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“Make no mistake, Lord Marth. I consider myself an exceptionally good judge of character. If I thought you acted out of selfishness or ambition, I would not extend the offer I have. You have my trust.”
—Hardin to Marth, Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon

Hardin is a character in the Archanea Series of Fire Emblem. In Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light and its remake, Hardin serves as a major supporting character to the plot and a playable character. In Fire Emblem: Mystery of the Emblem and its remake, he serves as a major antagonist.

Profile[]

Background[]

After Hardin's older brother, the King of Aurelis, took ill, Hardin was ceded the helm of Aurelis, whereupon he swiftly reformed the nation's laws. During this time, Hardin seized the opportunity to banish the Aurelian nobles who were responsible for keeping the people of the plains, including the likes of Roshea, Vyland, Wolf and Sedgar, as slaves. The slaves were thereafter liberated, and the higher-ranking ones amongst them were inaugurated as the new lords of Aurelis.

Although the ex-nobles later attempted a coup with support from Archanea, their attempt was quickly quelled by the joint cooperation of Hardin and the plains people.

Archanea Saga[]

Shortly after the Dolunian Empire began spreading its influence over the continent of Archanea, Aurelis is, after being besieged by a troop of Dracoknights led by Princess Minerva of Macedon, forced to cede much of her territory to the Empire.

Upon learning that a cluster of villages in an unnamed district of Aurelis is under harassment from bandits in Episode 2, Hardin leads Wolf and Roshea to the vicinity in a bid to restore order to the region. While speaking to the villagers in order to gain insight into the situation at hand, Hardin encounters Minerva and the Whitewings squad, who have also landed in the region in order to conduct investigations on the rumor that several deserters of the Macedonian army are in cahoots with the bandits. Aware of her identity as the famed Crimson Dragoon, Hardin deliberately chooses to withhold the truth of his identity from her, carefully questioning her in order to solidify his understanding of the situation. He then departs to charge a nearby fortress that is said to be functioning as the stronghold of the bandits, and is later backed up by Minerva and her subordinates. With their combined might, Ruben, the main orchestrator of the bandit attacks, is felled. After briefly ceding praise on Minerva for her combat prowess, Hardin hastily leaves with Wolf and Roshea in tow.

Later, after some time has come to pass following the collapse of the palace of Archanea in Episode 1, Medeus issues the order for Bulzark to kidnap Princess Nyna and bring her to the realm of Dolhr. Alarmed upon receiving these dire news, General Camus of Grust hurriedly corresponds with Hardin, beseeching him to assume custody of Nyna. Nyna is later successfully escorted to the rendezvous point in the outskirts of Aurelis by Camus and the Sable Order in Episode 4, whereupon she collapses into the arms of Hardin out of sheer exhaustion. After furnishing her with some water and medical treatment, Hardin takes her under his wing in Aurelis.

War of Shadows[]

HardinEmblemFE12

Hardin becomes envious of Marth when Nyna hands him the Fire Emblem.

By the time the events of Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light come around, much of Aurelis has been dominated by the Dolhr Empire. Hardin, leading the rebellion army opposing the Dolhr Empire, refuses to bow down to the enemy, gallantly executing his duties without falter. The onset of Chapter 5 sees him and Nyna having sought refuge in the Northern Fortress of Aurelis, and upon sighting the imminent arrival of Marth's army, Hardin eagerly assembles his men, comprising of Roshea, Vyland, Wolf and Sedgar, thereafter heading out to rendezvous with it. Having been reinforced by the might of Marth's army, Hardin is able to successfully rid the land of Aurelis of Dolhr's presence, and he thereafter aids Marth in bringing the War of Shadows to a conclusion. Following this, as a result of Archanea requiring a new emperor and Hardin being the most suitable candidate to ascend the throne, Hardin is thence wed to Nyna and crowned as the twenty fourth emperor of House Archanea.

War of Heroes[]

FE12HardinGharnef

Gharnef poses as a merchant and offers Hardin the Darksphere.

Prior to the proceedings of Book 2 of Mystery of the Emblem, Hardin, upon ascending the throne, aggressively restored the might of the Holy Empire of Archanea and assembled a powerful army almost effortlessly, heralding an era that promised prosperity to all its inhabitants.

