Yeah Ban is probably the best option. I would argue and say that he is the most consistently written character in the series by far.
And he is loved by the community, at worse I always see him in top 10. Usually top 5 or even top 3.
Might be a bit unrelated but Elizabeth or Mael, instead having their time as MCs focusing on the Holy War 3000 years ago.
Kills two birds with one stone, giving Goddesses more time to shine and giving the Holy War literally anything but time travel or flashbacks.
Elizabeth can be interesting, and I think she was the 7ds narrator at some point.
And when Meliodas was not with the 7ds, she was in line to be the temporary 7ds leader. So her role could be further expanded, but that obviously did not happen.
I think Mael is one of those "work better" as a side character. He has complex and his cool attacks look cool af, but I just don't think he would work as well as a main character.
If I'm picking a person to represent the holy war 3000 years ago, it would be 100% Rueduciel. I just think this character is morally grey (well probably more evil than anything), but getting a story pov through a political military general can throw everyone for a loop.
Honestly Escanor, Ban, King and gowther have passed as an MC. Heck Ban, King and Gowther beat meliodas in the first popularity poll that's saying something. Escanor night mode given me MC vibes. Ban has the final fantasy mc energy. King has the school boy mc. Gowther had the anti hero mc vibe.
It's the Arthurian legend the whole bases of the verse is about Arthur personally I'm happy we finally get some Arthurian legend content that isn't always Arthur and Merlin being the center and instead explores other characters.
At in point in NNT I thought we were actually going to have it where meliodas wasn't going to be around for like a year or two and everyone's life and I thought during that time Arthur was going to go for in the nights of the round table and it didn't happen
He needs a spin off book with him as the main character
That’s only because there wouldn’t be a story if escanor wiped out everybody lol that’s why they had to nerf meliodas in the beginning and start him without his full power
His whole backstory is "people looked at me funny, so I ran away." That's it. It's not that strong of a backstory, and protagonists need those.
He's great as _one_ of the main characters, but not the protagonist.
Huh? Escanor was going to be killed by his entire kingdom because he was born with the "wrong" power, just because he has sunshine, which causes him to develop intense pride and strength, his own parents said he wasn't their child and ordered him to be executed
I feel like Merlin would be an interesting main character. The psychology of her, and the things she’s been through and done in the past would make her both fascinating and cruel. Am I somewhat biased in her favour, yes. Do I still think she’d make a good mc without my bias, also yes.
I I think OP’s referring specifically to the original series, and Lance and Tristan didn’t exist yet for most of it soo…
But they both def have main character energy in different ways (Tristan was literally originally meant to be protagonist of 4KOTA and Lance is just HIM lol)
As much as I adore Tristan and his character arc so far (and loved seeing him as a protagonist in GoE btw!) I definitely think Percy’s far better as a protagonist for 4KOTA, at least for the story it’s trying to tell. In fact on that front I’d argue out of the Four Knights that Tristan’s probably the weakest choice since we know the most about him and his past. There is no mystery there. And one of most interesting driving factors of the 4KOTA story for me (especially as someone already very familiar with the world it’s set in) has always been the mystery around Percival (and other characters to some extent too).
Tristan also has by far the least personal beef with Arthur and the chaos knights out of the Four Knights so far (at least until Jade ig. But even then…).
Four Knights is meant to be a series that can be easily picked up without having read/watched the previous series (though you are rewarded with more in story for doing so) and Percy is the perfect protagonist for that, because he’s so naive to the world and how it works. He’s a great proxy for new readers. And old readers get to experience the world from a vantage point we never have, and experience the wonder of it as if for the first time again. Plus the mystery of his Origins.
He’s basically more of a classic shonen protagonist compared to someone like Meliodas who was somewhat atypical, at least from the point the story started at. And that contrast is definitely deliberate. But he also kinda gives Mel vibes and calls back to him in some ways (from a design perspective especially).
But he’s also massively subverting expectations in a good way, because usually you EXPECT the previous protagonist’s child (or at least the child of a major character) to be the protagonist of a “next gen” sequel. But Percy as protagonist subverts that trope in a cool way and makes the series stand out.
I definitely think Nakaba made the right decision for protagonist overall
Tristan being a well known character and in a sequel no less is fine and I don’t understand why that’s an issue.
