The countdown continues with the sixth entry. I admit, there may be a bit of bias here, because this particular character is one from my youth. I love this character (no homo), he represents, to me, much more than just what a hero should be. He is someone I aspire to be like, someone worth emulating. This character is everything I wish I could be, he is a leader, a fighter, a hero. His name is Tir McDohl, and he hails from that PS1 classic, and one of my all time favorite games, Suikoden 1.
Now, in this blog, I might be doing a little gushing, because not only is this one of my favorite games ever, it's a story I am extremely passionate about.
Tir McDohl was the son of the legendary general, the invincible Teo McDohl. All his life, Tir had been trained in combat, in the hopes of joining the Scarlet Moon Empire's Imperial Guard. Eventually, that day comes. Teo McDohl, the day before he is to journey north to quell a rebellion, accompanies his son to his appointment to the Imperial Guard. Tir McDohl is assigned, by the Emperor himself, to Commander Kraze Miles, whom in a previous blog I called a jackass. That night, Tir, his father, and their servants enjoy a feast, celebrating Tir's new position...
...as a glorified errand boy. Tir's first assignment is little more than an errand: go to Magician's Isle, visit the Seer, and collect the Astralogical Conclusions from her. That's right, Tir's first assignment as a member of the Imperial Guard is little more than to collect the Empire's horoscope.
Tir's second (and last) mission is to go to the town of Rockland and collect the due taxes. The ruler of Rockland, Grady, swears up and down that the town's taxes had been stolen by tax thieves that reside near Mount Seifu, to the east of Rockland. Tir and his crew go to the mountain and capture the bandits, who are quick to point out that Grady was using the taxes collected from the town for his own benefit. Grady silences them, throwing them to jail. It is here that Tir gets his first taste of the Empire's true colors: Rockland is dirt poor and miserable, yet Grady lives in a mansion. Several townsfolk go hungry, and often soldiers harass the citizenry, including the children.
Upon returning to his home, Tir sets himself up to relax. He and his servants remain disgusted by the conditions to which the once proud Empire had deteriorated itself into. That night, Imperial soldiers attack his home, looking for his friend, Ted. Ted confesses to Tir that he wields one of the 27 True Runes, which shape the world of Suikoden. Ted, in a moment of desperation, gives Tir his rune, begging his forgiveness while doing so, and allowing himself to be captured so that his friend could escape. Ted explained to Tir that, if the court magician Windy were to get a hold of the rune, it'd mean chaos and destruction.
Having lost his home and his friend, Tir and his remaining servants, Cleo and Gremio, make their way towards Lenankaamp, a town to the south. There, they are once again pursued by Imperial forces. However, the leader of the Liberation Army, Odessa Silverberg, manages to save Tir and his entourage, offering them refuge in her hideout. While there, Tir learns of another injustice perpetrated by the Empire: the 'thieves' Tir helped apprehend were going to be executed without trial. Feeling responsible, Tir volunteers to help free the 'thieves', Varkas and Sydonia, from the clutches of Grady.
Upon returning, Odessa trusts Tir and his entourage to accompany her towards the mountain town of Sarady to deliver plans for a Fire Spear, a weapon that could help the Liberation Army in any direct confrontation with the Empire. Having witnessed for himself the Empire's corruption first hand, Tir agrees. While in Sarady, Tir and Odessa share a moment, where Odessa confesses her insecurities and hopes for the future. Odessa also confesses that she feels 'drawn' to Tir.
Upon returning from Sarady, Tir and Odessa discover that the hideout had been sacked by Imperial forces. When she discovers a child being attacked by the soldiers, Odessa leaps into action, defending the child with her life. Sadly, the soldiers mortally wound her. After Tir defeated the rest of the soldiers, Odessa gives Tir an earring, marking him as the new leader of the Liberation Army. She begs Tir to continue her struggle, to see the free nation she was never able to. Odessa dies, her soul absorbed by the rune on Tir's hand: the Soul Eater.
Making his way towards the south, away from the capital of the Empire, Tir slowly rebuilds the Liberation Army. He starts off by recruiting Mathiu Silverberg, famed strategist. He then takes over an abandoned castle on Lake Toran, using it as headquarters for the new Liberation Army.
