Animated Character Database
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I don't think I actually do want to run the shop, okay? That's what my temper has been trying to tell me . . . I'm trapped. You know what's crazy? Even when I was a kid, I would pray to the blue flame to be good enough to fill my father's shoes someday because this place is his dream. But I never once asked . . . what I wanted to do. I think that's because deep down, I knew it didn't matter. Because the only way to repay a sacrifice so big is by sacrificing your life, too.
―Ember Lumen to Wade Ripple

Ember Lumen is the protagonist of the 2023 Disney/Pixar animated feature film Elemental. Described as a fiery young woman, she's the only daughter of Bernie and Cinder Lumen, Fireland immigrants. She dreams of taking over her father's convenience store, the Fireplace after her father retires. When her explosive temper bursts the pipes, Ember works with Wade Ripple, a go-with-the-flow water guy to repair the pipes and prevent the Fireplace from being shut down. During the adventure, Ember slowly realizes that she may not want to run the fire shop and pursue a new dream, with help from her newfound friendship and blossoming romance with Wade.

Background[]

Ember Lumen is a clever 20-something fire woman with a great sense of humor who can be hot-headed at times. What she lacks in patience she more than makes up for in love for her family. As the only child of immigrant parents, Ember is keenly aware of how much they sacrificed to give her a better life. She's determined to prove herself to them and looks forward to taking over the family business, Fireplace, when her father, Bernie, retires.
Elemental Press Kit

Personality[]

Ember is a kind and hard-working young woman. She respects and loves her family unconditionally. She is aware of how much her parents sacrificed for her and is ready to repay their sacrifices, so she has always helped her father in the Fireplace. However, Ember has her flaws. She has a really hot temper, and this causes her to turn purple and create explosions. Also, she can be indecisive and fearful when it comes to choosing between her family's dreams and her dreams. Her hot temper is more evident when it comes to something that has to do with her family's shop. She gets frustrated with some customers' behavior and gets impatient with their negligence. Her fiery temper also gives her problems being able to connect with others.

Because she and her family suffered prejudice from being fire elements, Ember never interacted with non-fire elements, except for her neighbor Clod. But this changed when she met Wade Ripple, a water element. Their first meeting wasn't very friendly, as Wade reported several violations in the Fireplace and their first interactions were to work together to save the Fireplace from being condemned and to fix the damaged dam that is causing the leaks. As they spend more time together, Ember gets more open to non-fire elements and falls in love with Wade, and he for her. Her love for Wade helped her control her hot temper and she became happier; but at the same time, she had to keep her dates with him a secret, knowing her parents (mostly her father) wouldn't approve of it. She is skeptical about trying to touch hands with Wade, afraid that it will harm them, but when she gives in, the two are so happy to see they can touch after all and share a waltz.

With these new experiences, Ember discovers her true talent and passion: glassmaking. An example of her talent is when she fixes a pitcher that Alan Ripple accidentally shatters. She also realizes she doesn't want to run her father's shop, but her fears of letting her family down overtake her to the point that she denies Wade her feelings for him and sends him away, which hurts and disappoints him. After Wade accidentally reveals that she damaged the pipes in the Fireplace's basement and Bernie renounces his retirement, Ember becomes sad and considers herself a terrible daughter. When Firetown is about to get flooded, Ember rushes to warn the citizens and her parents, showing she is willing to save her family no matter what. Even after what she said to him, Wade returned to help her without hesitating, and she was happy to see him. When the two got blocked off in the store's back alcove with the steam pipe blocked off, Wade started to evaporate due to the heat. Ember wanted to get out to save him, but he refused, knowing she would get extinguished. At this, Ember finally confessed her love for Wade and apologized for not saying it earlier. He forgives her and the two hug as Wade evaporates.

Only after Wade evaporated, a tearful Ember realized how much she loves him as she finally admits to her father that she doesn't want to run the shop. While releasing stress, Bernie assures her that she is his real dream, not the shop. Upon realizing Wade's moisture was on the stone ceiling of the alcove, she makes him cry by playing his family's crying game. After making him drip out of the ceiling and he reforms, Ember and Wade kiss and she finally gets to do what she wants. Now Ember lives happily with Wade and works making glass, but she still loves her family deeply.

Physical appearance[]

Ember is a young woman with a noticeably attractive appearance. Being a fire element, her entire body is made out of red, orange, and yellow fire, forming a rather slender body with the lower part being noticeably wider and more shapely, resulting in her having a small waist and thick thighs, complete with eyebrows, a small slightly pointy nose, thick eyelashes, and eyes having a similar color scheme as fire. Ember dons clothing that is noticeably fireproof; a sleeveless, black shimmering hooded crop-top with a crisscross design, as well as a matching skirt that exposes her knees. At times, she wore an indigo hoodie with a similar design.

As a baby, Ember is very small, she has a small body, short arms and legs; and her head and eyes seem to be slightly bigger compared to her body. Her eyelashes are very short.

As a small kid, Ember is shorter, her head seems to be slightly bigger compared to her body, and has longer eyelashes. She wears a simple sleeveless black dress with a crisscross design.

As a bigger kid, Ember's appearance is the same as a small kid, except that she is a little taller.

During the ceremony for Bernie's retirement, Ember wears her casual outfit with a transparent red long-sleeved vest with many colorful stones on it.

Near the end of the film, Ember wore a sparkling dark purple hoodie jacket with pink inner lining over her regular outfit.

Trivia[]

    • She is also the second female protagonist in a Pixar feature film after Elastigirl and the first one to be the protagonist of an original film to have a love interest.
  • Her name "Ember" means "a small piece of fire, flame burning, glowing in coal, or wood smoldering in ashes".
  • Her family name "Lumen" means "Light" in Latin, which is also a reference to the measurement of light, being the amount of fire/lumens.
  • It is shown that she likes listening to music in the teaser trailer for the film, as she's listening to music during the trailer.
  • Ember's design and figure bear a resemblance to Flame Princess from Adventure Time, who is voiced by Jessica DiCicco, who also voiced Malina in The Emperor's New School.
    • Flame Princess' father: Flame King is voiced by Keith David, who voiced Goliath in Gargoyles, and Dr. Facilier in The Princess and the Frog.
  • Ember also has the same first name as Ember McLain, a female ghost character with blue fiery hair from Danny Phantom, who is voiced by Cathy Cavadini.
  • Ember always carries an umbrella with her to protect herself from water that may be splashed onto her intentionally or unintentionally.
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