases Hodgins.jpg|Cattleya teasing Hodgins. Cattleya.jpg|Cattleya talking with Violet. Cattleyaa.png|Cattleya talking with Hodgins in a bar. Cattleya argues.jpg|Cattleya is provoked at Benedict. Benedict and Cattleya argue.jpg|Benedict and Cattleya arguing. Angry Cattleya.png|Cattleya is upset with Benedict.
Cattleya Episode 12.png|Cattleya on a mission, in episode 12.
Trivia
- Despite being described as having pale skin in the light novels, Cattleya appears tanned in the anime.
- In the anime, Cattleya's childish side is not shown.
References
| Characters in the "Violet Evergarden" Universe | |
|---|---|
| CH Postal Company | Violet Evergarden • Benedict Blue • Cattleya Baudelaire • Claudia Hodgins • Erica Brown • Iris Cannary • Lux Sibyl |
| Other Characters |
Gilbert Bougainvillea • Aidan Field • Alberta • Amy Bartlett • Anne Magnolia • Charlotte Abelfreyja Drossel • Clara Magnolia • Daisy Magnolia •Damian Baldur Flugel • Dietfried Bougainvillea • Eamonn Snow • Edward Jones • Leon Stephanotis • Luculia Marlborough • Olivia Webster • Oscar Webster • Rhodanthe • Spencer Marlborough • Taylor Bartlett • Tiffany Evergarden |