Ethel

Ethel is a character in Xenoblade Chronicles 3. She is the military chief of Colony 4 in Keves's army. She is also known as Silvercoat Ethel.

Appearance and personality
Ethel has blue eyes and long silver hair that reaches her tailbone. Ethel wears a silver armored trench coat, black pants, and silver armored boots. During her early terms, her hair is medium length and wears a black full-body military uniform similar to Eunie's with the Keves symbol and a power frame on her waist.

An accomplished soldier from a young age, Ethel has a strong reputation throughout Keves and Agnus. Honor is important to her and she will not resort to killing even Agnian enemies in an unfair manner. She feels personally responsible for her underlings and is greatly respected by them.

Main Story
Years prior to the event of the game, Ethel saved Noah, Lanz, Eunie, Riku and others from a Levnis when defending Colony 14 against an Agnus attack. She introduced herself to them afterwards. Despite her young age Ethel already had a reputation; having brought Colony 4 to the Silver rank despite only being in her third term. She told them not to focus on such things and that a person's worth was based on their heart. She complimented Noah's blade and leaves. Ethel's reputation was also known throughout Agnus, and it is said she felled 3 colonies at once with just a hundred troops. She has a rivalry with Cammuravi, the most famous soldier of Agnus. The two met several times in previous battles while piloting Ferronises. In one such battle a malfunction in the knee joint of Cammuravi's Ferronis enabled her to quickly defeat it. Ethel had the opportunity to kill him but refused. As such there was a scandal and Colony 4's ranking was lowered to Dirt rank. Ethel still desires a rematch with Cammuravi.

In the present day Ethel remains as Colony 4's commander. Many of her colleagues have stayed with her, including her chief subordinate, Bolearis. After the party's encounter with Guernica, Consul K is dispatched to Colony 4 and orders Ethel to wipe them out, calling them vermin. As the party heads through the Fornis Region Ethel leads Colony 4 as it attacks them. Due to K's influence on Ethel's iris, she doesn't view the party as they truly are, but sees them as monsters. Noah, Lanz and Eunie recognize Ethel and Noah rushes out in front of Colony 4, asking if she remembers them. As this doesn't work they flee throughout nearby caves but she continues to pursue them, then jumps down from the colony to fight them personally. Noah refuses to use the power of Ouroboros against her, fearing it could kill her. When the black fog interferes with Ethel's iris, K comes out personally to attack the party and knocks Ethel out.

After the party kills K and destroys Colony 4's Flame Clock, Ethel awakens and realizes the truth. She allows the party to stay at Colony 4 and orders her subordinates to not attack the party's Agnus members. With the Flame Clock destroyed, Ethel considers it a blessing to be freed from constant battle. Ethel provides the party help as they seek to head to Swordmarch, recommending they head there from the south.

Ethel then says farewell to the party, saying that she feels she has to report to Keves Castle about what has happened, as well as request additional supplies. She plans on lying about K's death, leaving out the party member's role in things and that it was an accident. When Ethel and Bolearis make it to Keves Castle they meet with the Queen and Consul N, who shows them the Annihilator, a large cannon that can cause an annihilation event. After a test fire of the Annihilator, the Queen and N then decides to target Colony 4 with it, blackmailing Ethel into killing the party.

Bolearis is able to escape and makes his way to the party members who are making their way through the Maktha Wildwood. He tells them that in exchange for not attacking Colony 4, Ethel has agreed to pilot a new Ferronis and use it to kill the party members. Cammuravi has also been recruited for this task and provided his own new Ferronis. The two of them head to Maktha Wildwood under the orders of Consuls O and P and attack the party. While Ethel and Cammuravi fight the party members, the Consuls suspect they are not trying hard enough. While Ethel can no longer be controlled through her iris, Cammuravi can, although he tears out his own eye in order to stop it. Now both free, Ethel and Cammuravi are able to fulfill their desire to duel each other instead of attacking the party members. Because of this Consul P attempts to suck the life out of them. The two of them deal fatal blows to each other's Ferronises and both perish.

While the Ethel the party personally knew died, at Keves Castle they spot the cradles (pods) where new soldiers are grown and find a young Ethel in one of them. This cradle is one of those that are seized by the Lost Numbers when they attack Keves Castle and brought to the City.

No Want of Courage
Ethel's Hero Quest No Want of Courage, is part of the main story.

The party greets Ethel on a cliff and they spot a medical supply drop in the distance. The party helps her recover the drop, although they discover wounded and dead Agnian soldiers that were attacked by some Volffs and were forced to fight them in order to do so. After defeating the Volffs, Ethel orders the surviving Agnian troops to retreat. At this point she becomes the first Hero to officially join the party, although it is only on a temporary basis.

Other Appearances
A first termer Ethel appears during the Hero Quest, A Twist of Fate. Cammuravi is eventually revived by Consul Y and advanced to his tenth term in Colony Omega. After Y is defeated, Cammuravi accompanies the party to the City where they are told by Travis that Ethel's cradle has been opened. The party finds Cubibi, a Nopon who mistakenly opened her cradle while playing hide and go seek. The young Ethel is soon found trying to leave the city although she doesn't recall why, or how she recognizes Cammuravi. The party feels that as a first termer she wouldn't be helpful in battle and should be left in the City, but she is mentored by Travis and Cammuravi.

Despite being a first termer, Ethel desires to help the party in their final battle against Moebius. Accompanying the party and Cammuravi to Colony Omega, Ethel asks to be placed in a special cradle that will mature her to tenth term. After doing so the now fully grown Ethel is able to rejoin the party as a Hero.

Ethel can be among the recruited Heroes to aid the party in the final battle against Z, apologizing to the party for waiting as she is summoned. After Z's defeat, Ethel can be seen on the Kevesi side as Aionios splits back into the two worlds it was created from.

Lore

 * According to Bolearis, it is known that Orsolya, the commander of Colony 5, was Ethel's good friend and rival.

As a boss

 * Ethel's Ferronis
 * Ethel's Ferronis

Colony 4
Ethel can be found at Colony 4 for the majority of Chapter 3. After her death, Ethel's NPC icon on the affinity chart becomes dark.

City
Once the Quest, A Twist of Fate is completed, Ethel's first term appearance is added to the affinity chart. After Ethel rejoins as a Hero, her NPC icon is changed to her tenth term appearance. She can be found at the with Cammuravi in the day in both of her appearances.

Affinity

 * Bolearis (Colony 4)
 * Cammuravi (City)
 * Travis (City)

Trivia

 * Ethel's Japanese voice actress, Atsumi Tanezaki, also voices Agate in Xenoblade Chronicles 2.
 * Ethel and Cammuravi are the only Heroes in Xenoblade Chronicles 3 to not have an Ascension Quest.
 * In "Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Direct" and "Ask the Developer Vol. 6, Xenoblade Chronicles 3–Part 3" interview article, Ethel's profile icon is censored when showing the Hero selection menu , possibly for not spoiling her unrecruitable status.
 * Ethel is both the Hero that is unable to recruit the longest and the only hero that cannot be recruited until her Ascension condition is met.
 * Regardless whether or not Ethel rejoins the party, she will appear at the final cutscene fully matured.