Taion

Taion (, Taion) is a playable character in Xenoblade Chronicles 3. He is a soldier of Agnus and fights alongside Mio.
==Appearance and personality==
Taion is a young man with dark skin and has a slim build with messy brown hair. He sports a long flowing orange scarf, an Agnian jacket with orange highlights (albeit opened), white arm guards, a dark jumper and trousers with rolled-up cuffs, and white boots. He also wears glasses. During his time as a soldier, Taion's jacket is buttoned up with additional armor plating on it, and grey pants. Taion has a blue wedge-shaped core on his chest. His term mark is located in his left palm. During his sixth term, Taion doesn't wear glasses and wears an early term Agnus uniform.
In battle, Taion uses a collection of drone-like entities resembling origami birds known as Mondo which fly around him and can be used as stepping stones. They can be upgraded into Totality.
Taion is tactically-minded, using his brains to fight alongside his allies. He is exceptionally cautious, preferring to extensively plan things out instead of rushing in blindly; this is due to the death of Nimue, which he blames on his past impulsiveness. While he acts somewhat cold and aloof, he occasionally shows a more caring and compassionate side of himself; he is the first member of the party to notice Eunie being shaken after finding a husk wearing her badge, and attempts to comfort her.
His uptight nature leads to Lanz and Eunie teasing him. In turn, he often criticizes them for their brash and unthinking attitudes, though he expresses jealousy at how confident Lanz can be.
===As Ouroboros===
When interlinking with Eunie, Taion takes on one of two Ouroboros forms: one associated with himself, the other with Eunie. Taion's Ouroboros form appears as a white-robed figure with a glowing core in each wrist. Leaf-like green decorations adorn its head, wrists, and shoulders. The form controls a seemingly limitless number of powered-up Mondo which are able to create extremely convincing illusions. Using the command 'Bind', the Mondo can be used to surround and trap an opponent; with the command 'Scatter', each Mondo creates an explosion. (The power of each individual explosion is small, but when combined the explosive force is much greater.) The Ouroboros form may also float and fly freely.
Taion's Ouroboros is balanced and versatile: the Scatter command provides strong offensive capabilities, and the Mondo may also be shaped into a shield, boosting the form's defense. Its greatest strength is in its illusions; through their creative use, Taion and Eunie are able to get the upper hand even on cunning opponents.
==Story arc==
===Background===
===Chapter 1===
Taion, Mio, and Sena first encounters Noah's party at on a mission to destroy an unidentified Ether source. He battles Eunie using his Mondo, but she manages to dissipate them, much to his surprise.
After Guernica breaks up the fight, he questions them why they are fighting each other in the first place with both Taion and Lanz saying that they lost friends. Just as Guernica is about to reveal the identity of the party's real enemy, he is impaled by an unidentified creature's stalactite-like projectile. The creature then approaches the party with Mwamba and Hackt in both hands. The creature then tries to goad both the Kevesi and Agnian parties to kill each other, when they refused, he killed both Mwamba and Hackt. Enraged, Mio tries to attack the creature in revenge, followed by Sena and Taion.
Taion and the party at first had a difficult time harming the creature, during the skirmish, he chastises Lanz for being in his way. When Guernica activates the Ouroboros Stone, he, along with the rest of the party became Ouroboros. He later assisted an Interlinked Noah and Mio in defeating the creature, but not before he marks the party as enemies of Moebius.
After the skirmish, a dying Guernica explains that the party has become Ouroboros. He warns them that Moebius will be hunting them relentlessly before directing them to their new destination: the City at Swordmarch. After his death, Noah and Mio send him off before both parties head back to their respective colonies, warning Noah's company that if they meet again, it will be as enemies.
However, Taion's remarks of the two parties being enemies upon next meeting never came to pass. When Mio and co. tried to return to Colony Gamma, they came under attack by their own troops, forcing them to flee back to Melnath's Shoulder at the same time Noah's group fled . During the escape, Taion notes the soldier's glowing red Irises as the source of the soldier's behavior. Both parties decide to team up and head to the City together. The parties introduce themselves to each other and change into different outfits found at the campsite. The next day, the party begins their journey to Swordmarch.
===Chapter 2===
Before departing for Swordmarch, the party returns to Guernica's resting place. They spot his dog tags and learn his name in the process. When the party reaches Millick Meadows, Noah asks the rest of the party not to kill any Kevesi or Agnian troops they encounter, either knocking them out or getting them to surrender instead. Taion sarcastically remarks that his "past victims" would appreciate it. The party then restarts an abandoned Ferronis and sets up camp there. The next day, Taion gains Eunie's class, as well as implementing Master Arts. The rest of the party also gain this ability. They test these powers on some Bodem Grebels before reaching the Fornis Region.
When the party enters Eagus Wilderness, Mio becomes dehydrated from the heat, much to Taion's dismay, prompting Sena to carry her. The two spot an oasis, exciting Mio and prompting the party to take a break there. While there, the girls and Lanz go swimming while Taion warns Noah that annihilation events occur frequently in Eagus Wilderness.
Just as the party was about to make it out of Eagus Wilderness, they come under attack by Colony 4. Noah tries to reason with Ethel, but due to her being under the control of Consul K, she doesn't recognize him. Ethel attacks the party, forcing them to flee into a nearby cave system using the black fog as cover before being cornered by her.