However, this was not to be, as Hardin's marriage with Nyna was far from ideal, and was, in truth, one that was marked with grief and unhappiness; while Hardin genuinely loved Nyna, this love of his went unrequited, for her heart was bound to another. When he later learnt that Nyna had married him out of the need for her to fulfill her responsibility as the direct descendant of the Archanean royal family, Hardin was struck with heartbreak and anguish, thereafter avoiding contact with anyone. Gharnef, delighting in Hardin's outpouring of moroseness, posed as a merchant in order to gain access into the palace before offering him the Darksphere. The Darksphere, fueled by Hardin's emotions of acrimony, sorrow and envy, quickly corrupted his soul, and he was transformed into a twisted, unscrupulous man who was devoid of any morals. Within a short frame of time, Hardin undid the prosperity that he had previously ceded upon Archanea, choosing instead to rule it with an iron-fisted tyranny, and thereafter expanded and spread his reign of terror throughout the rest of the continent. Later, when Gharnef requested him to hand Nyna over for the purpose of resurrecting Medeus, Hardin, his love for Nyna perverted by the Darksphere's corruption, willingly complied.

During the events of Book 2 of Mystery of the Emblem, as Marth and Caeda are about to tie the knot, Hardin interrupts their engagement by issuing an order for Marth to embark on a mission to quell a rebellion that has arisen in Grust. When Marth later speaks to Lorenz in a Grustian fortress in Chapter 1, it is revealed that Hardin had, prior to Marth's arrival, called for the destruction of Grust and thereafter make it a territory of the Archanean Empire, instructing General Lang to fulfill this mission.

Later in Chapter 3, a conversation Michalis shares with Rucke, the leader of the rebellion taking place within Macedon, reveals that Rucke's actions are entirely instigated by Hardin, forming yet another hint towards the surfacing of Hardin's tyranny.

As Marth's army succeeds in stifling the invasion of the Macedonian Vikings in Chapter 4, Caeda enters the scene, delivering the grim news that Hardin had, in Marth's absence from his country, invaded Altea with Gra and Aurelis. At this point, Jagen draws the conclusion that the fall of Altea is one that was planned in advance; the sheer magnitude of the invasion necessitated a great number of preparations to be made, and the Grustian campaign was thence staged as a ploy to draw Marth away from his country with his elite knights in tow.

When Marth's army next approaches the Fane of Raman in hopes of recovering some of the missing Starsphere Shards in Chapter 7, Hardin assembles a mercenary troop to ambush them, although it fails in its mission to halt the army in its advance.

After reclaiming the Fane of Raman, Marth's army quickly vacates its premises, with the main force of the Archanean army hot on their heels. Upon crossing the first half of Chiasmir Bridge and reaching the central islet, however, Hardin emerges with a battalion of Generals from the north, intending to seal off their escape and personally end Marth's life. As Marth's army crosses the second half of the bridge, Hardin, in response to Marth's helpless pleas, coldly commands his General battalion to advance and eradicate Marth's army. Marth's army manages to evade the assault, however, as they succeed in reaching the northwestern fortress and board a number of boats that were prepared beforehand to ferry them to the Khadein desert.

Hardin does not cease his pursuit of Marth's army, however, as he commands an elite force led by Astram to continue chasing after them through the Khadein desert in Chapter 9. Khadein has also evidently pledged allegiance to Hardin's rule, as its elite mage corps, under the command of Arlen, is deployed to ambush Marth's army. Marth's army manages to fight their way through the assault, however, thereafter entering the city of Khadein.

After Marth's army succeeds in ending Arlen's rage-infused assault on Merric in Chapter 10, the apparition of Gotoh appears before Marth, who reveals that Hardin's soul had been consumed by the Darksphere, and can only be liberated with the Lightsphere, the natural foe of the Darksphere. Marth is then urged to lead his army through Anri's Way in the next few chapters, before arriving in the Ice Dragon Temple in Chapter 14 and receiving the Lightsphere from Gotoh.

Marth's army then returns to Altea and liberates it in Chapters 15 and 16. As they depart from Altea and heads towards the capital of Archanea to confront Hardin, they pass through the kingdom of Gra in Chapter 17. Here, they learn that the ruler of Gra, Sheema, had been manipulated by Hardin to revolt against Altea, who deceived her into believing that her compliance would be rewarded with aid to restore her country. Although her troops already lack the morale to battle Marth's army, according to the local villagers, they have no other choice but to do so, as Hardin has deployed several troops from the Archanean army to keep vigil over them. Marth's army will then carefully defeat the Archanea army while avoiding confronting the demoralized Gra soldiers, thereafter enlisting the loyalty of Sheema and her subordinate Samson.

