Lord's Love Interests

[Anacybele]

2 minutes ago, unique said:

ike doesn't take ragnell with him, he gives it back to sanaki before the end of the game

hair color on the other hand doesn't really say anything since mist is still his sister and also it's fire emblem, a game where three sisters can have Green Pink and Blue hair

Ragnell is then his payment in RD or if he did try to give it back again, it could've been a payment after the war before he left. Also, regardless, this doesn't tell us where the hell Priam got it.

Edited May 2, 2017 by Anacybele

[fangpoint333]

I think Sigurd X Deidre was supposed to be rushed and bad. The entire plot unfolds poorly for them because she broke the rule of the spirit forest to not interact with men which would bring bad stuff. I like to think of it as Fire Emblem Romeo and Juliet how it shows that love at first sight is bad.

[a bear]

17 hours ago, phineas81707 said:

What are your feelings about what makes a good love interest? Do you think any of the ones provided have met that? What would you change if you were to make your own?

A good love interest stands on their own rather than being defined by a relationship to someone else AND improves both characters through said relationship. Interdependence, basically.

I like Ike x Elincia and Micaiah x Zelgius each for a number of reasons that my tired brain can't elaborate on right now, but the biggest thing is that all four characters work even without any romance. Satellite love interests like Sothe or Geoffrey typically only work when people aren't all that interested in the character they revolve around.

My understanding of Gaiden/SoV is limited, but I hear Celica is always doing her own thing and Faye is defined entirely by unrequited love. Those two would be perfect contrasts of good and bad love interests if that assessment is correct (if someone wants to clarify, do skip the script details).

[Magical Glace]

Wait this has gone from "this is what the game seems to push" to "this is what I prefer"?

Oh well, here we go

Marth/Caeda is a thing I guess.  Truth be told there's not much to make me really care about romance in Archanea.

Same for Alm/Celica.

Sigurd/Dierdre is really fast ("I thought I'd never see you again!" said to someone you knew for like ten minutes tops.) but that's really my only issue with it.

Roy/Lilina is fine, I personally prefer pairing him with Shanna, but I'm fine with Caeda... er, Lilina.

Eliwood/Ninian is perfectly good in my books, though I like Fiora too.

I don't care much for either Lyn or Hector, though I'll usually pair them together or with Rath/Florina respectively.

Ephraim/Tana, Ephraim/L'Arachel, either works.  I'm leaning more toward the latter these days in terms of personal preference, though I'd say Tana's crush on him does give the former more canonness points.

Eirika/Lyon best, but I can make do with Tana or Innes since Lyon is technically impossible and should obviously stay that way.

Ike x dying is the only ship

Micaiah/Sothe gives some really unfortunate incest vibes, so I wind up preferring Pelleas, Edward, or Leonardo.  Just... someone who is not Sothe.

Chrom/Olivia actually has really adorable supports, it's a shame she doesn't join a chapter earlier to let you see the full chain in one run.

Robin x go away.

Corrin x not existing in the first place.

[Augestein]

21 hours ago, phineas81707 said:

What are your feelings about what makes a good love interest? Do you think any of the ones provided have met that? What would you change if you were to make your own?

 

My feelings for what make a good love interest is anyone that has a life outside of their romantic interest. Caeda for instance is a good example of this, she wants to protect her homeland, but she's also grown to become rather fond of Marth as well. This makes sense as Marth was living with her for several years after his initial escape from his own home, so there was nothing fledgling about the romance that the two may have had-- it's off screen, but it's not something that consumes all of their attention. 

As for most that address Sigurd's romance, I wouldn't even call it romance really, as it's clearly intended to be part of the plot, and it really isn't romantic. It's just his partner, and comes across as lust and intrigue with one another more than anything else. Sure, it's his wife, but that means very little in the plot-- whether they loved each other or not I mean, not the consequences of them conceiving a child, let alone meeting. It's not well done, but that's largely because it's not supposed to be. In that regard, it works. 

