| “ | What? I save your life and you suddenly trust me again? | „ |
| ~ Alvin |
Alfred Vint Svent (known almost exclusively as Alvin) is the tritagonist of the video game Tales of Xillia and one of the main characters in its sequel Tales of Xillia 2. He is a mercenary who first meets Jude Mathis and Milla Maxwell during their escape from Fennmont and subsequently joins them on their journey.
He is voiced by Tomokazu Sugita in the Japanese version and Matthew Mercer in the English version, both of whom also voice Yusuke Kitagawa.
Appearance
Alvin is a tall man in his mid-twenties with spiky, brown hair and brown eyes. His attire in the first game consists of a light brown coat, black trousers and white boots. He wears an unusual-looking black scarf with an orange end around his neck, which he describes as 'one of Fissmauge's finest'.
Personality
Most of the time, Alvin exhibits a laid-back and friendly personality. This is noted by Leia, who always thought mercenaries were supposed to be gruff and scary, which Alvin says is just a stereotype. He claims to enjoy his job as a mercenary, saying that it's better than being a soldier since he can do his own thing and doesn't have to follow orders. Ultimately, however, it is revealed that he doesn't like his job very much at all, since all the jobs he had been doing were for his ill mother, who later dies.
Alvin has been a mercenary for as long as he can remember, and claims to have already been a veteran by the time he was Jude's age. As such, he knows all the ins and outs about combat, and teaches Milla how to use a sword after she loses the Four Great Spirits (she had always used their help to guide her while using one before, and so had to learn how to use a sword from scratch). He tries to be a big brother mentor to Jude, often giving him lectures on growing up and becoming a man. However, these attempts more often than not backfire, as they just make Jude think he's weird or give a hint at his shadier nature. Alvin is also a surprisingly fashion-conscious person; he openly objects to giving his coat to an enemy in the event that they ever lose a battle, and can frequently be seen adjusting his scarf. He is also quite perverted, frequently making weird innuendos, something Jude quickly gets tired of.
Of the initial trio consisting of himself, Milla and Jude, Alvin has the most logic and common sense; he is charismatic and good at socialising with others. Unlike Jude, he doesn't let his curiosity get the better of him and stays focused on the task at hand, as he believes they have enough to deal with as it is. He also does not show his own feelings very easily, rarely speaking about himself and often dodging questions whenever the subject is brought up. Though he outwardly seems to be acting just for himself, he can be very calculating in the times of need.
Soon enough, Alvin reveals himself to be a highly devious and treacherous person, betraying both the party and the people they're fighting against multiple times throughout the game. This due to his painful past as a child soldier, which has ultimately made him unable to trust or be loyal to anybody, making his life an empty and meaningless existence. Although the group keep him around even after several betrayals, it's only so they can keep a close eye on him and make sure he doesn't cause anymore trouble. Ultimately, they do still care about him (save for Elize, who didn't trust him very much from the beginning), but find themselves unable to forgive him for what he's done.
Backstory
In the past, it was revealed that Alvin once worked for Exodus, led by Gilland. Alvin stated that he always hated him for 20 years and sometimes called him "uncle". He was once in love with Presa, but he quickly set her aside. He often visited his sick mother in Xian Du, but she eventually died.
In Tales of Xillia
At the beginning, he saved Jude from a bunch of Rushigal guards and carried him aboard a ship that set sail with Milla on it. On the ship, he introduced himself and meant to charge them for his services, but they were currently tapped out. As they headed to Nia Kerra, Alvin shot at a rock to save Milla from Presa; however, that rock turned out to be an octopus. At Nia Kerra, after Jude and Milla came back from Milla's shrine, Alvin was paid by the villagers. As they were about to leave, Alvin decided to tag along, because Ivar requested it and that Alvin felt like he was overpaid and wanted to make their money's worth.
Eventually at Xain Du, Alvin attempted to save Elize and Teepo from Exodus agents, but he ended up wounded and the three were locked up. After being rescued, they learned that Teepo was just a machine, much to Elize's dismay. At Gaius' castle, Alvin appeared traitorous by revealing something and waved at Jude and the others as they were being chased by guards. Back at Xain Du, Alvin was often considered a "big fat liar". After Gilland's attack from Fezebel Marsh, Alvin reunited with Jude, Elize, Teepo, and meets Muzet. Later on, Alvin closed Gilland's eyes shut after his death.
After Milla's "death", Alvin made a deal with Muzet to kill Jude in return for heading back to his home world "Elympois". However, he accidently shot Leia and then got in a fight with Jude. Afterwards, he decided to spare Jude and fled in agony. At the Hallowmont, Alvin appeared and decided not to leave their side anymore and helped them fight Presa and Agria. As Presa fell to her death, Alvin was unable to save her. As Milla was revealed to not have been dead, everyone was able to defeat the real Maxwell. Shortly afterwards, Gaius and Muzet invaded Maxwell's realm and opened a hole that sucked everyone into Elympois. In Elympois, it's shown that Alvin's cousin Balen lived there. The night before the final battle, Alvin was seen sitting on a swing, depressed while talking to Elize. Elize kissed him on the cheek, which she called a "thank you".
During the final battle, Alvin, Leia, Rowen, and Elize stepped in and each used their mystic artes. In the end, Alvin and Balen were seen in a tavern and mentioned in a letter that they decided to start a business together.
In Tales of Xillia 2
Coming Soon!
External links
Gallery
