Adelbert Steiner

Captain Adelbert Steiner is a playable character in Final Fantasy IX. He is the leader of the Knights of Pluto and is assigned to protect Princess Garnet. He is unique in the way that the player has the option to change his surname instead of his first name, which is the case with all the other characters.

Appearance and Personality
Steiner is of medium height with a stocky build. He wears a traditional silver-colored knight's armor, a pair of shorts and a helmet with a white feather. Even his shoes and gloves are armored. Steiner carries his broadsword on his back, fastened in place by a leather strap. Steiner's field movements are accompanied by a clanking noise due to his armor, but this is not present during battle. The armor earns him the nickname "Rusty" from Zidane, and a red mage in Lindblum even advices him to "scrape off that rust".

When in Trance, Steiner's armor is replaced by paladin armor complete with a faceplate that covers his face. It's comprised of mostly silver with several runes on the torso and gold highlights, in particular, his gauntlets, chestplate, and the spiky decorative metal jutting out of the front at his ankles. His lower mail is replaced by black pants and silver shin armor. The feather in his hat turns black and slightly jagged.

Steiner's is a retainer of and personal guardian to Garnet, and he places her safety above all else. At first this brings him to odds with the others around him, including Garnet. Steiner grows to learn Garnet can take care of herself and sees her mission too important for him to stand in her way.

Initially Steiner is antagonistic towards Zidane, whom he considers a lowly peasant and a criminal. He learns to trust that Zidane will do what is right and becomes loyal to Zidane as much as Garnet, regarding him as a fine man and a personal friend.

Steiner is always respectful to Vivi, whom he calls Master Vivi. The two work well together and Steiner is respectful of his power.

Beatrix and Steiner do not get along at the start as she disregards him and he is jealous of her position. However, as the two are forced to work together to protect Garnet and Alexandria, they put aside these feelings and their respect for each other's skills turns into love.

Story
Steiner claims to have been in service to the Alexandrian army for 18 years. Given that he is 33, this means he joined the army when he was no older than 15-16 years old.

Adelbert Steiner is the captain of the Knights of Pluto, and constantly feuds with General Beatrix and her female soldiers and guards the royal family of Alexandria with his life. When Tantalus Theater Troupe kidnaps Princess Garnet, he pursues the group onto the Prima Vista, and is still on board when it crashes into Evil Forest. Stuck with Zidane and Vivi in the forest, he agrees to go with Zidane to rescue Garnet from the forest's monsters. Vivi is at first unsure of himself and his magic, but Steiner convinces him to come along.

Steiner takes a long time to accept that Queen Brahne has turned to evil, and initially doesn't trust Zidane, understandably so since as far as Steiner is concerned he is a thief and a kidnapper. When the party gains control of the cargo ship at Dali, Steiner insists the party set course for Alexandria to reconcile with Queen Brahne, but Garnet pilots the ship to Lindblum, thwarting Steiner's plans. When they receive no substantial help from Regent Cid, Garnet sneaks out of Lindblum with Steiner to go to Alexandria. The two pass through the Aerbs Mountains, where they defeat Black Waltz 3, and pick up Tantalus member Marcus.

With the assistance of Doctor Tot in Treno, they take a Gargant to Alexandria, only to be apprehended by the jesters Zorn and Thorn. Garnet is taken to see the Queen, while Steiner and Marcus are imprisoned in a birdcage-like cell. After utilizing the forces of inertia and freeing themselves, Marcus heads to the Evil Forest, while Steiner meets up with Zidane, Vivi and Freya, who have teleported in from the Red Rose.

Together, the four rescue Garnet from the palace catacombs and bring her to General Beatrix, who heals her from her magically-induced slumber. Zorn and Thorn unleash a pack of Bandersnatches to deter the party, and Freya, Beatrix and Steiner stay to fight the beasts while Zidane, Garnet and Vivi flee to Gargan Roo. Steiner lets go of his hatred of Zidane after realizing Queen Brahne wanted to kill the Princess.

When Zidane's party returns to Alexandria from the Outer Continent Steiner has assumed a soldier's post. Eiko writes a love letter to Zidane, and gives it to Baku to deliver, but it ends up at the riverfront of Alexandria Palace where Beatrix finds it, thinking it is from Steiner. That night, Steiner locates the same letter, upon which Beatrix arrives, both of them holding mutual thoughts. Romance is in the air, but they are disrupted by an allergic Baku's sneeze.

