>>54406922Well, I like Red, but I'll try to explain why I think he's consistently placed at the top or around it as objectively as I can. I'm also not really trying to convince you, this is just a character trope I like. This is a phenomenon that is unique to first MCs of a long running franchise and it happens in both the East and West. Red belongs to the trope of the first being one of, if not the, best/strongest character. I dont know what the actual term for it is off the top of my head, but GF has followed it pretty close. For example, Marth is the most similar character who comes to mind. Since Marth, most FE protags have had the red and blue color scheme, have had a signature sword or other weapon, and other aspects from his character and story have carried over. Marth was also the most story-involved past MC in FEE and was the only past MC to feature on the cover. He also faces the same disdain from the FE fanbase for being overrated. Unlike Red, however, he's not really the physically/magically strongest Lord, or the most popular, but as of FEE he's supposedly the best general because the climax of the plot happens when Alear decides to ignore his advice. Red is positioned as the strongest in most pokemon media because he's the original self insert for the franchise. However, I would argue that he's simply "among the strongest" in the games themselves. Canonically, he lost to the MCs of GS, BW2, SM, and USUM. (I was going to post the gif of Red vs Ethan from the Gotcha video but apparently I don't actually have it saved) 1/2
