Takumi (Fire Emblem)

Takumi (タクミ) is a major playable character from Fire Emblem Fates on the Birthright and Revelation routes. The third eldest of the Hoshidan royal siblings, Takumi is a skilled archer who wields the Fujin Yumi and commands the loyalty of Hinata and Oboro as his personal retainers. In Heroes, it's revealed his favorite food is miso soup. If he achieves an S support, he will bear a son named Kiragi with his spouse.

Profile
Takumi is the third child of four in the Hoshidan royal family, being the younger brother of Ryoma and Hinoka, the older brother of Sakura, and the son of Sumeragi and Ikona. In addition, he is the stepson of Mikoto, the stepbrother of the Avatar, and the adoptive brother of Azura. In order to gain recognition for his strength, he has been tirelessly perfecting his practice of martial arts. Although not explicitly stated, Takumi does have some skill with the blade, but when he was humiliatingly crushed by Ryoma during a sparring match many years prior to the events of Fates, he chose to become an archer instead.

At the end of Chapter 6, depending on the side the Avatar chooses, Takumi's involvement in the plot will be altered.

Birthright Drama CD [Takumi's Prequel - Corrin's Homecoming Tale]
Following the return of the Avatar (referred to as male by their default name Corrin) to Hoshido, Takumi explains to Hinata and Oboro that while he looks forward to reuniting with his long-lost brother, he is also uncertain how to act due to having no memories of him. While tending to the Fujin Yumi, Takumi learns from Mikoto that Corrin had left with Ryoma to exterminate a group of monsters threatening Hinoka and Sakura, making him feel jealous and resentful that Ryoma brought Corrin over him. Mikoto attempts to console him, but Takumi quickly leaves and runs into Saizo. Saizo explains that he and Kagero were also unnecessary for the mission, making Takumi feel even more jealous of Corrin's apparent strength. Saizo also explains that Corrin fought Hoshidan soldiers and referred to the Nohrian royals as family at the Bottomless Canyon, making Takumi suspicious of him.

Upon formally reuniting with Corrin, Takumi is immediately envious of how Ryoma is treating him, as until recently Takumi was Ryoma's only younger brother. Takumi questions if Corrin is truly a prince of Hoshido and if a gentle person would attack Hoshidans at the Bottomless Canyon, and says that it is natural to suspect someone from Nohr. Takumi finally declares that he will never forgive him if he uses Mikoto or Ryoma in any way before leaving.

Several days later, Takumi feels that he may have been too hard on Corrin and plans on reconciling with him. Before he does, he learns from Kaze that Corrin had left with their siblings, Mikoto, and Azura without him for weapon training. Takumi briefly suppresses his feelings of being excluded, until Kaze mentions that Corrin is talented with a bow and is truly Hoshido's second prince, "demoting" Takumi to third prince. Feeling that Corrin has stolen his place in life, Takumi's intentions of apologizing dissappear and are replaced with the desire to surpass him. He leaves to discuss something with Mikoto.

Upon finding Mikoto in her room, Takumi offers to "return" the Fujin Yumi to Corrin, as he feels that it was always meant for Hoshido's "true" second prince. Breaking down, he angrily throws the Fujin Yumi to the ground and declares that he is not just Corrin's replacement before storming off, despite Mikoto's attempts to stop him.

Takumi leaves the castle with the intention of being alone before being confronted by a horde of Faceless. Realizing that he is unarmed since he left the Fujin Yumi with Mikoto, Takumi is ultimately saved by Hinata, Oboro, and Kaze. Oboro and Hinata apologize for eavesdropping on Takumi and Mikoto's conversation, and declare that they will continue to serve him even if he is not the second prince. Takumi thanks them, and Mikoto arrives to return the Fujin Yumi to him. She explains that, as Takumi was chosen by the Yumi, it would be his even if Corrin was never kidnapped, and that Takumi is her beloved son, even if they are not related. Takumi returns the sentiment before suggesting that Corrin sit on the Throne of Truth in the hopes that it might return his memories of Hoshido. Mikoto is happy that Takumi is concerned about Corrin, and requests that he refers to Corrin as "brother" from now on. Takumi decides that he will think about it, and he, his retainers, and Kaze return to the castle. Remaining behind, Mikoto privately asks Oboro, Hinata, and Kaze to continue watching over Takumi in her stead, as she knows that her death in imminent.

