What Were Miura's Plans For Magnifico de Vandimion?

[TheItCrOw]

Being the youngest son of Federico de Vandimion III, Magnifico was raised in a wealthy household, always striving to gain his father's recognition.

Although he isn't portrayed as malevolent, he is shown to be manipulative, scheming, and very self-centered.​

• He tried to use his sister, Farnese, to arrange a marriage with Roderick for his own personal gain.
• At every opportunity, he attempts to leverage events for personal, monetary gain (e.g., conquering and capturing the elves of Elfhelm). Albeit portrayed comedic, his intentions nevertheless remain serious.
• He is a coward who cannot fight and always hides.

As of now, his purpose was fulfilled when Guts and his group made contact with Roderick and obtained the ship they needed. After that, he existed mainly as comic relief.

So why did Miura decide to further incorporate him into the story?

The only "hint" I found was a comment by Lady Vandimion, his mother, who noted that Magnifico is becoming more like his father when he was younger. This possibly foreshadows significant character development similar to his father's? Other than that, I could only see some encounters where a descendant of the great Federico de Vandimion III would lend the party connections they needed to escape/proceed further from a given situation. But this all sounds rather vague, so I'm asking here for more opinions.​

 

[Gambler]

I guess he didn't had it figured out yet

But if I had to bet, I'd say he would be threatened by a low tier apostle, offer him lots of money to get spared and end up dying anyway

 

[TheItCrOw]

I guess he didn't had it figured out yet

He most certainly did, as he dragged him along on the boat and basically made him part of Guts' party then. He did the same with Isma, but we all know that she, besides possibly many other things, had developed a love interest with Isidro. Roderick also had a clear purpose.

 

[Aazealh]

Although he isn't portrayed as malevolent, he is shown to be manipulative, scheming, and very self-centered.

Magnifico is an ambitious but not-especially-talented businessman, that's the short of it. He's not unlike Biff Loman (from Death of a Salesman), except he has a real drive to succeed. That only makes his failures funnier, which is why he was great as comic relief. As I said on a podcast episode recently, the change in context between the stratified Vritannis establishment and the "wild frontier" that the sea journey represents is key to understand the perspective shift on his character.

Anyway, as to why Miura kept him around, I don't think it hinged on any great plans for him, he probably just felt like it made sense at the time. I expected him to part with the group after the Elf Island chapter, either staying on the island (assuming it wouldn't be gone), following Roderick, or dropping off some other way to try his luck on some new business scheme. I'm sure Miura would have found a way to make it into an interesting development for him, and even a potentially useful one for the group.

The only "hint" I found was a comment by Lady Vandimion, his mother, who noted that Magnifico is becoming more like his father when he was younger. This possibly foreshadows significant character development similar to his father's?

I really don't think this was supposed to foreshadow anything; it was just meant to add depth to his character and that of Federico.

He most certainly did, as he dragged him along on the boat and basically made him part of Guts' party then. He did the same with Isma, but we all know that she, besides possibly many other things, had developed a love interest with Isidro. Roderick also had a clear purpose.

I'm not sure you're thinking about this the right way. Just because they're along for the journey doesn't mean they're going to be there forever or have an essential role to play in the story. Just like in real life, sometimes people stick together for a while due to circumstances. That's what happened with Magnifico.

In Isma's case, Miura commented in the Guidebook interview that she joined the group because it seemed like a waste to part with her right after the solitary island. She makes a good foil for Isidro and added an interesting wrinkle in his relationship with Schierke, but it didn't seem like he had grand plans for her right from the onset. And that's fine! That doesn't mean she wouldn't have played an(other) important role down the line, but it would have been fine even if she hadn't. Same thing for Magnifico (also mentioned in that interview). I figure the two of them, along with Roderick, would have parted ways with the group once they returned to the mainland.

 

[Ithier]

That doesn't mean she wouldn't have played an(other) important role down the line, but it would have been fine even if she hadn't. Same thing for Magnifico (also mentioned in that interview). I figure the two of them, along with Roderick, would have parted ways with the group once they returned to the mainland.

Are you so sure about Roderick? I don't really see why Miura would have bothered entangling him with Farnese if that were the case, but he did and he's never walked back their engagement.

 

[TheItCrOw]

I'm sure Miura would have found a way to make it into an interesting development for him, and even a potentially useful one for the group.

I'm sure of that as well! What I tried to lure out with my post is a bit of speculation as to what this would have been.

She makes a good foil for Isidro and added an interesting wrinkle in his relationship with Schierke, but it didn't seem like he had grand plans for her right from the onset

Still, I can easily see the impact she has on the others, especially Isidro, from the very first meeting with her. I don't get that from Magnifico at all. He really was just there for comedic relief and and that point, we had enough characters for that. But oh well, I guess it doesn't really hurt the story either.

Same thing for Magnifico (also mentioned in that interview).

I guess Miura was really in a comedic phase at that time of writing. The Shierke-Guts comedy was on an all-time high, Azan was reintroduced, Isma and not to mention the freaking Pirate Captain. It was perhaps the calm before the storm...

 

[Aazealh]

Are you so sure about Roderick? I don't really see why Miura would have bothered entangling him with Farnese if that were the case, but he did and he's never walked back their engagement.

I mean it's just my opinion, but I'm pretty sure yeah. Roderick is a man of the sea and as such he was essential to the journey, but he would have had very little to contribute on the mainland. I also don't see him leaving his ship behind in someone else's care, and as a member of Ys' royal family I imagine he would have wanted to check on his country after the dramatic change the world underwent.

His engagement to Farnese was a contrivance to procure a ship for Guts, so it doesn't really matter at this point. What does matter is their actual relationship, which felt genuine, but that doesn't mean they would have stayed together until the end of the story. Just like in real life, people have their own goals and duties which don't always align with everyone else's. They could have had a poignant goodbye with the expectation that they might meet again once it was all over. Something which in turn could have been heartening to Farnese when she needed it.

I'm sure of that as well! What I tried to lure out with my post is a bit of speculation as to what this would have been.

That's hard to say because I'm not sure he had determined it even by the time he passed away.

Still, I can easily see the impact she has on the others, especially Isidro, from the very first meeting with her. I don't get that from Magnifico at all. He really was just there for comedic relief and and that point, we had enough characters for that. But oh well, I guess it doesn't really hurt the story either.

It's not like characters have set roles that are assigned forever. Magnifico had a big impact on Farnese in their very first meeting as well. He's the reason the group could get a ship. And no, he wasn't just there for comic relief, even once they were at sea. He served as a foil to Roderick (to make the latter look good), and as Miura said in that interview I mentioned, he was there as an "ordinary guy" through whose eyes you can see the craziness of what's happening.

A guy who's seasick for the entire trip, who looks down on other cultures, who tries (and fails) to take advantage of others... Even when it's played for laughs, it serves as a contrast to the overwhelming qualities of the main characters and goes beyond what can be done with nameless onlookers. It makes the story seem more grounded, unlike if everyone was a courageous and able fighter.