is a fictional character and one of the
protagonists
A protagonist () is the main character of a story. The protagonist makes key decisions that affect the plot, primarily influencing the story and propelling it forward, and is often the character who faces the most significant obstacles. If a st ...
from
Intelligent Systems
is a Japanese video game developer best known for developing games with Nintendo and the ''Fire Emblem'', ''Paper Mario (series), Paper Mario'', ''WarioWare'', and ''Wars (series), Wars'' video game series. Originally, the company was headqua ...
's 2012
role-playing video game
A role-playing video game (commonly referred to as simply a role-playing game or RPG, as well as a computer role-playing game or CRPG) is a video game genre where the player controls the actions of a character (or several party members) immers ...
''
Fire Emblem Awakening
''Fire Emblem Awakening'' is a tactical role-playing game developed by Intelligent Systems and Nintendo SPD and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 3DS. It was released in April 2012 in Japan and 2013 internationally. It is the thirteenth in ...
'', part of their overarching ''
Fire Emblem
is a fantasy tactical role-playing game franchise developed by Intelligent Systems and published by Nintendo. First produced and published for the Famicom in 1990, the series currently consists of sixteen core entries and five spinoffs. Game ...
'' series of video games. Her popularity later led to her inclusion in several other video games, including Intelligent System's 2015 title ''
Code Name: S.T.E.A.M.'',
Nintendo
is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational video game company headquartered in Kyoto, Japan. It develops video games and video game consoles.
Nintendo was founded in 1889 as by craftsman Fusajiro Yamauchi and originally produce ...
's crossover
fighting game
A fighting game, also known as a versus fighting game, is a video game genre, genre of video game that involves combat between two or more players. Fighting game combat often features mechanics such as Blocking (martial arts), blocking, grappli ...
''Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS'' and ''Wii U'' and its sequel ''
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'' is a 2018 crossover fighting video game developed by Bandai Namco Studios and Sora Ltd. and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch. It is the fifth installment in the '' Super Smash Bros.'' series, succeed ...
'',
Capcom
is a Japanese video game developer and video game publisher, publisher. It has created a number of List of best-selling video game franchises, multi-million-selling game franchises, with its most commercially successful being ''Resident Evil' ...
's ''
Monster Hunter Frontier G'', and
Bandai Namco
also known as the Bandai Namco Group and generally Bandai Namco, is a Japanese multinational holding company, production enterprise and entertainment conglomerate headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, formed from the merger of Bandai and Namco on S ...
's crossover RPG ''
Project X Zone 2
''Project X Zone 2'' is a crossover tactical role-playing game for the Nintendo 3DS developed by Monolith Soft and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment. Despite the game being the sequel to '' Project X Zone'', the plot is a homage to the eve ...
''. Lucina would again appear in future ''Fire Emblem'' titles as well, including ''
Fire Emblem Fates
''Fire Emblem Fates'' is a tactical role-playing video game for the Nintendo 3DS handheld video game console, developed by Intelligent Systems and Nintendo SPD and published by Nintendo. It was released in June 2015 in Japan, then released inter ...
'', ''
Fire Emblem Heroes
is a free-to-play tactical role-playing game developed by Intelligent Systems and published by Nintendo for Android and iOS. The game is a mobile spin-off of the ''Fire Emblem'' series featuring its characters, and was released on February 2 ...
'', ''
Fire Emblem Warriors
''Fire Emblem Warriors'' is a hack and slash action role-playing game developed by Omega Force and Team Ninja, and published by Koei Tecmo in Japan and Nintendo internationally for the Nintendo Switch and New Nintendo 3DS. The game was released ...
'', and ''
Fire Emblem Engage
is a tactical role-playing game developed by Intelligent Systems and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch. It is an installment in the ''Fire Emblem'' series and was released on January 20, 2023.
''Fire Emblem Engage'' received genera ...
'' though in more of a
supporting role
A supporting character is a character in a narrative that is not the focus of the primary storyline, but is important to the plot/protagonist, and appears or is mentioned in the story enough to be more than just a minor character or a cameo ap ...
rather than a protagonist with the latter titles.
History and appearances
In ''Fire Emblem Awakening''
Lucina originates from the
Nintendo
is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational video game company headquartered in Kyoto, Japan. It develops video games and video game consoles.
Nintendo was founded in 1889 as by craftsman Fusajiro Yamauchi and originally produce ...
and
Intelligent Systems
is a Japanese video game developer best known for developing games with Nintendo and the ''Fire Emblem'', ''Paper Mario (series), Paper Mario'', ''WarioWare'', and ''Wars (series), Wars'' video game series. Originally, the company was headqua ...
video game ''
Fire Emblem Awakening
''Fire Emblem Awakening'' is a tactical role-playing game developed by Intelligent Systems and Nintendo SPD and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 3DS. It was released in April 2012 in Japan and 2013 internationally. It is the thirteenth in ...