In terms of what I would change, there really isn't much to change about most of them, as they are just kind of there, and in most cases, they take a backseat to the main plot itself. I think the only thing I'd change about them is to make the lover more relevant if they are going to go back to "canon" pairings. As some like Lilina that are supposedly pushed aren't done well as you barely see the characters interact with one another. 

[vanguard333]

6 hours ago, a bear said:

A good love interest stands on their own rather than being defined by a relationship to someone else AND improves both characters through said relationship. Interdependence, basically.

I agree with this. Marth and Caeda don't have much plot (but mainly because the game doesn't have much plot), but where it is written, it is written well.

I did like the interactions between Ike and Elincia in PoR (North American localization). They had several great interactions in the plot and in their support conversations, both characters worked as characters without the need for any others, and both characters improved through said interactions. Also, if this one had been kept as an official pairing in RD, it would have been the only case (aside perhaps from Chrom and Sumia, although they're only implied) of an official lord pairing that is neither the two being childhood friends or the girl being mysterious.

As for Soren and Ike, what's with this recent idea that all guys who are close friends are gay? The two are clearly just good friends. They're like Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson (in the books), and Anduin Wrynn and Wrathion from WoW (at least until Anduin found out Wrathion was working with Garrosh Hellscream, which, now that I think about it, makes this example more like Bruce Wayne and Harvey Dent/Two-Face... never mind). For a Fire Emblem example, I have not heard of, nor have I seen, anyone ship Eliwood and Hector or Chrom and Male Robin, even though they are just as developed as close friends. Anyway, Soren and Ike is neither canon, nor implied, and this is a thread about official love interests.

Edited May 2, 2017 by vanguard333

[Etria]

20 minutes ago, vanguard333 said:

For a Fire Emblem example, I have not heard of, nor have I seen, anyone ship Eliwood and Hector or Chrom and Male Robin, even though they are just as developed as close friends. Anyway, Soren and Ike is neither canon, nor implied, and this is a thread about official love interests.

Lol, what? When did you join FE fandom? Back around 2008 when I joined there definitely were people who shipped Eliwood and Hector. Their fics are probably bumped to the last sides or deleted already. I don't give a fuck about Awakening shipping, but I've seen some MRobin and Chrom fics.

[vanguard333]

11 minutes ago, Efina Leonhart said:

Lol, what? When did you join FE fandom? Back around 2008 when I joined there definitely were people who shipped Eliwood and Hector. Their fics are probably bumped to the last sides or deleted already. I don't give a fuck about Awakening shipping, but I've seen some MRobin and Chrom fics.

Huh, did not know that (that's the reason why I said I have never seen it; because I could very well have been wrong). To answer your question, I became a fan of FE around... 2007, I think? But I didn't join the forums until sometime around 2015. Thanks for pointing this out, and it actually helps my original point about how these days it seems people will ship any two guys who are close friends, even if the two guys are clearly just friends in the canon.

This is a thread about canon love interests, and Soren and Ike are not, so why are they on the list at the start of the thread?

Edited May 2, 2017 by vanguard333

[DarkLordIvy]

Here's the thing though, if Soren were a girl I feel like a lot of this argument would not exist. Ike, like it or not does not really have a definite "canon" love interest. Most of the subtext with Elincia was added through the localization, and the way both versions of Soren were can very easily be read as romantic. 

Beyond that I think your own personal interpretation of Ike is all the more anyone has to go on. My interpretation is that Ike would never end up with Elincia mostly because she is justifiably devoted to her country and Ike's dislike of titles and nobility prevents any sort of romantic relationship between them. 

The whole "paring two guy best friends" is about as recent as the lolcat memes. It was around before the internet and it will die when board teenagers stop looking towards stories as a form of entertainment. :/

Oh god I just referenced lolcats in 2017... finals really are getting to me!

