Chrom's Appeal

[Paulina]

I've noticed an interesting running trend in the "What's your MU going to be?" thread. For almost every female save file, everyone is picking Chrom as their husband. I find this pretty odd. I would imagine Chrom would rank high up there, as he is one of the main characters, but literally 90% of female MUs -- at least -- are being paired up with him. I don't understand this trend, so I'll put the question out there. I was considering posting this in the "What's your MU going to be?" thread, but I thought it might derail it.

I'd like to share two theories:

1) I assume that most FE fans, like most video game players, are male (a trend that might be diminishing, but is still relatively accurate). I think a lot of guys might want to experience the game from a female perspective, but aren't really interested in romancing another guy. To such players, Chrom might seem like the "default" choice...a non-choice of sorts. This would make sense, because "default" wife choices -- i.e., main characters like Lissa -- are getting about the same amount of love as more obscure females, like Miriel or Velvet. I imagine that when a hetero guy plays as a male MU, the "default" choice isn't as relevant; he would rather pick whoever's most his type.

1a) That being said, this doesn't explain why most female players are choosing Chrom; in fact, it contradicts it. Since his personality is kind of bland (generic sense of justice FTW), I'm not sure what's keeping girls from their ideal types. I.e., a suave gentleman like Frederick, a cool loner like Lon'qu, etc. I suppose a lot of women like the "hero" type, but 90-95% is too great compared to females like Tiamo or Olivia, who are both relatively popular.

2) This theory applies to all Chrom lovers, male and female. If one picks Chrom, in a sense, they get a more central role in the storyline.

Since the only opportunity for a female MU to have two children is with Chrom, the player gets the same experience as any male MU. Plus, they get to be the mother of Lucina and make Lucina the granddaughter of Fauder, which is kind of epic (Lucina going back in time to stop her grandfather).

Plus, as Chrom's wife, MU would become a princess of Ylisse...again, a pretty lofty role in the story.

Phew. If you're picking Chrom, care to explain why? If you aren't picking him, do you have any hypotheses/stuff to add regarding his popularity?

[Momo]

I'm not really sure about assuming most of the players are male. Wasn't the current male/female split for games almost 50/50?

That said, when I use a Female MU, I'll probably go for Libera. One reason I can imagine going for Chrom though, all his other potential wives seem incredibly lame. The main character should get a cool wife.

[Baldrick]

Personally, if I ever played FE13 and used a female MU, I'd pair her up with whoever gives her kids the best growths/skills.

[Samias]

Chrom has a pretty great support with MU, since they are both hugely plot important characters. Plus you would get to be Lucina's mother and Mark will have Royal Weapon passed down too. From a gameplay perspective he is a husband who is ideal for efficient play, since MU is likely to be your strongest unit, while Chrom must be in play. I see the appeal and admit it's a mechanically attractive pairing in addition to being a main character ship.

[shadowofchaos]

Tomokazu Sugita.

There's no other reason needed.

Then there's the whole walk in on each other naked supports. So Animu.

For one thing, it's the first time you're able to create your own character. And able to marry the main character.

I think people are just JUMPING at that opportunity.

Edited December 24, 2012 by shadowofchaos

[Paulina]

Chrom has a pretty great support with MU, since they are both hugely plot important characters.

If you're referring to their support conversations, I'm not sure what you mean. From a female perspective, the Chrom x MU(F) supports are pretty disconcerting.

In the original Japanese C rank, he mistakes her for a man -- or, at best, a person of indeterminate gender. This is almost a personal deal-breaker, as I'm going to make my MU a mini-me, and -- like most women -- would rather not be mistaken for a guy. Granted, they're re-translating this exchange to something along the lines of "I never thought of you as a lady," according to the last Nintendo Direct, which isn't quite as weird. After they've seen each other nude in the A support, there isn't any romantic implication; they're still in a state of brotherhood-type camaraderie. And if all of that wasn't bad enough, the final S rank is -- essentially -- Chrom declaring "I finally see you as a woman!"

Bwahaha. ^^ I'm sorry; I can't read that last part without laughing. Guys, a little dating advice. Please, never treat a girl like that. ^^"

Edited December 24, 2012 by Paulina

[shadowofchaos]

Chrom is portrayed as a prince who really cares for his comrades. He cares about his friends. But he's the typical main character BONEHEAD when it comes to anything between guys and girls.

His supports with Female MU were so animu, it almost hurts.

