Since Toothy is a huge Splendid fanboy nerd i think his bedroom is covered in all kinds of SSSSSuper Squad merchandise ( mainly focused around Splendid ofc ), and whenever him and Splendid actually did begin dating he was sooo scared that Splendid was gonna be weirded out by seeing his own face all over the walls that Toothy would try stuffing it all inside his closet right before Splendid would come over - 😭
but he has super speed so Toothy doesn't have much time to jam everything in there. Funniest thing to me is, that Splendid wouldn't even care. Just another thing to tease his beaver bf abt
I have a lot of things I ended up not liking about Fates, but the one thing that confuses me to this day is the Oni Savage class, Hoshido’s lesser known class line.
Let’s check out the class’s growth modifiers. (You take these^ bonuses and + them to the unit’s natural growths and you get their level up growths). The Oni Savage class is built like a GENERAL - high Strength, high Defense and high HP. Speed is on the meh side, and SKL and Res are non-existant. Enemy Oni Savages embody these traits - they dish out heavy damage and can tank physical hits, but crumble to magic and are not very fast.
Sounds pretty good on paper! Looking at the other Hoshidan classes, most of your army in Birthright will mostly be Fragile Speedsters or Jack of All Stats at best. An axe-wielding Mighty Glacier will be super useful to round out the team!
That said, why - oh, god WHY - is Rinkah the EXACT OPPOSITE?
In what universe is it considered good game design to make the ONLY naturally occurring Oni Savage the complete antithesis of their starting class?? It’s very unfortunate because I LOVE Rinkah’s design, voice actress and just her general swagger.
Rinkah’s natural growths are as follows:
She has naturally high Skill, Speed and Defense, but pitiful HP and Strength. Her stat modifiers even has a -1 for Strength! Sakura really is stronger in that regard! By the time you add the Oni Savage bonuses, she comes out with subpar Strength, HP, still workable Skill, surprisingly good Speed and great Defense. Sadly, Rinkah won’t be able to deliver well on the “tanky” aspect of her class as her HP is too low to take advantage of her Def stat, and will make her wet paper for any magic-wielding enemies.
Rinkah will also mostly have access to Hoshidan clubs, not axes. On average, Hoshidan weapons have less Might than their Nohrian counterparts, so unless the enemy drops an axe, Rinkah’s low Strength will only allow her to dish out ok damage rather than GREAT damage due to the lower Might. Another unfortunate thing about clubs is that Fates’s Weapon Triangle makes clubs weak to MAGIC, basically dooming Oni Savages to a life of fearing fire, ironically.
The one pro to Hoshidan clubs is that they do feature a nice little Crit bonus built in. Unfortunately, Oni Savages (the class the clubs are designed for) have abysmal Skill, so the Crit bonuses are mostly a fun little thing rather than something to actually take advantage of, like a high Skill class could do.
All in all, Rinkah ends up being a sort of Master of None, not able to dish out high damage or tank reliably as her class would require, and her good bizarre growths are undermined by her lackluckster ones. She’s also the only unpromoted club-wielder in Birthright, so if you don’t pull some Second Seal shenanigans, you’re really missing out on that spectrum of the Weapon Triangle AND class. To make matters worse, Rinkah’s starting stats aren’t impressive either. She’s a Lvl. 4 Oni Savage, but her base stats are actually on par with a Lvl. 1 Avatar’s. You can add Difficult to Raise to reasons Intelligent Systems wasn’t interested in you being interested in the Oni Savage class.
I think I get what IS was trying to do with the class. They were trying to make a more team-oriented unit that could tank hits for the team and allow others to finish the enemy. The Oni Savage’s starting skill is even Resistance Seal. This makes the Oni Savage’s role one where they tank damage and seal the enemy’s Res, and then an ally Mage can come in to deal additional damage. This also synergies with the promoted Oni Chieftain class which itself wields magic. Additionally, they learn Shove, which is another support skill for repositioning. This is opposed to the Fighter class, which is a straight up beefcake bruiser and learns bruiser skills like Roundhouse.
