Board 8 > Iceman Finishes Ranking Every Tales Series Party Member

(+) Yeah! (+)

95 down to 4. Plenty of controversial rankings, as expected, but we've got one more tier to go - four more party members that are all among my favorite fictional characters of all time. Two today, two tomorrow, and this insane project will finally be done!

The list so far...

"Shut up! This isn't about logic!"
5. Yuri Lowell (Vesperia)
6. Jude Mathis (Xillia)
7. Velvet Crowe (Berseria)
8. Guy Cecil (Abyss)
9. Raven (Vesperia)
10. Beryl Benito (Hearts)
11. Alvin (Xillia)
12. Tear Grants (Abyss)

If one sword has a power of 100, then using two will make it 200, right?
13. Lloyd Irving (Symphonia)
14. Pascal (Graces)
15. Raine Sage (Symphonia)
16. Eleanor Hume (Berseria)
17. Malik Caesar (Graces)
18. Sheena Fujibayashi (Symphonia)
19. Chalcedony Akerman (Hearts)
20. Natalia Luzu Kimlasca-Lanvaldear (Abyss)
21. Laphicet (Berseria)
22. Rita Mordio (Vesperia)
23. Sophie (Graces)
24. Rowen Ilbert (Xillia)
25. Milla Maxwell (Xillia)
26. Rutee Katrea (Destiny)

What could this mean for the tournament?! ...Oh screw this. I'm outta here!
27. Eizen (Berseria)
28. Farah Oersted (Eternia)
29. Richard Barona (Graces)
30. Repede (Vesperia)
31. Presea Combatir (Symphonia)
32. Reid Hershel (Eternia)
33. Chester Burklight (Phantasia)
34. Stahn Aileron (Destiny)
35. Gaius (Xillia)
36. Muzet (Xillia)

Ive traveled back in time from next week. Please stop throwing monsters at us.
37. Estellise Sidos Heurassein (Vesperia)
38. Alisha Diphda (Zestiria)
39. Rokurou Rangetsu (Berseria)
40. Will Raynard (Legendia)
41. Keele Zeibel (Eternia)
42. Zaveid (Zestiria)
43. Garr Kelvin (Destiny)
44. Kor Meteor (Hearts)
45. Judith (Vesperia)
46. Ludger Kresnik (Xillia)
47. Mary Argent (Destiny)
48. Leia Rolando (Xillia)
49. Claus F. Lester (Phantasia)
50. Flynn Scifo (Vesperia)
51. Anise Tatlin (Abyss)
52. Kratos Aurion (Symphonia)
53. Ines Lorenzen (Hearts)

"You're weak! You're a hack! You're wack."
54. Senel Coolidge (Legendia)
55. Rassius Luine (Eternia)
56. Max (Eternia)
57. Norma Beatty (Legendia)
58. Chloe Valens (Legendia)
59. Hubert Oswell (Graces)
60. Karyl Sheeden (Destiny)
61. Arche Klein (Phantasia)
62. Gall Gruner (Hearts)
63. Karol Capel (Vesperia)
64. Asbel Lhant (Graces)
65. Edna (Zestiria)
66. Fractured Milla (Xillia)

"No, no, no! Horrible! Terrible! Contrived! What kind of shoddy performance is this? Youre an eyesore! Get out of my sight!
67. Regal Bryant (Symphonia)
68. Kohaku Hearts (Hearts)
69. Cress Albane (Phantasia)
70. Elize Lutus (Xillia)
71. Cheria Barnes (Graces)
72. Lailah (Zestiria)
73. Kunzite (Hearts)
74. Philia Felice (Destiny)
75. Genis Sage (Symphonia)
76. Meredy (Eternia)
77. Mint Adenade (Phantasia)
78. Moses Sandor (Legendia)
79. Dezel (Zestiria)
80. Colette Brunel (Symphonia)
81. Hisui Hearts (Hearts)

The reaper and a daemon are shaking their heads at this overwrought monstrosity. Intrinsic worth, zero."
82. Chat (Eternia)
83. Grune (Legendia)
84. Mikleo (Zestiria)
85. Chelsea Torn (Destiny)
86. Patty Fleur (Vesperia)
87. Sorey (Zestiria)
88. Leon Magnus (Destiny)
89. Bruiser Khang (Destiny)
90. Emil Castagnier (Symphonia)
91. Jay (Legendia)
92. Suzu Fujibayashi (Phantasia)
93. Marta Lualdi (Symphonia)
94. Rose (Zestiria)
95. Shirley Fennes (Legendia)

---
<cite>_stingers_ posted [p:936607488] in Iceman Fin... [t:78530883]...</cite> <quote>tag </quote>

... Copied to Clipboard!

