Cain (Fire Emblem - Archanea)

Cain is a supporting protagonist of the Archanea series of the Fire Emblem franchise.
In Japanese, Cain is voiced by Toshiki Masuda in games and Noboyuki Hiyama (who also voices Jamke) in the Fire Emblem OVA. In English, he is voiced by Taliesin Jaffe (who also voices Navarre) in games and Kyle Sturdivant in the OVA.
==Appearance==
Cain is a young man with short, bright red hair. He wears distinctive red armor with gold accents on its breastplate, shoulder pads, and sometimes thigh pads. As a Mirage, Cain is clad in full red armor with gold accents. His helm has large red horns and a black visor. In place of a right hand, Mirage Cain has a massive red lance.
==Personality==
Much like the other knights of Altea, Cain is immensely loyal to his country and liege. This devotion sometimes supersedes concern over his own health, as when he returns to Altea castle to obey King Cornelius' last request despite heavy injuries sustained on the battlefield. Unlike his good friend Abel, Cain's temperament is brash and impulsive, demonstrated by his passionate outburst over the death of his king and comrades.
==Biography==
===War of Shadows===
As an Altean knight, Cain spent many years serving its king, Cornelius. When the tyrannical Dolhr Empire sparked the War of Shadows, Cornelius marched into battle with the majority of the Altean Army at his side, Cain included. At Fort Menedy, which lay at the border between Altea and the allied Gra, the two country's forces prepared to face the army of Grust, which affiliated itself with Dolhr. However, Gra's King Jiol was convinced to switch sides, and during combat Gra suddenly betrayed Altea. Cornelius was fatally wounded; with his last breath, he instructed Cain to tell his son Prince Marth that the future of Altea and Archanea was in his hands. Though severely injured himself, Cain raced back to Altea castle.
Meanwhile, a garrison of Gra's troops stationed at the castle likewise betrayed the royal family and began attacking the Altean garrison. With the help of his sister Princess Elice, Marth fled with his tactician Malledus and veteran knights Jagen and Frey. As they fought their way out of the castle, the four encountered Cain; Marth insisted he receive immediate medical attention, but Jagen insisted they wait until everyone successfully escaped. Outside the castle, the group was cornered by Gra reinforcements, but Frey sacrificed himself by disguising himself as Marth, and riding South, diverting their attention. The rest reached a boat prepared by the knight Draug and entered exile on the island of Talys.
Around two years later, Galder pirates assaulted Talys. Marth, Cain, and the rest of Marth's retinue assisted Talys' Princess Caeda in routing the mauraders. After the island's successful defense, King Mostyn advises Marth, Cain, and the rest of Marth's band to take arms against Dolhr's dominion over Archanea. Cain helped Marth to liberate Aurelius and the Holy Kingdom of Archanea from Dolhr. He also helped to avenge Altea by storming Gra and aiding the killing of King Jiol. Finally, Cain contributed to Altea's liberation, the defeat of Dolhr's allies Grust and Macedon, and the storming of Dolhr itself, where Marth slew the tyrannical Medeus. Should Cain survive the end of the War of Shadows, he becomes teaches new recruits the art of Altean warfare.
===War of Heroes===
Shortly before the beginning of the War of Heroes, Cain became the training instructor of the 7th Platoon, a group of recruits eventually consisting of Kris, Katarina, Luke, Roderick, Ryan, and Cecil. Cain taught the recruits by organizing mock battles between the platoon and veterans of the War of Shadows. When the 7th Platoon overcame these trials, Cain potentially served as their final opponent; the 7th Platoon defeated him and graduated to full knighthood. On the day of the ceremony, a panicked soldier warned them that Altea castle was being attacked by an unknown number of assailants. It was then that Katarina revealed her true name was Reese, and that she was an assassin sent to kill Marth. If Cain was involved in the 7th Platoon's final trial, he assisted in fending off Reese's attack, saving Marth's life.
