Special Heroes: Lovely Gifts

[Mercakete]

Oh my gooooooosh the story for this paralogue is soooo cute!! Alm stumbling over himself, wanting to connect to his family, and being so sincere, Conrad being such an adorable big brother, Silque and Faye enjoying a spot of shopping (and recruiting Conrad along the way)... It's just so cute! I love it so much! X3 MAN I need to summon Valentine's Alm and Valentine's Rudolf! I should make an armor team of dads. Rudolf and Griel are a given, but I wonder who else I should put on there...

[Othin]

1 hour ago, Mercakete said:

Oh my gooooooosh the story for this paralogue is soooo cute!! Alm stumbling over himself, wanting to connect to his family, and being so sincere, Conrad being such an adorable big brother, Silque and Faye enjoying a spot of shopping (and recruiting Conrad along the way)... It's just so cute! I love it so much! X3 MAN I need to summon Valentine's Alm and Valentine's Rudolf! I should make an armor team of dads. Rudolf and Griel are a given, but I wonder who else I should put on there...

Do you have Halloween Hector? He seems perfect. 

Edited February 8, 2020 by Othin

[Anacybele]

The story in this paralogue was good, but I don't think it beats Greil's Devoted. I'm a little biased since I'm a Tellius fangirl, but the story there was just so touching and sweet. Greil got to see how much his son grew up and improved as a warrior and Ike got to see his dad and fight alongside him one more time and got some more words of wisdom from him.

Rudolf seemed more like he was just "there" in comparison. Greil's presence just felt more fulfilling and like it had more of a purpose. He got to see his family again and realize any mistakes he'd made.

As I'd said though, I am a little biased and I'm not sure anything in Heroes is going to beat Greil's Devoted for me. 😛

Edited February 8, 2020 by Anacybele

[Fire Emblem Fan]

Story-wise, the Valentine paralogues go Elibe > Tellius > Valentia, in my opinion. They got less and less impactful, but they all have really good moments. Hopefully next year's has more oomph like Elibe and Tellius in its story.

[Anacybele]

Tellius > Valentia > Elibe to me. But I never liked FE7 so yeah.

No one had answered me when I asked if anyone else thought Conrad's damage art was hilarious... I really thought others thought his face was so funny here. I can't stop laughing at it. lol I'm the only one that laughed?

[Fire Emblem Fan]

48 minutes ago, Anacybele said:

No one had answered me when I asked if anyone else thought Conrad's damage art was hilarious... I really thought others thought his face was so funny here. I can't stop laughing at it. lol I'm the only one that laughed?

It wasn't anything that made me keel over (nothing in Heroes has done that to me) but it's definitely the  funniest expression they've given anyone in the game thus far, yeah.

[Anacybele]

24 minutes ago, Fire Emblem Fan said:

It wasn't anything that made me keel over (nothing in Heroes has done that to me) but it's definitely the  funniest expression they've given anyone in the game thus far, yeah.

Ah, nice. 😛 Glad to know, because more often than not, I seem to laugh at things that no one else does. xP

[SockPuppet]

1 hour ago, Anacybele said:

Tellius > Valentia > Elibe to me. But I never liked FE7 so yeah.

No one had answered me when I asked if anyone else thought Conrad's damage art was hilarious... I really thought others thought his face was so funny here. I can't stop laughing at it. lol I'm the only one that laughed?

It reminds me of Summer Wolt’s!

[Mercakete]

@Othin

I thought about adding him. I do have him, and you're right; he would fit, I think. Juuust need someone else to round out Team Dadly. (Because they need a dad joke in their name because dads.)

 

As for the technical quality of the writing (as opposed to personal opinion) I'd say that they got better and better every year, though I enjoyed all of them.

The first year followed the same pattern of "this is a festival in which there's a fighting competition" that other events had laid out. This was the main story. Sub-stories within that involved Hector being mistrusting of Roy with a strong sense of protection for Lilina, Eliwood awkwardly trying to maintain the peace and Lyn being uneasy about the weapons and outfits. Also, Roy having a crush on Lilina without being entirely aware that he has a crush on Lilina. Roy also showed admiration for Hector. And Lilina was being a cute daughter, getting a gift for her dad and making him feel a bit silly about having been so concerned that the gift was for Roy.

