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Hey, guys Fireemblemspider here and welcome to another one of my Top 10s.

You know what my favorite game is of all time? … Come on, go ahead and wager a guess… Come on, I know you are out there… Forget it, I’m just going to tell you. Fire Emblem!

Yes, Fire Emblem. One of the best games I’ve ever played. Started in Japan in 1990, Fire Emblem was incredibly successful right from the get go. With its difficult gameplay, immense story, fascinating characters, it was a huge success. It was one of the first games to feature the combined elements of not only tactical based games, but RPG elements as well, making a unique and satisfying experience.

However, if you lived in America, you probably never heard of Fire Emblem back then. That’s because the company that made Fire Emblem, Life Experience, later renamed Intelligent Systems, felt that Americans wouldn’t enjoy the tactical adventures.

However, in 2001, most of us got our first look at Fire Emblem’s world, with Super Smash Brothers Melee. It came in the form of Marth and Roy from the title as well as one of the best pieces of music in Melee, which I didn’t know at the time came from a Fire Emblem title.

While we were still unfamiliar with Fire Emblem, their addition to the game did not go unrecognized. Fans wanted to know who these characters were and wanted to play the games that spawned these characters. However, Intelligent Systems was still dubious, since rumors had floated around that the Nintendo of America was going to scrap Marth and Roy from the final cut of the Americanized game. Thankfully, that didn’t happen.

A game that was widely popular in Japan, which was developed by Intelligent Systems, was that of the Wars series. A tactical game, not unlike Fire Emblem, but strangely different. This game was a critical success in Japan and in 2001, they released a game called Advanced Wars to the Gameboy Advanced. This was Intelligent Systems’ big gamble. If Advanced Wars was not successful internationally, then no further titles would be released and other games they developed, like Fire Emblem, would have never reached the states.

I thank God every day that this game was successful. Not only was it universally praised, but it was highly addictive and incredibly enjoyable. This was because of the tutorial that guided you in the game, so even people who were unfamiliar with the game’s mechanics could hop right in and start war.

This was the game that brought Fire Emblem to the U.S and around the world in 2003. And ever since then, Fire Emblem has been a success, not only in Japan, but around the world.

Unfortunately, I was introduced to Fire Emblem very late in the game. Like many people, I was introduced to Fire Emblem by Super Smash Brothers Melee. And frankly, I didn’t care for the characters. And it’s one of my many, many, many regrets. In 2006, however, my older brother brought to me a game that he enjoyed. It was called Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance.

At first, I was skeptical. I had played tactical games in the past, such as Tactics Ogre and Final Fantasy Tactics. And the results on my part were… less than successful. I am ashamed to say that I cheated those games out of the proper respect they deserved by cheating the game. However, my brother convinced me that I would enjoy it. And I’m glad he did.

After 15 minutes of this game, I was hooked. I could play this game all day and not feel guilty or bored by it. Food? Forget it. Bathroom? I can hold it. Sleep? Screw it, I’m playing Fire Emblem. The intense difficulty always had me throwing the controller in anger and yet it still kept me coming back to it. This was the game that taught me the value of being a tactician. For one wrong mistake and you could lose a character you spent so much time investing your interest and experience points on, forever. This quality of the game made me use my reset button on my GameCube a lot.

But what is this all leading up to? Well, Fire Emblem has a huge freaking cast of characters. And almost every single title is set up in a different continent, a different world, or a different location. While some games do possess some of the same characters from previous games, most of them introduce us to an entire new world, with its own mythology.

And that is what we are here to talk about, the characters. Each game as their own set of characters, some of them good. Others… well… you know.

But what are some of my favorites? Well, before we get started, let me set up a few ground rules.

1: Only two characters per class. I know some of you are yelling “Bull!” right now, but if I didn’t have this rule, you would see a lot of Lords on this list. And let’s be honest, that’s not fair.

2: I will only be using characters from Blazing Sword on, since those are the games I have actually played. I’m sure there are many great characters in the games prior to Blazing Sword, but I have not actually played any of those games, so unfortunately, I miss out on those characters you love.

Speaking of which, it is highly unlikely that I will have your favorite Fire Emblem character on this list. I’m sorry, but there are so many freaking characters in the game that it’s just impossible to please everyone. There are so many excellent characters that many of us love/hate for different reasons. All I am asking you to do is listen to why I love a certain character that you may disagree with before you start hurling stones.

3: No Avatar character from Awakening. Cause let’s be honest. That’s cheating.

Now, before we get started, I would like to introduce you to my honorable mentions. They are… (in no particular order)

Inigo (Awakening)

Raven (Blazing Sword)

Cherche (Awakening)

Hector (Blazing Sword)

Natasha (Sacred Stones)

Shinon (Radiant Dawn)

Maribelle (Awakening)

Ephraim (Sacred Stones)

Eirika (Sacred Stones)

Elincia (Path of Radiance)

Now, without further ado, let’s get started. This is my Top 10 Fire Emblem Characters

Number 10: Lethe (Path of Radiance)

Oh, yeah. If you know this character, you know we are starting off strong. For those of you who don’t know, Lethe isn’t a human, or beorc, as humans are dubbed in the game. She is what is called a laguz, a human-like creature with qualities of animals or beasts (such as wings, whiskers or cat-like ears). They also have the ability to transform into an incredibly powerful animal form. There are three different races of laguz in the game. The Bird Tribe, which is comprised of hawks, ravens, herons, and eagles. The Dragon Tribe, which is comprised of… well… dragons. And the Beast Tribe, Lethe’s race, which is comprised of cats, tigers, lions and wolves. No bears though… Sorry, dumb joke.

Like many of Lethe’s race, she is stronger than a human (beorc) and has a longer lifespan. However, unlike humans, she is not disciplined in any weaponry. Instead, she relies on her beast form, a giant cat, which she uses to tear her enemies to shreds with her teeth and claws.

She was the first laguz character introduced to us in Path of Radiance that we had full control over. And man, was she powerful. She was one of the first incredibly powerful units that joined my army. So much so, that I always had her in my party. She was quick, agile and deadly.

As a character, I find Lethe very interesting. She is a harsh character, who constantly speaks her mind and often doesn’t mind offending others. She has an incredible distain for humans and only offers to assist them because of her king’s orders. And while she is offered by Ike, the main character of the story, to be free of her services, Lethe agrees to stay with Ike. She proves her loyalty and devotion to her friends and would constantly stand up for them. She has a high sense of honor and duty and is completely compliant to the orders of her king.

She was a great asset to my team in Path of Radiance. … And then the nerf happened. The laguz, in Path of Radiance, I admit, were a bit overpowered. But … in Radiant Dawn, they are practically unusable. I’m sure a lot of you are going to call ‘bull crap’ on me, but I found the laguz got shot in the foot in Radiant Dawn. Unless you had a certain item or certain ability, these laguz sucked.

Oh, well. Regardless, Lethe got me through a lot of tough situations and battles in Path of Radiance. She has an interesting character and is a great unit in my army.

Number 9: L’Arachel (Sacred Stones)

This is just a fun character, who is always full of life. L’Arachel was orphaned when she was young, when her parents went on a journey to banish evil from their land. Now the princess of Rausten, she follows in her parent’s footsteps, wandering the land to destroy the evil that plagues it.

Traveling with her companions, she eventually runs into Princess Eirkia and Eirkia’s brother, Prince Ephraim, and agrees to join their cause.

Every scene this character is in is just absolutely delightful. This character is so bubbly, energetic, and full of herself, that I cannot help but laugh every time I see her. The characters react to her so well that she just cracks me up. And no character is better at interacting with her than her two traveling companions, Dolza and Rennac.

L’Arachel is already a very egotistical character and Dolza plays into that perfectly. She thinks of herself as an ambassador to justice and Dolza feeds her fantasy with his energy as well. And then there is Rennac. Rennac is a theif who only wants to be paid for the job he does. However, L’Arachel only believes in a good deed being its own reward. This creates some really comical scenes. Between Dolza joining her mad quest and Rennac moaning and whining how crazy she is, I laughed many times.

But not only is she a comedic character, she is also a very sympathetic character, building her friends up when they need her most. She also has the strength to carry on her parent’s legacy of protecting those weaker than herself. This makes for a very relatable and caring character. It’s a joy to see her positive energy used in a way that not only makes her feel better, but everyone around her as well.

