Hardin (Japanese:ハーディンHardin) was the prince ofAurelis and the younger brother ofits ailing king, who made a name for himself in theWar of Shadows as the leader of a successful guerrilla resistance against the forces of theDolhr Empire. Fondly known by the people of Aurelis as the "Coyote" (Japanese:草原の狼Wolf of the Plains), he and the small band of Aurelian knights under his command staved off theMacedon occupation of the country and protected the refugee PrincessNyna ofArchanea. The two later joined withMarth ofAltea to form the Archanean League, and Hardin fought as one of Marth's most trusted allies in their battle to free the land.

Following the war's end, Hardin was married to Nyna and became the King of Archaneajure uxoris. Under his guidance, the battered nation experienced a swift recovery, culminating in Hardin restyling the it the Empire of Archanea with himself as its first emperor. However, his own personal issues led to him being consumed by depression and he fell under the influence ofGharnef, who corrupted him into a vicious dictator whose repressive rule soon became known by the people as the "Dark Emperor". In this state he sought to destroy Marth, engaging Altea in an invasion which ultimately turned into a new war, theWar of Heroes.

Biography

Guerrilla hero

When the War of Shadows began and Dolhr's eyes turned to conquering Aurelis, Hardin led the Aurelian defense on his brother's behalf. Despite his best efforts and his mild success in aggravating the enemy, Aurelis slowly lost most of its territory to Dolhr's allyMacedon, eventually driving Hardin and his brother to abandon the palace in favour of the Northern Fortress.^[1]

At some point during this campaign, Hardin encountered a band of rogue Macedonian soldiers who were pillaging Aurelian villages, and learned of their use of an abandoned fortress as a base. While fighting them, he encounteredMinerva and, careful not to reveal his identity as a rebel leader and her enemy, suggested the two join forces to put an end to the deserters. On their successful defeat of the leaderRuben and capture of the fortress, Hardin retreated before Minerva could notice, and it was only afterward that she learned his identity. Hardin later remarked that he was thoroughly impressed by what he saw of Minerva's combat prowess.

Some time later, Hardin received word of a plan byCamus to stage an escape from captivity for the Archanean princessNyna. He and his knights arrived in time to engage a Dolhr task force and take Nyna into his protection, even as Camus and hisSable Order subordinates were captured themselves for their actions. While Hardin continued to lead the resistance against the Macedonian occupiers, Nyna issued a call to arms across the continent for warriors to join the fight against Dolhr, but her call to arms would not be answered for several more months.^[2]

The Archanean League

Grim though their situation was, Hardin and his knights continued to wage battle against Macedon for several months, until he and Nyna received word ofMarth and theAltean army's arrival in Aurelis. As soon as Marth reached the region near the Northern Fortress, Hardin set out with his knights to join forces with Marth's army and put an end to the Macedonian occupation once and for all. Instantly impressed with and taking to Marth as soon as they first met, Hardin insisted that Marth take the reins of the operation and wished for the two to have a long friendship.

After Aurelis's liberation, Hardin and Nyna formally joined their remaining army with Marth's to create a single, united front, dubbed the Archanean League. He continued to serve alongside Marth until the war's conclusion; years later, before their eventual conflict, Marth would fondly remark that Hardin's contributions to the war effort were invaluable.^[3]

Restoration and downfall

Following the war, Nyna's advisorBoah believed that Nyna needed to be married in order to give Archanea a king to restore its former glory, and Hardin was found to be the only suitable candidate, given Marth's engagement toCaeda. As a result, despite her own personal issues, Boah insisted that she had no choice but to marry Hardin, to which she relented. Hardin, who had already long harbored a romantic interest in Nyna, eagerly accepted her proposal; Boah later observed that the thought of being Nyna's husband interested him far more than taking the Archanean throne.^[4] As such, Hardin and Nyna were married, turning Hardin into the twenty-fourth King of Archanea.

The instant he had taken the throne, Hardin turned his attention to the state of his new kingdom and the rest of the world. Although Archanea had been wounded deeply, like almost every other of the Seven Realms, Hardin directed an aggressive restoration effort which succeeded in rebuilding the entire kingdom swiftly, and reconstituted a new army for the land. His era of progress and redevelopment culminated in Hardin restyling Archanea as the "Holy Empire of Archanea", with himself and Nyna as emperor and empress. For a time, the actions of Hardin and his empire appeared to have secured a stable, lasting peace for the world.^[5]

Hardin's personal life, however, soon proved to be a far cry from the stability his actions had brought to Archanea. Despite his immense joy at being wed to Nyna, he soon learned of the marriage's arranged nature and Nyna's lack of actual love for him. The revelation devastated him, spiralling him into a deep depression and driving him to alcoholism; he locked himself in his bedchamber and refused to see anybody. His condition was quickly preyed upon byGharnef, as part of his new plan to reviveMedeus. Gharnef appeared before Hardin and offered him theDarksphere, which instantly twisted his once-righteous heart and turned him into a malevolent conqueror, and he willingly handed Nyna over to Gharnef for use as the first of the sacrifies.^[6]

Dark Emperor

Under the Darksphere's control, Hardin became bent on causing the destruction of the world through conquest. For a time, his descent into darkness was unknown to the world, even as atrocities began to occur under his empire's watch.Grust was the epicenter of one such disaster: on Hardin's command, his former allyLorenz was deposed as regent and control of the territory was entrusted toLang, a disgraced traitor. As part of a scheme to cause his downfall, Hardin tasked Marth with assisting Lang in putting an end to Lorenz and his "resistance" to Archanean control of Grust. With Marth and his best knights distracted fighting in Grust and Macedon, Hardin then ordered an invasion and conquest of the weakened Altea, one which was long-planned and extensively prepared for.^[7]