After Kuja attacks Alexandria, Steiner and Beatrix band to stave off a horde of Mistodons, and during these battles Steiner acts protective of Beatrix. After Alexandria is badly damaged by the Invincible, Steiner rethinks his servitude to the kingdom and begins to see his obligations in a new light. After coming to grips with his life, he is able to see Zidane's heroism and gains respect for him.

Steiner eventually admits he is in love with Beatrix, after Zidane teases him about it on the Invincible. After Kuja has been felled and peace restored to the world, Steiner and Beatrix serve as Garnet's guardians, who is now Queen. When Tantalus returns to Alexandria to perform I Want To Be Your Canary Garnet rushes down the castle stairs to reunite with Zidane, while Steiner and Beatrix hold up the sword Save the Queen.

In Battle
Steiner's job class echoes the classic Knight, and his secondary ability is reminiscent of the Mystic Knight class. Steiner's HP and Defense are the highest of any party member, and he is an ideal front-line fighter.

Steiner's Trance allows him to inflict three times as much damage as usual.

Equipment
Steiner uses swords and heavy armor in battle. Steiner's ultimate sword, the Excalibur II, is notoriously difficult to obtain due to the strict time limit.

Abilities
Steiner learns abilities that enhance his abilities as a physical fighter, such as Accuracy+, Long Reach, MP Attack, and Killer abilities. His also learns Counter and Cover. He doesn't learn any unique abilities.

Sword Arts
Steiner's Sword Arts include stat breaks and several powerful attacks, such as Climhazzard and Shock. Due to the Thunder Slash Glitch, Steiner's Sword Art skill Thunder Slash has an accuracy of 0%, rendering it rather useless, although with certain equipment the percentage can be raised, and the attack can be used against enemies weak against thunder, such as the Iron Man.

Sword Magic
While Vivi is in the party, Steiner can use a version of Sword Magic to enhance his attacks with magical powers, but the kind of magic applied to his sword is directly related to what magic Vivi has learned, i.e. Fire Sword is only available if Vivi knows the Fire spell. Magic Sword only uses Steiner's MP. His Sword Magic is the only way to use Doomsday without it hitting the party as well.

As Boss
Steiner is fought as a boss three separate times toward the beginning of the game.

Creation and Development
Early in development, apparently before Beatrix was created, Steiner was the captain of the Paladin corps, and was much less bumbling and comical, leading a force of Paladins onto the Theater Ship to fight Tantalus in the introductory sequence. He was able to use Magic Sword on his own, and would have done so in a cutscene in preparation to fight the thieves.

Musical Themes
"Steiner's Theme" exhibits Steiner's clumsy demeanor, represented in the composition by the syncopation paired to its slow tempo and the odd, fumbling melody over the underlying serious tones. It plays during comedic moments when Steiner is unwittingly the subject of jokes.

The song "Steiner's Delusion" has a similar melodic elements borrowed from Steiner's regular theme, which expands the comedic and reckless nature from Steiner's theme further. This is achieved from the tones of the horns, and the odd placement of the melody against silence, like hiccups.

Dissidia Final Fantasy
Steiner makes a cameo in Dissidia Final Fantasy as a tutor from the in-game manuals, explaining equipment with Vivi. Steiner is also the name of a Ghost Card, and is a Level 100 Zidane that has the Green Gem and Chocograph to be won through battlegen. The player can also win the Excalibur II from the card, a reference to Steiner's ultimate weapon.

Final Fantasy All the Bravest


Steiner is an exclusive character available from the Premium Character Shop as a random downloadable content. He uses the Thunder Slash ability during battle.

Pictlogica Final Fantasy
Steiner appears as a recruitable character in Pictlogica Final Fantasy.

Final Fantasy Artniks
Steiner appears in Final Fantasy Artniks.

Final Fantasy Trading Card Game
Steiner appears in the Final Fantasy Trading Card Game and is represented in two Fire-elemental cards. He is depicted in his Final Fantasy IX render and in his Yoshitaka Amano artwork.

Etymology
Steiner's first name, Adelbert, likely comes from Adalbert, an archaic given name variation of Albert, which means "noble-bright". It comes from Germanic adal or edel (noble) and berht (shining or bright). Steiner is a real-life surname, and comes from German Stein, meaning "stone".

Trivia

 * Steiner will not perform his victory pose upon the party's second visit to Alexandria Castle.
 * "Rusty" is a name that player can give to a Paradigm Pack monster in Final Fantasy XIII-2.