Operator trivia: Shu

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Trivia

• Her Chinese name literally means "millet" (Hanzi: 黍; Pinyin: shǔ), or specifically the proso millet (Panicum miliaceum) which is one of the oldest grain crops in Chinese civilization.
• Shu's animal motif is the White Dragon, the Bailong (Hanzi: 白龙) in Chinese mythology, and the White Dragon is present in her Elite 2 artwork.
• Shu also alludes to Shennong, the mythological Chinese ruler known for his contributions in agriculture.
• Shu is seen carrying a burr puzzle around her, and it is specifically known as the "Lu Ban's Lock"（Hanzi: 鲁班锁）to the Chinese which has been applied in Chinese folk architecture and educational toys since ancient times. The style of her puzzle is specifically called the "Eighteen Arhats Lock" (Hanzi: 十八罗汉锁) due to its formation by eighteen pieces of puzzles.
  • Lu Ban was a Chinese carpenter that lived during the Spring and Autumn period who is traditionally credited with the invention of various tools such as saws, hand planes and escalades, among others. He is deified by later generations as the Chinese god of carpentry and masonry.
• The weapon Shu wields is a gui (Hanzi: 圭), a ritual jade scepter. Originally a sacrificial tool during the early Neolithic period, around the start of the Western Zhou dynasty, it became a symbol of authority and status given to the regional lords by the imperial court. Most gui scepters are found originating from the Spring and Autumn period, the same period of the Lu Ban Lock's invention.
• Shu has her cultural theme rooted in the Song dynasty:
  • Shu's clothing is the modern rendering of the hanfu during the Song dynasty in the model of ruqun with beizi.
  • The scroll painting in her Elite 2 artwork seems to be based on the famous scenery painting, A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains (Hanzi: 《千里江山图卷》) by Wang Ximeng of the Northern Song era. In fact, her color scheme perfectly matches with the painting as it resembles the blue-green shan shui (Hanzi: 青绿山水) drawing technique. The same motif is also used in Highmore's The Land With Me outfit.
• Shu represents the culture of the Minnan region, i.e., the province of Fujian. Not only she speaks Hokkien in her dialectic CV, but also her cultural symbolism is tied to the significant agricultural history of Fujian where Dahuang is inspired.
• Shu is the first 6★ Guardian Defender to be released for almost 4 years since Blemishine. She is also the second limited Defender operator since her sibling Nian was released 4 years ago.
  • She and Bassline are the only operators in Guardian subclass who do not wield shield.
    • Of all Defenders who share this distinction, Shu is the only one to use nothing in place of shield.
• Shu has a special melody on her deployment. She shares this trait with Sora, Ethan, Specter the Unchained's substitute, Skadi the Corrupting Heart and Civilight Eterna.
  • Unlike most of the Operators stated above, Shu's theme doesn't briefly override the in-game music.