I saw something on Twitter that made me do a bit of thinking. It was to post four pictures of characters that have been very influential on me, and after some thought, these are who I chose:
Those who follow me here obviously know who the first is! But for anyone randomly looking at this, here's a little summary of who they are and why I consider them important to me:
Edelgard Von Hresvelg (Fire Emblem: Three Houses)
My goodness, I have never fallen for a character as hard and as quickly as I did for her. I have gotten quite obsessed (especially when you throw Byleth into the mix because they are my sapphic darlings), but I can confidently say she is not only one of my all-time favorite female characters, but one of my all-time favorite characters period. She is complex, she is driven, she is willing to do what she has to do, but she is also soft, caring, and an artist to boot. And she's traumatized, but she doesn't let it consume her--instead, she chooses to fight for others, even if it makes her the villain. Not to mention she ticks like...every box for me. My friends who know me often joke she was a character tailor-made for me, and they often joke at my expense very easily just by bringing her up.
Rand Al'Thor (The Wheel of Time)
What a morally complex character. Starting as a young farmboy, he embarks on the stereotypical 'Chosen One' quest, but that's just where the story starts. Robert Jordan takes him in so many complicated directions, that Rand ends up as complex as Robert's own politically diverse worldbuilding. Driven to the edge of madness by a power he didn't ask for, thrust into the role of savior despite not wanting it, and facing trauma at every step of the way, Rand's story is an amazing, thrilling journey that I have read multiple times.
Shallan Davar (The Stormlight Archives)
This young lady was ousted from my favorite female character seat by Edelgard, and though the most recent book might have been a disappointment in my eyes, that doesn't change that Shallan was an incredibly influential character and the first time I really fell in love with a character so much that I actively pursued ways of spending time in that world outside the original source material. An unreliable narrator and traumatized (notice a theme here yet?) young woman, she nevertheless finds herself embroiled in events way beyond her understanding, yet rather than falter, she rises to meet them, even if doing so takes its toll on her.
Aerith Gainsborough (Final Fantasy VII)
I considered a few characters for this last spot, but really, this one should have been the most obvious. My own name is derived from her, and though she herself isn't quite as influential on me, her musical theme absolutely helped me make it through my teenage years. She's a woman who faced an absolutely terrible lot in life, her mother killed, raised in undercity slums, stalked and pursued by corporate killers-for-hire, and routinely studied by a dubious scientist--yet she faced everything with a smile, and maintained positivity and optimism no matter what it was before her. I truly admire her.
And that's it! I hope you enjoy that little insight into my life and mind. :)