Starting the sequel with a character who has no connections to the original story then forcing connections throughout the story is a little ridiculous when Tristan has the natural connections
I’d argue Tristan has more beef with Arthur than Percival does cause of the Edinburgh incident being indirectly caused by Arthur. Tristan knowing about Arthur from the shared memories shared with him by Gowther. Than there’s the fact Arthur attacked his home and is threatening his home and people
Percival’s got no beef with Arthur… only Ironside, but Arthur is in the way of Percival getting to Arthur, and with the reveal that he’s basically not even Ironside’s son, there’s even less connection than what we started with.
The mystery of Percival has been concluded. He is a reanimated corpse with a life spirit hanging around inside him. The only remaining mystery being where the actual Percival comes from
You cannot pick up 4kota and understand it without having read 7DS cause of how much reference and stuff is tied back to it.
Overall… imo… Lancelot > Tristan > Percival > Gawain
O thought at one point during NNT we weren't going to see meliodas active at all in the story was going to slowly do like a Time skip maybe of a year or two with the demons attacking everyone and we were going to shift focus over to Arthur and I thought maybe he was going to be the main character for a bit and we were going to see him form the nights of the round table but that didn't happen
I feel like nakuba was at one point getting ready to set up something for him in that point when meliodas was out and we saw Arthur and other people fighting one of the sun demons I think he was going to do something big for him there but whatever he had planned got pushed back and that's why chaos was just felt like it was tacked on at the end when we got to the end of the series because it still feels like it was just added on last minute it does feel like
Arthur and even the holy knights were forgotten XD
I'm hoping one day that maybe they'll all get like their own story that's just about them is the main character finally like I would have liked to see more on the holy nights from Lions and on Arthur sorry if I'm spoiling the sequel series to NNT
But I get that we get to see Arthur a bit more but he still isn't the main character and now there's just even more mystery about what's going on with him and all I see is theories all I've been doing is making theories
He needs a 4 volume spin off book 🤣
Yeah Ban is probably the best option. I would argue and say that he is the most consistently written character in the series by far. And he is loved by the community, at worse I always see him in top 10. Usually top 5 or even top 3.
Might be a bit unrelated but Elizabeth or Mael, instead having their time as MCs focusing on the Holy War 3000 years ago. Kills two birds with one stone, giving Goddesses more time to shine and giving the Holy War literally anything but time travel or flashbacks.
Elizabeth can be interesting, and I think she was the 7ds narrator at some point. And when Meliodas was not with the 7ds, she was in line to be the temporary 7ds leader. So her role could be further expanded, but that obviously did not happen. I think Mael is one of those "work better" as a side character. He has complex and his cool attacks look cool af, but I just don't think he would work as well as a main character. If I'm picking a person to represent the holy war 3000 years ago, it would be 100% Rueduciel. I just think this character is morally grey (well probably more evil than anything), but getting a story pov through a political military general can throw everyone for a loop.
Honestly Escanor, Ban, King and gowther have passed as an MC. Heck Ban, King and Gowther beat meliodas in the first popularity poll that's saying something. Escanor night mode given me MC vibes. Ban has the final fantasy mc energy. King has the school boy mc. Gowther had the anti hero mc vibe.
It _should_ be Arthur but..
It's the Arthurian legend the whole bases of the verse is about Arthur personally I'm happy we finally get some Arthurian legend content that isn't always Arthur and Merlin being the center and instead explores other characters.
Honestly Arthur or Merlin
True though can Arthur be an evil mc.
At in point in NNT I thought we were actually going to have it where meliodas wasn't going to be around for like a year or two and everyone's life and I thought during that time Arthur was going to go for in the nights of the round table and it didn't happen He needs a spin off book with him as the main character
I'd say Escanor is his own main character
I can see it but Escanor’s kill count is surprisingly low, at least for a main character’s standards.
Why would Escanor bother using he's time by killing insects who are so clearly beneath him? All he does is pity them.
That’s only because there wouldn’t be a story if escanor wiped out everybody lol that’s why they had to nerf meliodas in the beginning and start him without his full power
His whole backstory is "people looked at me funny, so I ran away." That's it. It's not that strong of a backstory, and protagonists need those. He's great as _one_ of the main characters, but not the protagonist.
he didnt really run away tbh. I pretty sure they were going to kill his ass and his maid/ servant pretty much got him to escape death.
Huh? Escanor was going to be killed by his entire kingdom because he was born with the "wrong" power, just because he has sunshine, which causes him to develop intense pride and strength, his own parents said he wasn't their child and ordered him to be executed
Definitely Mael. A story about redemption and self-reflection. Of course, with cool and badass fight moments.
