Create conspiracy theories about why Valbar's on the cover of FE2!

[Benice]

It was a dark and stormy night. Kaga, tired after a long day of creating FE2, was resting in his house, enjoying a nice cup of tea.

The door to his house suddenly burst open as Valbar walked through it. Kaga gasped in horror as the mighty unit walked slowly towards him.

"If you want to see your tea again, you'd better make my name last through the ages. I, the future mascot of Fire Emblem, must have a teaceable beginning. You have three days. If I am not famous by then, you tea has breathed its last."

Valbar disappeared in a cloud of smoke, leaving Kaga alone once more. 

"No, my tea! This must not happen! Valbar must be remembered forever! But how... AHA!" 

The next morning, Kaga met with his design team. 

"Put Valbar on the cover of the game."

"But why?"

"The salvation of the world rests on it."

And thus, the Mighty Valbar became the unofficial third lord of Gaiden, becoming an armor knight lord before Hector could, because Kaga always does it first.

[Shrimpica]

If you are able to finish the game without taking any damage at all, a secret Valbar route unlocks. Final Boss: Maeda!

My uncle at Ninty told me so!

[Anathaco]

Eagle eyed gamers will notice while playing through the super uber directors cut of the game that, while Celica may be your actual lord, if Valbar dies the game crashes, erasing all your data, but not before pulling you into Gaiden to erase you too. This version of the game had no Valbar on the box art, but the devs worked out that Valbar's sheer masculine charm can cause voids between this world and the game's. By putting Valbar on the cover it balances his power between the two dimensions- essentially, we don't need to be sucked into the game to enjoy one small moment with Valbar as he dies, we have Valbar in our mortal realm too.

Alternatively, he was the series' first attempt at using sex appeal to draw in potential new fans. Kaga did it first. 

[The Roger The Paladin]

Valbar got on the cover in production. No one's quite sure how he made his way there. But no matter what was done, they could not move him. How could they? Magic is Valbar's sole weakness, and alas no one one at Nintendo is a sorcerer. He stubbornly choked that cover art's point until it was far too late to remove him, for the game had already been shipped. He  would have done it again at Echoes, but a deal with a necromancer was struck a few years back to resurrect the Kid Icarus franchise, which was promptly forgotten again. Regardless, the Necromancer cast some Eugens (like Wards, but more powerful), to bar Valbar ever forcing his way onto a cover again.

[AnonymousSpeed]

1 hour ago, Anathaco said:

Alternatively, he was the series' first attempt at using sex appeal to draw in potential new fans. Kaga did it first. 

This is the most likely theory.

My theory is that it's because Valbar has some actual backstory. He wants revenge against the pirates so he has his own little quest and even his own little starting party. Perhaps he was planned to have a larger role in the plot with a more hard-fought resolution before being shafted by the limitations of the Famicom.

[Emperor_Siegfried]

Back in '92, someone at Nintendo wanted to write the first openly gay main protagonist into their games.  Unfortunately since there wasn't a lot of confidence the game would sell if it featured such a romance, the staff was informed that Alm would be forced to have a tacked on romance with Celica instead.  Not wanting all of the passion and desire for Alm and Valbar's relationship to be lost forever, the box artist decided to design it in a clever way so that the suppression of the idea could be hidden in plain sight for all consumers to view.

It's well known by now that the display of Alm's dong armor is used as a PC way of displaying his sex appeal on the cover, but looking into it really shows more of a different time that tried to slip in some nuances that wouldn't have the same ambition in today's climate.  In addition, Alm's armor being blue should be enough of a clear sign that he has been blue balled by someone or something denying him the chance to achieve the gratification that he longs for.  It's pretty clear that since Valbar has a similar type of armor as well that he was intended to be Alm's lover in what would be one of the most progressive games of the 90s, but was ultimately shot down by higher ups who were more concerned about appealing to as wide of an audience that was available to them at the time.

The faces alone should be a first clue.  Alm is standing there in front with a raging anger while Celica looks at him with concern and fear for his absolute masculine display.  But Valbar is there to his left with a face that basically says, "I know what he needs...".  Essentially as a way to show that Celica doesn't fit with Alm's desires in a partner but that Valbar does so by being the dominant one since according to the weapon triangle, his long and hard lance would be enough to put Alm under his control. 

What's more is the current free state of their non dominant hands.  Sure Alm is holding a sword in his right, but the sword and shield from the title on his left?  That should indicate that Alm is standing there wanting to take what he believes should be his, but him holding the sword he has forces him to only accept the fate that has been assigned to him.  Leaving him to do his best warrior impression when in reality it is him wishing to reach put and claim what he believes would bring him true happiness.

Another key thing to note is the looming presence of Rudolf, and staring ominously in the shadows no less.  A looming presence that serves as the overseeing authority figure in Alm's life that attempts to determine everything for him instead of letting him live his own life and free choices, proxy to the situation at Nintendo denying the idea of a relationship between the two.

It is rather unfortunate how much of a missed opportunity would come to pass 25 years later when the world would be more accepting of this sort of relationship, but it's really more of a big middle finger to Alm than anything else.  Now castrated of his mighty dong armor and reduced to looking like a total sissy who looks like he could be related to Celica, it all fits into the new narrative that Nintendo has been hoping to push with bringing this game back into the limelight.  Essentially trying to erase any hints whatsoever that a relationship between Alm and Valbar was ever being considered.  Valbar is even forced to carry over the tacked on relationship he has with Leon and doesn't even get to be on the cover with Alm and Celica this time.

All of it just playing to this ongoing narrative of the emasculation of men around the world.  Leaving many to see the ongoing tragedy of Alm and Valbar's relationship to be seen on full display for all the world to see while the few who are able to see through its intricacies of what might have been if Nintendo had been more willing to take a great gamble.  It's honestly a little tragic to only be left with a small clue of this alternate reality teased in front of us every day of this box's existence while the more enlightened onlookers look at it and say, "This is wrong Nintendo!  Why do you continue to deny what could have been a great first for you to claim?!  Come on Alm!  You know your relationship with Celica is nothing!  You know who your true love is!"