Let's go Magilou

---

Tag


---

Tag, let's go Luke #1

---

Voted Jade but Luke v Jade is really tough. They're both so good in different ways. Luke has his whole character arc, but Jade is a fascinating look at someone who has mostly run through his by the time the game starts and you get to see the results as well as piece together the backstory.

he's also a top tier troll

---

I fucking hate Jade. At this point Im hoping either Zelos or Magilou are #1. Abyss cast is a large reason Im not fond of that game.

Haunter12O posted...

I fucking hate Jade. At this point Im hoping either Zelos or Magilou are #1. Abyss cast is a large reason Im not fond of that game.

bad take

---

Haunter12O posted...

I fucking hate Jade. At this point Im hoping either Zelos or Magilou are #1. Abyss cast is a large reason Im not fond of that game.

Ouch

But I mean yeah MAGIKAZAM

re-tag.

---

wow that's an excellent bottom 3

Magigigika Mirdin Do Din Nolurun Dou

---

Very even poll so far! Apologies to the ~25% of you I'm about to therefore disappoint.

#4 - Zelos Wilder (Symphonia)
"Haha, I don't know what to tell ya. I'm just a weak lazy bum. All I want is a fun, easy life. That's it. Nothing more, nothing less."

I remember first being exposed to Zelos in one of the GFAQs Character Battles. It was his and Lloyds appearance in that contest (or it may have been multiple contests - despite being a fairly seasoned B8 member at this point Im far from a contest buff) that prompted me to pick up my first Tales game when I saw it for cheap at GameStop. Then I played it, and, though I loved the game overall, I found myself thinking, What the hell was Zelos doing in that contest? Hes annoying and dull! For at least my first two or three playthroughs I made sure to kill him in favor of getting that amazing badass Kratos back in my party instead.

Now, many years later, here we are with Zelos sitting in 4th place on this comprehensive ranking, waving cheerfully at Kratos sitting way back in spot 52.

Zelos might be the character in Tales with the lowest opinion of himself, which is really saying something. Colette is the Chosen that wants to die because she thinks thats the only way her life has meaning. Zelos is the Chosen that wants to die because he believes his life has no meaning full-stop and he just hates being alive. From the moment his uncaring mother told him, with her dying breath, that he shouldve never been born, his existence becomes a hollow parade of people that just want to use him. His purpose has nothing to do with him and everything to do with his station. Like with Colette, hes a weird parallel to Sync the Tempest in that they were both born as sacrificial lambs, but where Sync makes no attempt to hide his hatred for the world and everyone in it, Zelos masks his in a carefree exterior and just tries to eke out whatever small pleasures he can by the advantages afforded to him by his high society standing.

What Zelos doesnt try to hide is that hell look out for number one above all else. He wants to be on the winning side, he says. Even this is a bit of a half-truth, as hes really prioritizing his half-sister above even himself for the most part (their whole dynamic is absolutely fantastic, by the way), but its genuine in that he does spend most of the game playing Lloyds group, Mithos, and the Renegades against each other for his own benefit, although its likely even he doesnt know for most of the story what exactly his endgame will be. Its even debatable when exactly he chooses his final side. The only line that changes in the Kratos path is that Lloyd says Zelos, can I really trust you? instead of Zelos, I trust you. So was he planning to betray the group for real the whole time, only changing his mind because hes touched that Lloyd believes in him on the Zelos path? Or was he always on the partys side, only changing his mind because hes so hurt that the guy he admires is doubting him on the Kratos path? I dont know, and I think both options are equally intriguing from a character perspective. Gun to my head, though, I think he mightve always been planning to double-cross Cruxis if a good opportunity even halfway presented itself, because he always does the right thing when push comes to shove. Lloyds faith probably just removed any lingering second-guessing. Thats the canon path, so it makes sense to me that Zelos wouldve always been leaning toward the good guys.

And Lloyd obviously is the impetus for most of Zeloss growth. Hes the first person to see Zelos as a person, and thats enough for him to rethink his entire worldview. He goes from a guy who freely admits to being a little racist against half-elves just due to the nature of Tetheallan society to one who lets Kate recuperate in his bed and makes his future cooperation with the King contingent on half-elf discrimination laws being eliminated. He realizes that he actually can do good for other people, maybe as the Chosen but maybe also just as a human being. Its a much better version of Colettes development.

