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SunRace Not part of Riordanverse

The following article/section is from the Race to the Sun continuity under Rick Riordan Presents and not the Riordanverse canon.

Oh, Nizhoni. Don't you see? I tried to save you from all of this. I thought that if I could kill the monsters, you wouldn’t have to. You’d be free to grow up and become whoever you wanted to be.

–Bethany telling her daughter why she left her family in Race to the Sun.

Bethany Begay is an inheritor of the powers of Monsterslayer, the wife of Mr. Begay, and the mother of Nizhoni and Mac Begay. She is a descendant of Monsterslayer, one of the sons of Changing Woman.

History[]

Bethany Begay was born to two members of the Navajo tribe who lived on the Navajo Nation. At one point she married a man and had a daughter and son with him.

However when her children were around two and three years old she left and never returned. At this time Bethany took Nizhoni out in the snow and rolled her around in it to teach her to be brave. As they head back to the house a monster finds them and she rushes in and leaves Nizhoni with her husband before taking over her bow and fighting the monster.

Unknown to her family, she was an inheritor of the powers of Monsterslayer, one of the sons of Changing Woman. She went each of the four mountains to gather offerings for Spider Woman and complemented a rug she was working on. She then set out the complete the trials to reach the House of the Sun, however she failed at the fourth trial and became trapped in her worst memory.

Race to the Sun[]

Nizhoni
Mac Begay
Nizhoni and Mac Begay, her children

When her daughter is going through the trials, she sees her reflection in a mirror and sees the last moment they were together. When Nizhoni sacrifices her chance at becoming a hero, she and the rest of those who are trapped in the lost and found are freed. when she sees her children she stares at them in disbelief. She tearfully embraces her son and tries to do the same with her daughter, but Nizhoni refuses and backs away. Bethany explains she went out to fight monsters so that Nizhoni wouldn’t have to. Jóhonaa'éí walks over to her and gives her a new lighting sword. However the guardians and heralds arrive and tell them the Bináá' yee aghání are free. She, Mac, and Davery, mount the heralds with her riding the herald of Sisnaajiní, Łigai, along with Rock Crystal Boy. When Nizhoni explains she can’t join them due to giving up the opportunity to fight to free them, but Mr. Yazzie explains she only had to be willing to sit aside and she can still fight. When her daughter joins in they head to Shiprock.

As they reach Shiprock, all but her and her daughter avert their gaze as she slashes at the eyes of the Bináá' yee aghání. When Nizhoni jumps off Łizhin, she catches her daughter and they take out the blockade. She cuts off Mr. Rock's hand holding the gun while Nizhoni shoots Ms. Bird out of the sky. She jumps of the white herald to do so and lands on Tsídii. She and Davery land and congratulate Nizhoni. When Spider Woman returns with Mac, they hug him and she kisses her husband when they are reunited. Soon her mother shows up and they go back to her house for flatbread.

The Cursed Carnival and Other Calamities: New Stories About Mythic Heroes[]

The Demon Drum[]

Bethany is mentioned to have returned home to her family after the bináá' yee aghání are defeated. She and her husband have entered a "second honeymoon" phase, flirting with one another and leaving love letters around the house. She is also a doubting mother, fussing over her son after he broke his arm.

Appearance[]

Bethany Begay is a Native American woman in her late thirties to early forties with long black hair and brown eyes. She wore heavy make up around her eyes. Her daughter resembles her greatly.

Personality[]

Bethany cared for the well-being of her family and is a brave warrior. When she saw her children for the first time in a decade, she tearfully apologized to them, showing an apologetic side.

She is also a loving wife and doubting mother, openly flirting with her husband and fussing over her son when he hurt himself.

Abilities[]

  • Martial Skills: Bethany is a proficient fighter who is capable of delivering quick blows.
  • Superhuman Condition: As an inheritor of the powers of Monsterslayer, Bethany's physical abilities and limitations are stronger then a typical person her age and build.
  • Paralysis Immunity: As an inheritor of Monsterslayer's abilities, Bethany is immune to the paralyzing gaze of the Bináá' yee aghání.

Eythmology[]

  • Bethany is a biblical given name meaning "house of affliction".
  • Begay is a Navajo surname meaning "his son” or “her son".

Trivia[]

Race to the Sun
Books: Race to the Sun
Main Characters: Nizhoni Begay | Mac Begay | Davery Descheny | Mr. Charles | Mr. Yazzie
Secondary Characters: Bethany Begay | Mr. Rock | Ms. Bird | Rock Crystal Boy | Black Jet Girl
Minor Characters: Coach | Adrien Cuttlebush | Mr. Begay | Darcy | Maya | Bethany Begay's mother | Bethany Begay's father | Eugene
Navajo Holy People: Spider Woman | Jóhonaa'éí | Turquoise Boy | Yellow Corn Girl
Magical Creatures: Bináá' yee aghání | Łizhin | Dólii | Tsídii | Łigai
Related Content: Rebecca Roanhorse | Rick Riordan Presents | The Demon Drum
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