Kat and Raven are the most well known Gravity Shifters.
A Gravity Shifter, also known as Shifter, is someone who can manipulate and shift gravity in different directions. This is due to the company of an animal-shaped creature known as a Guardian. Only a member of the Eto royal lineage can be a gravity shifter.
Relationships with Common People[]
At the outset of Gravity Rush, the citizens of Hekseville don't take very kindly to Gravity Shifters, viewing them as nothing but trouble. Syd tells Kat that Shifters make the authority figures feel "less powerful." As Kat begins to embrace her role as a hero, the people start becoming more and more accepting of her kind, to the point of being asked to help the Police Force, mainly being valued for their helpfulness. By the end of Gravity Rush 2, Raven herself is no longer feared by those around her, having taken over Kat's role as Hekseville's defender, and society appears to have embraced the presence of shifters. Cai's relationship with common people is not shown, as he does not get much screen time, but in Eto, he is respected as a king by the servants of the castle, but it is revealed that Xicero thinks of him as quite childish, describing him as "viscous and petulant".
Known Shifters[]
Kat and Raven are the only known shifters in Gravity Rush. In Gravity Rush 2, The Other, also known as Mysterious Woman, is introduced as the third shifter. This shifter is a fused version of Kat and Raven, she looks identical to Kat but has black hair and the voice of Raven. Her costume is similar to Kat's Shifter 2.0 costume, but it is red and has different Golden rings around her arms. When shifting gravity she radiates a green aura. Each one of them has their own animal, Kat's being a cat which she names Dusty, and Raven's being a crow which she names Xii. It is unknown if the Mysterious Woman has a guardian. These cosmic animals are referred to as Guardians. Only members of the Eto royal family can possess them. Cai is also revealed to have a guardian named Wolp, which resembles a deer with wings. This makes Cai the fourth and final known shifter.
Natural abilities[]
Gravity shifting[]
Shifters have natural abilities that are separate from their gravity powers and special attacks. The most common shifting ability is gravity shifting, which involves floating in the air and falling in any given direction, and it also allows the ability to perform a Gravity Kick and Gravity Slide. Gravity Slide is a quick traversal ability that allows a shifter to slide across surfaces, including on buildings and in water, by manipulating gravity.
Another common ability found amongst shifters is Stasis Field; a technique that lifts loose objects of the ground, and can be thrown in any given direction. Sometimes, it can be used to safely move people between locations. Secondary effects differ between shifters, like Kat's Piercing Throw and Raven's Blue Jays. Cai is never seen using his powers in combat, though.
Weaknesses[]
Since controlling gravity is tied to a Guardian, it is vital that the shifter must keep their Guardians close by at all times. As demonstrated by Kat on more than one occasion, separation from one's Guardian will result a complete loss of power. It is also important that Guardians are kept in good health; illness of some kind will drastically weaken the effectiveness of these powers, as seen in Curiosity Killed the Cat. Shifters can only shift for a limited time until gravity returns to normal.
Characteristics[]
Shifters are also immune to the gravitational pressures of Gravity Storms entirely, whether they are entering, or inside the storm itself. They can stay inside gravity storms for extended periods of time and do not need grav-suits. Shifters give off a colourful aura when they are shifting gravity.
Personalities[]
Shifters often tend to inherit their personalities from the animal which their Guardian is based on:
- Kat is curious by nature, independent, may flee from a fight if it gets too rough for her, and uses shape-shifted claws as her preferred finishing move. This characterization is derived from cats, which Dusty resembles. Kat is also more playful.
- With her guardian Xii being a crow, Raven is cunning and intelligent, but at the same time, sombre and aloof. She displays a more sinister vibe, which gradually fades away over the course of the series. Raven is more serious compared to Kat.
- Since he doesn't get much screen time, it is not clear whether Cai inherits his personality from a stag or not, the animal which Wolp resembles, as stags are described as the king of the forest, protector of other animals, and messengers. Cai's personality does not fit a stag at all, since he does not appear to have a king-like personality, despite him being king. Cai does not have protective-like tendencies, or even a messenger-like form. His personality is cheerful, happy-go lucky and childish, but also psychotic.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- More observant players will notice that the aura radiated from a shifter typically matches their eye color from their normal state; Kat glows red, Raven glows blue, and Cai glows yellow. The only exception is The Other.
- All three of the known shifters are teenagers or younger, with Raven being the oldest, at just 18 years old, Kat is 16 years old, while the youngest, Cai, is only 11 years old.