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Joachim
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| “ | I am not defined by the blood of the wolf. I am me. | ” | — Joachim |
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Joachim (Japanese: ヨアヒム Joachim) is a character in Fire Emblem Shadows. Coming from the bloodline of the goddess Fenris, Joachim first appears in Book 2, of which he is the protagonist.
Biography
Background
Joachim comes from a family descended from Fenris, referred to as the 13th bloodline. Though they used to serve Fenris in the past, the family turned their backs on the goddess of shadow and went into hiding.[1] Joachim's mother was aware that Joachim might join Fenris and bring about great destruction, which is why she often contemplated killing him when he was a child.[2] In his youth, Joachim faced harsh rejection from others because of his heritage. He would be hit with rocks, and nearly died multiple times.[3]
At some point when he was still a child, Joachim ended up in an orphanage in a small mountain village in Tournu. Under the care of Micaela, he was raised alongside Estel and many other children, who accepted him into their fold without prejudice.[3] Joachim initially distrusted the people of the orphanage, resulting in him running away into the forest. After he lost his way in the woods, Estel came to save him and guide him back. From that point onward, Joachim considered Estel his personal hero.[4] As he grew up, Joachim began to help around the orphanage himself, tending to the fields and harvest,[5] as well as cooking[6] and laundry.[7]
Book 2: Wolf Brother
He lived in peace with the others until the day the bandit Bartolomeus attacked the village. Though Joachim tried to fight the bandits, he was defeated and gravely wounded, and thus unable to prevent the bandits from burning down the village and killing the orphans. He was patched up by Hati and Skoll, retainers to Fenris. The two tried to convince him to make a pact with Fenris, though Joachim refused. Joachim fought Bartolomeus once more, and was defeated once more. Since he was knocked out and awoke to all the bandits torn limb from limb, Skoll and Hati told Joachim that he was the one to kill them after giving in and making a pact. This misconception persisted at the very least until he met with Estel, who had escaped capture.
Micaela rejoined Joachim and Estel alongside Yuni and Erma, an envoy of Naga and a knight of Tournu respectively. Yuni declared that the bandits had been killed by a disciple of shadow within the group of five. Believing the disciple of shadow is himself, Joachim attempted to fool Yuni by laying fake tracks, though she saw through the deception. Eventually, Joachim's lies could not hold up under Erma's interrogation, and Joachim fled.
Yuni followed and confronted him, at which point Joachim confessed to meeting Fenris' retainers. Unable to prove his innocence, Joachim asked for Erma to kill him just in case, which forced the true disciple of shadow, Estel, to show her hand to save him. Joachim and Estel engaged in a final contest to decide which of them should live; whoever struck the other first would win. However, Estel did not try to strike Joachim at all, and simply let him kill her.
With Estel dead and his home destroyed, Joachim decided to stay with Yuni and Erma and hunt down other disciples of shadow. He now aimed to prove himself worthy of a pact with Naga, so he might use his wish to revive Estel.
Fire Emblem Shadows
Role
Joachim is a playable character unlocked by reaching level 10 in both sides of the story of Book 2. He was released on October 8th, 2025, coinciding with the start of Book 2. He first appears in Book 2, light Chapter 1: Village Life. His associated weapon is the Lycan Edge.