After Marth's army passes through Adria Pass in Chapter 18, a coup d'état is said to have broken out in the palace of Archanea, where the knights and citizens opposing Hardin have taken up arms to directly rebel against him. Marth's army then charges towards the palace of Archanea to reinforce the rebels, and after defeating the main force of the Archanea army in Chapter 19, they storm the palace itself in Chapter 20. As Marth advances closer to Hardin, he bears witness to the full extent of the Darksphere's amplification of Hardin's darkest emotions, as Hardin blathers a series of hate-infused abuse at him, expressing jealousy towards him for having been entrusted the Fire Emblem during the War of Shadows. Shortly after a battle that Marth engages with Hardin with the Lightsphere on hand, Hardin is felled, and is finally granted reprieve from the influence of the Darksphere. As he breathes his last, Hardin expresses gratitude towards Marth for freeing him from the shackles of the Darksphere and seeks his forgiveness for the misdeeds that he had wrought upon Archanea. He then emotionally begs Marth to inform Nyna that he loves her till the end, and hopes that she will be able to forgive him for not being able to resist the Darksphere's corruption.

After Hardin departs from the world, the lineage of Aurelis' founder, Marlon, is effectively terminated, as neither Hardin nor his brother had sired any children. As a result, Marth will come to preside over Aurelis, on top of ruling the rest of Archanea itself.

Personality[]

During and prior to the events of Shadow Dragon, Hardin is portrayed as valorous and honorable, fighting for the sake of maintaining justice in order to ensure that the common citizenry is able to lead peaceful lives that are free from the dangers of vice. This is evidenced through his involvement in the bandit uprising in Episode 2 of Archanea Saga, where he personally leads Roshea and Wolf in an attempt to subdue it and thereafter restore peace to the region. Through his interactions with Minerva in the same episode, Hardin is observed to be quite a scrupulous strategist in achieving his aims. Aware of the fact that she is an enemy of Aurelis, Hardin deliberately conceals his identity while carefully manipulating her into aiding him in quelling the bandit uprising; by revealing the direction he intends to take in locating the bandit stronghold before hastily departing from her side, he effectively silently urges her to follow his lead and aid him in his self-imposed mission.

This scrupulousness of Hardin's extends towards his role as a ruler; after being ceded control of Aurelis by his brother, for one, he brooked no delay in purging the land of its more unsavory laws, alongside putting an end to slavery. His reign as the twenty-fourth emperor of Archanea also proves as much, as, immediately following his succession to the throne, he is known to have, in a very short period of time, restore the might of the country and assemble a formidable army to defend its sovereignty.

While Hardin's prowess on the battlefield is renowned, he is not egoistic in the slightest; he is, on the contrary, rather humble in his regard of his capabilities. His conversation with Marth in Chapter 5 of Shadow Dragon reveals as much, as, in response to Marth attempting to establish that he is far more qualified to lead the liberation of Aurelis, he impatiently brushes off the praise, insisting that Marth assumes the helm in his stead. This very same interaction also reveals Hardin to be one who is a meticulous judge of character, as he accurately perceives Marth to be an individual who neither acts out of selfishness nor ambition.

Away from the battlefield, Hardin is observed to be a passionate, devoted lover, surrendering his affections to Nyna. Despite this, however, Nyna is unable to reciprocate his feelings due to being in love with Camus. This unrequited love of Hardin's proves to be his tragic flaw, as the pain that he derives from it causes him to slump into a state of acute depression, in which he chooses to isolate himself from the rest of the world.

Following the complete destruction of his original personality under the direction of the Darksphere in Book 2 of Mystery of the Emblem, Hardin is transformed into a cruel, unfeeling tyrant who sadistically delights in fanning the flames of chaos and bearing witness to the suffering of others. It is through this phase that some of the darker aspects of Hardin's personality are explored; from his speech and actions, it is very evident that he has bottled up much bitterness, jealousy and hatred in immense quantities, the result of various factors that encompass his unrequited love for Nyna and the fact that Marth was favored over him as the wielder of the Fire Emblem during the War of Shadows. Still, in Heroes, some of his composed personality seems to have remained.

In-Game[]

Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light[]

Recruitment[]

Name Class Chapter Affiliation Recruit
Hardin Cavalier 5 Aurelis Automatically from the start.

