Wylfred

Cast into poverty by his father's slaying in battle, Wylfred's family was soon struck by tragedy yet again, losing his younger sister, Elsie, to hunger. Left with only the Destiny Plume that lay at his father's final place of rest, Wylfred vows revenge upon the valkyrie for all that he has suffered.

Wylfred is a character in Valkyrie Profile: Covenant of the Plume.

Personality[]

Wylfred is generally a grim realist who finds the general populace uncaring and cruel. As he treasures his father's sword dearly, he sympathizes with others who have lost someone due to war. He is described by Ushio as a man whose eyes burn with revenge. Introduced as a brave yet naive lad, his attitude changes based on whether or not he decides to sacrifice his comrades' lives in battle. On one hand, he can be compassionate and feel guilty for his sins, particularly regretful of losing his friend Ancel. Yet, if he continues to wage heavy bloodshed, he can also be brutal and spiteful, driven purely by his hatred of the Valkyrie.

He has various names based on the rumors surrounding his exploits in battle. He is heralded as "the son of the einherjar" in one of the game's scenarios. His affectionate nickname with ones close to him is "Wyl".

Wylfred's personality changes depending on the number of allies he sacrifices during the game. With no allies sacrificed, Wylfred decides to forgo his path of vengeance, realizing that causing the suffering of others for the sake of his goal is not worth marring his soul more than it already has been. Wylfred finds inner peace at the end of this route and his life begins to turn around for the better. Choosing to sacrifice two or more of his allies turns him much more cruel, berating the enemies he kills in battle. Even his facial portraits become much more sadistic. Wylfred's cruelty ultimately leads to his own downfall.

Background[]

Wylfred is the son of Thyodor and Margot. Thyodor was a great knight and well respected, but ultimately fell in battle. Hailed as a hero and taken as an Einherjar, signaled by a single plume left on his corpse, Wylfred was given the feather as a memento to his father. Unfortunately, the death of his father lead to a string of tragedies for his family. The family fell into poverty with Margot unable to sustain them. Eventually, this caused Wylfred's younger sister, Elise, to die from starvation. Struck with grief for losing her husband and daughter, Margot cursed the Valkyrie for these misfortunes that plagued her family. Margot went mad from grief, escaping to a happier time in her life during her maidenhood with Thyodor. She began seeing Thyodor in Wylfred and began referring to him as such. Fueled by anger, Wylfred took on his mother's hatred for the Valkyrie and decides to dedicate his life to ending his father's reaper.

On his quest to end the Valkyrie for the suffering she has caused, Wylfred leaves his home and joins the mercenary trade. He is accompanied by his childhood friend, Ancel. Hoping to hone his skill on the battlefield, he is one of many who bolster Gerabellum's borders at Aullewyn Keep. After his first battle against roaming demons, he dies while saving Ancel from a beast. Though he was going to be accepted into the afterlife, Lenneth spared his soul thanks to the pleas from one of her einherjar.

His soul momentarily lost from the living, Wylfred is anguished by his short lived adventure. However, Hel notices the young man's frustration and asks if he still wants to kill the Valkyrie. Once he eagerly attests his determination, she agrees to form a pact with him. She promises to give him his tool for revenge once the divine feather he carries turns pitch black. To accomplish this feat, Wylfred must use the feather to sacrifice his allies' souls and wreck sin across the land by showing no mercy to his enemies in battle.

Dazed, Wylfred returns to the living and sees his friend relieved for his safety. They continue to fight off more monsters but are cornered by two dominating demons. Hel reminds him of the plume and he uses it on Ancel, granting his friend great strength but ending his life after the battle. When their captain, Heugoe, comes to investigate, Wylfred flees from the scene in grief. Running through the nearby thicket, he blames the plume for the tragedy. Ailyth introduces herself at this time and states that her master was only fulfilling his end of the bargain with Hel. From then on, the two travel together on his quest.

Some time later, he passes by an archer in hiding who mistakes him for one of her pursuers. Forced to save himself from the real trackers, he allies with her to stave them off. After they flee to Market Marteigh, she introduces herself as Cheripha, a former Artolian assassin. Wylfred wants nothing to do with her, but, after Ailyth consoles him to reconsider, he agrees to accompany her to freedom. Near the end of Crell Monferaigne's eastern borders, Cheripha's trackers are there waiting for their arrival. During the battle, Wylfred notices that their leader, Lockswell, had no malice in his attacks and asks the reasoning behind the sorcerer's actions. As the assassins reconcile, Cheripha and Lockswell agree to join Wylfred's travels through the land.

