Character Study of the Week: Elias Crichell
Who: Elias Crichell
Aka The Jade Hawk
What: Star Commander, initial rank
Star Captain
Star Colonel, Turkina Keshik, Clan Jade Falcon
SaKhan, Clan Jade Falcon
Khan, Clan Jade Falcon
IlKhan of the Clans (shortest tenure on record)
When: 2992 – 2 January 3058
Weapon of Choice: Summoner OmniMech
Politics
SaKhans
Factions are characterised by several things, one is of course the actions of the faction as a whole, another, more intimate manner, is by the most prominent character of the faction, frequently a protagonist or antagonist, and also by the character leading the faction.
Contradicting the most prominent characters of the Jade Falcons, and indeed what is their (theoretical) ethos, is Elias Crichell, who’s approach to pretty much everything is so nearly anti-ethical to that of major individuals such as Aiden Pryde, Horse, Marthe Pryde or even the cartoon characters, one must wonder if he was dropped out of a different setting altogether.
A reasonably detailed history was given on Crichell in the MechWarrior 2 computer game and has been followed up in sourcebooks. While no one can become Khan among the Clans without a modicum of martial skill Elias rose from what would be considered humble beginnings for the Clans, though his greatest successes came through rhetoric, oration and politics.
In fact the notion of Terra as the goal of the Crusade and prize needed to become IlClan originated with Crichell, motivated largely by the need to promote the Crusader cause, also coincidentally giving the cause and subsequent invasion focus.
This bit of characterisation, a demonstration of Elias’ oratory skills and power of manipulation, actually provides an essential element to the subsequent invasion. By making Terra the prize for deciding the IlClan it gave the invasion a singular aim. Conquering the Inner Sphere isn’t enough, what does victory look like under those conditions? Is it holding key worlds, capitals, royal families, majority planets, governmental capitulation? It’s a question that could get very messy without it being decided in advance, and having a single prize such as taking Terra simplifies things immensely, both from a setting perspective and from a Clan perspective, who aren’t really interested in intricacies, just quick victory. Quite a clever stroke really.
Nonetheless we see Crichell’s imprint on his Clan through the often florid and creative use of language and spoken imagery on the part of Khans and senior officers.
The thing is that while Elias Crichell is an effective character he is a very ineffective individual for his culture.
His most persistent tactic is to place someone at the front of his schemes and plans so that if they fail then they take the fall while most of the credit from a success defaults to him. He insulates himself at every turn, Von Strang’s World showing what happens on the rare occasions he doesn’t, near failure that he barely escapes from to salvage victory. It may have been inevitable given the relative strength of forces involved, but for Crichell himself it was very nearly a disaster. This sets a precedent, but more on that later.
The problem with this is that within the setting, particularly within the Clans, it’s not the sort of planning that is rewarded. Battletech as a whole favours daring characters willing to put themselves on the line, those who dare to gamble and potentially lose big for the bigger gain, regardless of their being heroes or villains, antagonists or protagonists, small or large scale.
What does this strategy get Elias? For one thing it provides a realistic path of ascension through the ranks, it is base politicking but it’s effective. The other thing is it buys him a reason to be in the same persistent position even as his schemes fail.
Is that right? Is it realistic? Is there any value in that?
Keep in mind that Elias existed when Battletech was still a pulp sci-fi environment rather than the more pulp military setting we know of today.
In a pulp sci-fi setting it is fully appropriate to have a villainous or at least antagonistic character who is a persistent threat but whose schemes are perennially foiled. The rub is finding a reason why he isn’t removed from power in spite of this.
Enter the parade of SaKhans.
Elias relentlessly plots, schemes, is generally out maneuvered, and uses others to take the fall.
This makes him a figurehead of sorts, an individual of focus for the good guys, or whatever you’re comfortable calling the array of protagonists he opposes. The face of the enemy even if he’s not directly involved or some sort of direct threat himself, for what he represents is the looming danger of his cause and its intent.
Given the nature of Battletech this would not be a permanent situation, thus we eventually have Elias dying rather than persisting in frustrating and curious ways like Cobra Commander.
That precedent I mentioned? Near disaster when he personally involves himself? It more or less required his death. The thing about scheming to gain greater power, the best way this fits into the setting, means that he either has to satisfy himself with being the power behind the throne (but if he was going to do that he’d still be a Star Colonel and his SaKhans would have been a succession of Khans meeting much the same sort of ends they did anyway), or he’s eventually going to have to stump up and face up to someone in his way personally in order to grab the golden ring.
The latter is very much in keeping with the setting, and Clan Culture in particular, and when it finally happens, in the form of Elias Crichell achieving the highest office among the Clans as must have been a goal all along, it comes with his chickens coming home to roost in the form of Vlad.
Hilarity ensues. In the form of a seven minute IlKhanship. Ha ha.
No one feels particularly sorry for him in this, in or out of the setting, we’re not supposed to, he’s a classic behind the scenes villain.
The SaKhans would have been his dragons, to use TVtropes terminology, and Crichell very much makes himself as a man behind the curtain sort of villain, his talents are not directly confronting, he knows it, and plays to his strengths.
And since these strengths are largely political he fits easily into the antagonist mould of Battletech.
This is what makes him a good villain for the setting, his methods match his nature and provide credible threat to any protagonist, even those sharing his Crusader philosophy.
Simultaneously this dooms him as every strength he has means he cannot fully succeed in the setting.
Even his BattleMech, mentioned only once to my knowledge, in effect showing him as piloting it only once for characterisation purposes, is a Summoner, not as an extension of him but to stamp “Falconness” on him. The Summoner is, and at that point in the game history, the most Jade Falcon design there is. Put Elias in anything else and he seems less of a Falcon, it does nothing to further his Warrior cred, just establishes that it exists while doing far more to metaphorically paint him emerald green.
Does this make him a poorly written or conceived character? In this case it’s hard to say. As tempting as it is to say yes given the borderline cartoon villain role he plays Elias Crichell exists to serve a purpose, that his inherent nature leads to his downfall does not make for a poor character, in many cases this would have made for an excellent character, look to Walter White for an excellent example of death by inherent character flaws.
And Crichell does serve that purpose, so if nothing else he is a well-executed character. Pun sort of intended.