She may not be memorable on the battlefield, being a low class healer near the end of the game, but in her dialogue, she will always be remembered. She’s funny, kind, full of herself and she always puts a smile on my face.

Number 8: Nephenee (Radiant Dawn)

Many of you may disagree with this choice, but I freaking love Nephenee. She is a strong, well-rounded character that many players seem to overlook. Her speed is fantastic, her strength and defense are solid. She’s just a great addition to any unit.

Nephenee is part of a group that is captured trying to reclaim her homeland from a hostile enemy. However, thanks to Ike, she and her fellow soldiers are freed and agree to aid Ike and his companions.

While she is portrayed as a simple, but kind farmer girl, she has expressed shame in her heritage. She has low self-esteem and often belittles herself. She is often silent, but that is only to hide her country accent. She has a large family and is shown to be caring of it, but wants something more with her life.

A reoccurring joke in the game is that everyone wants to set her up with someone and her responses, combined with her low self-esteem, are pretty funny. I know that might seem cruel, but her reactions are just funny and she is always a fun character to read about. She may not be the best out there, but give her an A for effort, because she is out there trying her best.

Nephenee is a great character and I wish they would have expanded her character in Radiant Dawn, but sadly our support conversations in that game were shot. I understand that there were a lot of characters in the game, but those supports are what I looked forward to! Not some slapped on one sentence crap! Oh, well, Nephenee was great in both Path of Radiance and Radiant Dawn, where she once again raised her lance in defense of her homeland.

A completely under-rated character that has more to her than meets the eye.

Number 7: Soren (Path of Radiance)

This character has a deep backstory and there are a lot of spoilers for this character and his deep history. If you have not played Path of Radiance or Radiant Dawn and discovered his secret and you would like to, I ask you to skip forward. I will let you know when the spoilers end.

Spoilers!!! Spoilers!!! Spoilers!!!
Spoilers!!! Spoilers!!! Spoilers!!!

Soren was born under the rule of Daein, with Queen Almedha , the Dragon King’s daughter, as the mother and King Ashnard, the ruler of Daein and the main antagonist of Path of Radiance.

Soren, for unknown reasons, was taken from his home and raised by an unknown woman who treated the child poorly. However, at the age of 4, Soren was adopted by a man who mistook him for a Spirit Charmer, because of the strange mark on Soren’s forehead. What it actually was was a branded mark. A branded mark appears when a child is conceived by the union of a human and a laguz.

After learning the sage’s magic, the sage passed away, leaving Soren without a home. Force to starve in the streets, it wasn’t until he was found by a young Ike, who gave the child his food. This kind act forced Soren to follow Ike to Crimea, where he was taken in by Ike’s father, Greil. And while the character never discovers his true origins, he simply doesn’t care. He only wants to aid the boy who saved his life.

Spoilers End here!!! Spoilers End here!!! Spoilers End here!!!

Soren is a cold, distant, and often incredibly rude character. But he is certainly an interesting one. He prefers his own company to the company of others. He mocks others and has no issue addressing whatever is on his mind. However, thanks to Ike, he does mellow out by the end of the story, even if it is just a little bit. He often uses logic when making tactical decisions and puts aside other’s feelings and emotions when deciding what is the best course of action.

Regardless of these qualities, Ike often relies on this character for his brilliant tactical mind. This, accompanied by the event that happened years before the game started, made Soren completely loyal to Ike, to the point where he claims that Ike is the only friend he has.

Soren is a powerful character on the battlefield, but he is flimsy. Being a mage, he’s susceptible to damage. But when he’s allowed to dish it out, can he dish it out. He’s one of the most powerful mages in the game, with the potential to be a magic powerhouse.

A complex character and an interesting logical thinker that contrasts Ike’s brashness, Soren is a fan favorite … for more than one reason… Some of which I disagree with. Regardless, Soren is a great character and he’s got some great lines. Even if they are all insults.

Number 6: Kellam (Awakening)

Okay, this character cracks me up. I love this character! This was one of the funniest characters in Awakening.

He’s the biggest guy in the biggest suit of armor you can find and yet he is constantly ignored by everyone. In the one of the first scenes you see with this character, he is out with your troops and he is trying to get the enemy’s attention. He is out there flailing his arms around, hopping about, yelling at the top of his lungs and the enemy won’t so much as look at him. His allies even forget he is there.

That scene was so funny; I knew I had to keep an eye on this character. And the best part was, he was just getting started.

Kellam comes from a large family with very little to its name. As such, they are forced to share everything they have. However, Kellam was often selfish and didn’t care to share with anyone. This became so bad that his entire family just started to ignore him. It is unknown when Kellam started to change his ways, because in the game, he’s actually a really nice guy. However, it is hinted that it could possibly be because of his relationship with one of his brothers, who still contacts him. When his brother’s family is force to abandon their home due to the current war, and his wife is expecting a child, Kellam joins Ylisse’s Shepherds and aids your party.

But not only is Kellam a great character as comic relief, but he is great on the front line. But many players, ironically like many of the game’s cast, ignore this character. I can’t imagine why. He’s got a solid defense, good attack and is a great support/pair up for a character that needs a bit of a boost in attack or defense. Yes, his speed does leave something to be desired, but what do you expect when he’s hauling around that enormous armor?

Despite him being completely forgettable to many players and the game’s history itself, Kellam will always be a strong part of my army. Whether be for his abilities in combat, or ability to appear and disappear into thin air.

Number 5: Olivia (Awakening)

Okay, background time… Yes, I know you all hate me, but bear with me.

When I first heard about Awakening’s Avatar feature, in which you were able to build your own character, I was sold on the idea. And then, on top of that, your character got to marry one of the characters in the game. And then, on top of that, you could download any character from previous games!

So naturally, I thought, “Holy cow! I get to pair myself up pathetically with the fictional woman I always dream of pairing myself up with! This is like a pathetic, useless fan boy who lives in his parent’s basement’s dream come true! Now I can play out all my pathetic OC fan fiction fantasies!”

Then I found out, that the downloaded characters can’t be married with any character in the game. Now, I was pissed. I still wanted the game, but man was I upset. So, I bought the game and went through several characters to see if I could find the one who interested me the most.

Lissa… No

Miriel… No way.

Sumia… Nope

Sully… Oh, hell no!

Why are all these women just not speaking to me? I guess I’ll just be a lonely, lost, loveless loser. Much like real life. Why can’t I have an imaginary woman tell me she loves me so that I can feel better about myself?!

Then she came.

Like her skill as a dancer, she danced right into my heart.

Okay, enough with the pathetic fan boy bit. Seriously, though, this character won my heart.

Olivia appears to your party after a very emotional scene. As such, I was already an emotional wreak, but when this character showed up with her kind words and gentle demeanor, I was sold. She appears and aids your party no questions asked.

It turns out Olivia is under the employ of Basilio, the former ruler of a friendly nation. Long before the game starts, Olivia was performing in the streets when a greedy noble saw her and claimed her as his own. However, thanks to Basilio, Olivia was spared whatever sick fate he had cooked up for her. Instead, she got stuck with my sick fantasies… Come on, you all were thinking it!

Ever since that day, Olivia swore her loyalty to Basilio. This character was one of the kindest characters in the game and possibly in all of Fire Emblem. Olivia was kind, gentle and always willing to help others when they needed it the most. She’s incredibly shy and has low self-esteem issues. However, she will do everything in her power to make herself more useful, even if that means wearing herself out.

A kind character that is easy to get along with because of her shy and humble demeanor? This kind of reminds me of another character I like? … But who?

Who?

But not only is this character kind, she is absolutely funny. I know I just talked about Kellam, being hilarious. Olivia… isn’t quite as funny, but she’s still up there. Her dialogue is just so great and I love it. Though, to be fair, the Japanese translation of her dialogue is much better than the English version. Check out her dialogue with the Avatar character to see what I mean.

In battle, she’s your standard dancer character. She gives you the ability to take another turn, but really, that’s it. She’s not impressive outside of that. But what sets her apart from other characters like her, is that she can actually fight back. In most Fire Emblem games, dancers are walking punching bags. Except they are made of clouds. One hit and they’re gone. Olivia is actually a cloud with a sharp pointy sword. If you miss her, she’ll stab you. … Not that her strength is that high anyway, but at least she can defend herself.

