Hans

"Listen up, cannon fodder! We have a direct order from King Garon. He says kill 'em all!"

- - Hans

Hans (ガンズ Ganzu, Ganz in the Japanese version) is a non-playable character and the tertiary antagonist in Fire Emblem Fates on all routes. He is voiced by Hisanori Koyatsu in the Japanese version and by Travis Willingham in the English version.

Profile
Hans is a soldier of Nohr and a criminal who has committed a number of heinous atrocities that include murder and robbery. Lustful for achieving success in life, Hans abuses the power ceded to him in order to attain his goal.

Several years prior to the events of Fates, Xander had actually arrested Hans, but the criminal was released by Garon after having supposedly "rehabilitated" in prison.

Prologue
Garon deploys Hans to assist the Avatar on a "redemption" mission by exploring an "abandoned" Hoshidan fort near the edge of their borders. After the party unexpectedly encounters Hoshidans guarding the fort, Hans kills one of them, forcing the remaining Hoshidans to attack the party, much to the dismay of both the Avatar and Gunter. Following the battle that ensues, as the Avatar and Gunter prepare to return back to Nohr, Hans ambushes them, whereupon he succeeds in driving Gunter off the cliff into the yawning void of the Bottomless Canyon. He then attempts to kill the Avatar in a similar vein, but fails to do so as they, enraged by Hans' betrayal, activates the Dragon Fang skill. As the Avatar moves in to strike Hans, furiously demanding to know the reason behind his betrayal, they are pulled away and into the chasm by the haunted Ganglari. Hans promptly makes his escape, presumably back to Nohr to report the success of his mission to Garon.

Birthright
Hans appears in Chapter 13 as part of Camilla's forces. Although defeated in battle, he manages to survive. After he attempts to kill the Avatar, they are forced to flee when Scarlet and her Chevian rebels arrive.

Later on, in Chapter 24, it is revealed that Garon has promoted him to the rank of commander. While passing through an underground passage under Elise's guidance, the Hoshidan army accidentally stumbles upon a training ground. Obscured by a statue, the army watch as Hans enters the grounds as Nohrian Heroes and Generals are engaged in their training. One of the Generals later discovers the Hoshidan army, whereupon and Hans gleefully orders his troops to use them as practice targets. While the soldiers are unable to kill the Avatar, Hans takes over and launches several powerful blows at them. Before he can land the killing strike, Lilith arrives and takes the blow for them, sending them into a fit of rage.

During the battle that follows Lilith's death, Hans takes command of his soldiers in an attempt to kill the Hoshidans. He fails to kill them and dies in battle. As a result of his death, the Nohrian soldiers who were battling them decide to surrender.

Conquest
Hans reappears in Chapter 13, having been ordered by Garon to kill any civilian of Cheve following the Avatar's defeat of Scarlet. The Avatar attempts to stop him, but Hans explains that he does not have a choice before continuing his rampage. Hans later gives Garon his report, crediting the Avatar with most of the work he had done, much of their indignant outrage.

Hans later reemerges following the conclusion of the fierce defense put up by Sakura in Chapter 22. Upon his entrance, he mercilessly slays a few of the Hoshidan prisoners of war who surrendered with, but not including, Yukimura, Subaki and Hana. Although Xander and the others try to stop him from killing any more prisoners, they are halted by Garon, who threatens to execute them for treason if they continue in their protests.

Hans makes one final appearance in Chapter 26, where he, along with Iago, attempts to kill the Avatar after Garon assumes the throne of Hoshido. The joint effort of these deceitful characters proves to be in vain, as the Avatar, working alongside their siblings and army, manages to crush them.

Revelation
In Chapter 14, following Xander's return to Castle Krackenberg after his return from Cyrkensia, Hans is observed to be conversing with Iago. Within this exchange, Hans asserts 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.

Hans later reappears in Chapter 16, once again hired by Garon to kill the Avatar and stop them from getting near the Infinite Chasm. Although Hans puts up a good fight, he falls to the combined might of both Hoshido and Nohr.

Personality
Hans is a violent criminal who will go to any length, no matter how inhumane they may be, in order to realise his dream of attaining power. To this end, he relishes murder and bloodshed, a fact that is repeatedly proven through his involvement across the game's various routes. He is extremely reckless, willing to run straight into a heavily occupied enemy fort despite being heavily outnumbered and even outmatched. He is more than willing to flee in such a case, showing some sense of cowardice and self-preservation at the expense of others.

Birthright Chapter 13 - Another Hope

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Birthright Chapter 24 - Tears of a Dragon

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Conquest Chapter 26 - Treason

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Revelation Chapter 16 - White Flames

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Help description
A Nohrian soldier who is hungry for advancement and short on ethics.

Defeated by Enemy

 * "Ah, dammit..."

Pre-Battle
"Gyaaaah! Die!"

- Hans' Chapter 3 pre-battle quote

Retreat
"Bwahaha! Looks like I've done enough damage for the time being. Time to lay low and see how this all plays out..."

- Hans' Chapter 3 retreat quote

Pre-Battle
"I've always wanted a trophy... I think I'll keep your head in a jar."

- Hans' Pre-Battle Quote.

Defeated
"Not again..."

- Han's defeat quote.

Pre-Battle
"Let me relieve you of your head! Bwahaha!"

- Hans' Pre-Battle Quote.

VS Avatar

 * Hans: "Ah, I finally get a chance to finish the job. My axe is waiting..."
 * Avatar: "I'm going to burn you to the ground, Hans. When I'm through with you, your axe will be the only reminder you ever lived."

Death
"You...you killed me! How can this be? URGHH..."

- Hans' death quote.

Pre-Battle
"I've waited a long time to wipe that smug look off your face. This is what you get for not bowing down to my might!"

- Hans' Pre-Battle Quote.

Death
"Defeated? How?! No... It can't be... I was to be rewarded with power! So much...power..."

- Han's death quote.

Pre-Battle
"Bwahahaha! I hope you're all prepared to die! Actually...I don't care if you're ready or not. The more of you I kill, the better the promotion I'll get as a reward. Earl Hans... No... Duke Hans... Yes, that has a nice ring to it."

- Hans' Pre-Battle Quote.

Death
"Gah... To die to the...likes of you...I can't stand it..."

- Han's death quote.

Etymology
The name Ganz is a German surname for the word "complete" or "full". The meaning of this name however isn´t suitiable to his character, because of that, it is better to assume that the name is spelled gans with a "s" instead of a "z". Gans is German for "Goose".

The name Hans is a male German, Dutch, and Scandinavian name meaning "gift from God" or "God has been gracious". It is both a short form for the name Johannes and the German variant of the Hebrew name John.

Trivia

 * In a Fire Emblem Cipher live-stream, what appeared to be a WIP card art for Hans appeared.
 * Despite being a berserker, Hans uses the critical animation of a Fighter's by leaping into the air and back down to strike his victims rather than beginning with a forward rush like what most Berserkers do.
 * His character model in chapter 3 retains his Berserker battle model rather than a Fighter equivalent.
 * Like Iago, Zola, Garon, and Mikoto, Hans has unused blushing portraits within the games codes.