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“You are moved to save people. Is that it? But a king's duty is not to rescue those he sees in front of him... A king's domain holds thousands. Protecting each and every one of them—that is the duty of a king.”
—Gustav to Alfonse in Book III: Chapter 2.

Gustav is a character in Fire Emblem Heroes. He is the King of Askr and the father of Alfonse and Sharena.

Profile[]

Gustav is the wise king of Askr. In his youth as a prince, he was well acquainted with Henriette and was known for rushing to aid any sort of danger posed to the citizens of Askr. He would later marry Henriette and have two children with her, Alfonse and Sharena.

Twenty years prior to the main story, Gustav fought Hel barely escaping alive, after she gave him a scar on his face and took his father's life.

Book II[]

Gustav was first mentioned by Anna during Book II Chapter 3, where he was defending Askr from Múspell's invasion along with his knights. In Chapter 4, Alfonse tells Fjorm that Gustav was quite angry with Alfonse's decision to join the Order of Heroes because he was against royalty having such a hands-on role in protecting the people and has not seen nor spoken to him since. Despite this, Alfonse expresses that he and his father feel the same way about Askr and its people.

Book III[]

When Askr is attacked by the forces of Hel, Gustav summons Alfonse to discuss the situation. He explains that 20 years prior to the events of the game, he ordered a barrier to be erected encircling an ancient tomb that serves as a gate to Hel to hold back their forces, but it has finally dispelled. Thus, he tasks the order to lead the charge to the tomb and gather information for the knights that come after.

Later, when he arrives alongside his forces, Gustav berates Alfonse for his recklessness in defending a town since a single mistake could've cost his life, pointing out that while the loss of innocents would be a tragedy, it would be even worse if Askr lost its crown prince while its king doesn't have much time left, which would cause even more harm to the kingdom, which causes him to declare he is far from ready to be king.

In Chapter 3, as both the Order and his knights Hel's forces, Gustav warns Alfonse not to face her in combat by informing of his previous struggle against her, though this ends up being in vain, as he and the Order of Heroes face Hel anyway, where she curses him and tells him he has 9 days to live.

Hearing this later, Gustav's still concerned for Alfonse's safety despite being upset for having been disobeyed and declaring that Hel will not stop until he's dead. As they try to find a way to avoid this curse, both him and Alfonse tries to reconnect with each other, as Alfonse remembers what his mother had told him about his father's past, while Gustave hands Alfonse a dead branch from his son's youth which he doesn't recognize, but says he'll remember when the time comes.

By the time the given deadline has ended, Hel has arrived and is about to take Alfonse's life. But at the last minute, Gustav takes the fatal blow from Hel's scythe in order to save Alfonse, as he figured out of that the nature of Hel's curse is that someone from the inflicted's bloodline has to die, rather than the person themselves. Surprised at this, Hel asked why did he do it, to which Gustav says his duty as a king and a father was to protect his son and make him king in his place. Before Hel takes his life, he tells Alfonse to become a good king. Later on, after learning of his death, Henriette reveals to Alfonse and Sharena that he had been suffering from a severe illness and that he did not have long to live.

After his death, Hel makes him one of her generals, which is later revealed in Chapter 5. Although his body is under Hel's control, his mind is still intact and tells his children to strike him down before they cross through the gates to arrive in the Realm of the Dead.

Personality[]

A stern and somewhat harsh man, Gustav is ready to make sure to keep peace within his kingdom for his subjects by defending them from any sort of threat, even the likes of Embla, Múspell, and Hel. Interacting the same way to his children, he acts so because of his status as king, but he cares for them deeply. His gruff exterior is reserved towards Alfonse in particular, as he often call his son out on his decisions and brashness as he tries to teach the burdens of kingship on him, whom he feels is not ready for it.

This is for good reason, however, as Henriette noted that Gustav was much like Alfonse in his youth, constantly rushing out to help out any individual who needed aid, regardless of the risk or consequences. However, after a close encounter with Hel in which he escaped with his life by pure luck, and the death of his own father by Hel's curse, he became much more cautious and thoughtful in his actions.

