"I'm just not sure where to start... except to begin with an apology. My excessive measures frightened you all... And I implemented them because of my own insecurity. I was anxious about whether or not I could keep ye safe. So I turned to surveillance and barriers... No more. We'll keep some of our armed forced, but what I really need for security is to have faith in you all."
Elphas Maxim Bardon is a character in Metaphor: ReFantazio. He is the captain of the guard corps in Martira. He is clumsy, but earnest, and is one of the protagonist's followers.
Personality[]
Bardon is the captain of the guardsmen in Martira and later became its governor after the death of Sanctoress Joanna. He is a genuine and earnest man with good intentions, though his awkward and clumsy behavior coupled with his imposing looks sometimes leads to misunderstandings. Because of his imposing stature and stern features, children are often frightened of Bardon, which saddens him, as he actually loves children. He reveals to the protagonist that he once had a wife and child, but his dedication to the town often led him to neglect his family life, feeling it was his duty to prioritize Martira’s safety. This commitment kept him away on long missions, and one day he returned home to find that his wife had taken their child and left him. His misplaced trust in people like Joanna, Morris and Gastreaux has left him with doubts about his ability to read and judge people's character accurately.
He has a flawed understanding of the game hide-and-seek, believing it to be a hunting game where if the "prey" screams in fear, it means that they're playing the game correctly.
Story[]
He first meets the protagonist and their team when he hires them to find and capture Heismay, who he believes to be a kidnapper responsible for the disappearance of town's children. In actuality, the kidnappers wasn’t Heismay at all; instead, it was his fellow guardsman, Morris, and several other guards who were abducting the children to feed a creature known as Homo Jaluzo. Additionally, the party has reported to him that Sanctoress Joanna Calendula was the actual culprit who has ordered the kidnappings, having been slain the human personally. During the tournament's monster head exhibit, he and Heismay bring Joanna to be executed by Forden.
After Joanna's execution, Bardon is recommended as her successor, with full support from the townsfolk, though he initially believes that a clergyman named Gastreaux might be more suitable. However, in his efforts to protect the villagers and ease their fears of the ever present human threat, Bardon becomes overly vigilant, turning Martira into a surveillance state with guards stationed throughout the town, and tall fortified walls and barriers surrounding it, creating an atmosphere that leaves the townsfolk feeling suffocated, as though their town has become a prison. Eventually, the townsfolk hold a vote and elect Gastreaux as the new governor. Feeling unappreciated and bitter at what he sees as a betrayal by the very people who suggested he become mayor in the first place, Bardon decides to leave.
Before he can depart, however, Bardon learns that the Greatworm Homo Butera has arrived to attack the town. Despite feeling rejected by the townsfolk, he chooses to stay and fight the sandworm alongside the protagonist, believing that his duty to Martira outweighs his personal disappointment. When the townsfolk learns of Bardon's bravery, and see Gastreaux downplay the danger and attempt to rely on the very safety measures Bardon had put in place, they reinstate Bardon as governor. Even Gastreaux acknowledges that this is for the best.
Appearances[]
- Metaphor: ReFantazio: Supporting Character; Follower (Commander Archetype)
Gallery[]
