It still messes me up that most of Xanderās actions and responses rely heavily on the fact that heās crown prince of a rapidly declining country. Heās consumed by the necessities of having to fulfill the role that was set for him. Especially if weāre going to go into detail about the Concubine wars. Itās hardened him to a place that he has to cast personal feelings aside so much after losing siblings, retainers, his mother, etc. Itās only when heās defeated in Birthright or after you have removed Garon from power in Conquest that he finally opens up a bit.
Heās able to finally express the disturbance he has with Nohrās issues and the implications/causes of war. Because before then it wasnāt like he really had much of a choice to make a different decision. As heās dying in Birthright he even admits that to Corrin.
Heās still very flawed and he still makes some awful mistakes, but I feel like if he didnāt have the weight of the crown looming so heavily above his head his positioning/reactions to things could be so vastly different.