It seems like they wanted the Oni Savage to be really different from the Fighter class and wanted it to do a lot of things but ended up not being able to do anything. Shove is overshadowed by units being able to transport and “shuffle” via Pair Up, and if I wanted a magic-weilding class I would just use one that is already naturally good at it like a Diviner. Its tankiness pales in comparison to a Knight’s, and its damage potential is beaten by Fighters. Plus, Rinkah (your only natural Oni Savage) is not good at either role either way. In fact, you’re probably better off reclassing her to a Ninja or Dread Fighter to take advantage of her crazy natural Speed and Skill.
So what’s the point of this whole spiel? What am I trying to get at? Well, the point is that I don’t think Intelligent Systems really thought the Oni Savage class through very well. They knew they needed an Axe-wielder in Hoshido, but Nohr already got the Fighter, so they made a strange hodgepodge of roles and abilities that ultimately made the Oni Savage inferior to many others who can do the roles better.
In future Fire Emblem installments I want to see classes that have their own merits and strengths, designed to have organic roles with thought put into them. I want to see characters that can take advantage of their class’s abilities and utilize them in ways that make them worthwhile and unique to use. And if a character has a rarer class, I hope they will bring out the beauty of the class, and prove why this particular line is worth our time to raise. I actually think most of the Fates classes were very well-designed and balanced, but the Oni Savage sticks out from the rest.
Maybe I just wasn’t using the class right. I’d like to hear your thoughts on this particular Hoshidan unit. Did you have a good experience using the Oni Savage class?
Ever since it was announced that Female Corrin would be the default version of the Fates Avatar represented in Fire Emblem Warriors, it got me thinking about the rise in Female Corrin’s popularity. Where ever you look, from fan art to written works, it seems the fairer gender is given more of the spotlight. When I started considering her success in recent popularity polls, it also brought to my attention the lesser reception her male counterpart has received in comparison. But why is this? How is the difference so great when the two Corrins are essentially the same characters? Here’s my sort of thought dump on the factors leading to Female Corrin’s popularity that has made her the current poster child for the character.
To start, I think it’s important to note that Fire Emblem as a franchise, has always had a male-bias. It’s a widely accepted idea that boys play video games more than girls, so for a long time, FE games traditionally featured a male main protagonist to ensure a relatable viewpoint. Only recently with Awakening and Fates have players been able to specifically choose their character’s gender. This notion of male protagonists being more relatable, and therefore more popular and marketable can be seen in Super Smash Bros 4 where Robin was chosen to be represented by his male version on the character selection screen, in his character trailer, as well as the model for his Amiibo.
The decision from Nintendo to only produce Male Robin Amiibos was met with some disappointment that a Female version was lacking. When it was time for Corrin to receive an Amiibo, Nintendo notably made a point to include both genders. Now, this could have been in response to the criticisms towards the Robin Amiibo, but I think this also had to do with the fact that Female Corrin could not be left out because of her enormous popularity.
In the Awakening character popularity polls in Japan, both male and female versions of Robin were very popular. Male Robin ranked 3rd amongst the male cast, and Female Robin ranked 2nd amongst the entire female cast. It was this positive reception that would ensure that an Avatar character would return in Fates. However, when it was time for the Fates popularity polls, Male Corrin ranked a very good 5th place for males. Female Corrin, on the other hand, took 1st Place for females, beating out every other female in the game.
So what does this mean?
Well, in Awakening both Avatars were… pretty similarly liked. But in Fates, there is a clear difference between the two genders - something made Female considerably more popular. To cement this, in Fire Emblem Heroes’ Choose Your Legend popularity poll, Female Corrin nabbed 5th place for females in the ENTIRE FRANCHISE with 19,599 votes (9th Place overall). And Male Corrin? He managed a paltry 21st place for males (41st place overall), with 7,691 votes - almost a third as much as Female Corrin. Heck, even Dorcas beat out Male Corrin, and he got poisoned by Mutton.
You can see where this is going, right?
When you’re marketing a game, you put your best foot forward. For Robin, the genders were on pretty equal footing, so Male was the safe bet. It was the tradition - it was what came naturally to Nintendo and Intelligent Systems. Boys play video games, so make the rep a boy. But for Corrin, things were different. Nintendo could not afford the luxury of just trusting the Male version as the predictable safe bet. This time, there was a clear imbalance in who the fans like more, and who would be most well received if they were made the default version in Fire Emblem Warriors. From a marketing perspective, the obvious choice this time, was Female Corrin.