Starting stats
| |
| Weapon type | 
|
|---|---|
| Unit type | 
|
| HP | 80 |
| Attack | 42 |
| Magic Skills Held |
|---|
 Elfire EX Heavy Crossfire Shield Strike Dark Crossfire
|
Level up gains
| Level | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HP | 80 | 88 | 96 | 104 | 112 | 120 | 128 | 136 | 144 | 152 | 160 |
| Atk | 42 | 46 | 50 | 54 | 58 | 63 | 67 | 71 | 75 | 79 | 84 |
Personality
Joachim is greatly influenced by his heritage, and the prejudice he faced as a result of it. He consistently underestimates his own capabilities,[8] and has trouble asking others for help in fear of being a burden.[7] Connected to that, he also tries to make himself useful as much as he can, even going so far as to request additional work, both to repay the villagers for all they have done for him, and because he believes they do not need him if he is not useful. Despite the kindness he has experienced from the villagers and the orphanage, Joachim believes that he, as a descendant of Fenris with the potential to bring about ruin, does not deserve to be happy, and that others may wish for his happiness is a foreign concept to him.[9]
Regardless of his upbringing, Joachim is kindhearted and honest. He wishes to continue living in peace with his family as he has been, with no desire for great accomplishments.[8] He is determined in the face of danger, and does not hesitate to do what he believes is right, whether it be facing a foe surpassing him in strength, or striking down a loved one who has fallen to shadow.[10] Despite his wariness of the shadows, Joachim takes others' words at face value, which is taken advantage of by Fenris' retainers tricking him into thinking he has made a pact with Fenris, when he merely had no memory because he had passed out.[11] Additionally, Yuni is able to string him along through bluffing, and is only disarmed by Joachim's sincerity.[12] He seems to struggle thinking when put on the spot, and is a poor liar incapable of keeping his story straight, especially under pressure.[13]
Joachim's most important relationships are to Micaela, the orphanage's caretaker, and Estel, his childhood friend. Micaela considers Joachim and Estel family, and takes care of Joachim when he pushes himself, insisting that he does not have to prove his use to her. She was the first to insist to Joachim that he is deserving of happiness.[9] Estel, on the other hand, is his hero, after she lead him back to the orphanage when he ran away in his youth.[4] The two are dear friends and rivals, frequently engaging in contests of speed and strength, which Estel always won.[14] Though Estel considers her dreams of being a hero childish, Joachim supports her dream, sometimes unintentionally teasing Estel with his honesty.[15] Joachim often feels that he is relying on her too much and considers her better than himself,[8] though he also supports Estel in return. Estel is seen as the more "outdoorsy" of the two, with Joachim taking care of the chores at home.[6]
Following Estel's death at his own hands, Joachim has decided on a new determination: that the shadow beasts he feared are only suffering people, and that he will free them from Fenris' nightmare.[10]
His shadow form presents a version of Joachim who took Hati and Skoll up on their deal. Fueled by a need for revenge for his slain family, this Joachim has embraced his nature as a merciless beast and a true wolf.[16]
Supports
- Main article:
Joachim/Supports
Quotes
- Main article:
Joachim/Quotes
Outfits
Joachim has three available outfits. Outfits can be purchased using Gems, and only affect a disciple's light form.
| Joachim's costumes | ||
|---|---|---|
| Standard | Alt. Color | Pajamas |
|
|
|
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| Available by default. | 50 Gems | 150 Gems |
| Added October 8th, 2025. | Added October 8th, 2025. | Added December 27th, 2025. |
| Shadow | ||
| ||
| Available by default. | ||
Flavor text
| Game | Text (English) |
Text (Japanese) |
|---|---|---|
| Shadows | A kind boy from a cold village in
the northern mountains, he rarely seeks conflict. He's a descendant of wolves from the bloodline of Fenris. |
北方の山中にある寒村で暮らす少年。
穏やかな性格で、争いを好まない。 闇の神フェンリルの血を引く狼の一族。 |
Choose Your Legends placement history
| Round | Placement | Character | Votes |
|---|
| CYL 10 (2026) |
336 |  Joachim Shadows |
104 |
| Total results | This character has 1 entry across all Choose Your Legends polls. | 104 |
|---|
Etymology and other languages
| Names, etymology, and in other regions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Language | Name | Definition, etymology, and notes |
| English |
Joachim |
Name of Hebrew origin meaning "may Yahweh raise up". |
| Japanese |
ヨアヒム |
Joachim |
| Korean |
요아힘 |
Joachim |
| Simplified Chinese |
约亚希姆 |
Joachim |
| Traditional Chinese |
約亞希姆 |
Joachim |
Gallery
Official artwork
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Artwork of Joachim, Wolf Brother's light form. -
Artwork of Joachim, Wolf Brother's shadow form. -
Celebration image of Joachim and others for the Six-Month Celebration. -
Wallpaper of Joachim from the official Shadows twitter account. -
Wallpaper depicting disciples' light forms for the Shadows Cup. -
Wallpaper depicting disciples' shadow forms for the Shadows Cup.
Models
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Render of Joachim's light form. -
Screenshot of Joachim's alternate color outfit. -
Render of Joachim's pajamas outfit. -
Screenshot of Joachim's shadow form.
References
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This article is part of Project Characters, a project focused on writing articles for every character present in the Fire Emblem series. |