Each dynamic was accurate to the characters, told a story, and even gave an insight into what Elibe is like (for nobles) during a festival during peacetime. Very good stuff. However, some characters (such as Lyn and in some ways, Eliwood) lacked a distinct role in the story which would contribute to its end. They kind of had too much going on at once, and people would naturally gravitate towards one facet or another (most likely to the Hector-Roy-Lilina story, as that was the most central of the sub-stories.) So, good, but unfocused.

Year 2 is one that's near and dear to me, as it focuses on my favorite group in FE: the Griel Mercenaries. Right off the bat, there was some confusion as to where in the timeline this took place, though that did get cleared up later. Still, confusing your reader in this way is not a good thing. The basic story here is that Ike, Soren, Mist, and Titania are out celebrating the Day of Devotion, looking for gifts to get one another. It breaks that "festival = combat competition" pattern (at least, as a main "here is what we're doing" premise - they are primarily shopping. The combat stuff is just on the side.) which makes the story more unique and less old hat. Then, as they're out shopping, they (much to everyone's shock) run into Griel...who is aware that he is dead in their timeline. He acts almost like a ghost visiting his relatives, which I found to be kind of weird. As I reflected on it, though, he said that he was not their Griel, which would explain why he was sympathetic (this is his family, after all) but still awkward about the whole thing. (I mean, visiting other versions of your relatives after the you from their timeline died has got to be a bit awkward.) Stranger still, he acts like he only has a limited time to be with them, which isn't the way things actually work in Askr...unless he's actually a ghost who somehow has a physical form (which I don't think he is, based on what he said.) Again, reader confusion, and what feels like a hiccup in canon. That's about where the negatives end, though. Ike's a bit beside himself throughout these events (and understandably so - this seems to take place after Crimea's restored under Elincia, but not super long after that), Mist is just happy to get to be with her father again, Titania's some mix of Ike and Mist's response (also, not sure if she should tell Griel how she really feels about him while she has the chance, since she still respects Elena's place in Ike, Mist, and Griel's hearts), and Soren seems to be experiencing a sort of serene "I'm glad this is happening and will quietly appreciate this." Again, everyone is acting in-character (though I'm not sure what the heck is going on with Griel.) At the end of the story, Ike expresses to his father what he feels (which he's been trying to sort within himself), and Griel reassures his son.

The story's main premise was refreshing (shopping for gifts instead of "we're entering this competition") and the characters were in-character (I'm counting Griel as in-character because he's essentially a ghost (despite saying he's a Griel from another world/timeline than the one this Ike/Mist/Titania/Soren are from) and ghost Griel would act differently than a Griel in a timeline where everything was peachy. He was likely awkward about the whole thing, but still tender about it, which I'd say is in-character for him considering the circumstances.) It gave the characters and the player the opportunity to see characters interact in a timeline where they normally wouldn't be able to, and had a lot of good/precious feelings going around. However, there were some details that were not quite clear enough about the setting (in particular, where in time this took place) and the limited about of text involved in these events hampered (in a way) the narrative. Ike's really the only one who got to have a deep reconnection with Griel, even though the man means a lot to everyone present. However, they couldn't very well go into detail having 1-on-1 dialogue with each other character. Ike and Griel were the main focus of the story, and Mist, Titania, and Soren were supporting characters. While this did make the story more focused than the year before, realistically, Titania and Mist at least would have had some one on one chatter with Griel, too. It feels like a bit of a no-win scenario. If you looked into him talking with each of them, it would branch off too much for the kind of story it was, but if you don't, then it feels unfinished or inaccurate. This would have been better as a forging bonds event in that way.

Overall, a sweet and desired concept that was executed a bit sloppily, but was still pretty good. I still feel a bit bad for poor Griel, though. "You're my family, but not really, and I died in this timeline and wasn't there for you anymore, but I'm here now, but not the Griel who died in your timeline... Uh, what do I say in this scenario? *looks into his children's faces* Aw. 🙂 *remembers the convoluted circumstance* Er..."