Edited May 2, 2017 by DarkLordIvy

[NekoKnight]

As for my opinion on certain couples:

Lyn x Hector: I thought they had an organic relationship, both being headstrong and honest to a fault. Hector is an emotional guy and Lyn can connect with those feelings. Lyn not fitting into Lycian society is a compelling argument for Lyn x Rath, however.

Micaiah x Sothe: I know that some people are squicked out over the family-like relationship they have but I think the game makes it ambiguous enough that they could be like siblings or something more (unlike Fates where we have to shout out sibling titles every other word.) I actually like this ship more than most because the two care about each other deeply and routinely show it. Is it odd to say that I find their romance more likely exactly because they aren't overtly romantic? Like, there is no need to express romantic platitudes because they already trust and love each other. I swear, I don't advocate incest.

Ike x anyone: Ike always struck me as being asexual and not very emotional in general.

I think a good love interest is going to be involved in the development of the protagonist. Someone who helps the protagonist through their emotional lows and makes them a better person (and vice versa).

17 hours ago, Anacybele said:

Also, some other people don't even consider Priam to be canon (I think this is silly because why would IS create an entirely new character just to say he doesn't really exist? But different strokes). Differing opinions though.

Oh yeah, Corrin's love interests are EVERYONE. Not just Azura. And Azura would be incest for him anyway (before anyone mentions FE4, that incest was part of the story. Corrin and Azura banging one another has no effect on the plot). Also wouldn't explain female Corrin's "main" love interest.

I think the children in Fates are so poorly tied to the plot that they may as well be non-canon.

Azura has 3 unique supports with Corrin, she's Corrin's primary advisor and companion and they're both Vallite royals. Revelation, the implied canon route, has you putting down all your chips on her and together they unite the world. I think that's a lot more evidence than any other possible pairing.

12 hours ago, a bear said:

I like Ike x Elincia and Micaiah x Zelgius each for a number of reasons that my tired brain can't elaborate on right now, but the biggest thing is that all four characters work even without any romance. Satellite love interests like Sothe or Geoffrey typically only work when people aren't all that interested in the character they revolve around.

Wat?

Edited May 2, 2017 by NekoKnight

[Anacybele]

3 minutes ago, NekoKnight said:

Wat?

Spoiler

It's not that farfetched when you remember the couple of chapters in part 1 where the Black Knight aka Zelgius showed up to protect Micaiah. The only problem is that Ike kills him later in the game.

 

[NekoKnight]

Just now, Anacybele said:

  Hide contents

It's not that farfetched when you remember the couple of chapters in part 1 where the Black Knight aka Zelgius showed up to protect Micaiah. The only problem is that Ike kills him later in the game.

 

That does put a damper on most romantic relationships.

[Magical Glace]

Plus

Both Micaiah and Zelgius are Branded, so there's no "lifespan syndrome"

[Interdimensional Observer]

3 minutes ago, NekoKnight said:

Wat?

Darn, got beaten to the punch by Anacybele.

Spoiler

Micaiah and the Black Knight get along fairly well when they're together. Sure the BK is only there on Lehran's orders, but he treats her in a knightly chivalrous manner when he's around. The only real bond they share is that they are both Branded, but the little we get is kinda promising. 

Which reminds me- when did Lehran learn his first greatx50 daughter was still alive? Did he send the BK there to protect Miccy so Daein could rise again for more chaos to be spread to break the Medallion seal? Or did he already know Miccy was the true Apostle?

 

[NekoKnight]

1 minute ago, Interdimensional Observer said:

Darn, got beaten to the punch by Anacybele.

  Hide contents

Micaiah and the Black Knight get along fairly well when they're together. Sure the BK is only there on Lehran's orders, but he treats her in a knightly chivalrous manner when he's around. The only real bond they share is that they are both Branded, but the little we get is kinda promising. 

Which reminds me- when did Lehran learn his first greatx50 daughter was still alive? Did he send the BK there to protect Miccy so Daein could rise again for more chaos to be spread to break the Medallion seal? Or did he already know Miccy was the true Apostle?