Next, shortly after Marth's defeat of Lang, Hardin personally oversaw a mission atChiasmir to corner and destroy Marth. It was at Chiasmir that Hardin and Marth met for the first time since Hardin's possession, and Hardin revealed to Marth his intent to destroy him and the world. However, the mission failed as Marth and his army successfully escaped Chiasmir by sea. With Marth fleeing north toKhadein and beyond, and his forces failing to pursue the prince, Hardin's attention during Marth's absence instead turned inward, as public opinion in Archanea turned against him for his murderous actions, to the point of earning the moniker "Dark Emperor" among the people of the empire.^[8] Shortly before Marth's return, a rebellion against Hardin erupted, led byMidia and composed of both citizens and knights. Hardin's army soon put down the rebellion and captured its leaders.^[9]

When Marth and the Altean army came to defeat Hardin, he personally led the Archanean Empire's final stand, still bent on destroying Marth himself. Before their confrontation, Hardin declared that he had always loathed Marth, and swore to kill him and replace him as the true hero of Archanea. With the power of the Lightsphere on his side, Marth and his army pierced the Darksphere's protection and killed Hardin. As he died, Hardin reverted to his former self and with his last breath begged Marth to save Nyna from the dark fate his actions had set up for her.

Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon & the Blade of Light

Role

Hardin was the leader of the resistance against Macedon alongside his four knights—Sedgar,Wolf,Roshea, andVyland—and was forced into a mountain fortress after the castle was claimed by Macedonian forces. OnceMarth arrived, Hardin informed Princess Nyna and fought with his knights to help Marth retake the castle. Hardin continued to serve Marth for the duration of theWar of Shadows.

Starting stats and growth rates

Cavalier Level 6 Movement 9 Experience 0

Recruitment:Chapter 5, automatically from the start StatsGrowth Rates Max HP 20 Speed 8 Strength 9 Luck 3 Skill 7 Defense 8 W. Level 9 Resistance 0 Max HP 50% Speed 60% Strength 30% Luck 30% Skill 50% Defense 20% W. Level 70% Resistance 0% {{{content3}}} {{{content4}}} {{{content5}}} {{{content6}}} {{{content7}}} {{{content8}}} {{{content9}}} {{{content10}}} {{{content11}}} {{{content12}}} {{{content13}}} {{{content14}}} {{{content15}}} Inventory Steel Sword Weapons Sword ✓ Lance ✓ Axe ✗ Bow ✗ Tome ✗ Staff ✗ Ballista ✗ Stone ✗

Promotion stat gains

• InShadow Dragon & the Blade of Light, promotion gains consist on giving the character as many points as necessary—the "x" value shown in the table—to reach the promoted class's base stats. If the character's stats are higher than their promoted class' base stats, they will not receive any bonus.

Analysis

Hardin is one of the best units in the game. Cavalier is arguably the best class due to it being able to wield multiple weapon types alongside their high movement. This already means Hardin is on the better side of units, but his personal stats are amazing, almost entirely beating outJagen at base in all but defense, weapon level and skill. He still has a high weapon level however, able to wield theSilver Sword Marth receives in the previous chapter. The most notable of Hardin's base stats is his base Strength of 9. Although his growth is not anything special at only 30%, having a base of 9 means he is only one point away from being halfway to capping. As he only joins at Level 6, and promotion items coming so late in the game, it means he is still statistically likely to reach a high strength level, perhaps even reach the cap of 20 if a player manages to be lucky. Overall, Hardin's high stats alongside having solid growths mean that Hardin is an incredibly good choice of unit throughout the entire game.

Fire Emblem: Mystery of the Emblem

Book 1

Role

Hardin still joins in the chapterChampions of Aurelis, which is now chapter 4 due to the omission ofBattle in the Lea. As inShadow Dragon & the Blade of Light,Roshea,Vyland,Sedgar, andWolf fight under him. He helpsMarth take back Castle Aurelis from the Macedonian occupation, and fights under him for the remainder of Book 1.

Starting stats and growth rates

Cavalier (Knight) Level 6 Movement 9/6 Experience 0

Recruitment:Chapter 4, automatically from the start StatsGrowth Rates Max HP 25 Luck 3 Strength 9 W. Level 9 Skill 7 Defense 8 Speed 8 Resistance 0 Max HP 50% Luck 30% Strength 30% W. Level 70% Skill 50% Defense 20% Speed 60% Resistance 3% {{{content3}}} {{{content4}}} {{{content5}}} {{{content6}}} {{{content7}}} {{{content8}}} {{{content9}}} {{{content10}}} {{{content11}}} {{{content12}}} {{{content13}}} {{{content14}}} {{{content15}}} Weapons Items Iron Lance Steel Sword -- Weapons Sword ✓D Lance ✓M Axe ✗ Bow ✗ Tome ✗ Staff ✗

Promotion stat gains

InMystery of the Emblem, promotion gains for HP and weapon level consist of giving the character as many points as necessary—thex value shown in the table—to reach the promoted class's base value. If the character's value for one of those two stats is higher than their promoted class's base value, they will not receive any bonus in that stat.

Analysis

Hardin joins as a level 5Cavalier in Chapter 4 and immediately emerges as one of the strongest units of Book 1. With 9 movement, Hardin can well outpace foot-locked units on any outdoor map, and his bases give him a very strong offense relative to his peers. Hardin's 25 HP and 8 Defense make him one of your bulkiest units in the early game, his 9 strength is very good, and it pairs well with his high weapon level enabling him to use strong lances like theSilver Lance that many other units might not have available. The high weight of lances limits his AS greatly despite his solid base of 8, but with his 60% growth he can eventually outgrow this issue and consistently double and one-round most enemies with some investment. Most of his growths are serviceable, and his 70% Weapon Level growth can enable him to reach 12 in order to use theGradivus andMercurius, but low growths in Strength and Defense means he may eventually be eclipsed offensively by other growth units, although he can still make strong contributions even with unlucky level-ups off the strength of his bases. On indoor maps he is forced to dismount, limiting his movement to 6 and making him stand out less. He does make good use of the swords he is forced to use indoors, with his high weapon level again giving access to most of the game's strong swords, and his bases still excel even without the boon of high movement. He may take some time to be able to promote, as the first Knight Crest is obtained in Chapter 10, and he competes with other strong candidates likeCain andAbel, possibly forcing him to wait for later Knight Crests in Chapters 14, 16 or even later. He also is less useful in the late-game indoor maps, as his promotion gains do not apply indoors in contrast to trained upHeroes andBishops who can dominate these maps. However, he is still a perfectly serviceable unit in these maps, and in outdoor maps he is one of your best units for the entire game.