Prologue
Takumi is first introduced in the opening sequences of Chapter 5, where he accompanies his siblings on their tour around the Hoshidan capital. Skeptical of the Avatar because of their Nohrian ties, Takumi adopts a demeanour of rude coldness, refusing to establish friendly terms with them. After the Avatar's Ganglari explodes in the town square and Mikoto is killed protecting them from a hooded man, Takumi believes Corrin is to blame and blames them for her death, heatedly insisting that she would not have died if they had not returned to Hoshido. With the death of the queen and countless innocent Hoshidan lives, Takumi and the others, upon learning of a fresh Nohrian invasion, set out to meet the opposing army on the Plains of Hoshido in Chapter 6.

Birthright
If the Avatar chooses to side with Hoshido, Takumi will aid them to repel the Nohrian invasion with his siblings.

Some time after the battle, Takumi is travelling with Ryoma when they are attacked by Nohrian forces. Quickly separated from each other in the confusion, Takumi only surfaces again in Chapter 10. He unexpectedly appears in the forest in a trance, attacking Hinoka and Sakura. If Azura is deployed in the battle against the Mokushujin, she notices that he might be controlled and sings Lost in Thoughts All Alone to break the control of whoever is controlling him. He breaks out of his trance, and is completely unaware of what is going on, though he decides to answer that question later and focus on the current problem. If Azura is not deployed, she will confront him at the end of the battle and break his trance. The Avatar explains that they are looking for Ryoma and he accompanies them on their search.

In Chapter 11, Takumi, along with the rest of the Avatar's army, manages to locate a ship that will carry them to Nohr on their quest to locate Ryoma. Upon hearing of Azura's warning that some of the ship's other passengers could be hostile to them, Takumi raises the suspicion that a spy could be in their midst. Attempting to convince the others that Zola, a Dark Mage who was previously responsible for the Izumo fiasco in Chapter 9, is a spy, he is quickly interrupted when invisible soldiers attack the ship. After a short battle, the Avatar's army succeeds in driving away the soldiers. Unbeknownst to them, not all of the soldiers had been eradicated, and one of them attempts to attack Takumi. Zola intervenes by pushing Takumi aside and sustaining the hit, prompting Takumi to later apologise and thank his saviour.

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 Wolfskin 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 his 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, one of the Avatar's former maids who happened to be stationed in the palace under official orders, then guides Sakura to the apothecary and the medicine that Takumi requires. While recovering in his sleep, he cryptically urges the Avatar to "look behind the curtain" before entering a state of deep slumber.

Later in Chapter 18, the Avatar's army attempts to pass through the Woods of the Forlorn while en route to the capital of Nohr. Midway through their attempt, they are intercepted by Leo, who announces his intention to sentence them to death. Following the ensuing battle that results in Leo's defeat, Leo, after revealing his inability to continue fighting against the Avatar due to the strength of their sibling bond, entrust them with a tome that will warp them directly into Notre Sagesse. Takumi, suspicious of Leo's intentions, responds with skepticism, but eventually chooses to place his faith in the Avatar's judgment.

In Chapter 19, after the Avatar's army succeeds in breaking through the Rainbow Sage's challenge in the Sevenfold Sanctuary, they are warped into a house occupied by the Rainbow Sage himself. Here, the Rainbow Sage requests for Takumi to present his Fujin Yumi in order to perform the Seal of Flames ritual, one that transforms the Avatar's Yato into the Noble Yato. The Avatar's army thereafter returns to Nohr with the warp tome and continues their advance towards Windmire.

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 the Avatar's encouragement and Sakura's aid in distracting Iago, Azura is able to sing the song and break Iago's control over him. Takumi, regaining full control of his body thereafter, then vows to make amends by helping the Avatar's army to defeat Iago.