Theres a lot of smaller traits and moments that make Zelos into a true, fully realized character. That hes easily the most intelligent party member who isnt literally a genius. That he can be a hypocrite at times, losing his temper with Sheena for trying to sacrifice herself despite his own death wish or calling out Kratos for running away from his problems and leaving them to other people when thats all Zelos ever does (exacerbated by Kratos being Lloyds father, given Zeloss own parental issues). That he conveniently leaves Meltokio any time it snows because it reminds him of the trauma of his mothers death. That one sidequest where he goes off on a knight for mistreating a poor kid and then gives the kids mom a job. Just after Corrines death when hes trying to be his usual joking self because he knows Sheena wont get past it if everyone walks on eggshells. His relationship with Sheena in general, where shes the only woman he has actual feelings for but he pushes her toward Lloyd anyway because he wants her to be happy and knows hes probably long since killed his own chances.

And finally, FINALLY, we get to a character that actually takes something positive away from the sequel. Where all the rest of the Symphonia cast is willing to doubt Lloyd to varying degrees, Zelos never even entertains the notion. He completely dismisses Emil when he badmouths him to the point that hes going to save Alice just to spite him, and later, when Decus-as-Lloyd kidnaps Seles right in front of him and Emil tries to use it as proof, Zelos immediately, almost casually, just says Nah, thats not Lloyd. Literally, thats the line, and its great. Just great. He completely laughs it off because it just never enters his mind that Lloyd can do any of what hes accused of. Beyond that, hes a lot more open about his affection for his sister and has some of the best banter with Tenebrae. Apparently, Zelos was too great for even Dawns writers to screw up.

TL;DR: Zelos is a perfect execution of his character archetype from the first time you meet him all the way to the end. He works great in the context of the world, the story, and the party. I went from someone who killed him on every playthrough to someone who will never kill him again.

---

Tales of Symphonia Wrap-Up
To humans like you, I can entrust this life of mine.

There was a point a few years back, when newer and shinier Tales games had come out and I hadnt played through Symphonia for a while, where I felt pretty strongly that this cast was overrated by fans of the series, held up mostly on the strength of Lloyd and Raine and especially Zelos. And I still sort of believe that. More recently, though, characters like Sheena and Presea have worked their way up higher on the list, and its now a pretty polarized cast. Youve got some of the best characters in the series hanging around with three of its absolute worst. Itd be better for everyone if the atrocity that is Dawn of the New World never existed - the only Symphonia cast member that got any help from that game is the one that needed it the least.

I guess maybe the duality of this party is consistent with the world they come from. One half flourishes, the other half is harvesting dirt. This metaphor only kind of makes sense and isnt that funny but whatever Im leaving it here.

---

1 right so far. 3 to go baybeeeeeee.

I did predict Zelos at 4 at the end of the previous topic, so... woo to that much I guess XD

And yeah, I was similar: Originally I took Kratos path every time to get rid of Zelos, but gradually I started taking the Zelos path more and more, and by the time I did Zelos's own split on the Zelos path.... well, let's just say if I take Kratos path now, its not because I want Zelos out, but because I want Kratos in that run. Even then I make myself regret it by setting a certain boss fight to Mania. You know the one.

---

that's a good top 5 and it's nice to see shirley at the bottom where she belongs

---

NBIceman posted...

80. Colette Brunel (Symphonia)

NBIceman posted...

95. Shirley Fennes (Legendia)

based

---

Damn, Symphonia is the only game I've played. I enjoyed reading about characters I actually know about, though!


---

Anagram posted...

Damn, Symphonia is the only game I've played. I enjoyed reading about characters I actually know about, though!

There are a lot of great games in this series!

Berseria is very modern and very, very good. Abyss if you want a classic! Vesperia is a very solid all around, too.

NBIceman posted...

his half-sister

Where did they mention she's his half sister?

---

shadowysea07 posted...

Where did they mention she's his half sister?

I forget the exact spot where they do (Flanoir?) but Seles's mother was the one who tried to kill Zelos when he was younger in the incident where his own mother died shielding him.

---

NBIceman posted...

And Lloyd obviously is the impetus for most of Zeloss growth. Hes the first person to see Zelos as a person, and thats enough for him to rethink his entire worldview. He goes from a guy who freely admits to being a little racist against half-elves just due to the nature of Tetheallan society to one who lets Kate recuperate in his bed and makes his future cooperation with the King contingent on half-elf discrimination laws being eliminated. He realizes that he actually can do good for other people, maybe as the Chosen but maybe also just as a human being. Its a much better version of Colettes development.