Base Stats[]

Starting Class
FE1 Cavalier Map Sprite Cavalier
LevelHPStrSklSpdLckDefResWlvMov
62097836099
WeaponStarting Items
Sword
Lance
Steel Sword

Growth Rates[]

HP Str Skl Spd Lck Wlv Def Res
50% 30% 50% 60% 30% 70% 20% 0%

Promotion[]

Item Required Promoted Class
Paladin's Honor FE1 Paladin Map Sprite Paladin

Overall[]

Secret Book (Artwork)
Subjective: The following part of this article is based upon the editor's personal experiences and opinions, and therefore may not be applicable for all readers.

In Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light Hardin is a remarkable unit. Despite being unpromoted, he has fairly close stats to Jagen, including a remarkably high Weapon Level that enables the use of silver weapons. Cavalier is an amazing class in Shadow Dragon, boasting high Movement, access to swords for easy doubling and lances for ranged attacks, and all-around worthwhile stats, and Hardin is perfectly tuned to take advantage of its strengths. With rather high growths (particularly his 60% Speed), he has no problem staying good for the entire game, especially when given his impressive start. Between his low-maintenance nature, versatility, and staying power, he is one of the most reliably effective units in the game. His only somewhat low point is a mediocre HP growth, which is barely a blemish on an otherwise nigh-spotless unit.

Fire Emblem: Mystery of the Emblem[]

Recruitment[]

Book 1
Name Class Chapter Affiliation Recruit
Hardin Cavalier 4 Aurelis Automatically from the start.

Base Stats[]

Growth Rates[]

HP Str Skl Spd Lck Wlv Def Res
50% 30% 50% 60% 30% 70% 20% 3%

Promotion Gains[]

Note: Relevant to Book 1 only

Item Required Promoted Class
Knight Crest (FE3)Knight Crest FE3 Paladin Map Sprite Paladin
1 +2 +3 +3 +2 +6 Varies +1

Overall[]

Secret Book (Artwork)
Subjective: The following part of this article is based upon the editor's personal experiences and opinions, and therefore may not be applicable for all readers.

In Book 1 of Mystery, most of Hardin's strengths remain the same, with his only notable statistical change being a buffed HP base. He is somewhat impeded by the dismount mechanic, which reduces his Movement, as well as only being able to wield swords when off his horse, but he remains a viable fighter even when dismounted. As ever, though, he remains one of your best cavalry units, and his high Speed means that the weight of lances should not impede him much.

Fire Emblem: Archanea Saga[]

Recruitment[]

Name Class Chapter Affiliation Recruit
Hardin Cavalier 2 Aurelis Automatically from the start.

Base Stats[]

Starting Class
FE3 Cavalier Map SpriteCavalier
LevelHPStrSklSpdLckDefResWlvMov
62597838099
WeaponStarting Items
Sword
Lance
Silver lance iconSilver Lance
Iron lance iconIron Lance

Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon[]

Recruitment[]

Name Class Chapter Affiliation Recruit
Hardin Cavalier 5 Aurelis Automatically from the start.

Base Stats[]

Starting Class
FE11 Cavalier Map SpriteCavalier
LevelHPStrMagSklSpdLckDefResMov
62490783819
WeaponStarting Items
Sword - D
Lance - B
FE11steelswordSteel Sword

Promotion Gains[]

Item Required Promoted Class
FE11mastersealMaster Seal FE11 Paladin Map SpritePaladin
1 +4 +2 +1 +3 +1 +1 +6 +1
Weapon Levels
FE12 LanceLance +30

Class Sets[]

Base Classes Promoted Classes
-

Growth Rates[]

Default
HP Str Mag Skl Spd Lck Def Res
50% 30% 0% 55% 55% 30% 20% 0%
Reclassing Options

HP Str Mag Skl Spd Lck Def Res
40% 25% 0% 50% 70% 30% 15% 5%

HP Str Mag Skl Spd Lck Def Res
50% 25% 0% 50% 70% 30% 15% 0%

HP Str Mag Skl Spd Lck Def Res
60% 25% 0% 50% 70% 30% 10% 0%

HP Str Mag Skl Spd Lck Def Res
30% 5% 30% 50% 60% 30% 0% 15%

HP Str Mag Skl Spd Lck Def Res
30% 0% 20% 50% 65% 30% 0% 25%

HP Str Mag Skl Spd Lck Def Res
30% 0% 10% 45% 65% 30% 0% 35%

Support Relationships[]

Supports
Character Initial points Total points for
C B A
Wolf 0 5 9 14
Sedgar 0 5 9 14
Roshea 0 5 9 14
Vyland 0 5 9 14
Supported by
Character Initial points Total points for
C B A
Marth 0 5 10 16
  • To increase support levels, characters must participate in chapters together
  • One support point is gained for each chapter they both participate in
  • Support levels that require 35 chapters cannot be reached normally
  • Characters must be within a three tile radius of each other to receive support bonuses

Bonuses per level:

Overall[]

Secret Book (Artwork)
Subjective: The following part of this article is based upon the editor's personal experiences and opinions, and therefore may not be applicable for all readers.