Book 2

Role

Hardin is the boss ofChapter 20, and is accordingly the final boss of the game in its bad ending. He holds theDarksphere, and as a result can only be damaged by units who have theLightsphere in their inventory.

Prior to this, Hardin also appears as a boss inChapter 8, but owing to the player having no way of possessing the Lightsphere at this point, he is entirely invincible; the goal of the chapter is not to fight him, but to reach the seize point before he and a group ofGenerals under his immediate command attack the player's army.

Stats

See also:Soulful Bridge andDark Emperor

Emperor Level 1 Movement 5 Experience 90

Stats Max HP 50 Luck -- Strength 20 W. Level -- Skill 20 Defense 20 Speed 20 Resistance 20

Weapons Items Gradivus Gradivus Darksphere Weapons Sword ✗ Lance ✓ Axe ✗ Bow ✗ Tome ✗ Staff ✗

Fire Emblem: Archanea Saga

Role

Hardin is a playable character in the second episode,Red Dragoon. He acts as one of two "lord" characters for that episode, along withMinerva; his death resets the playthrough of the episode. He also appears in the closing cutscene of the fourth episode,The Beginning.

Starting stats and growth rates

Cavalier (Knight) Level 6 Movement 9/6 Experience 0

Recruitment:Episode II, automatically from the start StatsGrowth Rates Max HP 25 Luck 3 Strength 9 W. Level 9 Skill 7 Defense 8 Speed 8 Resistance 0 Max HP 50% Luck 30% Strength 30% W. Level 70% Skill 50% Defense 20% Speed 60% Resistance 3% {{{content3}}} {{{content4}}} {{{content5}}} {{{content6}}} {{{content7}}} {{{content8}}} {{{content9}}} {{{content10}}} {{{content11}}} {{{content12}}} {{{content13}}} {{{content14}}} {{{content15}}} Weapons Items Silver Lance Iron Lance -- Weapons Sword ✓D Lance ✓M Axe ✗ Bow ✗ Tome ✗ Staff ✗

Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon

Role

As in Shadow Dragon & the Blade of Light, Hardin joins in Chapter 5. Marth's arrival prompts Hardin to lead his forces out and take back castle Aurelis together. AskingNyna to wait in the nearby fort, Hardin rides out into battle withRoshea,Vyland,Sedgar, andWolf. In this remake of the chapter, Hardin has a conversation with Marth where he gives command of the army to the Altean prince.

Starting stats and growth rates

Cavalier Level 6 Movement 9

Recruitment:Chapter 5, automatically from the start StatsGrowth Rates Max HP 24 Speed 8 Strength 9 Luck 3 Magic 0 Defense 8 Skill 7 Resistance 1 Max HP 50% Speed 55% Strength 30% Luck 30% Magic 0% Defense 20% Skill 55% Resistance 0% {{{content3}}} {{{content4}}} {{{content5}}} {{{content6}}} {{{content7}}} {{{content8}}} {{{content9}}} {{{content10}}} {{{content11}}} {{{content12}}} {{{content13}}} {{{content14}}} {{{content15}}} Inventory Steel Sword Weapon Levels D B -- -- -- --

Growth rates when reclassed

Promotion stat gains

CavalierMageMyrmidonCurateArcher

Class	HP	Str	Mag	Skill	Spd	Lck	Def	Res	Mov	Weapon level
Paladin	+4	+2	+1	+3	+1	+0	+1	+6	+1	--

Class	HP	Str	Mag	Skill	Spd	Lck	Def	Res	Mov	Weapon level
Sage	+6	+3	+1	+1	+1	+0	+1	+2	+0	+30 WEXP E

Class	HP	Str	Mag	Skill	Spd	Lck	Def	Res	Mov	Weapon level
Swordmaster	+6	+2	+1	+2	+2	+0	+2	+3	+1	+75 WEXP

Class	HP	Str	Mag	Skill	Spd	Lck	Def	Res	Mov	Weapon level
Bishop	+6	+1	+2	+1	+0	+0	+0	+3	+1	E +30 WEXP

Class	HP	Str	Mag	Skill	Spd	Lck	Def	Res	Mov	Weapon level
Sniper	+8	+2	+1	+5	+5	+0	+1	+3	+2	+75 WEXP

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Analysis

Hardin is a high-levelCavalier with an outstanding B rank in lances that allows him to use theRidersbane andSilver Lance as soon as he joins. He has all-around solid base stats except for luck, and his high speed growth will enable him to double attack slower enemies. He is only 4 levels away from being able to promote, at which point he can either stay aPaladin or reclass toDracoknight to improve his mobility while retaining his lance rank. He is one of the best users of theGradivus thanks to his good stats and the ease with which he reaches A rank. Overall, Hardin is a unit with great strengths and no drawbacks that are significant enough to limit his performance.

Fire Emblem: New Mystery of the Emblem

Role

Emperor Hardin is the boss ofChapter 20, and is accordingly the final boss of the game in its bad ending. He holds theDarksphere, and as a result can only be damaged by units who have theLightsphere in their inventory. Prior to this, he also appears as a boss inChapter 8, but owing to the player having no way of possessing the Lightsphere at this point, he is entirely invincible; the goal of the chapter is not to fight him, but to reach the seize point before he and a group ofGenerals under his immediate command attack the player's army.