So what brought on such a large disparity in reception? What gave sway to the Female gender transcending the norm for what kind of protagonist is considered relatable and likable? The answers are rooted in a philosophy as old as time: sexism.
To understand what makes Female Corrin so much more popular than her Male counterpart, we need only look into the very essence of their characters. In Fates, Corrin is defined by their kind heart and naive idealism. Unlike traditional Fire Emblem lords that mainly fight against an outside force, many of Corrin’s problems revolve around struggling to stay true to their kind heart amidst a cynical war. Because many of Corrin’s conflicts are against family or otherwise good people, Corrin repeatedly shows mercy and goodwill during times when a general can ill afford to. Even when others pressure or try to dissuade them, Corrin holds onto their hope for an ideal world, and is often pained and deeply burdened by harsh reality.
The consequence that arises from this kind of personality is that there are certain gender roles that modern society has instilled deep in our psyche that prevails even now. One trope that you can see just about anywhere even today is Men Act, Women Are. This trope describes the notion that characters are most likable when they embody traits we associate with their gender, namely that men are defined by their achievements, while women are defined by their personalities and appearances.
From a story perspective, the narrative benefits from Corrin being female. Corrin embodies traits that are most stereotypically associated with female characters in the FE franchise - namely compassion and naivety. You can see these traits in other forefront characters like Celica, Mist and Micaiah. As modern day players, we are conditioned to admire and respect female characters who are able to pursue just ideals and embody values of peace and optimism. A female character who weeps for the loss of life and falters when a cruel act is needed is seen as loving and sympathetic. On the other hand, a male character that cries openly and hesitates during critical moments is seen as weak and unreliable. A female character who trusts easily is often seen as pure and innocent, but a male who does the same can come across as naive or foolish. On the other end of the spectrum, female characters who suppress their emotions are seen as stone-hearted and world-weary, while males who do the same appear cool-headed and mature. Basically, for the common media consumer, Corrin embodies traits that are more easily associated with femininity, and the story comes together better as a result because we are less likely to second guess a female behaving the way Corrin does. We see what we want to see.
There’s also the detail that Corrin is often “babied” and deeply cared for by their siblings. Xander constantly worries for Corrin’s safety, Camilla smothers them like a child, and the younger sisters stick to them like glue. In my personal experience, I found the story slightly more appealing when it was a Female Avatar receiving such affection because how less conventional it felt compared to the more common Male protagonist who’s the center of attention. I was able to believe young girls like Elise and Sakura would be more comfortable around and able to admire an older sister rather than a brother. A story of an innocent maiden finding her place in the world surrounded by loving family is more appealing to me than a naive young man smothered by his siblings. In traditional anime and games, women are often the ones with strong familial connections, while men are typically associated with independence. It’s a shallow sentiment, but I do believe this detail affects to some degree how some players perceive and appreciate the character of Corrin.
The next big reason is a purely aesthetic choice: Female Corrin is pretty. It’s a fact of life that visual appeal contributes to popularity with consumers. Female Corrin has a very attractive design, invoking regal feminine elegance, but also obvious warrior power. Boys are clearly meant to like her a lot. In comparison, the Male Corrin looks… pretty typical, and even a bit bland. His armor is jagged in some areas while Female’s is sleek and smooth. His shoulder sleeves look tight and restrictive while Female’s is puffy and elegant. His leggings are… leggings. Female has thighs. (＾＾)ｂ
And perhaps it’s due to generations of Fire Emblem only having female dragons, but I feel I’m conditioned to think pointed ears just look better on Female Corrin than it does on Male. I’m not sure if that’s just me. Regardless, a powerful, sexy dragon girl naturally should fair better in popularity polls than an average anime male protagonist. Boys want her and girls want to be her, such is the intention and role of the Avatar character. There’s also the fact that the Fates Avatar kind of has a more feminine fighting style, don’t you think? Graceful twirls and cartwheels are more often seen as a feminine combat style, again, better suiting the Female Corrin. Just a minor note of mine.
So what’s the main take aways from all this? What makes Female Corrin more popular than Male Corrin?
To put simply: she’s just better. From a story perspective, her gender more easily meshes with her game’s themes, plot points and interactions with other characters. Her design is more attractive, and from a superficial stand point, Female just is more likable for these reasons.
