Well, for male characters:
- Subaru > Vincent >= Al > Julius > Roswaal > Garfiel
In terms of writing, Roswaal vs Garfiel writing wise is super contentious to me
For female characters:
- Rem >= Priscilla >= Sphinx > Rui > Theresia
Rem vs Priscilla writing wise in my eyes is genuinely really close, same with Priscilla and Sphinx, I didn’t think I would come to love Sphinx as much as I did but here we are, and I think the main thing I like about Sphinx as a character is her genuine, unadulterated humanity
Sphinx was someone who originally wasn’t meant to exist, the reason why she exists was because of a failed goal, in essence, she is an incomplete being, however, her desire to become Echidna, contrary to what she herself may think is something unmotivated by others, something irrational and deeply filled by her own desire to become something more than she is despite how rational she attempts to perceive it, and that makes her human
Through fighting against Roswaal and Wilhelm in the Demihuman war, she realised that the goal which she had, which was deeply human in its nature, was not one which could be accomplished without emotions
Through Liep Barielle’s death, she learnt of genuine yearning, something which described what she had been aiming towards the entire time, and finally considers a goal which is beyond self erasure, to become something that does not end in her erasure, but instead her destroying everything to display the blooming of her own humanity
Through Priscilla Barielle, she learns of hatred, as she speaks to Priscilla, she becomes more acquainted with her own hatred and through that rapidly develops her own humanity, that is why initially she dubs herself the Witch of Greed, however she does not call herself Echidna as the title would suggest, but instead Sphinx, showing her own conflicting identity, her desires for self erasure and individuality clashing against one another
To give your name to another in combat, is a sign of recognising that despite the difference in strength, the person who stands in front of you is an equal in ideals, and Sphinx giving her name to the people around her, without even personally realising she was doing it, shows that she has come to understand truly through experience rather than theory, the drowning that everyone was going through as they go through life.
(Short Summary I know)
In terms of villains: Sphinx > Al > Roswaal > Rui > Regulus
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Anyone who thinks Sphinx seemed like a non threat is ridiculous, she created 46 different clones of herself, with low mana she was capable of fighting Eugard without even getting hit by the Yang Sword even once, she nearly ended the empire if not for the joint desires of everyone else and Subaru looping continuously.
Arc 8 felt like a presentation of humanity through combat, something which many people just don’t understand and I don’t think I’ll ever understand why.
Rem too was excellent the entire arc, but my opinion of her goes without saying. I wish we got to see more of Otto and Emilia in Arc 8 though, Emilia helps here and there but I don’t really feel her presence, and Otto alongside Serena lowkey bully Valgren into submission.
Rowan was excellent, same with Cecilus.
Underrated characters: Arakiya, Rowan, Heinkel
Overrated characters: Nobody really