This character is a fun, enjoyable, kind and always a delight to have around. She builds up her friends and always will do whatever it takes to help them out. She may be shy and have low self-esteem, but she will always be in my heart. You may now call me a pathetic little waste of space of a man, who obviously is pathetic for loving a fictional character who will never return his love because she is nothing but a gathering of pixels… I can take it… (Runs off crying)

Number 4: Joshua (Sacred Stones)

This is an interesting character and a powerful unit in my army.

Joshua is a devastating weapon if trained correctly and since he is one of the first units you get in the game, he is easy to train properly. And because of that, this master of the sword is a very popular choice when picking out your army.

When you first met this character, he is employed by the enemy. However, after a beautiful young woman speaks to him, Joshua makes a bet with her. A simple coin toss will decide whether he will join their army or not. However, Joshua rigs his luck so that no matter how the coin came up, he would join their cause. He betrays his former employers and becomes your ally.

After a long journey, it is revealed that Joshua is the prince of Jehanna, who abandoned his kingdom ten years prior to the events of the story. He claims that it was because he wanted to see the needs of his people. Instead, he got caught up in gambling and never went back. However, when his mother was killed, he returns to claim the throne of his birth.

Joshua is a very carefree person. He’s a bit of a rogue, but has a soft side and a sense of honesty and honor. While he may cheat at gambling, he is honest about it and often makes amends with the person he cheated. And while he has a jovial attitude, he is very caring, sympathetic, and calm, even in stressful situations. Even with faced with his mother’s killer, he is able to hold himself up well enough that he is unable to be distracted. However, most of his kindest acts are towards women. He’s a bit of a womanizer.

Joshua is an absolute monster on the battlefield and one of the best units in the game. His incredibly high speed makes avoiding attacks a breeze for him. And his high skill makes landing critical strike almost as easy. However, Joshua’s weakness is his only decent strength and his low defense. He cannot take hits from his opponents if he takes them. His damage is heavily reliant on his critical strikes, which against units with high defense, can be difficult.

Regardless, these problems can be addressed with proper weapons and proper supports. This character is an absolute favorite of mine for all of these reasons. But one reason stands out above all others… The character’s name.

I love this character’s name. Joshua… Such an awesome name… Joshua… I just love saying it. I could say it all day. Joshua… I wish that was my name… I would be the coolest guy in the world if that was my name… Joshua…

Anyway, Joshua is an awesome unit and great character and has the best name in the world.

Number 3: Jill (Path of Radiance)

This is one of my favorite characters in Path of Radiance and her story is one of growth, friendship, tragedy and hope. Many of you may hate me for having this character so high on this list. Feel free to gather the rest of your town and I’ll supply you with torches and pitchforks.

Jill is introduced to your world as a member of the Daein army, a powerful nation that has over taken the peaceful country of Crimea. Jill appears in a battle against your character, with her commander Haar, and boasts that she will capture the Crimean princess and bring honor to her family name.

However, after your troops escape, Jill follows your ship. After your troops are attacked by a squad of raven laguz, Jill mistakes you for someone else and joins you to fend of the flying pirates. After the battle ends, Jill reluctantly joins your allies, for she is trapped in the middle of the ocean surrounded by enemy nations. Seeing no way out, Jill must follow the orders of Ike, the commander of the Crimean army, if she wants to return home alive. After proving herself on the battlefield and bonding with several members of the team, Jill begins to change into a completely different character.

When you first meet her, she is a completely obedient soldier. Never asking why something is the way it is, for that is how Daein raised their young. In Daein, laguz are dubbed the foul name of “sub-humans” because they felt that they were inferior to humans in every way. Jill had this mentality because she grew up in this world. Ike, immediately offended by this since many of their allies were laguz, gave Jill a warning. If Jill used that term, it was highly unlikely that Ike would protect her when the laguz choose to defend themselves.

As such, Jill was forced to change her ways quickly or hold her tongue.

During the course of their travels, Jill begins to see that the laguz are not the mindless beasts that she was raised to believe. As such, she begins to question what other things that Daein had taught her were right. This is the reason why Jill stays with Ike’s group, even when Ike gives her the option of leaving to rejoin her homeland. She says that she was wrong to misjudge the laguz and that she wants to better herself for her home.

At one point in the game, Jill can used in a battle where Ike and his troops battle Jill’s father, a famous wyvern knight. This is a very touching scene as Jill refuses to fight her father and vice versa. However, the wyvern knight will not back down from his duties and will even allow his daughter to take his life so that he will not betray the land he is loyal too.

Jill is one of the most interesting characters in Fire Emblem. I absolutely love this character. Her journey from being prejudice of laguz to a sympathetic character who only wants to better herself is one of the best subplots I’ve ever seen in a Fire Emblem game. It doesn’t have that much impact on the story itself, but it is still a wonderful experience.

Her supports with Mist are some of my favorite supports. Here are these two young girls from enemy countries who are just bonding with a young friendship. This isn’t a comical one like so many other supports I like, but this is both heartbreaking and absolutely sweet. Jill is revealed to be a very kind character who is able to put her pride and lust for glory aside to learn more about a lie she had been told all her life.

However, in Radiant Dawn, the character is not explored upon any deeper. While there are a few conversations here or there, there isn’t the journey that I once adored with this character. Despite this, it changes nothing about how I feel about her.

Jill is a very capable fighter on the battlefield. She is solid in almost every area. While magic is her kryptonite, she is a very powerful unit and a highly mobile one. A character I use from start to finish, this character has always proven invaluable every time I use her.

In Radiant Dawn, things don’t change. While she isn’t as easy to train as in Path of Radiance, she has still proven herself time and time again as a powerful unit who is balanced in practically every way.

While many of you may hate me for this, I stand by this character. She is a powerful unit and again her story was the one of the most interesting stories concerning a Fire Emblem character I have ever read. Her journey of discovery left an imprint on my heart that I will not be forgetting anytime soon.

Number 2: Lyn (Blazing Sword)

Lyn is one of my favorite characters in Fire Emblem and my absolute favorite character in Blazing Sword. She is a powerful unit that is highly underestimated.

Born into a family of nobles, Lyn’s parents left the life of Caelin to live on the Sacean Plains when Lyn was just an infant. A short time before the game begins Lyn’s parents are murdered by a group of bandits. She vows to avenge their deaths by taking vengeance against the bandit group that murdered them, training herself to become a sword master.

At the beginning of the game, Lyn meets a mysterious tactician (the player), who agrees to aid her in her quest to avenge her parent’s death. It is only a short time later that Lyn learns that she is not only the heir to the throne of Caelin, since her parents never told her about her birthplace, but also that she has a grandfather who is on his deathbed.

Formerly, Lyn’s grandfather refused to see her because of her Sacean heritage, believing her to be a savage. Now that he is dying, his final wish is to see his granddaughter. Lyn abandons her quest for revenge to fulfill her grandfather’s final wish.

After learning of a plot by her granduncle, in which he plans to obtain the throne by poisoning his brother, Lyn races to her grandfather’s side, facing her uncle’s troops along the way.

After defeat her granduncle, Lyn finally meets her grandfather. And while her grandfather feels that he must pass away, Lyn convinces him to live on and stay with her for a while longer.

At the end of her story and near the middle of Eliwood’s or Hector’s, she rejoins your party and aids her new friends in their quest to save their land.

Lyn is a caring, kind individual who will sacrifice anything for her friends. She believes in the best in people, unless you are a member of the group who killed her family. Even then, she is willing to put aside her lust for revenge if it is to help a friend. And while she does hate bandits and pirates with a passion, she is willing show mercy and will not unnecessary take lives. She has a serene personality and never lies, which has earned her many friendships. She is easy to get along with and will put her life at stake for others.

Lyn is an incredible unit. Her incredibly high speed and skill are on par with Joshua. Perhaps even surpassing them. This makes it easy for her to avoid attacks and repay in kind with critical blows. However, like Joshua, her low strength, defense, and health leave a lot to be desired. However, with proper items, supports and training, Lyn will be a powerhouse for the rest of the game. However, the best way to level her is journeying through her story.

