Gwendolyn and Oswald's Relationship

Gwendolyn and Oswald's Relationship is one of the major romantic relationships in the game's main story plotline, their twosome is the game's deuteragonist couple and the 2nd most important two people love relationship in odin sphere.
== Overview ==
Unlike Cornelius and Velvet or Ingway and Mercedes, Gwendolyn and Oswald initially started their relationship as enemies on opposing sides of the Cauldron War. The two eventually coming together as lovers was namely by pure chance, if Oswald hadn't seen Gwendolyn in her mother's dress when he was sneaking through Ragnanival, he wouldn't have seen her as more than a soldier and would have likely killed her when they met later on the battlefield. The two also share a lot of similar issues such as the abuse and neglect they suffered at the hands of their fathers and end up finding comfort in knowing that they're able to mutually love each other without causing the other to suffer. In fact both yearn for someone to not only love them but to desire to be with them this would end up playing a great role in their love for each other for they are able to reciprocate this feeling towards each other.
Their relationship arguably has the biggest effect on the overall plot, as much of it ties into the story surrounding the Ring of Titrel and the end of the world (Oswald obtaining the ring by killing Wagner and presenting it to Gwendolyn as a gift, Gwendolyn getting the ring back from the fairies, and Gwendolyn killing Odette in order to save Oswald, which inadvertently helps cause the Armageddon.)
== Plot Synopsis ==
Oswald first see's Gwendolyn when he was sent to ascertain the plans of Odin's forces. He see's her wearing her mother's dress in hopes of impressing her father but he is distraught by her 'vanity' and scolds her for it. Gwendolyn is disheartened that he couldn't recognize the dress but leaves to ready for battle leaving behind a feather. Oswald grabs the feather having heard of her reputation he is surprised to find an entirely different person than rumors suggested. He would then participate in the successful counterattack against the Aesir which ended up killing Griselda. Oswald actually meet's her and after a short clash he pins her down, he is startled by her and hesitates to attack her, even after she tells him to kill her. But he ignores her and kills a berserker instead. He tells her to run away and looks at her once more before leaving. Gwendolyn would have a lingering hatred for Oswald because of this but not enough to actively hunt him and kill him.
While Gwendolyn would be put under a sleeping spell for killing Brigan Oswald would end up in the Netherworld following Melvin's failed coup, where he would fall into despair. However in his despair he see's a blue bird, he feels he knows the bird and that he feels hope, he musters the strength to follow it. He would find Odette and failing to injure her entirely would be forced to fight Odin. However halfway through the battle Odin would ask Oswald of his service to the fairies to which Oswald would reply that he is no longer affiliated with the country. Odin seeing a chance offers to take Oswald from the Netherworld. Oswald goes with Odin and in the capital of Ragnanival Odin would barter with Oswald for his services. He would be offered a castle but refused, then a Psypher spear but still refusing, finally Odin would offer up his daughter this being the only thing that catches Oswald's attention he asks who his target was. Odin pleased with this tells him to kill Wagner the dragon atop Horn Mountain while purposefully leaving out the reason why though Oswald does suspect ulterior motives he agrees to the demands.
He would be successful in his task finding a ring on the ground from Wagner's corpse, though Odin would unsuccessfully try to claim ownership Oswald would remind him that there was nothing in their deal about any ring. Odin angered but faithful to his promise would give Oswald everything he promised. In his new castle Oswald would watch over Gwendolyn knowing she was asleep via a spell and wondering how to wake her. Myris, Gwendolyn's loyal maid, would inadvertently mention that kissing her would wake her up , however she would reveal that doing so would cause Gwendolyn to fall unconditionally in love with him. However Oswald wants to earn her love genuinely and not have it be forced, but while he tries to find a way to wake her up without forcing her to love him Skuldi would appear kidnapping Gwendolyn. He would tell Oswald to tell Odin that she as in Titania, but Oswald would go after Skuldi himself to recover his wife from the sorcerer's gnarled fingers. He would find Skuldi in the sewers of Titania, Skuldi would fight Oswald using Revenants as aids but would lose the battle. Holding Skuldi at blade point he demands the wizard to tell him where Gwendolyn is. Skuldi reveals she's in the Fire Kingdom having used her as bait to draw out the Fire King Onyx. Though Skuldi asks Oswald to spare his life Oswald would kill him due to using Gwendolyn as a tool.
