LogFAQs > #895287617

36. Eleanor Hume (Tales of Berseria)

"The coward's path is not that of an exorcist! They may say, "I didn't know anything! So I can't be blamed!" I can't...I can't live like that!"

Most RPGs need contrast in their party members. Watching a group of conflicting personalities learn to work together and trust each other is something that never gets old. In that sense, Eleanor is the most important character in the party outside of the main character. She serves a foil to...basically everyone else. But while a lot of RPGs have one or two morally ambiguous members to serve as a contrast to the heroes, Eleanor is the only morally unambiguous character in a cast of almost-villains. She believes what she's doing is righteous and always strive to do the right thing, even at the cost of her own life. Eleanor butts heads constantly with the other party members, especially can't-crack-a-smile Velvet.

It's through that consistent inter-party conflict that Eleanor both grows significantly in a character and inspires growth in others. Watching the worldview that Eleanor was so sure of being torn down is...painful. It doesn't happen immediately, taking place over the course of many hours as each mantra she held dear is exposed for what it really is. It's a very realistic and gradual change of personality, shaped both by circumstance and self-introspection. Eleanor even acknowledges (to her own self-disgust) that even if she had discovered the truth eventually, if she wasn't traveling with Velvet and co then she would have turned a blind eye for the sake of keeping her flawed worldview intact.

All of that only makes it that much more satisfying when Eleanor finally comes to terms with everything - and ends up forming a pretty touching friendship with Velvet to boot. Despite all the physical and emotional pain, all that she had to sacrifice, and all that she left behind...at the end of Tales of Berseria, Eleanor is left standing tall.
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Black Turtle did a pretty good job.