LogFAQs > #934878436

Yeah, I didn't figure I'd get much pushback on either of those. Let's see if that changes here, though - I seem to recall I encountered a big fan of our next drop on this board a long time ago.

#94 - Marta Lualdi (Symphonia)
But that timid Emil is the one fighting for me with everything he's got, even though he never asked to get wrapped up in all this in the first place. It touches my heart far more than a hero who fights without fear.

Ill start by listing the good things about Marta.

I like her design, and she slapped Ratatosk in the face that one time he was being a particularly giant ass.

This concludes the list of good things about Marta.

I should probably mention early on in this list here that there arent a whole lot of characters that Im going to completely condemn. The characters are the biggest strength of the series - most of the lower-end Tales party members are still somewhat solid because they almost always have a personality or purpose or both. The strong casts are what drove me to do this giant project in the first place.

Marta, though, is worthless. Her personality amounts to emotionally abusive clingy girl in love with Emil. She doesnt even have any bearing on the story - Ratatosks core being in her head is all that makes her relevant (especially once Emil gains the ability to hatch cores, which previously only Marta could do), and that even turns out to be a fake. Her father being the head of the Vanguard adds nothing to the conflict, especially considering that it ends up being the cores that made him go crazy. Shes angry at Colette at the beginning of the game and gets over it in five minutes. Shes not funny or smart or useful or even likable in any way. My favorite Marta quote is when Raine gives Regal the fake love letter and Marta says, Wow, I could learn a lot from her. Yeah, because thats your problem, Marta. Youre too subtle.

Everything about her that isnt actively unappealing is boring. Her combat is unremarkable. Her Mystic Arte is crap even by the low standards of her game. Even if I like her aesthetics I have to admit that theyre also very safe. She really stands out as being plain among the rest of the cast and ESPECIALLY among the other main heroines in the series. Which is fitting, because shes one of only two that exist purely to be a love interest. And that really puts a bow on the whole self-insert fanfiction vibe that Dawn of the New World has. I guess, in a weird way, that makes her perfect for that trash heap of a game, and thats about the most effective insult I can give her.

TL;DR: In a series known for subverting tropes with their characters, Marta falls victim to the time-honored JRPG misstep of making the main heroine nothing more than annoying window dressing that makes heart eyes at the protagonist.

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