Now I know a lot of people call Lyn a Mary-Sue character. And while I do admit she has some qualities that amount to a Mary-Sue(being royalty and not knowing it. Having a weapon only she can wield. She’s the last of her line. She had her parents murdered in front of her when she was young) And to be honest, I’d be lying if I didn’t see your point. She has very many Mary-Sue qualities. But oddly enough, I don’t see her that way.

I see a friendly, kind character who will do anything for the people she cares about. I see a character who struggled and fought to save her grandfather’s life. A character who bashes heads with the other characters in the story. A character who puts her own needs aside to be a hero.

That’s the character I see. And her story is a simple, but easily relatable story. She wants to simply protect the only family she has and will do anything to accomplish that.

Lyn has been an invaluable part of my army since I first played Blazing Sword. And nothing will change that.

And now for my meaningless fanboy gripe… WHY WASN’T LYN A PLAYABLE CHARACTER IN BRAWL?! That ticked me off so bad. I mean, I still enjoyed the game, but that ticked me off. She had the potential to be a great fighter in her own right. Instead, they made her a freaking support character.

Oh, well. I can always cross my fingers and hope she’s in the new one. Probably not going to happen, but hey, a guy can dream.

Number 1: Ike (Path of Radiance)

Yeah, I’m sure a lot of you saw this coming. Yes, my favorite character from Fire Emblem is the first Lord I was introduced to. Ike

There are a lot of spoilers for this character as well. So, again if you would like to avoid them, skip forward a touch.

Spoilers!!! Spoilers!!! Spoilers!!!

Ike is the son of Griel, leader of the self-named mercenaries. During the opening of the game, we learn that Ike has been training to be a part of his father’s mercenary band. He finally is offered a position after his hard work, which is where the game officially begins. One day, while on a mission, Ike and his group learn that their country of Crimea has been invaded by the neighboring country of Daein. After investigating a possible Daein attack, in which many people are killed, Ike and his band are attack by a group of Daein soldiers. After defeating them, Ike finds a young woman by the name of Elincia, who claims to be the princess of Crimea.

The group agrees to aid Princess Elincia to the southern country of Gallia, where they hope she will be safe. During their journey however, they are beset upon by a warrior in ebony armor simply known as the Black Knight. And no, not the Monty Python Black Knight.

Ike witnesses his father battling the Black Knight. A battle which his father loses his life. Just before the Black Knight can finish Ike, the king of Gallia appears and stops him. Unfortunately, the Black Knight is able to escape, leaving Ike to plot his revenge.

After his father’s death, Ike is made the commander of the Greil Mercenaries and proceeds with his father’s mission to take Elincia to safety. However, the king of Gallia will not take Elincia within his protection. With this, Ike and his group travel back to Crimea and sail around the continent to get to the country of Begnion, the only country with the resources to aid Crimea against Daein.

After gaining the Empress of Begnion’s trust as well as the trust of the last remaining herons, Reyson and Leanne, Ike is made the commander of the Crimean Liberation Front, a title he is not proud to wear as he does not see himself as royalty.

After a long march, which results in our heroes claiming the Daein capital, they discover that the Mad King Ashnard is held up in the Crimean Castle. As such, Ike and his troops make their way to Crimea, battling Daein’s forces at every turn.

Ike eventually faces his father’s killer, the Black Knight. However, the knight reveals that only a sword blessed by the Goddess Ashera can penetrate his armor. Fortunately, Ike happens to have a sword of such a blessing, thanks to the Black Knight himself. The Black Knight had offered the blade to Ike’s father, Greil, but he refused to use it. After the battle, Ike took the sword as a reminder of his hatred towards his new enemy.

Ike and the Black Knight battle with Ike defeating him. After the castle collapses on top of the Black Knight, Ike declares him dead and continues on his way to defeat King Ashnard.

Even with Ashnard’s most powerful warriors, Ike and his allies are eventually able to defeat him and reclaim the throne for Princess Elincia, ending Path of Radiance.

In Radiant Dawn, Ike returns as he renounces his title as the general of the Crimean army. After once again aiding Princess Elincia in saving one of her dearest, Ike is approached by his old laguz friend, Ranulf. Ranulf tells Ike of an alliance between all the laguz nations to attack Begnion, as they have just learned that an accident that nearly caused the extinction of the heron laguz, was no accident. That it was actually a plot by the senators of Begnion.

Ranulf asks Ike to help assist the newly formed Laguz Alliance in bringing Begnion to justice for their crimes.

Ike agrees and after a long march, that engulfs the entire continent into its war, the goddess Ashera awakens from her thousand year slumber. Where she expects her land to be at peace with one another, she only finds bloodshed and chaos. As such, Ashera transforms the entire population of the continent into stone. However, the goddess of chaos, Yune, is able to prevent most Ike’s forces from being petrified.

Yune claims that Ashera will not listen to reason and will do anything to keep a perfect order. Even preventing life. Ike and his followers make a march for the goddess tomb where they hope to convince her to change everything back to normal. As they travel to meet with the goddess, they are stopped by Ike’s father’s killer. The Black Knight. The Black Knight claims that he survived the battle with Ike with the help of one of Begnion’s senators, Sephiran.

The two battle once more, again ending with Ike’s victory.

They travel to the tomb where the goddess waits, but after failing to convince her to undo the damage she has done, Ike and the others battle her. After defeating her, Ike leaves the continent to travel the world in search of adventure.

Spoilers End here!!! Spoilers End here!!! Spoilers End here!!!

Ike is a brave, strong and kind character. He will put himself in harm’s way to protect others. He has a strong sense of right and wrong, taught to him by his father. He is protective of his little sister and his friends. And he is a humble man, seeking little to no reward for his actions.

A mercenary, he has dreams of being his father’s equal and will work hard to achieve that. However, this does not distract him from the needs of those around him. Unlike most characters in the game, Ike is very accepting of others, both laguz and beorc. He is willing to admit mistakes, which makes it easy for him to earn the trust of others. He develops a strong friendship with many of his troops and has even gotten respect from many of his enemies.

He is a very fair and just character, often giving his opponents with a disadvantage a chance to retreat and to fight when the odds are on even ground. However, he is far from a fool. When it comes to his friends and families lives, he will not hesitate to kill his opponent. He’s a bit reckless at times and is sometimes naïve, but still has a good heart.

He puts others before his own personal vendetta. This is shown when he performs his duties as a general and a commander, rather than hunting down his enemy, the Black Knight.

Ike is an incredibly powerful character. Some might say broken. I’d be lying if I didn’t see it. He’s incredibly strong, really fast, almost never misses, has a high defense and has the sickest skill in the game that makes him virtually unbeatable.

His skill is an ability called Aether. If you played the Smash Bros. games, you are familiar with it. Yes, it’s that annoying sword move he does when he throws it into the air. But did you know that in Path of Radiance, not only does it do massive damage, but it also heals him? Yeah, all the damage he does with that ability heals him!

Not only that, but his giant golden sword, which is called Ragnell, is incredibly powerful and increases his already ridiculously high defense. Oh and it shoots energy beams… You think I’m kidding? I’m not.

I don’t use the term overpowered lightly, but when you can go up against an entire army of enemies by yourself and win… Yeah, you’re overpowered.

In Radiant Dawn, this was fixed, as Aether was no longer activated as often as it did in Path of Radiance. And while Ike was still quite powerful, he was no longer the army slaying monster he was.

Regardless, Ike is still one of the most, if not the most, popular character in Fire Emblem and for good reason. He’s strong, compassionate, and always does the right thing. He may make his share of mistakes and he may be over-powered to the point of broken, but he’s still a good role model for many of us and an interesting character for the rest of us.

He’s not called the one of the greatest heroes in Fire Emblem for nothing.

And now it’s time for a meaningless fanboy gripe… Why didn’t Ike X Elincia ever happen?! Are you out of your mind, Intelligent Systems?! You set up the potential for a romantic interest in Path of Radiance and what did you do in Radiant Dawn?! You dropped it! Dropped it like a filthy rag and stomped it into the ground! Never even touched on it again! It is the worst mistake you have ever made!

But I guess that’s why we have fan fiction.

And that is my top 10 Fire Emblem characters. Agree? Disagree? Feel free to put your top 10 in the comments below. As for me… I need to play some Fire Emblem. Have a great day guys.

