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Fire Emblem Gaiden (manga)

From Fire Emblem Wiki, your source on Fire Emblem information. By fans, for fans.
Fire Emblem Gaiden

Book 978-4048523936.png
The cover of the first and only volume.

Game(s) represented

Fire Emblem Gaiden

Illustrator(s)

Masaki Sano
Kyo Watanabe

Author(s)

Masaki Sano
Kyo Watanabe

Publisher(s)

Kadokawa Shoten

Release date

1 March 1993

ISBN

4-04-852393-7

Fire Emblem Gaiden (Japanese: ファイアーエムブレム外伝 Fire Emblem side story) is a short manga adaptation of Fire Emblem Gaiden spanning only one book. Despite being a single volume, the manga covers the events of Gaiden to its conclusion, albeit with very rushed pacing and the skipping of many scenes and characters.

It was released between the second and third volumes of Sano and Watanabe's Fire Emblem manga, based off of Shadow Dragon & the Blade of Light.

As is common with Fire Emblem series manga, this adaptation was only ever officially printed in Japanese, although it does have an unofficial English translation.

Plot

While some events deviate from the original Gaiden, this summary still contains spoilers for Gaiden as well as its remake, Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia.

Summary

The Gaiden manga both abridges and expands on the events of Gaiden, cutting out several scenes and characters, though expanding on some other scenes and characters.

Skipping chapters one and two, the manga opens with chapter 3 and the liberation of Zofia castle, the people of the land are celebrating their new savior, Alm.

With the celebration taking a backseat; the history of Valentia is described, as well as the pact between Mila and Duma. Modern day Zofia and Rigel have slowly been straying from righteous paths, with Zofians becoming complacent and Rigelians becoming unjust. One day, emperor Rudolf contacts Zofia with a request for food. The Zofians refuse to provide Rigel with anything, pushing emperor Rudolf to start plans for the invasion of Zofia.

After the exposition, Celica and Alm meet in Zofia castle. Celica tells Alm that she is going to the Temple of Mila. Alm thinks it is too dangerous and that Mila has already proven herself to be an uncaring god; Alm thinks they would be better off doing something themselves instead of asking Mila for assistance or an explanation. Celica disagrees, though their conversation is cut short when Zofia castle is attacked by monsters. Celica saves Alm from a Gargoyle and proves herself in battle against them, and departs.

Both Alm and Celica continue their journeys similar to the game, Alm defeats Desaix and Celica takes down Grieth. Alm becomes unable to progress into Rigel when he makes it to the western floodgate; he has to wait for Celica to arrive at the Temple of Mila and empty the floodgate there first.

After draining the chasm between Rigel and Zofia, both Alm and Celica continue north, Alm towards Rigel castle and Celica to the Tower of Duma. Alm finds many monsters in Rigel while Celica makes her way through Lost Treescape. Many Rigelians side with Alm's forces due to Rudolf's change of character for the worse in recent times. In Lost Woods, Celica is attacked by the very forest itself, though she is saved by Halcyon. Halcyon says he cannot leave the forest, he is the only one preventing its evil from spreading. Celica asks for Halcyon to bless Alm, and he does so. Shortly after Celica is magicked away by Jedah, leaving her dumbfounded companions in Lost Treescape. Jedah has warped Celica to the Tower of Duma alone, to hold her hostage, though she puts up a fight. Jedah tells Celica that Duma plans to make a new, better, world without corrupt humans.

Meanwhile, Alm approaches Rigel castle, and engages and defeats Rudolf in one-on-one combat. Rudolf tells Alm that he has waited a long eighteen years for the moment his son would return as a hero. Rudolf tells Alm to claim Falchion, which is nearby, and quell the gods Duma and Mila. Alm quickly makes his way to the Tower of Duma; he is in time to aid Celica in her battle against Jedah. The Tower of Duma begins collapsing, and Alm and Celica then enter Duma's altar through a portal, where Duma is waiting. After some fighting it appears the sword is able to quell Duma and Mila without necessarily defeating them; seeming to have instead purified them. Duma explains that he and Mila had both become angry at humanity for abusing their gifts; their anger had warped them. Duma and Mila both realize that their actions had been as evil as the humans'. Mila swears on Falchion that they will leave Valentia, Alm expresses his doubts in the vows of gods, and says he will only accept a future carved by human hands. Alm and Celica are allowed to leave.

