Snowe - spoilers inside!

[Futch02]

The problem with trying to decifer this lies in the fact that suiko IV hadly went into much character depth. It seems like, instead of feeling of belonging with these characters, we're watching them from a distance. Which makes everything highly speculatory ^^;

[tactless]

I apologize to Snowe´s fans, but I´ll always think he´s an hypocrite. He´s a damn coward, and I think he only joins you in the end for others to think he had "changed" and cuz konami thought fans would like.

[Silver Dragon Flik]

I would take issue with your characterization of Snowe's transformation.

If Suikoden IV is anything at all (which itself is debatable), it's Snowe's bildungsroman. What I think I find most compelling about him is that he turns the usual progression upside-down: At the beginning of S4 Snowe thinks he has all the answers, and by the end he's learned about himself - and the challenge of learning about the rest of the world, learning about other people, still awaits him. It's like at the end of Fitzgerald's This Side of Paradise when the main character (who, like Snowe, went from the heights of privilege to the depths of failure) shouts at the sky, "I know myself, but that is all!"

I'll concede that Suikoden Tactics didn't do a stellar job of reinforcing this idea. However, it should be remembered that Snowe's effort to get Walter's attention takes place long before the events of S4. Furthermore, I think one could make the case that Snowe's comment to Lazlo ("Am I fighting well?" or something along those lines) represents a desire on Snowe's part to bring balance to his relationship with Lazlo, whom he is now ready to treat as an equal. I interpreted that line not as "Am I fighting well? Please give me a cookie!" but as "Am I fighting well? This is important business, and I want to do it right."

Or, you could look at it this way: If Snowe didn't undergo some sort of catharsis in S4, why did we even bother playing the game? I want my money back.

I don't agree with the last line, it's not all about Snowe. I would still like Suikoden 4. In Suikoden Tactics I like the relationship between Snowe and Lazlo, especially admitting his mistakes.

[Sagiri]

That's where he's hurt the most,and why people just all-out hate him. They didn't understand him enough.

Ahh I am one of those people. The kind who understands his circumstances but laughes when he gets hit. I kind of liked him at first but as the game progressed, I realized his nature. And when I got exiled I moaned and banged my head on the wall. I feel he was selfish and greedy but at the same time egged on by his loving daddy. Looks down on Lazlo and takes off on his friend. But when he attatcked as a pirate I laughed because it was way too easy and I wondered who would give him a ship, let alone a cannon. ONE CANNON! WAAAAH!

[Blutiger Engel]

Heh, well I laughed at him too when all of the bad things happened, but I still like him I guess I'm mean like that.

But the question as to how he got a ship at that point is a pretty good one. He must have somehow had a lot of his daddy's money on him when he was let go the first time.

Hmm, I'd like to reply to other things on here, but this is a pretty old thread and I don't think the many of the old posters are around anymore.

[Sagiri]

That pirate battle was so easy it wasn't even funny.
When I saw Snowe with Cray I was like WHAT THE HELL!?!?!?!
I mean, he could have made up some bs and then ran off to Nagarea or Falena, a place Cray wouldn't dare attack. Especially Falena, with the triple-time-of-day attack.
He may have saved the people of Razril from becoming slaves, but he sure made sure they were treated right. So they attack him with flaming arrows and again, I laugh.
I'm so mean. But I like it.

I thought it was interesting that when Snowe claimed his arm didn't work, when he thought of escape, his mind went immediately to the small ship to shore boat. Now, unless he planned on paddling in circles, he wouldn't be able to operate that with an immovable arm. Also whenhe gets to Glen's ship, he's miraculously healed. Then of course he later tells the Hero that "I want you to believe that my arm really wouldn't move." or something along those lines.

He might have dislocated his elbow. I did that when I was four and its not pleasant. I went to a doctor and pop! My left arm is fine. While Snowe was rowing he might have accidentally fixed his arm. And so if that happens, he's kinda got a pathetic excuse. "My, um, arm wasn't working earlier, before I left..."

Pretty pathetic, isn't it?

Snowe is saying it started working fine just as soon as he got off the ship.

