#* *ﾟ･✧♕ // introspection.

[arcstral]

—  Fire Emblem: Engage, The Emblem Marth Retrospective.  —

Marth in FE: Engage plays a fascinating supporting role.

He has a dynamic presence on the boxart though he’s not a character native to this installment; enlarged and immediately able to be seen on the left where the eyes tend to be first attracted. His title 'Emblem of Beginnings' implicates his role as the first emblem to be summoned on Elyos. He serves as the spokesman for the emblem family in a lot of cases, and provides worldly exposition for the ancient artifacts and plot detail uprisings.

If you acknowledge his role as a witness to every phase of Alear's life from beginning to end- the parts we see in game to the invisible sections we don't see a thousand years before- he suddenly becomes larger than life. The figure that has been with Alear longer than even Lumera. Someone who has seen everything there is to see about our protagonist, to an extent where if an omniscient narrator was ever needed to narrate the events of the game, the only qualified individual by necessity would have to be the ‘Emblem Marth’.

With that that said, I was initially willing to go into Engage thinking of its Marth as an offhand spinoff version. No different from the inconsequential single-beat portrayals of Smash or even Warriors. But this idea is wrong. Engage surprised me by putting a very human, very special Marth into my hands. An echo of the original Hero-King, Emblem Marth recognizes that he is only an emblem from the very first beat of his first appearance, and yet he's unaware of how faithful of a homage he is to the individual he's extracted from.

How much he takes the foundation and honors it elsewhere.

The Emblem Marth as set apart from simply Marth is a purely loyal existence from humble beginnings to bitter end. A millennial being who answers Alear’s call for aid at every cost and asks for nothing in return but to be remembered. His duty to protect this world is equal to his desire to be at Alear’s side. It's that enduring spirit of nobility, loyalty, and devotion to his friends, even forgiveness, that places him on par with his original.

It’s the adversities that best place these traits on show.

Chapter 10 happens and brings the sky crashing down. Suffering on that course, as the last and latest emblem ring to be reclaimed from enemy hands- utterly miserable to be torn apart from Alear and company as Veyle aptly put it- still he serves to provide nothing but love and forgiveness for Alear on their long awaited reunion. The fact that chapter 10's devastation happened at all despite the counsel he’s spared. His even greater forgiveness of Veyle is extended in the aftermath, a compassionate empathy toward her circumstances that reflects the kind he shows for others in his time- his enemies. Hardin and Katarina. Camus and Michalis.

When Veyle returns the ring of the Hero-King to Alear in Chapter 22, she observes that “it was lying by your side, as if it wanted to be with you”, and to me this statement was the most touching. Marth no matter the circumstance will never, ever leave Alear behind if he can help it. But that situation, and that tragic day, arrives. And his reception to the cold fact is graceful.

Accepting his death without complaint, he quells Alear's fears with the reiterated admission of duty, no longer to Altea or to Archanea, but to Elyos. The Emblems exist to protect this world and in that call to existence is a reason worth dying for. His cessation means nothing, Marth nobly says. 'I am of no consequence' he remarks to Velyle tangentially in his paralogue when she laments at the idea of fighting him, with words that resemble humility but in actuality prioritizes the things that he sees as truly important--others.

Duty is the overpowering virtue of Marth’s character. Whereas the original Hero-King cites himself a prince before a son or a brother, this one would call himself an Emblem above all else. That sense of duty to a world not his own even manifests in many different ways. From that unique perspective of both an emblem and a king comes his wisdom, the utmost belief that a world placed in Alear’s hands will know peace and prosperity, that it would be a beautiful place.

This interaction speaks of the telling final thoughts that the Emblem Marth possesses in the last chapter of his life; a dutiful onus to realize a successor to the emblems’ legacy, someone to watch over the lands they have protected for eons. To pick up the torch in their stead. This desire is coupled with his love and peace of mind. He is proud of Alear’s growth, has seen it himself over the course of a thousand years and then some. Of all Marth’s fond observations for the Divine One, such words might be the highest level of his praise.

Such words reflect the caliber of a noble and positive existence who is aware of his bitter end and smells only the flowers. An everbright future with or without the emblems.

When the Pact Ring paralogue finally rolls around, we begin with Marth’s explication about the origins of the ring which even Vander does not know. Detailing Lumera’s mysterious history as its previous owner, and the familiarity of the local surroundings to him, it ends with his sound advice that Alear think carefully on which ally to give it. He is more than aware of the special meaning of this ring and how it will strengthen the bonds between two people.

That knowledge conjoined with his long history as Alear’s partner and a Lythos emblem posits an important side to the conversation:

He is consistently a voice of wisdom yet this example is special; it is in the late Queen Lumera’s place that Marth acts, informing her child about the ring most conducive to their happiness, second only in importance to the emblems and the birthday ring staving off Alear’s corruption. Marth, as always, is watching over the Divine One, nudging them toward their own betterment. Once a long-standing guardian to Alear’s slumber, he watches over them in the innocent and unassuming manner of this guidance as well.

Ultimately, by the game’s ending I thought very deeply about what endeared me so much to this Marth. Why I mourned so much at his loss as a 'phony' version of the original and I think I can finally put it into words. It’s about how much he exemplifies the loyal Hachiko paradigm but ten times magnified. Waiting and watching at the side of his sleeping 'owner' for a thousand years, never failing to sally to Alear's side, and even when corrupted by the fell dragon incantation- even when unable to verbalize or express any component of free will- he's able to muster the scantest smile for Alear in their darkest hour.

Marth is the emblematic mascot who goes through a dozen different redesigns and cameos in the most offshoot games- the most of any existing FE protagonist in both aspects, all differing in appearance from one another in various degrees. In terms of those many portrayals that define Marth, FE17 is nevertheless set apart in this regard by its depth. Showing more than anything that a Marth of a vastly different premise and belonging to an alienated universe is still, well, Marth.

Someone who is dutiful to extremes and deeply appreciative of his bonds, unfailingly kind. Someone who has 'always been kind' as Alear puts it.

Marth's words that Sombron's Emblem will never come back to him again is mirrored for himself. He, too, will never return, and what’s left in the wake of this knowledge is a unique iteration worth mourning. Engage teaches me nothing new about Marth but it does tell me one thing. The hero known as 'Marth' is as much a character as well as the allegoric ideal that puts greater duty and lordly goodness on the table.

Marth is Marth says Engage and that will always be an immutable worldly comfort.

