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“Perhaps you think so now, but we both follow the way of the sword... All paths of the sword lead to one place.”
—Karel talking to Rutger in a support conversation.

Karel is a playable character in Fire Emblem: The Binding Blade and Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade. He is a Sacaen swordmaster who has had two titles over the course of his career: the battle-crazed Sword Demon, and the sage-like Sword Saint.

Profile[]

Karel hails from a Sacaean clan infamous for their tradition of killing each other over a blade for the right to wield it. Karel's father attempted to hide the blade in order to prevent further bloodshed among the family. As if possessed by the instincts of the clan's tradition, Karel killed his father and mother, taking the blade for himself. He would eventually track down two of his siblings, with both meeting the same fate. While he could not locate his last sibling, he desired to cut down Karla to fully master his blade.

On his personal quest to satiate his hunger for strength, Karel's deeds sprung rumors of a Sword Demon who had killed Kelles –the Rock Giant of the Western Isles (said to be three times the size of a regular man), as well as Ilia’s Ice Emperor (a wizard that could freeze blood in a person's veins) among other strong opponents.

The Blazing Blade[]

During his quest, Karel heads to an assassins guild with the intention of slaughtering its members to test his mettle. This leads to an encounter with Eliwood and Hector's armies. Should he speak to either the two of them or Lyn, Karel deems them potentially worthy combatants in the future and joins their cause with the intention of challenging them once they are ready in his eyes.

Depending on circumstances, it is possible for Karel to reunite with Karla. While he relishes the chance to fulfill his traditions, ultimately he never follows through as the events of The Binding Blade state that Karla falls to illness rather than his sword.

The Binding Blade[]

Karel eventually changes significantly in the twenty years until The Binding Blade, as he traveled the land with a new nickname, the "Sword Saint", and resolve, having finally found peace in himself after many years. Having retired to a life of seclusion in a village when he grew tired of fighting, at his niece Fir’s request, he offered to aid Roy and his allies.

Personality[]

In The Blazing Blade, Karel is noted for his bloodlust that drives him to seek out worthy foes to test his mettle. He pays little mind to those who are deemed inferior in skill, but has acknowledged several individuals if they show potential of gaining his future attention. While he craves a good fight, he does not indiscriminately attack people and has held back on his cravings as he prefers to fight his opponents in the right circumstances.

While he can be depicted as cold and brutal, Karel makes it a point that he does not kill those he deems weaker than himself. While he states that he has long since changed from the caring brother of her childhood, Karel seems to hold a modicum of lingering familial affection for Karla as she is the sole surviving family member whom he did not outright kill upon reuniting with.

By the events of The Binding Blade, Karel has long since abandoned his bloodthirsty ways and has sought enlightenment and peace. While he has deemed himself "rusty" from years of living in solitude, he has become a skilled tutor in the art of the sword. Having lost his title of Sword Demon and now known as the Sword Saint, Karel dislikes his new title as he feels it is unfit for him in lieu of his past. Though he has detached himself from worldly affairs, he rejoins battle once more at the behest of his beloved niece Fir.

In Game[]

The Binding Blade[]

Description: The famed Sword Saint. Known far and wide.

Recruitment[]

Karel can be recruited by visiting the village near the starting position with either Bartre or Fir in Chapter 24.

Base Stats[]

Starting ClassAffinity
FE8 Male Swordmaster Map Sprite SwordmasterGBALight Light
LevelHPStrSklSpdLckDefResConMov
194420282318151396
WeaponStarting Items
Sword Sword - SWodaoWo Dao

Growth Rates[]

HP S/M Skl Spd Lck Def Res
210% 130% 140% 140% 120% 110% 100%

Supports[]

See also: Karel/Supports

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.

Karel is the final unit the player can acquire in The Binding Blade, and is often considered a member of the Gotoh archetype, as a unit that joins incredibly late but is good immediately. Despite having some of the most absurd growth rates the series has ever seen, with not a single one below 100%, Karel can only level up once, which makes them somewhat moot.