When Ethel approached the black fog, she stops, breaking free of K's control. This forces the Consul out of hiding and to engage the party himself. After being wounded, K transforms into his Moebius form and starts harvesting the Colony's Flame Clock to heal himself. During the battle, Eunie Interlinks with Taion to save Lanz and Sena and to give Noah and Mio the opening to destroy the Flame Clock. Eventually, the two manages to destroy the Flame Clock, depriving K of his healing source. Without the Flame Clock, K is swiftly killed by the party. When the party removes the fallen Consul's helmet, they are shocked that he has wrinkles, just like Guernica. Ethel and rest of Colony 4's soldiers regained consciousness, much to the party's relief. Back at Colony 4, Ethel allows the party to stay and make use of the facilities at their leisure.
Inside the tent, Taion reveals that the consuls for Colony 4 and Colony Gamma were the same person. The party discusses this and speculates that both queens are in league with them. 
===Chapter 3===
In a flashback five years ago, in Colony Lambda, Taion is seen arguing with his superior, saying his textbook strategy is much more effective than his aggressive one. He lays out his plan to Isurd and Nimue which they agreed to. However, Colony 13 counter ambushed them in the Urayan Tunnels, and Nimue sacrifices herself to allow Taion to escape.
==Lore==
* Five years prior to the events of the game, Taion was a tactician in Colony Lambda under Isurd's wing.
** After the Colony Lambda's forces were ambushed by Colony 13 resulting in Nimue's death, Taion was filled with regret and losing confidence in himself and his abilities. Consequently, he was transferred to Colony Gamma in order to make a new life and stop feeling guilty about Nimue's death. In there, he acted as the tactician of the Colony, meeting Mio, and Sena and became friends.
* According to dialog during A Nopon's Counsel and Delicious Cooking, Taion is an exceptionally poor chef. He refuses to follow conventional recipes, attempting to "optimize" them to focus on "efficient absorption of nutrients and convenient portability", but the best praise Mio can manage for the results is that it's "unique". Despite this, he appears to be good at making tea, as Eunie drinks a cup made by him without complaint.
* Taion can be somewhat vain about his appearance. During City Clothing, he claims that he doesn't care about anything but the functionality of the clothing he wears but gets very upset when Eunie calls his scarf "uncool".
* In About Armus, Taion demonstrates a deep knowledge of Armuidae, and expresses frustration at people using the term "Armus" to refer to both males and females.
* A tweet from the official Xenoblade Twitter accounthttps://twitter.com/XenobladeJP/status/1493845499946086400 claims that Taion's Blades are actually called "Katashiro", with Mondo being a nickname he gave them. However, nothing in-game or in the artbook ever hints at this.
===As a boss===
* Agnus Healer (Three Agnus Soldiers)
==As a party member==
Taion's primary is Tactician, a Healer class which focuses on healing, debuffs, and evasion. He can interlink with Eunie.
==In other languages==
==Gallery==
===Screenshots===
Mio with Taion and Sena.PNG|Taion with Mio and Sena
Eunie and Taion become Ouroboros.PNG| Eunie and Taion become Ouroboros
Young Taion.png|Taion in his sixth term
Taion Interlinking.png|Taion Interlinking for the first time with Eunie
XC3 Unwavering Resolve Taion.jpg|Taion
XC3 Unwavering Resolve Isurd Taion.jpg|Isurd and Taion
XC3 Unwavering Resolve Taion Isurd.jpg|Isurd and Taion
XC3 Unwavering Resolve removing the boulder.jpg|Lanz and Taion pushing a boulder
XC3 Stolen Provisions Taion Lanz Sena.jpg|Taion identifies a Naiti-Nait mushroom
====Pre-release====
Taion_promo1.jpg|Taion with his Mondo
Taion_promo2.jpg|Taion using his Mondo
===Gameplay===
XC3 party member icon Taion.png|Taion's menu icon.
XC3 party member icon Taion (Chapter 1).png|Taion's menu icon during Chapter 1.
XC3 battle portrait Taion.png|Taion's battle portrait.
XC3 battle portrait Taion (Chapter 1).png|Taion's battle portrait during Chapter 1.
XC3 class portrait Taion.gif|Portrait used for the Tactician class.
XC3 Chain Attack portrait Taion.png|Taion's Chain Order portrait.
XC3 Chain Attack portrait Taion Ouroboros.png|Taion's Ouroboros Chain Order portrait.
XC3 level up portrait Taion.png|Taion's level up portrait.
XC3 level up portrait Taion (Chapter 1).png|Taion's level up portrait during Chapter 1.
XC3 level up portrait Taion (Unused).png|Presumably an unused level up portrait.
Taion Chain Attack.png|Taion begins a Chain Attack.
===Artwork===
XC3 OST key artwork.png|Cover of Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Original Soundtrack
MS recruitment.png|Artwork from a Monolith Soft recruitment brochure.
Taion illust.png|Illustration by Masatsugu Saito from his Twitter for the upcoming release of Xenoblade Chronicles 3 
====Concept artwork====
Taion concept art 1.png
Taion concept art 2.png
Taion concept art 3.png
Taion concept art 4.png
Taion Ouroboros concept art 1.png
Taion Ouroboros concept art 2.png
Taion Ouroboros concept art 3.png
Taion Ouroboros concept art 4.png
==References==
Category: Agnians
Category:Characters (XC3)
it:Taion