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The Cold Steel saga of JRPGs — developed by the developer Falcom during the past ten years — was an ambitious project, given the number of characters and storylines involved. It required the studio a quintet of games to fully develop these characters. The character Emma's narrative journey is revealed in parallel with Cold Steel’s central narrative, but it's via the gradual evolution in her powers that we truly grasp the depth of her emotional journey.

Heads-up: The following content features minor spoilers for the main storyline of the Trails of Cold Steel games.

In Legend of Heroes: Cold Steel, Emma Millstein is a typical teenager, like the other members of the academy's her class. As the representative, she's friendly to all and aims to avoid any conflicts between her fellow students. Even though Emma takes her student life with great dedication, she has a secret identity. She's actually a witch, a member of the Clan of Witches. Attending the academy is one step in her real mission of guiding Rean, the key individual of Class VII, who is fated to unleash a Divine Knight.

In each Trails series title, nearly all party members have at least one ultimate ability, a powerful move that demands you to have a minimum amount of Craft Points to execute. These ultimate abilities are intended to be your key advantage in each battle. S-Crafts are furthermore a method for the game to narrate the evolution protagonists are going through. They can represent the advancement of a persona's combat prowess, like the protagonist's S-Craft the skill Breaking Dawn in Trails of Cold Steel IV, which he acquires after reaching the rank of Divine Blade. In some situations, like the witch Emma's, Falcom employs ultimate abilities to convey the personal growth a character experiences.

When the great war in the nation of Erebonia erupts in the first game, Emma Millstein's reaction to the events is the inexperienced but understandable belief that combat means striking. The struggle spills over to the second game in the saga, where the two special abilities she possesses are Lord Albireon and her second S-Craft. Both are attack-oriented moves that affect every opponents on the field.

After we have the opportunity to see Emma again again in Trails of Cold Steel III, we see a different young woman. She has graduated from Thors Military Academy, and after training with her witch community, the protagonist appears to have grasped an important revelation about herself. Even though she grows into a formidable spellcaster, the character comprehends that, primarily, she’s a protector. She’s prepared to sacrifice herself to ensure everyone — but especially Rean — out of harm's way. Her goal to take on this role is subtly indicated by her special ability, which in Trails of Cold Steel III transforms into Eregion.

When you use the ultimate ability Emma's new skill, Emma summons four semi-transparent arcane structures, and magical walls appear linking them and surrounding the field of battle. The characters affected by this technique receive one or two stacks of Absolute Reflect, a effect that blocks harm of every form. She had never been a aggressive character, so she moves to a protective style, reflecting the nurturing look she had invariably demonstrated to her friends.

It’s fascinating to witness how Nihon Falcom utilizes a character’s skill set to enrich the game’s plot. JRPGs frequently use storytelling or graphics to inform players what a protagonist is feeling. But Emma demonstrates that right down to a skill can provide another layer of meaning.