[hellsrazedarch]

sam carpenter divergences :

if there are any muns who write a scream muse ( canon or oc ), feel free to message me for plotting & world - building !

after the events of scream vi, the core four move into an apartment together. sam now works only one job, having been promoted to head bartender while the others continue their college education & hold down part - time jobs.

sam searched for a psychiatrist, this time finding a woman who specializes heavily in trauma & also joined an anonymous DBT ( dialectical behavior therapy ) group. though she is on medication, sam still has hallucinations of her father, which she doesn't talk about with anyone. ever.

sam is not a killer ; she does not feel urges to go out an commit a murder. sam is a protector ; she can & will do anything to protect herself & the core four. sam is aware of the blood on her hands & while she doesn't feel guilty about the people she's killed, she is haunted by their memories.

kirby & gale both remain in her life. she reaches out to kirby on a regular basis & makes plans with gale to have dinner every once in a while. that's generally all the social interactions she retains outside of the direct core four, she's not the most welcoming person & her resting bitch face is unmatched.

sam is defensive, protective, aggressive, loyal, confrontational, evasive, secretive, untrusting, fierce, sarcastic, ' punch first ask questions later ' coded, unhinged, compassionate, golden - hearted, TRYING HER BEST !

[razedhell]

tags pt. 17 - samantha carpenter

[thelouvrefm]

— 𝐣𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐩𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨 . . .

♕ ( muse l / 42 / cis woman / she/her/hers ) — did you see JOSEPHINE REYES wandering around the island today? they kind of look like NATALIE PORTMAN from certain angles? i heard around town that the OWNER OF CLEAN SLATE is INNOVATIVE, and SPIRITED, but also RETICENT, and SELF-DESTRUCTIVE. people say that they remind them of A TIMER CLOSE TO HITTING ZERO, DRINKING COGNAC IN A BUBBLE BATH, and THE POUNDING OF RUNNING SHOES AGAINST COLD CONCRETE, and ALL THESE THINGS THAT I’VE DONE by THE KILLERS is definitely their theme song. they seem like a nice enough person, but we all know how hard it is to keep a pristine reputation in a small town. ( lauryn / 22 / cst / she/her/hers )

b a c k g r o u n d —

[ ! ] TRIGGER WARNING : MENTION OF RELIGION, DIVORCE, STEALING, LEGAL TROUBLE, PARENTAL DEATH

 001. a doted on only child born in kings haven in 1980. josephine’s childhood was normal and about as far from traumatizing as it gets. her parents were loving and had sufficiently prepared for the arrival of their baby girl. they were well off and had plenty of help from josephine’s grandparents. josephine was given every resource imaginable growing up and all the support her parents could muster up.

 002. josephine’s parents were jewish, and she was raised accordingly. while her parents were raised in orthodox judaism, they grew to practice reform judaism. though they seemed committed to raising josephine in judaism at first, their efforts dwindled as time went on until they were the family who just observed the “important” holidays.

 003. josephine was a fairly average child, but the influx of resources gave her more opportunities and strengthened her strong attributes. she was probably a little bit smarter than the average kid, nothing near gifted, but her at home studies paired with her school teachings helped build her intellect. from a young age, josephine also exhibited an interest in art. so, of course, her parents would sit down with her and an art teacher every other day to hone her craft. her interest was mostly in watercolor paintings, though she dabbled in varying art and pottery mediums as a way to figure out what amused her.

 004. a happy and well adjusted child, josephine had many friends and was involved in a couple after school programs like girl scouts and soccer. she was vibrant and described as a ray of sunshine. and who would expect anything different with a life like hers? only, as she grew older, while nothing around her changed, what was inside of her did.

 005. there was an introspection and discipline that came naturally to josephine from her years of gentle parenting. josephine was well aware of her privilege and security as she aged, and there was an ever-growing need inside of her to self destruct. looking at it from an outside perspective was funny, a girl with a perfect life looking for reasons to be sad. but the thought behind it was really quite simple: there was a monotony in her routine that left her with the absence of excitement.

 006. josephine made a real effort in fending off that need to self destruct, but life sought to equal the balance. her parents announced their separation when josephine was 12 years old. it came as a shock to the young girl. perhaps there were warning signs, hushed arguments heard from down the hall, the slow disintegration of their religious practices, more silence at the dinner table than usual… but divorce? josephine hardly even understood the concept.

 007. those resources that were once available to josephine slowly began to dwindle as the logistics of the separation took up much of her parents’ time. josephine began to recede within her own mind, lacking the usual outside presence that she was accustomed to. as it turns out, her thoughts were very loud. social isolation became somewhat of a new norm for josephine. she would sit at the lunch table with her friends still, but sleepovers and trips for ice cream were no longer existent.

 008. anger and fear plagued josephine’s mind. she experienced anger toward her parents, the changes being made in her life, the world in general. she was with her mother most of the time, during the week but no weekends, but it wasn’t the same. her once lively, dedicated mother was now relatively hollow, at least compared to her old disposition. josephine could tell she was trying to pick herself back up, but the struggle was apparent.

 009. flash forward to age 15, josephine had mostly adjusted to the changes in her life. was there some subtle lasting damage? probably. but she had much more going for her now than she did at age 12. high school was kind to josephine; she was well liked, popular even. she was starting varsity for soccer in her sophomore year. though her dedication to her schoolwork wasn’t strong, she managed to keep her grades up. it wasn’t that josephine was lacking in intellect, she was simply unmotivated. that peppy demeanor that she kept up around her friends wasn’t always present at home.

 010. see, josephine did well when other people were around. her thoughts and anxieties did not scream in her head like they did when she was alone. that same little need to destruct that was growing as a kid had grown quite large now; it was becoming hard to ignore. this led josephine to start stealing things whenever she would go to the store. it was little at first, some chapstick or a twix, until she moved onto big ticket items.

 011. she would put things in her cart and “forget” to scan them. it was a destructive habit at first, causing her to feel shame, until it turned into something else. josephine grew to look forward to these trips of hers. she would often try to outdo herself, until she was eventually caught. she had stolen a trashcan; had there not been items stashed inside, perhaps she could’ve claimed that she forgot to scan it. she ended up doing diversion to get the charge wiped from her record.

 012. kings haven being such a small town, word certainly got around. josephine was embarrassed as her friends exiled her, though the vast majority of kids couldn’t care less. it might’ve even earned her a little street cred. regardless, josephine had momentarily ruined her life enough to quiet that need of hers. when she felt it building back up, however, she found an appropriate outlet for her feelings: painting. her love of art had been rediscovered. after the divorce, josephine had grown out of painting regularly. it had produced some bad associations for her, but she felt ready to try again.

 013. soccer was switched for art clubs and local art competitions. josephine found new friends within the art community, feeling as though they were a much better fit for her. now, when she was alone, all she had to do to quiet her brain was throw herself into a project. it was easy for josephine to get lost in things, a good book or a new project. she wouldn’t be part of this world anymore, she was apart of something much greater, something beautiful.