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Hey, guys Fireemblemspider here and welcome to another one of my Top 10s.

You know what my favorite game is of all time? … Come on, go ahead and wager a guess… Come on, I know you are out there… Forget it, I’m just going to tell you. Fire Emblem!

Yes, Fire Emblem. One of the best games I’ve ever played. Started in Japan in 1990, Fire Emblem was incredibly successful right from the get go. With its difficult gameplay, immense story, fascinating characters, it was a huge success. It was one of the first games to feature the combined elements of not only tactical based games, but RPG elements as well, making a unique and satisfying experience.

However, if you lived in America, you probably never heard of Fire Emblem back then. That’s because the company that made Fire Emblem, Life Experience, later renamed Intelligent Systems, felt that Americans wouldn’t enjoy the tactical adventures.

However, in 2001, most of us got our first look at Fire Emblem’s world, with Super Smash Brothers Melee. It came in the form of Marth and Roy from the title as well as one of the best pieces of music in Melee, which I didn’t know at the time came from a Fire Emblem title.

While we were still unfamiliar with Fire Emblem, their addition to the game did not go unrecognized. Fans wanted to know who these characters were and wanted to play the games that spawned these characters. However, Intelligent Systems was still dubious, since rumors had floated around that the Nintendo of America was going to scrap Marth and Roy from the final cut of the Americanized game. Thankfully, that didn’t happen.

A game that was widely popular in Japan, which was developed by Intelligent Systems, was that of the Wars series. A tactical game, not unlike Fire Emblem, but strangely different. This game was a critical success in Japan and in 2001, they released a game called Advanced Wars to the Gameboy Advanced. This was Intelligent Systems’ big gamble. If Advanced Wars was not successful internationally, then no further titles would be released and other games they developed, like Fire Emblem, would have never reached the states.

I thank God every day that this game was successful. Not only was it universally praised, but it was highly addictive and incredibly enjoyable. This was because of the tutorial that guided you in the game, so even people who were unfamiliar with the game’s mechanics could hop right in and start war.

This was the game that brought Fire Emblem to the U.S and around the world in 2003. And ever since then, Fire Emblem has been a success, not only in Japan, but around the world.

Unfortunately, I was introduced to Fire Emblem very late in the game. Like many people, I was introduced to Fire Emblem by Super Smash Brothers Melee. And frankly, I didn’t care for the characters. And it’s one of my many, many, many regrets. In 2006, however, my older brother brought to me a game that he enjoyed. It was called Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance.

At first, I was skeptical. I had played tactical games in the past, such as Tactics Ogre and Final Fantasy Tactics. And the results on my part were… less than successful. I am ashamed to say that I cheated those games out of the proper respect they deserved by cheating the game. However, my brother convinced me that I would enjoy it. And I’m glad he did.

After 15 minutes of this game, I was hooked. I could play this game all day and not feel guilty or bored by it. Food? Forget it. Bathroom? I can hold it. Sleep? Screw it, I’m playing Fire Emblem. The intense difficulty always had me throwing the controller in anger and yet it still kept me coming back to it. This was the game that taught me the value of being a tactician. For one wrong mistake and you could lose a character you spent so much time investing your interest and experience points on, forever. This quality of the game made me use my reset button on my GameCube a lot.

But what is this all leading up to? Well, Fire Emblem has a huge freaking cast of characters. And almost every single title is set up in a different continent, a different world, or a different location. While some games do possess some of the same characters from previous games, most of them introduce us to an entire new world, with its own mythology.

And that is what we are here to talk about, the characters. Each game as their own set of characters, some of them good. Others… well… you know.

But what are some of my favorites? Well, before we get started, let me set up a few ground rules.

1: Only two characters per class. I know some of you are yelling “Bull!” right now, but if I didn’t have this rule, you would see a lot of Lords on this list. And let’s be honest, that’s not fair.

2: I will only be using characters from Blazing Sword on, since those are the games I have actually played. I’m sure there are many great characters in the games prior to Blazing Sword, but I have not actually played any of those games, so unfortunately, I miss out on those characters you love.

Speaking of which, it is highly unlikely that I will have your favorite Fire Emblem character on this list. I’m sorry, but there are so many freaking characters in the game that it’s just impossible to please everyone. There are so many excellent characters that many of us love/hate for different reasons. All I am asking you to do is listen to why I love a certain character that you may disagree with before you start hurling stones.

3: No Avatar character from Awakening. Cause let’s be honest. That’s cheating.

Now, before we get started, I would like to introduce you to my honorable mentions. They are… (in no particular order)

Inigo (Awakening)

Raven (Blazing Sword)

Cherche (Awakening)

Hector (Blazing Sword)

Natasha (Sacred Stones)

Shinon (Radiant Dawn)

Maribelle (Awakening)

Ephraim (Sacred Stones)

Eirika (Sacred Stones)

Elincia (Path of Radiance)

Now, without further ado, let’s get started. This is my Top 10 Fire Emblem Characters

Number 10: Lethe (Path of Radiance)

Oh, yeah. If you know this character, you know we are starting off strong. For those of you who don’t know, Lethe isn’t a human, or beorc, as humans are dubbed in the game. She is what is called a laguz, a human-like creature with qualities of animals or beasts (such as wings, whiskers or cat-like ears). They also have the ability to transform into an incredibly powerful animal form. There are three different races of laguz in the game. The Bird Tribe, which is comprised of hawks, ravens, herons, and eagles. The Dragon Tribe, which is comprised of… well… dragons. And the Beast Tribe, Lethe’s race, which is comprised of cats, tigers, lions and wolves. No bears though… Sorry, dumb joke.

Like many of Lethe’s race, she is stronger than a human (beorc) and has a longer lifespan. However, unlike humans, she is not disciplined in any weaponry. Instead, she relies on her beast form, a giant cat, which she uses to tear her enemies to shreds with her teeth and claws.

She was the first laguz character introduced to us in Path of Radiance that we had full control over. And man, was she powerful. She was one of the first incredibly powerful units that joined my army. So much so, that I always had her in my party. She was quick, agile and deadly.

As a character, I find Lethe very interesting. She is a harsh character, who constantly speaks her mind and often doesn’t mind offending others. She has an incredible distain for humans and only offers to assist them because of her king’s orders. And while she is offered by Ike, the main character of the story, to be free of her services, Lethe agrees to stay with Ike. She proves her loyalty and devotion to her friends and would constantly stand up for them. She has a high sense of honor and duty and is completely compliant to the orders of her king.

She was a great asset to my team in Path of Radiance. … And then the nerf happened. The laguz, in Path of Radiance, I admit, were a bit overpowered. But … in Radiant Dawn, they are practically unusable. I’m sure a lot of you are going to call ‘bull crap’ on me, but I found the laguz got shot in the foot in Radiant Dawn. Unless you had a certain item or certain ability, these laguz sucked.

Oh, well. Regardless, Lethe got me through a lot of tough situations and battles in Path of Radiance. She has an interesting character and is a great unit in my army.

Number 9: L’Arachel (Sacred Stones)

This is just a fun character, who is always full of life. L’Arachel was orphaned when she was young, when her parents went on a journey to banish evil from their land. Now the princess of Rausten, she follows in her parent’s footsteps, wandering the land to destroy the evil that plagues it.

Traveling with her companions, she eventually runs into Princess Eirkia and Eirkia’s brother, Prince Ephraim, and agrees to join their cause.

Every scene this character is in is just absolutely delightful. This character is so bubbly, energetic, and full of herself, that I cannot help but laugh every time I see her. The characters react to her so well that she just cracks me up. And no character is better at interacting with her than her two traveling companions, Dolza and Rennac.

L’Arachel is already a very egotistical character and Dolza plays into that perfectly. She thinks of herself as an ambassador to justice and Dolza feeds her fantasy with his energy as well. And then there is Rennac. Rennac is a theif who only wants to be paid for the job he does. However, L’Arachel only believes in a good deed being its own reward. This creates some really comical scenes. Between Dolza joining her mad quest and Rennac moaning and whining how crazy she is, I laughed many times.

But not only is she a comedic character, she is also a very sympathetic character, building her friends up when they need her most. She also has the strength to carry on her parent’s legacy of protecting those weaker than herself. This makes for a very relatable and caring character. It’s a joy to see her positive energy used in a way that not only makes her feel better, but everyone around her as well.