Now, does this mean Female is the “canon” gender of her games? Not at all. The Avatar is meant to be whatever the player chooses them to be, and it’s up to the player’s preference on which gender betters the story more. While both do have their merits, in my eyes, Female adds more to the story with her as the protagonist, which is enough to give her favor.
In the end, it is the numbers that speak louder than words, and with Female Corrin holding nearly three times as many votes as Male, it’s obvious who would be made the representing gender of the character in Warriors. Considering Nintendo’s track record as of late, I do believe we will be getting both Female and Male versions of Corrin in Warriors, with Female acting as the main face in the character selection screen.
While it may not seem like a big deal, there are implications to Female Corrin receiving the spotlight this time. Due to the fanbase’s appreciation for a female protagonist, this may influence the protagonist of Fire Emblem Switch to also be female, or at least encourage Intelligent Systems to continue making the protagonist’s gender selectable. We are experiencing a shift in the FE franchise in what gender best suits a protagonist is now less defined. I look forward to Female Corrin in Warriors (if it wasn’t clear by now, I like her more), and I’m excited to see how this small but important choice in Warriors may affect the franchise moving forward.
Not everything is so cut and dry and so easily labeled, however. I would like to hear your thoughts on which Corrin you appreciate more in their game and outside of it. Who do you like more?
Volume 12 of Oregairu is being called the “the final arc of the series” and it is FAST APPROACHING after nearly two years of waiting. I’m predicting this volume will be the first part of a 2-parter that will complete the series, with a 13th volume acting as the conclusion, and possibly another volume for a side-story or epilogue, perhaps.
As the story currently stands and where the anime left off, Hachiman’s being in the middle of a love triangle between Yukino and Yui has finally come to a head, and Yukino’s ultimate request for the Service Club to solve is about to be revealed. It seems this final arc will finally confront Yukino’s family issues that have been built up from the very beginning of the series. After such a big set up, I’m excited to see how the three will go about using what they have learned to help Yukino resolve an issue that has pretty much defined her life up till this point. However, what I think most people are excited for is seeing which girl Hachiman ends up with in the finale. I think I know why Watari took so long to dish this volume out.
In the weeks leading up to September 20, I’ve been thinking a lot about who the finale girl should be (perhaps unhealthily so). Everyone has their “best girl” and OTPs, but looking at the journey of Hachiman and the direction and story of Oregairu, what is the most fitting conclusion for this franchise? This is my sort of analysis of the themes and progression of the story, and the possibilities of how one of my all-time favorite tales might end.
1. Yukino Route
I feel like those who are familiar with this genre of anime will be inclined to agree that the Yukino Route is the most obvious choice. Yukino is the first girl Hachiman and we as viewers encounter, and according to Tv Tropes, the First Girl Wins. Yukino is the female who carries the most narrative weight. She is the female who shares the most themes with the protagonist, has grown the most alongside him, and she is the character whose arc will serve as the final conflict of the series. It seems fitting that Yukino is the true love for Hachiman.
Their relationship, which started off rocky, has been nurtured through shared struggle, finding themselves and where they belong in this world together. While they initially had conflicting ideals, they have come to understand and appreciate each other’s sentiments. As a couple, they work. Both are reserved, and have an understanding of the world, having experienced its harshness first-hand. They are intelligent and thoughtful, quiet but honest. Not ones to put up false faces, but also thoughtful enough to be kind when needed. As far as partners go, Yukino is probably the girl who currently suits Hachiman best. Yukino also likes cats, and Hachiman owns a cat, which is a fun little thing to note. Thematically, it is fitting for the two loners, who thought themselves above romance (or perhaps undeserving of it), to fall for each other.
HOWEVER, there is a problem with Yukino being with Hachiman as she currently is, and that is the fact that Yukino has not yet completed her character arc. As it stands, Yukino is too weak to support Hachiman as an equal. As Haruno has pointed out, Yukino has a habit of putting her feelings second on the things that matter, depriving herself of developing as an individual. Hachiman actually stunts Yukino’s growth further, being a powerful ally Yukino relies too heavily on to save her when she falters. Yukino is too afraid of harming her friends. She is afraid of pursuing Hachiman because Yui will be hurt, and does not trust that their friendship could survive if she allows herself to be selfish. This leaves her with only half-hearted preachings of honesty and changing one’s self, when she cannot even bring herself to do so. Yukino is too weak as she is, and to be with Hachiman, she must be able to defeat this weakness and grow. I believe this final arc will allow Yukino to do just that, but the question still exists... would that make her the one?