By the time the player has access to Karel, the game is nearly over. Karel can prove to be effective on the three maps that remain; with a Wyrmslayer or the Durandal, Karel has more than enough Strength and Speed to ORKO Manaketes and Wyvern Riders.

However, Karel will generally be worse than Rutger or Fir if they are fully trained, and Karel can also face issues justifying bringing him to the final maps of the game if the player bought many pairs of Boots from the Secret Shop several chapters prior, since he will join with a paltry 6 movement.

Overall, Karel can be acceptable filler if the player finds themselves with an open slot for the endgame maps, but will struggle to find his place on a team that is prepped and ready to go for the endgame.

The Blazing Blade[]

Description: An eastern swordmaster. Seeking worthy opponents.

Recruitment[]

For Karel to appear instead of Harken, open 4 or more doors by the end of turn 9 on Jerme's Map, or kill 2 or more of the 3 specific promoted enemies before turn 9 on Kenneth's map. Talk to Karel with Lyn or your main lord.

Base Stats[]

Starting ClassAffinity
FE8 Male Swordmaster Map Sprite SwordmasterGBALight Light
LevelHPStrSklSpdLckDefResConMov
83116232015131296
WeaponStarting Items
Sword Sword - AWodaoWo Dao

Growth Rates[]

HP S/M Skl Spd Lck Def Res
70% 30% 50% 50% 30% 10% 15%

Supports[]

See also: Karel/Supports#Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade

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 The Blazing Blade, Karel has a much easier time faring with the enemies. When you look at him by himself, he's not that bad of a unit, (Arguably the best swordmaster in the game) but he is arguably worse in this installment, due to it being impossible to recruit both him and Harken. Harken has better bases, a better inventory in the Brave Sword (which is unobtainable otherwise), is capable of wielding the Hand Axe/Tomahawk for reliable 1-2 range attacks, has Hard Mode Bonuses on Hector Hard Mode and is oddly easier to recruit. While Karel himself performs better in this game than in The Binding Blade, due to being around longer and having solid player phase combat, Harken is just far superior to Karel, due to his stronger enemy phase and stats. Even more, Jaffar joins almost immediately after with higher base stats in everything but resistance (which can be patched up with pure waters), limiting him even more. Still, Karel has his uses as his sword, the Wo Dao, can be obtained only by recruiting him or Karla (who joins very late and only in Hector's Tale), which can be good as the weapon has a high critical rate which is increased even more by his class.

Fire Emblem Awakening[]

SpotPass[]

Starting Class
FE13 NPC Generic Swordmaster (M) Map SpriteSwordmaster
LevelHPStrMagSklSpdLckDefResMov
83819534322416156
SkillsWeaponStarting Items
Avoid +10Avoid +10
Vantage (Kakusei)Vantage
Astra (FE13)Astra
Luna (FE13)Luna
SwordIconFE13Sword - BSilver Sword FE13 IconSilver Sword*

*Enemy only, joins unequipped

Fire Emblem Heroes[]

Sword Demon
A vicious swordsman from a family devoted to mastering the blade. Known as the Sword Demon. Appears in Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade.

Base Stats[]

Rarity: ✯✯✯✯✯

Heroes Karel SpriteTitle
Sword Demon
Group
Heroes Infantry Infantry
LevelHPAtkSpdDefRes
1
40
18/19/20
44/47/50
7/8/9
26/30/33
8/9/10
32/35/38
5/6/7
22/25/29
4/5/6
17/20/23
SkillsWeapon
FEH skill offense Wo Dao+
FEH skill special Retribution
FEH Sword Sword

Skills[]

