Thread on why Yang Wenli is one of my favorite characters in fiction and integral to Legend of the Galactic Heroes’ democratic message (Spoilers).

When you first meet him, he seems like the usual aloof, carefree officer you’d find on M*A*S*H. But once you see his tactical skill on display, being the only fleet commander to rival Reinhard von Lohengramm, you understand why the FPA refuses to let go of him.

Unlike Reinhard’s cunning, Yang’s tactics are based on his avid love of history. Wanting to be a historian instead of a soldier, he serves as the primary vehicle for expressing Yoshiki Tanaka’s views on the importance of understanding war, humanity, and how they’re often linked.

The cynical soldier trope is definitely very common, but Yang’s cynicism is also paired with a staunch idealism that motivates him not to defend his corrupt government, but the people of the Alliance and the idea of republican democracy. That, he believes, is a soldiers duty.

Which is why he continues to fight against Kaiser Reinhard after the New Galactic Empire is born, because although life was significantly better for humanity now that the war is over, he could not let democracy die, and the next Kaiser could easily be another tyrant like Rudolf.

That being said, he admired Reinhard as a revolutionary leader who, unlike FPA warhawks, fought alongside his soldiers and risked death countless times. It was that charisma that he respected, and he ultimately knew that he was best to unify the galaxy.

Unfortunately, he never gets his peaceful retirement, as he’s assassinated by the Earth Cult on his way to negotiate peace with Reinhard. His death hit me like a sack of bricks, and it hurt to see a man of such virtue and conviction bleed out alone, feeling nothing but regret.

But as is the case with most heroes in our history, he becomes larger in death than in life. His story highlights the fact that democracy is hard fought and easily lost, but proves its necessity countless times. He lived a reluctant hero and died a Legend.

It’s real, grounded characters like Yang that really sell the show/books for me. Although Reinhard is one of my favorite characters I’d have to argue that Yang is objectively the better character and protagonist.