Hardin is, as ever, an abnormally strong unit among the game's cavaliers. The significantly buffed stats of enemies mean that Hardin cannot stomp them easily as before, but he has the stats to fight competently even at base level, with comparable bases to a raised Abel (a particular high point being his base Strength of 9) and growths that range from acceptable to rather good.

What distinguishes Hardin, however, is his weapon rank: with a B in Lances, Hardin has one of the highest weapon ranks of any unpromoted unit. This allows him to wield weapons like the Ridersbane, Dragonpike, the Silver Lance in his inventory, and even the Gradivus in the lategame, making him an extremely powerful attacker when wielding a forged weapon. While characters like Abel tend to require at least some work to use these weapons, Hardin does not, making him, again, an extremely low-maintenance unit who performs well at his job.

He blossoms even further after promotion, when he can reclass into a Dracoknight to boost his movement and gain flight while maintaining his high lance rank, switching back to Paladin if need be for the boost to Resistance and lack of bow weakness.

However, due to Hardin's low Luck (and poor Luck growth), there is a noted risk of enemy scoring a critical attack against him, which can become a rather severe problem in certain engagements in the harder difficulties. If Hardin is unlikely to OHKO, caution should be taken against enemies with high skill and/or who wield weapons like Killing Edge that increase the critical rate.

While not quite as remarkable as the game's true powerhouses, Hardin is viable in almost every level of play as a combat unit.

Fire Emblem: New Mystery of the Emblem[]

Base Stats[]

Boss

Starting Class
FE12 Emperor Map SpriteEmperor
LevelHPStrMagSklSpdLckDefResMov
305020020200201561
WeaponStarting Items
FE12 LanceLance - AGradiusGradivus2
FE12darksphereDarksphere3

1 Only in Chapter 8 (0 Move in Chapter 20)
2 Drops when defeated

3 Does not drop if the Lightsphere, Starsphere, Geosphere, and Lifesphere have not all been obtained.

Starting Class
FE12 Emperor Map SpriteEmperor
LevelHPStrMagSklSpdLckDefResMov
306224024240241961
WeaponStarting Items
FE12 LanceLance - AGradiusGradivus2
FE12darksphereDarksphere3

1 Only in Chapter 8 (0 Move in Chapter 20)
2 Drops when defeated

3 Does not drop if the Lightsphere, Starsphere, Geosphere, and Lifesphere have not all been obtained.

Starting Class
FE12 Emperor Map SpriteEmperor
LevelHPStrMagSklSpdLckDefResMov
307428028280282361
WeaponStarting Items
FE12 LanceLance - AGradiusGradivus2
FE12darksphereDarksphere3

1 Only in Chapter 8 (0 Move in Chapter 20)
2 Drops when defeated

3 Does not drop if the Lightsphere, Starsphere, Geosphere, and Lifesphere have not all been obtained.

Starting Class
FE12 Emperor Map SpriteEmperor
LevelHPStrMagSklSpdLckDefResMov
308030030300302561
WeaponStarting Items
FE12 LanceLance - AGradiusGradivus2
FE12darksphereDarksphere3

1 Only in Chapter 8 (0 Move in Chapter 20)
2 Drops when defeated

3 Does not drop if the Lightsphere, Starsphere, Geosphere, and Lifesphere have not all been obtained.

Recruitment[]

Playable

Name Class Chapter Affiliation Recruit
Hardin Cavalier 2 Aurelis Automatically from the start.

Starting Class
FEDS Cavalier Map SpriteCavalier
LevelHPStrMagSklSpdLckDefResMov
82811091151209
WeaponStarting Items
FE12 SwordSword - B
FE12 LanceLance - B
FE11silverlanceSilver Lance
FE11silverswordSilver Sword

Growth Rates[]

HP Str Mag Skl Spd Lck Def Res
90% 75% 0% 65% 65% 30% 45% 0%

Note: These growth rates are only applicable for the second episode of Archanea Saga.