TypeNamePrerequisiteDefaultUnlocked
FEH skill offenseIron Sword---
Steel Sword---
Wo Dao---
Wo Dao+-FEH Star Rarity 5-
Nameless BladeWo Dao+FEH Star Rarity 5-
FEH skill specialRetribution-FEH Star Rarity 5-
ReprisalRetribution-FEH Star Rarity 5
AFEH Defiant Atk 1 Defiant Atk 1--
FEH Defiant Atk 2 Defiant Atk 2FEH Defiant Atk 1 Defiant Atk 1-
FEH Defiant Atk 3 Defiant Atk 3FEH Defiant Atk 2 Defiant Atk 2FEH Star Rarity 5
BFEH Desperation 1 Desperation 1--
FEH Desperation 2 Desperation 2FEH Desperation 1 Desperation 1-
FEH Desperation 3 Desperation 3FEH Desperation 2 Desperation 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[]

Karel is an often forgotten sword infantry unit in the wake of many others who debut before and after himself. Despite this, Karel is a potent sword unit that shares many traits to many of the top tier sword infantry users. He boasts high speed as expected of members of his archetype but also has moderate bulk thanks to a relatively high HP pool, giving him access to supportive HP reliant skills that most of his fellow sword infantry cannot use. Unfortunately, his Atk is a little lacking compared to some of the most potent sword users like his sister Karla. Still, he has enough from his special quirks to be a high tier unit.

Karel began with a Wo Dao, which grants 10 damage when he activates his Special skill. Karel covers his low Atk thanks to this effect and with his good Spd, he is likely to activate it often. Later he received a preferred weapon, Nameless Blade, which accelerates his special cooldown. It is a natural fit for members of his archetype but, if it is refined, he regains his old Wo Dao effect, becoming a special triggering machine.

Reprisal is a fast charging special that adds 30% of his missing HP to his damage, which means that he can achieve a wide range of damage depending on how injured he is, but its output can be inconsistent as a result, though he will have a minimum 10 thanks to his Wo Dao/Refined Nameless Blade effect. Defiant Attack boosts his Atk by 7 when his HP is under 50%, which is a dangerous threshold to keep him in just for a +7 Atk boost, even though he also has Desperation which guarantees him an immediate follow-up when under 75% health.

Counters[]

Karel’s reliance on his special for damage leaves him vulnerable to most Red and Blue bulky units who are able to take a few hits with little trouble and retaliate thorough his reasonable, but not quite bulky defenses. Units who are able to attack him and follow-up before he can counter are also strong options against him including Cordelia, Est, Reinhardt, Olwen, Setsuna, and Brave Lyn. Guard is particularly troublesome for Karel as it slows down his main means of damage

Skill Inheritance[]

The standard sword infantry set is the general route for Karel as well, including Reposition for unit placement manipulation and Moonbow for its fast charging, Def ignoring effects. With Nameless Blade's base effect however, specials with longer cooldown such as Luna can be used in lieu of Moonbow.

Fury has a +3 boost to all of his core stats and the recoil it has afterwards helps put him into range of Desperation or Wrath, which not only accelerates his cooldown further, but also adds yet another 10 damage to his specials, thus in tandem with Wo Dao/Nameless Blade, Karel can deal a minimum 20 damage upon activation of his Special. Life and Death is a worthy alternative as well as his high HP pool is great for using Panic Ploy or Infantry Pulse for other team supportive options, though he can take a plethora of other Skill Cs such as Wave skills since they boost his stats as well as adjacent allies. Atk Wave is the best overall one to improve his offense, though he can run the Spd Wave skills to increase his Spd thresholds for doubling or preventing doubling.

Meet Some of the Heroes[]

Sword Demon Karel
Karel sword demon pop01 Here's Karel, a peerless swordsman who is known as the Sword Demon!
Karel sword demon pop02 Born into a family dedicated to honing their swordplay techniques, Karel grew up with a merciless tradition: that only the strongest could inherit the sword passed down the bloodline. There were six contenders including Karel…and he slew four of them.
Karel sword demon pop03 The only other member of his family left was his younger sister, Karla. Apparently, Karel wants to see who will survive, him or Karla, and finally inherit the sword.
Karel sword demon pop04 Though Karel walks a bloodstained path, he does seem to love his sister. Still, I can't help but worry about whether he'll choose her or the sword in the end…
Closely Associated Characters
Karla A traveling swordswoman in search of her brother. Her impressive skills and good looks have enlivened many arenas. Karel's younger sister.
Fir A woman who travels in search of the best swordplay opponents anywhere. Karel's niece.

