Lord Symon Blackfoot

*"They drink, loot and fart under my arms too, you think I give a rat's ass what they do?"* - The Feeble King (I)

**Lord Symon Blackfoot** was the head of the House of Blackfoot and a powerful landowner in the Koopa Kingdom in the 15th Century. He was a major supporting character in the first part of *Wars Of Frozen Flames*, "The Feeble King". He mainly resided in Sandcake Dunes in Desert Hills, and was a good friend of King John Koopa VI, though how much he truly valued his friendship was questionable.

Symon was a lazy and morally corrupt politician who primarily looked out for himself and his own ideals, and had several children after multiple marriages and affairs. He had a feud with Lord Berwick Python, the Python family being long-time rivals of the Blackfoot family, over a land dispute. Symon died in the Battle of Whomp City in Part 3 of "The Feeble King", having his neck sliced by Berwick during a one-on-one battle.

Symon was based on Henry Percy, 2nd Earl of Northumberland.

## History

### Backstory

#### Early Life

Symon's grandfather, another Lord Symon Blackfoot, is featured in the prologue of "The Feeble King", where he and Lord Birchard Python helped King John Koopa IV overthrow the latter's infamous cousin, King Richard Koopa II, which presumably earned him a spot on John IV's cabinet. However, it's stated by Lord Raymund Kassimeer in his old age that Symon's grandfather later grew dissatisfied with John IV's reign, and he and his Blackfoot relatives started a rebellion in order to free Kassimeer in his youth from the Black Tower and install him as King. According to Kassimeer in his old age, this was over Lord Python getting preferential treatment from John IV, and getting to marry his half-sister Joanna Phoenix following his first wife's death. The rebellion failed however, with Symon's father being slain in battle, and Symon's grandfather taking his young heir with him to the Kaktus Kingdom. After years of exile, the elder Symon Blackfoot would try to invade the Koopa Kingdom a second time, during which he would die.

Symon's father is referenced by Symon himself as being as good of a swordsman as King John Koopa V, and that he nearly defeated him in battle. Whether this is true or not is debatable, however a statue of Symon's father, whom FreezeFlame22 later confirmed was named Alain, was featured in the *Bowser's Koopalings* episode "Lemmy's Secret*"*, in a bar fittingly named The Blackfoot, implying he is a famous and renowned knight in Koopa Kingdom history. His mother was Katherine Kassimeer, presumably due to the Blackfoot-Kassimeer alliance forged by Symon's grandfather.

Despite the rebellion caused by his grandfather, Symon was allowed to return to the Koopa Kingdom and inherit his grandfather's lands and titles once he came of age. As told by Lord Raymund Kassimeer, Symon was brought back kicking and screaming, which Lord Richard Koopa remarks is similar to how he acted when he has some of his sons arrested.

#### Marriages

Symon has been married at least four times and has had multiple children as a result. In addition, he was not a faithful husband, and fathered many illegitimate children on top of the ones he had with his wives. His first wife was Lady Lilyanna Python, whom he was married to as a young man. Not much is known about the marriage, though given the Blackfoot and Python family's rivalry it can be assumed it wasn't a good one. Following her death, he married Lady Erika Bane, a relative of the powerful and brutish Bane family, and had several children with her. On her death, he married Sallie Rook, whom initially lived with him as his step-daughter. After her death, he married his fourth and final wife, who is unknown, although several of the younger Blackfoot children are assumed to be either hers or children of one of Symon's elder sons.

### The Feeble King

#### Part I

Symon first appears on King John Koopa VI's cabinet. Here, he clashes with Berwick and Torrence Python over what to do about the anarchist peasants wrecking havoc in the Koopa Kingdom. He is later shown to be in John VI's inner circle, alongside Lord Sigmund Phoenix and Sir Theodrick Solberg, where the three drink and joke amongst each other while John VI's wife Queen Cynder Von Bohnenrotte sentences the anarchists to death. Some of his sons are later revealed to have attacked Torrence and Jorgon Python at the former's wedding, which the two complain about to Lord Richard. Richard goes to Symon's castle and personally demands justice, but Symon ignores him as John VI himself hasn't complained about anything, even when two of his sons, Trystan and Symon Sanderling, blatantly confirm what Torrence stated was true. He attends John VI's Loveday feast later in the episode, where he witnesses John VI suddenly passing out after learning of the fall of Oho Oasis to the Bohnenkraut Kingdom.