2. Yui Route
If Yukino is Veronica, Yui is Hachiman’s Betty. Yui is the girl next door, the wholesome, sweet dream girl. Yui is Hachiman’s connection to what “normal youth” is like. She is the girl Hachiman has always dreamt of having, but convinced himself he will never deserve.
Yui teaches Hachiman to not be afraid of friendship, that he does not need to be afraid of being hurt, because genuine friendships do exist that can survive hardship. Meanwhile, Hachiman teaches Yui what it means to be a good friend, to stand up for others even when you might lose face - to be selfless and honest. Hachiman is Yui’s best end - she is made all the stronger by Hachiman’s presence. The only bad end that truly exists for Yui is one where Hachiman and Yukino are removed entirely from her life.
Like a cat and a dog, Hachiman and Yui are polar opposites but are able to co-exist. Hachiman should not get along with Yui because she represents the kind of fluffy, popular girl Hachiman used to desire but has been hurt repeatedly by. Thematically, Yui dating Hachiman would show that one can grow beyond their past traumas and create a new future for themselves by looking beyond appearances. Yui’s idealism balances Hachiman’s cynicism, and her energy brings a warmth to the cold solitude Hachiman has resigned himself to.
Thematically, Yui serves as the bond keeping the Service Club together. Her name even includes the kanji for “binding,” appropriately enough. As such, Yui’s ultimate fate heavily impacts the other two members of the club. If Yui succeeds and wins Hachiman, she risks alienating Yukino. I do not believe this will be the same the other way around, because I believe Yui is strong enough and has developed enough to accept Yukino winning. Even if Yukino wins, I believe Yui loves Yukino too much to become alienated, at least not forever. Likewise, if Yui loses and reacts poorly (I do not think she will because she is too strong), she could sour Yukino’s victory and burden her relationship with Hachiman knowing that being together cost them their friend. Basically, for any GOOD ending to occur, Yui must prove she can be strong either way to mitigate the fallout.
3. Loner Route
I’m mixed on whether this is the WORST ending, or BEST ending for Hachiman. It depends on how it’s executed. This ending is where Hachiman chooses neither girl and the series ends with Hachiman without a romance.
I think there is thematic value for this ending that can justify it. Throughout his story, Hachiman’s struggle has not necessarily been about finding love or even friendship, but just finding relationships that are genuine. He has spent years being burnt because how the people act around him have always been insincere, and every time he allows himself to get close to others, they reject him. What Hachiman needs more than anything else are relationships where nothing is hidden, where everyone’s hands are on full display and they can accept each other for their ups and their downs. This ending requires Hachiman to reject both Yukino AND Yui and remain friends. For this to work, all three must be satisfied knowing that even if it is just friendship, it is at least genuine, and that is enough.
This ending will no doubt have repercussions on Hachiman’s relationship with the girls and both will take it very hard, but for this to be a GOOD ending, both girls must be able to be at peace with only being friends with Hachiman. I think it is also entirely possible for both girls to not be ok with Hachiman’s decision and cut ties, but it could still be positive in that at least Hachiman was honest, and the girls were honest and did not lie or pretend like rejection doesn’t bother them.
Conclusion
Because of the high stakes for everyone involved, and that one way or another, SOMEONE will walk away hurt, I have no doubt this series will have a bittersweet ending at best. It could even be a downer ending at worst, but after everything that the characters have learned and been through, I don’t think that will happen. A downer ending would be if Hachiman is left in the exact same spot he was at the beginning (alone and unable to trust anyone, and no one caring about him). Anything else, even if someone is left hurt in the end, would at least be slightly positive because it would prove Hachiman has found others he is willing to hurt and be hurt by because he cares about them.
As for how likely each ending is, I think all three have a pretty equal chance of occurring. I can see important lessons learned for all three endings that carry a different message about the journey of Hachiman, Yukino and Yui, and I think any of the three could be a potentially satisfying end. Of course, it’s also entirely possible Watari has something else in mind for the conclusion and I’m totally off, but I think it’s going to come down to one of these three endings.
