Ok, been preparing my body all day for the hate this character would get, here goes
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epic background music)
Robin
Chances 33%
That's right, a third of a chance. I take it for granted Awakening will get a playable character, and it's Robin, Chrom or Lucina. I am aware of Chrom and Lucina both having more want and popularity, but Robin still has certain key advantages over them. I used to think Chrom was the given for Smash, but more and more I'm drawn towards Robin, for the following reasons:
- The Villager character. Most people thought/knew the animal crossing rep, if it happened, would be Tom Nook and people even argued that it'd be because he was a constant character while the main one was just an avatar. Sakurai came in, and tore that argument to shreds by including the avatar with the argument "He's the one you actually play as."
- This leads to the point that in a considerable amount of games in the FE series, you're the tactician of the group. You're the leader who even the lord trusts to decide correctly and keep everyone from dying. It's almost like Pokemon ... yes, the pokemon/units are the stars of the show and the ones to get mechandise and attention and love all over the world, but when it comes down to it, you're the pokemon trainer/tactician, and as a KEY element of the series, it bears representation.
- Awakening did something completely different and made the tactician character, the one that represents you, a character in the field. And boy was it given justice. Even though it's an avatar and you make the decisions and even choose appearance,
it's still a character, and a deep one at that. The true heart of the story in Fire Emblem, more than Chrom's lineage and the future and all that, is Robin's true identity and how that connects to the future of the entire world, and the game culminates with Robin's decision on
how to save the world. A lot of people here derive her character to not having a personality, to being irrelevant and on Owain level, to not be as important to the story, etc etc. ... Well, to them I ask to actually play the game. Chrom and Lucina are merely the royal connection; Robin is the star.
- Diversity. Sakurai has made it so clear that one of his criteria on including characters is "What can this character bring to the series that
no other character can?" And frankly, that's what killed it for Chrom and Lucina for me. Yes, they could be given spears, different classes, tag team gameplay, etc., but when you boil down to it, it's just more Fire Emblem sword users with blue hair. That's their essence. Even the publicity of the game was all about the Chrom vs. Marth fight. They both even have the same sword. So tell me this ... why do people argue against Dixie Kong being less unique than K. Rool, but when it comes to Fire Emblem, **** it, let's just have more swords? It makes no sense to me, and I can only assume it boils down to either Fire Emblem hate or just plain bias towards wanting the lords in the game, whether it's Chrom or Roy or whoever else.
Meanwhile, Robin can bring SO MUCH of the series with her. We're talking about magic ... did you guys know magic is a huge thing in Fire Emblem? Considering she's the strategist, we could even bring in assists from other units in the game, or to simplify animations just give her the main draws of other units ... a pegasus helps you recover, a wyvern intercepts a recovery, a dance increases your motivation, a staff heals you, a stone summons a manakete or taguel ... It BAFFLES ME, why people want more characters with movesets based on swords and not this. As a Fire Emblem fan, and as a Smash fan, I don't get how people could be so boring to ask for more of the same and not something completely different. Just because of popularity.
- And last, even though people complain about her being just an avatar and having no official look ... Was that a problem with the Villager? Heck no, and if anything, Sakurai choosing a specific look for the Villager has now led to him becoming an icon of Smash. It wouldn't be hard to choose a standard look for the avatar, and just change the hair and tones for palette swaps. Definitely not a problem that would detract.
And really, why would Sakurai think "nah, we already have one player's avatar, I don't want two." This is a made up limitation, and while it may affect taste there's no evidence it would affect chances.
Want: 100%
If it isn't obvious already, I want Robin to be the Fire Emblem rep so badly. I love the series, and no one else does it as much justice.
Prediction:
Sonic
97% He's BFF with Mario, no reason for him to leave. I'd be surprised if many people thought differently.
Nominations:
x10 Porky Minch
