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These roles we play. I must admit I find it... wearying.
Rasler Heios Nabradia
Rasler Heios Nabradia (ラスラ・ヘイオス・ナブラディア, Rasura Heiosu Naburadia?) is a character from Final Fantasy XII. As the Prince of Nabradia he defends his homeland with all his might. His story is expanded upon in the Final Fantasy XII manga.
Profile
Appearance
Rasler is a young man with short, light blond hair and grey eyes. Rasler wears a white suit of armor with gold detailing, including a chest-plate, buckled boots and a neck piece. His suit includes a royal blue drape at the waist with fleur-de-lis details and a tasseled finish, and he keeps his sword in a scabbard on his hip. Rasler's final design remains virtually unchanged from early concept artwork.
Personality
Rasler is patriotic and passionate and would lay his life on the line for Nabradia. He has an unwavering—though perhaps unfounded—sense of hope that the situation can be rectified even at the worst of stages.
Story
Reading the Enemy
Rasler rejects the notion of marrying Ashe.
In the year 704 Old Valendia, the Kingdom of Nabradia and its neighboring kingdom, Dalmasca, sat amid the political tension between the Archadian Empire of the North and the Rozarrian Empire of the South. Fearing impending conflict, Rasler's father and King Raminas B'nargin Dalmasca arranged a marriage between their children to secure political allegiance and solidarity. The arrangement sparked controversy in both kingdoms, spurning the Neo-Rozarria Faction, which Rasler was all too aware of before his marriage.
Rasler hides Ashe from the Neo-Rozarrians behind a pillar.
As told in the manga version of Final Fantasy XII, Rasler traveled to the Royal Palace of Rabanastre alongside his army's general, Sir Forz, where—to the surprise of attendees—he claimed he could not marry Princess Ashelia. Rasler knew of the Neo-Rozarria movement's intentions and hoped that in refusing the marriage he would allow the Order of the Knights of Dalmasca and his own forces to seek out the underground faction before they had a chance to assassinate either Princess Ashe or her father. Ashe thought Rasler had rejected her and stormed away, embarrassed, into the arms of Marchioness Argas.
That night Rasler and Forz reconvened in the courtyard to discuss the plans of their stay. Unbeknown to both Ashe overheard the conversation and followed Forz into a closed-off area of the palace, to the location of a Neo-Rozarria meeting, where she heard of their plan to assassinate King Raminas in his bed chambers. Ashe assumed Rasler headed the conspiracy due to Forz's actions. Shocked, she fell and knocked over some boxes drawing the attention of the faction members. Before they could find her, Rasler grabbed Ashe and hid her behind a pillar until they retreated. Ashe jumped from his grip, disgusted at his duplicity, and lost her footing and fell through a weak flooring. Rasler jumped after her down into the Garamsythe Waterway.
Ashe tended to Rasler's wound after learning he was not a member of the rebellion. Since his wound smarted Ashe took Rasler's sword and led them out of the Waterways back to the palace in time to intervene the faction's assassination attempt. The leader of the Neo-Rozarria movement was Argas much to Ashe's despair, but their plan was foiled by the Order of the Knights of Dalmasca led by captain Basch fon Ronsenburg.
When Ashe realized Sir Forz was Rasler's spy placed within the faction and the Order knew of the plan she was embarrassed to have been left in the dark. Rasler revealed the passion and strength she had shown that night had affirmed his love for her. The marriage ceremony was slightly delayed but arranged nonetheless.
Final Fantasy XII
Rasler and his bride.
Despite their marriage being arranged for political reasons the two came to love each other. The ceremony was a grand occasion throughout the Royal City of Rabanastre proceeding from a lavish city parade to the cathedral to be wed. Their marital bliss was short-lived, as the Archadian invasion had been realized and Rasler was forced to leave his new bride to stand alongside King Raminas in Dalmasca's strategy planning.
The council of war meeting was interrupted by Captain Basch fon Ronsenburg bringing news of the destruction of Nabudis. Rasler asked for news of his father, but Basch did not know what had happened to him. An adviser worried that with Nabudis fallen it was only a matter of time before the Archadian forces reached Dalmasca's borders. Raminas ordered Basch to secure Nalbina Fortress with haste and insisted accompany Basch and the Order for the sake of his homeland. After a short yet emotional ceremony in which Raminas implores Galtea to watch over Rasler the Dalmascan forces marched eastward.
During the battle Basch tried to escort Rasler to safety, but the Prince would not be moved as long as hope remained. When Imperial troops slaughtered the high priests the light of the city's paling was extinguished and, overcome with rage, Rasler charged the enemy. Seated high on his chocobo steed he targeted by an Archadian archer who pierced his neck with an arrow. Basch caught the prince as he fell and signaled a retreat, but Rasler died before he could reach Rabanastre, leaving the Midlight Shard heirless. His funeral was held in Rabanastre cathedral, overseen by his widow in mourning gown.
The manga adaptation gives more details with Rasler promising to return to Ashe safely before leaving with Basch. During the battle of Nalbina Fortress he faced Judge Magister Bergan after the Imperial insulted his dead father distracting him from protecting the paling. After being fatally shot by the arrow, Rasler died with his last thoughts on Ashe.
Ashe sees Rasler's "ghost" in Nabreus Deadlands.
Rasler's spirit guides Ashe on her journey to reclaim her throne and defeat the Archadian Empire, or so she initially believes. Whenever Ashe finds an ancient relic of the Dynast King, she sees an apparition of Rasler, encouraging her to take the relic, and strike at the Archadian Empire. In Feywood Rasler's apparition quells a storm of Mist, allowing Ashe approach the Giruvegan. After learning that the Occuria have chosen Ashe as their new Dynast King, Ashe realizes the Rasler she is seeing is an illusion; the Rasler she knew and loved would never have wished for her to partake in base revenge. Atop the Pharos she lashes out at the spirit, knowing it to be an Occurian illusion sent to manipulate her, and the spirit dissipates into Mist.
Voice
In the Japanese version, he is voiced by Yasyuki Kase. In the English version, he is voiced by Andrew Philpot.
Musical themes
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When Ashe witnesses a vision of Rasler's "ghost" the theme "The Princess' Vision" (王女の幻影, Ōjo no genei?) plays.
Other appearances
Final Fantasy Trading Card Game
Rasler appears in the Final Fantasy Trading Card Game published by Square Enix in Japan.
Other media
Games
An avatar dressed as Rasler from the Square-Enix Members Virtual World.
Users in Square Enix Members Virtual World community can make their character appear as Rasler. Rasler's hair costs 100 crystals and his clothes cost 500 crystals.
Gallery
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Trivia
- Rasler's sprite is unlocked in the Sky Pirate's Den after completing every character's License Board, including Espers, earning the player the title of Conqueror.
- Rasler may be named after Prince Ralse, a character from The Dream Oath of Final Fantasy VI who was the prince of the eastern lands. Similarly, Nabradia is in eastern Ivalice.
- Though he is not a playable character he is the first character to appear in the opening credits.
- There is a dummied weapon in the game called the Hero's Blade, which may be Rasler's sword. It appears in Ashe's promotional poster as the sword she is wielding, and in the in-game cutscene where King Raminas gives the sword to Rasler.
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