Deadlock's best friend is a scrunky gargoyle, with a flat hat and severe back problems. She also happens to be a sweetheart.

I'll never stop being amazed, impressed, or terrified by the unexpected hotties that come from the gaming community. Bakool Ja Ja was a fan favourite in Final Fantasy 14 Dawntrail earlier this year, and now Deadlock has its own fan favorite, the gargoyle Ivy.

Ivy was not designed to be worshipped the way she is. She's a midpoint between Audrey Rocio Ramirez and one of those gargoyles from Notre Dame. Visually, she's a scrambly goblin monster of Gollum proportions.

This article is being read because people haven't stopped reading it.

You can find dozens of artists (who are genuinely talented) who have rendered her in cutesy, or scary (lore-accurate), ways. Here are a few examples of genuinely great character art. (Thanks to concept artist Russel J. Jones and Kujalla, on Twitter).

There's also the ahemastute observation, that Ivy is a character that is drawn smutted of a great deal. This isn't some kind of aesthetic appreciation. There is a large portion of the population who wants to get stoned.

You might expect me to laugh and point, but I am not a coward. I will make an honest effort to understand why Ivy Deadlock has become the current darling of the game community by a large margin, just as I did when Bakool Ja Ja was in the spotlight. I will look into Medusa's eye without remorse or fear, because I am beyond judgment. Why is Ivy so sweet? Let's look at Ivy's backstory.

Ivy was a gargoyle that came to life to protect the two members of The Arroyos, a Spanish Harlem family: "The Arroyos were called. Sophia, the little one. Mofongo was what they called deliciousness. She learned that they were being attacked by a group called 'The Mendoza Syndicate,' and that they were harming people...nice people, like The Arroyos."

Ivy spent 18 years (thank God) tearing down the Syndicate. In a rare turn of events, she managed to dismantle a criminal family while remaining intact. They didn't kill her dog as part of a John Wick revenge arc, or anything like that. She just... did it. Gargoyle gang stays winning.

In terms of her personality, this gremlin is a cute and protective creature. If we were to look at her from the romantic perspective, she'd probably be a supportive and caring partner. She also has a rapid fire crossbow and can transform herself into "impervious stones and smash into the earth, stunning and damaging nearby enemies", which is something I look for on every date.

Her design is also very fun. She has a defined silhouette and a set of fun animations (she hangs off the zipline using her tail). She also has a cool outfit. Fun fact: There's a flat cap style called an "Ivy Cap". It may not match exactly what she is wearing, but it's still a great visual gag for hat specialists or cosplayers who are furiously searching.

Her voice is also charming--it's enthusiastic, peppy, and confident. I cannot confirm who the voice actress is, as this is a development build and there are no credits.

The comments left on the video, courtesy of YouTube channel Darknessuu are, um, illuminating. "First seeing that ghoul, then listening to her vocal lines." One player writes: "Now drawing la cruerta," while another yells, in all caps, "I AM GARGOYLEPILLED."

Ivy is the top contender for prom king or queen. She's sweet enough to deserve it. As nobody has paid money to become "Ivy’s babygirl" on an MMORPG, she's had a more wholesome response as long as you avoid certain websites - and even then, 2024 is still a ways off. I don't want to argue with people who like monsters. This is mainly because furry (scalie in this case?) people are not easily offended. I mean, it's a gargoyle.