The whole "I never thought of you as a lady" sounds like they're just having a more professional air about Englishing it. It sounds pretty the same. Remember, Lumi's translation of that was from Japanese to someone who translated it to Chinese, and she finally translated that to English.

I'm pretty sure they're not changing it significantly, or that's at least the impression I got from the trailer, not something that got a significant change in it.

[Iridium]

Well, he's the main character, he's a strong character, he's a required character, and he's honestly pretty hot. That's kinda hard to top.

I'm marrying Sol, though, because gottabehipster his art and what little I know about his personality seem absolutely adorable and his main class is one I'd usually end up using for the rest of the game anyway.

Edited December 24, 2012 by Iridium

[Momo]

Bwahaha. ^^ I'm sorry; I can't read that last part without laughing. Guys, a little dating advice. Please, never treat a girl like that. ^^"

Oh, don't question their gender. That's what I've been doing wrong!

I would say that support suffers from Male and Female MU supports being the same most of the time, but well, that's FE supports in a nutshell. Two (three in this case) stilted conversations about something and then a declaration of love. Almost as if establishing a long-lasting relationship in half a page of dialogue was a bad idea...!

[Paulina]

Chrom is portrayed as a prince who really cares for his comrades. He cares about his friends. But he's the typical main character BONEHEAD when it comes to anything between guys and girls.

Oh please. The disconnect between MU(F) and the other candidates is indefensible. His supports with Sumia are ridiculous. He treats her with so much courtesy, like a beacon of womanhood. It's not as pronounced in Mariabel and Olivia's supports, but he interacts with them like members of their gender. Besides MU(F), the only candidate to receive such overtly masculine treatment is Sully, and that's kind of understandable.

I'll take my chivalrous Frederick, thanks.

[shadowofchaos]

Oh please. The disconnect between MU(F) and the other candidates is indefensible. His supports with Sumia are ridiculous. He treats her with so much courtesy, like a beacon of womanhood.

You're going outside the realm of what he sees MU. He treats MU as a friend and comrade first.

The other candidates aren't in the same situation.

As for Sumia, she's an airhead clumsy girl. She is also the kind gentle girl that cared for the injured pegasus after Chapter 3.

Chrom might be dense just like animu main characters, but he'd be a complete IDIOT if he didn't realize her motherly qualities:

Contrast that to MU, where his reliance on whatever character you crafted is of a friendship unless you choose to make it different by going to the S support level.

So it's expected that his C, B, and A supports are of developing more of a friendship with awkward situations, moreso than "I have an awkward relationship with you because I have a crush on you."

For goodness sake, Chrom doesn't even think about anything when it comes to MU. Whether you're a girl or a guy, he just simply offers to carry you in the beginning of Chapter 7 when you were tired from walking... even though Liz seems to be more of a priority IMHO.

And considering how this is in the opening:

It's not really OUT there to assume their supports would be more cutesy/romantic/more developed than the rest of his options.

Which, Female MU I might add, is the least prioritized one... aside from Generic Village woman.

Dang, I had a hard time typing "Chrom" instead of "Krom".

Edited December 24, 2012 by shadowofchaos

[Momo]

For goodness sake, Chrom doesn't even think about anything when it comes to MU. Whether you're a girl or a guy, he just simply offers to carry you in the beginning of Chapter 7 when you were tired from walking... even though Liz seems to be more of a priority IMHO.

I don't know a whole lot about the game's story, but this is making it sound like Chrom is kind of a dick towards his sister. Just look at that one cutscene with the fire raining from the sky, Lissa is stumbling behind while Chrom is hauling ass. Ladies, is that an attractive trait? I'm taking notes here.

[Paulina]

You're going outside the realm of what he sees MU. He treats MU as a friend and comrade first.

The other candidates aren't in the same situation.

...Eeeh, that's a pretty dubious assumption. Considering the medieval fantasy setting, it would be a pretty big oversight to treat any woman to the extent he regards MU(F). Again, butch women like Sully notwithstanding.

I think Momo probably hit the nail on the head.

I would say that support suffers from Male and Female MU supports being the same most of the time, but well, that's FE supports in a nutshell.

Yeah...gotta save

X) Damn you, screenwriters.

[shadowofchaos]

I don't know a whole lot about the game's story, but this is making it sound like Chrom is kind of a dick towards his sister. Just look at that one cutscene with the fire raining from the sky, Lissa is stumbling behind while Chrom is hauling ass. Ladies, is that an attractive trait? I'm taking notes here.