Part of the reason he is the way he is was due to his mother being murdered by a half elf which is very important. That coupled with the desians organization being entirely comprised of half elves there's no wonder why people all over the world hate them since they are basically nazis.

xp1337 posted...

I forget the exact spot where they do (Flanoir?) but Seles's mother was the one who tried to kill Zelos when he was younger in the incident where his own mother died shielding him.

Edit: Yeah, Zelos states it in his Flanoir scene. Not sure if it also comes up elsewhere.

Oh apparently I missed that specific part. As I remember the stuff about his mom but I didn't know the stuff about seles. Weird too as I thought the reason she was kept in the abbey was due to keeping chosens and their family lines separated and because of her having some kind of illness or weak constitution. As for the shielding him part that wasn't stated and I would assume didn't happen unless it was mentioned in outside media or different versions of the game.

If this is all the case then would that make seles 1/4 elf?

NBIceman posted...

I went from someone who

I am surprised you did given that zelos is needed for the majority of side quests while picking kratos locks you out of them. The beach, noble costumes off the top of my head required him.
Smash Master posted...

I did predict Zelos at 4 at the end of the previous topic, so... woo to that much I guess XD

And yeah, I was similar: Originally I took Kratos path every time to get rid of Zelos, but gradually I started taking the Zelos path more and more, and by the time I did Zelos's own split on the Zelos path.... well, let's just say if I take Kratos path now, its not because I want Zelos out, but because I want Kratos in that run. Even then I make myself regret it by setting a certain boss fight to Mania. You know the one.

On that note it kills me that there's only one section of the game where you can put both of them in the party at the same time. As I definitely would have a hard time not doing so if the option was permanent. I never thought about it but I wonder if they had any after battle quotes for them?

---

^There's no after-battle quotes for them, but there is a unison attack combo for them. Granted its just cross thrust, same as if either one had done it with Lloyd, but it's still pretty nifty that it exists.

---

I may be misremembering the shielding thing. In Flanoir Zelos states she was caught in the crossfire but maybe I just have a hard time imagining the aim was that off.

He does explicitly name Seles's mom as the assassin and notes that after her execution that Seles was confined in the Abbey. I think it's true that she was sick as a child and that that is the "official" reason given to the public about why she's there but Zelos certainly makes it sounds like it was as a result of what her mother did.

---

#3 - Jade Curtiss (Abyss)
Dont worry, the worst that could happen is we all die.

As a younger NBIceman, across my first playthrough or three of Abyss, Jade endeared himself greatly to me with his wit and snark and steadfast commitment to trolling everyone in the entire game. Back in those days, hed have been #1 on this list based purely on those qualities. And Im not gonna pretend theyre not still a huge part of why hes #3 and couldve just as easily been #2 or even still 1. But theres a lot more to the colonel than just that, and I dont think that gets acknowledged enough.

For starters, is there any other playable character in the series that gets more respect from the rest of the world, including the antagonists, than Jade? Milla is the only one that gives him a run for his money, but Id still give the edge to the Necromancer. Largo considers him so dangerous that he uses the Fon Slot Seal (a weapon stated to cost about a tenth of a whole nations yearly budget) to incapacitate him, and then Jade still damn near kills him and Legretta just afterwards through sheer battle prowess and strategic thinking. By games end, hes almost definitely as powerful as any of the God-Generals, if not more so. Everyone on the planet knows his name and what hes accomplished. Hes a complete badass, and beneath all his screwing around, he knows it. But, of course, hes not exactly comfortable being held in such high regard, because he knows deep down that he isnt the infallible ace everyone thinks he is.

You can tell early on that theres just something not quite right about him. Even before he deduces that Luke is a replica, he studies him as one might a guinea pig in a lab. He has no qualms about executing an unconscious Arietta before the rest of the party talks him out of it. Add that to his overall demeanor and a smile that never seems to leave his face and youve got a man whos just plain unsettling. It becomes increasingly clear over time that his mind simply does not work like everyone elses. His behavior as a child, what with the torturing of monsters, inventing fomicry to replace his sisters doll instead of just buying a new one, and mutilating his own eyes to increase his magic ability, comes off like that of a real-life serial killer. If it werent for Nebilims death and botched resurrection, he couldve very easily been the main villain.

Its not like his sociopathic tendencies ever completely go away, either - hes just more aware of them and he does his level best to keep them under control. Most of the time, he does a pretty good job of it. Some of his more heartless moments can be seen as mere pragmatism through different lenses, and its undeniable that his cold, detached decision-making saves the party on more than one occasion.