She may not be memorable on the battlefield, being a low class healer near the end of the game, but in her dialogue, she will always be remembered. She’s funny, kind, full of herself and she always puts a smile on my face.

Number 8: Nephenee (Radiant Dawn)

Many of you may disagree with this choice, but I freaking love Nephenee. She is a strong, well-rounded character that many players seem to overlook. Her speed is fantastic, her strength and defense are solid. She’s just a great addition to any unit.

Nephenee is part of a group that is captured trying to reclaim her homeland from a hostile enemy. However, thanks to Ike, she and her fellow soldiers are freed and agree to aid Ike and his companions.

While she is portrayed as a simple, but kind farmer girl, she has expressed shame in her heritage. She has low self-esteem and often belittles herself. She is often silent, but that is only to hide her country accent. She has a large family and is shown to be caring of it, but wants something more with her life.

A reoccurring joke in the game is that everyone wants to set her up with someone and her responses, combined with her low self-esteem, are pretty funny. I know that might seem cruel, but her reactions are just funny and she is always a fun character to read about. She may not be the best out there, but give her an A for effort, because she is out there trying her best.

Nephenee is a great character and I wish they would have expanded her character in Radiant Dawn, but sadly our support conversations in that game were shot. I understand that there were a lot of characters in the game, but those supports are what I looked forward to! Not some slapped on one sentence crap! Oh, well, Nephenee was great in both Path of Radiance and Radiant Dawn, where she once again raised her lance in defense of her homeland.

A completely under-rated character that has more to her than meets the eye.

Number 7: Soren (Path of Radiance)

This character has a deep backstory and there are a lot of spoilers for this character and his deep history. If you have not played Path of Radiance or Radiant Dawn and discovered his secret and you would like to, I ask you to skip forward. I will let you know when the spoilers end.

Spoilers!!! Spoilers!!! Spoilers!!!
Spoilers!!! Spoilers!!! Spoilers!!!

Soren was born under the rule of Daein, with Queen Almedha , the Dragon King’s daughter, as the mother and King Ashnard, the ruler of Daein and the main antagonist of Path of Radiance.

Soren, for unknown reasons, was taken from his home and raised by an unknown woman who treated the child poorly. However, at the age of 4, Soren was adopted by a man who mistook him for a Spirit Charmer, because of the strange mark on Soren’s forehead. What it actually was was a branded mark. A branded mark appears when a child is conceived by the union of a human and a laguz.

After learning the sage’s magic, the sage passed away, leaving Soren without a home. Force to starve in the streets, it wasn’t until he was found by a young Ike, who gave the child his food. This kind act forced Soren to follow Ike to Crimea, where he was taken in by Ike’s father, Greil. And while the character never discovers his true origins, he simply doesn’t care. He only wants to aid the boy who saved his life.

Spoilers End here!!! Spoilers End here!!! Spoilers End here!!!

Soren is a cold, distant, and often incredibly rude character. But he is certainly an interesting one. He prefers his own company to the company of others. He mocks others and has no issue addressing whatever is on his mind. However, thanks to Ike, he does mellow out by the end of the story, even if it is just a little bit. He often uses logic when making tactical decisions and puts aside other’s feelings and emotions when deciding what is the best course of action.

Regardless of these qualities, Ike often relies on this character for his brilliant tactical mind. This, accompanied by the event that happened years before the game started, made Soren completely loyal to Ike, to the point where he claims that Ike is the only friend he has.

Soren is a powerful character on the battlefield, but he is flimsy. Being a mage, he’s susceptible to damage. But when he’s allowed to dish it out, can he dish it out. He’s one of the most powerful mages in the game, with the potential to be a magic powerhouse.

A complex character and an interesting logical thinker that contrasts Ike’s brashness, Soren is a fan favorite … for more than one reason… Some of which I disagree with. Regardless, Soren is a great character and he’s got some great lines. Even if they are all insults.

Number 6: Kellam (Awakening)

Okay, this character cracks me up. I love this character! This was one of the funniest characters in Awakening.

He’s the biggest guy in the biggest suit of armor you can find and yet he is constantly ignored by everyone. In the one of the first scenes you see with this character, he is out with your troops and he is trying to get the enemy’s attention. He is out there flailing his arms around, hopping about, yelling at the top of his lungs and the enemy won’t so much as look at him. His allies even forget he is there.

That scene was so funny; I knew I had to keep an eye on this character. And the best part was, he was just getting started.

Kellam comes from a large family with very little to its name. As such, they are forced to share everything they have. However, Kellam was often selfish and didn’t care to share with anyone. This became so bad that his entire family just started to ignore him. It is unknown when Kellam started to change his ways, because in the game, he’s actually a really nice guy. However, it is hinted that it could possibly be because of his relationship with one of his brothers, who still contacts him. When his brother’s family is force to abandon their home due to the current war, and his wife is expecting a child, Kellam joins Ylisse’s Shepherds and aids your party.

But not only is Kellam a great character as comic relief, but he is great on the front line. But many players, ironically like many of the game’s cast, ignore this character. I can’t imagine why. He’s got a solid defense, good attack and is a great support/pair up for a character that needs a bit of a boost in attack or defense. Yes, his speed does leave something to be desired, but what do you expect when he’s hauling around that enormous armor?

Despite him being completely forgettable to many players and the game’s history itself, Kellam will always be a strong part of my army. Whether be for his abilities in combat, or ability to appear and disappear into thin air.

Number 5: Olivia (Awakening)

Okay, background time… Yes, I know you all hate me, but bear with me.

When I first heard about Awakening’s Avatar feature, in which you were able to build your own character, I was sold on the idea. And then, on top of that, your character got to marry one of the characters in the game. And then, on top of that, you could download any character from previous games!

So naturally, I thought, “Holy cow! I get to pair myself up pathetically with the fictional woman I always dream of pairing myself up with! This is like a pathetic, useless fan boy who lives in his parent’s basement’s dream come true! Now I can play out all my pathetic OC fan fiction fantasies!”

Then I found out, that the downloaded characters can’t be married with any character in the game. Now, I was pissed. I still wanted the game, but man was I upset. So, I bought the game and went through several characters to see if I could find the one who interested me the most.

Lissa… No

Miriel… No way.

Sumia… Nope

Sully… Oh, hell no!

Why are all these women just not speaking to me? I guess I’ll just be a lonely, lost, loveless loser. Much like real life. Why can’t I have an imaginary woman tell me she loves me so that I can feel better about myself?!

Then she came.

Like her skill as a dancer, she danced right into my heart.

Okay, enough with the pathetic fan boy bit. Seriously, though, this character won my heart.

Olivia appears to your party after a very emotional scene. As such, I was already an emotional wreak, but when this character showed up with her kind words and gentle demeanor, I was sold. She appears and aids your party no questions asked.

It turns out Olivia is under the employ of Basilio, the former ruler of a friendly nation. Long before the game starts, Olivia was performing in the streets when a greedy noble saw her and claimed her as his own. However, thanks to Basilio, Olivia was spared whatever sick fate he had cooked up for her. Instead, she got stuck with my sick fantasies… Come on, you all were thinking it!

Ever since that day, Olivia swore her loyalty to Basilio. This character was one of the kindest characters in the game and possibly in all of Fire Emblem. Olivia was kind, gentle and always willing to help others when they needed it the most. She’s incredibly shy and has low self-esteem issues. However, she will do everything in her power to make herself more useful, even if that means wearing herself out.

A kind character that is easy to get along with because of her shy and humble demeanor? This kind of reminds me of another character I like? … But who?

Who?

But not only is this character kind, she is absolutely funny. I know I just talked about Kellam, being hilarious. Olivia… isn’t quite as funny, but she’s still up there. Her dialogue is just so great and I love it. Though, to be fair, the Japanese translation of her dialogue is much better than the English version. Check out her dialogue with the Avatar character to see what I mean.

In battle, she’s your standard dancer character. She gives you the ability to take another turn, but really, that’s it. She’s not impressive outside of that. But what sets her apart from other characters like her, is that she can actually fight back. In most Fire Emblem games, dancers are walking punching bags. Except they are made of clouds. One hit and they’re gone. Olivia is actually a cloud with a sharp pointy sword. If you miss her, she’ll stab you. … Not that her strength is that high anyway, but at least she can defend herself.