 014. after high school, josephine went off to college to acquire a bachelor’s degree in business administration. art seemed far more tempting, but her father’s pressure to yield financial success was etched into her brain. and soon enough, josephine was married! it was a whirlwind romance for her, the fairy tale of her dreams. diego had truly charmed her, and josephine was ready to take on the world with him. they settled down, got a house, and focused on building a life together.

 015. following graduation, josephine took a job in market research. it was unfulfilling in many ways, but she convinced herself that it would get better eventually. with diego’s support and her escape via art, it was manageable. her twenties were fairly standard; she matured and had time for self exploration. the prime of her life was lived well; she had friends, family, love, beauty, and enough money to scrape by. it wasn’t until her thirties that things began to fall apart.

 016. things with diego had changed; there was an unspoken disconnect. they were meant to be open with each other, but it seemed neither one of them wanted to admit that something was different. josephine had always felt as though maybe she loved diego more than he had loved her, but it seemed like things had began deteriorating more and more. she could see his dissatisfaction growing with his life, but she had no words to help or talk it through. eventually, they were more like roommates than spouses.

 017. with this, josephine felt as though she was going crazy. there was a desperation in her to fix things, but she felt as though she would be overreacting or pushing him away further if she were to bring it up. so, she stayed quiet and suffered internally. she tried to be a positive presence around him and hoped that was enough, until eventually their time together became less frequent. josephine was spending more time alone; without much distraction outside of work, she was led her to pursue other things in her career. this led to her buying an empty gallery space.

 018. clean slate, a rather fitting name for her new business. the building was advertised as a space to be rented out for exhibits or events, funded in part by her parents. it was something to do, something to fill in the spaces of silence when she and diego ran out of things to talk about. somewhere to sit in the emptiness when it was lacking an exhibit. there was a small building connected to the space that housed a permanent rotation of local art and photography, offering prints at a price. it was a way for josephine to shine some light on local artists; it brightened her days enough to make them bearable. clean slate didn’t pull in the big bucks, but it was sufficient enough, and it was hers.

 019. unfortunately, that wasn’t built to last. not long after she turned 40, her father died of a heart attack. it was an unexpected and devastating blow that turned her world upside down for quite some time. it seemed like no one around her knew how to console her, what to say. it killed much of her spirit and motivation in ways that she hasn’t yet recovered.

 020. flash forward to now… josephine is going through somewhat of a midlife crisis, if you couldn’t tell from the convertible parked outside of her house that she just traded her old car in for. often times, diego doesn’t even sleep in their home. she has silently wondered where he goes all the time, but she wouldn’t dare to ask. there is perhaps a small part of her that doesn’t want to seem like the nagging wife, even if there is some growing resent that’s getting harder to ignore. josephine doesn’t want to admit that perhaps their marriage is over. that would mean admitting that she had wasted nearly half of her life, that she was going down the same path as her parents. no, she couldn’t do that… but that little need to self destruct is growing again, and she’s not quite sure how to stop it.

[ ! ] TLDR : was super loved and well cared for as a kid until her parents got divorced. has this need to self destruct that is ever-present, though art helps. got in trouble for stealing in her adolescence, ended up getting a bachelor’s degree in business administration. eventually opened up clean slate (an exhibition space) and is now in a failing marriage

p e r s o n a l i t y —

 001. josephine presents herself in a certain way to the outside world. while she is generally polite and sometimes soft spoken in public, she is incredibly spirited and has a raging fire inside of her. josephine sometimes needs some help breaking out of her shell, but when she does, she is a sight to behold. she is fun, wild, compassionate. this was mostly how she presented herself in her 20s, but as time went on, she began to feel buried and that nature of hers is now harder to access.

 002. her creativity and vivid imagination benefit her art in a variety of ways. josephine isn’t exactly known for being entirely rooted in reality; she is a bit out of touch and a bit out of it in general. she seeks more than this life could offer her, which is why she tries to escape through her art. there is a feeling that she possess that grows with time and encourages her to self destruct. when she listens to that feeling and takes action, it seems to quiet for a while. josephine is typically a patient person; the only time this isn’t the case is when she’s already very frustrated.

 003. it could be the multiple cups of coffee she consumes on the daily, but josephine is a pretty jittery person. she can appear on edge to people who don’t know her very well. josephine is generally very career oriented, especially when there’s a lack in her relationships, or in her life in general. her communication could certainly use some work, but josephine’s sympathetic and compassionate nature has made it so that building relationships with people aren’t too difficult for her. josephine has a hard time verbalizing her thoughts and emotions, so she is more likely to hide them.

about. statistics. headcanons. connections.

[gcuienveres]

♕

shame was as much of a stranger to guinevere lannister as the stranger; introspective torture that went beyond acknowledgment but repetition. once there had been a time where another was able to speak to her of parts of herself she shunned away, standing in the rays of sun through stained glass; some things were meant to remain in the shadows, after all.

"i could have called upon any to bring me the shroud that hour." she spoke, her words not painted in anything but earnest honesty - but she had called cerissa. because she wanted cerissa to see it, for it would strike leo.

it had caused her to swallow back the anger that began to simmer in the pit of her stomach, for as much as she had been angry with the other in question, she had been equally as angered and disappointed in herself. there could be nothing another could tell her about herself she did not already know; to do so would be to spin her from all she had ever known, and never cease watching the world turn around her.

thus, the aftermath of the butchery in the halls was an ominous, morbid type of silence; an event which would forever go inscribed into the chronicles of the land of the west. what interpretations would come of the actions of all involved that day? "i demonstrated a lack of consideration as your princess, your mistress, and your kin."

what would be said in the future of the moment the high commander crossed the threshold of her apartment chambers, and it had resulted in the killing of a pageboy, a limp grip upon a rainbow glinted seven pointed star. in the silence as she sat, almost as still as a statue if not for the blinking of an emerald gaze, she swore there would be no record of her reaction.

but guinevere lannister knew right from wrong; as she believed every human did - it would not be on her to force her kin to see where he had gone wrong. it was not her judgement that could be passed, nor the judgement of his highness, nor his majesty; but the eternal judgement.

for she knew leo lefford cared of what people thought of him as a man. not in the way he swung his sword, nor his tactic: but him, as a man. what his sisters believed of him, in the aftermath of their mother's murder. that was enough to satisfy her acceptance, enough to ensure she would hold his gaze when s he saw him. but she knew where she had gone wrong; and she needed to acknowledge it.