The battles waged against Garon both in Chapter 27 and the Endgame see Takumi 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 Takumi and his siblings proudly watch on. Some time after Ryoma's coronation, Takumi meets with the Avatar in the town square of Castle Shirasagi with his siblings, where they pray and convene to a new statue of Mikoto that has been erected in her honor.

Conquest
When the Avatar chooses to side with Nohr, Takumi and the rest of the Hoshidan forces will turn hostile against them.

Takumi is next encountered along with his retainers Hinata and Oboro while the Avatar's army is en route to Notre Sagesse in Chapter 10. Vowing to make the Avatar pay for their betrayal, Takumi leads a sizable army to lay siege on the port of Dia. Despite his best efforts, the Hoshidan army is unable to breach through the Nohrian defenses. He refuses to listen to the Avatar's words and suddenly gets a large headache, leaving before the Avatar is able to stop him.

Later on, Takumi goes alone to Cheve to oversee the growing rebellion. The Avatar and their army, having been deployed there by Garon to stop it, meet him again. He maintains his hostile stance towards the Avatar and shoots an arrow at them, but misses. When Elise starts talking, he shoots an arrow at her also, but fails to hit her. Before the battle, he reveals that Hoshido supports Cheve's rebellion before getting another headache, claiming that if he kills them, the "pain in his head" will go away. The combined Hoshidan and Chevois forces are defeated, and raging at his inability to kill the traitors, retreats with the rest of the Hoshidan army who are able to stand.

Takumi makes his next appearance in Chapter 18, where he, alongside his 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 his siblings, Takumi is later rescued by the Avatar's army, spearheaded by Xander's refusal to support Zola. Following the end of the ensuing battle, Takumi and his siblings join the Avatar and the Nohrians in a feast, and despite their enmity, maintain peace in reverence of the laws of Izumo.

Takumi appears alongside his subordinates and a massive army in Chapter 23, where they make up Hoshido's core legion, charged with the task of defending the gate leading into the country's capital. After a difficult battle against Takumi's forces, the Avatar's army emerges victorious. When the Avatar attempts to parley with Takumi thereafter, Takumi is seized with a jolt of madness that sees him responding with rage-infused incredulity at both Sakura's capture and the Avatar's refusal to ally with Hoshido. Dissolving into tears, Takumi is then completely enshrouded by a noxious purple aura, one that guides him to the balustrade of the border wall and compels him to throw himself off. When the Avatar and Azura go to the spot where he fell, they are unable to find him, much to their distress.

Takumi does not reappear until the end of the events in Chapter 27. After defeating an unknown being that had taken the form of King Garon, he bursts from the throne room door. Corrupted and fueled by anger and vengeance, his Fujin Yumi has been corrupted into Skadi. The Avatar allows him to fire at them in hopes of subsiding his anger, and he complies, sending them into a near-death comatose state. When the Avatar wakes up in their dream, they are surprised that he is still corrupted. Mikoto tells them that whatever is possessing him is extremely hateful and will not stop until all Nohrians are dead. Suddenly, Takumi appears in the Avatar's dream, surprising them. He states that he had been dead for a long time, and that something was controlling him, fueled by his resentment at the Avatar for siding with Nohr, and begs them to end his suffering. To help them with this task, he offers them his bow to repair the Yato before dissipating.

When the Avatar wakes from their coma, his corrupted form is surprised to see them alive. Azura then sings Lost in Thoughts All Alone again, causing him to suffer from more headaches in addition to his power fading away. Accompanied by a large regiment of invisible soldiers, he attempts to kill the Avatar again for good, but is eventually defeated. After the battle, with the monster killed, he thanks the Avatar and dies in peace.

It is shown in Revelation that Anankos had possessed him after Garon had failed to complete his orders. When Anankos possessed him is unknown, it is presumably sometime after his failed siege on Dia, as Azura notes the drastic change in his personality.