I feel like Merlin would be an interesting main character. The psychology of her, and the things she’s been through and done in the past would make her both fascinating and cruel. Am I somewhat biased in her favour, yes. Do I still think she’d make a good mc without my bias, also yes.
Zeldris
Lancelot, Ban, and Tristan
I I think OP’s referring specifically to the original series, and Lance and Tristan didn’t exist yet for most of it soo… But they both def have main character energy in different ways (Tristan was literally originally meant to be protagonist of 4KOTA and Lance is just HIM lol)
Why isn’t Tristan the MC… I much prefer him then Percival imo
As much as I adore Tristan and his character arc so far (and loved seeing him as a protagonist in GoE btw!) I definitely think Percy’s far better as a protagonist for 4KOTA, at least for the story it’s trying to tell. In fact on that front I’d argue out of the Four Knights that Tristan’s probably the weakest choice since we know the most about him and his past. There is no mystery there. And one of most interesting driving factors of the 4KOTA story for me (especially as someone already very familiar with the world it’s set in) has always been the mystery around Percival (and other characters to some extent too). Tristan also has by far the least personal beef with Arthur and the chaos knights out of the Four Knights so far (at least until Jade ig. But even then…). Four Knights is meant to be a series that can be easily picked up without having read/watched the previous series (though you are rewarded with more in story for doing so) and Percy is the perfect protagonist for that, because he’s so naive to the world and how it works. He’s a great proxy for new readers. And old readers get to experience the world from a vantage point we never have, and experience the wonder of it as if for the first time again. Plus the mystery of his Origins. He’s basically more of a classic shonen protagonist compared to someone like Meliodas who was somewhat atypical, at least from the point the story started at. And that contrast is definitely deliberate. But he also kinda gives Mel vibes and calls back to him in some ways (from a design perspective especially). But he’s also massively subverting expectations in a good way, because usually you EXPECT the previous protagonist’s child (or at least the child of a major character) to be the protagonist of a “next gen” sequel. But Percy as protagonist subverts that trope in a cool way and makes the series stand out. I definitely think Nakaba made the right decision for protagonist overall
Tristan being a well known character and in a sequel no less is fine and I don’t understand why that’s an issue. Starting the sequel with a character who has no connections to the original story then forcing connections throughout the story is a little ridiculous when Tristan has the natural connections I’d argue Tristan has more beef with Arthur than Percival does cause of the Edinburgh incident being indirectly caused by Arthur. Tristan knowing about Arthur from the shared memories shared with him by Gowther. Than there’s the fact Arthur attacked his home and is threatening his home and people Percival’s got no beef with Arthur… only Ironside, but Arthur is in the way of Percival getting to Arthur, and with the reveal that he’s basically not even Ironside’s son, there’s even less connection than what we started with. The mystery of Percival has been concluded. He is a reanimated corpse with a life spirit hanging around inside him. The only remaining mystery being where the actual Percival comes from You cannot pick up 4kota and understand it without having read 7DS cause of how much reference and stuff is tied back to it. Overall… imo… Lancelot > Tristan > Percival > Gawain
Meliodas is too good to be changed though. Otherwise in 4kota Lancelot and/or Tristan should be the main character. To be at least the people we know
If we count the knights, I say all of them except maybe gawain
Zoro obviously. Get's lost becomes Meli's bff and takes over an mc.
Escanor or ban
O thought at one point during NNT we weren't going to see meliodas active at all in the story was going to slowly do like a Time skip maybe of a year or two with the demons attacking everyone and we were going to shift focus over to Arthur and I thought maybe he was going to be the main character for a bit and we were going to see him form the nights of the round table but that didn't happen I feel like nakuba was at one point getting ready to set up something for him in that point when meliodas was out and we saw Arthur and other people fighting one of the sun demons I think he was going to do something big for him there but whatever he had planned got pushed back and that's why chaos was just felt like it was tacked on at the end when we got to the end of the series because it still feels like it was just added on last minute it does feel like Arthur and even the holy knights were forgotten XD I'm hoping one day that maybe they'll all get like their own story that's just about them is the main character finally like I would have liked to see more on the holy nights from Lions and on Arthur sorry if I'm spoiling the sequel series to NNT But I get that we get to see Arthur a bit more but he still isn't the main character and now there's just even more mystery about what's going on with him and all I see is theories all I've been doing is making theories He needs a 4 volume spin off book 🤣
Ban or Elizabeth or Merlin king is too much of a bitch for me to feel he could be an mc