In-Game[]

Exsanguinator
General of Hel, realm of the dead. Under the spell of Hel's queen, he is a tool of war made for converting the living into new recruits for the army of the dead.

Base Stats[]

Heroes Gustav SpriteTitle
Exsanguinator
Group
Heroes Cavalry Cavalry
LevelHPAtkSpdDefRes
------
SkillsWeapon
FEH skill offense GlitnirFEH Axe Axe

Skills[]

TypeNamePrerequisiteDefaultUnlocked
FEH skill offenseIron Axe---
Steel Axe---
Silver Axe---
Glitnir---

Majestic Love
King of Askr. Taking part in the Day of Devotion to spend some quality time with his family.

Base Stats[]

Rarity: ✯✯✯✯✯

Heroes Gustav Majestic Love SpriteTitle
Majestic Love
Group
Heroes Armored Armored
LevelHPAtkSpdDefRes
1
40
20/21/22
46/49/52
10/11/12
38/41/45
4/5/6
14/18/21
12/13/14
42/46/49
6/7/8
28/31/34
SkillsWeapon
FEH skill offense Loyalist Axe
FEH skill special Glowing Ember
FEH Axe Axe

Skills[]

TypeNamePrerequisiteDefaultUnlocked
FEH skill offenseIron Axe---
Steel Axe-FEH Star Rarity 3-
Silver AxeSteel AxeFEH Star Rarity 4FEH Star Rarity 3
Loyalist AxeSilver Axe-FEH Star Rarity 5
FEH skill specialGlowing Ember-FEH Star Rarity 5-
IgnisGlowing Ember-FEH Star Rarity 4
AFEH Close Def 1 Close Def 1--
FEH Close Def 2 Close Def 2FEH Close Def 1 Close Def 1-
FEH Close Def 3 Close Def 3FEH Close Def 2 Close Def 2-
FEH Close Def 4 Close Def 4FEH Close Def 3 Close Def 3FEH Star Rarity 5
BFEH Crafty Fighter 1 Crafty Fighter 1--
FEH Crafty Fighter 2 Crafty Fighter 2FEH Crafty Fighter 1 Crafty Fighter 1-
FEH Crafty Fighter 3 Crafty Fighter 3FEH Crafty Fighter 2 Crafty Fighter 2FEH Star Rarity 5
CFEH Def Res Near Save 1 Def/Res Near Save 1--
FEH Def Res Near Save 2 Def/Res Near Save 2FEH Def Res Near Save 1 Def/Res Near Save 1-
FEH Def Res Near Save 3 Def/Res Near Save 3FEH Def Res Near Save 2 Def/Res Near Save 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[]

Valentines Gustav is an Axe Armor unit without anything particularly different from most other units of the same unit type, but he is nonetheless has the among best of stats for the class. His exceptional Atk at 41 and strong mixed bulk scoring 95 for physical (as he carries the highest base Def of all units by his release at 46) and 80 for magical leaves a small range of units who can duel him effectively. His only weakness is his low base Spd of which is easily covered by the host of Armor exclusive skills available to him. There are very little downsides when using him, especially given his rather impressive base kit and when outfitted with the standard skills expected on most armor units when built to focus on the enemy turn, he becomes a nearly indestructible wall that punishes any who dare to engage him improperly.
Loyalist Axe accelerates his special trigger and if his foe initiates combat, they suffer an Atk/Def-6 penalty during combat, making him even bulkier and stronger as a result. Additionally, if he foe can perform a follow-up attack, the first hit has its damage reduced by 75%, making him even more bulky and that much more difficult to counter
Given his monstrous 46 Def, Ignis takes it and applies an astounding 35 true damage to his attacks when it activates. Close Def 4 gives him an additional Def/Res+8 when his attacked by a melee range enemy unit and removes any visible buffs on that unit during combat. Crafty Fighter allows him to perform a follow-up attack and slow the enemy's special cooldown per attack if they initiate combat on him and he has started off combat with at least 25% HP. Def/Res Near Save is a new type of Armor skill that he and his wife Henriette introduce, though he has the melee version while she has the ranged version. If a foe engages on an ally at melee range, Gustav will automatically intercept the attack by gaining the【Savior】status, becoming the new target while gaining an additional Def/Res+2 buff. If he is within range of an ally, the skill will always prioritize even if he is at a disadvantage. However, the true purpose of this skill is to help protect the much less bulky units on his team and can serve as a supreme shield that does not require him to delibreately be placed in front of his squishy allies in order to absorb the threat of an attack.