Fire Emblem Awakening[]

SpotPass[]

Starting Class
FE13 NPC Generic General Map SpriteGeneral
LevelHPStrMagSklSpdLckDefResMov
208045103830545+2185
SkillsWeaponStarting Items
Defense +2Defense +2
IndoorBattleIndoor Fighter
DefenseCryRally Defense
Vengeance (FE13)Vengeance
Great Shield (FE13)Pavise
LanceIconFE13Lance - A
AxeIconFE13Axe - B
Gradivus FE13 IconGradivus*

*Enemy only; joins unequipped.

Fire Emblem Heroes[]

The Coyote
Younger brother of the king of Aurelis, nicknamed the Coyote. Rescued the Archanean Princess, Nyna. Appears in Fire Emblem: Mystery of the Emblem.

Base Stats[]

Rarity: ✯✯✯✯✯

Hardin Heroes spriteTitle
The Coyote
Group
Heroes Cavalry Cavalry
LevelHPAtkSpdDefRes
1
40
16/17/18
38/41/44
10/11/12
38/41/45
10/11/12
40/44/47
5/6/7
29/32/35
5/6/7
18/21/24
SkillsWeapon
FEH skill offense Coyote's Lance
FEH skill special Dragon Gaze
FEH Lance Lance

Skills[]

TypeNamePrerequisiteDefaultUnlocked
FEH skill offenseIron Lance---
Steel Lance---
Silver Lance---
Coyote's Lance--FEH Star Rarity 5
FEH skill specialDragon Gaze---
Draconic Aura---
AFEH Darting Blow 1 Darting Blow 1--
FEH Swift Sparrow 1 Swift Sparrow 1FEH Darting Blow 1 Darting Blow 1-
FEH Swift Sparrow 2 Swift Sparrow 2FEH Swift Sparrow 1 Swift Sparrow 1-
FEH Surge Sparrow Surge SparrowFEH Swift Sparrow 2 Swift Sparrow 2FEH Star Rarity 5
BFEH A S Near Trace 1 A/S Near Trace 1--
FEH A S Near Trace 2 A/S Near Trace 2FEH A S Near Trace 1 A/S Near Trace 1-
FEH A S Near Trace 3 A/S Near Trace 3FEH A S Near Trace 2 A/S Near Trace 2-

Overall[]

Secret Book (Artwork)
Subjective: The following part of this article is based upon the editor's personal experiences and opinions, and therefore may not be applicable for all readers.
Base Set[]
Counters[]
Skill Inheritance[]

Meet Some of the Heroes[]

The Coyote Hardin
Hardin the coyote pop01 Hardin is the younger brother of the king of Aurelis, a land of rolling plains on the continent of Archanea. He's also the leader of a band of mighty knights!
Hardin the coyote pop02 The Holy Kingdom of Archanea was the ruling power on the continent, but one day, it was laid to waste by Medeus, the Shadow Dragon. During the chaos, Hardin protected Nyna, the sole surviving member of the Archanean royal line.
Hardin the coyote pop03 To keep Nyna safe and bring peace back to the continent, Hardin then led his band of knights, the Coyote's Men, against Dolhr's fearsome army!
Hardin the coyote pop04 During the conflict, Hardin grew more and more fond of Nyna, and eventually his feelings blossomed into love. And so, with both justice and his love for Nyna in his heart, Hardin fights on!
Closely Associated Characters
Nyna Princess of the Kingdom of Archanea. After its defeat by the Dolhr Empire, she escaped to Aurelis. There she entrusted the Fire Emblem to Prince Marth.
Marth Prince of Altea who fights for his homeland and deeply values his friends. Hardin's comrade in battle.

Dark Emperor
Emperor of the Holy Empire of Archanea. Known as the Dark Emperor due to his bloody reign. Appears in Fire Emblem: Mystery of the Emblem.

Base Stats[]

Rarity: ✯✯✯✯✯

Heroes Hardin (Fallen) SpriteTitle
Dark Emperor
Group
Heroes Armored Armored
LevelHPAtkSpdDefRes
1
40
22/23/24
41/45/48
7/8/9
31/34/37
5/6/7
24/28/31
9/10/11
33/36/39
7/8/9
29/32/35
SkillsWeapon
FEH skill offense Gradivus
FEH skill special Retribution
FEH Lance Lance

Skills[]

