Iago

Iago (マクベス Makubesu, lit. Macbeth) is a non-playable character and the secondary antagonist in the Birthright and Conquest routes of Fire Emblem Fates. He is voiced by Akinori Egoshi in the Japanese version.

Profile
Iago is Nohr’s tactician, and is viewed as a shadow of Garon. Always eager to get into King Garon's good favour, Iago sycophantically agrees with each and every one of his opinions, even if they may be morally unsound. He excels at witchcraft, and employs foul play and manipulation in his schemes to bend others to his will.

Birthright
Iago first appears in Chapter 8, manipulating the Hoshidan army into killing several members of the Wind Tribe by using his magic to disguise them as Faceless. After the spell is lifted, he taunts them and leaves before the Wind Tribe finds out that he was responsible for their deaths. Later on, in Chapter 16, Takumi falls ill to a rare disease local to the region, and the Hoshidan army makes the decision to search for medicine at one of Garon's villas. Garon sends Iago to stop them, but he is defeated in battle. Before departing, Iago mocks the Avatar, telling them that there is a "traitor" operating within their ranks, cackling with glee as he watches the Avatar struggle to identify the "traitor".

In Chapter 20, Iago appears in Fort Dragonfall, where he greets the Hoshidan army by informing them that Garon has granted him the power to revive the dragon that is a part of the fortress. After invoking the resurrection of the dragon, Iago, although aware that the army will succumb to the dragon's stomach acid, makes the sadistic decision to speed up their deaths by summoning a horde of Faceless. However, his plan is foiled as the Hoshidan army manage to succeed in fighting their way through the fortress.

In Chapter 25, Iago meets the Hoshidan army at a staircase landing leading to the throne room. He taunts the Avatar for being weak and careless, telling them that the traitor is still in their midst. He then seizes full control over Takumi's mind, compelling him to take Azura as a hostage. Iago thereafter reveals Takumi to be the "traitor", gleefully forcing the Hoshidan royalty to decide whether or not to kill him or watch Azura die. However, thanks to the Avatar's attempt to reach out to Takumi, he regains temporary control of his senses, allowing Azura to sing Lost in Thoughts All Alone to purify his mind and free him from Iago's curse. Iago tries to stop her, but Sakura manages to halt him long enough for Azura to finish her song.

Iago then engages the Hoshidan army in battle, only to be defeated again. In a desperate attempt to have the Avatar spare his life, he tells them that he too was under Garon's control. However, Leo, who had been bearing witness to the scene, expresses his utter disgust for Iago before executing him.

Conquest
Iago oversees Nohr's invasion of Hoshido, accompanying Garon when needed.

When the Avatar returns from Hoshido in Chapter 7, Garon and Iago are surprised and suspicious of them. Garon states that the Avatar could be a spy for Hoshido, and Iago promptly agrees. Garon then orders Xander to kill the Avatar, but Xander informs Garon that the Avatar had chosen to return to Nohr out of their own free will. Garon then consults an effigy of Anankos on how best the situation should be handled. After much brooding, Garon decides that the Avatar will be welcomed back into the Nohrian royal family, but only if they suppress the Ice Tribe's rebellion alone. Iago attempts to reverse Garon's decision but fails when Garon insists that it is the will of Anankos.

After the Avatar stops the rebellion, Garon is initially pleased with their efforts but becomes upset when Iago tells him they did not complete his task alone. Garon later tasks him with making the Avatar suffer greatly but not kill them; something Iago does not fully comprehend but complies with regardless. On his first attempt at following Garon's orders, Iago sends the group to Palace Macrath to relax for a while, although it is later revealed that he had alerted Ryoma and the Hoshidan army to ambush them there beforehand. This plan of his is foiled as the Nohrian army manages to stage a solid fight and flee from the vicinity.

In Chapter 21, Iago, frustrated over the Avatar's perpetual lack of difficulty in their progress, summons a large horde of Faceless to ambush them at the Eternal Staircase. Unbeknownst to him, Iago has unintentionally helped the Avatar and the Nohrians clear the Eternal Staircase, which was guarded by a group of Hoshidan soldiers to halt the Nohrians' advance. Iago's plan is again foiled as the Nohrian army manages to break free of the Faceless horde. Although disappointed by the fact that his scheme has failed, Iago expresses content through Lilith's death.