"i have regrets for what was done." for using cerissa to get to leo. for knowing she was doing. for the silence that filled the room before she demanded for cerissa to emerge. she continued to sit beside cerissa, looking at her; there was no warmth about her, nothing in her body language. but her eyes, and her voice, spoke of gravity. "if i have wronged you and caused you pain, know you alone hold my regrets. i am sorry, cerissa."

cerissa did not blame her cousin for what happened. and yet she found it hard to blame her brother as well. each one of them acting on a passion deep in their sould. a passion for something they truly believed in. gwen and her faith and leo and his honor. he was acting on orders from the king, would it not be treasonous to ignore them? and gwen on her orders from a higher power

cerissa fiddled with the seven pointed star around her neck as she thought on the matter. before her kidnapping cerissa was never extremely devout. her family would visit the sept on the holy days when they were supposed to but beyond that conversations on the seven were very rare within the household. but in her time over on the islands she was surrounded by zealots of the drowned god. earlier on she had managed to get her hand on a book of the seven. it had been one of her few sourced of comfort on the islands. she had reread the book over and over and over again that she could recite it from memory now. she felt a connection to the faith that she knew gwen shared as well. but it hadnt been something either of them discussed. because in discussing that they would need to discuss about….it. the ghost in the room that haunted cerissa wherever she sent. the thing she knew no one would want to know more about. it was easier to ignore it.

a smile was on cerissa face as her cousin talked of praying for a moment of quite from the other ladies. and this felt nice, a moment of peace with her older cousin. she had always looked up to her in her younger years. and even now she did. the strength she had within her. it hurt to see her distance herself from those around her. especially when cerissa wished to hold out her hand to her, begging her to take it. to let her pull gwen, even just the slightest amount, from her isolation. she could sit there with her if she must, keep her company. it wouldn’t be so bad then.

“please cousin, you can always say anything you want to me.” she said, wishing to reach out and take her hand but held herself back again.

[potestasaeterna]

────⊹⊱ Anonymous Dusk ♕   (what did Xemnas "feel" when he saw Aqua's armor in KH2? introspective character studies are cool)  ⊰⊹────

     If there was one time to define the closest thing Xemnas had to an emotion, it would be finding Aqua’s armor. Xemnas retains bits and pieces of Terra’s memory, being it that the body was Terra that became the Nobody and one of the biggest memories is of Aqua. There’s a lingering familiarity he could not place on it, but also a comfort, a strong support that is just out of reach.       He felt fragments of Terra’s emotions for her, the love of a friend, the passion to protect what he cared about, all hollow but still a spark in the abyss. And, of course, there’s that bit of sorrow, the sadness that he ( Terra ) failed to save his friends. It is very odd to him having those feelings yet no full memories to piece together for why those emotions linger in those pieces. And also another drive for the room in Castle Oblivion to be found--that second lingering memory, the second friend of this man he has memories of.

[arcstral]

𝐃𝐄𝐄𝐏   𝐃𝐈𝐕𝐄   𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐄𝐑   𝐒𝐇𝐄𝐄𝐓

NAME.  MARTH LOWELL

BODY

HEIGHT:   174cm — 5′8.5"

STRENGTH ★★★☆☆   ( a strength once conducive to dual-wielding the falchion and binding shield without much strain. not overly impressive but he can pull his weight on the battlefield and during acts of manual labor. )

DEXTERITY ★★★★☆   ( light on his feet as expected of a duelist type swordsman. )

HEALTH ★★★★☆

ENERGY ★★★★☆   ( functional human being healthy circadian rhythm; rises early and goes to bed at a reasonable time which supplies him with a lot of energy. )

BEAUTY ★★★★★   ( in-game physical descriptors include ‘dashing’ and ‘having very sweet eyes’, spelling a gentle face that is popular with clerics, princesses, and romantics. )

STYLE ★★★☆☆   ( stately but predictable. doesn’t dress to revolutionize or make waves. )

HYGIENE ★★★★★  ( trimmed nails that are free of dirt, odorless body, and clean-shaven face. follows hygienic routines faithfully to ensure his appearance is fit for the public eye. )

SKILLS

PERCEPTION ★★★☆☆   ( a good head on his shoulders but over-trusting, placing faith in questionable former allies and leaning toward the belief that individuals- particularly, friends- must surely have reasons to commit their wrongs. )

COMMUNICATION ★★★★★   ( exceedingly transparent with his feelings and doesn’t shy away from conveying fears, dreams, or anxieties. )

PERSUASION ★★★☆☆   

MEDIATION ★★★★☆   ( naturally good at mediation, but balancing and checking the seven enclaves of a unified government help to keep it sharp. )

LITERACY ★★★★★   ( well-educated, having cultivated his reading and writing skills under a menagerie of royal tutors from an early age. )

CREATIVITY ★★★��☆

COOKING ★★☆☆☆   ( knows the bare minimum of catching and cooking wild food in order to subsist outside of castle walls. otherwise, it’s an area of expertise he leaves faithfully to caeda. )

TECH SAVVY ★★☆☆☆  

COMBAT ★★★★☆   ( an able commander and swordsman alike; skilled spur-of-the-moment judgment, calm under pressure, and in possession of quick reflexes. )

SURVIVAL ★★★★☆   ( coming out alive from both of archanea’s wars with all his limbs, fingers, and teeth should be saying something. observed from his enemies, not too many soldiers or opposing commanders are lucky enough to say the same. )

STEALTH ★★★☆☆

STREET SMARTS ★★☆☆☆

SEDUCTION ★★☆☆☆   ( flusters easily and wouldn’t be able to seduce anyone with confidence on command. doing it without intention is a different story. he’s young, fit, and attractive so the pieces sometimes magically fall into place. )

LUCK ★★★★★   ( considers himself fortunate to possess so many wonderful allies and sources of companionship. )

HANDLING ANIMALS ★★☆☆☆  

PACIFYING CHILDREN ★★★★★   ( shown to interact in a caring and empathetic manner with children. soothing the divine dragon princess, tiki, with unerring success implicates a solid degree of talent. )

MIND

INTELLIGENCE ★★★★☆   ( capable of keeping stride with fast-moving stratagems and conversations at the war table, thoughtful, and emotionally intelligent. )

HAPPINESS ★★★★☆

SPIRITUALITY ★★★★☆   ( the altean heirloom, falchion, is within itself a bequest to mankind from their guardian god so his acceptance of religion is unavoidable. takes special care not to desecrate holy temples with the muddy operations of an army. )

CONFIDENCE ★★★★☆

HUMOR ★★★★☆   ( pleasantly good-humored; can whip out witty ripostes and speak the language of less solemn individuals if need be. )

ANXIETY ★☆☆☆☆

PATIENCE ★★★★☆ ( the patience of a sage. between his two-year stint hiding in talys, and the two-year period of reconstruction that postponed his own marriage, he’s invested in any undertaking for the long haul. )