Plus, when you look past his disturbingly calm exterior, its obvious that his part in creating fomicry really weighs heavily on him, increasingly so as the game goes on. He loses his temper exactly once in Abyss, which is when Legretta first confirms that theyre indeed making replicas again. But theres other instances where hes uncharacteristically emotional as more and more replicas start popping up, where he snaps at people who dont really deserve it, speaks his mind a little too freely when hed ordinarily check himself, and even loses his otherwise unshakable focus for a second once or twice. Its never explicitly stated, but they do a good job of showing how difficult it must be to have living reminders of your past mistakes wandering around everywhere causing new problems for people. Its not just fomicry, either. He acknowledges at one point that hes brought several inventions of questionable morality into the world and, in a rare moment of lowered defenses, candidly expresses a wish that he could go back in time and kill himself as a newborn. Interestingly, for all his considerable guilt, he seems to understand that suicide would be pointless now, presumably because he realizes that hes more useful actively working to undo the pain hes caused.

Jades more honest moments are some of the best of the game, and they come out most often in his conversations with Luke in the second half. The first instance is when Luke first finds out what happened with Nebilim, leading Jade to reassure him that he no longer wishes to resurrect her. His reasoning is that, since replicas have no memories, a replica cannot forgive [him.] The subtext there, if youre looking, is that his original reasons for such attempts were selfish, meant to alleviate his regret rather than just to give an innocent woman her life back. Later, he sincerely apologizes (I believe its the only time in the game he does this to anyone) to Luke for the circumstances that seem to be leading to his sacrifice. The best is when he admits to envying Luke for his ability to change, develop compassion, and naturally recognize the value of human life, all of which Jade has desired for years and never quite been able to grasp.

Thats the tragedy of Jades character. Hes really trying to be a good person. It just doesnt come at all naturally to him. But he tries, and Lukes commitment to changing is seemingly what spurs that on. Theres a subtle change in the way he treats the other party members throughout the game thats probably most obvious with Anise in the events leading up to her eventual betrayal. As suspicious as shes acting, Jade doesnt force her to explain herself. Some people point at this as bad writing. I think its meant more as an example than Jade is trying very hard to overcome his naturally suspicious mind in order to give one of his more trusted companions the benefit of the doubt. It bites him in the ass (since, because hes Jade, he was of course right all along), but he seems to learn from that mistake in a fashion that encourages him to be more honest himself afterwards in the hopes that the rest of the cast will follow suit rather than one that wouldve made him retreat even further into himself. Its done quite well in my opinion, and its nice to see that in his own Jade way, hes come to rely on and trust the party.

---

Theres also his eventual admittance that he was partly to blame for the events of Akzeriuth, due to his figuring out early on that Luke was a replica and choosing not to explain it to anyone simply because he thought itd be too troublesome. Thats around the time he starts making Guy explain everything. At first, that just seems like Jade being Jade, but when you pair those two ideas it really does start to feel more like hes just trying to find a way to be more forthcoming without driving himself crazy.

His best development comes right at the end of the game, though, when he finally starts to forgive himself for creating fomicry. He comes to understand that no human invention is inherently good or evil, that any tool can be used for either, and that with all hes learned, he might actually be able to do worthwhile things with the technology. He says as much to Van in his personal ending (which is an awesome couple of scenes all-around - check it out if youve never seen it, because most likely havent). He also gets a surprisingly sweet goodbye to Luke afterwards, where they seem to have developed a nice little rapport with each other against all odds.

And all this is wonderfully contrasted with how freaking funny the dude is, and I have to give a shout out to the incredible voice work of Kirk Thornton for that. Every line is delivered so perfectly. I dont really see people talk about this much, but Jade was the first uber-troll in the series. Its since become a staple of Tales parties, and thats all because of how popular Jade was. But no ones done it better. Hed be the most quotable character in the series based purely on his serious lines in Abyss. When you throw in the jokes and one-liners, its not even a contest anymore.

Also, he has a Pac-Man belt buckle.

TL;DR: Hes badass, funny, and very well-developed. What more can you ask for? People tend to think of the troll side of Jade first, but theres a really complete character in there as well.

---

Down to 2! And one of them's winning the little mini-poll right now, so that's fun. Gonna finish this up tomorrow with these last two drops.

For the record, spots 1-3 were all in pretty close contention for #1. They've all occupied it at different times in my head. So hopefully no one's too disappointed!

---

Yikes. Really rough on Rose there. I really don't get all the hate for her.

---

Unbridled9 posted...

Yikes. Really rough on Rose there. I really don't get all the hate for her.

