Preferred Version of Lyon?

[Interdimensional Observer]

One effect of The Sacred Stones' route choice is that depending on the chosen Renais twin, the main antagonist Lyon is portrayed in two very distinct ways. Both share in tragedy, wisdom, gentleness, admiration for their Renais friends, and a want to do good, but beyond this they deviate.

The Lyon Eirika encounters is a much more tortured figure, continually fighting in his body for control against the Demon King, but Lyon is certain to lose this struggle and he watches Formortiis run amok. The benefit to this is that the Demon King gets much more screentime than on Ephraim's route, so we get to know the real villain much better. Lyon's romantic love for Eirika is also on greater display obviously. And a greater effort is made on trying to save the Lyon of old, the one Eirika knew from years ago, than is on Ephraim's route.

The Lyon Ephraim encounters displays very few signs of being tortured at all, much less being made of his "illness" caused by having a demon in his body. For instance, he speaks with Orson that Ephraim and Eirika are coming, while Riev does that on Eirika's route and Lyon coughs at his "illness". Formortiis appears possessing Lyon's body on Ephraim route less of the time, and what time is spent possessing him is then claimed by the real Lyon to be an act he arranged. While Eirika!Lyon with remorse accepts blame for giving into the DK's temptations and thus causing the terrible events of SS, Ephraim!Lyon unapologetically accepts every evil act Grado has done as his work. Ephraim!Lyon appears on the surface to be in total control of himself, but as the freshly resurrected Demon King makes clear, although he did not control Lyon directly, he did manipulate him into doing evil, which Lyon believed he was doing for the good of saving Grado from a cataclysmic earthquake (which I don't think is ever mentioned on Eirika's route).

 

So my refresher summary for those who need it finished (imperfect it may be you might think), which of the two almost irreconcilable faces of Lyon of you like more? The suffering prince who loses control of himself to the Demon King? Or the prince self-assured in his free will and acts like it, but really isn't free?

[eclipse]

Lyon in Ephraim's route, by far.

Lyon in Eir's route comes across as really whiny and out-of-control.  This doesn't make for a sympathetic villain IMO, it makes for an irritating one.  Lyon in Eph's route, at least, seems like he has a spine.

The two sides of Lyon reflect the two siblings well.  Eir's more passive, while Eph's over-confident.

[ChickenBits]

Meh, can't decide. One of my personal favorite fe villain because of his two faces. Liking one or the other to me is like picking which one is better. They both showcase the nature of the relationship he shares with each twin. 

[Dandy Druid]

Although I found Lyon's change in Eph's route abrupt- it makes sense. It shows a side of jealousy he felt towards Eph growing up. With Eir's route, they've had a healthy relationship, so him betraying her just feels really wrong (both literally and from a characterization standpoint). With Eph, the relationship seems more personal; although he seems closer to Eirika, there's more of motive with Ephraim's presence.

[Gamer1234556]

I went with Ephraim's Lyon because that portrayal is pretty much the only reason why he is even respected by the fanbase to begin with.

Eirika's Lyon is ultimately a lesser clone of Julius.

Still, can't say that I am too fond with how FE8 handled it's route split. It dosen't seem to portray Lyon in a consistent fashion at all.