[primierra]

Snowe is awesome character, He really changed in Tactic but you can see his improvement personality only you get the goodwill conversations which is hard to collect between his friends..... Sadly enough.

because of that a lot of people think he didn`t change.

in IV He changed a bit , when you helped him in the last time when he was sinking, he received sincerely whatever a Lazlo`s decision to kill him or recruit him and in confession room He said that he take a joy to Lazlo`s succes and support him.

[Rachael]

I love Snowe. I've always had a soft spot for cowards.

I'm not noble, I'm not tough, I'm not selfless. I'd sooner run than fight, so I identify with Snowe in a lot of ways. I'd like to think I'm not as treacherous, but who knows?

I think Snowe struggled with his feelings towards Lazlo. On the one hand, Lazlo was a close friend, and possibly the only friend he had (from his own point of view, anyway). On the other hand, he probably looked down on him a little, too, since most of Razril (including Snowe's own father) did.

I'm guessing that Snowe didn't particularly like being in the spotlight, and I think that's why he asked Lazlo to help him with the kindling ritual. Other townsfolk saw this and assumed he was just being nice. But Snowe's father insisted on him being a captain, and even tried to convince Commander Glen to put him in the front lines!

So on their first big mission, Snowe finds himself in over his head. I think he really did injure his arm and, at first, could not move it. Part of it was probably psychological--he wanted an excuse to leave. But the pain was real, and the inability to move his arm was real. Once he found a way to escape, however, the injury miraculously healed (adrenaline probably took over) and he managed to row himself to safety.

Of course, once Glen punched him and yelled at him for abandoning his ship, Snowe realized he was in big trouble and tried to convince him that his arm wouldn't move. He wasn't exactly lying, because before he escaped he really couldn't move his arm. But nobody's going to believe him now.

It turns out that Snowe was right--if he had stayed on board, he would have died along with everyone else when Captain Brandeau used the true rune. I will also add here that you have the option to "flee," but things play out the same, anyway.

Frankly, I've always hated how the military does things. Glen could have yelled at Snowe without punching him--and he certainly didn't need to punch him the second time, when the situation wasn't as dire.

But still, Snowe wanted Glen's approval after the fist incident, and he expresses this by buying some Mega Medicine for him. Still, he's afraid of seeing the commander face to face, so he asks Lazlo to deliver it.

Snowe must have been confused when he chooses the "brave" option at the next battle and still gets punished. Conversely, Lazlo chooses the "cowardly" option and (from Snowe's point of view) only pursues the pirates after seeing Snowe do the same. To make matters worse, Lazlo is praised with Snowe present, and Snowe is punished with Lazlo present. Even though Snowe is angry and humiliated, he tries to suppress his feelings and asks Lazlo to forget what he said.

Snowe clearly still cares about Commander Glen--he panics when he sees him collapse on the roof, and is very shaken up when he dies. He also seems genuinely terrified of Lazlo, and who wouldn't be? You see your best friend walking like a zombie towards your commander as he dies, his hand outstretched and glowing an angry red, right before your commander turns to ash and vanishes. The others arrive on the scene and ask you what happened.

Overwhelmed with shock, grief, terror, and possibly fear of being suspected, Snowe pointed the finger at the only other person on the scene. I doubt he was terribly familiar with the True Runes, least of all the Rune of Punishment and its particular method of killing its bearer. I think deep down, Snowe understood that he didn't know for sure that Lazlo did it, and we see this in the fact that the second time he goes over his story, he simply says that Glen vanished, and then he saw Lazlo pass out. His father takes it from there. I'm not saying jealousy wasn't involved, but I don't think Snowe was being deliberately deceptive. He doesn't have a manipulative bone in his body--even if he tried to lie, no one would believe him because he's no good at hiding how he truly feels.

For most of the game from that point, we see Snowe act like a child who desperately wants attention and approval. He really doesn't understand why the citizens of Razril reject him. He doesn't get why people don't flock to him when he becomes a pirate, either. Only when he loses everything does he become truly humbled and seek Lazlo's forgiveness.

So, that's my interpretation of Snowe. I haven't played Tactics so I don't have anything to say there. As you have probably guessed, he's one of my favorite characters!

[primierra]

I haven't played Tactics so I don't have anything to say there. As you have probably guessed, he's one of my favorite characters!