'', an entry in their long-running ''
Fire Emblem
is a fantasy tactical role-playing game franchise developed by Intelligent Systems and published by Nintendo. First produced and published for the Famicom in 1990, the series currently consists of sixteen core entries and five spinoffs. Game ...
'' series of video games. Internally, ''Awakening'' was treated as a last-ditch effort to save the series, as declining sales had led Nintendo to deem it the last game in the series if the game did not meet sales goals. Lucina was part of the team's efforts to rework the series' arch-typical
medieval fantasy
Historical fantasy is a category of fantasy and genre of historical fiction that incorporates fantastic elements (such as magic (fantasy), magic) into a more "realistic" narrative. There is much crossover with other subgenres of fantasy; those ...
setting and revamping it using elements of time-travel; Lucina travels backward in time from a world in ruins to help her father,
Chrom
Chrom is a fictional character in the video game ''Fire Emblem Awakening'' and its related ''Fire Emblem'' franchise. Chrom is the prince of the Kingdom of Ylisse, and a descendant of Marth (Fire Emblem), Marth. He is the brother of Lissa and Em ...
, work towards a different future.
Lucina's mother is dependent on the player's choices in
the game's relationship and marriage system, another revamped system for the game.
Early parts in the game see her dressing up as her ancestor
Marth Marth may refer to:
* Marth, Thuringia, Germany
People with the surname
* Albert Marth (1828–1897), German astronomer
* Christophe Marth (born 1980), French rugby player
* Frank Marth (born 1922), American actor
* Tommy Marth
Thomas Christian ...
, the protagonist from a number of earlier ''Fire Emblem'' titles. Nintendo described her in the game as "an unwavering warrior with a strong sense of justice and commitment to her family...Her power, determination, and wisdom gained from watching the destruction of her world are priceless strengths." Lucina and the rest of the cast were cited as standout aspects of the game that helped in saving the series; ''Awakening'' posted strong sales in multiple regions and allowed Nintendo to greenlight further entries in the series.
In other media
Lucina later appeared in ''Awakening's'' follow up, ''
Fire Emblem Fates
''Fire Emblem Fates'' is a tactical role-playing video game for the Nintendo 3DS handheld video game console, developed by Intelligent Systems and Nintendo SPD and published by Nintendo. It was released in June 2015 in Japan, then released inter ...
'', though only as an additional
downloadable content
Downloadable content (DLC) is additional content created for an already released video game, distributed through the Internet by the game's publisher. It can either be added for no extra cost or it can be a form of video game monetization, enablin ...
(DLC) character, not a core character to the game's story. She is also a playable character in Nintendo's mobile entry in the series, ''
Fire Emblem Heroes
is a free-to-play tactical role-playing game developed by Intelligent Systems and published by Nintendo for Android and iOS. The game is a mobile spin-off of the ''Fire Emblem'' series featuring its characters, and was released on February 2 ...
'',
and ''
Fire Emblem Warriors
''Fire Emblem Warriors'' is a hack and slash action role-playing game developed by Omega Force and Team Ninja, and published by Koei Tecmo in Japan and Nintendo internationally for the Nintendo Switch and New Nintendo 3DS. The game was released ...
'', a
Tecmo Koei
is a Japanese video game, amusement and anime holding company created in 2009 by the merger of Koei and Tecmo. Koei Tecmo Holdings owns several companies, the biggest one of those being its flagship game developer and publisher Koei Tecmo Games ...
developed ''
musou'' action game spin-off. Tecmo Koei originally wanted to drop her from the game's story, citing both issues with her time-travelling backstory conflicting with the new story they were trying to tell in the game, and the perception that there were already too many sword-bearing characters unbalancing the game's gameplay.
This idea was rejected by Intelligent Systems and Nintendo, deeming her too important to the franchise to be cut from the game.
In ''
Fire Emblem Engage
is a tactical role-playing game developed by Intelligent Systems and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch. It is an installment in the ''Fire Emblem'' series and was released on January 20, 2023.
''Fire Emblem Engage'' received genera ...
'', Lucina appears as an Emblem Ring (guest character) alongside other past ''Fire Emblem'' protagonists.
Outside of the ''Fire Emblem'' series, Lucina was also included in a number of other Nintendo-related games, including the ''
Super Smash Bros.'' crossover fighting game series. Lucina was a playable character in 2014's ''
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U
and (colloquially and collectively referred to as ''Super Smash Bros. 4'' or ''Smash 4'') is a group of two 2014 crossover fighting video games developed by Bandai Namco Studios and Sora Ltd. and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 3DS ...