From here, Wylfred participates in various conflicts that escalate into a war between the two princes of Artolia that will led him to the inner peace or the eternal damnation.

Endings[]

Route C - Damnation[]

Should Wylfred sacrifice two or more of his allies after sacrificing Ancel, the Destiny Plume is bathed in so much sin, it transforms into the Angel Slayer, granting him the power to finally face the Valkyrie.

Having sensed such evil power, the Valkyrie attempts to have Wylfred forgo his path of vengeance, even showing him his sacrificed comrades. Wylfred dismisses them as mere phantoms and battles against the Valkyrie, eventually defeating her. While he destroys her mortal body, she is immortal and unable to truly die. Freya appears, revealing that his efforts in slaying the Valkyrie were ultimately futile and Ailyth confirms that she knew from the very beginning that there was never any hope to kill the Valkyrie. With the deal done, Hel collects her price for power. Wylfred is sentenced to suffer in Niflheim forever. Back home, the Music box falls off its perch, an omen of Wylfred's demise.

Route B - Absolve[]

Having sacrificed only one person (according to charts, it might be possible for it to be more than one other person, but only if done at the right time [but it is at least one]) after Ancel and wreaking havoc across the land, the Destiny Plume bathes in enough sin to transform into the Angel Slayer. The Valkyrie, sensing the evil power from the plume the Valkyrie confronts Wyl and battles him with her Einherjar. Wylfred puts up a powerful fight against her and she summons one of her greatest allies: Thydor.

Thydor tells will that his vengeance for his fate was not what he wanted, but acknowledges that his son had suffered so much from his death. Unwilling to hear his father oppose his view, Wylfred attacks him and defeats him. Ailyth appears shortly after, informing will that Hel is read to take the price for the power she granted him. As Wylfred is nearly taken to Niflheim, Thydor pushes Wylfred out of the way and sacrifices himself in his son stead.

Though the Valkyrie demands that Thydor be returned to her, Ailyth informs her that Hel demanded a price for her power and Thydor willingly gave himself to pay for it. Further attempts to take him back by force would cause a war between Asgard and Niflheim and the Valkyrie has no choice but to back down. Wylfred is left to atone for his actions, but is allowed to live.

Route A - Respite[]

Having sacrificed none of his allies and witnessing the suffering and atrocities that occurred during his travels, Wylfred realizes that the path of vengeance leaves nothing but a wake of suffering. Ailyth reminds him that the Destiny Plume is lacking in Sin and that Hel demands that he fulfill his covenant. Wylfred declines stating that he will no longer willing to walk down that path. Disappointed, Ailyth reveals that she instigated every conflict Wylfred encountered. Outraged, Wylfred demands why she would cause such suffering. Ailyth informs him that it was all meant for him to fulfill his vengeance and to appease Hel. With Wylfred unwilling to complete her mistress's goals, she transform into her demon hound form to devour Wylfred herself.

Wylfred puts up a valaint fight, but is unable to put her down. Suddenly, Ancel appears with the Valkyrie's permission to save his friend. The two combine their strengths and are able to defeat Garm. After the battle, Wylfred apologizes to Ancel for sacrificing him and Ancel forgives him. He asks Wyl to finally tell Tilte that he died, but that he does not have to tell her how he died. Before returning to Valhalla, he also delivers a message to Wyl from Thydor: to repair Elise's broken music box.

Wylfred returns home and finally tells Tilte that Ancel had died, leaving her to grieve for her fallen childhood friend. Returning home, Wylfred repairs the music box as requested by his father. As the box plays its melody, Margot remembers how Thydor promised that he would make a music box to play for her children. This sparks her memories, causing her to finally be free from her forgone state, remembering that her husband and daughter had died, but her son still lived. She apologizes to Wylfred for foisting her feelings of sorry and pain on him and welcomes him home. Overjoyed to see his mother finally well again, Wylfred cries as he tells her that he is finally home.

Sometime later, Wylfred decides that he will travel the world once more and see it with his new unclouded eyes. Tilte wishes him well for his future journey, but reminds him that no matter how long he leaves, she and Margot will be waiting for him to return.

Battle[]

Like all members of the Swordsman class, Wylfred has a movement range of range of 4 panels and an attack range of 1 panel (including diagonal panels). Swordsmen use one-handed swords (light swords) as their weapon and are granted access to heavy equipment (Helmets, Armor, Gauntlets, and Greaves). Swordsmen are the only class able to learn the Razor's Edge Technique.