Quotes[]

The Binding Blade[]

“Gah... I... Not yet...”
—Karel's death quote.
“So let's see the power of the Demon Dragon.”
—Final Chapter Quote.
“No, you have not made any mistakes. The path you choose on your own is never wrong. In fact, I shall assist you from now on.”
—Karel, being recruited by Fir.

The Blazing Blade[]

“Death cannot be bested with a sword... My skills are not yet honed to such a level. I should take my leave of this battle.”
—Karel's retreat quote
“As long as there's someone to cut, you will have my aid.”
—Final Chapter quote
“Your name is Mark, correct? A tactician? I see. You use wisdom as your blade... Interesting... Mark, I will remember your name.”
—Karel to Mark in Chapter 28H.
“…Here we are. Mm…a good wind. appropriate to the feast about to begin.”
—Karel upon entering the field in chapter Pale Flower of Darkness

Recruited by Eliwood[]

  • Eliwood: Who are you?
  • Karel: Karel.
  • Eliwood: Are you fighting the Black Fang, too?
  • Karel: I heard the Black Fang was gathering recruits. I'm here to challenge them.
  • Eliwood: Do you… Do you have a reason to do so?
  • Karel: My sword is my life. My sword is my reason. You…
  • Eliwood: What?
  • Karel: You are quite good, but you will improve. Very good, I will join you.
  • Eliwood: You're going to help me and my friends? But…why?
  • Karel: Someday, you will be a famed swordfighter. It would be a waste for that skill to die here. I must have you… stronger. I will wait for that time with much anticipation.
  • Eliwood:
  • Karel: Shall we continue? The feast awaits…

Recruited by Hector[]

  • Hector: Who are you?
  • Karel: Karel.
  • Hector: Karel, what are you doing in this place?
  • Karel: The Black Fang is gathering recruits. I want to hone my blade on them.
  • Hector: What? Do you have…a reason?
  • Karel: My sword is my life. My sword is my reason. You…
  • Hector: What?
  • Karel: You are unpolished…but powerful. Very well. I will join you.
  • Hector: You're going to lend us your blade? That's a nice gesture and all, but… Why?
  • Karel: You will someday be a famed general. It would be a waste for that power to be lost here. I must have you…stronger. I will wait for that time with much anticipation.
  • Hector: ……
  • Karel: Shall we continue? The feast awaits…

Recruited by Lyn[]

  • Lyn: Oh! Who are you?
  • Karel: Karel.
  • Lyn: You're a… swordfighter from Sacae. Are you fighting the Black Fang as well?
  • Karel: The Black Fang is gathering recruits. I want to hone my blade on them.
  • Lyn: Why would you… do you have a reason to?
  • Karel: My sword is my life. My sword is my reason. You are… So beautiful…
  • Lyn: Pardon?
  • Karel: Your blade and mine are different, yet… Your swordplay is truly beautiful. Very well. I will join you.
  • Lyn: You're going to help us? But… why?
  • Karel: Someday you will be a renowned swordfighter. Losing you here would be a waste. I must see you… stronger. I will wait for that time with much anticipation.
  • Lyn: ……
  • Karel: Shall we continue? The feast awaits…

Heroes[]

Karel/Heroes Quotes

Endings[]

The Blazing Blade[]

Karel - Saint of Swords
Once, Karel was known as the Sword Demon. Now, he bears a new name. What prompted this change, he will not say.

The Binding Blade[]

Sword Master - Karel
Karel retired to a small village in the mountains of Bern and lived his life in peace. Although many Swords came to him seeking direction, he never did teach any of them directly.