 

I'm aware but two people talking to each other once or twice does not a relationship make. I thought this was a "Love interest" thread not the "Who I imagine would make a good couple if they actually had a meaningful relationship" thread. On that subject, however, I hope I'm not the only one who ships Bobo Fett x Sarlacc pit.

[Anacybele]

25 minutes ago, NekoKnight said:

Azura has 3 unique supports with Corrin, she's Corrin's primary advisor and companion and they're both Vallite royals. Revelation, the implied canon route, has you putting down all your chips on her and together they unite the world. I think that's a lot more evidence than any other possible pairing.

But she still can't marry female Corrin. So that's all moot. Corrin and Robin have two genders and can marry any playable character in their games, so their love interests are all those characters like I said. Not one or another.

Edited May 2, 2017 by Anacybele

[NekoKnight]

Just now, Anacybele said:

But she still can't marry female Corrin. So that's all moot.

Or it could mean M!Corrin is canon.

[Anacybele]

Just now, NekoKnight said:

Or it could mean M!Corrin is canon.

Then you're shitting on the people who use female Corrin, like me. Like I said, Corrin's and Robin's love interests are everybody since they have two genders can marry everybody.

Edited May 2, 2017 by Anacybele

[NekoKnight]

Just now, Anacybele said:

Then you're shitting on the people who use female Corrin, like me.

It's not my decision. I think the choice of Male Robin and Male Corrin for Smash is pretty telling for what is considered their default gender, even if you can change it in game.

[Anacybele]

1 minute ago, NekoKnight said:

It's not my decision. I think the choice of Male Robin and Male Corrin for Smash is pretty telling for what is considered their default gender, even if you can change it in game.

Except Smash is non-canon and not even made by IS. Those decisions were Sakurai's not IS's. Also, you're not even correct, because both genders of both characters are playable in Smash.

Edited May 2, 2017 by Anacybele

[Ebony]

15 minutes ago, Anacybele said:

Except Smash is non-canon and not even made by IS. Those decisions were Sakurai's not IS's. Also, you're not even correct, because both genders of both characters are playable in Smash.

Unfortunately in games with m/f options, the male option is the canon one just about 100% of the time. The only exception I can think of is in Fate/Extra where they both exist, but then the female dies anyway.

[Anacybele]

1 minute ago, Ebony said:

Unfortunately in games with m/f options, the male option is the canon one just about 100% of the time. The only exception I can think of is in Fate/Extra where they both exist, but then the female dies anyway.

I refuse to believe that. Because it's downright sexist and insulting to female players. Plus, if the character is canonically male anyway, why even HAVE a female option? It'd be like making a female option for Link, but continuing to say male Link is the only one that actually exists in canon.

Edited May 2, 2017 by Anacybele

[Sunwoo]

2 minutes ago, Anacybele said:

I refuse to believe that. Because it's downright sexist and insulting to female players.

I wouldn't take it that far. It's irritating, at the most, but to call it "downright sexist and insulting to female players" is just the words of a dramatic person.

Besides, why do you care what is canon or not? It doesn't stop you from enjoying what you do.

Edited May 2, 2017 by Sunwoo

[saisymbolic]

Maybe demographics have a part in it as well.

14 minutes ago, Ebony said:

Unfortunately in games with m/f options, the male option is the canon one just about 100% of the time. The only exception I can think of is in Fate/Extra where they both exist, but then the female dies anyway.

Also, another game with a canon female Avatar is Shin Megami Tensei: If...

Edited May 2, 2017 by saisymbolic

[Anacybele]

5 minutes ago, Sunwoo said:

I wouldn't take it that far. It's irritating, at the most, but to call it "downright sexist and insulting to female players" is just the words of a dramatic person.

Besides, why do you care what is canon or not? It doesn't stop you from enjoying what you do.

Because like I said, why make both genders an option if only one is going to be canon? It seems entirely pointless to me. And maybe I was exaggerating too much there, but I still find it rather offensive.