HagenWP (ハーゲンWP, Hāgen?) is known as the killer of Siegfried in the Nibelungenlied.
Profile[]
Background[]
Due to Siegfried's nature as someone who did as he was asked without question, he was involved in the dilemma between his brother-in-law, King Gunther, and the woman Gunther desired, Brunnhilde. As the various circumstances came to a head, Siegfried was left with no choice but to die to stop conflict between Brünnhilde and his own wife, Kriemhild. He exclaimed to his friend Hagen, “Ah, the situation is beyond my control. Hagen, I am invincible and so have never once been wounded by you. But even so, if I don’t have you kill me…”
Hagen kills his best friend.
Hagen sought to grant Siegfried's wish, having formulated a plan to slay him after having tenaciously searched for Siegfried's weak point. Though he knew it was a cowardly act, Hagen aimed for Siegfried's back as he drank water from a stream, Siegfried himself not resisting the blow. He died as a "tragic hero who received a sneak attack due to trickery." Hagen became known as "a rare villain who had killed the hero through foul play." The situation after did not go as Siegfried planned, his wife later causing many to die in her revenge plot.[1]
Siegfried's wife Kriemhild began a years-long campaign of vengeance in retaliation for Siegfried's death. One of her attempts to kill Gunther and Hagen was setting them and their soldiers on fire. However thanks to Hagen the attempt was a failure and the men suffered only minor casualties.[2]
After over 20 years of hatred, Kriemhild finally managed to corner Hagen. When Kriemhild confronted him, Hagen revealed to her that it had been Siegfried's idea in the first place. After realizing that her vengeance had all been for nothing, Kriemhild cut Hagen's head off using Balmung.[3][2] Because she used Siegfried's sword the people claimed that in a way Siegfried had gotten revenge for his murder. However, it is certain that Siegfried and Hagen had been friends that had shared their wine and dreams.[1]
Appearance[]
He has pointed ears like an elf, which none of the other depicted characters from Siegfried's past do. An explanation is never given, but this may refer to his origins as a half-elf as described in the Þiðreks sagaWP.
Personality[]
Hagen was happy when he could drink and joke with Siegfried. Siegfried asking Hagen to kill him truly hurt his heart, even though Hagen also knew he was the only one Siegfried could trust to do so. He was frustrated by Siegfried neglecting his own life and desires in favor of always helping others, and angry at Siegfried for hurting his loved ones by choosing to die.[4]
Role[]
Fate/Grand Order[]
Hagen appears in Siegfried's second Interlude. Das Rheingold, Siegfried's Noble Phantasm, is summoned into a Singularity after the final defeat of Fafnir. Due to Hagen's connection with the treasure, having obtained it after killing Siegfried, he is summoned into the world. He claims that it is his treasure, insulting Siegfried and Kriemhild, and battling Siegfried and his Master, Ritsuka Fujimaru. He reveals after the battle that he was simply venting his anger at Siegfried's end and how he hurt his loved ones by dying, not having actually cared about the treasure.[4]
Fate/Apocrypha[]
Hagen appears in flashbacks to Siegfried's life.
Abilities[]
Development[]
Although his design wasn't seen until the anime adaptation, Hagen was designed by Fate/Apocrypha novel illustrator Ototsugu Konoe.[5]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Fate/Apocrypha Volume 2: Round Dance of Black / Festival of Red - Chapter 3
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Fate/Grand Order - Kriemhild Profile - Translated by Lapithae
- ↑ Fate/Grand Order material I - Siegfried, p.052-061, translated by Mazyrian & GundamFSN at Beast's Lair.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Fate/Grand Order - Siegfried's Interlude: "In Search of Das Rheingold"
- ↑ Ototsugu Konoe Twitter 12:34 PM JST · Jul 15, 2017
