I can't say I agree.
If it comes down to an Awakening rep, i'm telling you right now it isn't going to be the Avatar. Being customizable is the entire reason the character is in the game. To be YOU. If that is taken away from it, then the character doesn't really have a purpose. At least in Awakening.
One could argue the Villager from Animal Crossing is equally or more customizable than Robin. The Villager doesn't have a default name, assumed personality or story. Aside from being a human moving into an animal town, the entire backstory of the villager is up the player. Where as Robin has three body types and voices, the villager has a greater range of attire. In fact, many would say that collectibles, clothing included, is the entire staple of the Animal Crossing series. And they put all of that aside for Smash Bros to make a good game. It doesn't matter if they are a character who has an appearance dictated by the player, so long as they are important and offer new gameplay.
Robin has a back story. Robin has a defined personality, pre-destined role, set voice lines and dialogue, and a fixed pool of character interactions that further solidify a very fixed story (compared to the hundreds of villagers in AC). All you customize about Robin is a limited set of physical features, barring a few lines of dialogue that change should they marry Chrom or Lucina, but the story is completely the same. Her personality is completely the same. Her actions in the story are completely the same. You can pick between three voice sets per gender, but the dialogue is still the same. Robin is a set character, and after you pull up that hood there is nothing customizable about her.
It is vastly untrue to say that a paltry set of customization options is at all the entire reason for My Unit; whether or not you want to be Robin is entirely up to the player. Gosh, many of the development staff plays female avatars, are they all women? With pink hair, a sick coat and magic? You are Robin ever so slightly more than you are Link. You can choose to be Link if you wish, but he still has a life of his own. The customization aspect is merely allowing the player to have more control over a character who is arguably the main focal point of the story, being the catalyst for the fel dragon Grima. You merely change a few outset details of the character, which is very far from an entire purpose. Maybe like 2%. I would blame NoA for changing "My Unit" to "Avatar", and pushing the idea of it being YOU transported into this world into the player's face.
Robin is one of the three lead characters, embodies a central plot element, has a very defined personality and a unique fighting style. This is everything needed to certify a character for Super Smash Bros. Let's not forget that they want to choose characters with unique merits, things only they can do. Whether or not they find a fun and unique play style in Robin is entirely up to the developer, but she certainly has all the credentials.
Not like issues of a customized appearance has to be an issue. Much like with Pokemon Trainer, Villager or WFT, they can just choose whatever gender they feel should represent Robin. It is as simple as giving her different hair and features per colour.
All of that aside, I don't see Robin as competing with Chrom, anyways. Again, both of them are important characters within their respective game, but they both offer completely different gameplay possibilities.
We're now down to Lucina and Chrom. Chrom is without a doubt the main character. We have NEVER seen a series get a character besides the main character. It would be like Luigi getting in before Mario if you will. It wouldn't make any sense.
Okay. So they put Lucina on the cover of a Soundtrack. That's nice. However, in the gaming industry, what gets more attention? A game soundtrack, or a game advertisment? Chrom is the front and center Fire Emblem character when it comes to Shin Megami Tensei X Fire Emblem. Not even MARTH, the first Lord and familiar face to fans across the world. Marth is considered a major face of Fire Emblem (or at least in Smash), and not even he is getting into advertisements. But Chrom is.
Incorrect.
Chrom and Lucina are on the front of the packaging of FE:A for all localizations, are both central to the introduction sequence (along with Robin) and Lucina has roughly as much cutscene exposure as Chrom, with two of them not even featuring him at all. The SMTxFE thing is a complete lie because there is no complete package design yet. The game is too far from development, and whatever you have seen is likely a graphic art created by a third-party as a place-holder. When the actual cover is released, the Fire Emblem community will know.
I will say Chrom is a "mainer" character overall, but Lucina is still a main character, along with Robin. I would argue as "main" as Lyn or Hector to Eliwood. That is a suitable amount. Enough to have Lyn at least make some kind of appearance in Smash Bros, where as Eliwood was eating dust.
Compare Chrom to Lucina. As others have said before me, Lucina is an expendable unit.
Sure, Elincia was an "expendable" unit, too. But she is also one of the most important characters in Path of Radiance, and is one of the four critical plot elements of the story, along with Lehran's medallion, the Mad King's War and Beorc-Laguz tension. I don't think a character being able to incapacitated invalidates their importance at all if they are still more an involved member of a trio of characters.
Her major purpose is to deliver a message to move the plot forward, and nothing much else that that. I guess you could say she is similar to Geno's role in SMRPG. Lucina shows up and decides to join Chrom, just as Geno shows up and joins Mario. He comes and has his relevance to the story, but after that, he is optional to have, and while he is important, he is not MOST important. This can be applied to Lucina. She is important, yes. But certainly not MOST important. Chrom on the other hand, is the leader of his Halidom. He is a unit who cannot be killed without having to restart, and he is a character that cannot be switched out.
Lucina is an important plot element starting from Ch1, resurging in Ch4, and then reappearing again in Ch7, where she basically delivers one of the two critical plot twists, which is finally fully revealed in Ch13. I could argue that after the defeat of Plegia, Chrom is basically Robin's pawn up until the rite of the Awakening in the final few chapters. Up until then, it is all Robin and Lucina causing the most drama and driving the most narrative. Don't get me wrong, Chrom has lines throughout most of the game, but there has to be something said for how Lucina basically represents the future, a key element in the tension late game, struggling to defy fate. Lucina is the ambassador for all the children characters, who may be voluntary, but they are a third of the cast and tell much of the story for what could have been the fate of the world.
Do not get this post wrong. I agree with the idea that:
- Chrom is a suitable representative for Fire Emblem and he will be a great roster addition.
- Chrom is a main, important, plot-driving force within Awakening.
- Chrom is the most likely character to appear in Smash Bros more than a lot of people are willing to accept.
- Chrom is awesome and sexy as **** and I want Mathew Mercer to reprise his role. Well, you never said that last part, but I had to get it off my chest.
But I can't agree with your reasoning for discrediting Lucina or Robin. Especially Robin, who again, will be included on her own merit that shouldn't really "compete" with anyone else from the series.
Edit - Tried to make it a bit easier to read. :b
Lunadis has every right to his/her opinion.
.png)