At the ruins of the Tower of Duma both Alm's and Celica's friends are searching for the two. Eventually, Alm and Celica climb out of the rubble, unharmed. Alm and Celica reunite with their friends, having freed Valentia from Duma and Mila.

Differences from the game

Zofia castle is attacked by monsters and during Alm's and Celica's reunion, no such attack occurs in the original game.

In the manga Alm never encounters Luthier or Delthea, and Tatarrah does not guard the floodgate. Alm instead blames Desaix for the floodgate being locked.

Grieth appears to be working for Rudolf in the manga, no such connection is indicated in the game. Grieth is also capable of using magic in the manga, despite being a Dread Fighter, a sword wielding class in the game. Grieth also kills Deen, something not possible in the game. Sonya joins Celica and provides information on Rigel, she did not have this informative role in the original game.

Nomah does not appear in the manga at all, even when Celica arrives at the Temple of Mila, his place of recruitment in the original game.

Alm is never trapped in Dragon mountain. Celica has premonitions of Alm's plight throughout her travels north, in the original game it was implied she had her premonitions before she left Novis Monastery.

Zeke and many other Rigelians join Alm's forces due to, according to them, Rudolf having a change of heart for the darker. Alm's birthmark, what persuades Zeke to join in the game, is never mentioned.

Jedah is portrayed somewhat sympathetically compared to the game, being cursed by Duma. Sonya's sisters, Marla and Hestia, were killed by this curse, though Sonya survived it and became a witch. In the game Marla and Hestia are killed in battle by Alm and Celica, as they are bosses, and Jedah seems to be acting of his own will.

Mila is not sealed inside Falchion, and Falchion is said to be older than the gods themselves; this is contrary to the game, which implies Duma created Falchion and Rudolf used it to personally seal Mila away.

Celica and Alm face Duma alone in Duma's altar; unlike the game where both of them are accompanied by their companions. Duma also looks nothing like his game appearance, being a vague ghostly figure with two eyes. Duma and Mila both take humanoid guises when placated. Mila is depicted as a humanoid and angelic figure in the game, though Duma is never given a representative avatar like Mila is.

Etymology and other languages

Names, etymology, and in other regions
Language Name Definition, etymology, and notes
Japanese

ファイアーエムブレム外伝

Shares its name with the game it is an adaptation of.

