- "Think of me as your conscience. I see everything, and I'm just as ruthless."
— Mira
Dr. Elena María Álvarez, codenamed Mira, is a Defending Operator featured in Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege, introduced in the Operation Velvet Shell expansion alongside Jackal. She is the Director of Rainbow's Research and Development Department.
Biography[]
Abandoned by her mother at birth, Elena and her sister were raised by their father in Madrid, alongside with a grandmother as a maternal figure. When they were both young, Álvarez and her sister both received a doll. Her sister dressed her doll up and had tea parties while Álvarez took a knife and cut it open to see how it worked. Álvarez later found her purpose working for the family business. She started working alongside her father in his repair shop which helped form her intricate understanding of machinery and prompted her to study mechanical engineering and metallurgy at university. Instilled with a strong sense of justice and an obligation to serve, Álvarez joined the Cuerpo Nacional de Policía. Proving to have stellar strength, endurance and knowledge of vehicles sparked her progress in the ballistic field. She saw the need for better equipment and developed new bullet proof materials to protect her teammates while on operations.
Álvarez was later encouraged to join the Grupo Especial de Operaciones (GEO) and ended up beating more than 100 other recruits for the coveted position. While with the GEO, she developed and tested bulletproof materials on the field as well as enhancing bridging vehicles. In 2017, Álvarez accepted a position by Harry Pandey to be Rainbow's Director of Research and Development. She was later added to Rainbow's combat roster so that she could better test her developments and improvements under field conditions. She later worked with Emmanuelle "Twitch" Pichon to develop the CCE Shield for Morowa "Clash" Evans.
During Operation Blue Orion, Álvarez was forced to improvise a panic room at the Embassy of Spain in Tel Aviv. The ordeal resulted in a rivalry with Eliza "Ash" Cohen but also inspired Álvarez to design a specialized laminated glass that she dubbed "Black Mirror". With Harry Pandey's promotion as the new Director of Rainbow in 2019, he tasked Álvarez with conducting evaluations of all Operator equipment. These evaluations resulted in several noticeable improvements such as adding a ballistic shield to Alexsandr "Tachanka" Senaviev's mounted LMG. She also collaborated with Lera "Finka" Melnikova and Monika "IQ" Weiss to refine Collinn "Warden" McKinley's Smart Glasses.
The Program[]
The continued global threat of terrorism eventually led Harry to conceive The Program. Álvarez oversaw the construction of Rainbow's new state-of-the-art training facility known as the Stadium. She also developed the SIM-SUIT to provide real-time simulated feedback of any damage an Operator may receive during exercises. In late 2019, Harry threw the first annual Six Invitational at the Stadium to serve as the ultimate test for Rainbow Operators. Álvarez and her team qualified for the final match, however, she was eliminated by Seamus "Sledge" Cowden with a grenade and her team subsequently lost. She later stated during an interview with Harry that regretted getting eliminated by a grenade and that she "should've seen it coming".
In late October 2020, Álvarez contacted Harry Pandley who was in Bangkok to attend the Loi Krathong festival. She informed him that Jaimini "Kali" Shah was also in Bangkok to recruit a new expert to join Nighthaven. A few months later, Álvarez was chosen by Harry to be one of the four team captains to lead a squad for the upcoming Six Invitational. Álvarez's team was composed of Max "Mozzie" Goose, Zofia Bosak, Apha "Aruni" Tawanroon and one other. Having never met or heard of Aruni prior, Álvarez asked Harry who she was. Harry confirmed that she was the expert Kali had recruited into Nighthaven months prior and explained her background. Álvarez later conducted a one-on-one interview with Harry to discuss her role as a team captain. During the interview, Álvarez told Harry she was surprised to be chosen as a team captain due to her role as the head of Rainbow R&D and the need to modify operator equipment to align with safety protocols. Harry reassured her that much of the work had already been done, thus she was free to participate. Álvarez then asked if Twitch could help her create a simulation to validate her tactics as she was not assigned to a team. Harry agreed and went on to ask Álvarez about her thoughts of the other team captains. Álvarez stated that Vigil's team in particular would be interesting due to its members. Despite this, Álvarez said she was confident she would be able to simulate them. When Harry asked Álvarez about Aruni, she told him that Aruni surprised her with her character traits which seemed to be far too wholesome for a member of NIGHTHAVEN.
In early 2021, Álvarez's team faced off against Team Ash in the first match of the Six Invitational. With time running out, Lera "Finka" Melnikova attempted to flank Álvarez but was downed by a nitro cell, winning the match for Team Mira. Team Mira faced Team Capitao for their second match of the Invitational. During the match, Álvarez requested a sit-rep from Mozzie who informed her that not many drones were left for him to control due to Aruni's laser gate destroying most of them. Álvarez advised him to stay clear of it, prompting Mozzie to locate and take over a drone. He then marked the enemy team's locations which allowed Team Mira to eliminate the remaining Attackers and win the match.
