In the Hindu Trimurti, Shiva is the "destroyer" necessary for rebirth. He is not a villain but an ascetic yogi, a family man, and a cosmic force of nature. His domain is the dissolution of the universe at the end of each cosmic cycle (a Kalpa ). He dances the Tandava—the dance of destruction, passion, and fury. He wields the Trishula (trident) and the Damaru (drum), and his third eye incinerates anything it gazes upon into ash.

His "dance" is unpredictable and rhythmic. It represents the chaotic yet necessary cycle of the universe. He uses speed, multiple limbs, and eventually, the heat of his own soul to overwhelm his opponent.

The core conflict—and romance—lies in their philosophies. Shiva destroys to create; he understands that the cycle of death and rebirth is natural. He accepts transience with a smile. Raiden, conversely, fears transience. Her entire motivation is to stop things from changing, to freeze the "fleeting cherry blossoms" forever.