That reminds me.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/8-gamefaqs-contests/78413187

Meant to put this in the opening post, but that was the first topic. If anyone's curious to see the writeups for the rest of the list, they're all there.

---

It's not like I'm arguing she's a great character. She's C-tier at best. I think in any other game she would have been on-par with someone like Leia in terms of importance and love/hate and stuff. Maybe a bit lower but nowhere near as hated. The problem is that Zesteria does a nasty combo on her since you always HAVE to have her in your party or else you're fighting at a serious disadvantage and it removes Alisha from the party except for that one brief moment just before she joins. That means that, basically, the game forced a secondary character to take on the role of a leading character while *****slapping the person we assumed would be the main female lead effectively for no reason at all and then punishing the player if they DARE remove her for any reason. That's not really Rose's fault though; just terrible game/plot design.

Not saying she's great (like I said, a C-tier at most), I just think that second worst is a liiiiitle bit too harsh.

Also, are you really certain she's a Mary Sue? Usually I define Sues by how much the world warps to accommodate them and I don't recall it being too bad for Rose. Yea, she's got some moments, but a Sue? I don't think so.

---

Tales or Zesteria was basically rewritten and rushed into a piece of trash because the director either wanted to or did start screwing the VA for Rose, a minor character, and she was changed into the female lead late into development.

So in a roundabout way Rose is somewhat specifically the reason the last half of that game is such a fucking trashfire. Though it's arguably not super fair since obviously Hideo Baba himself is at fault, though she also just kind of sucks to begin with.

I said earlier that there was a very short list of party members I felt could have carried a Tales game as a lead if given the chance. That list is three: Guy, Eleanor, and Alicia.

Oh, and GO GO MAGILOU.

2 for 2 so far let's DO THIIIIIIIIIS..

Tag.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ywr15C7eLM

Ma ma ma Magilou
Ma ma ma Magilou
Ma ma ma Magilou


---

I was gonna guess Luke > Magilou > Jade > Zelos at the end of the last topic but it closed before I could post. So far so good!

No mention of Zelos flirting and being able to get items from women? I thought that was really amusing when I played it.

---

Unbridled9 posted...

Also, are you really certain she's a Mary Sue? Usually I define Sues by how much the world warps to accommodate them and I don't recall it being too bad for Rose. Yea, she's got some moments, but a Sue? I don't think so.

Zestiria absolutely does warp to accommodate her, both in the context of the game proper and in the meta way that was mentioned where the whole thing was rewritten to make her the main character. And she is the main character by the end - Sorey is just along for the ride.

Malevolence flat-out does not work the same way with Rose as it does with every other character in Zestiria or even Berseria. Killing is the worst sin possible, unless Rose does it. Everything that the Shepherd's group does has lasting consequences for the world, unless it's something Rose does, in which case all of the consequences are beneficial if there are even any at all.

Zestiria is more concerned with making Rose look good to the player than telling a compelling story. That's the bottom line. And it shows.

Maniac64 posted...

No mention of Zelos flirting and being able to get items from women? I thought that was really amusing when I played it.

It's a fun mechanic conceptually, but the novelty wore off real fast for me. He needs an EX Skill slot to do it, there aren't any really interesting interactions with it because all of the NPCs say the same thing, and it drives my completionist mind crazy to feel like I'm missing out on stuff if I don't grab every item I possibly can with it.

Doesn't really affect my opinion of the character either way, so I didn't really think it was much worth talking about. These last few writeups are long enough as it is.

---

This is the correct final two! I have Magilou as my #1 but either outcome is good

---

I want to see a Trails character ranking.

This is probaly my final 2 as well, so I mean I can't be MAD....but I want to nail it.

I've considered doing a Trails ranking in, y'know, ten years when I actually play them all.

I might be able to pull off a half-decent Sky ranking if nothing else since I'm almost done with Sky the 3rd, but I think I need a little break from ranking projects after this one!

---

Ended up being a lot busier than I thought today and I don't want to just toss in the finale late at night, so I guess it's going to actually be tomorrow. Sorry y'all, hope no one was on the edge of their seats for it.

---

I'm no longer on the seat.

Don't know if I'm tired or out of it, but just hit got to Dahlgren and man this town theme is rocking.

Ten Best Town Themes

---

Alrighty, here we go.

#2 - Magilou (Berseria)
Let the biting bugs go ahead and eat what they wanna eat! Let the weeds grow where they wanna grow! Some may look down on them and scoff at their foolishness, but their unwavering wills are proof that theyre alive. If thats what you call evil, then I will live and die with evil as my mantra!