Due to a comeback by Team Ash, Team Mira was pitted against Team Ash for the final match of the Six Invitational. Prior to the match, Álvarez told her teammates not to get cocky and asked for their thoughts. Aruni told her that Kali seemed troubled by taking orders from Ash and that she will go rogue if she feels like Ash is making mistakes. Jack "Pulse" Estrada stated that Kali's unpredictability was going to anger Ash, ultimately affecting their ability to command and control. With this information, Álvarez suggested that they needed to keep an eye open for opportunities should any cracks be seen in Team Ash.
Shortly after, Team Mira entered the Stadium killhouse as the Defending Team. After the facility was breeched by Team Ash, Team Mira managed to eliminate Jordan "Thermite" Trace and Finka. Álvarez and the remaining Defenders proceeded to pin down Ash and Grace "Dokkaebi" Nam. As they got closer, however, Kali managed to shoot and eliminate Gustave "Doc" Kateb through an opening she made in a doorway. Seconds later, Álvarez took the opportunity to break down the door barricade and eliminate Dokkaebi. Through Kali's efforts, Mozzie and Aruni were eliminated, leaving Álvarez the last remaining member of her team. Álvarez attempted to flank Ash but was subsequently shot in the chest and eliminated by Kali who had deliberately used Ash as bait. Additionally, the close-range shot that eliminated Álvarez grazed Ash's ear, causing her to fall to the ground in shock.
Following her team's loss, Álvarez and the others returned to the locker room to congratulate Team Ash on their victory. Ash confronted Kali over her actions which resulted in Ash punching her square in the face. Álvarez and Mike "Thatcher" Baker then held Ash back as Kali attempted to retaliate before she herself was held back by their fellow operatives.
Over the next year, Álvarez continued to produce gadgets for several new operatives. She developed a tense animosity with Nighthaven's R&D Director, Anja "Osa" Janković who had consistently denied her access to evaluate their technology and was later recruited into Rainbow by Kali. In early 2022, Álvarez was placed on Team Caveira for the Six Invitational.
Rainbow's New Focus[]
Following the defection of Nighthaven and the poaching of several operatives, Álvarez informed Harry that she would be taking a break from field work. She stated that she needed to ensure their gear was still top of the line so that they wouldn't be at disadvantage against Nighthaven or other organizations. With Harry's reorganization of Rainbow into smaller teams, Álvarez was placed on the team led by Yumiko "Hibana" Imagawa.
Psychological Report[]
Specialist Elena María “Mira" Álvarez thinks on her feet. Someone this adaptable and versatile is difficult to predict. as they should be. She takes risks, though, and I'm hoping they're calculated ones. Álvarez is one of the operators who most strives to be a hero. Ferociously protective of teammates and those she considers friends, she can nonetheless dominate an operation, forcing others to blend their tactics with hers if they wish to succeed.
Álvarez enjoys her time in the lab and I'm grateful she accepted my offer to become head of R&D. Working surrounded by machinery reminds her of her father and the strong bond they continue to share.
As far back as she can recall it was only ever the two of them, though her father's shared memories of her grandmother gave her a second role model to look up to. One story stands out in particular: While working late in his garage, her father was pinned under a car. Álvarez found him. She was seven years old. Refusing to leave him, she struggled with the heavy jack – despite his protests – and got him free. Only then did she run for help.
This is the loyalty and stubbornness that I see in her, and that her team appreciates. It comes from a kind heart.
When not working, Álvarez is restless, which she's managed to channel into her art. Her metal sculptures are a source of great pride and she showed me photos of her portfolio. The way she incorporates used machine parts and ballistic glass is enchanting.
Alvarez uses her artistic sensibilities to visualize scenarios with unique clarity. The team should be encouraged to make better use of her talent.
Her ongoing rivalry with Specialist Eliza “Ash" Cohen is a clash of two strong- willed people. Both have solid leadership skills and both care about their teams. They simply approach challenges differently. We need to work through some scenarios where they can both apply their strengths to reach an acceptable outcome. Only through joint success will they see the value of each other's approaches.
Gameplay Description[]
| Loadout | |
|---|---|
Primary
| |
| Secondary | |
Gadget
| |
Ability
 Black Mirror x 2 | |
Mira can punch her Black Mirrors through walls, reinforced or not, to create a one-way view to the other side. This allows her and her teammates to look out from the safety of the air-compressed glass. If the Defender attending the Black Mirror wants, they can break the gas canister to create for themselves a murder hole.
