Flik

Flik (フリック, Furikku) is a character in Suikoden and Suikoden II who also makes a cameo in Gensosuikogaiden Volume 1. Flik is a mercenary who joined the Toran Liberation Army and the New State Army.

Rebel Soldier
"In the name of my sword Odessa, I won't let you pass!"

- Flik

Flik is a wandering swordsman. Born and raised in Warriors' Village, Flik left the village on his Trial of Manhood and eventually became a mercenary. After a number of years working as a mercenary, Flik saved Odessa Silverberg from some Scarlet Moon Empire soldiers; enraptured, he quickly joined her cause and eventually became Vice-Commander of the Toran Liberation Army.

As a swordsman, he gained the title "Blue Lightning Flik" due to his blue clothing and sharp swordsmanship. Over time, he and Odessa would fall in love with one another and become a couple all while Flik continued to serve as a soldier in the fledgling Liberation Army.

When the hideout at Lenankamp was attacked, Flik fled to Kunan. Flik tried to round up the scattered former soldiers of the Toran Liberation Army, but when there was a sudden crackdown on rebel factions within the area, many of these former soldiers were captured. After hearing of a revived Toran Liberation Army at Toran Castle, Flik mustered his remaining troops and headed there.

Once he arrived, Flik heard of Odessa's death and was overcome with grief. Flik was unable to accept McDohl as the leader of the Toran Liberation Army but after calming down and realising how his reaction would have disappointed Odessa, agreed to join forces to help rescue their comrades who had been captured. Flik's hotheadedness remained an issue as he led the Toran Liberation Army to a dismal defeat at Scarleticia Castle.

However, Flik gradually came to mature and accept McDohl as a leader. When McDohl made the unpopular decision to pardon Milich Oppenheimer, Flik supported him and accepted him as the true leader of the Liberation Army. From that moment on, Flik would fight as a productive, invaluable member of the rebel forces.

Following the Toran Liberation Army's success in the last battle, Flik requested that he be part of the party that would infiltrate Gregminster Palace, in order to gain revenge for Odessa's death with his own hands and choose to stay behind in the palace in order to protect McDohl from Scarlet Moon Empire troops eager to avenge Barbarosa Rugner. Confronting hordes of Imperial soldiers, Flik declared he could not die until he could meet Odessa again as a better man.

Following the end of the Toran Liberation War, Flik disappeared. Despite being missing, however, none of the Liberation Army doubted his survival.

Dunan Mercenary
After the end of the Gate Rune War, Flik and Viktor travelled to the City-State of Jowston. Although their personalities often clashed, they both relied heavily on the other and had a bond forged through battle and their experiences as part of the Toran Liberation Army. In the City-State, they were hired by Anabelle, Mayor of Muse City to form a mercenary company.

Once the Dunan Unification War broke out, the mercenary army was charged with the defense of Muse City. Flik would begrudgingly accept the help of a youth he had found in the river after jumping from Tenzan Pass. Although Flik initially viewed the hero as a youth to be protected, he would grow to realise his talents and the two would become equal partners in the fight against the Highland Kingdom.

As the war would continue and the hero would ascend to lead the New State Army, Flik saw Odessa's ambitions for peace in the hero just as he had previously seen McDohl inherit her ambitions some years before. This is what inspired Flik to continue fighting for the New State Army until the very end.

Once the Dunan Unification War came to a close, it seemed like Flik could have taken up a key position in the new Dunan Republic. Instead, like he did three years prior, Flik would leave the country he helped create and would continue on a journey with Viktor.

Personality and Traits
Though Flik grew up in Warriors' Village and followed some of their traditions, such as the naming of his sword, he did not frequently return to the village and was not considered to have completed his trial of manhood.

Physically, Flik was said to be a handsome man, a trait that got him unwanted attention from women at times, including with Kimberly, Rina, and Nina.

Flik was deeply in love with Odessa Silverberg. When Flik learned of Odessa's death, he went into a state of shock. He felt a great deal of guilt that he had not become the leader that he felt Odessa had wanted him to be and decided that he would have to become a better man before he met Odessa in the afterlife. Odessa remained on Flik's mind throughout much of the Toran Liberation War. Despite her death, he considered himself unavailable, and even late into the night prior to the Battle at Floating Fortress Shasarazade, he was still up late into the night thinking of Odessa.

Flik had a somewhat rocky relationship with McDohl; unwilling to accept him into the Toran Liberation Army at first, Flik could not understand why Odessa trusted McDohl on important assignments. After joining forces, Flik began to notice the traits Odessa had seen in McDohl. Flik became quite protective of McDohl, joining him on missions and even taking an arrow for him in Gregminster Palace.

During much of the Toran Liberation War, Flik was immature and hotheaded. Sanchez claimed that that immaturity was something that both he and Odessa had loved about Flik, as he was also a very honest person.

Due to his immaturity and rashness, Flik made some careless decisions, such as his ordering all troops to advance to Scarleticia Castle following the Toran Liberation Army's victory at the Fortress of Garan without doing any reconnaissance. Flik became more mature during the war. He gradually grew more tactical, such as when he advised McDohl that they bring Liukan to the Dragon's Den, in order to make Joshua Levenheit more likely to commit to an alliance.

Trivia

 * In the English version of Suikoden, Flik is forced to spend an evening drinking tea with Kimberly, but in the Japanese version, the two spend the evening consuming sake.
 * Similarly, Sanchez offers Flik tea in the English version, but in the Japanese version, Sanchez offers Flik good wine.
 * He is known as Blue Lightning Flik due to a combination of his outfit, skill and speed with a sword and his use of a Lightning Rune.