#### Part II

At the beginning of Part 2, Symon firmly supports Lord Sigmund Phoenix taking charge of the Koopa Kingdom, due to John VI having fallen into a vegetative state and being unable to do anything, including run the Kingdom. When Richard arrests Sigmund and takes the King's Claw and regent positions himself, Symon becomes angry and withdraws from the cabinet, claiming that he will only attend the meetings once Sigmund is released. Richard later returns to Symon's castle, this time accompanied by troops, and demands to Symon and his sons that they pay Torrence and Jorgon for the former's wedding ambush. Symon refuses and insults Richard's late father, and as a result three of his sons, Ronan, Hayez & Sanderling, are imprisoned by Richard, and Trystan is instructed to make sure Symon and his remaining children behave themselves.

#### Part III

A year later, with Sigmund being released from the Black Tower and restored as King's Claw, and Ronan, Hayez and Sanderling being forgiven for their actions against Torrence and Jorgon, Symon returns to Bright Valley to support King John VI in the upcoming fight against Lord Richard and his forces.

Symon and all of his male children and grandchildren attend a Great Council Meeting at the Koopa Castle, where King John, Queen Cynder and Lord Sigmund declare Lord Richard a traitor to the realm, and that they need to fight back, as the Duke of Sherbet Land is planning to head back to Bright Valley with an army, with Symon pointing out that the Lord Berwick and his brothers will be fully supporting Richard.

Symon and his family fight for the Kayenne Forces during the Battle of Whomp City, where they directly confront their Python rivals. After taking out soldiers from each fraction, Symon and Berwick have a one-on-one confrontation, from which Berwick emerges victorious, having sliced Symon's throat with his sword. Symon died instantly, with his first-born son Alain mourning him.

## Appearance

Symon is an elderly, big yellow-skinned dragon-koopa. He has a black head with two short horns, grey hair and beard, and black eyes with yellow sclera. He also has the orange Blackfoot birthmark on his face. He wears an orange spiked shell, spiked orange cuffs on each arm, and a gold necklace, which is mostly hidden by his beard.

### Early design concepts

Symon's character design has undergone three changes from his conception to the final release of *Wars of Frozen Flames*. In the very first design, Symon looked much younger, having a shorter, yet still thick, brown beard. He wore a grey spiked shell and the jewels on his necklace were blue and red.

The second design is fairly similar to the first one, with the only real change being that the shell he wears is now orange instead of grey.

The third design revision, which was the final one as well, aged Symon up significantly, making his beard greyer and thicker, as well as making the jewels on his golden necklace orange, a change which is barely noticeable as his beard now covers more of his upper torso.

## Personality

A rich and corrupt politician, Symon was selfish, lazy and uncaring. He had been shown to not accept responsibility for his children's actions, and refused to do anything about their violent behavior unless John VI himself complains about it, knowing John VI was too cowardly to bother. He claimed to be close friends with John VI, however when John VI passed out and was left immobile for an entire year, he stayed away from Bright Valley and showed little to no concern for his well-being. He was also fond of vices and had a tendency to sleep around with multiple women, having several children he had to take care of, many of which irritated him and caused him to be verbally abusive towards them. His relationship with his children was rather uncaring; he effectively allowed them to do anything they wanted without consequences, but showed no love or real affection towards them whatsoever, and was more concerned for himself when Ronan, Hayez and Sanderling were arrested under Richard's orders.

## Trivia

* Symon's name has undergone three changes from his conception to the final release of *Wars of Frozen Flames*. He originally was named "Beowulf Montageau", his first name likely being inspired by the epic poem of the same name. A second revision changed his name from "Beowulf" to "Damond", and the third and final one gave him his final name, "Symon Blackfoot".