- Mira spawns with two Black Mirrors. She can deploy her Black Mirrors on any breachable or reinforced wall, and she can even place them over the border between a reinforced and non-reinforced wall.
- The Black Mirror is a bulletproof one-way window; it is see-through only from the side it was deployed from. The Black Mirror appears as an opaque black glass on the opposite side.
- A single melee strike on either side of the Black Mirror will shatter it, completely obstructing any lines of sight through the Mirror. However, it can still be manually ejected by destroying the gas canister.
- A deployed Black Mirror ejects the section of the wall/reinforced wall that it is deployed on.
- Mira can deploy a Black Mirror while crouching or standing, but cannot set down Black Mirrors when prone.
- Deploying a Mirror takes 5 seconds.
- Once deployed, Black Mirrors cannot be manually removed.
- Mira can only deploy a Black Mirror on the deployed side of a reinforced wall.
- Non-reinforced walls cannot be reinforced if a Black Mirror was deployed first.
- Thermal breaching gadgets, i.e. Thermite's Exothermic Charges, Hibana's X-KAIROS pellets, Ace's SELMAs, and Maverick's Breaching Torch, can still be used on the opaque side of the Black Mirror.
- A gas canister is located on the bottom frame of the deployment side of a Black Mirror. The gas canister can be destroyed by gunfire, melee, explosives, or darts fired by Twitch's Shock Drones. Once destroyed, The Black Mirror will eject their bulletproof window after a 4-second delay, creating a viewing port that players can shoot through.
- There are four anchors on the Black Mirror, two located at the top side and two on the bottom. Should they be destroyed by a thermal breaching gadget, the black mirror will be instantly and completely destroyed, not leaving behind a frame.
Strategies[]
- Some specific maps have locations that allow Mira to place her Black Mirror at an elevated height.
- If both Black Mirrors are deployed on two separate reinforcements then one can be ejected and the other can remain untouched.
- Mira can deploy a Black Mirror on a reinforced section of a wall and leave the neighbouring section unreinforced, creating opportunities for easy penetration kills. Blasting holes on the unreinforced section can also allow Nitro Cells to be thrown through.
Synergies[]
- Mira works well with Operators like Mute, Bandit and Kaid, as their gadgets are able to prevent Attacker gadgets from destroying the Black Mirrors if deployed on a reinforced wall.
- Azami's barriers can be placed on a nearby soft wall to prevent getting shot.
Counters[]
- Hitting the Black Mirror from either side with a melee strike will deny any lines of sight through it.
- Twitch's Shock Drone is capable of shooting its shock darts and destroy Black Mirrors' gas canisters.
- Thermite, Hibana, Ace, and Maverick's gadgets, when used on a reinforced wall with the Black Mirror, will destroy the Black Mirrors.
- If the Black Mirror is deployed on a non-reinforced wall, destruction of the wall around the Black Mirror will remove the Black Mirror with it. Ash's breaching rounds can easily destroy such a Black Mirror from a distance.
- Because of the nature of the Black Mirrors, Blitz and Ying, as well as any Attacker with a Stun Grenade, are still able to blind Defenders through them.
- Maverick's Breaching Torch can take out the locks of the Black Mirror, destroying it instantly provided he knows where they are exactly located.
- Maverick can also create a small hole underneath the Black Mirror, allowing him to shoot the gas canister and eject the black mirror easily.
- If deployed correctly, Ace's SELMAs will be able to destroy the Black Mirror and provide a larger view port.
- Zero's ARGUS Camera lasers will destroy the Black Mirrors' gas canister if within view.
Device Description[]
- "Deploys a one-way bulletproof mirror on breakable and reinforced walls. Also can be ejected to create a murder hole."
— Black Mirror Description
Álvarez came up with the idea for Black Mirror during Operation Blue Orion, when she was forced to improvise a panic room at the Embassy of Spain in Tel Aviv. She used this experience to design a specialized laminated glass, which when deployed with oxyacetylene can carve out a one-way mirror on any wall. If the air pressure is disrupted, however, the glass is ejected and creates a daring opening for both defenders and attackers.
Device Evaluation[]
Device: Black Mirror
Operator: Specialist Elena “Mira" Álvarez
Evaluation Lead: Specialist Jordan "Thermite" Trace
Mira (Dr. Elena “Mira" Álvarez, Director of R&D) wanted an unbiased evaluation of her Black Mirror so I volunteered to test it. We ran the composite glass (technically a layer of laminate over glass fibers embedded in plastic) through multiple test phases. Its durability is impressive. The one-way mirror is both bullet- and blast-resistant, but it's the frame that transmits kinetic energy the most efficiently, putting less stress on the mirror to absorb the shock of impacts.