TypeNamePrerequisiteDefaultUnlocked
FEH skill offenseIron Lance---
Steel Lance---
Silver Lance---
Gradivus-FEH Star Rarity 5-
FEH skill specialRetribution-FEH Star Rarity 5-
VengeanceRetribution-FEH Star Rarity 5
AFEH Brazen Def Res 1 Brazen Def/Res 1--
FEH Brazen Def Res 2 Brazen Def/Res 2FEH Brazen Def Res 1 Brazen Def/Res 1-
FEH Brazen Def Res 3 Brazen Def/Res 3FEH Brazen Def Res 2 Brazen Def/Res 2FEH Star Rarity 5
BFEH Bold Fighter 1 Bold Fighter 1--
FEH Bold Fighter 2 Bold Fighter 2FEH Bold Fighter 1 Bold Fighter 1-
FEH Bold Fighter 3 Bold Fighter 3FEH Bold Fighter 2 Bold Fighter 2FEH Star Rarity 5

Overall[]

Secret Book (Artwork)
Subjective: The following part of this article is based upon the editor's personal experiences and opinions, and therefore may not be applicable for all readers.
Base Set[]
Counters[]
Skill Inheritance Options[]

Meet Some of the Heroes[]

Dark Emperor Hardin
Hardin dark emperor pop01 Here's Hardin, who once fought alongside Marth! But these days, it seems that some terrible darkness has taken hold of him…
Hardin dark emperor pop02 After marrying his beloved Princess Nyna, the triumphant Hardin became the king of Archanea—but the scheming Gharnef exploited a moment of weakness, and before long, Hardin was known instead as the Dark Emperor, overseer of a bloody reign.
Hardin dark emperor pop03 A changed man, Hardin cut ties with Marth. No one would have ever thought that the sacred lance Gradivus would be turned against a friend…
Hardin dark emperor pop04 Still, I believe that Hardin can yet mend his ways…and maybe he can join the Order of Heroes and help us out while he's at it!
Closely Associated Characters
Nyna Princess of Archanea who entrusts Marth with the Fire Emblem. After the war, she marries Hardin.
Gharnef A student of Gotoh, the White Sage. Hatched a scheme to revive the Shadow Dragon, Medeus, and rule the world. Uses the Darksphere to corrupt Hardin.
Marth Prince of Altea destined to be revered as the Hero-King, having done countless deeds for the good of those who came after him. He once fought alongside Hardin across the continent of Archanea.

Quotes[]

Death Quotes[]

“How regrettable...”
—Hardin's death quote, Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light
“I'm sorry... Princess Nyna...”
—Hardin's death quote, Mystery of the Emblem Book 1
“Forgive me...Nyna...”
—Hardin's death quote, Shadow Dragon
“Marth... Your highness... I have finally awakened... From my deep dream... Your highness... I am deeply sorry... I fought with my inner demon. However I was too weak... I resisted with all my might... But I still lost... I hoped for your highness' hand to end my life... That way I could be saved... Your highness... Nyna... Please take care of Nyna... She... I hope you... can tell her... In the... end... I still... loved her... I hope... She can... forgive me...”
—Hardin's death quote as a boss of Mystery of the Emblem, Book 2
“Prince... Marth... I feel as though... I've finally awoken... from a long, long nightmare... Marth... Forgive me... I tried to fight the demon inside me. ...But I wasn't strong enough. I fought so hard, but... I just couldn't beat it... I wanted to die by your hand... And now I'm finally saved... Marth... Please... Nyna... Save Nyna... Please... ...Tell her... Tell her for me... Till... till the very end... I ...loved her... always... Tell her... to please...forgive me...”
—Hardin's death quote in New Mystery of the Emblem

As an enemy[]

“Rebels... Did you come here to get yourselves killed? I’ll show you to fear my Gradivus!!”
—Hardin's battle quote as a boss of Mystery of the Emblem, Book 2
“The rebel army... Have you come to die?! Taste the might of the Gradivus!!”
—Hardin's battle quote in Chapter 20 of New Mystery of the Emblem
“So you've come, Marth!! I'll run you through, just as you wish!”
—Hardin's battle quote against Marth in New Mystery of the Emblem
“I've no quarrel with you. Bring Marth to me!!”
—Hardin's battle quote against Kris in New Mystery of the Emblem

Event Recap (Shadow Dragon)[]

From the Elder[]

“Prince Marth, you have our thanks for liberating the south castle. You'll find Captain Hardin protecting the king and the lady Nyna at the Northern Fortress, located in Aurelis. When you find him, please be sure to give him this silver sword.”
—Elder to Marth about Hardin, Chapter 4

Altea Has Come[]

  • Hardin: Princess Nyna, I've spotted them! The Altean army is on the far side of the river.
  • Nyna: They're here? At last! Prince Marth has come for us!
  • Hardin: So it seems. Now, what say you we turn this battle around? I'm going to take my men east to join our might with Marth's. Together we will retake the castle. Stay here, my lady, and wait for the good news.