Remember Jack Sparrows introduction in Curse of the Black Pearl? Grand, heroic music kicking in as he stands proudly aboard his ship, only to have it revealed that its actually a rapidly sinking dinghy that hes just barely managing to keep afloat? He pauses to salute the skeletons of hanged pirates, then casually steps off the mast into Port Royal as the dinghy slips completely below water. Then he ties it up anyway, bribes the harbormaster to ignore him, and then immediately steals the dudes coin pouch. Its widely regarded as one of the best character introductions ever in cinema, and it deserves every bit of it. Within two minutes, weve already got a clear, amazing picture of who the character is.

Magilous intro would get my vote for the equivalent scene in video games. I dont think Ive ever fallen in love with a video game character as quickly as I did with her.

Berserias opening is dark. It has a whole village turning into monsters, a pretty gruesome child killing, and a grim prison escape sequence. And right in the middle of all that, this happens.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5H24IDKP3lo

She effortlessly sneaks up on Velvet (which we already know isnt exactly easy), gives her a creepy, menacing smirk, casually ducks the ensuing slash, and then, in the same motion, launches into a monologue so overly dramatic and laden with rhymes that its practically gibberish, before nonchalantly wandering off to who-knows-where. And Velvet and Seres could not possibly be less interested as its all happening. Seventy-five seconds here give us a lot of information and fascinating questions. We can tell right off the bat that Magilous at least a little bit out of it, but its also clear that she has a dangerous edge to her. Shes imprisoned on an island along with the rest of the worst of societys worst, and somehow her carefree attitude makes her feel more threatening than any of them. At the same time, the lack of reaction from her audience shows how shes going to be regarded by most of the games characters.

And, as youll see sometimes, by a decent portion of players. Magilou, to a certain extent, invites archetypal classification. Its very easy to dismiss her as just another party member that hides buried pain and a cynical worldview beneath a thick layer of comedy, and shes so over-the-top about it that it becomes obnoxious and almost cringey.

If thats how youd describe her, you wouldnt really be saying anything wrong. But this is one of those times where correctness doesnt imply accuracy.

Magilou is an absolutely beautiful character. One of the major themes of Berseria is how it's not only a bad idea to try, but also impossible to succeed in removing emotion from a human being. She is meant to embody that idea. Melchior puts her through that "test" that's outright meant to cause the most severe emotional trauma possible and make her unable to feel anything, but the longer she's with the party the more obvious it is that he really couldnt have failed any more completely. Whatever damage that was done came not from the test, but from the betrayal she felt at his willingness to do such a thing to her in the first place. Deep down, she's an angrier person than even Velvet. She's motivated by revenge as much as anyone in the game, only her vengeance, instead of being directed at any one person or group, is a systematic dismantling of the very ideals that brought her such pain. She knows how important emotions are because hers are so screwed up.

But heres the beautiful part - she may also love people more genuinely and fully than anyone else in the series. That even gets alluded to in Zestiria from the seraph that talks about the first Storyteller. This is where the quality that starts to set her apart from similar characters starts to show, and it's also where the cringe humor comes in. Oftentimes when a character in fiction struggles with bonds with other people and with a crippling fear of being abandoned by people they love, their solution is to try to close themselves off so they never put themselves in a position to love in the first place. Magilou, on the other hand, knows, despite everything, that she'll never be able to resist getting attached to people, so her solution is to be so incredibly annoying and unlikable that others do the pushing-away for her. Her way of avoiding bonds is to make sure no one can stand to be around her long enough for her to form one. She's in a constant state of performing, in more ways than one. Not only does all of her dialogue have a theatrical, poetic, lyrical quality to it - alliteration and wordplay and puns and such - shes desperately trying to pretend she doesnt care to free herself from the weight of caring more than anyone else. Even her skit portraits are ultra-expressive where other Berseria characters have pretty low-key ones. All the world is her stage, but she's also the only audience member. Her sense of "humor" isn't meant to evoke laughs from others, it's meant to evoke reactions that amuse her. Anything that makes her feel anything is her goal. She makes herself into a court jester, outfit and all, because it's the only way she knows how to insulate herself against the limits of her apathetic facade.