I like all three endings equally, but if I HAD to pick one that suits the series best and will bring the most satisfying conclusion, I would choose the Yui Route. Thematically, the Loner Route fits the least because it suggests being honest can mean NO ONE wins, which I think is realistic, but not appropriate for this conclusion. Yukino’s story is about allowing yourself to desire things and being able to make choices for yourself. I think the most profound ending for her would be allowing herself to desire Hachiman, being rejected, but understanding there’s more to life than just winning and losing. I think Yui has already settled her arc of having the courage to be honest even if it might mean being rejected, so there’s nothing too much at stake for her. Hachiman loving Yui, however, would suggest he has overcome the demons of his past and can allow himself to love again, and it would be more profound if he loves a normal girl like Yui, who he has for so long denied based on his past experiences. Yukino’s best ending would be being true to herself, Hachiman’s best ending would be overcoming his past, and Yui’s best ending would simply be getting Hachiman. This opinion of mine, of course, may change depending on how Volume 12 plays out.
Who do you think will end up with Hachiman in the end (if either)? Please do let me know your thoughts, there’s nothing I’m more interested in than how others predict this fantastic series will end.
I am also eager to see if this final arc will warrant a third anime season. Usually one volume comes out to two or so episodes, so at most I would expect maybe 4 OVA episodes to be sold as a special in the future.
I hope you enjoyed reading!
Honorable Mentions
Totsuka Route - Interestingly, of all the characters, Hachiman has shown the most blatant attraction to Totsuka. Hachiman’s attraction is obviously played as a joke, as in “Hachiman hates girls, so obviously a boy will suit him better.” If I were to realistically consider Totsuka as an ending, I don’t think it’s necessarily appropriate because Totsuka has no narrative weight behind him and only acts as a support. If anything, I might even call this a Bad End because it would mean Hachiman has regressed so far into his traumas that instead of coming to terms with his faults, he has simply run off with Totsuka, which I think is the easy way out and doesn’t teach him any lessons. I think he’d certainly be happy, but it’s not a satisfying conclusion.
Iroha Route - Iroha has been pushed as being a “third candidate” for the finale girl, but I don’t think that’s where her story is going. She’s definitely important in showing another perspective of the series’ theme of hiding behind facades to protect one’s self, but I think Iroha’s story has already concluded itself with her confession to Hayama and sticking her neck out and suffering rejection. I think it showed her maturity by being honest, and realizing that her cutesy persona won’t always let her get her way. Her budding attraction for Hachiman is her sign of newfound maturation, but getting with him will not improve her in any way.
I asked my old Intro to LGBTQ Studies professor to send me the essays we read on New Queer Cinema and Camp. (She sent me them, of course. She is an angel in the way that angels are messengers.) I'm thinking about the morning I read the New Queer Cinema and Camp readings. I did them at the community service assistance desk of my dorm, where I worked—where I still work, where I am typing this now.
It was quiet. Early enough that most of the students were not up and about, but late enough that the sun was bright outside. It was that bold, mid-October type of bright that requests to be seen by only those who are already awake. (Not begs to, though—he need not beg. Not to be seen, at least at this hour.) And I was reading Monica B. Pearl's writing about how AIDS disrupted cinema.
I wish that was enough.
Why couldn't it have been enough? It was enough. For me.
texts mentioned in post were: "AIDS and New Queer Cinema" by Monica B. Pearl, and "Camp and Queer and the New Queer Director" by Glyn Davis, both from New Queer Cinema: A Critical Reader.
Is it still depression even if you had a passive opinion on death? Like a take it or leave it situation? Like, "Oh. I don't always think about canceling my subscription on life, BUT if I were to suddenly get premonitions about my death (Final Destination style) my first reaction would beat 'Nifty'". You know?
It’s been 6 years since Fire Emblem: Awakening released. While the main campaign was entertaining, I remember most fondly the 13 Child units that kept me coming back over and over to customize, raise, and learn more about them. With Three Houses just announced, one of the big questions on everyone’s mind is if child units will come back, but all this speculation has revived my own adoration for Awakening’s brilliant cast of children and got me curious about -- hypothetically -- who is individually the strongest among them... This is my sort of analysis on each child’s CANON attributes, abilities, and backstories, not their in-game stats, skills, etc.