Counters[]

Gustav is extraordinarily bulky and trying to brute force through him on your turn may not end well, even for some of the strongest units. Since he does not innately carry Distant Counter, Micaiah makes a great counter given her armor effectiveness, though her Festival version would have the strongest showing thanks to color advantage while her Brave and Bridal forms are unaffected by the color triangle. His lower Res does make him a little more vulnerable to mages in general, especially high damage Reds like Lysithea and Summer Byleth, though if he has Distant Counter, these may need to be reconsidered as a counterpick. Armor breaking users from the red can also duel him through color advantage such as Halloween Hector, Idunn, Tobin, and Selena. Fast Sword users such as Shannan, Mareeta. and Larcei can take full advantage of his abysmal Spd to fuel their Spurn, Repel, and Close Call to reduce his own damage.

Skill Inheritance[]

His only empty skill slot is his Assist skill, which can be filled with Pivot or Swap. Replacing his remaining skills is up to the player, though his Axe is his only clear strongest option. Sol is a better skill in terms of preserving his sturdiness by giving him a self regeneration skill. Distant Counter will limit the kinds of units who can counter him, making engagement from mages slightly less problematic. Pulse Smoke is a universally beneficial skill to slow enemy cooldowns even further. An all out offensive build can also be considered as Death Blow will enhance his initiated battle damage and Bold Fighter will ensure his offensive follow-up attack.

Meet Some of the Heroes[]

Majestic Love Gustav
Gustav majestic love pop01 Well, this is a surprise! It looks like this year's Day of Devotion is going to feature a Dad of Devotion—it's my father, King Gustav of Askr!
Gustav majestic love pop02 Father can be a little intimidating at first glance, but he's showing everyone a much softer side with his Day of Devotion outfit. But he's still pretty terrifying when he gets mad. Just…take my word for it…
Gustav majestic love pop03 See those flowers decorating his axe? He's going to be giving those to me and the rest of the family later! Oh, and that crown made of fig leaves is a present from Mother. See, I told you he had a soft side!
Gustav majestic love pop04 Don't let his calm demeanor fool you—he's actually been very excited about joining the festival for a long time. Well, I'm looking forward to enjoying some family time too!
Closely Associated Characters
Alfonse A prince of Askr and member of the Order of Heroes. Kind and serious, and eager to maintain peace.
Sharena A princess of Askr and Alfonse's sister. Cheerful and loves making friends—especially with Heroes.

Sovereign Slain
Former king of Askr and father of Alfonse and Sharena. Slain by Hel, ruler of the dead, his body is now under her command.

Base Stats[]

Rarity: ✯✯✯✯✯

Heroes Gustav Sovereign Slain SpriteTitle
Sovereign Slain
Group
Heroes Cavalry Cavalry
LevelHPAtkSpdDefRes
1
40
17/18/19
36/40/43
10/11/12
38/41/45
2/3/4
21/25/28
9/10/11
35/38/41
7/8/9
26/30/33
SkillsWeapon
FEH skill offense Headsman Glitnir
FEH skill special Glowing Ember
FEH Axe Axe

Skills[]