That facade slips with some regularity, though. She straight-up says at one point that a happy illusion is better than a sad reality, and later that people can fight against pain but not happiness. And although she never really shows it, it definitely bothers her that the rest of the party is still treating her like a nuisance in the mid-game while the other five are developing a rapport, which leads to one of the most entertaining skits in the game with her trying to browbeat Velvet into giving her a nickname in tacit acknowledgement of her importance to the party. Turns out her strategy of distance doesnt work so well when she happens upon a group of people too crazy to be affected by her lunacy. Her inherent empathy shines through on occasion, too - shes fond of Laphicet from the beginning, calling him kiddo and telling Eizen to go easy on him when the subject of mothers comes up, which is the first time she expresses anything resembling concern for anyone, and sometimes it seems like even she has misgivings about the way malakhim are generally treated. Its clear th

Even without all that intrigue, though, Im one of the people who just plain finds Magilou hilarious. Shes a master troll, and the most consistent source of levity in a game thats often pensive at best. Really, the most disturbing part of the Aball illusion is how little she talks during it. The fact that she doesnt ever attempt any of her usual shtick is a very prescient sign that something is far, far wrong.

And man, is the payoff ever awesome. Her single-handed holding off of Melchior on the Hexen Isle is probably the most badass moment in the whole series, and its also the turning point in her development. She proves to herself that she still has the belief in people that she thought lost, especially when the rest of the party arrives and shows her that faith wasnt misplaced, and for their part, once they realize what shes done, they finally understand and accept her. From there, we get to see the real Magilou, insofar as that person still exists. She starts actually sharing little things about herself like food preferences and such, and starts honestly referring to the others as friends. It's to the point where Grimoirh revealing her backstory to the others doesn't even bother her. We get to see her having an absolute blast acting as Velvets hype man in Meirchio, and just afterwards is when we finally see the outward expression of all that anger she's been carrying around in the delivery of the verbal smackdown of Melchior and the Abbeys beliefs that comprises the above quote. Its a fantastic scene, buoyed by Eizen and Rokurou showing up to stand behind her by the end. And for all that, she still has a bit of a funny, apathetic edge to her - you can see her yawning in the background during at least one of Eleanors late-game soliloquies, for example. Its nice to know the real Magilou is still a hoot. Also, while its a comparatively small thing, I love how shes the one Velvet talks to in the one-on-one skits before the final battle. It really shows how much theyve come to rely on and get each other, and reinforces how in some ways this was as much Magilous story as Velvets.

And the last we see of Magilou is her genuinely laughing and truly happy in the ending. It may be the most heartwarming scene in all of Tales, and thats no small feat.

Im gonna finish, once again, by shouting out the voice actor. Erica Lindbeck outdid herself with this performance, and its awesome that she seems to really be breaking out in the industry now. Magilou, line-by-line, has the best-written dialogue in the franchise. Her comic relief lines are clever and actually funny, and her serious lines can often be legitimately profound instead of just tryhard, all tied together with prose that isnt often seen in video games, let alone JRPGs. But, like with Velvet, it wouldnt work if they werent delivered right, and Lindbeck throws herself into this character 100% and really brings her to life. Its very obvious that she got a huge kick out of playing such an exaggerated character, and that sort of enthusiasm rubs off.

TL;DR: Magilou can be somewhat off-putting, and at first glance she might seem a little cliche or prototypical. But everything about her serves a specific purpose, and when you really stop to consider the role she plays in the party dynamic, her importance to one of the games strongest messages, and the little details that flesh her out, something unique and unforgettable takes shape. Shes an achievement as a party member, and I have no hesitation in listing her among my favorite fictional characters ever. Magikazam!

---

Tales of Berseria Wrap-Up
Just you wait! Im putting this down in my revenge journal!

This is just a fantastic cast, and everyone knows it. Its actually kind of incredible, with how polarizing pretty much everything in Tales is, that we finally got a set of party members that just seems to be universally beloved. Everyone has a defined role in the context of the larger plot and in the group itself, and they all play it well. They have plenty of comic chemistry, but they also have the kind of bonds and understanding with each other to pull off more serious conversations on the (fairly common) occasion that theyre necessary. Velvet and Magilou are unquestionably two of the best characters the series ever produced, and Id put them up among the best in video games as a whole, but so much of that is because of how excellently they play off their castmates. The relationships that these six form all feel so genuine and compelling, and that goes a long way into immersing a player into a world the way Berseria does. And theyre all even pretty fun in battle!

Gun to my head, I do still prefer the Abyss offering by a tiny hair, but Magilous Menagerie is an incredible achievement in JRPG parties. The genre is more or less predicated on the idea of a group of misfits coming together to fight for or against something greater than themselves, and there arent many greater examples of that than this cast here.

Act. Like. A. Dove.

And they were never heard from again...

Writeup for Luke coming in a few hours!

---

Page break so I don't have to split Luke between two pages.

---