However, Tir's efforts as leader really begin to shine when he leads the Liberation Army in freeing the Great Forest region from the clutches of the Imperial general, Kwanda. Kwanda had used a new weapon, the Burning Mirror, to destroy Lukiae Ende Towayo (I know, I know...) the village of the Elves. Tir leads the charge against Kwanda, overpowering his forces, and facing the general in one on one combat, defeating him. Tir discovers something on Kwanda's arm: a black rune, placed there by Windy to control Kwanda. Sparing the general's life, Tir successfully recruits Kwanda to his army, bringing up the Liberation Army to a force that was stronger than ever.
Tir's next great success, however, did not come without loss. Leading his army to free the western part of the Empire from the clutches of general Milich Oppenheimer, Tir discovers that the general's castle is protected by a powerful, poisonous flower. Seeing no alternative but to develop an antidote for the poison, Tir decides to bust out the only man capable of creating such a serum out of prison: the famed medic Liukan. After busting Liukan out of prison, Milich surprises the leader of the Liberation Army with a vial of man eating spores, locking our hero up while the spores slowly move up to him. Gremio, thinking quickly, locks his leader away in another room, leaving himself vulnerable to the spores. Gremio, the man that acted like a second father to Tir, passes on, his soul absorbed by the Soul Eater. With a new drive, Tir leads the charge to defeat Milich and free the Empire. With the Empire's forces defeated, Tir confronts Milich, only to discover that he, too, had the black rune. Understanding that he was being controlled, Tir forgives Milich, recruiting him for his army.
In the moment that would change the tide of the war for good, Tir is forced to come face to face with his father, the undefeated Teo McDohl. Reluctantly, Tir leads his army, armed with the newly finished Fire Spears. Teo promises his son no mercy, that he will arrest and execute him for treason. After a humiliating defeat at the hands of the Liberation Army, Teo challenges Tir to a one on one duel. Tir accepts, handily defeating his father. Teo McDohl lays dying on his son's hands, expressing how proud he is of him with his dying breath. Again, the Soul Eater devours Teo's soul.
Tir leads the Liberation Army in various campaigns, culminating in one final assault on the capital. Having defeated the Empire's forces, Tir faces off against Wendy and the Emperor themselves. Emperor Barbarossa, having faced the truth that his empire is done, takes Windy and throws himself and the woman he loved off of his palace's rooftop. With the Empire toppled, Tir leaves to wander the world.
What makes Tir's story so fascinating is the fact that it's the story of a young man, born of privilege, who leads the people of his nation into a battle for social justice and political freedom. Video games had not done that before; most RPG's had been 'save the world from the evil' standard fare. Suikoden didn't do that, offering instead a story of political corruption, with some mysticism thrown in. Tir himself is a silent protagonist, a brilliant choice on Konami's part because it really gives the player more of a feel like THEY are controlling Tir, and their choices are Tir's choices.
Tir's tale is, when you get down to it, the story of how one man can make a difference. Had Tir stayed in the Imperial Guard, the Empire would never have been toppled. It was Tir himself who made this difference. It was Tir who recruited soldiers into the Liberation Army. It was Tir's leadership that helped the Army grow.
A fascinating dichotomy lies between Tir and the Emperor. Barbarossa appears only thrice in the game, and only once as an enemy. Barbarossa is never in the front lines, defending his Empire, but Tir is always in the front lines, exposing himself to the same dangers that his fellow soldiers do. Whenever the Liberation Army needed something done, Tir was there. While the Emperor was safe in his throne, Tir was cold and muddied, in the front line. While Tir was always 'hands on' with the Liberation Army, Barbarossa allowed Windy to manipulate and corrupt his generals. Tir was a leader, always in front of, but with his soldiers, while Barbarossa was a boss, not with his subjects, but above them.
Tir is a man who lost so much: his father, his two best friends, and his old, comfortable life. When he was presented with the choice of leading the country he helped create, he declined, allowing another man to lead. Tir refused to bask in any glory, choosing instead to live his days in peace.
Tir has all the strengths of a leader: humility, determination, compassion, loyalty, strength of mind. He fought for what was right, for his countrymen. He stood up to the corrupt and defeated them. And that is why he is the sixth greatest hero in video games.
The summary:
Name: Tir McDohl
Motivation: Disgust with the corrupt Imperial system of government
Main Enemy: Scarlet Moon Empire
Finest Achievement: Overthrowing the Empire and replacing it with a representative Republic
Current Status: Unknown, still in possession of the Soul Eater
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