Taion

Taion (, Taion) is a playable character in Xenoblade Chronicles 3. He is a soldier of Agnus and fights alongside Mio.

Appearance and personality
Taion has a slim build with messy brown hair. He sports a long flowing orange scarf, an Agnian jacket with orange highlights (albeit opened), white arm guards, a dark jumper and trousers with rolled-up cuffs, and white boots. He also wears glasses. During his time as a soldier, Taion's jacket is buttoned up with additional armor plating on it, and grey pants. Taion has a blue wedge-shaped core on his chest. His term mark is located in his left palm. During his sixth term, Taion doesn't wear glasses and wears an early term Agnus uniform.

In battle, Taion uses a collection of drone-like entities resembling origami birds known as Mondo which fly around him and can be used as stepping stones.

Taion is tactically-minded, using his brains to fight alongside his allies. He is exceptionally cautious, preferring to extensively plan things out instead of rushing in blindly; this is due to the death of Nimue, which he blames on his past impulsiveness. While he acts somewhat cold and aloof, he occasionally shows a more caring and compassionate side of himself; he is the first member of the party to notice Eunie being shaken after finding a husk wearing her badge, and attempts to comfort her.

His uptight nature leads to Lanz and Eunie teasing him. In turn, he often criticizes them for their brash and unthinking attitudes, though he expresses jealousy at how confident Lanz can be.

As Ouroboros
When interlinking with Eunie, Taion takes on one of two Ouroboros forms: one associated with himself, the other with Eunie. Taion's Ouroboros form appears as a white-robed figure with a glowing core in each wrist. Leaf-like green decorations adorn its head, wrists, and shoulders. The form controls a seemingly limitless number of powered-up Mondo which are able to create extremely convincing illusions. Using the command 'Bind', the Mondo can be used to surround and trap an opponent; with the command 'Scatter', each Mondo creates an explosion. (The power of each individual explosion is small, but when combined the explosive force is much greater.) The Ouroboros form may also float and fly freely.

Taion's Ouroboros is balanced and versatile: the Scatter command provides strong offensive capabilities, and the Mondo may also be shaped into a shield, boosting the form's defense. Its greatest strength is in its illusions; through their creative use, Taion and Eunie are able to get the upper hand even on cunning opponents.

Background
Five years prior to the main events of Xenoblade Chronicles 3, Taion was a tactician in Colony Lambda under Isurd's wing. After the Colony Lambda's forces were ambushed by Colony 13 that resulted Nimue's death, Taion was filled with regret and losing confidence in himself and his abilities. Taion later transferred to Colony Gamma in order to make a new life and stop feeling guilty about Nimue's death. In there, he acted as the tactician of the Colony, meeting Mio, and Sena and became friends.

Chapter 1
Taion, Mio, and Sena first encounters Noah's party at on a mission to destroy an unidentified Ether source. He battles Eunie using his Mondo, but she manages to dissipates them, much to his surprise.

After Guernica breaks up the fight, he questions them why they are fighting in the first place with both Taion and Lanz saying that they both lost friends. Just as Guernica is about to reveal the identity of the party's real enemy, he is impaled by an unidentified creature's stalactite-like projectile. The creature then approaches the party with Mwamba and Hackt in both hands. The creature then tries to goad both the Kevesi and Agnian parties to fight, when they refused, he killed both Mwamba and Hackt. Enraged, Mio tries to attack the creature in revenge, followed by Sena and Taion.

Taion and the party at first had a difficult time harming the creature, during the skirmish, he chastises Lanz for being in his way. When Guernica activates the Ouroboros Stone, he, along with the rest of the party became Ouroboros. He later assisted an Interlinked Noah and Mio in defeating the creature, but not before he marks the party as enemies of Moebius.

After the skirmish, a dying Guernica explains that the party has become Ouroboros. He warns them that Moebius will be hunting them relentlessly before directing them to their new destination: the City at Swordmarch. After his death, Noah and Mio sent off Guernica before both parties made the journey back to their respective colonies, as well as warning Noah's company if they meet at again, it will be as enemies.