Hardin's pre-emperor self is also a playable character exclusively inthe second episode of theNew Archanea Saga bonus chapters. He is one of two characters for that episode, along withMinerva, whose death causesGame Over.

Starting stats and growth rates

Enemy

See also:Soulful Bridge andDark Emperor

NormalHardManiacLunatic

Emperor Level 30 Movement 6

Stats Max HP 50 Speed 20 Strength 20 Luck 0 Magic 0 Defense 20 Skill 20 Resistance 15

Inventory Gradivus Darksphere* Weapon Levels -- A -- -- -- --

Emperor Level 30 Movement 6

Stats Max HP 62 Speed 24 Strength 24 Luck 0 Magic 0 Defense 24 Skill 24 Resistance 19

Inventory Gradivus Darksphere* Weapon Levels -- A -- -- -- --

Emperor Level 30 Movement 6

Stats Max HP 74 Speed 28 Strength 28 Luck 0 Magic 0 Defense 28 Skill 28 Resistance 23

Inventory Gradivus Darksphere* Weapon Levels -- A -- -- -- --

Emperor Level 30 Movement 6

Stats Max HP 80 Speed 30 Strength 30 Luck 0 Magic 0 Defense 30 Skill 30 Resistance 25

Inventory Gradivus Darksphere* Weapon Levels -- A -- -- -- --

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Hardin is immobile inChapter 20.

Playable - Extra chapters

Cavalier Level 8 Movement 9

Recruitment:New Archanea Saga Episode II, automatically from the start StatsGrowth Rates Max HP 28 Speed 11 Strength 10 Luck 5 Magic 0 Defense 12 Skill 9 Resistance 0 Max HP 90% Speed 65% Strength 75% Luck 30% Magic 0% Defense 45% Skill 65% Resistance 0% {{{content3}}} {{{content4}}} {{{content5}}} {{{content6}}} {{{content7}}} {{{content8}}} {{{content9}}} {{{content10}}} {{{content11}}} {{{content12}}} {{{content13}}} {{{content14}}} {{{content15}}} Inventory Silver Lance Silver Sword Weapon Levels B B -- -- -- --

Fire Emblem Awakening

Role

Hardin, as his corrupted emperor self, is playable as a bonusSpotPass character as part of theMystery of the Emblem character set. He also appears as an ally unit in theDLC chaptersLost Bloodlines 1 andRogues & Redeemers 2, and as an enemy unit in the DLC chaptersLost Bloodlines 2,Lost Bloodlines 3,Rogues & Redeemers 1 andRogues & Redeemers 3.

Starting stats and growth rates

General Level 20 Movement 5

Recruitment:SpotPass, hire him for 18,300G or defeat him in askirmish StatsGrowth RatesCap Modifiers Max HP 80 Speed 30 Strength 45 Luck 5 Magic 10 Defense 45+2 Skill 38 Resistance 18 Max HP 90% Speed 45% Strength 75% Luck 45% Magic 30% Defense 50% Skill 55% Resistance 30% Speed ±0 Strength +3 Luck −3 Magic −1 Defense +2 Skill +2 Resistance ±0 {{{content4}}} {{{content5}}} {{{content6}}} {{{content7}}} {{{content8}}} {{{content9}}} {{{content10}}} {{{content11}}} {{{content12}}} {{{content13}}} {{{content14}}} {{{content15}}} Inventory Skills Gradivus* Defense +2 Indoor Fighter Rally Defense Pavise Vengeance Weapon Levels -- A B -- -- --

Reclassing options

Hardin Base classes:* Knight Great Knight General Reclass options: This unit can reclass to any male class available through reclassing.

Growth rates when reclassed

Promotion stat gains

ArcherBarbarianCavalierDark MageWyvern RiderFighterKnightMageMercenaryMyrmidonPriestTacticianThief

Class	HP	Str	Mag	Skill	Spd	Lck	Def	Res	Mov	Weapon level
Sniper	+4	+2	+1	+4	+3	+0	+5	+3	+1	--
Bow Knight	+8	+3	+0	+2	+4	+0	+1	+2	+3	E

Class	HP	Str	Mag	Skill	Spd	Lck	Def	Res	Mov	Weapon level
Berserker	+8	+5	+0	+2	+3	+0	+2	+1	+1	--
Warrior	+6	+4	+0	+5	−1	+0	+4	+3	+1	E

Class	HP	Str	Mag	Skill	Spd	Lck	Def	Res	Mov	Weapon level
Paladin	+7	+3	+1	+2	+2	+0	+3	+6	+1	--
Great Knight	+8	+5	+0	+1	−1	+0	+7	+1	+0	E

Class	HP	Str	Mag	Skill	Spd	Lck	Def	Res	Mov	Weapon level
Sorcerer	+5	+1	+3	+2	+1	+0	+3	+3	+1	--
Dark Knight	+7	+3	+2	+4	+2	+0	+5	+1	+3	E

Class	HP	Str	Mag	Skill	Spd	Lck	Def	Res	Mov	Weapon level
Wyvern Lord	+5	+4	+0	+2	+2	+0	+3	+3	+1	E
Griffon Rider	+3	+2	+0	+4	+4	+0	+0	+3	+1	--

Class	HP	Str	Mag	Skill	Spd	Lck	Def	Res	Mov	Weapon level
Warrior	+8	+4	+0	+3	+2	+0	+3	+3	+1	E
Hero	+2	+0	+1	+6	+5	+0	+4	+3	+1	E

Class	HP	Str	Mag	Skill	Spd	Lck	Def	Res	Mov	Weapon level
General	+10	+4	+0	+3	+2	+0	+4	+3	+1	E
Great Knight	+8	+3	+0	+2	+3	+0	+3	+1	+3	E E