PASSION ★★★★☆   ( shows commitment to his goal of peace, an earnest belief that goodness in human hearts will prevail, that broken lands and broken people can be rebuilt in time. )

NICE ☆★☆☆☆ MEAN   ( kind of manner and speech with rare deviation. only when faced with villains that commit brazen wrongdoings does he drop courtesies. )

BRAVE ☆☆★☆☆ COWARDLY   ( seemingly impenetrable as if his courage can never falter, but inwardly feels the fearsome weight of his responsibility. the soldiers that stand at his back are unable to see their leader’s frightened face and he states that he prefers it that way. )

PACIFIST ☆☆★☆☆ VIOLENT   ( pacifistic but not pacifist. even though he’s a man that values peace, he could never achieve it without fighting and winning wars first; a sour antithesis albeit one marth has come to accept. )

THOUGHTFUL ☆★☆☆☆ IMPULSIVE   ( a high level of empathy means that he approaches topics and individuals with great consideration. impulsivity even if felt isn’t something he honors especially with a number of prudent subordinates like jagen and malledus to rein him in. )

AGREEABLE ★☆☆☆☆ CONTRARY   ( doesn’t often speak or act in opposition against others, preferring to forge an understanding or to coexist at worst. )

IDEALISTIC ☆★☆☆☆ PRAGMATIC   ( a self-aware idealist, knows that he can’t save all lives under his jurisdiction or expect humanity to likewise choose good over evil but these are ideals he yearns for regardless. )

FRUGAL ☆★☆☆☆ BIG SPENDER   ( rightfully selective with his expenditures as a ruler. a formative few years spent in talys, a kingdom without an army to call its own and less wealth compared to altea, hammered in the importance of frugality and finances. )

EXTROVERT ☆★☆☆☆ INTROVERT    ( being surrounded by people, working with people, leading people- all these actions mean that extroversion is nurtured even if it’s not nature. )

COLLECTED ★☆☆☆☆ WILD   ( in order to uphold the image of a dependable figure of authority he keeps to his composure. very few of his knights have ever seen him behave otherwise. )

ambitious / possessive / stubborn / jealous / decisive / perfectionist

SOCIAL

CHARISMA ★★★★☆   ( well-spoken and authoritative, but it’s ultimately his sincerity and purity of heart that compels others to follow. an essence that drives his most compelling speeches. )

EMPATHY ★★★☆☆ --> ★★★★☆   ( though he feels for the suffering of innocents, the traitors to his kingdom including its civilians were once observed with less understanding. war, after all, can drive a stake of hatred through any heart. )

GENEROSITY ★★★★☆   ( is willing to hand out everything found in his pocket when asked for money. )

WEALTH ★★★★★   ( wealthiest man in archanea, no doubt. )

HONEST ☆★☆☆☆ DECEPTIVE   ( generally honest. stays faithful to the truth, but will lie to spare feelings on occasion. )

LEADER   ★☆☆☆☆ FOLLOWER   ( marth is a natural prince, now king, who honors the duty he bears to others and shoulders whatever social burdens are required. in the event that a leader is required he’ll step up to the plate without batting an eye, not out of pride or any particular desire, but simple nature. )

POLITE ★☆☆☆☆ RUDE   ( extends deference to all deserving individuals no matter their origins or caste. )

POLITICAL ★☆☆☆☆ INDIFFERENT   ( his royal station is closely intertwined with politics, even if he wanted to turn a blind eye he couldn’t. a person’s value served to said politics, however, has no relation in how he regards them. )

BELIEFS

HIGHER POWER ★★☆☆☆   ( after learning the revelation that naga, archanea’s warrior deity, was in actuality the divine dragon king, the expectations and beliefs he held toward a higher power have been humbled. the heavens brought a little closer to earth, seen as more mundane than otherworldly. )

FATE/DESTINY ★★★★☆   ( destiny in the words of malledus has lead him down the path he walks now, as anri’s successor, as heir to the falchion and the duty it entails. marth’s own conviction manifests in his attitude that fate brought him and kris together. )

MAGIC ★★★★★   ( it would be difficult to deny the existence of magic when his sister is a cleric and his best friend is a collegiate mage of khadein. this is to say nothing of the malevolent magicka that hounded his army through gharnef’s imhullu. )

SOULMATES ★★★★☆   ( his belief in soulmates bears certain equivalence to his belief in fate. his beloved caeda is one such soulmate; his other half and royal guard, kris, is another. )

GOOD AND EVIL ★★★★☆   ( to marth’s understanding, good and evil though existent occurs in intricate shades, especially in the case of evil. medeus who thrice subjugated mankind and proved the enemy of marth’s bloodline had seen first humans persecute his kind over centuries. humans themselves refract similarly complicated factors in their ugliest actions, as seen in michalis and camus. marth for this reason has never crossed the threshold of hate even for his most bitter enemies, excluding gharnef. )

LUCK ★★☆☆☆   ( places an average emphasis on luck that falls in line with lamenting a rainy day or a bad hand dealt in cards. )

PRIORITIES

FAMILY ★★★★★   ( if liberating archanea and reclaiming altea was marth’s most vocal priority, alongside it was the rescue of his older sister, elice. )

FRIENDS ★★★★★ ( you won’t find a man more appreciative of his friends. )

LOVE ★★★★☆   ( love though held dear to his heart must come secondary to the crown his head wears. )

HOME ★★★★★   ( marth has never failed to fight for the salvation of his lands and the subjects that live within them. a prevailing sense of guilt at his inability to protect his home from invaders suggests just how important he finds it. )

HEALTH ★★★★☆

PRAISE ★☆☆☆☆

JUSTICE ★★★★☆   ( laws and morals should be enforced for a world to be worth living in. in that regard he has shown himself to be fair yet merciful when administering punishments for crimes. )

TRUTH ★★★★★

POWER ★★☆☆☆   ( hardin of aurelis once ceded the rights to command the battlefield to marth, judging him to be someone who wouldn’t squander a position of power for his own gain. this perception is true. power whether social or physical, tangible or intangible, holds no importance to him. )

FAME ★☆☆☆☆   ( it’s ironic that he has little care for fame. his name will turn out to be the most famous throughout archanean and ylissean history. )

WEALTH ★★☆☆☆

OTHERS' OPINIONS ★★☆☆☆   ( validation or a lack thereof doesn’t weigh on him heavily, but it’s preferable to be regarded in a positive light over a negative one. )    

[honorbourne]

z-ndjenja‌:

[arcstral]

bouquet and red heart <3

( i. create a bouquet for them! what do those flowers mean? are any of the flowers their particular favourite? )

First up in the bouquet: anemone! The preferential flower that blooms in the morning and closes its petals during the night. The reliance on daylight to realize its true beauty speaks to how 'light' is a recurring dominant motif in Marth's character expression from Lodestar to Prince of Light. A symbol of luck and protection that stays true to his own role in Archanean history.