When deployed, the oxyacetylene burns through reinforced and unreinforced walls alike, while the gas-driven pneumatics lodge the frame into the wall and push out the obstructing material. When the oxygen canister is destroyed, the pins are pushed back and the glass drops, creating a murder hole. Mira asked that I check vulnerabilities to Specialist Erik "Maverick" Thorn's torch so I've attached those results as well.
Honestly, I don't know what she's got against my Brimstone charges. We're both doing the same thing. My version's just more efficient.
(Comment_E. Álvarez: Dream on, Jordan.)
- - J. Trace
Quotes[]
| Mira's Quotes |
|---|
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Trivia[]
- Mira was first teased in the Operation Red Crow Mid-Season Reinforcements website, and later officially introduced in the Operation Velvet Shell expansion as playable character alongside Jackal.[1][2]
- Mira means "look" in Spanish (a commonly used AR verb). The similarities between "Mira" and "mirror" are notable as well, as her gadget is called the Black Mirror.
- Mira was the lead engineer that created the specialized ballistic shield for Tachanka's LMG.[3] She, alongside Twitch, also worked on the creation of the CCE Shield for Clash.[4] She also designed Nøkk's HEL device, and potentially Ash's M120 as well.[5]
- Mira has gone through many confusing changes in her basic information.
- Mira's original name was Elena Álvarez Del Manzano. This later changed to Elena María Álvarez. The original name is still used in some official materials, and the Ubisoft website displays her name as Elena Maria Alvarez del Manzano.[6]
- Mira's original date of birth was stated to be on November 18, 1971. The year was later changed to 1977. Her age reduced 6 years than original age. Her year of birth has since been removed entirely.
- Even her height changed from 1.78 meters to 1.65. If this had remained, she would have been one of the tallest female operators in the game, but is now among the shortest.
- Mira's original psychological profile stated that she was an only child. This was removed in the Operation Void Edge update. The expansion's subsequent Battle Pass stated that she has a sister.
- Mira developed a rivalry with FBI SWAT operator Eliza Cohen following Operation Blue Orion.[7]
- She would go as far to call her "Miss KickInTheDoor" in Ash's gadget evaluation.
- The reinforced armor she wears is of her own design.
- She flies helicopters in her spare time.
- Mira's Season Invitational charm "Mira's Family" is inscribed with "40°26'04" N", "3°43'45" W", and "Tu Padre" (lit. "your father"). The coordinates correspond to a bunker in the Parque del Oeste in Madrid, Spain, left over from the Battle of Ciudad Universitaria in the Spanish Civil War.
- The same charm is also found on Mira's hat in her Elite Uniform, Inspiración, themed after a Spanish Civil War fighter.
- Her grandmother fought in the Spanish Civil War. Whether she was affiliated with the Republicans or the Nationalists is unknown, but she dons her grandmother's attire as a fighter.
- In Nokk's concept art #5, Mira is seen working on her gadget with the quote "Always a pleasure to see another professional at work."
- Mira is the one who ran diagnostics of Kali and Wamai's gadgets and weapons, although further testing were discouraged after Kali called in lawyers to intervene.
- Mira's operator logo is a black mirror.
- Mira, Finka, and IQ all collaborated to refine Warden's Smart Glasses.
- Mira finds Warden a nuisance for repeatedly asking her to develop new styles for his Smart Glasses.
- Mira was originally voiced by Christine Solomon, however she was replaced with Anahi Bustillos in a 2019 patch.
- Mira's gadget does a tiny amount of damage on the opaque side when deployed.
- Mira said "Mierda" when she's about to get eliminated in the shorts.
- First is by Tournament of Champions by Sledge throwing a grenade on her which she should've seen it coming.
- Second is by Shadow Legacy trailer when she is left last standing and Zero points a gun at her ending the simulation.
Gallery[]
Models[]
Stills[]
Elite[]
Icons[]
Video[]
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Patch Changes[]
- Update 6.2.0; June 14, 2021 Patch: Shatter mechanic introduced.
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References[]
- ↑ Update 5.2 Patch Notes - Mid-Season Reinforcements
- ↑ Update 2.1.0 Patch Notes - Velvet Shell
- ↑ Rainbow Six Siege patches/Patch 5.2
- ↑ Clash's In-game BIO > NOTES section
- ↑ Harry's Board: "Our operators aren't only soldiers, doctors, engineers, inventors, artists..."
- ↑ https://rainbow6.ubisoft.com/siege/en-us/game-info/operator/mira.aspx
- ↑ Mira's In-game BIO > PSYCHOLOGICAL PROFILE section