Later on, when the Nohrian army reaches the Great Wall of Suzanoh, Iago leads his forces to attack the Hoshidan defences along the wall, tasking the Avatar and their group to defeat their core legion, led by Takumi. When they break through and enter the Hoshidan capital, Iago kills several Hoshidan civilians who insult the Avatar for being a traitor, claiming that he will protect them from the "street rats".

Continuing with their progress, they eventually surround Castle Shirasagi. Iago tasks the Avatar again to break through their defences, this time led by Hinoka. The Avatar, not wanting to spill any more innocent blood, asks Hinoka to give her naginata as proof of her demise. Inside the castle, Iago asks the Avatar if they had killed Hinoka, and they show him her naginata. Iago is not completely convinced and asks for more proof, only to be stopped by Garon. Ryoma challenges the Avatar to a duel but is defeated by them. Iago heckles the Avatar to kill Ryoma, but they are unable to and Ryoma commits seppuku instead. Iago attempts to have the Avatar executed for not complying with Garon's orders (killing Ryoma), but Garon does not care anymore and allows it to pass as they have conquered Hoshido.

Iago, still suspicious of the Avatar, had sent out a group to search for survivors while they were fighting Ryoma. He finds out that the Avatar had spared Hinoka and a few others and with Hans, attempts to kill them for "betrayal". However, they are stopped by their Nohrian siblings, who have become distrustful of Iago for his schemes and manners towards the Avatar. After the battle, Iago attempts to beg for mercy, but is killed by Leo.

Revelations
In this route, Iago first appears in Chapter 9, once again leading the Avatar's army into a trap against the Wind tribe. After the Avatar discovers that the Faceless that they had fought are Wind Tribe members in actuality, Iago, pleased with the success of his deceit, quietly warps out of the scene.

In Chapter 14, Iago welcomes Xander back to Castle Krakenberg after his return from Crykensia. Xander seeks an audience with Garon, and Iago wonders if the Avatar was a bad influence on him. Hans joins Iago, asserting the impossibility of Xander being convinced to join the Avatar's cause, to which Iago disagrees. Iago then brings up the fact that Camilla had joined the Avatar's army to support his disagreement, resolutely maintaining a stance of suspicion against Xander.

Iago is among the Nohrian forces attempting to stop the Avatar from meeting with their siblings at the Hoshido-Nohr border. Following the defeat of Hans, Iago leads a small force to defeat the Avatar's troops in Chapter 17. However, thanks to Xander and Leo's decision to join the Avatar's cause, Iago is swiftly slain.

Personality
Iago is a cruel and manipulative schemer, showing no hesitation to employ any method he deems necessary to achieve his goals, even if they are lacking in sound morals. He is also known to be an individual of sadistic tendencies, revelling in the agony of others, especially if their suffering happens to be the result of his plans. Arrogant and egoistic to a fault, Iago believes his intelligence to be unrivalled, although this belief of his is ironically contrasted by the stark failure of the vast majority of the plans that he crafts.

Despite the apparent mettle that he displays in his heavy involvement with the orchestration of the Avatar's torment, Iago is, in actuality, a deceitful coward who abuses power for personal gain. Iago's cowardice particularly shines through when he is stripped bare of the power wantonly ceded to him; on all three routes, his downfall is always followed by him pathetically begging for his life to be spared.

In addition to this, in the Conquest Route, Iago has spend the entire fight hiding the the room while letting Hans, some Nohrian Warriors, and Faceless fighting against the Avatar and Co., further proving of being a coward.

Birthright Chapter 16 - Pleasure Palace

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Birthright Chapter 25 - Traitor Revealed

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Conquest Chapter 26 - Treason

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Revelation Chapter 17 - Black Flame

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Help Description
General of the Nohrian army and a skilled illusionist. Enjoys making devious plans.

Defeated by Enemy

 * "You think... you've won?"

Pre-Battle Quote
""Pfft. What do you think you're doing, minion? Bring on Avatar!""

- Iago's pre-Battle quote in Chapter 16

Vs. Avatar

 * Iago: And here we are, at last. I've been waiting for you.
 * Avatar: I'm done talking. It's time to finish this.
 * Iago: Oh, I agree. HAH!

Retreat
"This is nothing... compared to what King Garon will do..."