This character is a fun, enjoyable, kind and always a delight to have around. She builds up her friends and always will do whatever it takes to help them out. She may be shy and have low self-esteem, but she will always be in my heart. You may now call me a pathetic little waste of space of a man, who obviously is pathetic for loving a fictional character who will never return his love because she is nothing but a gathering of pixels… I can take it… (Runs off crying)

Number 4: Joshua (Sacred Stones)

This is an interesting character and a powerful unit in my army.

Joshua is a devastating weapon if trained correctly and since he is one of the first units you get in the game, he is easy to train properly. And because of that, this master of the sword is a very popular choice when picking out your army.

When you first met this character, he is employed by the enemy. However, after a beautiful young woman speaks to him, Joshua makes a bet with her. A simple coin toss will decide whether he will join their army or not. However, Joshua rigs his luck so that no matter how the coin came up, he would join their cause. He betrays his former employers and becomes your ally.

After a long journey, it is revealed that Joshua is the prince of Jehanna, who abandoned his kingdom ten years prior to the events of the story. He claims that it was because he wanted to see the needs of his people. Instead, he got caught up in gambling and never went back. However, when his mother was killed, he returns to claim the throne of his birth.

Joshua is a very carefree person. He’s a bit of a rogue, but has a soft side and a sense of honesty and honor. While he may cheat at gambling, he is honest about it and often makes amends with the person he cheated. And while he has a jovial attitude, he is very caring, sympathetic, and calm, even in stressful situations. Even with faced with his mother’s killer, he is able to hold himself up well enough that he is unable to be distracted. However, most of his kindest acts are towards women. He’s a bit of a womanizer.

Joshua is an absolute monster on the battlefield and one of the best units in the game. His incredibly high speed makes avoiding attacks a breeze for him. And his high skill makes landing critical strike almost as easy. However, Joshua’s weakness is his only decent strength and his low defense. He cannot take hits from his opponents if he takes them. His damage is heavily reliant on his critical strikes, which against units with high defense, can be difficult.

Regardless, these problems can be addressed with proper weapons and proper supports. This character is an absolute favorite of mine for all of these reasons. But one reason stands out above all others… The character’s name.

I love this character’s name. Joshua… Such an awesome name… Joshua… I just love saying it. I could say it all day. Joshua… I wish that was my name… I would be the coolest guy in the world if that was my name… Joshua…

Anyway, Joshua is an awesome unit and great character and has the best name in the world.

Number 3: Jill (Path of Radiance)

This is one of my favorite characters in Path of Radiance and her story is one of growth, friendship, tragedy and hope. Many of you may hate me for having this character so high on this list. Feel free to gather the rest of your town and I’ll supply you with torches and pitchforks.

Jill is introduced to your world as a member of the Daein army, a powerful nation that has over taken the peaceful country of Crimea. Jill appears in a battle against your character, with her commander Haar, and boasts that she will capture the Crimean princess and bring honor to her family name.

However, after your troops escape, Jill follows your ship. After your troops are attacked by a squad of raven laguz, Jill mistakes you for someone else and joins you to fend of the flying pirates. After the battle ends, Jill reluctantly joins your allies, for she is trapped in the middle of the ocean surrounded by enemy nations. Seeing no way out, Jill must follow the orders of Ike, the commander of the Crimean army, if she wants to return home alive. After proving herself on the battlefield and bonding with several members of the team, Jill begins to change into a completely different character.

When you first meet her, she is a completely obedient soldier. Never asking why something is the way it is, for that is how Daein raised their young. In Daein, laguz are dubbed the foul name of “sub-humans” because they felt that they were inferior to humans in every way. Jill had this mentality because she grew up in this world. Ike, immediately offended by this since many of their allies were laguz, gave Jill a warning. If Jill used that term, it was highly unlikely that Ike would protect her when the laguz choose to defend themselves.

As such, Jill was forced to change her ways quickly or hold her tongue.

During the course of their travels, Jill begins to see that the laguz are not the mindless beasts that she was raised to believe. As such, she begins to question what other things that Daein had taught her were right. This is the reason why Jill stays with Ike’s group, even when Ike gives her the option of leaving to rejoin her homeland. She says that she was wrong to misjudge the laguz and that she wants to better herself for her home.

At one point in the game, Jill can used in a battle where Ike and his troops battle Jill’s father, a famous wyvern knight. This is a very touching scene as Jill refuses to fight her father and vice versa. However, the wyvern knight will not back down from his duties and will even allow his daughter to take his life so that he will not betray the land he is loyal too.

Jill is one of the most interesting characters in Fire Emblem. I absolutely love this character. Her journey from being prejudice of laguz to a sympathetic character who only wants to better herself is one of the best subplots I’ve ever seen in a Fire Emblem game. It doesn’t have that much impact on the story itself, but it is still a wonderful experience.

Her supports with Mist are some of my favorite supports. Here are these two young girls from enemy countries who are just bonding with a young friendship. This isn’t a comical one like so many other supports I like, but this is both heartbreaking and absolutely sweet. Jill is revealed to be a very kind character who is able to put her pride and lust for glory aside to learn more about a lie she had been told all her life.

However, in Radiant Dawn, the character is not explored upon any deeper. While there are a few conversations here or there, there isn’t the journey that I once adored with this character. Despite this, it changes nothing about how I feel about her.

Jill is a very capable fighter on the battlefield. She is solid in almost every area. While magic is her kryptonite, she is a very powerful unit and a highly mobile one. A character I use from start to finish, this character has always proven invaluable every time I use her.

In Radiant Dawn, things don’t change. While she isn’t as easy to train as in Path of Radiance, she has still proven herself time and time again as a powerful unit who is balanced in practically every way.

While many of you may hate me for this, I stand by this character. She is a powerful unit and again her story was the one of the most interesting stories concerning a Fire Emblem character I have ever read. Her journey of discovery left an imprint on my heart that I will not be forgetting anytime soon.

Number 2: Lyn (Blazing Sword)

Lyn is one of my favorite characters in Fire Emblem and my absolute favorite character in Blazing Sword. She is a powerful unit that is highly underestimated.

Born into a family of nobles, Lyn’s parents left the life of Caelin to live on the Sacean Plains when Lyn was just an infant. A short time before the game begins Lyn’s parents are murdered by a group of bandits. She vows to avenge their deaths by taking vengeance against the bandit group that murdered them, training herself to become a sword master.

At the beginning of the game, Lyn meets a mysterious tactician (the player), who agrees to aid her in her quest to avenge her parent’s death. It is only a short time later that Lyn learns that she is not only the heir to the throne of Caelin, since her parents never told her about her birthplace, but also that she has a grandfather who is on his deathbed.

Formerly, Lyn’s grandfather refused to see her because of her Sacean heritage, believing her to be a savage. Now that he is dying, his final wish is to see his granddaughter. Lyn abandons her quest for revenge to fulfill her grandfather’s final wish.

After learning of a plot by her granduncle, in which he plans to obtain the throne by poisoning his brother, Lyn races to her grandfather’s side, facing her uncle’s troops along the way.

After defeat her granduncle, Lyn finally meets her grandfather. And while her grandfather feels that he must pass away, Lyn convinces him to live on and stay with her for a while longer.

At the end of her story and near the middle of Eliwood’s or Hector’s, she rejoins your party and aids her new friends in their quest to save their land.

Lyn is a caring, kind individual who will sacrifice anything for her friends. She believes in the best in people, unless you are a member of the group who killed her family. Even then, she is willing to put aside her lust for revenge if it is to help a friend. And while she does hate bandits and pirates with a passion, she is willing show mercy and will not unnecessary take lives. She has a serene personality and never lies, which has earned her many friendships. She is easy to get along with and will put her life at stake for others.

Lyn is an incredible unit. Her incredibly high speed and skill are on par with Joshua. Perhaps even surpassing them. This makes it easy for her to avoid attacks and repay in kind with critical blows. However, like Joshua, her low strength, defense, and health leave a lot to be desired. However, with proper items, supports and training, Lyn will be a powerhouse for the rest of the game. However, the best way to level her is journeying through her story.

