irrigo: (Default)
100% fresh beff ([personal profile] irrigo) wrote in [community profile] ddd_news 2012-12-23 06:42 am (UTC)

alviss ( mär: märchen awakens romance ) ☆ 3/3

Personality:
Judging by first impressions, Alviss appears to be the "loner" or "cool" character that is typical of an average shōnen series. He is stoic, and gives an impression of being extremely cold-hearted; he doesn't seem to have much sympathy for Ginta and Babbo when he first meets them, and in fact comes off as very cruel in the way he treats them. Although this isn't his entire character, it is actually the backbone of it - Alviss is the serious member of Team MÄR.

He doesn't joke around or take things lightly, and doesn't have a lot of patience for those that do; he's rude to anyone he perceives as wasting his time, and tends to scold the others often for not taking things seriously enough. He is quick to judge those around him who don't have his respect, quick to condemn everyone, and he's very cynical about people, tending to focus on their worst traits. He's distrusting towards most people, and both his respect and his trust are things that have to be earned through hardship. He is harsh and even merciless in battle. He's willing to manipulate both his enemies and friends to get the result he wants. His usual solemn attitude is most likely a result of his experience in the first War Games, and his understanding of the harsher realities of MÄR Heaven. He is a self-contained person, and seems to expect everyone else to be as well. "I'll fight my own battle," he says, and he clearly believes that others should do the same, even outright telling Ginta to deal with his own problems. He doesn't tell anyone about his Zombie Tattoo, or talk about it after its existence is revealed to his friends - not out of a desire to keep it secret, but because he sees it as his problem and doesn't think anyone else should be involved in it.

As far as social skills go, Alviss' aren't exactly stellar, but that is mostly because he has no desire to improve them. He doesn't care about trivial things, and since socialising will neither win the War Games nor cure the Zombie Tattoo, he feels that he can do without it. He's fairly blunt and rude and doesn't see any problem with it. When Nanashi cooks takoyaki for everyone, Alviss leaves and says, "I don't want any. Anything that looks like that can't be considered food." However, he is actually polite on some occasions; he'll apologise if he knocks someone over (provided they aren't at fault in any way) and he graciously thanks people for helping him on a number of occasions, including some talking rocks.

Alviss is extremely tenacious. After being cursed with the Zombie Tattoo as a child, he had lost the will to continue and wanted to abandon MÄR; Gaira and Alan persuaded him to resist the Tattoo and fight against Phantom, and since then, he has not once given up throughout the series. He is a determined and driven young man, and pushes on through every obstacle that he encounters, even when a situation appears to be hopeless, and even when he has long since reached his own limits. This stubbornness often makes him reckless, as seen in the battle with Rolan wherein he refused to surrender until the very last moment, when he had proven his ability to hit back. It also plays a part in his diligence with training; his tenacity means that he can train constantly without tiring of it, because he simply refuses to give in to his fatigue and stop. It joins with his tendency to scold his teammates, too, because he insists that they train with him, to the point that he outright attacks Nanashi in an attempt to make him train. "Once you say something, you never give in," teases Alan.

Alviss is a warrior first and foremost, who has a great deal of (rightful) confidence in himself and his own abilities, and he carries himself with dignity and pride - to such a point that it can become arrogance. He genuinely enjoys fighting, and he's happy to rise to a challenge. He looks down on most others and treats them with disdain, taunting weaker opponents and mocking his teammates in the beginning, but when someone is worthy of his respect, he feels the need to prove himself to them, which is once again demonstrated in his first fight with Rolan; it is not only his stubbornness, but also his pride that will not allow him to surrender until he has struck back at Rolan when everyone assumed that he was done for. On more than one occasion, he refuses to fight with any ÄRM, both to prove his personal strength and to insult an enemy that he sees as inferior and unworthy of his effort. Respect is the most important thing in order for Alviss to form a good relationship with someone, and he will not speak to them as an equal until they have it. He doesn't judge unfairly, though; he holds everyone to the same standards as he holds himself, which means that what he values most is a strong heart.