As a reference to the tragic story of Anri and Artemis, this flower also symbolizes tragic romance; namely the separation between Aphrodite and Adonis, the latter who was murdered by the gods for their jealousy and the former who shed tears in the form of anemone flowers. It parallels how Anri was barred from consideration as a marriage candidate because the nobles—substituting the gods in this case—pompously decided he did not possess the right pedigree. Though Anri and Artemis were never to be, Marth at least transcended his forefather's fate.

The second flower in his repertoire is aster, the flower of flaring star-shaped blooms. Symbolizing love, wisdom, faith, and nobility, it otherwise bears usefulness as a talisman; believed to emit an aroma pungent enough to ward off serpents when burned. For a man who vanquishes so many dragons in his lifetime in the name of good, it's an all too fitting flower.

( ii. their love language(s)? )

Ironically, I believe floriography is a part of his material love language. He's a nobleman through and through so a more privileged activity like the meaningful use and delivery of fresh flowers is within his arsenal. Every flower has a different meaning and though they aren't ones he knows by heart, he takes the time to research their messages for his loved ones. I like to think that starting from the first year of their engagement as he grew more acclimated to peace Marth often sent flowers to Caeda's room in this way.

He also shows his love through caring questions, words of appreciation, and daily catchups no matter how busy his schedule might be. He's consistently interested in the affairs of his allies, of course, but extends special interest toward the well being of his loved ones; wondering how they've been, whether the day has been well for them, and if there is anything he can do to help. His expressions of gratitude for their role in his life also closely follow. It all points to his innermost desire to see them happy or to express how happy they make him in turn.

[arcstral]

☄️ COMET - what do people assume about them? are they right?

( what do people assume about them? are they right? )

That he is the 'Hero-King.' Strong, leaderlike, and composed of all the righteous shapes that make up a royal messiah. Marth himself knows the reality. He was a powerless fugitive prince with just five knights to his name. He vowed over the stern of a boat that he would return to his conquered motherland and see it freed. Later that dream elevated to freedom for the entire continent, to the slaying of the Shadow Dragon, then to legend.

Marth in that time never once felt kingly or heroic or unconquerable. Lucina in Awakening coins him as a warrior-king who ruled with an iron fist, breaking evildoers with the swings of his sword made straight and true by his noble purpose. It's a far-cry from the man that he is, but less extravagant interpretations have glorified him the same. And what those people assume of him isn't totally wrong.

Heroes are elevated in proportion to how desperately the people needed them and Prince Marth of Altea entered the four-year ongoing War of Shadows alike a ray of light. With every step of his campaign staving back the shadows of traitors, patricides, regicides, banditry, arson, murder, and manakete conquest after the Archanean hegemony failed to provide salvation. His claim to glory was timing, it was consistency, and it was even the progenitor legend of the 'chosen one' wielding a blade of light and a shield of five orbs reflected in his image.

He proves to be the dragon-slaying savior not once but twice. He becomes king not merely over Altea, but the whole of Archanea, leading it to prosperity after two consecutive failed rulers. With or without his agreement on the matter, that is how a name like 'Hero-King' is born. Like a sheet of metal is beaten into shape by a hammer, how a figure over the course of multiple good deeds becomes so strengthened in memory, entangled with the image of hope that he's immortalized in Ylissean religion and history two thousand years later. How 'Hero-King' comes to stand on synonymous footing with Marth until there is scarce need for the original name.

[arcstral]

{ 🔪 KNIFE - how do they react to injury / misfortune befalling their loved ones (significant other, family, friends)? do they put themselves at blame? ~~

( how do they react to injury / misfortune befalling their loved ones (significant other, family, friends)? do they put themselves at blame? )

Oh, absolutely. The heaviest trials experienced by his loved ones and army are considered the fallout of his bad decisions. As someone in a position of authority, Marth sees himself as the source of reasonable and concentrated blame—a stance he sometimes takes to extremes. He's the commander they rally behind, the man they've chosen to lead them onto a clear path, and when he fails to do so it processes to him as his betrayal of their trust. The grounds for a deep welling of disappointment in himself.

Nyna: “Well done, Marth. Our struggle is finally over. You have saved our world.”

Marth: “Not just me. Many fought at my side… And died.”

Nyna: “Marth… You loved her, didn’t you? Caeda."

Marth: “…She was the one I most wanted to keep safe. But I failed, and I have lost her forever… It occurs to me now that perhaps she was the one protecting me all along. Caeda… Why did you take up arms with a fool like me?”

When losing Caeda for example it becomes a personal kind of guilt. He's accepted her aid of his own volition, taken her to war when she had a life of peace waiting for her in Talys, and left her in pieces. Even with the nameless soldiers of the Archanea League who died in battle it's revealed that he continuously visits their graves two years after the fact. Whether it concerns his loved ones or his brothers-in-arms, Marth neither forgets the misfortune he causes others nor the everlasting guilt he pins on himself for it.

The variable dialogue shared between him and Kris expresses his self-centralized way of thinking. If many units are lost by the Chapter 18 checkpoint, Marth will express a staggering degree of grief and regret to the point where he struggles even to verbalize it. No matter the universal hardships faced across the board, in the end the blame circles around to him; his inability to be strong, or to measure up to the power of his forefather. He shirks accountability for success and absorbs every bit of it for failure, that's the kind of man he is.

Marth: "...The feeling of pain overwhelms me. When I think of the severely wounded, and the many who have fallen... Perhaps if I had been stronger like Anri, then everyone would still be alive... From now... From now on, I will definitely..."

Kris: "Sire......"

[arcstral]

🌏 EARTH - will they give up the world for someone they love? is this decision easy for them?

( will they give up the world for someone they love? is this decision easy for them? )

Relinquish the world and everything he considers worth protecting within it or allow the life of a loved one to slip through his fingers. There's no doubt that it would be the most difficult decision Marth ever has to make. He would hem and haw, root his feet before the crossroads, and look first to every other solution in sight before landing upon the cruelest and most unfavorable outcome.

But ultimately, no; he wouldn't.

To the man who cites himself a Prince before a son or a brother the world comes first. It always does. His path has chosen him; so he serves a lifelong tenure of service to his people, whether they are Altean or the seven peoples of Archanea at large, and this leads him to fulfill the role of a dependable, dispassionate king even if he has to steel his resolve or bite his fist to do it. Even if it's not truly what he wants.

