Nino

"Ah, hello! I’m Nino! Nice to meet you!"

- Nino in Rekka no Ken.

Nino (ニノ, Nino) is a playable character in Fire Emblem: Rekka no Ken. She is a 14 year old mage, who later on becomes the mother of Lleu and Lugh in Fire Emblem: Fūin no Tsurugi. Nino has an exceptional talent for magic. Despite being woefully under-trained, Nino is clearly adept at the skill. Although illiterate as well, and never having been formally trained; she instead learned by memorizing the incantations which Sonia chanted.

History
Nino's family - her father Juge, her mother Iris, and her older brother Kai - were powerful mages, and Nino had the potential to be one herself. They lived peacefully until they were suddenly visited by Sonia, one of Nergal's minions, who, held Nino hostage and interrogated her family for their secrets about the dragons. Nino was spared by Nergal, who, thinking she could be of some use, had Sonia adopt the orphan mage as her daughter.

Sonia resented her "daughter" for as long as she has ever been her mother, and Nino found it impossible to bond with the cold Morph. Instead, she became close friends with her step-siblings Lloyd, the White Wolf, and Linus, the Mad Dog. She also became close with her new stepfather, the founder of the Black Fang, Brendan Reed and good friends with The Hurricane, Legault. In a support with Canas, it is revealed that Canas's wife is the sister of Iris (Nino's mother), making Canas Nino's uncle-by-marriage, and Hugh her cousin.

Nino makes her first appearance in Four-Fanged Offense, where she is to meet with Jaffar to give him a new assassination contract. However, Jaffar's last job has taken a toll on him, and he faints through loss of blood. Nino quickly nurses the Assassin to health, as well as tells any character that visits the house, "Go away! There's no one else here!!". When Jaffar wakes up, he finds himself alive and scolds her for not killing him as is the law of the Fang, which makes Nino cry.

She is later seen in Battle Before Dawn, where she, along with Jaffar, are to kill the budding Prince Zephiel. However, Sonia instructs Jaffar to kill Nino after the contract has been completed, her patience with the young mage is at its end. But Jaffar, finding that he cannot kill Nino, instead protects her. Ursula, a Valkyrie and one of the Four Fangs, arrives and takes up the role of killing both targets.

Coincidentally enough, Eliwood, Hector, and the rest of their companions storm the castle and protect Zephiel and Nino. Ursula either dies during the siege or is killed by the morph Limstella soon afterwards. During the battle, she can be recruited by Eliwood, Hector, and their companions, and, if she talks to Jaffar before the battle ends, they can recruit him as well.

In the bonus Chapter 26X: Night of Farewells, Nino, still baffled by her "mother"'s wish to have her killed runs away to question Sonia. Just before she and Jaffar arrive, Sonia kills Brendan for his Quintessence. They meet, and Sonia declares her undying hatred of her and confesses that she murdered Nino's parents and brother. In response, Nino, along with Eliwood and company, fight the morph who is trying to kill them. Nino at first doesn't want to fight. If Nino talks to Sonia, Nino realizes that Sonia is a morph, and decides to fight back.

After the battle, Nino receives a pendant from her step-uncle Jan which contains a portrait of her murdered family. Within the pendant, Nino finds a bloodstain from her true mother, when Sonia killed her.

Nino travels along with her new companions for the rest of their journey, showing deep regret for having to kill her remaining stepbrother in Cog of Destiny, and later on for having to kill their morph forms along with Brendan's.

At the end of their journey, Nino settles down in Pherae or marries Erk or Jaffar (depending on who she has an A-support with).

Nino goes on to become the mother of Lugh and Lleu. It is unknown what happened to her during the events of Fire Emblem: Fūin no Tsurugi. Her epilogue with Jaffar states that she disappears looking for Jaffar after bounty hunters came searching for him. This may imply that she is still searching for him, that she found him and is hiding with him, or that she found him, and the two were killed together. Alternatively, if she marries Erk, the epilogue states that bounty hunters came looking for her instead. And, in order to protect her newfound family, she disappeared.

In both cases, Lleu and Lugh are from an orphanage by the time of Fūin no Tsurugi. Lugh is a Mage and Lleu is a Shaman. Lugh inherits his mother's talents and stays at the orphanage until the start of Fūin no Tsurugi, whereas Lleu leaves the orphanage to see the world and study elder magic.

Personality
Nino, despite being neglected and hated by her foster mother on several occasions, has retained a sense of loving optimism and deep caring to those in need. She rarely receives compliments and treats them and those who give them with great respect. Despite her anger toward Sonia, she is hesitant to kill her, as she is with her stepbrothers. She is also very sensitive, as seen from her A support with Jaffar, where she quickly overreacts.