I will be listing the children in order of weakest to strongest. I’ve scoured every corner of Serenesforest to the best of my ability and here are my findings on which child can be considered The Strongest:
13. Brady
This should come as no real surprise. Brady is physically the weakest of the children and many of his supports focus on his frustration with this fact. Despite his intimidating appearance, Brady has below average strength, and participating in any kind of physical activity leads to getting himself hurt, spraining ankles, and pulling his groin muscles. In his support with Owain, Brady tries to punt a helmet and manages to immediately break his toe. Luckily, Brady specializes in healing, but if not for his sheer determination, Brady would definitely not be fit for the battlefield.
12. Cynthia
While she dreams of becoming a grand hero, that day is still very far off. Between her general clumsiness, inability to stay focused, and her own unrealistic beliefs surrounding “honorable combat,” Cynthia is a walking liability for herself and others on the battlefield. Cynthia’s C-Supports with both the Male and Female Robins very plainly show that her recklessness and heroic theatrics can easily cost Cynthia her life if left unattended. The fact that she has an entire support line revolving around how she regularly needs to be rescued by BRADY solidifies her position here.
11. Yarne
Yarne is an interesting case where, as a Taguel, he should be naturally one of the stronger children, but he is held back by his own cowardly nature. Many characters such as Brady, Robin and Severa imply Yarne could be very strong if he just tried, but more often he will instead opt to flee from combat, which can very easily put himself and others in danger. He also seems to regularly skip training practice out of fear of injury, suggesting he is less disciplined than the others. When he actually gets serious however, Yarne is shown to be capable of great feats. Unfortunately, his competency usually doesn’t stick for long.
10. Morgan
I don’t have a lot to go off of for Morgan, as both Male and Female’s combat abilities are never really commented on. The majority of their supports focus on their optimistic attitudes allowing them to remain undistracted and in good morale at all times. Male Morgan admits to Kjelle that he is “one of the weakest guys in camp” and needs to work out more, though concurrently, Female Morgan apparently has twelve-pack abs of steel in her support with Laurent... Regardless, Morgan’s greatest strength, like their parent, seems to be their deep fascination with strategy. However, as they are still in-training, their ability hasn’t fully matured just yet and they mostly utilize their wit to prank or be helpful to others
9. Noire
Similar to Yarne, Noire is a double-edged sword. On one hand her normal personality is meek, easily frightened, and riddled with phobias and health concerns. On the other hand, her alter ego is extremely aggressive and unbridled by her previous limitations. Noire is typically quite cowardly, being afraid of the dark, bugs, and rarely ever having any initiative. She is also stated to be anemic and physically frail, and has poor endurance as a result. Despite this, Noire is a brilliant shot with a bow, proven to be able to snipe targets far out of reasonable range, and her alter ego elevates her combat prowess even further -- at least momentarily while she lasts. She also has some skill with curses, though this ability is still unrefined.
8. Inigo
In Fates, Laslow is a master swordsman, apparently able to fight toe-to-toe with Xander and Ryoma, but in Awakening, Inigo comes across as only exceptionally skilled. In his supports, Inigo is more often depicted goofing around and practicing his dances rather than honing himself as a warrior. More often, he is seen intruding when others are in the midst of training and often being told he could stand to discipline himself more. Regardless, Inigo is still a veteran fighter. Behind his carefree facade, he has admitted he has fought and killed so much he is almost numb to the act. In Death’s Embrace, he claims to have fought his way out of countless death traps in the past, and always comes out alive.
7. Owain
While he presents himself as dramatic and foolhardy, Owain is actually a truly talented swordsman. His diary, filled to the brim with bizarre sword techniques and weapon “stats,” actually lend him a wealth of insight into combat. He has a firm understanding on a vast array of tactics, weapon attributes and fighting styles. When he drops his theatrics, Owain is revealed to be a very deep thinker and a focused combatant who revels in training and improving his skills.
