Trails Into Reverie: Who Is C?

Trails Into Reverie sees to the conclusion of the first half of the Trails series, ending in a culmination of heroes banding together from Liberl, Crossbell, and Erebonia. They toppled Giliath Osborne, the Blood & Iron Chancellor, at the conclusion of Trails of Cold Steel 4. As the curtain rises on the massive cast of protagonists, the story begins on an auspicious day in Crossbell: The day the people of the city sign their independence.

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Broadcast across Zemuria and witnessed by many, the day takes a tragic turn when Rufus Albarea, war criminal turned escaped prisoner, and the Ebon Defense Force seizes control of the ceremony and disposes of the Special Support Section. The tone is set early for Trails Into Reverie, with Lloyd facing defeat and a mysterious masked man named C reviving the Imperial Liberation Front, a terrorist organization thought long defunct.

Who Is C?

The burning question begs to be answered, but it is not until the end of the first act that the terrorist’s true identity is revealed. After sending a broadcast to Rean Schwarzer, instructor of Class VII of the Thors Military Academy and hero of the Two Day War, C declares his intent to rid the empire of the ‘muck and mire’ of corruption and provides Rean with a location to where he intends to do so. Along with his newly recruited mercenaries in Swin and Nadia, and a world-class artificially intelligent doll named Lapis, C heads toward his confrontation with Rean.

Trails Into Reverie Spoilers Below!

Of course, as Rean races to find C, he and the others are filled with their own doubts. The original C, main antagonist of the first Trails of Cold Steel, was none other than their friend, Crow, a current ally. Lloyd Bannings, too, a detective of the Crossbell Police Department and leader of the SSS, has his doubts and questions regarding C’s true identity. As both Rean and Lloyd rush to confront C and liberate Crossbell from Rufus Albarea, the truth soon is revealed.

Thanks to a bit of luck and the help of Heimdallr soldiers, Rean and his allies are able to catch up with C before he and the ILF are able to make their timely escape. A brief scuffle ensues before the mask of C is knocked free while he attempts to mount the airship set to take him to his next destination. Much to the surprise of Rean and all of his allies, the man behind the mask turned out to be Rufus Albarea himself.

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What Is C’s Goal?

But how was that possible? He could not possibly be in two locations at once, and he was identified as being present in Crossbell the same day. The truth is that Rufus Albarea wants to stop his doppelganger in Crossbell in an attempt to right the wrongs of his past self and father figure, Giliath Osborne. C, or Rufus Albarea, has one of three routes in Trails Into Reverie, where his story and character are completely examined.

In fact, Rufus’ arc in Trails Into Reverie is an incredible character study and provides some of the most insightful and meaningful character growth for a fictional character since, perhaps, Final Fantasy 8. The game is a treat to experience, and the revelation of just who C is makes the game all the more intriguing.

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