Sakura (Fire Emblem)

Sakura (サクラ) is a major playable character from Fire Emblem Fates on the Birthright and Revelation routes. The youngest of the Hoshidan royal siblings, Sakura is a healer who commands the loyalty of Subaki and Hana as her personal retainers.

Profile
Sakura is the youngest child of four in the Hoshidan royal family. According to Ryoma, shortly after her birth, her parents named her after a cherry blossom tree that bloomed beautifully every spring. Originally having another sibling in the Avatar, Sakura lost them when they were kidnapped as a young child and raised in Nohr. Ill rumors had spread throughout the castle that Sakura was supposedly the original target, but Ryoma had denied these notions to her. Still, this event had an effect on her personality, making her meek and timid.

Prologue
Sakura makes her first appearance in Chapter 4, where she and her older sister Hinoka are ambushed by a horde of Faceless. While Hinoka valiantly takes on the incoming Faceless, Sakura remains behind and provides her sister with healing aid. Fortunately for the pair, Ryoma, the Avatar, Kaze and Rinkah had heard of their plight beforehand, and together with their allies, they manage to exterminate the Faceless horde.

After reuniting with her long lost sibling, Sakura takes the Avatar on a tour around the town of Hoshido in the opening sequences of Chapter 5. She later guides the Avatar to the town square to meet up with Mikoto in order for Mikoto to announce the return of her child. Tragedy strikes as the cursed blade of Ganglari that the Avatar owns explodes, destroying the town and killing Mikoto. With war inevitable between Hoshido and Nohr, Sakura accompanies her siblings to the Plains of Hoshido in Chapter 6, where the two armies meet in battle. As both Xander and Ryoma call for the Avatar to side with them, Sakura calls out to her sibling in desperation.

Birthright
The Avatar decides to stay with Hoshido as they cannot stand the atrocities that King Garon orchestrated against Hoshido and fights with their birth family to help repel Nohr, much to Sakura's joy. After the battle at the Plains of Hoshido, Sakura heads to Fort Jinya in Chapter 7, where she tends to the wounded soldiers and civilians alongside her retainers Hana and Subaki. The Avatar arrives on the scene to provide assistance, whereupon she introduces them to her retainers. The fort is suddenly attacked by Nohrians, prompting her to join the Avatar in warding off the invaders. After the battle, news revealing that Takumi and Ryoma have gone missing reach Fort Jinya, motivating the Avatar and Sakura to embark on a mission to locate them.

Later on in Chapter 8, while the Avatar's army proceeds up the Eternal Stairway, they are unexpectedly ambushed by a band of "Faceless". The Avatar and Kaze proceed to fell them swiftly, only to learn later that the "Faceless" are, in actuality, Wind Tribe members unwillingly disguised by Iago. When the group enters Wind Tribe territory, Sakura attempts to convince two wary tribesmen that the deaths of their kinsmen were a misunderstanding. The tribesmen, recognising her status as a Hoshidan royal, grants Sakura and the Avatar's army permission to parley with Fuga. Fuga challenges the army to a battle to prove their innocence, and during the midst of the ensuing fray, the Avatar and Sakura are reunited with Hinoka.

After leaving the Wind Tribe, the Avatar's army heads towards Izumo in Chapter 9. Sakura, Hinoka and the Avatar are invited into the palace of Izumo by Izana, where he promises to treat them to a treatment of relaxation. When Izana lures Sakura and the Avatar into a trap, Hinoka, along with Kaze and Saizo, manage to save them after she comes to the realisation that Izana's eccentric mannerisms are antithetical to his royal status. However, her theory is proven wrong when they meet the real Izana, who acts exactly the way as Zola did.

Afterwards, in Chapter 10, Sakura and the Avatar's army are reunited with Takumi, who unexpectedly emerges while they are in the midst of engaging the ninja of Mokushu in battle. Much to their immense horror, Takumi, in a hostile reverie, launches attacks on his allies. Fortunately, Azura manages to intervene by serenading a song to calm Takumi's mind and guide him back to his senses.

Some time after a heated battle taking place on Wolfskin Peak concludes in Chapter 15, Takumi contracts a rare disease local to the region. Sakura informs the Avatar that one of the Wolfskins that they had fought earlier on could have been responsible for causing him to contract the disease. She also reveals that a lack of prompt treatment could result in his death. Fortunately for them, Ryoma recognises Palace Macarath in the vicinity, revealing that it possesses a well-stocked apothecary that very likely carries the medicine required for Takumi's recovery. The Avatar's army's subsequent attempt to enter the palace is, however, interrupted by Iago, who teleports into the palace in an attempt to halt their advance. The ensuing battle that follows sees Iago being defeated, whereupon he warps himself to safety. Flora, who happened to be stationed in the palace under official orders, then guides Sakura to the apothecary and the medicine that Takumi requires.

When the Avatar's army later enters Castle Krakenburg in Chapter 25, Iago appears and takes full control over Takumi's mind, revealing that he has been used as a spy for Nohr for much of their journey. Takumi is then commanded to take Azura hostage while Iago forces the Hoshidan siblings to either kill Takumi or watch Azura die. Azura then attempts to sing a song to break Iago's control, only to be stopped by Iago himself, who is very well aware of her power. Fortunately, with Sakura distracting Iago and the Avatar's encouragement, Azura is able to sing the song and break Iago's control over him.