Wylfred does not inflict very much hits for a Swordsman, but his damaging ability surpasses most storyline characters because of his high unique growth in MAG that other Swordsmen do not have. He is second only to Reinhilde in damage. Exclusive only to Wylfred in story mode but unavailable in the Seraphic Gate, Wylfred can learn Plume Skills by sacrificing his allies in battle. Sacrificed allies disappear permanently until the next playthrough and can alter the ending if used too often.

Attacks[]

Guilt Rack - Furious downward vertical slash.

ディセンディングブロー/Descending Blow

Attack Gauge Boost: 20

Open Slash - Nimble horizontal swipe. Launches enemy upward.

ファーストスラッシュ/Fast Slash

Attack Gauge Boost: 8x2hit

Double Cross - Cruel dual-blades slash from above.

デュアルソード/Dual Sword

Attack Gauge Boost: 6x3hit

Soul Crush[]

"Suffer my Pain! Finishing Strike! Grim Vengeance!"

Wylfred starts the sequence by performing a shoulder charge forward and follows with three slashes. From behind his opponent, he hurls the Valkyrie feather, which damages and emits an electric sphere of energy. After it zaps three times, Wylfred appears from above with two swords, yells his move's name, and slices the screen with a white cross slash.

Grim Vengeance - Pounces quickly upon foe, mounting slash upon slash before raining down vicious revenge.

ヴェンジェンス・エッジ/Vengeance Edge

Attack Gauge Boost: 3x16hit

Recruitment[]

Wylfred is initially available at the start of Story-Mode and the Seraphic Gate.

Cameos[]

While Wylfred has not made a cameo in any tri-Ace game, he has made indirect appearances in other Square-Enix franchises.

His costume is available as exclusive content for player characters of the massively multiplayer online role-playing game, "Fantasy Earth: Zero" by registering the product code included with the purchase of "Valkyrie Profile: Covenant of the Plume". This game is exclusive to Japan.

His costume is available as exclusive content for male avatars of "Square-Enix Members" at the official Square-Enix site by registering the product code included with a purchase of "Valkyrie Profile: Covenant of the Plume". This bonus content is only available in Japan.

Trivia[]

Truthade Profile:

Boy with an unhealthy obsession for pinning blame on the valkyrie - an obsession without which there would be no story, so just let it go. Wylfred was actually a relatively well-rounded kid before being exhausted by Elsie's mischievousness, vexed by Ancel's recklessness, and dumbfounded by Tilte's airheadedness. Apparently, he can't stand it when Ancel has the nerve to call him "Wee Wyl" in battle like some sort of crybaby, particularly when it's Ancel's stupidity has him crying in the first place.

It isn't made clear which of the 3 endings of Valkyrie Profile Covenant of the Plume is the canon ending, while its most commonly believed ending A is the canonical ending, only endings B and C lines up correctly with the original Valkyrie Profile story, as to why Odin and Freya decide to seal Lenneth's human memories upon the next awakening, fearing that her compassion for humans will prove detrimental to her duty.
Every character Wylfred sacrifices to the Plume becomes one of Lenneth's Einherjar and will be an opponent in the final battles of the B and C-path endings. (If you have not sacrificed enough characters to fill the roster, the others are generic Einherjar.)
While all Plume Skills can be learned and carried over from New Game+, they are considered optional. However, Wylfred will always gain access to Vali's Awakening no matter what.
Wylfred is the strongest swordsman in story mode because of his access to Plume Skills and exclusive weapons, but is surprisingly outclassed by the other members of the swordsman class in the Seraphic Gate.
The Angel Slayer Wylfred obtains in Story Mode is exclusive to Wylfred and much weaker than the one found in the Seraphic Gate. In the Seraphic Gate, Wylfred will comment about this.
When you get the "A" ending, you see that he no longer hates Valkyrie. This is shown in the Seraphic Gate, when he states that he knows Ailyth was Garm. When Lenneth appears to him in the Seraphic Gate, she asks him if he still he states that he no longer hates her but wants to fight her to test how strong he is. Lenneth accepts his challenge, and joins as a playable character afterwards.
At the start of the Seraphic Gate, he sacrifices Ancel to the Plume yet again, but this time it was done humorously (Ancel annoyed him by having Tilte act as a "fire and ice" type of personality), which leads Tilte to take the Destiny Plume from him before he enters, leading to an exchange between Wylfred and Tilte, giving a storyline-based reason as to the unavailability of the Plume and its tactics inside the Seraphic Gate.
If the player successfully defeats Realmstalker Wylfred, it will drop Chain of the Avenger, which reflects his initial desire to starting his journey around Artolia: avenging his father's death by slaying the Valkyrie.