Class	HP	Str	Mag	Skill	Spd	Lck	Def	Res	Mov	Weapon level
Sage	+4	+1	+3	+2	+3	+0	+2	+2	+1	E
Dark Knight	+9	+4	+1	+3	+1	+0	+7	+2	+3	E

Class	HP	Str	Mag	Skill	Spd	Lck	Def	Res	Mov	Weapon level
Hero	+6	+3	+1	+3	+3	+0	+3	+3	+1	E
Bow Knight	+8	+3	+0	+2	+3	+0	+1	+2	+3	E

Class	HP	Str	Mag	Skill	Spd	Lck	Def	Res	Mov	Weapon level
Swordmaster	+4	+3	+1	+2	+3	+0	+2	+3	+1	--
Assassin	+5	+4	−1	+4	+2	+0	+1	+0	+1	E

Class	HP	Str	Mag	Skill	Spd	Lck	Def	Res	Mov	Weapon level
War Monk	+8	+5	+2	+2	+2	+0	+5	+0	+1	E
Sage	+4	+1	+4	+3	+3	+0	+3	−1	+1	E

Class	HP	Str	Mag	Skill	Spd	Lck	Def	Res	Mov	Weapon level
Grandmaster	+4	+3	+3	+2	+2	+0	+2	+2	+1	--

Class	HP	Str	Mag	Skill	Spd	Lck	Def	Res	Mov	Weapon level
Assassin	+5	+5	+0	+7	+4	+0	+3	+1	+1	E
Trickster	+3	+1	+4	+4	+3	+0	+1	+5	+1	E

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Skill set

Like all male bonus units inAwakening, Hardin has access to all base class and advanced class skills available to standard male units.

Fire Emblem Heroes

Role

There are two different variations of Hardin available toHeroes, both based on his storyline appearance inMystery of the Emblem. The normal variation of Hardin is one of the characters added to the game in theAskr and Embla update, and became available for summoning by players on November 18, 2022. A fallen variation of Hardin was first made available to be summoned by players on February 22, 2018 as part of the summoning event surrounding the launch of theBlood and Snow update. Hardin is one of a small number of characters to date who had a special variation made available to players before their normal variation in which the normal variation has actually been added to the game, another example beingTanith.

Hardin: The Coyote

Starting stats

Hardin: The Coyote is only available at 5★ rarity.

Rarity ★★★★★ Weapon type Movement type

Initial StatsLevel 40 Stats Maximum HP 16/17/18 Attack 10/11/12 Speed 10/11/12 Defense 5/6/7 Resistance 5/6/7 Maximum HP 38/41/44 Attack 38/41/45 Speed 40/44/47 Defense 29/32/35 Resistance 18/21/24 {{{content3}}} {{{content4}}} {{{content5}}} {{{content6}}} {{{content7}}} {{{content8}}} {{{content9}}} {{{content10}}} {{{content11}}} {{{content12}}} {{{content13}}} {{{content14}}} {{{content15}}}

Skills Coyote's Lance -- Dragon Gaze

Skill set

Skill set
Skill		Unlock	Auto-unlock	SP cost
	Iron Lance	★★★★★	★★★★★	50
	Steel Lance	★★★★★	★★★★★	100
	Silver Lance	★★★★★	★★★★★	200
	Coyote's Lance	★★★★★	★★★★★	400
	Dragon Gaze	★★★★★	★★★★★	100
	Draconic Aura	★★★★★	—	200
A	Darting Blow 1	★★★★★	—	50
A	Swift Sparrow 1	★★★★★	—	120
A	Swift Sparrow 2	★★★★★	—	240
A	Surge Sparrow	★★★★★	—	300
B	A/S Near Trace 1	★★★★★	—	60
B	A/S Near Trace 2	★★★★★	—	120
B	A/S Near Trace 3	★★★★★	—	240

Hardin: Dark Emperor

Starting stats

Hardin: Dark Emperor is only available at 5★ rarity.

Rarity ★★★★★ Weapon type Movement type

Initial StatsLevel 40 Stats Maximum HP 22/23/24 Attack 7/8/9 Speed 5/6/7 Defense 9/10/11 Resistance 7/8/9 Maximum HP 41/45/48 Attack 31/34/37 Speed 24/28/31 Defense 33/36/39 Resistance 29/32/35 {{{content3}}} {{{content4}}} {{{content5}}} {{{content6}}} {{{content7}}} {{{content8}}} {{{content9}}} {{{content10}}} {{{content11}}} {{{content12}}} {{{content13}}} {{{content14}}} {{{content15}}}

Skills Gradivus -- Retribution

Skill set

Skill set
Skill		Unlock	Auto-unlock	SP cost
	Iron Lance	★★★★★	★★★★★	50
	Steel Lance	★★★★★	★★★★★	100
	Silver Lance	★★★★★	★★★★★	200
	Gradivus	★★★★★	★★★★★	400
	Retribution	★★★★★	★★★★★	100
	Vengeance	★★★★★	—	200
A	Brazen Def/Res 1	★★★★★	—	60
A	Brazen Def/Res 2	★★★★★	—	120
A	Brazen Def/Res 3	★★★★★	—	240
B	Bold Fighter 1	★★★★★	—	60
B	Bold Fighter 2	★★★★★	—	120
B	Bold Fighter 3	★★★★★	—	240

Personality

Hardin's true personality was that of a courageous and virtuous man. Considering himself an excellent judge of character, he instantly took to and trusted Marth, not hesitating to put aside matters of glory and remembrance in history in favour of entrusting him with command for what he believed to be the best possible outcome in battle.^[10] He believed teamwork to be integral to victory in battle, respected honor and honest intentions even among his long-time enemies, such as withMinerva during the War of Shadows, and was shrewd enough to put aside such differences for the good of the common people of Aurelis.^[11] From the moment they met, he had harbored a deep romantic interest in Nyna, but before their eventual marriage he had no problem putting it aside to focus on the tasks before him, successfully concealing it from her.