Non-Canon Appearances[]

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate[]

Spirit Info[]

No. Name Image Type Class Slots Effect
651 Karel Fe7Karel Support ★★☆☆ (Advanced) 1 Weapon Attack ↑

Spirit Battle[]

Spirit Enemy Fighter(s) Type Power/Class Stage Rules Conditions Music
Fe7Karel
No. 651
Karel
•Chrom Attack 3,700/ ★★☆☆ (Advanced) Coliseum •Attack Power ↑ •The enemy's melee weapons have increased power
•The enemy has increased attack power when the enemy's at high damage
•The enemy has increased attack power
"Coliseum Series Medley"

Fire Emblem 0 (Cipher)[]

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

Choose Your Legends Placement History[]

Round Placement Character Version Votes

CYL1 279 CYL Karel Blazing Portrait
The Blazing Blade
770
463 CYL Karel Binding Portrait
The Binding Blade
270
CYL2 436
↓157
CYL Karel Blazing Portrait
The Blazing Blade
341
↓429
480
↓17
CYL Karel Binding Portrait
The Binding Blade
261
↓9
CYL3 405
↑75
CYL Karel Binding Portrait
The Binding Blade
324
↑63
408
↑28
CYL Karel Blazing Portrait
The Blazing Blade
321
↓20
CYL4 387
↑18
CYL Karel Binding Portrait
The Binding Blade
250
↓74
454
↓46
CYL Karel Blazing Portrait
The Blazing Blade
157
↓164
CYL5 323
↑64
CYL Karel Binding Portrait
The Binding Blade
200
↓50
402
↑52
CYL Karel Blazing Portrait
The Blazing Blade
108
↓49
CYL6 332
↓9
CYL Karel Binding Portrait
The Binding Blade
207

↑7
412
↓10
CYL Karel Blazing Portrait
The Blazing Blade
111
↑3

CYL7 284
↑48
CYL Karel Binding Portrait
The Binding Blade
152
↓55
373
↑39
CYL Karel Blazing Portrait
The Blazing Blade
59
↓52

Etymology[]

Karel /ˈkɑːrəl/ is a given name in Dutch and Czech, equivalent to Charles, meaning Free Man.

This name is a variant of the Germanic name 'Karl', which is the root of names like Charles. The word 'carl' in Middle English meant 'man', often a low-class man or 'churl'; it was used as an insult during the early Middle Ages in England.

This name might refer to Charlemagne (English: Charles the Great, German: Karl der Große), the famous king of the Franks and founder of the Holy Roman Empire, which makes him the founder of France and Germany.

Another possible person to refer to is Charles Martel (German: Karl Martell), who was the (in the end winning) leading commander of the Christian Forces at the battle of Tours, October 732. If the Armies of the united North African tribes would have defeated Martel's army at Tours, it is quite possible that the main religion of France, Spain, Switzerland and the western parts of Germany und Italy would have been Islam until today.

Trivia[]

  • Karel was originally conceived as a character for the cancelled Fire Emblem: Ankoku no Miko. When the original setting and plot of Ankoku no Miko was scrapped and rewritten into what would become The Binding Blade, Karel was the only supporting character carried over into the new story.
  • On the official Japanese website for Nintendo, Karel won 21st place out of 80 in the character popularity poll for Fire Emblem: The Binding Blade and 12th place in the character popularity poll for Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade. The male-female vote ratio is 2:1. The voter comments seem to generally focus on his transformation from a bloodthirsty swordsman in the game's prequel into a wise, reliable, and friendly individual.
  • Karel shares the title of Sword Saint in Elibe with his niece Fir. Sword Saint is also the title given to Od, another Swordmaster from the Jugdral Duology.
    • Guy's ending also states that he becomes known as the "Saint of Swords", though this was just a minor translation error. In the Japanese version, Guy is simply said to have become a person to rival the Sword Saint, with them being of similar strength.
  • Karel has the lowest defense growth in The Blazing Blade, yet he has the highest Defense growth, as well as the highest growths in the entire series, in The Binding Blade.
  • Karel is the only character in the entire Fire Emblem series who is guaranteed to obtain a Perfect Level Up. This only occurs in The Binding Blade but only once as Karel is recruited at Level 19.

Gallery[]

See main article: Karel/Gallery.
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