TypeNamePrerequisiteDefaultUnlocked
FEH skill offenseIron Axe---
Steel Axe---
Silver Axe---
Headsman Glitnir-FEH Star Rarity 5-
FEH skill specialGlowing Ember---
BonfireGlowing Ember--
AFEH Atk Def Catch 1 Atk Def Catch 1--
FEH Atk Def Catch 2 Atk Def Catch 2FEH Atk Def Catch 1 Atk Def Catch 1-
FEH Atk Def Catch 3 Atk Def Catch 3FEH Atk Def Catch 2 Atk Def Catch 2-
FEH Atk Def Catch 4 Atk Def Catch 4FEH Atk Def Catch 3 Atk Def Catch 3FEH Star Rarity 5
BFEH A D Near Trace 1 A/D Near Trace 1--
FEH A D Near Trace 2 A/D Near Trace 2FEH A D Near Trace 1 A/D Near Trace 1-
FEH A D Near Trace 3 A/D Near Trace 3FEH A D Near Trace 2 A/D Near Trace 2-
CFEH Atk Smoke 1 Atk Smoke 1--
FEH Atk Smoke 2 Atk Smoke 2FEH Atk Smoke 1 Atk Smoke 1-
FEH Atk Smoke 3 Atk Smoke 3FEH Atk Smoke 2 Atk Smoke 2-
FEH Atk Smoke 4 Atk Smoke 4FEH Atk Smoke 3 Atk Smoke 3FEH 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[]

Meet Some of the Heroes[]

Sovereign Slain Gustav
Gustav sovereign slain pop01 Here's Gustav, king of Askr! Not only is he a great man, but he's also father to me and Alfonse!
Gustav sovereign slain pop02 During the battle with Hel, the ruler of the realm of the dead, Father gave his life to take a blow meant for Alfonse. In the aftermath, our whole family was left grieving for him.
Gustav sovereign slain pop03 We had no idea things would get so much worse—Hel had the power to control the dead, and she ordered Father to attack us!
Gustav sovereign slain pop04 But even in death, Father was worried for our sake. It's up to us to do him proud and keep moving forward for Askr's future. Watch over us, Father!
Closely Associated Characters
Alfonse A prince of Askr and member of the Order of Heroes. Kind and serious, and eager to maintain peace. Carries on Gustav's ideals after his passing.
Sharena A princess of Askr and Alfonse's sister. Cheerful and loves making friends—especially with Heroes. After Gustav's passing, she pledges to help her brother defend Askr.
Henriette Queen of Askr, adored by her people. After Gustav's passing, she works to support her children and the Order of Heroes.

Quotes[]

Gustav (Heroes)/Heroes Quotes

Choose Your Legends Placement History[]

Round Placement Character Version Votes

CYL1-CYL2 N/A
CYL3 Ineligible
CYL4 Ineligible
CYL5 105 CYL Gustav Portrait
Heroes
902
CYL6 204
↓99
CYL Gustav Portrait
Heroes
483
↓419

CYL7 259
↓55
CYL Gustav Portrait
Heroes
183
↓300

Etymology[]

Gustav is a common male given name of likely Old Swedish origin used in the Nordic countries, possibly meaning "staff of the Geats/Goths/gods", derived from the Old Norse elements Gautr ("Geats"), Gutar/Gotar ("Goths"), goð ōs ("gods") and the word stafr ("staff").

It is also a common name for Swedish monarchs since the reign of Gustav Vasa, borne by eight Kings, including current king, Carl XVI Gustaf.

Trivia[]

  • Gustav's artwork shows him wielding Glitnir.
  • Gustav shares his English voice actor, Edward Bosco, with Líf, Luke, Klein, and Veld.
  • Gustav (Exsanguinator) has the full art of a hero, but wasn't obtainable until Chapter VII of Book VI, although his obtainable version had his title changed to Sovereign Slain.
  • As the Majestic Love, Gustav recycles his special and defeat lines from his Exsanguinator counterpart.
  • According to the Fire Emblem Heroes Character Illustrations Vol. 1 book, Gustav stands at 196cm (or about 6'5).
    • He shares this same height with Dagr.

Gallery[]

See main article: Gustav (Heroes)/Gallery.
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