He would go to the Fire Kingdom where he would clash with Onyx who has kept her asleep. After a fierce battle Oswald would emerge the victor, reclaiming Gwendolyn. He would learn from Onyx that the spell cannot force her to love someone and he didn't kiss her because he knew she would flee. Oswald though is glad to hear this as it gives him the chance to win her love truly, he takes her back promising Onyx that he would fight for him once, but so long as he lived he wouldn't let Gwendolyn anywhere near Onyx. With her home he muses what might happen if she woke up but eventually realizing that such musings were pointless and that he would devote his life to her, with this he kisses her waking her up.
Gwendolyn would awake alone in the castle lamenting that she was no longer a Valkyrie almost as if it was a mere dream. She would soon discover her husband being Oswald and believe she is destined to suffer. He would give her the ring Titrel shocking her and she asks why he would do such a thing. He tells her he wishes to make her smile and to see her happy, she blushes and replies she is only happy in battle but cannot help but look at the ring thinking on his words. The ghost of her inner thoughts would deduce she fancies Oswald though she denies it saying she couldn't due to the soldiers he has killed and readies for an opportunity to give her father the ring, after some time Oswald would be called by Onyx to honor his promise. 
He would ask Gwendolyn to wait for her to which she would coldly replied that she belonged to him and as such she was meant to obey. Oswald surprises her by affirming she as not an object and would allow anyone to treat her in such a manner. Gwendolyn is taken aback and steps back in surprise, he once again announces he is leaving and departs to fulfill bargain with Onyx. Gwendolyn would use this as an advantage to sneak out and give the ring to her father only to find he had been possessed by the ghost of Brigan. After banishing the ghost she would give the ring only to learn that Oswald fought a dragon to win her hand. Touched by this she refuses going back to Ragnanival and returns to the castle she and Oswald resided in. Several more days would pass to which she would find herself suffering from both heartache and worry of Oswald's absence. 
Unable to bear it any longer she would ask Brom where he had gone, learning of his promise in the Fire Kingdom she would head to there to find her husband. On her arrival she would be greeted by Onyx and his Vulcans he moved to entertain her for coming. She would however ask him if Oswald is in the Kingdom to which Onyx replies as much as he would like to say otherwise he could not lie to her and confirmed Oswald was indeed there fighting a newborn Dragon. She would ask why to which Onyx would tell her of how originally she had been planned to marry Onyx but that Odin had went back on his word and given her to Oswald to which he referred to as a tortured soul. Once again Gwendolyn is struck by the lengths Oswald had gone just for her and she couldn't help but see him in a more positive light. Onyx would say that Oswald might die or is already dead and that he could save Oswald if Gwendolyn became his bride. He insists that Gwendolyn must become his, and remembering her husbands words she would reject this telling Onyx that she was not an object and left to find Oswald. After fighting her way through the pits she would find Oswald wounded by battle and weakened by Odette's machinations. The baby Leventhen readies to kill him when Gwendolyn swoops in and repels the newborn.
She checks her husband noting his wounds and how he must be tended to immediately but Onyx would tell her to leave him be. Angered by his earlier attitude she relays that Oswald has kept his promise and that they would be leaving. This infuriates Onyx would ask her why she would stay by Oswald's side revealing in his anger how Oswald was a tool for the Queen of the dead and how he would die as her puppet. Demanding she leave Oswald's side and join his. This only serves to further Gwendolyn's rage telling Onyx that if he insisted on insulting Oswald she would attack him and to get out of her sight. Onyx is impressed by her fiery reprisal and decides to say the promise has been kept though he impresses upon her that only she stirs the embers of his heart.
Back in the castle Oswald rests, and Gwendolyn worries for him eventually she goes to Brom to inquire more of Oswald's connection with Odette, while Brom hesitated, Oswald awoke and explained the curse. He would thank Gwendolyn for saving him but expresses worry as what happened between her and Onyx. She would apologize for disobeying his command to stay but that she was worried for him. Oswald is shocked asking her if she was truly worried about him. Gwendolyn surprised is unable to voice her words as a Valkyrie lands on the balcony. Gwendolyn would recognize the Valkyrie as being one of her father's troops the Valkyrie would report of Odin's calamitous defeat at the hand of the Fairies and even would blurt out the ring Titrel having been taken. Oswald would hear this and realizing the truth to Odin offering Gwendolyn would fall into despair. Gwendolyn realizing her error tries to implore to Oswald but he is too devastated to listen. She tells the Valkyrie she will fight, and upon putting on her armor she realizes that she was terrified of losing Oswald imploring that she didn't want to lose him she set's out.
