Fire Emblem Fates Localization: Conquest Ch. 8 Flora / Jakob Dialogue Addition (Minor Change)

This is the first in my series of Fire Emblem Fates localization comparison posts! I discuss anything from major to minor changes here as I play through the game. Today, we look at a scene from Chapter 8 in Conquest. There are minor plot spoilers, so please be wary as you go forward.

Please note that this post is purely informative and may share some opinion, but this does not mean the change is necessarily good or bad. A change is just a change that is being looked into, and you can be the judge of whether you like it or not!

It is all just for fun and curiosity for me. : )

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In Chapter 8 (Cold Reception) on the Conquest route, Flora is an enemy unit on the map. Fighting her with Joker/Jakob leads to a brief dialogue change where Flora indirectly mentions her feelings and why she stayed around in servitude. The interesting change here is how Joker/Jakob reacts to it, and the added lines in the English localization.

Note this can only happen if you are playing as a female avatar! Otherwise you will have Felicia for this level.

There is no need for me to translate the Japanese literally here, but I provide it below to show the change:

Flora: ジョーカー……また会えて、嬉しいわ。

Joker: てめぇ…悠長に里帰りしてやがったのかよ。反乱活動だか何だか知らないが、カムイ様を裏切るなんて、忠誠を誓った臣下がしていいことじゃないぜ。悪いが、力ずくでもこの場を収めさせてもらう。

Flora: 私は…最初から忠誠なんて誓っていないわ。だって私たちは…氷の部族が反乱を起こさないようにするための、人質として…あの王城にいただけだもの。…それでも私が逃げなかったのは、ジョーカー。あなたがいたから…

Joker: ??

I put the relevant part in bold above. But basically Flora mentions the servitude she was forced into, a glorified hostage kept to prevent the Ice Tribe from rebelling. The localization translated this very well. She says the only reason she did not run was because Joker was there, to which he simply responds with “??” It can be taken as rather oblivious, or perhaps confused, but more likely the first. The conversation ends there.

So now let’s take a look at the English localization:

Flora: Jakob…It’s good to see you, though I wish it was under better circumstances

Jakob: Flora… When I left you at the castle, I never dreamed I’d find you here. Here with your blade raised in anger against she who you swore to protect. I know the difficulty of your situation, but that doesn’t excuse your actions. I’m afraid I have no choice but to settle this matter with force.

Flora: Jakob… In the b-beginning, I never swore my allegiance. I refused. After all, we were little more than hostages. Taken as children…All to prevent this from happening, to stop the Ice Tribe from rebelling. |I often thought of running away, but I never did. I stayed…because of you…

Joker: Flora…

Flora: I don’t want or need your pity, Jakob. Let’s finish this!

The part I put in bold above is in the same place as the “??” from the text dump itself. The coding lines up, and there was nothing beyond that in Japanese, so the lines were added. Here, Jakob seems to understand what she said, and she responds to it too.

It did make it a slightly deeper conversation, and slightly changes Joker the Kamui loyalist (and oblivious to others) to Jakob who is more emotionally intelligent, it seems. Subtle, but a character difference I would say. It did make for a nice scene.

Again, please don’t take this post to mean this is a bad change. Just know it is one of many minor tweaks localization does sometimes to do what they feel will help a scene.

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I will continue to note these little differences (and major ones apparently in the supports!) as I go through the games. Feel free to point out anything that stands out and that need looking into! I have played all three games already in Japanese, so do not worry about spoilers.

What do you think? Do you like Joker/Jakob’s more oblivious character? Or the more understanding one to Flora? : )