After falling under the Darksphere's spell, Hardin became extremely aggressive and determined to destroy anybody who would dare oppose him. Any love he once held for his friends and allies was replaced by a deep hatred for what he viewed as their betrayal of him, even Nyna. In particular, he developed an intense hatred of Marth, claiming it to have always existed, and boasted that Marth, supposedly worthless without Hardin's aid, did not deserve the many accolades showered upon him. He claimed that he intended to take Marth's place as the world's true hero by killing Marth.^[12] He claimed humanity to be inherently traitorous and corrupt to a point beyond saving, and viewed the continued existence of the world as worthless as a result, taking it upon himself to conquer and destroy it.^[13][14]

Supports

Mystery of the Emblem

Hardin Cavalier Supports: None. [[{{{supportg1}}}]] Bishop Bonus: {{{bonusg1}}} [[{{{supportg2}}}]] Bishop Bonus: {{{bonusg2}}} [[{{{supportg3}}}]] Bishop Bonus: {{{bonusg3}}} Supported by: None. [[{{{supporto1}}}]] Bishop Bonus: {{{bonuso1}}} [[{{{supporto2}}}]] Bishop Bonus: {{{bonuso2}}}

Shadow Dragon

Hardin Cavalier Mutual supports: None. [[{{{supportm1}}}]] Bishop C: {{{cm1}}} B: {{{bm1}}} A: {{{am1}}} [[{{{supportm2}}}]] Bishop C: {{{cm2}}} B: {{{bm2}}} A: {{{am2}}} [[{{{supportm3}}}]] Bishop C: {{{cm3}}} B: {{{bm3}}} A: {{{am3}}} [[{{{supportm4}}}]] Bishop C: {{{cm4}}} B: {{{bm4}}} A: {{{am4}}} [[{{{supportm5}}}]] Bishop C: {{{cm5}}} B: {{{bm5}}} A: {{{am5}}} Supported by:* Marth Lord C: 5 B: 10 A: 16 [[{{{supporto2}}}]] Bishop C: {{{co2}}} B: {{{bo2}}} A: {{{ao2}}} [[{{{supporto3}}}]] Bishop C: {{{co3}}} B: {{{bo3}}} A: {{{ao3}}} [[{{{supporto4}}}]] Bishop C: {{{co4}}} B: {{{bo4}}} A: {{{ao4}}} [[{{{supporto5}}}]] Bishop C: {{{co5}}} B: {{{bo5}}} A: {{{ao5}}}

Endings

Shadow Dragon & the Blade of Light

Hardin
Together with Nyna, he works to restore Archanea. He weds the princess and becomes its 24th king.

Mystery of the Emblem

Book 1

Hardin, the Coyote
Nyna offered Hardin her hand in marriage, and so he was crowned the 24th King of Archanea.

Shadow Dragon

Coyote - Hardin
Nyna offered Hardin her hand in marriage, and so he was crowned the twenty-fourth king of House Archanea.

Quotes

Battle quotes

Death quotes

Heroes quotes

Main article:Hardin/Quotes (Heroes)

Other appearances

Fire Emblem Trading Card Game

Hardin was featured on three TCG cards, starting from the fifth card series.

Fire Emblem Trading Card Game data for Hardin
	Class:Cavalier	Level 10 Cavalry	Direct Attack
	Energy: 6	Atk.: 3 / Counter: 1	WLv.: B
	Equip:Steel Lance	Skills:Rush (If an attack after moving causes an adjacent enemy to withdraw, can move to the square the enemy unit was) Emblem Skills:[Strength] (Energy 2)
	Card #5-029 •Rarity: ★★ •Artist:Katsuyoshi Koya
	Class:Emperor	Level 20 Infantry	Direct Attack
	Energy: 8	Atk.: 4 / Counter: 2	WLv.: A
	Equip:Silver Lance	Skills:Seize -Victory upon entering an opponent's sortie square. Upon retreat, all allied units withdraw 1 square Emblem Skills:[Strength] (Energy 2) •[Defense] (Discard 2) •[Resistance] (Discard 2)
	Card #6-015 •Rarity: ★★ •Artist:Katsuyoshi Koya
	Class:Paladin	Level 20 Cavalry	Direct Attack
	Energy: 8	Atk.: 3 / Counter: 2	WLv.: A
	Equip:Steel Lance	Skills:Class change •Rush (If an attack after moving causes an adjacent enemy to withdraw, can move to the square the enemy unit was) •Proficiency (Return this card to the deck to reduce the cost of an Emblem Skill by -1) Emblem Skills:[Strength] (Energy 2)[Skill] (Energy 1)
	Card #6-074 •Rarity: ★★ •Artist:Katsuyoshi Koya
Card scans and information translation provided byAquantis.

Fire Emblem Cipher

Hardin is featured on three cards inFire Emblem Cipher.

