The team at Intelligent Systems, developers of Nintendo’s Fire Emblem tactical RPG series, have a knack for memorable and impactful character designs. From harlequin pegasus knights to brooding goth mages and meatheaded axe-wielders, the series’s sprawling ensemble casts are always full of intriguing people you’re excited to learn about. At the same time, the developers aren’t afraid to toss some oddballs into the mix who might not appeal to everyone. Enter Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave‘s newest hero, Peter, revealed on Fire Emblem’s official Japanese X account over the weekend. I’m calling it now: this kid seems like a real liability. And it’s not only because he’s an archer, but frankly, that doesn’t help.
Here’s the official logline for Peter (or Pietel, or Piet, his official English name isn’t clear yet):
“A 15-year-old boy who grew up with the protagonist Kai like brothers. He has exceptionally keen eyesight, able to observe stars even in the bright daylight. His archery skills are top-notch, but his gentle and timid personality hinders him from unleashing his true potential.” His likes include “his mother’s home cooking, silver persimmons, and watching clouds.” Oh brother.
For better and worse (mostly the latter), Peter immediately reminds me of Cyril from Fire Emblem: Three Houses. He’s the goody-goody teacher’s pet who hung out in the greenhouse and mostly spoke in stalker-ish terms about the school’s headmistress, Lady Rhea. Cyril’s got low base stats, and while some folks over on the Fire Emblem subreddit are eager to vouch for him as a useful unit if you take the time to level him up, even his defenders seem to agree that, from a story perspective, he’s an entirely uncharismatic dweeb. Even as someone with extreme FOMO who attempted to recruit as many party members as possible during my multiple playthroughs of Three Houses, Cyril was by far my least favorite of the bunch. Peter gives off a very similar vibe to me. Big, sad eyes and ginger hair? This is not someone I want at my side during an elite combat tournament, which we already know is a central plot element in Fortune’s Weave. Peter looks like someone turned a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel into a real boy.
While most of the commenters on the X post are taking a wait-and-see approach, several of them share my assessment that this kid is a grade-A wuss. “He looks like if someone looked at him the wrong way he’ll shatter,” wrote one. “He is just the saddest little munchkin I’ve ever seen,” replied another. “I just know he has 4 base strength,” another fan said on Reddit.
If Peter seems sweet and endearing to you, that’s wonderful! Don’t let me yuck your yum. But I’m leaning toward choosing the sword mommy Theodora as my protagonist, and I simply don’t see her having time for this kid’s scaredy-cat nonsense. Peter is going to have at least five support conversations about his favorite fruit and/or how he misses his mother’s food, and I’m already rolling my eyes just thinking about it. Why should I give this dork a spot in my squad when I could have yet another dashing cavalier instead?
Then again, maybe this kid will get some kind of epic glow-up in the story’s second half, like the cast of Three Houses, and I’ll be kicking myself for writing him off as a friendless loser during his awkward phase. We’ll find out when Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave comes to Nintendo Switch 2 on Sept. 17.