Snowe is my favourite character too

*SPOILER!!!!*

in Tactic He is really grown up and want to help Kyril eventhough He is not as awesome as him that is what I found from conversation between Snowe and Jewel also I know that in Tactic He is really hated Kooluk , I think that is the reason why He changed to pirate snowe in IV.

Anyway Iam still curious in IV what will He say exactly if I execute him? because I never to think to execute him.

[eldrasidar]

I think snowe's major disappointment for a lot of people is how long it takes him to shake his naivety and his self-centeredness. Obviously, he is thrust into numerous situations he isn't prepared for, which I can pity him for, but it often seems that this is because of his own stupidity rather than a lack of resources and people there to help him. It's very clear that he only ever halfway pays attention to Glen's training(Glen didn't have to sucker punch him, but I thoroughly enjoyed watching him do it). His instincts through pretty much the entirety of suikoden 4 are all about trying to improve himself and his reputation, but he doesn't understand or seems even capable of learning how exactly to go about this. I don't think he is a bad person, I think it's pretty clear in fact that he is trying to do the right thing, but he's very incompetent when it comes to doing it. This wouldn't be so bad, but it's very frustrating to see him have to hit rock bottom before he's willing to accept the help and guidance he needs, and which has been offered to him over and over again, particularly when it's clear that almost every major decision he makes backfires on him.

[Rachael]

Anyway Iam still curious in IV what will He say exactly if I execute him? because I never to think to execute him.

I know that if you execute him the third time you find him, he says, "It must be great to be you right now, huh?" Then he mentions something about their days as trainees in Razril and says, "I was a fool." Then...SLICE!

But I had saved right before encountering him, so I reset and recruited him. Yay!

I like to think that Snowe and Jewel or Lazlo got together afterward. I mean, I guess they're not together in Tactics, but after that? Maybe? I kind of got the idea that Jewel had a crush on Snowe, and Lazlo...Well, I like to pair up everyone. Especially childhood friends. Even if one of them lacks a personality.

[primierra]

I know that if you execute him the third time you find him, he says, "It must be great to be you right now, huh?" Then he mentions something about their days as trainees in Razril and says, "I was a fool." Then...SLICE!

Thank you for the answer, I don`t have to repeat the game only to execute him hehe

He always said that in Tactic too,He is really happy that He can fighting alongside Lazlo again, remembered him about their days as trainees, maybe that is the most memorable thing in his life.

I kind of got the idea that Jewel had a crush on Snowe, and Lazlo...Well, I like to pair up everyone. Especially childhood friends. Even if one of them lacks a personality.

I feel the same too. I remembered After I recruit Snowe and help him. I talked to Jewel on the deck She said she is really happy that Snowe join the army and she always worried about him during the war.
for Lazlo, He had a crush on Snowe! lol Jk JK.

[primierra]

but it's very frustrating to see him have to hit rock bottom before he's willing to accept the help and guidance he needs, and which has been offered to him over and over again, particularly when it's clear that almost every major decision he makes backfires on him.

That`s why I always pity to him,It`s really sad when we want to try hard but the result is always fail.

[Rachael]

I feel the same too. I remembered After I recruit Snowe and help him. I talked to Jewel on the deck She said she is really happy that Snowe join the army and she always worried about him during the war.
for Lazlo, He had a crush on Snowe! lol Jk JK.

Lazlo seems asexual to me. I mean, I don't remember Tir too well, but Riou was a ladies' man! You can really see him lay on the sweet talk in certain options. XD The best part is, he's way younger than most of the women he hits on!

Even Tir and Frey have more personality than Lazlo. I think it's because Lazlo has the kind of in-between look. CG just wasn't what it is now. Lazlo had these huge eyes (even for an "innocent" character) and enormous hands. Everything he did looked awkward because he never changed facial expressions. Tir and Riou weren't CG, and Frey got to have more expressions. Thomas and the other main characters of S3 were given facial expressions, and their CG sprites still had that "cartoon-y" feel to them. S4 is where the characters look kind of weird--although I adore the scenery.

[Antimatzist]

I always thought Flare had a crush on Lazlo... until... well... I guess japanese audiences like this kind of stuff.^^

I really never liked Snowe too much. Ok, I understand that his father forced him into leader roles even though he wasn't suited for them, but you could still do... good, can't you? Ok, the sudden pirate attack on a simple escort mission is quite a lot for someone who just graduated, but still.