Nichol

Nichol is one of the main characters of Final Fantasy Brave Exvius. A respected tactician and military commander from the Olderion Federation, he was born to the Wardens of the Waters line that has protected the continent for generations.
He is the elder brother of Luka and Elle, and through him, Arsha's brother-in-law.
==Profile==
===Appearance===
Nichol has sea foam green eyes and light blue hair. He wears a white longcoat, a light blue scarf, a dark blue waistcoat, dark gray trousers and white gloves and boots. In Season Two, he takes to using glasses, and changes his attire to be mostly black.
===Personality===
Nichol is usually serious, knowledgeable and detached, but can be rather harsh towards those he considers too careless, for which he is often misunderstood as a cynic. While he is strict and "difficult to deal with" according to his brother Elle, Nichol always puts his duties as a Warden of the Waters first, always choosing the greatest good for the greatest number.
Due to him being an excellent tactician, Olderion soldiers have absolute faith in his abilities, although some consider him to be a "cold-blooded tyrant". Although his dedication to his duties means that he needs to disregards his own feelings – even those he has for his family –, Nichol does care for his brother and sister and is far from emotionless. In fact, when they are negatively affected by Veritas of the Waters' actions, Nichol develops a grudge against her, enough for him to lose his otherwise calm composure and display uncharacteristic violence. After learning of her circumstances and with encouragement from his friends, he reconsiders and is able to move forward.
Nichol softens to an extent as he interacts with the rest the party, although his stoic remarks remain a constant. Nichol develops a friendship with Jake, with the latter teaching him his experience in love affairs. Although Nichol believes Jake to be "perverted, lecherous and licentious", he does find this friendship fruitful and Jake's lady-killing techniques amusing, though he has no interest in using them to seduce women. Still, Nichol is "a natural born lady-killer" (as dubbed by Jake), stealing the hearts of women with his kind and straightforward nature.
==Story==
=== Early life ===
Born to the ancestral line of the Warden of the Waters, Nichol was raised in isolation from other children his age, and had to study many books on magic as a young child. He had to act like one of the adults and prove himself a worthy successor to the line—to protect Olderion and the Water Crystal. While his sister Luka became the Water Priestess, Nichol became a tactician for the army.
Their brother Elle grew up feeling inferior due to not possessing their talents, but the three were very close. One day, wanting to do what he could for their country, Elle joined the army as a soldier in spite of swearing to Nichol that he would never sign up. Nichol (who believed Elle was not suited to a warrior's path) was disappointed at Elle's decision. Elle said he wanted to be a great tactician just like him, even if he had to use their line's forbidden magic to alter his own personality. Nichol rebuked his younger brother's desire to be like him, and told Elle he should just be himself. Praising his kindness, he encouraged Elle to find his own way to be strong.
In Memories from the Aquapolis, Luka told Nichol that she was willing to do anything to protect the crystal, their family and all the people. Nichol was saddened to hear her say that, but accepted her choice.
=== Season One ===
When the Aquapolis is beset by monsters, Nichol goes in search of Luka so she can purify the city's defiled waters. Nichol meets the party—Rain, Lasswell, Fina and Lid—as soon as they arrive on their airship. With their help, Nichol finds Luka and returns to the Aquapolis upon Elle's prompt. When she fails to purify the city's waters, Nichol and Luka go to Lake Dorr while escorted by the party, who does so in order to protect her and the barrier she has placed around the crystal. At the lake, they discover that Veritas of the Water has injured the water god Leviathan, its blood polluting the waters. Luka pacifies the esper, who attacks Waterlord instead, forcing her to retreat. Luka then descends to the bottom of the lake to heal Leviathan's wonds and purify the waters, and tells Nichol not to be sad for her.
The next day, Nichol and the others wake to find the Aquapolis flooded by Waterlord, whom they confront at the new market. In the struggle, Dark Fina is awakened and Waterlord flees. Accompanied by Elle, Nichol and the party pursue her aboard Mercedes' ship and retrieve the Sacred Ring of Paladia—though Rain's power is forcibly awakened. As his health deteriorates, they go to the Water Shrine, where Elle uses his powers to magnify the crystal's power, but is fatally wounded by Waterlord. Nichol and the others catch up and defeat Waterlord, who retreats. Nichol then tells Elle, in his dying moment, he is proud to call him brother. Meanwhile Dark Fina uses what remains of the Water Crystal (which is brimming with Elle's power) and the Sacred Ring to save both the Aquapolis and Rain.
With Fina back to her usual persona, Nichol brings his brother's body to the Aquapolis and tells Arsha of his passing. After Rain uses his power of visions to let Arsha see Elle one last time, Nichol permanently joins the party—sharing their desire to stop the Sworn Six of Paladia from destroying the crystals.