6. Laurent
Laurent is kind of like Morgan in that his abilities in battle are not directly touched upon. Instead, his supports focus on his usefulness outside of battle, his endeavors in army management and his great interest in strategy. Laurent’s supports with Robin touch upon his passion for magic -- not just the science of it like his mother, but actually understanding every form of the art in both its application and history. While it is not outright stated, we can infer that Laurent is a master sorcerer and his high intelligence makes him a shrewd observer and strategist. While he is prone to overthinking things, especially in concern to his allies’ feelings, he seems to have no real hang ups in battle.
5. Severa
Through sheer dedication and effort, Severa has made herself an extremely versatile member amongst the children. Her supports with Yarne and M!Robin touch upon her aptitude with strategy. She has a firm understanding of battle flow and formations, as well as the strengths and weaknesses of different units. Much of her free time is spent training hard to perfect her fighting prowess, and she apparently is fast enough on foot to chase Yarne while he’s shifted. Severa is able to think fast on her feet and adapt to unfavorable situations well, such as in her recruitment chapter and in The Future Past 3. She also seems more than capable of being a pegasus knight if she wanted to, having obtained all the necessary skills from her mother as her Future Past epilogue implies.
4. Nah
The fact alone that Nah is a manakete immediately makes her one of the strongest children. With her powerful breath and thick scales, Nah’s transformation affords her superior offense and defense, and her size alone allows her to trample enemies under foot with ease. She regularly rampages through whole countrysides as exercise and can uproot trees effortlessly. The downside to her transformation is that Nah is only powerful because of it. Without her dragonstone she is entirely powerless, and she also considers her size to be a big weakness for her as she does become a large target. She is also rather immature and does not seem to enter battle with much forethought aside from squashing the enemy.
3. Kjelle
Kjelle is stated again and again to be one of the strongest children with nearly all of her allies commenting on her formidable strength and skill. Nah calls her a “demon” in battle, and Inigo even states she is potentially more powerful than Chrom. Of all the children, Kjelle seems to train the longest and hardest, regularly pushing herself above and beyond her limits and has mastered every weapon type she can. Aside from just being a physical powerhouse, in her supports with M!Robin, Kjelle also learned to train her senses as well -- in Harvest Scramble she detected a bandit trying to sneak by while everyone else was distracted in the chaos. While physically formidable, Kjelle still has her faults, such as her tendency to be overconfident in her own strength, which can lead to recklessness.
2. Lucina
The other children look up to and admire Lucina not only for her great combat prowess, but also her focused mind and conviction, seeing her as a sort of paragon warrior. Kjelle has admitted Lucina would beat her if they fought seriously, and Lucina is shown to have comparable abilities to her father. Lucina’s greatest strength however is her ability to adapt and make the strengths of her allies a part of her own. Her supports with Owain gives her insight in understanding her weapons, and her supports with Inigo and Morgan teach her how to maintain strong morale. She consumes all technical advisory from Laurent and obeys proper health care from Brady. Lucina has effectively covered all of her weaknesses with the aid of others, which leaves her as not only one of the strongest children, but one of the most well-rounded characters in Awakening.
1. Gerome
Gerome is The Strongest child character. As he states to Lucina, he is not someone who deals well in politics and leadership, but where he does shine is on the battlefield. Kjelle, who is stated to be stronger than nearly everyone else, considers herself as forever a step behind Gerome, and Lucina considers him her most reliable ally in a fight. Gerome’s dedication in training borders on unhealthy obsession, as he is constantly seeking new ways to obtain greater power. Aside from his staggering skill, Gerome is highly perceptive, able to detect Nah stalking him and claims his senses are so sharp he can fight blindfolded. He is a thorough strategist, willing to exploit any edge he can get in a fight, even wearing a mask in hopes it will prevent the enemy from reading his thoughts. In his supports with Male Robin, Gerome claims he seeks the absolute power to win over evil, and the tactician begrudgingly confirms Gerome has found it. Gerome’s only discernible weakness is his conceit that he can do everything on his own.
I hope you enjoyed my little analysis of Awakening’s child characters! I did the best I could digging into each character’s supports and DLC and I hope I did them justice. Even after all these years I will always praise Awakening’s iconic child units, their personalities, designs, and especially their fascinating relationships with each other and their parents. They made FE:A a truly memorable experience. If Three Houses does have child units, I hope they are at least able to live up to Awakening’s.
Let me know if you agree or disagree with my list. I’d love to hear your thoughts. I hope you enjoyed reading!