Gallery

References

Fire Emblem Gaiden
Playable characters AlmAtlasBoeyCatriaCelicaClairCliveDeenDeltheaEstForsythGennyGrayJesseKamuiKliffLeonLukasLuthierMaeMathildaMycenNomahPallaPythonSaberSilqueSonyaTatianaTobinValbarZeke
Non-playable characters HalcyonIrmaMassena
Bosses BarthBlakeDeenDeltheaDesaixDolthDumaGarciaGarthGazelleGharnGriethHestiaJamilJedahJeromeLawsonMagnusMarlaMikhailMuellerNuibabaRudolfShizasSlaydeSonyaTatarrahWolffXaizorZaksonZeke
Background characters Lima IVLipricaMila
Personal weapons FalchionRoyal Sword
Acts and Battles Act 1 1: Ram Woods Battle • 2: Fleecer's Forest Battle • 3: Thieves' Shrine • 4: Storming of Ram Valley • 5: Attack on the Southern Outpost • 6: First Battle of Southern Zofia • 7: Second Battle of Southern Zofia • 8: Deliverance Hideout • 9: Liberation of Zofia Castle
Act 2 1: Skirmish • 2: First Pirate Raid • 3: Second Pirate Raid • 4: Assault on the Pirate Throne • 5: Third Pirate Raid • 6: Beast Hunt • 7: Seabound Shrine • 8: Fourth Pirate Raid • 9: Fifth Pirate Raid
Act 3 Alm 1: Northern Zofia Battle • 2: First Battle of Zofia Forest • 3: Forest Crossroads Battle • 4: Siege of Desaix's Fortress • 5: Second Battle of Zofia Forest • 6: Sylvan Shrine • 7: Forest Northside Battle • 8: Retaking of the Sluice Gate
Celica 1: Zofian Coast Battle • 2: Skirmish • 3: Attack on the Desert Stronghold • 4N: Northern Desert Battle • 4S: Southern Desert Battle • 5: Attack on Grieth's Citadel • 6: Storming of the Valley Approach • 7: Dragon Shrine • 8: Liberation of the Temple of Mila
Act 4 Alm 1: Border Battle • 2: Rigel Forest Battle • 3: Fear Mountain Battle • 4: Fear Mountain Shrine • 5: Siege of Nuibaba's Abode • 6: Rigel Plains Battle • 7: Fight at the Dragon's Maw • 8: Rigel Falls Battle • 9: Secret Shrine • 10: Attack on the Last Bastion • 11: Attack on Rigel Castle
Celica 1: Dead Man's Mire Battle • 2: Skirmish • 3: Attack on Dolth Keep • 4: Lost Treescape • 5: Storming of Duma Gate • 6: The Swamps of Duma Battle • 7: Duma Tower
Act 5 1: Duma Temple • 2: The Final Battle
Locations ValentiaMila ShrinesNovisRigel (Fear Mountain ShrineLost TreescapeDuma Tower) • Zofia (Ram)
Groups, objects and concepts DeliveranceMonsters
Lists ActsCharactersClasses (Class change) • ItemsScriptsWeapons
Related topics Manga adaptationName chart • Other games (Shadow Dragon & the Blade of LightAwakeningEchoes: Shadows of Valentia) • Sound Test ModeTimelineUnused contentWorld map
Merchandise
Figurines Genealogy of the Holy War ExceedamiibofigmaNendoroidChara-forme1/7th Scale FigurePop Up Parade
Goods Fire Emblem Tin BadgeHeroes: Mini Acrylic Figure CollectionThree Houses Acrylic KeyholderHeroes Full Body Acrylic StandHeroes Metallic Acrylic KeychainHeroes 5th Anniversary Memorial BoxThree Houses Acrylic StandHeroes Acrylic Strap CollectionFire Emblem All-Star CollectionFire Emblem Armory Collection
Card games Fire Emblem Trading Card GameCipherOne Hundred Songs of Heroes
Art books The CompleteTreasureThracia 776 Illustrated WorksFire Emblem Characters: The Binding Blade & The Blazing Blade20th Anniversary EncyclopediaMemorial Book Akaneia ChronicleThe Art of Fire Emblem AwakeningFates 4koma Comic & Character Guide Book25th Anniversary Staff BookThe Making of Fire EmblemTellius Recollection (Volume 1Volume 2) • if: Visual Works – Pellucid CrystalThree Houses - Fódlan Art Book‏‎Legacy of Archanea
Strategy guides Trekking on the World of Fire Emblem (The Binding BladeThe Blazing BladeThe Sacred Stones)
Adaptations Manga adaptations Fire Emblem (Sano and Watanabe)GaidenFire Emblem (Shimada)Shadow Dragon & the Blade of Light (Hakoda)Mystery of the EmblemHeir of LightGenealogy of the Holy War (Fujimori)Wind MageGenealogy of the Holy War (Ōsawa)Thracia 776 (Hino)Thracia 776 (Takanagi)Hasha no TsurugiThe Sacred Stones ComicFates: Crown of NibelungHeroes - A Day in the LifeEngage
Anime adaptation Fire Emblem
Novelizations Shadow Dragon & the Blade of Light (Yamaguchi)Kingdom of IllusionShadow Dragon & the Blade of Light (Shinosaki)GaidenMystery of the Emblem (Takayashiki)Mystery of the Emblem (Enix Original)Mystery of the Emblem (Shinosaki)Genealogy of the Holy War (Takeda)Genealogy of the Holy War (Suzuki)Genealogy of the Holy War (Enix Original)Thracia 776 (Umemura)Thracia 776 (Shinosaki)Elibe DisturbanceThe Sacred Stones
Drama CDs Birthright Series: Takumi’s Prequel (Corrin’s Homecoming TaleDecision Time Tale) • Conquest Series: Northern Fortress Tale (Leo and Xander’s ConflictTurbulent My Castle) • Echoes: Shadows of Valentia: Foreign Skies; Daybreak ForestThe Blazing Blade Extra Drama CD: Inheritors of RolandRadiant Dawn Extra Drama CD: Clash of Heroic IdealsAwakening: Waking Darkness; Undying HopeThree Houses: An Officer’s Academy Sleuthing Story
Other Fire Emblem ExpoFire Emblem Expo IILINE • Fódlan tea sets (Tea BreakTea Collection) • SuperGroupies