I've always been a follower of the saying (directly translated from Swedish), "When you're big and strong, you also need to be kind." It's something my dad used to tell me growing up, and he was a big strong man but also very kind and gentle. That's always stuck with me now as an adult, and it's a creed I hope to keep going when I have kids of my own one day.
So when I joined this site way back in 2013 it was something I wanted to base my main character on. I wanted him to be a protector, physically strong and capable, but also really gentle and sweet. I also make sure that Thurion is always very fatherly, especially to children, not afraid to comfort or even dote on those smaller than him.
When setting out I knew he needed a tragic childhood. The orphan card is one that's played perhaps one too many times, but I felt it fit the character I wanted him to eventually grow into. Because of his rough childhood prior to the Jedi rescuing him, he wants to make certain that other children do not suffer as he once did. It also helped cementing his loyalty to the Jedi Order since it was effectively the only family he'd ever known growing up.
I'm also a pretty soft guy personality-wise, and I'm not afraid to show emotions in public, so I've made sure to portray Thurion at his weakest many times; deep sorrow, intense regret, self-doubt, frustration, etc. He's not just this composed monk at peace with everything, I wanted to write him as a human being despite his rather superhuman feats at times.
It's difficult even for me to think back to those early days when I was writing this small child character with little to no end goal in mind. I only came up with the Valkyri and Midvinter a year or so into writing, and then set out on this very long journey, going from a young Jedi Knight without knowledge of his own family or heritage to eventually becoming the ruler of his ancestral homeworld. It's a journey that's taken me 7 years of writing to achieve, and naturally one I'm very proud of.
Thurion is, essentially, the ideal I personally think one should strive for. He's selfless, kindhearted and powerful, but never arrogant or envious. He always chooses the more difficult path if it means preserving his dignity and values, and never stoops to belittling others or taking advantage of somebody else's misfortune. He strives to instill hope in others, be it through inspiring words or through suffering. He doesn't take the easy way out and he never breaks a promise.
That's the sort of person I wish I could be at all times, and that's what's kept me writing the same character from orphan to High King. I've poured every good quality of myself as well as my father and others near and dear to my heart into his character, so you can imagine how deeply attached I am to him by now.
And as for the end goal? There are only two endings for this character I will accept: He either dies peacefully in his sleep surrounded by his loved ones many IC years from now, or he has one last confrontation with
Darth Carnifex
where both men perishes at each other's hand. I promised myself long ago that I can't let Thurion die in battle unless he takes Kaine out with him, playing into the whole theme of maintaining Balance in the Force.