Fire Emblem Cipher data for Hardin
	Dark Emperor, Hardin
		"I will show no quarter to anyone who opposes me. That includes you, Prince..."
		Attack: 70	Support: 0	Range: 1	Deploy Cost: 5
		Class: Emperor		Tier:Advanced	Class Change Cost: 4
		Darksphere:[Activate][Once per turn] [] Until the end of the opponent's next turn, this unit gains the following effect: [Always] When this unit is being attacked by opponent non-Main unit, this unit gains +30 attack. Bloodstained Holy Lance:[Activate] [] Destroy 1 Cost 2 or lower non-Main enemy unit. If you do, this unit gains +10 attack and 1-2 range until end of turn. Sacrifice:[Always] If this unit uses Darksphere or Bloodstained Holy Lance, you can discard one ally instead of paying the cost.
	Card #B04-044SR • Artist:Daisuke Izuka
	Coyote, Hardin
		"Now is the time to join forces!"
		Attack: 70	Support: 10	Range: 1	Deploy Cost: 4
		Class: Paladin		Tier:Advanced	Class Change Cost: 3
		Fierce White Coyote:[Trigger][Once per turn] When this unit is moved into the vanguard, he gains +10 attack and 1-2 range. Lord of the Lea:[Activate][Once per turn] Choose any number of allied units and move them.
	Card #B04-045R • Artist:Daisuke Izuka
	Prince of Aurelis, Hardin
		"Your vile deeds... cannot be overlooked."
		Attack: 40	Support: 10	Range: 1	Deploy Cost: 1
		Class: Cavalier		Tier:Base	Class Change Cost: --
		Bond of Aurelis:[Always] During your turn, ifNyna,Wolf,Sedgar,Roshea, orVyland are in play as allies, this unit gains +10 attack. Attack Emblem:[Support] Until the end of the attack phase, your attacking unit gains +10 attack.
	Card #B04-046HN • Artist:Daisuke Izuka
Some card information translation provided by Serenes Forest. For more detailed strategic information on these cards, seetheir TCG wiki article on Hardin .

Notable merchandise

Image	Information	Price	Release date
	Hardin appears in volume 8 of theFire Emblem Heroes: Mini Acrylic Figure Collection. His volume 8 appearance is based on hisDark Emperor appearance inHeroes.	¥350	November 2018JP

Flavor text

Meet some of the Heroes entries

Dark EmperorThe Coyote

Hardin: Dark Emperor
Here's Hardin, who once fought alongside Marth! But these days, it seems that some terrible darkness has taken hold of him…	After marrying his beloved Princess Nyna, the triumphant Hardin became the king of Archanea—but the scheming Gharnef exploited a moment of weakness, and before long, Hardin was known instead as the Dark Emperor, overseer of a bloody reign.	A changed man, Hardin cut ties with Marth. No one would have ever thought that the sacred lance Gradivus would be turned against a friend…	Still, I believe that Hardin can yet mend his ways…and maybe he can join the Order of Heroes and help us out while he's at it!
Closely Associated Characters
Nyna Gharnef Marth {{{Related_name4}}} {{{Related_name5}}} Princess of Archanea who entrusts Marth with the Fire Emblem. After the war, she marries Hardin. A student of Gotoh, the White Sage. Hatched a scheme to revive the Shadow Dragon, Medeus, and rule the world. Uses the Darksphere to corrupt Hardin. Prince of Altea destined to be revered as the Hero-King, having done countless deeds for the good of those who came after him. He once fought alongside Hardin across the continent of Archanea. {{{Related_blurb4}}} {{{Related_blurb5}}}

Hardin: The Coyote
Hardin is the younger brother of the king of Aurelis, a land of rolling plains on the continent of Archanea. He's also the leader of a band of mighty knights!	The Holy Kingdom of Archanea was the ruling power on the continent, but one day, it was laid to waste by Medeus, the Shadow Dragon. During the chaos, Hardin protected Nyna, the sole surviving member of the Archanean royal line.	To keep Nyna safe and bring peace back to the continent, Hardin then led his band of knights, the Coyote's Men, against Dolhr's fearsome army!	During the conflict, Hardin grew more and more fond of Nyna, and eventually his feelings blossomed into love. And so, with both justice and his love for Nyna in his heart, Hardin fights on!
Closely Associated Characters
Nyna Marth {{{Related_name3}}} {{{Related_name4}}} {{{Related_name5}}} Princess of the Kingdom of Archanea. After its defeat by the Dolhr Empire, she escaped to Aurelis. There she entrusted the Fire Emblem to Prince Marth. Prince of Altea who fights for his homeland and deeply values his friends. Hardin's comrade in battle. {{{Related_blurb3}}} {{{Related_blurb4}}} {{{Related_blurb5}}}

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Choose Your Legends placement history

Round	Placement	Character	Votes

CYL 1 (2017)	408	Hardin Shadow Dragon & the Blade of Light /Shadow Dragon	352
	500	Hardin Mystery of the Emblem /New Mystery of the Emblem	228

CYL 2 (2018)	305 (−103)	Hardin Shadow Dragon & the Blade of Light /Shadow Dragon	701
	353 (−147)	Hardin Mystery of the Emblem /New Mystery of the Emblem	535

CYL 3 (2019)	301 (+6)	Hardin Shadow Dragon & the Blade of Light /Shadow Dragon	714 (+13)
	446 (+103)	Hardin Mystery of the Emblem /New Mystery of the Emblem	306 (−229)

CYL 4 (2020)

288 (+39)

Hardin Mystery of the Emblem /New Mystery of the Emblem Shadow Dragon & the Blade of Light /Shadow Dragon

516 (−504)

CYL 5 (2021)

292 (+4)

Hardin Shadow Dragon & the Blade of Light /Shadow Dragon Mystery of the Emblem /New Mystery of the Emblem

326 (−190)

CYL 6 (2022)

224 (−69)

Hardin Shadow Dragon & the Blade of Light /Shadow Dragon Mystery of the Emblem /New Mystery of the Emblem

454 (+128)

CYL 7 (2023)

547 (+323)

Hardin Shadow Dragon & the Blade of Light /Shadow Dragon Mystery of the Emblem /New Mystery of the Emblem

80 (−374)

CYL 8 (2024)

591 (+44)

Hardin Shadow Dragon & the Blade of Light /Shadow Dragon Mystery of the Emblem /New Mystery of the Emblem

70 (−10)

CYL 9 (2025)

541 (−50)

Hardin Shadow Dragon & the Blade of Light /Shadow Dragon Mystery of the Emblem /New Mystery of the Emblem

67 (−3)

CYL 10 (2026)

638 (+97)

Hardin Shadow Dragon & the Blade of Light /Shadow Dragon Mystery of the Emblem /New Mystery of the Emblem

32 (−35)

Total results		This character has 13 entries across all Choose Your Legends polls.	4,381

