Specialists (Group)

The Specialists is a group made up of six Red Fountain Specialists. Initially starting out with four, they were brought together as a squad during their first year in Red Fountain. They also serve as the secondary protagonists of Winx Club as they date and assist the titular group in their various adventures.

The group has undergone many member changes - gaining new members, senior members leaving on their own accord, or through a sudden absence, and even death. As a result, the Specialists have become one of the most actively changing groups in the series.

Overview
Initially, this group consisted of four: Sky, Brandon, Timmy and Riven, who were all brought together as a squad as they attended Red Fountain. The boys faced many interpersonal struggles as they tried to learn the ropes of becoming strong warriors, which inadvertently helped them grow closer as a group as they forged true friendships and trust within each other, made memories and lived an adventurous first year of school.

Most of the group's struggles that year were the fruit of Riven's difficult behavior and eventual betrayal in his defecting to the Trix. However, he would later realize that his true value with the Trix was as their pawn, which would help him realize what true friendship was and who his real friends were.

By their second year, the group is joined by Helia, a former Red Fountain student who was later readmitted and nephew (or grandson) to Headmaster Saladin. They would also go on to assist the Winx and their new friend, Aisha, in taking down Lord Darkar as their reputation at Red Fountain grew to the point of being considered one of the best squads it had to offer.

Over a year later, the group grows in size once more with the addition of Nabu, a skillful wizard from Andros but, unfortunately, he does not remain long as he later sacrifices himself for the safety and lives of the Earth Fairies in Season 4. Nabu's death greatly impacts his friends, mainly by forcing them to realize that their various adventures could cost them their lives. Both his best friend, Riven, and fiancée, Aisha, were negatively impacted the most with the latter facing more difficulty with moving on.

The group is later joined by Roy, the royal yacht driver from Andros, in Season 5 as they assist the Winx in dealing with Tritannus, Aisha's psychotic cousin who wished to destroy his family for making his brother, Nereus, take what he believed he deserved: position as next-in-line to the Triton Throne. By Season 6, Roy was admitted into Red Fountain but inexplicably leaves the group towards the end of that very same season. Riven, one of the longest staying members, also leaves the group to further his training and better himself as a person following his breakup with Musa, but, by Season 8, he has returned to his place on the squad. Additionally, Nex joins the group as an official Specialist around the same time as Riven's return.

Trivia

 * Currently, the Specialists have undergone a major change in the group every season.
 * After solidifying their group in Season 1, they gain another member in Helia by the end of Season 2.
 * Nabu unofficially joins their group toward the end of Season 3, but later leaves because of his demise toward the end of Season 4.
 * Roy unofficially joins the group in Season 5 and becomes an official member of their squad by Season 6. Later that same season, he mysteriously disappears and Riven quits the group to better himself alone.
 * Though there is not a major change in Season 7 since he is still considered as a paladin, Nex spends nearly all his screentime that season interacting with the Specialists as if he were a part of their group.
 * By Season 8, it appears that he has officially joined the group.
 * Of all the Specialists, only Sky, Riven and Helia have been turned evil.
 * For Riven, he does so twice. The first time was when he willingly left the group to work for the Trix as their mole while he dated Darcy. He was later controlled by Mandragora briefly in the first movie.
 * For Sky, he was placed under Diaspro's control due to a love potion given to her by Valtor.
 * For Helia, he had his heart frozed by Icy, which made him behave in a cold, aggressive and violent way towards Flora and his friends.