Now I know a lot of people call Lyn a Mary-Sue character. And while I do admit she has some qualities that amount to a Mary-Sue(being royalty and not knowing it. Having a weapon only she can wield. She’s the last of her line. She had her parents murdered in front of her when she was young) And to be honest, I’d be lying if I didn’t see your point. She has very many Mary-Sue qualities. But oddly enough, I don’t see her that way.

I see a friendly, kind character who will do anything for the people she cares about. I see a character who struggled and fought to save her grandfather’s life. A character who bashes heads with the other characters in the story. A character who puts her own needs aside to be a hero.

That’s the character I see. And her story is a simple, but easily relatable story. She wants to simply protect the only family she has and will do anything to accomplish that.

Lyn has been an invaluable part of my army since I first played Blazing Sword. And nothing will change that.

And now for my meaningless fanboy gripe… WHY WASN’T LYN A PLAYABLE CHARACTER IN BRAWL?! That ticked me off so bad. I mean, I still enjoyed the game, but that ticked me off. She had the potential to be a great fighter in her own right. Instead, they made her a freaking support character.

Oh, well. I can always cross my fingers and hope she’s in the new one. Probably not going to happen, but hey, a guy can dream.

Number 1: Ike (Path of Radiance)

Yeah, I’m sure a lot of you saw this coming. Yes, my favorite character from Fire Emblem is the first Lord I was introduced to. Ike

There are a lot of spoilers for this character as well. So, again if you would like to avoid them, skip forward a touch.

Spoilers!!! Spoilers!!! Spoilers!!!

Ike is the son of Griel, leader of the self-named mercenaries. During the opening of the game, we learn that Ike has been training to be a part of his father’s mercenary band. He finally is offered a position after his hard work, which is where the game officially begins. One day, while on a mission, Ike and his group learn that their country of Crimea has been invaded by the neighboring country of Daein. After investigating a possible Daein attack, in which many people are killed, Ike and his band are attack by a group of Daein soldiers. After defeating them, Ike finds a young woman by the name of Elincia, who claims to be the princess of Crimea.

The group agrees to aid Princess Elincia to the southern country of Gallia, where they hope she will be safe. During their journey however, they are beset upon by a warrior in ebony armor simply known as the Black Knight. And no, not the Monty Python Black Knight.

Ike witnesses his father battling the Black Knight. A battle which his father loses his life. Just before the Black Knight can finish Ike, the king of Gallia appears and stops him. Unfortunately, the Black Knight is able to escape, leaving Ike to plot his revenge.

After his father’s death, Ike is made the commander of the Greil Mercenaries and proceeds with his father’s mission to take Elincia to safety. However, the king of Gallia will not take Elincia within his protection. With this, Ike and his group travel back to Crimea and sail around the continent to get to the country of Begnion, the only country with the resources to aid Crimea against Daein.

After gaining the Empress of Begnion’s trust as well as the trust of the last remaining herons, Reyson and Leanne, Ike is made the commander of the Crimean Liberation Front, a title he is not proud to wear as he does not see himself as royalty.

After a long march, which results in our heroes claiming the Daein capital, they discover that the Mad King Ashnard is held up in the Crimean Castle. As such, Ike and his troops make their way to Crimea, battling Daein’s forces at every turn.

Ike eventually faces his father’s killer, the Black Knight. However, the knight reveals that only a sword blessed by the Goddess Ashera can penetrate his armor. Fortunately, Ike happens to have a sword of such a blessing, thanks to the Black Knight himself. The Black Knight had offered the blade to Ike’s father, Greil, but he refused to use it. After the battle, Ike took the sword as a reminder of his hatred towards his new enemy.

Ike and the Black Knight battle with Ike defeating him. After the castle collapses on top of the Black Knight, Ike declares him dead and continues on his way to defeat King Ashnard.

Even with Ashnard’s most powerful warriors, Ike and his allies are eventually able to defeat him and reclaim the throne for Princess Elincia, ending Path of Radiance.

In Radiant Dawn, Ike returns as he renounces his title as the general of the Crimean army. After once again aiding Princess Elincia in saving one of her dearest, Ike is approached by his old laguz friend, Ranulf. Ranulf tells Ike of an alliance between all the laguz nations to attack Begnion, as they have just learned that an accident that nearly caused the extinction of the heron laguz, was no accident. That it was actually a plot by the senators of Begnion.

Ranulf asks Ike to help assist the newly formed Laguz Alliance in bringing Begnion to justice for their crimes.

Ike agrees and after a long march, that engulfs the entire continent into its war, the goddess Ashera awakens from her thousand year slumber. Where she expects her land to be at peace with one another, she only finds bloodshed and chaos. As such, Ashera transforms the entire population of the continent into stone. However, the goddess of chaos, Yune, is able to prevent most Ike’s forces from being petrified.

Yune claims that Ashera will not listen to reason and will do anything to keep a perfect order. Even preventing life. Ike and his followers make a march for the goddess tomb where they hope to convince her to change everything back to normal. As they travel to meet with the goddess, they are stopped by Ike’s father’s killer. The Black Knight. The Black Knight claims that he survived the battle with Ike with the help of one of Begnion’s senators, Sephiran.

The two battle once more, again ending with Ike’s victory.

They travel to the tomb where the goddess waits, but after failing to convince her to undo the damage she has done, Ike and the others battle her. After defeating her, Ike leaves the continent to travel the world in search of adventure.

Spoilers End here!!! Spoilers End here!!! Spoilers End here!!!

Ike is a brave, strong and kind character. He will put himself in harm’s way to protect others. He has a strong sense of right and wrong, taught to him by his father. He is protective of his little sister and his friends. And he is a humble man, seeking little to no reward for his actions.

A mercenary, he has dreams of being his father’s equal and will work hard to achieve that. However, this does not distract him from the needs of those around him. Unlike most characters in the game, Ike is very accepting of others, both laguz and beorc. He is willing to admit mistakes, which makes it easy for him to earn the trust of others. He develops a strong friendship with many of his troops and has even gotten respect from many of his enemies.

He is a very fair and just character, often giving his opponents with a disadvantage a chance to retreat and to fight when the odds are on even ground. However, he is far from a fool. When it comes to his friends and families lives, he will not hesitate to kill his opponent. He’s a bit reckless at times and is sometimes naïve, but still has a good heart.

He puts others before his own personal vendetta. This is shown when he performs his duties as a general and a commander, rather than hunting down his enemy, the Black Knight.

Ike is an incredibly powerful character. Some might say broken. I’d be lying if I didn’t see it. He’s incredibly strong, really fast, almost never misses, has a high defense and has the sickest skill in the game that makes him virtually unbeatable.

His skill is an ability called Aether. If you played the Smash Bros. games, you are familiar with it. Yes, it’s that annoying sword move he does when he throws it into the air. But did you know that in Path of Radiance, not only does it do massive damage, but it also heals him? Yeah, all the damage he does with that ability heals him!

Not only that, but his giant golden sword, which is called Ragnell, is incredibly powerful and increases his already ridiculously high defense. Oh and it shoots energy beams… You think I’m kidding? I’m not.

I don’t use the term overpowered lightly, but when you can go up against an entire army of enemies by yourself and win… Yeah, you’re overpowered.

In Radiant Dawn, this was fixed, as Aether was no longer activated as often as it did in Path of Radiance. And while Ike was still quite powerful, he was no longer the army slaying monster he was.

Regardless, Ike is still one of the most, if not the most, popular character in Fire Emblem and for good reason. He’s strong, compassionate, and always does the right thing. He may make his share of mistakes and he may be over-powered to the point of broken, but he’s still a good role model for many of us and an interesting character for the rest of us.

He’s not called the one of the greatest heroes in Fire Emblem for nothing.

And now it’s time for a meaningless fanboy gripe… Why didn’t Ike X Elincia ever happen?! Are you out of your mind, Intelligent Systems?! You set up the potential for a romantic interest in Path of Radiance and what did you do in Radiant Dawn?! You dropped it! Dropped it like a filthy rag and stomped it into the ground! Never even touched on it again! It is the worst mistake you have ever made!

But I guess that’s why we have fan fiction.

And that is my top 10 Fire Emblem characters. Agree? Disagree? Feel free to put your top 10 in the comments below. As for me… I need to play some Fire Emblem. Have a great day guys.