'' as part of the game's core fighting cast, using moves similar to Marth's. Around the same time, she also received her own
Amiibo
(, ; officially stylized as amiibo; plural: ''Amiibo'') is a toys-to-life platform by Nintendo, which was launched in November 2014. It consists of a wireless communications and storage protocol for connecting figurines to the Wii U, Ninten ...
figure from Nintendo. She also appears in the series' 2018 entry, ''
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'' is a 2018 crossover fighting video game developed by Bandai Namco Studios and Sora Ltd. and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch. It is the fifth installment in the '' Super Smash Bros.'' series, succeed ...
'', now designated as Marth's "echo fighter". She is also playable in the 2016 tactical role-playing crossover game ''
Project X Zone 2
''Project X Zone 2'' is a crossover tactical role-playing game for the Nintendo 3DS developed by Monolith Soft and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment. Despite the game being the sequel to '' Project X Zone'', the plot is a homage to the eve ...
'', appearing as part of a pair unit with her father Chrom. A downloadable addition to the Japan-only ''
Monster Hunter Frontier G'' allowed for the player to dress their avatar as Lucina in the game's
Wii U
The Wii U ( ) is a home video game console developed by Nintendo as the successor to the Wii. Released in late 2012, it is the first eighth-generation video game console and competed with Microsoft's Xbox One and Sony's PlayStation 4.
The W ...
version. Lucina is featured as a bonus playable character in ''
Code Name: S.T.E.A.M.'', where she is made playable upon the player linking their Amiibo with the game.
Good Smile Company
is a Japanese manufacturer of hobby products such as the Nendoroid and figma product lines, as well as scale figures. In addition to production and manufacturing, its business includes design, marketing and distribution. Its products are usuall ...
launched a
figma figurine based on Lucina in 2014.
Reception
The character of Lucina has received positive attention from journalists as part of Nintendo's efforts to better appeal to the female demographics of video gaming.
Nintendo used her as one of their female characters used to recreate the
Rosie the Riveter
Rosie the Riveter is an allegorical cultural icon in the United States who represents the women who worked in factories and shipyards during World War II, many of whom produced munitions and war supplies. These women sometimes took entirely new ...
We Can Do It poster as part of the company's
Women's History Month
Women's History Month is an annual declared month that highlights the contributions of women to events in history and contemporary society. It is celebrated during March in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia, corresponding with ...
celebration in March 2015, with her being one of the few characters used who was not criticized by journalists for being a
damsel in distress
The damsel in distress is a recurring narrative device in which one or more men must rescue a woman who has either been kidnapped or placed in general peril. Kinship, love, or lust (or a combination of those) gives the male protagonist the motiv ...
,
oversexualized, or merely a female version of a male character.
Other journalists praised her inclusion as part of Nintendo's efforts to have more female character in games, including her starring role in ''Fire Emblem Awakening'',
and the increased percentage of female characters in the roster for ''Super Smash Bros for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U''. While
The Mary Sue
Daniel Abrams (born May 20, 1966) is an American media entrepreneur, television host, legal commentator, and author. He is currently the host of the prime-time show ''Dan Abrams Live'' on NewsNation, ''On Patrol: Live'' on Reelz and ''The Dan Abr ...
initially resented the fact that the initial trailer for her revealed appearance in ''Super Smash Bros.'' led to Lucina, a female, having to be rescued by Robin, a male, the concern was later retracted upon the realization that the Robin character can be chosen to be male or female in the game itself. In ''Fire Emblem'' character popularity polls running up to the release of ''Fire Emblem Heroes'', Lucina was ranked number 2 in the female character polls in North America.
The top four characters in the polls received new in-game costumes;
Kotaku
''Kotaku'' is a video game website and blog that was originally launched in 2004 as part of the Gawker Media network. Notable former contributors to the site include Luke Smith, Cecilia D'Anastasio, Tim Rogers, and Jason Schreier.
History
...
praised both Lucina's original costume, and the revised one, for striking a good balance between looking stylish while still appearing to look like traditionally functional armor as well.
As a fighter in ''Super Smash Bros.'' specifically, her inclusion was generally well-received, although her initial reveal lead to concerns that she was too similar in playing style to Marth, in a game series that stresses that each character be different in play-style. The director of ''Super Smash Bros.'',
Masahiro Sakurai
is a Japanese video game director and game designer best known as the creator of the ''Kirby'' and '' Super Smash Bros.'' series. Apart from his work on those series, he also led the design of ''Meteos'' in 2005 and directed '' Kid Icarus: Upr ...
, addressed the concern directly and stated that there were enough differences in balance and size to warrant her being a separate character. With eight total ''Fire Emblem'' characters appearing in ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'', complaints again arose that she played too similarly to other characters.
References
{{Super Smash Bros.
Female characters in video games
Fictional cross-dressers
Fictional swordfighters in video games
Nintendo protagonists
Orphan characters in video games
Role-playing video game characters
Super Smash Bros. fighters
Video game characters introduced in 2012
Princess characters in video games
Fictional characters displaced in time
Woman soldier and warrior characters in video games
Fire Emblem characters