In Zoldaad, they soon meet rebel leader Jake, whom they help destroy key facilities to undermine Zoldaad's war efforts. At the Fire Shrine, they force Veritas of the Flame and Veritas of the Dark to retreat, yet Jake betrays the party and destroys the Fire Crystal to ensure his people's safety. Nonetheless, the party follows him to Downtown Zoldaad. They are imprisoned for trying to rescue Prince Shera, but they escape with Amelia's aid. They confront Dr. Lazarov, Emperor Sozhe, and Evan. Sozhe passes away, while Lid manages to snap her brother out of his brainwashing; Evan, with the Enterprise, then helps the party board Invincible to catch Lazarov. Once inside, Veritas of the Heavens kills the scientist for stealing the Invincible, and teleports the party out of the airship. Back at the capital, Jake permanently joins the party; they also meet Sakura, who promises to provide answers related to the Sworn Six if they escort her back to Mysidia.
The party travels with her as accorded. They soon must protect the Light Crystal from Veritas of the Light and Veritas of the Earth, but the latter infuses Fina with his own power in order to awaken Dark Fina (thus slowly erasing the other Fina) to satiate his lust for battle. Leaving the crystal at their mercy, Sakura teleports the party away to escape their assault. The party uses a book from the Magic Library to navigate Fina's memories to save her, while also learning of the Sworn Six's past and the war between Aldore and Hess.
Although momentarily interrupted by Lightlord, they save Fina after witnessing the civil war's conclusion, although upon their return, they find that now the Finas exist in parallel. After another encounter with the Veritas, the party goes to Gronoa to protect the Dark Crystal, the last one remaining. With Ilias and Fohlen's help, they reach its shrine, where they defend it from Dark Elf. They are able to defeat him only with a wounded Lightlord's help. After killing Elf, she retreats promising to settle the score for good.
They meet Veritas of the Frost next. He freezes the people of Duggle Village and agrees to release the people if Rain's party defeats him but only after they determine (through battle) is strongest among their ranks. Nichol is defeated by Lasswell, who proceeds to duel Rain in the finals. After Rain wins, the party fights and defeats Frostlord at the crystal's chamber. The Sworn Six soon arrive and Frostlord reveals himself as Rain and Lasswell's missing father, Raegen, and helps the party fight his former comrades. Nichol turns violent at the sight of Waterlord, but before long the shrine loses stability and Sakura and Raegen teleport the party and crystal to Pharm.
Nichol is determined to avenge his brother by killing Waterlord, so the party follows him as he hunts the scattered Veritas, who are looking for the Dark Crystal. After defeating Earthlord and Heavenlord, the party encounters Waterlord who is unable to remember Elle's murder and Flamelord protects her. Rain pleads Nichol not to pursue revenge, but Nichol does not listen. However, he soon realizes that Waterlord (who he learns was the first Water Priestess and his own ancestor) is hoping to be killed by him. She even attempts to use their line's forbidden magic, but Nichol decides to spare her life and tells her to atone for her sins by helping others. In front of the party, Nichol sheds tears for Elle, his burden now lifted.
The party catches up with Raegen. They convince Darklord (who is revealed to be a vision of Raegen) and Lightlord not to destroy the crystal. Before the party can rejoice, the sages Sol and Behemoth K destroy the crystal, and knock the party out. They kill Darklord and then sages depart for the dimensional gate in order to destroy Lapis. The party sets out to climb the crystal tower, stop the sages and close the gate.
Waterlord, captivated by Nichol, joins their efforts while Lightlord claims to seek revenge on the sages for killing Darklord. Betting on a coin, Nichol convinces her to give up on revenge and join them. The two Veritas later keep Behemoth busy, whereas the party catches up with Sol. He puts up a barrier and leaves. When Fina is about to disappear, Dark Fina sacrifices herself: she becomes the Earth Crystal, sealing the land once again and allowing Fina to carry on existing. Fina then dispels Sol's barrier and the party defeats Sol at the summit, but he summons the Chaotic Darkness—born from the evil that lurks in humanity—that creates the Wandering Lands.
Behemoth K, upon seemingly killing Lightlord and Waterlord, teleports before them, but in his weakened state, the party puts him to rest. They proceed to defeat Sol at the Land of Darkness, and the sage declares his hatred of Rain as he retreats. Supported by the prayers of those they met during their journey, and Evan on the Invincible, the party defeats the Chaotic Darkness for good. Raegen and Rain then awaken their Aldore blood to close the gate. Sol, however, reappears and intends to force the gate wide open. Rain intercepts the sage, the clash causing both of them to disappear. Nichol and the others are shocked and saddened at Rain's apparent death, but Lasswell is confident that Rain is alive and vows to find him.
Sakura theorizes Rain might be on Paladia, and so the party decides to travel there to search for him. After a few months, Nichol returns to the Aquapolis to see the city one last time and visits Arsha, and meets her and Elle's newborn daughter. She asks Nichol to be the godfather and to name her, and to make the customary amulet at the Water Shrine. As Nichol is about to leave, Arsha asks him what happened to Waterlord; he doesn't know but says he came to peace with Folka. Angered, Arsha tells him to leave and not to bother with the amulet, but Nichol insists on doing the ritual.
===Season Two===
==Gameplay==
===Playable character===
Nichol is a story unit obtained during Chapter III upon completion of the Water Shrine dungeon. His job is listed as Tactician, and his roles are Magical Damage and Support. He starts at Rarity 3★ and can be awakened up to 5★. As a main character, Nichol has a few variants: "Hunter Nichol" (4-6★) from the Japan-only collaboration with Monster Hunter Explore; the Global-exclusive units "Illusionist Nichol" (4-6★) and "Seaside Nichol" (5-7★); and "Sweet Nichol" (5-7★).