Fast Friends[]

  • Marth: Lord Hardin, I am Marth of Altea. I've come to offer what help I can.
  • Hardin: And I very gratefully accept it. Stories of your exploits travel fast, young prince. I feel as though I’ve gained a thousand allies in one.
  • Marth: I've heard a few stories of you as well, Coyote. It will be an honor to fight alongside such a courageous man.
  • Hardin: I've left Princess Nyna someplace safe for now. We need to decide who will command here. I was hoping it would be you.
  • Marth: Me? But, Sir Hardin, you are far more qualified-
  • Hardin: Tsk, Princess Nyna would not be pleased to hear us nitpicking over who will be listed in the history books. Take command, so we can oust this Macedonian scum and be done with it.
  • Marth: You are sure?
  • Hardin: Make no mistake, Lord Marth. I consider myself an exceptionally good judge of character. If I thought you acted out of selfishness or ambition, I would not extend the offer I have. You have my trust.
  • Marth: Lord Hardin, thank you. That is an honor. If you don't mind me saying so… I feel as though I've made a good friend. We share the same ideals, I think.
  • Hardin: That we do. May our friendship be a long one.

Heroes[]

Hardin/Heroes Quotes

Endings[]

Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light[]

Together with Nyna, he works to restore Archanea. He weds the princess and becomes its 24th king.

Fire Emblem: Mystery of the Emblem[]

Aurelian Prince
He married Princess Nyna, and became the 24th King of Archanea.

Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon[]

Coyote
Nyna offered Hardin her hand in marriage, and so he was crowned the twenty-fourth king of House Archanea.

Non-Canon Appearances[]

Fire Emblem 0 (Cipher)[]

Hardin is illustrated in the trading card game Fire Emblem Cipher with the following cards:

Choose Your Legends Placement History[]

Trivia[]

  • Hardin appears to share many similarities with Zephiel from The Blazing Blade and Binding Blade. Both (chronologically) start out as benevolent princes who merely wish for peace, both personal and worldwide, but are twisted later in life; partly by personal grief (in Hardin's case it was caused due to unrequited love, while Zephiel was never acknowledged by his own father as a son) and becoming a huge threat to their respective continents. However, there are differences: Hardin was twisted but did not become evil until brainwashed by the Darksphere and is eventually freed from its grip, while the madness that surfaces in Zephiel's case is the result of an innate corruption of his once-pure heart, and he thus never repents. As if the developers wanted to further solidify the connection, Hardin's design in New Mystery of the Emblem is extremely similar in appearance to that of Zephiel's.
  • Hardin is one of the most recurring characters in the Archanea Series, appearing more times than even Marth and Caeda, with three major roles and appearances in several remakes. The only characters who have had more appearances than him are Camus and the Whitewings.
  • Hardin appears to be unaware of Camus' relation to Nyna: he is completely oblivious to the identity of Nyna's lover in Mystery of the Emblem, making no mention of Camus in his corrupted state. When Camus takes Nyna to Hardin for safety in Archanea Saga, Camus remains behind to stall Dolhr before she reaches him, leading Hardin to wonder how Nyna managed to make the arduous trek to Aurelis by herself.
  • At the end of Chapter 4 of Shadow Dragon, an Elder awards Marth with a Silver Sword, intending for it to be passed to Hardin. However, Hardin's weapon levels only permit him him to wield up to a Silver Lance, and not a Silver Sword. In the older versions of the game, this was not a problem due to the sword and lance weapon levels being classified under one stat, meaning that Hardin could wield both the Silver Sword and Silver Lance simultaneously.
  • In Hardin's SpotPass team, four of the units that join him represent the Coyote's Men:
  • In Fire Emblem Heroes, Hardin shares his English voice actor, Richard Epcar, with Awakening's Walhart, Echoes: Shadows of Valentia's Jedah and the Tellius Series's Oliver in his appearance in Heroes.
  • Hardin and his becoming the antagonist in Mystery of the Emblem after acting as an ally to Marth in Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light was given an indirect reference in the Codec call regarding Marth in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, where Mei Ling mentioned Marth ended up betrayed by one of his closest friends, with Solid Snake relating to that bit.
  • Hardin's facial appearance seems to be based on Freddie Mercury, the vocalist of Queen who is also the basis for Fist of the North Star's Han.

Gallery[]

See main article: Hardin/Gallery.
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