Revelation
Prior to the start of Chapter 10, Takumi and his retainers are captured by a group of Nohrian forces who have overrun Izumo. After the Avatar takes down Zola, the leader of the group, they free Takumi from imprisonment. Still suspicious of the Avatar, they free Izana. Izana later gives a prophecy regarding the Avatar's role in the war, and shortly dies as that prophecy required his life. Takumi says nothing, prompting Izana to jokingly threaten to haunt him for the rest of his life. Witnessing Izana's death, he decides to join the Avatar and brings his retainers along with him.

Paralogue
Takumi enters the Deeprealm Mountain in hopes of meeting his son Kiragi in Paralogue 8. Unable to locate his son due to the enormity of the vicinity, Takumi is later alerted to the presence of invisible soldiers by Sakura. Alarmed by the threat that they pose to Kiragi, Takumi leads the Avatar's army in a charge against the invisible soldiers. At the start of the ensuing battle, Sakura spots Kiragi attempting to fend against the invisible soldiers, prompting Takumi to be fueled by a wave of fiery passion as he vows to rescue his son. After the invisible soldiers are completely defeated, Kiragi excitedly expresses awe at Takumi's battle prowess, to which Takumi, initially flattered, attempts to divulge details on his last battle before checking himself. He then warns his son against leaving his Deeprealm, attempting to convince him to remain put for the sake of his safety. Under the joint coaxing of both Kiragi and Sakura, Takumi eventually relents.

Personality
Constantly overshadowed by the talents of his older siblings, Takumi is thus, understandably, sometimes portrayed in a state of moody malcontent due to having developed a bit of an inferiority complex that he covers up, keenly desiring to receive recognition without being framed by the achievements of Ryoma and Hinoka. This fact alone serves as both a strength and a flaw; on one hand, this has spurred Takumi to be immensely diligent in his austere efforts to upgrade his abilities, which have made him a very skilled archer. This fact is evident in his supports with Mozu, where he disproves her doubts over his farming capabilities by tirelessly engaging in manual labor on the field.

On the other hand, however, Takumi is known to be rather weak mentally due to the overwhelming inferiority complex that he harbors, a fact that is easily exploited and corrupted by Iago. The seething words of hatred that Takumi repeatedly utters while under the corruption's influence are very telling of the crushing inferiority that he feels, as they revolve around a desire to be stronger. His supports with several characters also highlight this; the conversations that he shares with Kiragi particularly exemplify this, where his immediate reaction to witnessing his son's stellar hunting skills at a tender young age is to experience jealousy at the possibility of him mastering the Fujin Yumi and eventually surpassing him. Iago is also able to twist his complex and desire for recognition into a sense of megalomania, as can be seen when Takumi is in a magic-induced trance during Birthright Chapter 10. There he declares that he should be the chosen one. Unlike his clear sense of inferiority, he does not exhibit any sign of megalomania outside of this scene, which is why it is uncertain whether this something he really feels or simply brought on by Iago's manipulation.

Takumi is also known to be a very cautious person, a fact that is proven throughout the Birthright route, where he is suspicious of anyone from Nohr. One such instance that clearly proves this fact is when the Avatar makes the decision to allow Zola to accompany them to Nohr; refusing to place his trust in Zola, he makes it a point to remind the Avatar of the Dark Mage's treacherous attempt to kill both them and Sakura previously. Despite this, Takumi is known to be rather amiable and friendly towards those who have gained his trust. This fact is best proven through his supports with Leo, where he initially treats the latter with cold arrogance, only warming up to him upon learning that they share similar aspirations.

Takumi has an interest in shogi, a fact that is mentioned during a conversation shared between him and Leo and one between Hisame and Kiragi. In Leo's case, their interests are almost the same; Takumi's interest in shogi mirrors Leo's interest in chess, while his partiality for miso soup mirrors Leo's love for beef stew. He is also skilled with the katana, as shown with his supports with Hinata and Hana.

Takumi is said to have the worst dreams out of everyone in the army. This is most evident in his S-Support with Azura, where he has a nightmare about Queen Mikoto's death. His birthday is December 14.