If you spend more than five minutes in the Fire Emblem or Smash Bros. subreddits, you’ll see it. A stray comment about the "worst lord in the series" or a meme about "barefoot dragon babies." Most of the time, that vitriol is aimed squarely at Corrin.
The protagonist of Fire Emblem Fates has become a sort of lightning rod for everything fans find frustrating about modern Nintendo. It’s not just one thing. It’s a messy cocktail of bad timing, questionable writing, and the feeling that a character was being shoved down the collective throat of the gaming community. Honestly, it’s kinda fascinating how one character can trigger such a specific brand of exhaustion.
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But why is Corrin hated so much more than, say, Robin or Byleth? You’ve got to look at the context of 2016 to really get it.
The Smash Bros. Ad Campaign
Let’s be real: Corrin's introduction to the world was basically a commercial.
Back in the Super Smash Bros. for Wii U/3DS days, the "Smash Ballot" was the big thing. Fans were voting for Ridley, King K. Rool, and Banjo-Kazooie. Then, in the middle of that hype, Nintendo announced Corrin as DLC. At that point, Fire Emblem Fates wasn't even out in the West.
People felt cheated. You’ve got this character from a game nobody outside of Japan had played yet, taking up a slot that could have gone to a legacy icon. It felt like a corporate mandate rather than a celebration of gaming history. Even Masahiro Sakurai, the series creator, admitted there were a lot of Fire Emblem characters already.
Adding "another anime swordsman" was the straw that broke the camel's back. It didn't matter that Corrin’s moveset—with the dragon-lunge and the chainsaw sword—was actually pretty unique. The optics were terrible. You basically had a stranger crashing a party where everyone else had to earn their invite.
A Hero Without a Backbone
When Fates finally launched, the hate didn't die down; it just changed flavor.
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Corrin is a "player avatar," but they don't act like one. In Awakening, Robin felt like a competent tactician. Corrin, on the other hand, often feels like a naive kid who keeps making the same mistakes for 40 hours.
The biggest issue is the "Corrin Worship." In the writing world, we call this a "Mary Sue" or "Gary Stu" problem. Every single character in the game—from your adopted siblings to the enemies you’re actively fighting—constantly talks about how special, kind, and amazing Corrin is.
- The Conquest Route: This is where it gets really bad. Corrin chooses to stay with the "evil" kingdom of Nohr to change it from within. Sounds cool, right? Except they end up following orders from a King who is clearly a literal monster. Corrin spends half the game crying about having to kill people, but then does it anyway because they’re too "pure" to actually rebel.
- The Revelations Route: Here, the story basically breaks itself to make Corrin right. Characters like Ryoma and Xander—who are supposed to be legendary leaders—suddenly act like they can't tie their shoes without Corrin’s permission.
It’s frustrating to play as someone who is constantly rewarded for being indecisive or flat-out wrong. Fans value "Lord" characters like Ike or Sigurd who have strong convictions. Corrin feels like they’re drifting through their own story, carried by the plot rather than driving it.
The Problem With Being "Everyone's Best Friend"
There’s a weird psychological thing that happens with Corrin. Because they are an avatar, the game tries to make them a blank slate you can project onto. But because they have such a specific, whiny personality, that projection fails.
You end up in this "uncanny valley" of characterization. They have enough personality to be annoying, but not enough to be compelling.
Why Female Corrin Gets a Pass
It’s an open secret in the community: Female Corrin is generally liked way more than Male Corrin. Why? Well, part of it is the design. Her aesthetic is striking, and for some reason, the "naive, sheltered royal" trope often goes down easier with a female lead in JRPGs.
Male Corrin, however, often gets the "whiny protagonist" label. It’s a double standard, sure, but it’s a big part of the discourse. If you see someone defending Corrin, they are almost always talking about the female version.
The Legacy of Fates
Ultimately, the hate for Corrin is often just a proxy for the hate for Fire Emblem Fates as a whole. The game was split into three separate $40 purchases, which felt like a cash grab. The story was written by a professional manga author, Shin Kibayashi, but the implementation in-game was messy and full of plot holes.
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Corrin is the face of that mess. They are the center of a world that doesn't make much sense, where everyone loves them for no reason, and where you had to pay $80+ to see the "true" ending.
Moving Past the Hate
So, is Corrin actually a "bad" character?
Sorta. But it’s complicated. If you look at Corrin in Fire Emblem Engage or Fire Emblem Heroes, they’re actually pretty charming. Stripped of the baggage of the Fates plot, Corrin is just a kind-hearted dragon person who wants everyone to get along.
If you're looking to actually enjoy Corrin, stop focusing on the main story of Fates. Look at the Support Conversations instead. That’s where you see the actual personality—the Corrin who is a bit of a dork, who loves their family, and who struggles with their identity.
Next Steps for Players:
If you want to understand the "Corrin Phenomenon" without the salt, try playing the Conquest route on Hard mode. Forget the story. The gameplay is some of the best in the entire series. When you’re focused on the brutal strategy, you won't care as much that the main character is making questionable life choices. You'll just be happy they have high stats.