However, Taion's remarks of the two parties being enemies upon next meeting never came to pass. When Mio and co. tried to return to Colony Gamma, they came under attack by their own troops, forcing them to flee back to Melnath's Shoulder the same time Noah's group fled. During the escape, Taion notes the soldier's glowing red Irises as the source of the soldier's behavior. Both parties decides to team up, and after each party member's introduction and their hobbies, as well as a change of clothes, the party begin their journey to Swordmarch.

Chapter 2
Before departing for Swordmarch, the party return to Guernica's resting place, they spot his dog tags, learning his name in the process. When the party reach Millick Meadows, Noah reminds the rest of the party that if they engage with either Kevesi or Agnian troops, they are to either knock them out or get them to surrender, Taion sarcastically remarks that his "past victims" would appreciate it. The party then restarts an abandoned Ferronis and sets up camp there. The next day, as Taion gains Eunie's class, as well as implementing Master Arts. The rest of the party also gain this ability. They test these powers on some Bodem Grebels before reaching the Fornis Region.

When the party enters Eagus Wilderness, Mio becomes dehydrated from the heat, much to Taion's dismay, prompting Sena to carry her. The two spot an oasis, exciting Mio, prompting the party to take a break there to go swimming. While there, Taion warns Noah that annihilation events occur frequently in Eagus Wilderness.

Just as the party was about to make it out of Eagus Wilderness, they comes under attack by Colony 4. Noah then tries to reason with Ethel, due to being under the control of Consul K, she doesn't recognize him and attacks the party forcing them to flee into a nearby cave system, using the black fog as cover before being cornered by Ethel.

When Ethel approached the black fog, she stops, breaking free of K's control, forcing the Consul out of hiding and engaging the party himself. After being wounded, K transforms into his Moebius form and starts harvesting the Colony's Flame Clock to heal himself. During the battle, Eunie Interlinks with Taion to save Lanz and Sena and to give Noah and Mio the opening to destroy the Flame Clock. Eventually, the two manages to destroy the Flame Clock, depriving K of his healing source. Without the Flame Clock, K is swiftly killed by the party. When the party removes the fallen Consul's helmet they are shocked that he's has wrinkles just like Guernica. Ethel and rest of Colony 4's soldiers regained consciousness, much to the party's relief. Back at Colony 4, Ethel allows the party to stay in for the night.

Inside the tent, the party discussing the suspicions of the Consuls of Keves and Agnus being the same individuals after Taion confirms that K is the same Consul as Agnus's, and that both Queens are in league with them. The party then give out the description of both Queens from their respective sides.

Chapter 3
In a flashback five years ago, In Colony Lambda, Taion is seen arguing with his superior, saying his textbook strategy is much more effective than his aggressive one. He lays out his plan to Isurd and Nimue in which they agreed to. However, Colony 13 counter ambushed them in the Urayan Tunnels, forcing Nimue to sacrifice herself to allow Taion to escape.

Lore

 * According to dialog during A Nopon's Counsel and Delicious Cooking, Taion is an exceptionally poor chef. He refuses to follow conventional recipes, attempting to "optimize" them to focus on "efficient absorption of nutrients and convenient portability", but the best praise Mio can manage for the results is that it's "unique". Despite this, he appears to be good at making tea, as Eunie drinks a cup made by him without complaint.
 * Taion can be somewhat vain about his appearance. During City Clothing, he claims that he doesn't care about anything but the functionality of the clothing he wears, but gets very upset when Eunie calls his scarf "uncool".
 * In About Armus, Taion demonstrates a deep knowledge of Armuidae, and expresses frustration at people using the term "Armus" to refer to both males and females.
 * A tweet from the official Xenoblade Twitter account claims that Taion's Blades are actually called "Katashiro", with Mondo being a nickname he gave them. However, nothing in-game or in the artbook ever hints at this.

As a boss

 * Agnus Healer (Three Agnus Soldiers)

As a party member
Taion's primary is Tactician, a Healer class which focuses on healing, debuffs, and evasion. He can interlink with Eunie.