Alcryst is the best character we meet in Brodia, and I stand by that. I like Jade and Amber and Lapis and most of the others too, but Alcryst…I see myself in him. He continues the proud tradition of Fire Emblem having archers I really like (Ashe and Bernadetta and Ignatz from Three Houses all come to mind). Alcryst also has such poor self esteem, and I have to assume his kingdom brought him to believe he's a worthless human being who ruins other people's lives with his depression and his lack of talent. I have to assume the brodian ethics of might above all makes alcryst feel inferior as an archer who can't fight at close range. And yet…alcryst shows more courage than everyone else in Brodia. His insecurity, depression and everything else makes me adore him so much.
Brodia has a king who's a complete man child. King Morion is a man child who led wars of imperialism against elusia for years. Wars which led King Hyacinth to form pacts with fell dragons to try and help save his country. If King Morion wasn't such a jackass, I think Sombron may have slept for a good while longer. Hyacinth wouldn't have been as open to manipulation if Morion hadn't antagonized him. Brodia is the aggressor on the continent, and their people are deranged.
Not the ones we meet, of course. Amber and Lapis and Citrinne and Jade and everyone are all fine. But I remember a flavour text line on the Brodia Castle map. One of the soldiers basically said: "you don't have any soldiers from elusia in your army, do you? I can't stand elusians." And that's what's wrong with Brodia. They view the elusians as lesser peoples, people whose land is ripe for the taking. As a country that values strength above all, there's a toxicity to their every action. And Alcryst being born into this horrible kingdom is probably why he is the way he is.
I do think that elusia was bad in the war, and I think Ivy and Hortensia were probably complicit in going along with their father as he had his slow descent into madness. But I think Diamant may actually still be worse, or at least equally as bad. Because Diamant knew his father was a man child and a boor who adored strength and macho attitudes. He knew this, and he never tried to lead a movement to depose his father. I'm not saying kill him, I'm saying depose him. Very different. Brodia needed a new king, and King Morion was not a fit leader. Diamant was. But he puts up with his father mocking him, accusing him of being weak and soft hearted. I see abuse in the brodian royal family, abuse that wasn't caused by a fell dragon manipulating things.
While the elusian royal family genuinely seems like a loving household laid low only by Sombron manipulating King Hyacinth, the brodian royal family is a story of King Morion absolutely fucking over his children and depriving them of good childhoods. Diamant was raised to be the perfect warrior, mocked when he wasn't that. Diamant being more tactical and peaceful than his father made Morion judge him. And Alcryst… poor alcryst. He was no doubt compared to Diamant constantly throughout his youth. I see emotional abuse leading to an inferiority complex in his character.
If I want to project, I'll add my dilemmas too. Alcryst feels inferior because he's not as "strong" as his brother. He's not as physically gifted, nor is he good with any close combat weaponry. He's good with a bow, and that's just not enough in Brodia. In elusia? Maybe it would've been something. Elusia had the ring of the lady of the plains. They were known for archery and for magic. But brodia? Not so much. I honestly would believe brodia sees magic and archery as the weapons of the enemy, and shuns those that use it. That isn't actually something said in game, but it's something I could see being true.
So yeah, I view alcryst's problems as largely stemming from his horrible situation. Not that you can't have anxiety and depression without childhood trauma. I had two great parents and my trauma only came from being bullied and having extended family who were unkind and things like that. But King Morion is clearly abusive, Brodia is clearly built on a toxic mindset, and Alcryst is in desperate need of therapy.
I don't actually have too much more to say about this. But Alcryst is one of my favourite characters. I see a lot of myself in him, and I like him for all of that. Diamant is okay too, but he's so much worse than his brother. Alcryst is better as a unit, better as a character, and just…what more can I say? I love him.