Anyway, moving on to this year's Day of Devotion story. It starts off with Conrad being a sweet big brother, celebrating his bond with his sister while they hang out with Alm. He presents his presents to Celica, who's a bit overwhelmed by them, but appreciates them nonetheless. Being a bit scattered and determined to make this day perfect for Celica, Conrad remembers that he meant to make tea, and rushes off to do so. For now, let's just look at this. This whole interaction is very in-character, clearly delivers to the reader all the information the reader needs, has sweet family interaction, and is entirely realistic. So far, very well-written. It gives some spotlight to Celica and Conrad, and even flows naturally right into two other sub-stories, one of which we'll get to later, and the other of which is the primary focus of the event's story. The latter of which is Alm's relation to...well, his relatives. We get an insight into Alm's psyche. Given their relationship and built trust, it makes sense that he would confide in Celica about his honest sorrows, reflecting on the deaths of his father and his cousin and feeling a bit lonely being the last of his kin. This was also referenced in his home game. Everything so far is consistent, relatable, and realistic. Nothing is rushed or forced. Thus far, extremely well-written on a technical level. Celica offers her support and reminds Alm that they're in Askr, citing that people who died in their own timelines may come from different realities. She cites Berkut as proof of this (and is probably also thinking about the events of the previous year where a Griel from another timeline was able to reunite with his family.)

Okay, here we come to the one bit that was a bit messy. Rudolf is suddenly there. Now, I don't know exactly where Alm and Celica were at this time, but it's likely that they were in Celica's room in Askr. If you're going to set up a nice, comfortable tea party designed specifically for a particular person (and Conrad was clearly doing this at the start of the story) it's probably going to be in that person's room where you can get some quality time together. This also explains Alm's presence, as this version of Alm and Celica probably come from a time after the events of Shadows of Valentia (given what events Alm cites as he expresses his sadness to Celica.) Plus, if they're brothers-in-law or even if Alm is just engaged to his sister, Alm is family and Conrad may see him as an extension of Celica. So, it's okay that he's there for their brother-sister tea party. So, if Alm, Celica, and Conrad were enjoying a quiet Day of Devotion in Celica and Alm's room (where they could relax and speak in private, plus they were waiting for Conrad to come back with the tea) in the Heroes' accommodations castle, why the heck does Rudolf just pop up out of nowhere? The timing (RIGHT after Celica mentions that he may appear) and even her response ("It's a Day of Devotion wish come true!") is just kind of...sloppy... The writers probably weren't sure how else to take this necessary step in the direction of plot with the amount of space they had to write in, so...yeah... Though, Rudolf is a brusque and to-the-point guy (at least, according to Heroes. He seemed more subtle, gentle, and discreet to me in his home game, what with his whole plan to hide Alm. Though, his methods were a bit extreme, so, I dunno.), so he probably didn't think anything of just sort of barging in unannounced. Anyway, after that, things get better. Rudolf gives Alm a dagger and explains that he was told that you're supposed to give gifts to people you care about on this holiday. Not realizing any sort of issue and thinking he'd sufficiently expressed himself, Rudolf leaves a mystified Alm, who had been trying to get his brain to stop stalling out and say what he wanted to say. He didn't and expresses how overwhelmed he is to Celica, who encourages him to try again.

Alm and Celica go after Rudolf (probably more like Celica taking Alm by the arm and pulling him in the direction Rudolf went), who headed off somewhere. This is because Alm wants to talk to his dad, but is really nervous and unsure about how to even address the man. I mean, he grew up not knowing him. His one encounter was...well...anyway, it's true to character. Celica's trying to help him, as this is a cause she believes in and can tell that it would be best for everyone involved if they got the chance to speak. She wants Alm to be happy, and knows he'll regret it if he doesn't speak with Rudolf while he has the chance. So, she's there for him every step of the way. This delves deep into Alm's perspective, and develops Celica a bit more. Before, her relation to Conrad was highlighted, and now, her relation to Alm. So, we have Celica-Conrad, Alm-Celica, and Alm-Rudolf, as far as relationships that have been thoroughly focused on. There were event hints of Berkut-Alm and Berkut-Rudolf, which was both a necessary and nice touch, as both Rudolf and Alm have strong ties to Berkut.