Ironically, his refusal to sacrifice the clerics in the battle against Medeus tells of many things. He's willing to strain against the limits of sensibility, willing to expend the precious few seconds they have toward a time-sensitive endeavor in saving the world from the revived Shadow Dragon and his legion of degenerated dragons, because the loss of four important noblewomen would throw the civilized world into imbalance–because every single face among them is someone both he and another deeply cared about. Because Marth himself bitterly detests the loss of life.

But without the rationale of numbers, without the semblance of a greater good to justify it, compassion alone cannot fuel his decisions and he understands that. Marth when faced with the choice to save the world or a single person that he loves will choose the world and he will hate himself for it.

[arcstral]

𝐒𝐎𝐋𝐀𝐑 𝐒𝐘𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐌

RULES: bold what applies - italicize sometimes -strike out never. Tag some friends to play along! Repost, don’t reblog !

SUN • egotistical • melted wax wings and fingers • stretching sunburnt skin • the most generous soul • blood in the fruit • halos • anger on fire • high vitality • thunderous laughter • is pride really a sin? • halogenic aura

MERCURY • expansion of the mind • silver-tongued • an everlasting wanderer • polyglot • high dexterity • handwritten letters • innately critical • en vogue • eyes in the trees • hidden libraries • there’s always room for improvement

VENUS • in love with strangers • iridescent waters • love potions for your mirror • selfless devotion • shattering crystal • seafoam upon sand • the golden ratio • drowning in your own passion • material value & high principles • luring • plush lips

EARTH • fresh springs • tree hugger • we can start again tomorrow • a blazing rainforest • respects survival of the fittest • nature’s adversity • lazy bones • constantly evolving • flowers sprouting from wounds • a granite altar • fossilized remains

MOON • illusory • silver shimmer off the ocean • secrets and gossip • cycles of reincarnation • a crybaby • physically ethereal • shared glances with a stranger • cat eyes • mistrusting their intuition • fear is a prison • ornate magic wands

MARS • healthy competition • attraction and repulsion • magma and rubies • a blade being forged • wrath wrath wrath • malefic • intense eye contact • cannon fodder & fireworks • blood floods • copper taste on your tongue

JUPITER • red robes and a suit of armor • beacon of stability • leader by birth • thunderbolts and lightning • guilty but can’t stop • secret rich kid • golden touch golden tears • innate optimist • failure isn’t an option • constantly reaching for more • unfinished symphonies

SATURN • traditional • overbearing energy • a sculptor of reality • this existence is a karmic one • has a heart it’s just… way down deep • law, order & justice • avoid all necessary risk • the sound of shackles clanging • sisyphus’ struggle • grappling with the reality of time • self-governing

URANUS • psychedelic funk music • overflowing cups • a rebellion with skin • looking good in photo id • oblivious but caring • middle fingers in the air • double rainbows • icy diamond exterior • holographic • afraid of their own mediocrity • pearlescent smoke

NEPTUNE • an elegy for the lost • dissolving boundaries • white horses • the burden of mystical conditions • deceptive • escapism is their reality • a polarizing entity • artists soul • paranoia • searching for the unseen • a siren’s swan song

PLUTO • angel statues over graves • power • the cycle of necrosis • transformative • unfathomable depths • an ivory tower toppling over • screaming at the sky • violets and irises • eclipsed darkness • speaks with their shadow • sex, death, rebirth

[arcstral]

—  Mars; A Peaceful God of War(?)  —

The corruption of Marth's original name as well as the connotation attached to its origins is always a topic of fascination for me. Dubbed Mars after the Roman god of war, the inability to perfectly translate Japanese characters into English phonetics likely twisted the '-su' sound into a '-th' and that became the Marth we know today. In Japanese he's still named Mars and this in turn gives him an entirely different first flavor as a character than the western mistranslation, which can be considered very polarizing if one isn't aware of Greco-Roman pantheon specifics.

At face value, Mars, god of war, is not really illustrative of the kind-hearted and idealistic exemplar that modern day Marth represents. Closer inspection of his role within the four Archanea games does wonderfully to map out the key characteristics that make Marth, or Mars, so deserving of his name. A name that, at some points, even seems exceedingly suited to him at that; a veritable aptronym.

And it must be due to this scene, right?

The unwavering aplomb in the face of a fast approaching enemy host? The dedicated profession of his statement to not only defeat, but also totally destroy and “crush” imperial Archanea, fueled by his vindicated anger and moral superiority in this war at having his kingdom invaded by the suzerain he swore to serve?

Only a little. His faithful accuracy to Mars lies more namely in that Marth is twice-fold the commander of a vast liberation army and beacon of hope for the disillusioned people of Archanea, their military messiah the 'Hero-King' as in line with the hope-filled image of Mars—the patron god of defensive and offensive peacemaking, or use of the army as a facilitator for lasting peace. This as opposed to the Greek variant, Ares, that waged war negatively for anarchy, is an obvious and illuminating selection.

Nyna:  Grust’s artillery…Our opponent is mighty.

Marth:  Nonetheless we must face them head-on; they stand between us and Altea.

Nyna:  That hunger for danger worries me, Marth. Humanity’s hopes rest on your shoulders. I would sooner not see them crushed.

Marth:  Which? Humanity’s hopes, or my shoulders? …Have a little faith, Nyna. The enemy ballisticians can strike from afar, but they’re powerless up close. All we need to do is move in and silence them before they do too much damage. Watch!     (Chapter 13: Wooden Cavalry)

True to his etymological roots, and reflected by pieces of his dialogue alongside, Marth is not by any means an unremitting pacifist. He’s a trained commander, a necessary swordsman, and the military aspects of his character number many regardless of his peace-loving traits. It can be easy to overlook how committed and unswerving he is to his tactics just as well as to his own amicable ideals, but laid out before the player is stark evidence.

Coexisting with the noble prince is a determined, self-certain, and sometimes even cocksure commander. For one, there’s not a lot of meaning or intent to misconstrue with either the exchange he shares with Nyna when faced with the famed wooden cavalry of Grust, or even less, the very certain words he has for Cain in response to the knight’s report that imperial Archanea was closing in on their location.

Grust and imperial Archanea respectively were extolled as the most powerful armies in the world. These things mean nothing to a man like Marth who is backed by great extraneous purpose, a kingdom to save and a war to end much greater than his own fears.

Marth:  I'm truly glad that you came back unharmed, Cain.

Cain:  Yeah, somehow I managed to shake off the enemy and escape here.  But the enemy is already approaching from the north.

