SS Supports: Chapter 5

Today's Supports

• Vanessa/Lute C
  
• Ross/Garcia C
• Gilliam/Garcia C
• Neimi/Artur C
• Ross/Lute C
• Franz/Natasha C
  

Vanessa/Lute C

Lute: Pegasus!
Vanessa: You must be Lute!
Lute: And who are you?
Vanessa: I’m Vanessa. I’m captain of Frelia’s pegasus knights. And this here is Titania. We’re both pleased to meet you, Lute.
Lute: Ah, the pegasus, the proud, winged horse. You know, they only attach to someone they accept as their master. And did you know that pegasi fly by kicking the air, not by flapping their wings. It’s a common misconception, but wings are mainly used for gliding.
Vanessa: …Yes, as captain, I learned all this long ago. Plus, if they flapped their wings constantly, no one would be able to ride them.
Lute: In some countries, the word pegasus means “fountain” or “ocean.” Different cultures have different stories about the creation of the pegasus. In one legend, there was a monster who could turn anyone into stone. When the monster died, its blood seeped into the ground. There, a pegasus was born.
Vanessa: Interesting… You are very knowledgeable.
Lute: I know.
Vanessa: …Well! Thank you for the lesson. I’m glad we’re on the same team. It was nice meeting you.
Lute: Yes, nice to meet you, Titania.
Vanessa: I’m Vanessa!

When Lute introduces herself with a gleeful "Pegasus!", she is intended to be exactly as blunt as it sounds. She's far more interested in Titania than Vanessa. Incidentally, the GBA flying units love naming their mounts- only one of the four fliers (in the main story) rides an unnamed mount. Annoyingly, it's the only one who can't change their mount.

For the mythology buffs, the story of the pegasus rising from the blood of a monster that turned people to stone is the origin of the Ancient Greek Pegasus, who was a singular being. He was spawned from the Medusa, and because this is Ancient Greece we're talking about, he was ridden by men. I think "pegasi only like women" is original to Fire Emblem.

Ross/Garcia C

Ross: Hmm…
Garcia: Ross.
Ross: Oh! Hi, Dad.
Garcia: What are you thinking about?
Ross: Nothing… Well, maybe just… What was Mom like?
Garcia: Your mother… Well… Where do I start? In many ways, she was very similar to Princess Eirika.
Ross: Princess Eirika?
Garcia: Yes. She was gentle, but also very strong. She could share others’ pain.
Ross: I see.
Garcia: What’s wrong? Do you miss her?
Ross: I was just thinking… When was the last time we visited her grave? Not since we left the village and started this journey… It’s been so long. She must be lonely…
Garcia: Ross…
Ross: When the bandits attacked the village, we had to leave. But Mom’s grave is still there.
Garcia: Yes.
Ross: Dad…
Garcia: Ross. Let’s go home when the war is over. To the village where Risa rests.
Ross: Dad…
Garcia: We can rebuild the village again, just the two of us. After all, that’s where we belong… You, me, and… your mother.
Ross: Yes! All right. But I’ll have to be a lot stronger to help with that. So we’d better start training, Dad!
Garcia: If you insist. Show me what you’ve got!

I decided to leave this Support a little later to make Ross and Garcia having left Risa's grave behind hurt a little more. In the Ephraim route, Ross and Garcia are actually getting their Supports for gameplay reasons, and I got this on Chapter 3, which is... you guys just left Ide.

One thing about Supports that I think even the devs feel limited by is the association with romantic connotations. Many advancements in the Support system, even those in games without marriage the gameplay mechanic, feel like they're designed to support the idea of "shipping your favourite characters". I happen to appreciate this outcome- conventional "dating sims" don't do this, and Fire Emblem is actually pretty unique in catering to this niche. However, it makes Support chains between family members and characters who would rather form platonic relationships (I'm thinking of an old man and a young girl Supporting later) rather awkward, even if the Support itself is competently written from that perspective. I love the Ross/Garcia Support, but if I told you it was a paired ending, you'd get the wrong idea, wouldn't you?

Gilliam/Garcia C

Garcia: Sir Gilliam.
Gilliam: Well, if it isn’t Garcia…
Garcia: Your armor suits you. Must have taken a lot of training to fight in it, eh? And it probably takes a lot of strength to wear, too.
Gilliam: I don’t want to brag, but… None of Frelia’s knights can match me for strength.
Garcia: Oh, is that so? You know, in my day, they said I was without equal. Hm… What do you say, Garcia? Let’s arm-wrestle!
Gilliam: You mean… right now?
Garcia: Oh, why not! It won’t take more than a minute.
Gilliam: …Very well. I accept your challenge.
Garcia: Excellent! I’d expect no less from a true knight! Let’s go.
Gilliam: All right…
Garcia: Hah!
Gilliam: Ng! …You beat me. Well, I’ve got to hand it to you, Garcia.
Garcia: Ha ha! Don’t feel bad. You almost had me for a minute there. I’m impressed!