Now, we move onto that other sub-story I mentioned before that Conrad going off to get tea leads into. He left the castle to go buy tea. In the process, he ran into Faye, who was out shopping for presents for Alm. Being a bit of a scatterbrain and being happy to celebrate his bond with his sister, he probably didn't quite absorb that Faye was buying presents for Alm because she still has a crush on him even though he's in a dedicated relationship with Conrad's sister. Most likely, he got distracted with all the cute sweets (and other cute things for sale) around, as displayed by how giddy he is about all of it. He's currently suffering from a case of "ooo shiny!" which is cute. So, as far as he's aware, he's helping a friend...and maybe forgot that he was looking for tea. He may also be oblivious to the fact that Faye has a crush on Alm, thinking that the two are just close friends. As that is how Alm sees the relationship (even though Alm himself is also aware of her crush on him) that is probably how he explained it to Conrad if Conrad ever asked. Anyway, any of this is in character for Conrad. Faye had gone shopping with Silque, who was looking for gifts for her friends from the war in order to show her appreciation for them, but had split up to look at different stalls. When Silque finds Faye again, she discovers that Faye had met up with Conrad and were picking out gifts together. Opponents (the player's team) appears and Silque tries to get Conrad and Faye's attention, but it's difficult since they're so wrapped up in their shopping. Again, everyone's in-character, the narrative is clear and smooth - everything's going well from a technical standpoint.

The attention shifts back Alm and Celica who catch up to Rudolf. Alm...tries...to talk to him. However, he's stumbling all over himself again. (And again, this is in-character, so it's actually a positive thing from a technical standpoint.) Celica handles herself with grace...and combat starts. Poor Alm is in agony over being unable to express what he's trying to say, but Celica's still helping him (even if she's getting a bit impatient, as is indicated by her muttering to herself "goddess grant me patience.") During the final fight, everyone expresses their main motivator (which seemed a little out of place for some. Like Silque. She's thanking people, but isn't actually around the people (at least, most of them) she's thanking.) So, a bit of a hiccup there, but I get that they want to display to the reader each character's individual motivation clearly. At the end, Alm talks to Rudolf (still a bit clumsily) but manages to say at least the beginning of what he wants to say, including being granted quite a bit of time to chat and catch up. Graciously and satisfied in her mission's completion, Celica goes to bow out and let father and son catch up. However, Alm invites her along, as she has become a big part of his life. Rudolf also expresses a gladness to spend a good, long time with his son. (Remember, in his home game, Rudolf figured Alm should and probably did, hate him for what he did. He made himself the villain for Alm to vanquish, for Alm's sake. It's no wonder he kind of avoided Alm until Alm came out with "I want to spend time with you and get to know you." He must have been over the moon! ...But of course, he expressed it in a subdued, regal way.)

Unlike the previous year, the only one in the event who had strong ties to the dead guy who came back was Alm. So, nothing felt missing when other characters didn't try to get some heart-to-heart with Rudolf. Thus, this freed the writers to really focus on Alm's relationship with Rudolf (as far as Rudolf's relationships go.) However, they also delved into Faye-Alm, Silque-Faye, Silque-Deliverance (even if it was only referenced), Alm-Celica, Conrad-Celica, Conrad-Faye/Silque, Berkut-Alm, Berkut-Rudolf AND each one as an individual (barring the rest of the Deliverance and Berkut.) Everything flowed smoothly from one part of the story to another (for the most part, but at least Rudolf barging in was explainable) and was realistic. The story had a definite beginning, middle, and end, and was succinct.

This is why it is my objective opinion that this year's Day of Devotion story was written better than previous years'. As for my subjective opinion, I enjoyed them all! I especially felt heart-warmed by this year's and last year's, though.

 

13 hours ago, SockPuppet said:

It reminds me of Summer Wolt’s!

I think that Summer Wolt's is funnier since he has a fish smacking him in the face, but I've never really found faces to be that funny. They just don't get me laughing unless I'm in proximity to someone who finds it funny.