In this post, I will be analysing Metal Face's character in the story and what made him one of the best villians in Xenoblade Chronicles 1.

-Colony Nine

Metal Face's introduction even without a clear goal , already intrigues the audience simply by standing out among its allies.

Its design compliments its destructive behavior and its body language such as finger wagging and staring down Vangarre show its personality as cocky and smug.

-Colony Siss

Metal Face is given a more fleshed out character with a well performed voice, a voiced personality that matches its earlier body language (continuity is always nice) and is entertaining to see interacting with others , an entrance that grabs the viewers attention, mysterious connection between it and the monado and because of killing Fiora, the audience can see and feel a personal connection between the main character, Shulk and the villain, Metal Face.

Finally, because of Metal Face's murder of one of the supposed main characters, Fiora, the audience will always feel a sense of danger everytime he interacts with the main group and that makes them interested to see what Metal Face will do.

A flaw with Metal Face by this point however is that its goal is not clear enough other than to oppose the main characters.

-Prison Island

Metal Face's defeat by Shulk isn't just cathartic for the audience but shows how far Shulk has come as Metal Face had been a wall that the main character couldn't climb. Next, his mysterious connection to Dunban makes the audience further interested in Metal Face.

-Valahak Mountain

Metal Face's revelation that he is Mumkhar is a well done major twist because of the hints of the twist throughout the story so far and that twist is the foundation for a small character arc for Dunban later in Sword Valley. His personal connections between Shulk, Dunban and Melia further his role as a interesting villian to see interact with the 3. Finally, his goal throughout the story has finally become clear, obtain the monado and be a hero although it feels as if this could have been established all the way back in Colony Six.

-Sword Valley.

Finally, Dunban is able to see that killing each other for personal reason is wrong thanks to Mumkhar being who he is.

Next, seeing Mumkhar pathetically try to attack Shulk and Dunban without any arms or weapons is an amazing physical "lesson" to the audience of what can happen when you let your ego blind you and hurt others and on top of it, it is cathertic for the audience to see Mumkhar in such a poor state.

Finally, Mumkhar's "lie", which in storytelling, is the reason for a character's actions and causes them trouble, finally destroys him. Because of his "lie" that he was more worthy to be a hero, he causes his own demise. A very good way to end a negative character arc for a character that is overcome by their "lie"

This is why Mumkhar or Metal Face is one of the most fun to watch and fun to hate villains in the story and one of the best villians in Xenoblade Chronicles 1.