Alviss' confidence in himself is not unfounded, because not only is he a very capable warrior, he is also intelligent and very aware in battle situations. Despite his recklessness, he backs off when his life is seriously endangered; he knows his own limits, even if he does like to push them. When he is cornered, he often uses ingenuity instead of brute strength, and he is good at taking advantage of his surroundings. He has an excellent grasp of timing, and can wait an entire fight under a barrage of attacks for the right moment to attack. Rather than jumping into the fray and attacking an enemy senselessly, he will also allow himself to be put at a disadvantage (or a perceived disadvantage) if he must in order to observe and analyse his opponent, so that he can devise the most efficient battle strategy available to him. He also proves to have a very good understanding of people as a whole, often stepping in to explain someone's motivations or thoughts when others fail to catch on.

More than the hardened warrior that he is, Alviss often seems like a noble knight. He really values honour and dignity, in both himself and in others. He loves MÄR despite all of its faults, and he wants more than anything to protect it and its people from any misfortune or malice. He is willing to give his life for the safety of his world. This is why he fights, and it is what fuels his will to continue living even with the progress of the Zombie Tattoo hanging over his head. When he confronts his child self in Clavier, he gives up his wish to remove the Zombie Tattoo, even knowing that it is only a vision - he still feels that this wish is much more noble than his own selfish need, and he reflects on it, saying, "I'm sorry I wasted all of your efforts, everyone. But, if what I'm thinking is right, even if I were to die because of this, it won't be for nothing. This life will gain a meaning."

And it really does haunt him. Alviss is always aware that he is living on very limited time, and he fears the possibility that he could fail to cure himself of his curse; he doesn't want to live forever, to see MÄR and its people suffer and perish over time, and he especially doesn't want to become the same as Phantom, who is cruel and bitter. This pushes his determination to an extreme, because he simply does not have time to waste. However, while it is almost constantly on his mind, Alviss uses his curse to motivate himself rather than dwelling on the past or wallowing in self-pity. When Babbo's Alice form is unable to heal him, Alviss admits that Phantom's death is the only path to a cure, but thanks Ginta for his concern; Jack asks how they're going to kill an immortal, and Alviss just smiles and says that he's sure they'll find a way. This shows not only his determination not to give into despair, but his genuine faith in Team MÄR and the optimism that they give him. Despite this, falling to the Zombie Tattoo is his worst fear, and Alviss outright asks Ginta to kill him if it should progress any further; he would honestly rather die than become immortal.

Although it is usually disguised by his sternness and soldier-like seriousness, Alviss does have a kind heart. He is extremely protective of Bell, who has been his friend since childhood, and does all that he can to take care of her. He is not only willing to sacrifice himself for the peace and safety of MÄR, but also for his friends. He worries about his teammates just like any other member of Team MÄR, despite being less vocal about it and more understanding of the dangers they have to put themselves into for the War Games - and when they worry about him, he tries to brush off their concerns and reassure them with optimism and confidence, whether it is genuine or fake. Even when he is under the influence of the Zombie Tattoo, he uses the last remaining shreds of his sanity to beg them to run, because he would prefer that they leave him behind than get hurt by him. Becoming friends with Team MÄR does cause him to open up a little, too, and they leave an impact on him. After becoming closer to Nanashi in the Training Gate, he even tries to take Nanashi's advice and relax a little, and he shows a more playful side, willing to joke around with him.

He has a lot of fearlessness and bravery, and in fact, Alviss is only ever shown to fear two things in the series: the effect of the Zombie Tattoo, and losing the things he has vowed to protect. He never backs down from a fight, no matter his opponent. He is willing to walk right into Phantom's castle and pretend to be under the influence of the Tattoo, knowing Phantom's intentions and the danger of being stranded in the middle of Chess Piece territory - although this also showcases both his intelligence (a plan relying on talented manipulation) and his recklessness (he is willing to do anything to get his chance at killing Phantom once and for all). Even as a child, Alviss was courageous beyond the norm; he stood amidst the bodies after the massacre of the Cross Guard and screamed at Phantom to stop killing his comrades, and it is this bravery that Phantom took an interest in.

But it is also Alviss' rage that Phantom enjoyed. The look in Alviss' eyes following the massacre could be called nothing less than murderous intent, and to this, Phantom remarks that Alviss "has good eyes". Alviss is capable of a frankly frightening rage, and with his tenacity and recklessness it is a dangerous combination. Unlike Dorothy, however, who annihilates her enemies, Alviss has never killed an opponent in the war games; his honour and his respect for life prevent him from doing so, and he considers unnecessary death to be "monstrous". This means that, while he does fight without compassion for his enemy, he has a capacity for mercy in that he will not take a life - and this even applies to Phantom, once he has changed towards the end of his life. As soon as Phantom shows Alviss kindness, Alviss finds himself unable to land the killing blow, and he hesitates to such an extent that Phantom has to take his hand and help him.