Oswald however has fallen into such despair that he has completely lost the will to live. Brom and Myris both go searching for him and see him being stalked by a Halja. Brom attempts to save Oswald but is injured from the attempt. Meanwhile Gwendolyn has fought her way to the heart of the Fairy Kingdom and asks Mercedes for the ring. Mercedes refuses and the two battle with Gwendolyn winning the bout and reclaiming the ring. With the ring on her finger she heads back to the castle to inform Oswald. However Myris finds her informing her of what happened, and the truth of Oswald while she slept, and how he now dwelled in the Netherworld kidnapped by Odette. She says it's impossible to get him but Gwendolyn rebukes this saying how one individual could take her there, her father the Demon Lord Odin. She would meet with her father and beg him to take her to the Netherworld in exchange for the ring. Odin demands she give it to him now but wary of her father's lies and backing out of deals refuses till she left the Netherworld itself. She would fight her way through Hel till she found Odette, she would politely ask for Oswald back but Odette refuses. Gwendolyn tells her that while she did not fear death, the pain of losing Oswald was greater than her fear of death. The two would fight with Gwendolyn killing Odette sealing off the Netherworld and removing the major power in the Netherworld.
Odin would take her and Oswald leaving the Netherworld, he would then demand that she honor her promise but Gwendolyn refuses now fully aware of the significance of Oswald's ring saying that if the ring were to be taken her life must be taken as well. Disbelieving and angry Odin demands the ring again reminding her that she was married cause Odin ordered her to be so to Oswald. But she steadily refuses, Odin readies to attack her but Oswald defends her, Odin unable to attack lowers his fist. He tells them that his plans are being ruined... but if he was a father of any sort he must show her compassion. He would then entrust Gwendolyn to Oswald, and the two would head home. Back at home Oswald and Gwendolyn would speak passionately and romantically with both promising to love each other forever. However shortly after this is when Armageddon begins. Oswald would fight and kill his grandfather Gallon learning the true origins of his bloodline while Gwendolyn fought the giant dragon Leventhen whose growth had been greatly accelerated by the Cauldron. She would kill the great serpent but the explosion from the final blow damaged her wings causing her to plummet to the ground. As she fell she hoped Oswald was at the very least safe.
Oswald would catch her mid fall using his berserk form and expressed how he was glad and that for the first time in his life he prayed that he could reach her in time. Carrying Gwendolyn he would approach both Velvet and Cornelius who had given up hope as the Cauldron was no longer functioning and with it's creator truly dead no hope remained. It was then that Velvet saw Titrel on Gwendolyn's hands and realize that Gwendolyn and Oswald were the Crownless Lords Master Krois was correct and the true words of the prophecy had hope. She would then take the ring and use it to make the Cauldron give back what phozon's it had taken, Valentine's final curse turned her into a Pooka while Phozon's descended down. Gwendolyn would awaken to find herself alone with Oswald both lamenting that they were the only survivors of a now barren land. But Oswald would look over a ridge and see life flooding back into the land. He takes this as a sign, and tells his wife that they cannot give up that a miracle was unfolding before the two. Their love would eventually bare children and their bloodline would pass down to Alice who read the epic tale of Odin Sphere.
== Mythological and Literary Influences ==
Gwendolyn and Oswald are explicitly stated to be based on the Valkyrie Brynhildr and Sigurd, a hero from Norse Mythology. Brynhildr and Sigurd were lovers and, at one point, Sigurd had to wake Brynhildr from a sleep caused by a spell, much like Oswald had to do for Gwendolyn. Unlike Sigurd and Brynhildr, Gwendolyn and Oswald's relationship doesn't end with Oswald forgetting about Gwendolyn and the two coming to hate each other until their deaths, as they instead become the ultimate survivors of the world's end and repopulate the world afterwards.
As the survivors of Armageddon, Gwendolyn and Oswald also refer to Leif and Leifthrasir (Líf and Lífþrasir), who are the two humans who survive Ragnarok and repopulate the world with their offspring. Gwendolyn needing to be wakened from her slumber with a kiss can also be seen as a nod to The Sleeping Beauty.
== Trivia ==
* Their Relationship is sometimes is a reference to the sleeping beauty, as where gwendolyn sleeps in the elrit castle after she was casted a spell by her father to put her in sleep as a way of banishing her from their nation for being a "traitor" to their country by killing their top warlord brigan, she continued to sleep even that she was kidnapped by skuldi until oswald's kiss to her lips that made her wake up and made her heart to belong to him and that was the spell was determined to do because her father made that on purpose.
Category:Relationships
Category:Fanon