Trivia

• InShadow Dragon & the Blade of Light andShadow Dragon, the closing cutscene ofChapter 4 has an elder request Marth give aSilver Sword to Hardin. Unlike inShadow Dragon & the Blade of Light however, Hardin's initial swordweapon level inShadow Dragon is not high enough to allow him to wield it.
• Hardin ranked the most popular male character in a popularity poll forShadow Dragon & the Blade of Light's cast mentioned in theFire Emblem Encyclopedia guide by APE.^[15]

Etymology and other languages

Gallery

Sprite Gallery
Shadow Dragon & the Blade of Light Cavalier Paladin Sword Lance Javelin/Gradivus Sword Lance Javelin/Gradivus
Mystery of the Emblem Cavalier Paladin Knight Emperor Lance Lance Sword Sword (Promoted) Lance (Gradivus)
Archanea Saga Cavalier Knight
Shadow Dragon CavalierArcherMyrmidonMageCurateDracoknight Cavalier Paladin Sword Lance Sword Lance Archer Sniper Bow Bow Myrmidon Swordmaster Sword Sword Mage Sage Tome Tome,Staff Curate Bishop Staff Tome,Staff Dracoknight Lance Axe {{{content7}}} {{{content8}}} {{{content9}}} {{{content10}}} {{{content11}}} {{{content12}}} {{{content13}}} {{{content14}}} {{{content15}}}
New Mystery of the Emblem Emperor Cavalier Lance Sword Lance

Official artwork

• 
  Artwork of Hardin fromShadow Dragon & the Blade of Light.
• 
  Artwork of Hardin with other characters fromShadow Dragon & the Blade of Light.
• 
  Artwork of Hardin fromMystery of the Emblem.
• 
  Artwork of Hardin fromAPE'sMystery of the Emblem guide.
• 
  Artwork of Hardin and other characters fromAll of Fire Emblem.
• 
  Artwork of Hardin fromArchanea Saga.
• 
  Artwork of Hardin from theTrading Card Game.
• 
  Artwork of Hardin from theTrading Card Game.
• 
  Artwork of Hardin from theTrading Card Game.
• 
  Artwork of Hardin fromNew Mystery of the Emblem.
• 
  Artwork of Hardin fromNew Mystery of the Emblem.
• 
  Artwork of Hardin andGharnef fromNew Mystery of the Emblem.
• 
  Artwork of Hardin fromNew Mystery of the Emblem.
• 
  Artwork of Hardin,Marth, andNyna fromNew Mystery of the Emblem.
• 
  Artwork of Hardin, Marth, and Nyna fromNew Mystery of the Emblem.
• 
  Artwork of Nyna, Hardin andCamus from theMemorial Book Akaneia Chronicle.

CG images

• 
  CG image ofCamus, Hardin, andNyna inMystery of the Emblem.
• 
  CG image of Hardin and Nyna inMystery of the Emblem.
• 
  CG image of Hardin andMinerva inArchanea Saga.
• 
  CG image of Hardin inArchanea Saga.
• 
  CG image of Hardin inArchanea Saga.
• 
  CG image of Hardin and Nyna inArchanea Saga.
• 
  CG image of Hardin and Nyna inShadow Dragon.
• 
  CG image of Hardin and Nyna inNew Mystery of the Emblem.
• 
  CG image of Hardin and other characters inNew Mystery of the Emblem.
• 
  CG image of Hardin and Nyna inNew Mystery of the Emblem.
• 
  CG image of Hardin inNew Mystery of the Emblem.
• 
  CG image of Hardin andMarth inNew Mystery of the Emblem.
• 
  CG image of Hardin and Nyna inNew Mystery of the Emblem.
• 
  CG image of Hardin and Marth inNew Mystery of the Emblem.

Concept artwork

• 
  Concept artwork of Hardin fromNew Mystery of the Emblem.
• 
  Concept artwork of Hardin fromNew Mystery of the Emblem.

Heroes artwork

Character artwork

• 
  Artwork of Hardin: The Coyote.
• 
  Artwork of Hardin: The Coyote.
• 
  Artwork of Hardin: The Coyote.
• 
  Artwork of Hardin: The Coyote.
• 
  Artwork of Hardin: Dark Emperor.
• 
  Artwork of Hardin: Dark Emperor.
• 
  Artwork of Hardin: Dark Emperor.
• 
  Artwork of Hardin: Dark Emperor.

Meet some of the Heroes artwork

• 
  Artwork of Hardin: Dark Emperor.
• 
  Artwork of Hardin: Dark Emperor.
• 
  Artwork of Hardin: Dark Emperor.
• 
  Artwork of Hardin: Dark Emperor.
• 
  Artwork of Hardin: The Coyote.
• 
  Artwork of Hardin: The Coyote.
• 
  Artwork of Hardin: The Coyote.
• 
  Artwork of Hardin: The Coyote.
• 
  Hardin in artwork ofWolf: Coyote's Loyal.
• 
  Hardin in artwork ofSedgar: Coyote's Dutiful.
• 
  Hardin in artwork ofVyland: Coyote's Justice.
• 
  Hardin in artwork ofSheena: Princess of Gra.

Wallpapers

• 
  Image of aHeroes calendar's March 2018 page, featuring Hardin: Dark Emperor.

Other artwork

• 
  Artwork featuring Hardin forHeroes's fifth anniversary.
• 
  Artwork of Hardin forHeroes's sixth anniversary.
• 
  Artwork featuring Hardin forHeroes's seventh anniversary.

Cipher artwork

• 
  Artwork of Hardin.
• 
  Artwork of Hardin.
• 
  Artwork of Hardin.
• 
  Bonus artwork featuring Hardin.

Other appearances

• 
  Artwork of Hardin fromOne Hundred Songs of Heroes.

References

This article is part ofProject Characters, a project focused on writing articles for every character present in theFire Emblem series.