Flik

Flik (フリック, Furikku) is a supporting character in Suikoden and Suikoden II who also makes a cameo in Genso Suikogaiden Volume 1. Flik is a wandering swordsman and mercenary by trade who joined the Toran Liberation Army after falling in love with Odessa Silverberg.

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

- Flik

Flik is a wandering swordsman by trade who joined the Toran Liberation Army under the command of Odessa Silverberg. Born and raised in Warriors' Village, Flik left the village on his Trial of Manhood but did not name his sword, nor did he return; instead, he became a mercenary. After a number of years working as a mercenary, Flik saved Odessa Silverberg's from some Scarlet Moon Empire soldiers; enraptured, he quickly joined her cause. Flik rose through the ranks of the Toran Liberation Army, eventually becoming Vice-Commander of the Toran Liberation Army.

When the hideout at Lenankamp was attacked, Flik fled to the west, heading toward Milich Oppenheimer's domain. In Kunan, Flik tried to round up the scattered former soldiers of the Toran Liberation Army, when a sudden crackdown on rebel factions within the area saw many of these former soldiers captured. After hearing of a revived Toran Liberation Army at Toran Castle, Flik mustered his remaining troops and headed for Toran Castle.

Once he and his men had arrived, Flik asked to see Odessa, wondering why she had not come to greet him. Upon hearing of Odessa's death, Flik was overcome with grief, finding it unbelievable that the Toran Liberation Army had rallied under Tir McDohl's leadership. Storming out of Toran Castle, Flik declared his reasons for coming were only to be shared with Odessa and that he was going to return to Kaku.

Viktor and Tir McDohl travelled to Kaku in an attempt to convince Flik to join the Toran Liberation Army once more. A calmer Flick received them, and Flik chided himself for not living up to Odessa's ideal of a leader and claimed that he been so angry upon hearing of her death that he had forgotten why he had come. Though he could not accept Tir as a leader quite yet, he and Tir agreed to join forces to help rescue their comrades who had been captured by Milich.

However, Flik's hotheadedness led the Toran Liberation Army to a dismal defeat at Scarleticia Castle, as, following the Toran Liberation Army's victory seizing the Fortress of Garan in the Battle at Fortress of Garan, Flik urged that the Toran Liberation Army continue forward, against the advice of Mathiu Silverberg. Quickly defeated by Milich Oppenheimer's poisonous flowers, the Toran Liberation Army was forced to withdraw. In order to gain an antidote, the Toran Liberation Army needed to rescue Liukan, who had been imprisoned in Soniere Prison by Milich. To secure access to Soniere Prison, Flik and Tir McDohl traveled to Antei in order to gain the aid of the counterfeiter Kimberly. Kimberly agreed to counterfeit orders from Milich for the Toran Liberation Army, but only if she could spend a dinner with Flik. Flik attempted to refuse her advances, but Viktor told Kimberly she could do what she wanted with Flik, forcing Flik into dining with Kimberly. Kimberly offered Flik a second dinner upon his return to Toran Castle, but Flik quickly shot her down.

During the Gate Rune War, Flik gradually came to accept Tir as a leader. Following the death of Gremio, Flik told Tir that he had begun to see what Odessa had seen in Tir and told him that he should strive to live up to Odessa and Gremio's expectations. When Tir McDohl made the decision to pardon Milich Oppenheimer for his role in Gremio's death, Flik backed Tir, telling Viktor that Tir was the leader and that they would have to listen to his orders.

Odessa remained on Flik's thoughts throughout the war. Prior to the Battle at Floating Fortress Shasarazade, Sanchez found Flik thinking about Odessa and offered him good tea to help him sleep. Following the Toran Liberation Army's victory in taking Shasarazade, Sanchez revealed himself as a spy and stabbed Mathiu Silverberg. Flik quickly cornered Sanchez, and asked him if he was to blame for Odessa's death. When Sanchez confirmed that he had been indirectly responsible, Flik became even more furious at him, and claimed that Sanchez had no right to use her name. Flik prepared to execute Sanchez immediately, but was prevented in doing so by Mathiu Silverberg, who asked Flik to delay punishment so as to not harm the Toran Liberation Army's morale.

