I know I'm coming a little bit late here, but I just discovered your analysis and I wanted to thank you so much for your work. I'm a Frederick fan myself and it upsets me how much he is overlooked as a character, or often being straight up ignored. Your analysis really does him some justice! The guy totally has a complex side hidden behind his fierce and cool exterior, but most of the people see him as a comic relief character and focuses only on the memes (the Chrom poster and the pebbles, to name the most popular two) instead on giving him some credit. I'm glad to have found someone else who is willing to see not only his complexities but also his soft side which most of the times is just overlooked.
Anyhow! I agree with mostly all of your analysis, but I just wanted to share my two cents with a fellow Freddy fan like me, and to ear your opinion about it.
I kinda have the feeling that the whole obsession with serving others and making himself useful may come not only from the whole PTSD stuff, but also from a place of insecurity and low self esteem: it is mentioned in both Chrom when he has the mini break down due to feeling useless, and in Libra's where he can't help but getting worried of their masters coming to spite him because of his over doting nature, and after trying to stay away from them being moping aroung since he can't be of no use for Chrom or Lissa. Also, the way he is so quick to debase and sacrifice himself in order to be of some use for the others or for the cause he is fighin for also speaks volumes to me about his level of self esteem. Plus, I can't remember in which support this takes place, but I recall he straight up saying that he is just destined to be forgotten by the history books, and many other istances where he just minimize his role in Chrom's army (despite him being clearly a pivotal figure in organizing and keeping stuff togheter). Idk, these and a whole lot of other little things kinda feels to me like the kind of behaviour that a very insecure person may have: trying his hardest at all times to find a use for himself in the world, because otherwise there would be none.
Maybe I'm overlooking stuff, but I'm really curious to hear your opinion about it!