His Season Two variant, "Maritime Strategist Nichol" is a 5-7★ Rare Summon that has been available since June 2018. His job is now listed as Strategist, and his skillset has been reworked. Nichol is a top-tier "buffer", able to boost the party's stats, recover MP, mitigate damage taken, boost the Limit gauge fill rate, and increase elemental resistances. Like the other CG units, Nichol's Limit Burst ("Ancient Formula") is a special FMV sequence and has a powerful effect: it boosts the party's stats, removes stat reductions, and restores their HP and MP.
He appeared as a guest unit in his own introduction quest as well as four stages from Where Destinies Intersect (Forced Journey, Where Destinies Intersect, A Documented Riddle, Miraculous Escape).
===Battle===
In the main story, Nichol also appears as a boss on the stage Grieving Knoll - The Strategist's Plan. He summons two visions to fight alongside him: Charlotte and Lawrence.
==Other appearances==
===King's Knight -Wrath of the Dark Dragon-===
Nichol was an obtainable unit during the Here Comes Brave! collaboration event. In the King's Knight job system, Nichol was a Gigant.
===Bravely Default: Fairy's Effect===
Nichol's outfit was available during the Final Fantasy Brave Exvius collaboration.
BDFE Exvius Collaboration.png|Collaboration banner.
BDFE Exvius render.png|
===Final Fantasy Portal App===
Nichol appears as a Triple Triad card.
499a Nichol.png|No. 499a Nichol.
499b Nichol.png|No. 499b Nichol.
499c Nichol.png|No. 499c Nichol.
==Gallery==
;Artwork
File:Season 2 from FFBE artwork 1.png|Nichol in Season Two key art by Yoshitaka Amano.
File:Season 4 from FFBE artwork.png|Season Four artwork featuring Nichol from Final Fantasy Brave Exvius.
File:Nichol from FFBE artwork 1.png|Artwork.
File:Nichol 2nd Anniversary Illustration.png|2nd anniversary illustration.
File:Anniversary from WotV artwork (1).png|First Anniversary artwork featuring Nichol from War of the Visions: Final Fantasy Brave Exvius.
;Renders
File:FFBE Nichol Full-Body CG.png|Full-body CG render (Season 1).
File:Nichol_Render_season_1.png|Partial Render.
File:Nichol from FFBE render 1.png|Render.
File:FFBE Nichol Season 2 CG.png|Full-body CG render (Season 2).
File:FFBE Nichol CG.png|Promotional CG render (Season 1).
;Screenshots
File:FFBE Cast.png|Nichol and the cast of Final Fantasy Brave Exvius in the Touch It music video.
File:FFBE S2 Nichol SS2.png|Nichol in the Final Fantasy Brave Exvius second anniversary commercial.
File:FFBE S2 Nichol SS.png|Preview of Nichol's limit burst for Season Two.
;Sprites
File:FFBE 304 Nichol.png|No. 304 Nichol (3★).
File:FFBE 305 Nichol.png|No. 305 Nichol (4★).
File:FFBE 306 Nichol.png|No. 306 Nichol (5★).
File:FFBE 626 Hunter Nichol.png|No. 626 Hunter Nichol (4★).
File:FFBE 627 Hunter Nichol.png|No. 627 Hunter Nichol (5★).
File:FFBE 628 Hunter Nichol.png|No. 628 Hunter Nichol (6★).
File:FFBE 916 Nichol.png|No. 916 Maritime Strategist Nichol (5★).
File:FFBE 917 Nichol.png|No. 917 Maritime Strategist Nichol (6★).
File:FFBE 1134 Nichol.png|No. 1134 Maritime Strategist Nichol (7★).
File:FFBE 1544 Nichol.png|No. 1544 Sweet Nichol (5★).
File:FFBE 1545 Nichol.png|No. 1545 Sweet Nichol (6★).
File:FFBE 1546 Nichol.png|No. 1546 Sweet Nichol (7★).
File:FFBE 8085 Nichol.png|No. 8085 Illusionist Nichol (4★).
File:FFBE 8086 Nichol.png|No. 8086 Illusionist Nichol (5★).
File:FFBE 8087 Nichol.png|No. 8087 Illusionist Nichol (6★).
File:FFBE 8175 Nichol.png|No. 8175 Seaside Nichol (5★).
File:FFBE 8176 Nichol.png|No. 8176 Seaside Nichol (6★).
File:FFBE 8177 Nichol.png|No. 8177 Seaside Nichol (7★).
==Etymology==
Nichol is a Scottish variant of the name Nicol, a Medieval English and Scottish form of the name Nicholas. It comes from the Greek name Νικολαος (Nikolaos) which meant "victory of the people" from Greek νικη (nike) "victory" and λαος (laos) "people".
==Notes==
===Citations===
de:Nichol (Charakter)
Category:Main characters
Category:Characters in Final Fantasy Brave Exvius