His experiences after the War Games - the progression of the Zombie Tattoo, his exposure to Phantom's loneliness, his ensuing conversations with Rolan, and the kindness he receives from Phantom just before killing him - all help Alviss to develop, and give him a strong sense of closure. Because of his close brush with immortality and the incident in Clavier, he develops an even greater respect and understanding for life, especially for his own - something which will have meaning, even in death. While he had previously been driven by a desire for revenge and his desperate need to save himself from immortality, he finally understands the importance of everything else, and he lets go of the fear that had gripped him. He also reaches a warm conclusion with Phantom, something which would have been otherwise impossible; after laying him to rest, Alviss acknowledges that, "Phantom will continue to live. Within us," and even says later that he misses both Phantom and Rolan. He is removed of all conflict, bitterness and fear that he had held up to that point, and in the end, it leaves him with a sort of peace.
Other:
Fun fact! A number of characters in MÄR are altered or twisted versions of popular fairy tale characters; although he shares fewer similarities with his counterpart than some others do, Alviss is Peter Pan. His favourite weapon (Thirteen Totem Poles), his fairy Bell and his imminent state of eternal youth are all references to Peter - Alviss is just a Peter Pan that is not particularly happy about the whole "eternal youth" gig.
First Person (entry type):
[ the sphere that usually records alviss is floating around today, to get a better look at what appears to be a large stage - and that's exactly what alviss wants it do to. he catches it in one hand and speaks directly to it: ]

I thought the community might want you all to see this, so I saved it the trouble of finding its own way. You're also guaranteed a better view than the one the Chess Pieces are broadcasting to the rest of MÄR.

This is the first match in the first battle of the Second War Games, and I'm going to show you how it's done. You may not have anything to learn from this, like Ginta does, but I want to be sure that everyone understands that we are going to save this world from destruction at Phantom's hands, without a doubt. I want everyone to see that if you're going to save anything, this is the kind of conviction you really need.

And maybe some of you will learn something anyway. Maybe it's going to teach you how to fight in a serious battle. Or, just maybe, it's going to teach you how to win.

So watch. This is the reality of the War Games.

[ he releases the sphere, it takes off into the air, and the fight begins. ]
Third Person:
The world of MÄR has changed in six years.

Alviss has always known that it would; he has travelled through enough cities to see the impact of the First War Games on the people, on their families and their land. But he hadn't realised the severity of it as a child, and from then he had grown amidst it, never taking notice. The real impact of it hits him when he sets foot in Reginlief Castle for the first time since he was ten years old, and he really sees the damage done by the Chess Pieces. There are so few men here, and they are frail and meek. The courtyard is neglected, crumbling, and the castle itself is the same; it doesn't seem at all like the proud and majestic place that once stood here, back when Alviss was one of the croud, cheering for the Cross Guard and so fiercely believing that MÄR would be saved.

Maybe he was naïve in those days.

But while his understanding of the reality may have changed, while his perception may have become sharper, Alviss has not abandoned that belief. He has not abandoned his love for everything in this world. MÄR will be saved - and when he looks at the unlikely team this otherworlder Ginta has amassed, he feels some spark of hope even through his anxiety. They are strong. They aren't soldiers, and it could be that they're better. Every one of them is here for their own reason. They will fight for themselves. They will fight for MÄR. They will drive the Chess Pieces out and bring peace back to the world, and it will flourish in its freedom. Even if he has to carry this burden himself, MÄR will be saved.

When he steps out into the arena, Alviss doesn't feel fear, and he isn't anxious any longer. He will fight, and he will win. He'll claw his way through the Chess Pieces' army, and he'll find Phantom. He'll rid himself of this accursed mark and he won't ever have to see MÄR Heaven fall again. He will live as a human in the world that he loves.

Alviss will fight to save MÄR, and he will fight to save himself.

Post a comment in response:

This account has disabled anonymous posting.
If you don't have an account you can create one now.
HTML doesn't work in the subject.
More info about formatting