Some time after the attempted assassination of Marth, the Hero-King received a letter from his old friend Hardin, who became Emperor of the Holy Kingdom of Archanea through his marriage to Princess Nyna. Hardin explained that a rebellion erupted in the Archanean-occupied Kingdom of Grust, and requested Marth's assistance in suppressing it. As Archanea was a more powerful country than Altea, Marth was obligated to obey Hardin, so he gathered Jagen, Arran, Gordin, Draug, and the 7th Platoon to help settle the dispute. While Marth's squad completed the mission, Altea castle would be left in Cain's hands. Unbeknownst to Marth, Cain, and the others, Hardin's true plan was to distract Marth and his strongest soldiers, leaving Altea defenseless for a surprise assault. All Hardin needed was a pretext to declare war, which was given to him after Marth became disgusted with Grust's occupying leader, General Lang, and defied his orders. Altea quickly fell to Archanea, but Marth's sister Princess Elice bought enough time for Cain and Marth's fiance Caeda to escape.
While Caeda, a pegasus rider, quickly reached Marth and told him of Altea's fall, Cain took longer to reunite with Marth's forces. He finally reached Marth's group at Chiasmir Bridge, where they were leaving the continent after failing to find pieces of the Starsphere; so long as the Starsphere was shattered, the world was in danger of falling to ruin. While crossing the bridge were confronted by Hardin's army, who were determined to punish all dissidents. All attacks on Hardin's person were repelled by a dark magical shield, forcing Marth, Cain, and the vanguard to flee to the ocean while the rearguard distracted Hardin's men. The vanguard took a boat to the desert city of Khadein in the hopes that they could find a spell to penetrate Hardin's shield; at the city they also reunited with the rearguard. At Khadein's school of magic Marth was contacted by the White Sage Gotoh, who explained that Hardin's dark shield and moral corruption were insitgated by the powerful darksphere. While Gotoh had the Lightsphere, which would cancel the Darksphere's magic, Marth would need to reach him at the Ice Dragon Temple. Cain traveled with Marth through Anri's way, helping to gather Starsphere shards en route to the temple. When Marth's group reached it's destination, Gotoh bequeathed the Lightsphere to Marth, reforged the Starsphere, and teleported everyone back to Altea.
After liberating Altea, Marth learned from Gotoh that Medeus' right-hand man, Gharnef, had returned and planned on using four clerics to resurrect the Earth Dragon. Cain accompanied Marth to Archanea to prevent Princess Nyna's abduction, only to learn that Hardin personally delivered her to Gharnef. After a brutal campaign, the Lightsphere's magic pierced the Darksphere's shield, mortally wounded Hardin but briefly restoring his senses. With his last breath, Hardin regretted his actions and begged Marth to save Nyna. Cain accompanied him to The Dragon's Table, where a resurrected Medeus held the four brainwashed clerics, intending to sacrifice them should he be slain again. However, each maiden was released from their trance by their loved ones, allowing Marth to kill Medeus once again, ending the War of Heroes. After the war, Cain continued to serve Altea as a knight, becoming the Knight Commander after Jagen's death.
==Other Media==
===Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE===
Like all Mirages, Cain hails from a version of Archanea. He lost his memories when transported to Tokyo, but became the partner of Fortuna member Touma Akagi. Cain quickly bonded with his Mirage Master, acting as a big brother of sorts. After the defeat of Mirage Medeus, Cain regained his memories and eventually returned to his Archanea.
===Fire Emblem Heroes===
Cain is a playable character who was available to summon on the game's official launch. His appearance is based on his design from Mystery of the Emblem.
===Fire Emblem OVA===
Cain is a supporting character in the two episodes of the Fire Emblem OVA, which adapts the first three chapters and some backstory of Mystery of the Emblem. Cain's role is much the same as the relevant chapters of Mystery of the Emblem, serving as a knight loyal to Altea and Prince Marth (though as the English dub of the OVA long predated any other translation of Fire Emblem media, Altea was translated as Aritia while Marth was dubbed as Mars), as well as a good friend to Abel.
==Quotes==
==Trivia==
*Cain shares his name with Cain, a heroic lance knight from Leonster in the Fire Emblem franchise.
*In addition to Cain and Navarre, Taliesin Jaffe also provides the English voice of Fire Emblem villain Bruno.
==External Links==
*Cain on the Fire Emblem Wiki
*Cain at the Megami Tensei Wiki
==Navigation==
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