If I have count of Frelia's cast, Gilliam does have the highest Strength growth of all the recruitable characters... tied with Tana. 45, while high, is not that impressive, and Garcia's 65 leaves him in the dust.

Although if Gilliam is the heights to which your soldiers aspire, you might have bigger problems.

Neimi/Artur C

Neimi: Oh… Brother Artur…
Artur: Yes? And you must be…
Neimi: I’m… Neimi.
Artur: Ah, Neimi. I’m sorry that our introduction has been so delayed. And please, just call me Artur. “Brother” is too formal.
Neimi: Oh… All right, Artur it is.
Artur: Very good. Ack!
Neimi: What is it? What’s wrong?
Artur: Oh, nothing. Sorry. But… that hand mirror hanging from your waist…
Neimi: Oh, this? It’s a keepsake from my mother. I had it stolen from me once, so I’ve made this leather strap for it. I can tie it to my belt and take it with me everywhere now.
Artur: It’s… Excuse me, but may I look at it for a moment? Hm… Yes, well, that is interesting. If my memory serves, this is quite a valuable mirror. It is a gift given only to clerics of the highest order. Few of these mirrors exist, and for you to have one means your mother…
Neimi: Yes, she was a cleric… When I was young, an illness…
Artur: Say no more. I understand. But seeing you and the mirror she left you tells me something. Your mother was a good person, benevolent, faithful, and caring. And you are the product of her care, filled with the same light.
Neimi: Thank you… It makes me happy to hear that.
Artur: I’m delighted to have met you. We shall have to speak again.
Neimi: I hope so, Artur! See you soon.

Artur, unlike some of the other characters Neimi Supports, is pretty polite to Neimi, and Neimi is in turn not agitated into a crying fit. Part of me was starting to get the vibe Neimi was meant to be a narrative ancestor of Bernadetta, but I don't think there's enough connection between the two forms of anxiety to say there is something there.

Ross/Lute C

Ross: Hey, you!
Lute: I hope that maniac isn’t talking to me. I’ll pretend I can’t hear him. La la la.
Ross: You, over there! Mage woman!
Lute: Are you talking to me? Firstly, my name isn’t “Mage Woman,” nor is it “You.” Why don’t you lower your voice and act a little more civilized? Who are you?
Ross: I’m son of the warrior Garcia, Ross.
Lute: So you’re “Son-of-warrior-garcia-ross.” That’s an unusual name. I’m Lute, genius mage extraordinaire. You’ve probably heard of me. So, Sir Son-of-warrior-garcia-ross, how may I be of service to you?
Ross: My name is ROSS! You’re kind of weird. Hey, you can use magic, right?
Lute: Yes, although to be more accurate, I don’t just “use” magic. I am a master of all magic. Please don’t make that mistake again.
Ross: Wow, that’s really great.
Lute: Well, maybe for you. For me, I’m just that good. It’s normal.
Ross: Isn’t it hard to remember all those spells?
Lute: Well, I think for the average person, it probably is a difficult task. But for me, it is as simple as using a hint of fragrance when baking a cake.
Ross: I… have no idea what you mean. Wait a second! Does that mean even I could learn magic?
Lute: No.
Ross: Hey! At least pretend to ponder the question for a little bit before you answer.
Lute: OK. Bye.
Ross: Hey! Hey, wait a minute!

Lute is honestly kind of more jerkish than emotionally unintelligent, but I think they were aiming for the latter.

...Although, considering you've got names that basically mean "I am the son of X", perhaps she's not too far off with her guess. Ross Garciason doesn't roll off the tongue very well, though.

Franz/Natasha C

Franz: Sister Natasha.
Natasha: Hello, Franz. How are you doing?
Franz: I’m doing fine, thank you. Everything is fine. And you look like you’re doing well, too. I’m relieved.
Natasha: Yes, but it’s all thanks to everyone’s care and concern, really. I’m grateful for all the attention everyone has paid to my safety. That goes for you, too, Franz.
Franz: Oh, pshaw, Sister Natasha. I am just a pawn, really. I don’t do much…
Natasha: You are too modest, Franz. I’m telling you the truth.
Franz: Thank you.
Natasha: By the way, that’s a very interesting satchel you have.
Franz: Huh?
Natasha: It’s not military issue, is it? I haven’t seen any of the other cavaliers carrying one like it.
Franz: Oh, this old thing? To tell you the truth, I made it myself.
Natasha: Really?
Franz: Yes. This pouch holds a skin of water, and this pocket is for food. There’s also a pocket for herbs… I can find everything very quickly. Oh, and I’ve also fixed it so that it won’t shake about while I’m riding. It’s easy to carry on one shoulder or sling over both. And it goes with everything.
Natasha: That’s nice! You’re so handy.
Franz: Thank you. It’s… probably my only redeeming trait. Uh… Would you like one? I can make one for you.
Natasha: Really? That would be wonderful. But…are you sure?
Franz: Yes, of course. No problem.
Natasha: Thank you, Franz.

Franz can be so good when he really tries. I'm honestly not entirely sold on him, but that's not for the lack of trying. I think it's just Seth rubbing off on him too hard, mostly.