[spoiler=images]

[Wheels]

I've always just seen Chrom as a bro, myself. He's not bad to look at (Though I prefer scrawnier guys, like Henry), and his boneheadedness is amusing, but not someone I'd romance. In real life, if I was friends with Chrom, I'd be too busy making fun of/shipping him and Sumia to really get involved with him more than the bro stage XD

I think Chrom's popularity comes from being the main lord, and being pretty good looking firstly, and secondly being

Lucina's mother, as she's shaping up to be one of the most popular lords in the series, as well as, for those who know, the extra scene added when Lucina tries to kill a Husband/Mother MU.

myself, but I can't be sure, of course, as I don't find him that appealing. Virion and Henry are my personal favourites, both in physical appearance and personality (Though localised Virion was really what made me choose him in the end XD "Stabulous!")

[RJWalker]

The girls find him good looking I guess? Guys are the not the only ones who sometimes go for looks.

Edited December 24, 2012 by Ranger Jack Walker

[TheGhosteon]

I like Chrom, I really do, being awkwardly cute and everything, but I won't marry the MU off to him until my second playthrough.

...In my book, Paris comes first, dang it.

Edited December 31, 2012 by TheGhosteon

[Paulina]

One more point I'd like to make on Chrom's inability to deduce MU(F)'s gender, before I derail my own thread even more. Yes, it's true that MU(F) can look like this.

But she can also look like this.

Yeah. What the hell. X)

(Btw, it seems someone can commiserate.)

[Mister Cold]

Chrom has a pretty great support with MU, since they are both hugely plot important characters. Plus you would get to be Lucina's mother and Mark will have Royal Weapon passed down too. From a gameplay perspective he is a husband who is ideal for efficient play, since MU is likely to be your strongest unit, while Chrom must be in play. I see the appeal and admit it's a mechanically attractive pairing in addition to being a main character ship.

Iir males get Aether and females get royal weapons

So mark gets Aether.

Altho Lucina with all classes :3

[Rehab]

I'm not picking anybody as either gender until I play the game. I think you're assuming a bit much. Bi/pan/whatever, for whatever that's worth

Edited December 24, 2012 by Rehab

[Momo]

One more point I'd like to make on Chrom's inability to deduce MU(F)'s gender, before I derail my own thread even more. Yes, it's true that MU(F) can look like this.

But she can also look like this.

Yeah. What the hell. X)

(Btw, it seems someone can commiserate.)

Remember though, the same game has this. The guy is just very careful about these things.

[veetasoy]

Personally, I'm indifferent to Chrom's character. I think he's bland as well. But I think that your question could be posed to a lot of fandoms out there, and not just this game. That is, why are bland protagonists more loved than their more interesting sidekicks? It happens quite obviously in shoujo anime/manga: the main couple is always rooted for, more so than any other pairing, time and again. I think it really just has to do with the amount of screentime that main characters get, exposing us to them and giving us more of a chance to like them. Though usually it works counter-effectively for me...

That and they cast a very popular voice actor for Chrom. I despise the guy, personally, so that may be part of why I didn't really consider Chrom. The character himself is OK. Just OK, though. I'm in the same boat as the topic creator on this one. :)

Edited December 24, 2012 by Keilis

[Ace Tactician]

I like Chrom, both in looks and personality. He comes across to me as a really sweet, caring guy, granted he does have his goofy moments.I'm still going to stubbornly pair my Female Avatar with him every playthrough.

Being Lucina's mother, Lucina being able to reclass into all the regular female classes and Mark inheriting Royal Weapon are also cool bonuses, and...I'm don't care for shipping him with any other girl. (especially Sumia)

I just find him to be my kind of guy, yeah Lon'qu is "tall, dark and handsome" and Frederick is your knight in shining armor type guy, but I like Chrom more.

[Miscellany]

Sexy voice aside, I do like the whole good and evil bloodlines mixing in that relationship; Unlike males who get Lucina, Lissa and Emmeryn as options for that, females only have Chrom. I do so wish that they'd given FeMU the same support with him as MaMU has, though...

Plus, I think you get extended dialogue in the scene where Lucina tries to kill MU if you're her mother, so there's that.

Edited December 24, 2012 by Miscellany

[RJWalker]

^Anyone got a video or script of that scene?