Following the Toran Liberation Army's success in the last battle, Flik requested that he be part of the party that would infiltrate Gregminster castle, claiming that he wanted to gain revenge for Odessa's death with his own hands. Flik was a witness to Emperor Barbarosa Rugner's leap from the Floating Garden of Gregminster Palace with Windy in his arms, and claimed that this was the end of the Scarlet Moon Empire. As the Toran Liberation Army left Gregminster Castle, Flik stayed behind in order to protect Tir from Scarlet Moon Empire troops eager to avenge Barbarosa, telling Tir that Odessa had chosen him to rebuild the country, and that Odessa would be furious should Flik fail to protect him.

Following the end of the Toran Liberation War, Flik simply disappeared, not seen since the defeat of Barbarosa.

Personality and Traits
Physically, Flik was said to be a handsome man, a trait that got him in trouble at times, such as when Kimberly demanded to have a dinner date with him.

Flik was deeply in love with Odessa Silverberg. Odessa appreciated Flik's kindness towards her, and in her last words, Odessa asked Tir McDohl and Viktor to tell Flik, should they see him again, that Flik's kindness always saw her through hard times. Despite their love, Odessa did not feel that Flik behaved like a leader should, and told him that it was about time that he began doing so. Highly protective of Odessa, he did not wish that she go to Sarady to deliver the Fire Spear without him.

When Flik learned of Odessa' death, he took the news of her death extremely hard, going 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. Flik decided that he would have to become a better man before he met Odessa in the afterlife. He also felt that he would need to protect Tir McDohl and do his best to help him make Odessa's dream a reality. 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 of Shasarazade, he was still up late into the night thinking of Odessa.

Flik had a somewhat rocky relationship with Tir; unwilling to accept him into the Toran Liberation Army at first, Flik could not understand why Odessa trusted Tir on important assignments. When Flik learned that Tir had followed Odessa as leader, he became furious, unable to believe that a kid like Tir could ever live up to Odessa. Even after coming out of the shock brought on by Odessa's death, Flik was unable to accept Tir as leader of the Toran Liberation Army, but asked to form an alliance with him , to which Tir quickly agreed. After joining forces, Flik began to notice the traits Odessa had seen in Tir. When Tir pardoned Milich Oppenheimer for his role in the death of Gremio, Flik fully accepted Tir as a leader and even stuck up for him, saying that it was the leader's decision. Flik became quite protective of Tir, joining him on missions and even taking an arrow for him in Gregminster Castle.

During the Toran Liberation War, Flik was somewhat immature and hotheaded. However, Sanchez claimed that that immaturity was something that both he and Odessa had loved about Flik, as he was also a very honest person. Sanchez claimed that these traits were why Odessa loved Flik.

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 in the battle of the Fortress of Garan without doing any reconnaissance. Despite this, Flik matured during the war. He gradually grew more tactical, such as when he advised Tir that they bring Liukan to the Dragon's Den, in order to make Joshua Levenheit more likely to commit to an alliance. Flik was also resourceful, and was the person who suggested that the Fire Spear be used in order to defeat Teo McDohl's Armored Cavalry.

Flik remained close with the members of the original Toran Liberation Army, striking up a friendly bond with several of them. Viktor and Flik were often paired together on missions during the war, and both stayed behind in order to protect Tir, Viktor saying the two could now fight to their hearts content, while Flik claimed that it was too bad that he had to fight with Viktor. Flik also stood up for the more taciturn Humphrey, explaining to Mathiu Silverberg that Humphrey's silence was nothing to worry about and he could simply be a little friendlier to others. Sanchez helped to console Flik following Odessa's death, giving Flik good tea to help him sleep. Despite this friendship, however, Flik did not show any mercy after Sanchez revealed himself to be a spy, and was ready to take Sanchez's head ; Flik would have executed Sanchez immediately had Mathiu not asked him to stay the execution. Flik also gradually opened up to new members of the Toran Liberation Army as well, even promising Futch that he would teach him how to use a sword.

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.