- Iago's defeat quote in Chapter 16

Pre-Battle Quote
"You poor fool. Doing Avatar's dirty work for him/her..."

- Iago's pre-Battle quote.

Vs. Avatar

 * Iago: You're like a rather pesky cockroach, you know that? Just when I think I've got you under my foot, you scamper away.
 * Avatar: Sure. Just keep talking. It's what you do best. I'm through talking.
 * Iago: Well, then! I'll save the rest of my clever analogies for another time... And kill you right now. HAAH!

Vs. Takumi

 * Takumi: Yes! I was hoping I'd get a chance to kill you myself. This is for everything you've put me through!
 * Iago:*yawn* You know I chose you because you were the weakest, right? You should never have come out of that spell—now you're going to suffer!
 * Takumi: Wrong! Now that my head is clear, my aim is truer than ever. I'm going to turn your face into my own personal bull's-eye.

Death
"Save me... King Garon..."

- Iago's death quote.

Pre-Battle Quote
"You impertinent traitor! Your ragtag group is no match for my army! Let your death serve as an example to all those who dare oppose King Garon!"

- Iago's pre-battle quote

Vs. Avatar

 * Iago: Are you ready to pay for your betrayal, Lord/Lady Avatar?
 * Avatar: No, Iago, I am ready to kill you.
 * Iago: Oh my, how very frightening. I'm trembling! I am the highest-ranking general in the Nohrian army, you fool. Do you really think I'll be so easy to kill? But before you die, I have something to tell you. A parting gift, if you will. It was I who sent the Faceless who killed that flying rat, Lilith.
 * Avatar: What!?
 * Iago: Oh, and that's not all. It was I who suggested to King Garon that you be forced to kill Prince Ryoma. And I who told the enemy about your journey to Macarath. Did you enjoy my little gifts of sorrow? I put ever so much thought into them!
 * Avatar: I will never forgive you for all that, Iago. Prepare to die!
 * Iago: Ha! So the imprisoned little prince/princess fancies himself/herself all grown up. The king ordered me to make you suffer without killing you... But I can no longer comply. In order to see my plans to fruition, you must die! Say your prayers, Lord/Lady Avatar!

Death
"GAAAAH!! This can't...be happening! How could I lose?! King Garon, please...save...me..."

- Iago's death quote.

Pre-Battle Quote
"I must congratulate you for making it as far as you have. However, it is now your time to die. With you out of the way, the world will be King Garon's for the taking. Enjoy reflecting on all your mistakes...in the afterlife!"

- Iago's pre-battle quote

Death
"This...this can't be happening... My plan...was perfect... I... King Garon... H-help...me..."

- Iago's death quote.

Etymology
Iago is the villain of a tragic Shakespearian play, Othello, in which he masterminds the downfall of the capable and powerful Othello out of jealousy.

Macbeth is the titular character of another tragic Shakespearian play, Macbeth. In this play, Macbeth and his wife devise a plan to assassinate the king and claim the throne, marking their ruin.

Trivia

 * Iago shares his Japanese voice actor, Akinori Egoshi, with Ignatius.
 * Iago's localised name was revealed in the Fates treehouse event at the Electronic Entertainment Expo before his Japanese name, Macbeth, had been disclosed.
 * Iago's outfit appears to be an enhanced and more complete version of the generic Sorcerer outfit. This, coupled with his unique trait of being able to use Staves despite his class's usual restriction to Tomes, indicates he may have more proficiency and a higher "tier" than other Sorcerers in the game.
 * Interestingly, this contrasts Zola's scenario, wherein he is depicted to be wearing a standard, if somewhat shabby version, of the Dark Mage's outfit, even as a Sorcerer.
 * Iago also retains the same critical animations of a Dark Mage's, whereas, Zola, even in his Sorcerer class, uses the critical animation of the Sorcerer's.
 * Like Zola, Mikoto, Hans and Garon, Iago has unused blushing portraits within the game's code.
 * Iago has two different map sprite heads. One of them adorns his ornamental headdress and the other does not wear it, instead showing just his face and hair.
 * If Iago's battle model is stripped, he will lose his mask, exposing the covered side of his face.
 * It also reveals that he has a secondary strand of hair draped down his face and that his hair toward the back of his head is cropped to be a shorter length than at the front.