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Here be a breakdown of the relationships Tear has over the course of the game, of both friends and foes alike.
van
The older brother of Tear by over a decade, Van had acted almost like a father to Tear. Tear even recalls him singing
Yulia's hymns to her as a child before bedtime. For the greater part of her life, Tear's relationship with her brother
was very good. It wasn't until she discovered his twisted plot that her view of him soured. For much of the game, she struggles
with her resolve to kill her brother, and takes every attempt to try to convince him that his views are wrong. But Van is
both stubborn and obsessed with the Score
Tear: My brother is the biggest fool, the real slave to Yulia's Score.
Even recognising that, Tear struggles with rationalising why Van would devise the plan he did to destroy the Score. Despite
all he's done, Tear loves her brother and doesn't want to believe he's as twisted as his actions spell him to be. His
determination and intellegent methods confuse Tear, and she seems caught between rationalising his character and recognising
his twisted ways.
Tear: (...) Why did my brother choose such an extreme method? What was wrong with your method,
Luke? That's all I've been thinking about for this past month. I'm hopeless...
What's worse is that Van does care for his sister, despite her rejection. Each time they meet, he offers her the chance
to join him. Up until the end, he makes pains to spare her from death. Tear recognises the double standard: why should she
live while everyone else is to die? Tear's pointed remark is like a slap to Van's face:
Tear: Just kill me and create a replica!
Van has no choice but to dismiss her, make her as just one of the masses in his mind. In the end, Tear faces her brother
in battle without restrictions, even using the Grand Fonic Hymn to weaken him and leave him open for the final hit.
Van: The seventh melody...you've learned it...Tear...
Tear: I remembered...you sang it to me when I cried. You knew what the fonic hymn meant. You were telling me everything...
right from the start. Thank you...Van...
Van: Farewell...Mystearica...
Although their ideals clashed and their actions worked against one another, Tear and Van separated peacefully in the end.
legretta
Upon joining the Oracle Knights as a cadet, Tear was trained by Legretta the Quick. Tear held a deep
repsect for the major, a respect that didn't shake even as the two became enemies. Each time they meet in battle, Tear attempts
to attack Legretta first with her daggers, but is always two slow, as Legretta points out. To the end, Legretta offers Tear
a chance to join Van's side, but Tear always declines. Even so, Legretta manages to avoid a direct battle with Tear. Jade notes
this could be a sign of her caring for her old pupil. After one meeting, Legretta drops a bit of ore from Ortion Cavern which Tear picks
up, taking to mean it's a sign for her to come to Ortion Cavern to speak with her brother once more. Later, the group is
headed to Mount Roneal to stop Van once and for all. They meet the God Generals, and Legretta makes one last request of Tear:
Legretta: Tear, stop sacrificing yourself. Is this world really worth that much?
Tear: Major, I cannot follow my brother's extreme view. It frustrates me that I cannot stop him, but I look
down on you more for not even trying.
Legretta: ...Then I won't hold back any longer. We will eliminate all who oppose the Commandant!
After the God Generals are lost in an avalanche and presumed dead, Tear denies being affected at the loss of Legretta, though
Luke can tell differently. Tear is unsettled when she finds out Legretta and the other God Generals survived, but has decided
that if she must battle Legretta to the death, she'll not hold back. When the meet just before the final battle, Tear
tries to reach Legretta once more, but Legretta tells her she will follow Van to the end.
Tear: Those are your true feelings? Then I've lost all respect for you. You talk about free will, and yet you don't
have any of your own! You are not the knight of Lorelei I looked up to.
After the battle, as Legretta is dying, she tells Tear:
Legretta: ...Tear. You got one thing wrong. People don't just lay down their lives for nothing. At least...I didn't...
I loved him and his ideals...I was willing to die for him. That is my will. That's...all...
Tear hides her grief as a true soldier would, and in doing so, as Jade points out, she shows her respect for the major.
natalia
At first, Natalia feels threatened by Tear, believing her to be vying for the affections of one Luke fone Fabre:
Natalia: Oh...? Who's this...? Luke! Don't tell me you've taken advantage of one of your servant girls!
Tear keeps her comments to herself. But later she talks of how beautiful Natalia is: it's clear she's envious. When Natalia
joins the group, she continues to be harsh towards Tear, who takes it in stride. Things change when Natalia is attacked by
a monster in the Baticul Factory, and Tear risks herself to push the princess out of the way of danger. She later thanks Tear
for saving her, and apologises to her for her actions. As both grow over the course of the game, they come to gain a mutual
regard for each other. When the final battle nears:
Natalia: (...) When I first met you, I thought I could never come to like you.
Tear: But now?
Natalia: You are very dear to me.
Tear: Let's do our best...together.
In the end, two who could have been bitter enemies come to be great comrades and friends.
guy
From the beginning, Tear and Guy get along well. Like with other woman, Guy can make Tear blush with a few choice words.
The two carry similar views on Luke: both believe in him when he tries to change himself, and become quite angry with him
whenever he stops believing in himself. By the end of the game, Guy becomes Tear's pillar of strength when it comes to Luke,
throwing away his inhibitions due to his lingering fear of touching females and holding back Tear when she makes to run
for Luke and stop him from killing himself at the top of Rem Tower. After the final battle, when Tear hesitates to leave
Luke to releasing Lorelei, Guy calls for her to go with them, and she reluctantly leaves. A while after the battle, she and Guy
wait for Luke to return as he promised. Of everyone, she and Guy knew Luke the best.
anise
Anise is the type of person who sees more than what meets the eye when it comes to people (well, I suppose it's only fair to say
she purposely keeps a close eye on people...). Such is the case with Tear, as
Anise is the first (and only?) one to discover her very secret love of cute things.
Anise: Hey, did you just hide something?
Tear: D-don't look!
Anise: Oh, come on. What is it?...Oh, it's a rappig doll...
Tear: N-no! I just...I found it at a shop. It's not like I thought it was cute or anything. It's just...I...you
know...it's...um...well...Anise...please don't tell anyone.
Anise: Don't worry, I'm great at keeping secrets. You know what? I'd just love to have some chiffon cake...
Tear: ...I'll buy you some the next time I see it.
Anise: I love you, Tear!
Anise is also the first to act on her suspicions concerning Luke and Tear's feelings for one another. She takes note of how
each treats the other:
Anise: Is it just me...or are you being a lot nicer to Luke all of a sudden?
And even teases them:
Anise: I missed you! But you're always together with Tear, aren't you...
It's not fair.
Tear: Oh...I-I'm sorry. But don't worry, Anise. I'm not with him because I want to be.
Luke: (Ouch...)
The two seem to have a good relationship, as far as you can tell with someone like Anise. Tear tends to look out for the
younger Guardian, moreso than the others. When Anise slips off the edge of a cliff in Tataroo Valley, Tear, along with Guy,
is the first to react. Much later, Tear catches Anise getting money out of people by acting as a tour guide in Daath. Instead
of letting it go, she takes on the role of a parent and reprimands Anise, forcing her to give back the money.
Just before Anise is revealed as a traitor, it seems she was about to confess to Tear:
Anise: ...Um, Tear?
Tear: What?
Anise: ...Um...what would you think if...
Tear: ...?
Anise: ...Never mind. Let's get going to Baticul!
After Ion's death, Tear watches over Anise once more, probably seeing that her strong front covers a deeply hurt soul. She
supports her in her resolve to continue Ion's legacy.
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Content and layout copyright © Aeryvae. Tear Grants and all other items pertaining to Tales of the Abyss copyright © KOSUKE FUJISHIMA and NAMCO BANDAI Games Inc.
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