The battles waged against Garon both in Chapter 27 and the Endgame see Sakura successfully helping the Avatar slay Garon with their army. Upon returning to Castle Shirasagi in Hoshido, Ryoma is crowned Hoshido's new king in a ceremony also attended by the surviving Nohrian royals as Sakura and her siblings proudly watch on. Some time after Ryoma's coronation, Sakura meets with the Avatar in the town square of Castle Shirasagi with her siblings, where they pray and convene to a new statue of Mikoto that has been erected in her honor.

Conquest
The Avatar decides to return to their adopted family, much to Sakura and her sibling's shock. Despite their pleas to have them reconsider, the Avatar remains resolved to return. Sakura and her siblings attempts to reason with them through combat, but are force to retreat thanks to the power of the Nohrian siblings. Sakura makes her next appearance in Chapter 18, where she, alongside her siblings, encounters the Avatar and their siblings in Izumo. Ryoma immediately launches into a heated exchange of hostilities with Xander, and later attempt to engage in a duel, only to be stopped by Izana, the duke of Izumo. Izana then proceeds to confiscate the weapons of both parties before leaving the scene. He later reemerges with two soldiers and apprehends Ryoma, thereupon unveiling himself to be but a guise used by the deceptive Zola to kidnap the Hoshidan royals. Trapped in an execution room with her siblings, Sakura is later rescued by the Avatar's army, spearheaded by Xander's refusal to support Zola. Following the end of the ensuing battle, Sakura and her siblings join the Avatar and the Nohrians in a feast, during which they, despite their enmity, maintain peace in reverence of the laws of Izumo.

Sakura later appears in Chapter 22, where she, alongside her retainers and Yukimura, stages a defence in Fort Jinya in a bid to halt the Nohrian invasion. Shortly before the start of the battle, Yukimura tries, but fails, to convince Sakura to retreat into the castle, as she resolves to fight in order to protect Hoshido. Sakura proves to be a menacing force during the course of the battle, a fact that she, when battling against Azura, reveals is attributed to her beginning her combat training following Mikoto's death. Despite the valiant defence staged by the Hoshidans, the Hoshidan forces are eventually defeated, and Yukimura calls for them to lay down their weapons and surrender. Although reluctant, the Avatar subsequently takes both Yukimura and Sakura as prisoners of war, knowing that this is the only means to protect her. However, as she is escorted away, King Garon arrives on the scene and orders that the Hoshidan soldiers be executed. Sakura wails for her fallen countrymen as she watches Hans and other Nohrian soldiers slaughter them. Captured, but safe, Sakura holed herself up in her cell, refusing to eat or talk to anyone, though it is shown later on Elise tries her best to make her happy.

After the Avatar and their Nohrian allies end the war, Sakura appears with Hinoka to attend Xander's coronation as the successor to the throne of Nohr. Due to Ryoma and Takumi's death, Hinoka ends up being the new Queen of Hoshido and Sakura tries her best to support Hinoka.

Revelation
Due to having formed a deep emotional attachment with both families, the Avatar refuses to pick a side to align themselves with. Despite the Avatar's desperate protests, Xander and Ryoma cross blades with each other in an attempt to sway them into choosing a side. In a bid to prevent both armies from battling each other and retreat from the Plains of Hoshido, the Avatar and Azura decide to take down both the field commanders of both Hoshido and Nohr. Unfortunately for them, this act is taken as a sign of betrayal for both armies, causing both Hoshido and Nohr to label them as turncoats. In Chapter 8, while the Avatar and their army attempt to recruit people to aid their cause in Fort Jinya, they are attacked by the Hoshidan garrison, led by Yukimura, who believes them to be traitors. After the battle, Saizo attempts to blow himself up in a last ditch attempt to kill the Avatar after they are unable to explain the situation. Fortunately, Sakura and Kaze rush in and manage to stop Saizo. Despite not knowing who is the mysterious forces instigating the war between Hoshido and Nohr, Sakura believes in the Avatar and convinces Yukimura to trust her decision to accompany them. Sakura brings along her retainers and the Avatar welcomes Sakura into the army.

When the Avatar leads their army to Izumo in Chapter 10 to consult Izana, they are ambushed by Zola, who initially impersonates the archduke but has his cover blown by Gunter. Following the conclusion of the ensuing battle, Zola attempts to take Sakura hostage in a desperate bid to save himself, only to have his deceitful plan foiled when Leo enters the scene and promptly executes him for cowardice.

Personality
Shy and timid by nature, Sakura is very polite to others but is prone to stuttering during her conversations, a fact that becomes especially prominent when she is nervous. She tends to be very easily intimidated when confronted with unfamiliar situations existing outside her comfort zone. These traits of hers particularly stand out when she is compared alongside her older siblings, all of whom are relatively more confident, self-assured and sanguine. Complementing her shy demeanor is a heart of compassion and kindness, a fact that has led to her devoting her life towards the cause of providing healing aid to others in order to alleviate their suffering.

Hidden beneath the folds of Sakura's meekness is a strong will, one that emerges when she is tried by situations that threaten to endanger the lives of her loved ones. This fact is best exemplified through her actions in Chapter 22 on the Conquest route; although she clearly possesses a disdain for warfare and harbors no desire to attack her sibling, she resolves to personally take up arms against them nevertheless for the sake of defending her homeland from their invasion.

She is the best at healing out of everyone in the army. Her birthday is April 9.