Marth:  Don't worry. We will crush them.   (Chapter 8: Soulful Bridge)

From his portrayal in the Maki Hakoda manga to Dragalia Lost to the animated OVA as well as the many expressions of his self-sacrificial nature in Shadow Dragon, Marth is not above using his emotional or physical well being for the sake of furthering his campaign. Furthermore, the Jagen of the manga adaptation states that Marth moves decisively, striking down the commander of an army and thus disabling its chain of command, removing the reason for the enemy soldiers to fight.

The manga insight, more importantly, illuminates the heart of Marth’s approach across most of his iterations. His desire to see the least amount of casualties amongst both allies and enemies leads to him employing strategies that will end his battles as quickly as tactical ability can allow. In the FE12 remake this line is reallocated to Kris, but originally it’s Marth who suggests the quickest route to Pales by cutting through Adrah Pass which is well aligned with his desired element of speed and highlights his military acumen.

Marth:  We must defeat Grust once and for all. If we march south without finishing them off, we have our rear exposed.

Nyna:  Then you mean to invade.

Marth:  Yes. And this time, General Camus will be there to meet us. I am sure of it. ‘Camus the Sable’, they call him. Many extol him as the most able warrior alive. It will be a fierce battle…but one we cannot avoid.

Nyna:  You are certain we must face him?”

Marth:  We have crippled Grust, but they will regroup and stand in our way again. No, we need to stamp this fire out before the wind catches it and starts spreading it anew.     (Chapter 19: Manakete Princess)

War to Marth isn’t won by overwhelming numbers or vast discrepancies in military technology or advancements, it’s the clever and never wasteful targeting of goals and expeditions. He cuts no corners and lays out no lace or frills on the explanation of his warpath. When Nyna asks if he means to invade Grust, he puts simply that he does without wavering at the semantics. At Castle Helena he launches another preemptive strike on the Grustian occupational forces stationed there, seizing gold and provisions to curb the army’s life flow.

He doesn’t only wage defensive warfare, but also more aggressive stratagems if he believes it will be a means to convincingly less bloody ends. The cleanest end to their war. His quote in FE11 especially invents the most lucid core of his approach to battle. He means to fight and he means to fight well; this in turn identifies just how precisely efficient he can be when exercising his role as commander over the Archanea League.

Malledus:  Sire, we are nearing the Macedonian border.

Marth:  Did you send a messenger?

Malledus:  Yes…but…

Marth:  They will not yield.

Malledus:  No reply came, sire…

Marth:  I knew they might not switch and join us, but I had at least hoped to avoid bloodshed…So be it. Macedon stands between us and Dolhr. And Gotoh is here somewhere as well. If the battle must be fought, I mean to fight it well.    (Chapter 21: Clash in Macedon)

His strict adherence to utility is softened by his consistent behavior of allowing his opponents to flee, reiterating to his soldiers never to pursue those who throw down their weapons or show their backs. His messenger to Michalis and his words to Camus—though both failed attempts—were inducted with the intention of parley and armistice. Marth is far from a purist, but he is a moral and pacifistic leader who is repulsed by human death, protracted war and suffering, and peace is his goal. That is where the distinction lies.

Mars, the Roman god of war, is the military god of moral war practice. True to his name, Marth is good at war but refines his temperament with the vision he has for peace. He’s good at war, but behind the hardened face of a commander is a sensitive man who deeply dislikes fighting. Be it the contrast between his gentle face and bellicose-sounding origins, or his aptitude and personality, there’s a dichotomous yet informative quality lying beneath the surface of his original name, ‘Mars’.

[arcstral]

🙉 HEAR-NO-EVIL - what is the worse thing your oc could hear from someone?

( what is the worse thing your oc could hear from someone? )

I have no doubt in my mind that news of death concerning his loved ones would absolutely crush him. There are some people he simply can't live without. People who would cause him to navigate life much more aimlessly than before in light of their absence such as Caeda, Kris, Merric, Elice, and so on. Besides that the worst thing Marth could hear from someone is something he's actually heard before—twice in fact. The fall of Altea.

Marth's sense of obligation to his kingdom and people runs painfully deep. Altea's fall to the enemy is a loss he continues to associate with his own powerlessness. His ultimate failure as a monarch to provide protection and security to the thousands of citizens, tenants, and innocents that count on their prince to fulfill his role. Losing his lands to invaders twice was a brutally distressing tally. The first time it happened he engraved the pain into his memory, the second time he was brought to tears and even to question his fitness to rule.

Narrator: '"Only the castle remains… If we regain Altea Castle, where I was born and raised… Thank you, my friends… Thank you for believing in me…" Tears shimmered down Marth's face. And the girl who gently wiped away his tears couldn't stop her own…'

Marth: "Yet, because of Archanea's actions, so many innocent lives have been lost. How can I face them...? I've caused them great sorrow. Because I was too weak... Was I presumptuous in believing I could protect my homeland?"

It speaks volumes of how much torment and guilt he felt beyond the scenes. This is a man who held his head high when he learned that his mother had died, but cried for relief when setting two feet before his castle's gates. The girl in the narrative sequence is Caeda and she witnessed this saddening display to the inspiration of her own tears. Hearing that he lost Altea again a third time, at the same hands of self-perceived inability as before, would be the final nail in Marth's coffin.

[arcstral]

🪤 MOUSE TRAP - what will always lure them into certain danger? a loved one in danger? a promise of something they are always searching for?

( what will always lure them into certain danger? a loved one in danger? a promise of something they are always searching for? )

Success on the battlefield is what will technically lure him closer to certain danger. Marth isn't an inherently bold person, he's really quite mild in every other aspect, but it's worth pointing out that he has an assertive streak when it comes to tactics. A keen observer could say almost that he becomes alike a different person. His plans at the war table are calculated with their risks, he's intelligent but also young and ambitious. Every battle he fights he means to 'fight well' but this in turn sometimes places him in harm's way.

Whether it's funneling his forces through the open fields against the ballistae of the Wooden Cavalry, routing the Sable Order once renown as the strongest military unit on the continent, or suggesting that they "crush" Hardin's contingent at the Chiasmir Bridge in direct confrontation, I think there is a very necessary separation of identity between Marth the Prince and Marth the Commander. When it's a senseless and unfair war that needs to be fought certain inhibitions need to be swept away.

A meek or passive strategist has little chance of evening odds that are already stacked against him.

With that said, it's one thing to play the chessboard, but he's not above using himself as an individual piece either. He's very active on the front lines, it doesn't sit well with Marth to leave any phase of the fighting to his allies alone; whether the dangers are small or large, he's guaranteed to be found in the thick of the fighting. Coincidentally, he's also one of the only warring members of royalty on the Archanean continent who doesn't ride a mount to battle. He takes his place among the infantry which makes him relatable with the footmen but simultaneously more susceptible to injury and getting caught out.