Zazzalil is the main character of Firebringer. She is the first sole female protagonist in a Starkid musical. She is played by Lauren Lopez.
Firebringer.[]
The show opens with the departure of the tribe's leader, Molag, her hands off her reasonability to Jemilla. Soon after conflict between the leader of this pre-historic tribe's leader, Jemilla, and Zazzalil on the importance of hard-work. Zazzalil protests the idea that working non-stop and following the confining rules Jemilla enforces, and illustrates the blind faith much of the tribe follow. For now peace is restored, but it's clear Zazzalil isn't willing to conform the status quo.
Later, whilst collecting nuts with her best-friend, Keeri, Zazzalil reiterates her disagreements with Jemilla and her leadership. She proposes her idea of the spear to Jemilla, claiming rather than eating nuts and berries they could eat meat, by hunting Snarl. Jemilla immediately refuses upon the mention of the beast, revealing the tribe's big fear of the unknown. She tells Zazzalil to stick to what they know and simply do her job, kissing her on the cheek and leaving her to lament further about the rigid nature of the tribe under Jemilla's rule. Zazzalil plans to prove Jemilla wrong.
With her new spear in hand, Zazzalil plans to demonstrate her new innovative weapon to the tribe and prove Jemilla wrong once and for all. Zazzalil aims her spear at the mammoth, Trunkell, who murdered her father. However, her plan goes awry when she misses and angers Trunkell into a violent attack. The tribe escapes up a tree until sun-down, and Zazzalil returns to the cave defeated and humiliated.
Keeri attempts to comfort her, suggesting they should stop trying to invent things all together. She says they should find someone to blindly follow, since she has already done this her whole life, and comments that Jemilla is the perfect candidate because she's smarter than them. This suggestion frustrates Zazzalil, who states Jemilla isn't smarter than her. Determined to get back at Jemilla once and for all, Zazzalil grabs her spear and breaks another rule, heading out of the cave at night to prove the usefulness of her spear. The storm outside proves difficult for both Zazzalil and the tribe, but despite this she pushes on, and the tribe follow after when they discover she's gone, worried for her safety.
In her search for Snarl, Zazzalil's spear is struck by lightening via the storm. The stone and flint is lit alight, creating fire for humanity for the very first time. Zazzalil is amazed by her new discovery, quickly discovering the danger of fire when she attempts to lick it. The tribe arrives, in awe of her discovery, but soon after Snarl arrives and they break out into terror. However, the fire Zazzalil is wielding proves useful and frightens of Snarl for the first time. The tribe cheers and declares Zazzalil the Firebringer, but these sudden changes alarms Jemilla who remains stuck in her ways. She claims fire is far too dangerous and orders the tribe to return to the safety of their cave, forgetting all about fire. Now with the power of fire, though, Zazzalil stands up for Jemilla alongside the support of the tribe. Jemilla leaves, dejected and betrayed, and Zazzalil takes on the role of leader and marches the tribe into a new age of fire.
A stretch of time passes and the tribe has become addicted to fire, burning animals to the point of having too much meat to eat. The prior work ethic of the tribe has all but disintegrated, each of the tribe members too busy staring at fire to talk, work, and sometimes even eat. Keeri comes to Zazzalil with her concerns for the number of animals they've slaughtered over such a sort period of time, claiming she doesn't like her job of killing and that mammoths have gone extinct. Zazzalil fails to take her concerns seriously, even suggesting killing giant sloths instead, which upsets Keeri even more, and her final suggestion is to stop eating. Keeri wonders what Jemilla would say about the current state of their tribe, which angers Zazzalil who claims the tribe is far better with her as a leader and banning nostalgia for Jemilla.
During a ritual concepted by Ducker, the tribe manages to set the whole village alight, burning down everything they've made for themselves, including the fire. The tribe turn on Zazzalil, due to her lack of solutions, and turn on her, much like their prior disposal of Jemilla. Even Keeri, her best-friend, turns her back, when Zazzalil can't bring them more fire. However, when Grunt is taken by Snarl and Emberly begs the tribe to help get him back, even painting fire and being declared the "Fireshitter" briefly. They leave with their painting to fight Snarl, even after Zazzalil begs Keeri not to go, fearing for her friends life.
Zazzalil, now alone, reflects on how her leadership and status as the Firebringer has backfired, and now the whole tribe is walking to their deaths. This is when Zazzalil is discovered by Clark and taken to his tribe, which is being ruled by an exiled Jemilla. She reveals she is married to the entire tribe, even having children, and has found refuge after Zazzalil betrayal. However, in dire need of help, Zazzalil suggests she could be Jemilla's wife instead and they could head off to save their tribe together. At first, Jemilla refuses, stating she'd rather stay with her current hundreds of husbands and wives. However, when Zazzalil admits her flaws, such as rashness and a failure to think things through, Jemilla admits she has flaws too, stating perhaps their combination of control and chaos could be good for the tribe. Jemilla bids goodbye to her wife and children, and sets off with Zazzalil.
The two arrive at Snarl's cave just in time. With a combination of their innovation and intelligence, Zazzalil and Jemilla create fire once more and scare of Snarl, saving a maimed Grunt and returning a co-leaders of the tribe. Safe and reunited, Chorn reveals they are an alien from space, sent to monitor the progress of humanity, and fixes Grunt's injuries. In the concluding moments of the show Jemilla proposes, where Zazzalil quickly steals her thunder and proposes too, to which Jemilla accepts. The tribe moves forward with two leaders in an age of innovation never seen before.
Personality and Traits[]
Zazzalil is defined by her innovative creativity and unbridled desire to not work. Though she begins as chaotic and fails to think of the consequences of her actions, she grows into her leadership. Zazzalil learns the importance of hard-work, cooperation, and teamwork alongside Jemilla, and the balance between chaos and control.
Skills[]
- Collecting Nuts - Zazzalil works as a nut collector for the tribe.
- Inventing - Zazzalil invents a spear, and expresses her desire for innovation within the tribe.
- Sparking fire - She is known as the Firebringer, and discovers the components to creating fire without lightning.
- Fighting beasts - In order to save her Tribe, Zazzalil fights off Snarl twice wielding her spear of fire.
- Leadership - She learns how to lead a tribe alongside Jemilla.
Relationships[]
Jemilla[]
Zazzalil and Jemilla in Firebringer
Jemilla is Zazzalil's wife. Whilst they begin the show in conflict and seemingly opposites in every way, disagreeing about the style of leadership for the tribe, and Jemilla's dismissal of Zazzalil's inventions. However, they reconcile and team up to save their tribe, getting married at the end of the show.
Keeri[]
Zazzalil and Keeri in Firebringer
Keeri is Zazzalil's best-friend. Zazzalil states that Keeri is the only person she truly cares for in the tribe and it's implied they've been friends since childhood. They do have conflict when Zazzalil's leadership goes to her head, but reconcile when Zazzalil returns to save the tribe.
Trivia[]
- Alongside the other Firebringer characters, Zazzalil is the first queer female character in a StarKid musical.