Base Stats
|Mage | Fire |5 |19 |7 |8 |11 |10 |4 |7 |3 |5 | Anima - C |Elfire Elixir

Growth Rates
|55% |50% |55% |60% |45% |15% |50%

Promotional Gains

 * HP +3
 * Magic +1
 * Skill +1
 * Defense +3
 * Res +3
 * Con +1
 * Move +1
 * Staff Rank E

Supports
Canas, Erk, Florina, Jaffar, Legault, Merlinus, Rebecca

Overall
Nino fits the Est Archetype, the famous archetype of a unit that joins late but has insanely high growths. She is a pain to train when she is recruited, but she is unequivocally the best magic user in the game. Use Afa's Drops on her, and her defense will even be passable; not that her defense needs to be great because her speed and luck make it very hard for enemy units to land a hit on her. Additionally, if you have a spare Angelic Robe (which may be obtained in Night of Farewells) or Body Ring, giving it to her would be a good option.

However, her low Con (which can be partly fixed with a Body Ring) can cause her to take speed penalties from most magic tomes, even Fire, before promoting. Giving her a Body Ring will partly fix this. Another problem is that although she has great growths, they can be shaky at times. While Nino can become a very good unit, she is not perfect.

Base Stats
|Mage |10 |24 |1 |11+2 |11 |14 |13 |5 |8 |5 |Magic +2 Concentration Early Initiative |Tome - D |Elfire*

* Enemy only, joins unequipped

In a support conversation with Erk
Erk: I’m just surprised. You must be a natural genius... ...I have the deepest respect for you now... Nino: ... ... Erk: !? W-Why are you crying? Did... Did I say something terrible? Nino: Unh-unh... You didn’t... It’s just... I’m so happy...that someone...finally...appreciates me...... Thank...you......

Defeat Quote
Nino: Am I... Am I going to die? Lyn: Nino! (End of chapter)

Lyn: Nino! You're conscious! That's a relief. Nino: Oooh... Yes... I... Ouch! Lyn: Don't move. You'll only make it worse. You need to make sure you let that heal. Do you understand?

Nino: I'm truly sorry... I've been useless. Lyn: I never want to hear you say that again. Nino, you are in no way useless. You are very important to us all, do you understand?

Vs Linus
Nino: Brother... Linus: I can't forgive anyone who sides with Lloyd's killers! That includes you, Nino! Nino: ...

(end of battle) Nino: Brother... Why did you...?

Final Chapter: Light Quote
Nino:...Father... Brothers... For all that I've lost... I won't let him get away!

Vs Nergal
Nino: ...... Nergal: Uhn? Who do you think you are? Nino: You will pay! You stole my family from me, and you will pay, Nergal!!! I will avenge them all! Nergal: Now, I see... You're Sonia's...

Vs Sonia
Nino: I thought for so long that you were my true mother... Sonia: Ha ha ha! Your mother and father looked so much like you. They were so naive it made me want to vomit. I dressed in rags and entered their house with a child in my arms. They were sincerely concerned. Ha ha... Trusting a stranger is so utterly foolish. Oh, they came to regret their trust, but it was too late. Nino: Aaahhh!!! You're no perfect being! You're a monster in human form! No mercy! No forgiveness!!!

Vs Lloyd Morph
Lloyd: ............... Nino: Ah...Lloyd... ...Sniff...oh...... Why does this have to happen again?

Vs Linus Morph
Linus: ............... Nino: Linus... I'll...see you again... I'm sure you're angry, but... Please be my friend...again...

Vs Brendan Morph
Brendan: ............... Nino: Father... Fa-Father... I... I'll...end this......I'm sorry...

Endings
Nino, Pious Mage At Eliwood's invitation, she started a quiet life in a small village in Pherae. She plans to return to Bern to visit a certain cemetery.

Jaffar and Nino They were married after the conflict and were gifted with twin boys. Their time in Pherae was happy until bounty hunters came for Jaffar. To protect his family, he disappeared. Nino vanished in search of him.

Erk and Nino They were married after the conflict and were gifted with twin boys. Their time in Pherae was happy until bounty hunters came for Nino. To protect her family, she disappeared. Erk vanished looking for her.

Etymology
As a feminine name, 'Nino' may derive from the Assyrian name 'Ninus,' or 'Nina,' the name of a Babylonian and Assyrian fertility goddess. Saint Nino is famous for introducing Christianity to Georgia in the 4th century. Although it is ironic as the word "Niño" is Spanish for "Boy child" or "Male child", as oppose to "Niña" which is Spanish for "Girl child" or "Female child".

Trivia

 * She considers Legault an uncle and refers to him as such.