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For those who have not completed games in the Xenoblade Chronicles series, this page contains spoilers regarding the plot. Discretion is advised. |
Hugo Ardanach (Japanese: ユーゴ・エル・スペルビア, Yūgo Eru Superubia) is a main playable character in Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna ~ The Golden Country. He is the Emperor of Mor Ardain during the Aegis War. His Blades are Brighid and Aegaeon. He is designed by Masatsugu Saito, the lead character designer of the game.
Story[]

Hugo and his Blades
Hugo is the Emperor of Mor Ardain. His brother was unable to become a Driver, so Hugo accordingly became the Driver of both Brighid and Aegaeon. His brother rules in his absence and has given the Special Inquisitor instructions to retrieve his Core Crystal should he fall in battle. Hugo and Addam have an undisclosed history together and were once very good friends. Both Hugo and Addam share a distaste for ruling over others.
Hugo makes his appearance after Brighid mistakes Lora and Addam as the destructors of Torigoth. He notes that Mor Ardain has also been impacted by Malos' rampage and that he has come in search for him. He and Aegaeon suggest that they meet on the Ardainian flagship to discuss the next path forward. On the flagship, he reveals that rogue Coeian forces were responsible for Torigoth's destruction. He later sends a few soldiers to capture Gort, but they are unsuccessful.

Hugo shielding Addam from the blast
He notifies Addam of his militia being taken over by the Kingdom of Uraya and joins the group as they travel to Aletta. He then briefly leaves the party to lead an expedition against rogue Coeian forces but rejoins the group as they head for Auresco. The Tornan King thanks Hugo for his assistance, but Hugo claims he only followed Addam's lead. He combats Malos at the royal gardens and pledges his assistance to stop Malos at the Tornan Titan's core. After Mythra's Siren unleashes an attack that destroys the Titan's core, Hugo shields Addam from the ensuing explosion and dies saving Addam's life. His body is taken away on an Ardainian warship, and Lora gives the Special Inquisitor the Core Crystals of Brighid and Aegaeon.
General Stats[]
Level | Max HP | Max Strength | Max Ether | Max Dexterity | Max Agility | Max Luck |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 405 | 21 | 22 | 35 | 26 | 20 |
99, no modifier | 6,750 | 358 | 366 | 314 | 239 | 340 |
Weapon[]
Hugo fights using swords. He starts the game with a common Seismic Sword that allows him to inflict earth damage.
Auto-attack (Lv. 1) | Auto-attack (Lv. 99) | Stability | Critical rate | Guard rate |
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16 | 700 | 10 | 5 | 30 |
Arts[]
Vanguard Arts[]
- Imperial Tether (Talent Art), HP down / Lock enemy target
- Shield Bash, Topple
- Guard Shift, Defense
- Round Cutter, AOE / Aggro up
Rear Guard Arts[]
- Sword Strike [Switch Art], Smash
- Imperial Challenge, Draw aggro
- Adamant Arm, AOE / Aggroed ↑
- Banishment, Cancels debuffs
Specials[]
- Lv. 1 - Shield Rondo - Unbalance the enemy with a flurry of strikes, then rush them with full force.
- Lv. 2 - Imperial Sword - Deploy a series of powerful slashes to draw enemy attention on yourself.
- Lv. 3 - Final Thrust - Surge forward to break enemies' stances, then end with a mighty charge.
- Lv. 4 (Brighid) - Soulfire - Lead with a few slashes, then immolate the foe with countless flaming missiles.
- Lv. 4 (Aegaeon) - Sea God's Tidal Wave - Sharpen senses and unleash a series of fierce strikes.
Favorite Items[]
- Pouch item types: Veggies, Fragrances
- Pouch items: Rhogul à la Ardainaise, Eternity Perfume
Crafting[]

Hugo's Machine-tinkering
At Campsites, Hugo can craft Key Items from Collectibles. Hugo's Machine-tinkering allows him to create:
- Silver Seeker
- Golden Seeker
- Prism Pickaxe
- Fragrantine
- Rock-Hard Plaster
- Electricite
- Droppicium
- Heart Compass
- Wing Booster
- Perpetual Music Box
- Jamming Megaphone
- Armored Rucksack
- Golden Mug
- Scarlet Rocket
- Hugo's Gold Detector
Affinity Chart[]
Tier | Name | Effect | SP |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Initiative I | Allows use of the Driver Art assigned to ![]() |
375 |
Survival Training | Increases maximum HP by 200. | 125 | |
Etherology | Increases Ether by 20. | 250 | |
Basic Discipline | Increases auto-attack damage by 20%. | 200 | |
Vigilance | Increases Dexterity by 20. | 325 | |
2 | Arts Relay | Lets you use an Art after canceling an Art. | 1,500 |
Power of the People | Increases Luck by 20. | 750 | |
Initiative II | Allows use of the Driver Art assigned to ![]() |
1,250 | |
Expert Duelist | Restores 3% HP when cancelling an auto-attack with a Driver Art. | 1,500 | |
Imperial First Aid | Increases the HP restored when reviving a teammate by 15%. | 1,000 | |
3 | Initiative III | Allows use of the Driver Art assigned to ![]() |
1,650 |
Inspiration | Slightly fills the Party Gauge when an "Excellent" is scored during a Special. | 3,300 | |
Physical Discipline | Increases Strength by 20. | 2,200 | |
Imperial Pursuit | Adds 20% to damage ratio after cancelling an auto-attack. | 2,750 | |
Advanced Survivalist | Boosts maximum HP by 10%. | 1,100 |
Hidden Affinity Chart[]
Tier | Name | Effect | SP |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Alchemy | Boosts the effect of HP Potions by 20%. | 1,875 |
Silent Bloodshed | Increases damage dealt by a surprise attack by 50%. | 1,250 | |
Faster than the Eye | Adds a 10% chance of attacking again after a successful auto-attack. | 3,750 | |
Martial Driver Arts | Boosts recharge for Specials after canceling by 20%. | 3,125 | |
Imperial Footwork | Increases Agility by 20. | 2,500 | |
2 | Ultimate Etherology | Boosts Ether by 10%. | 5,000 |
Controlled Breathing | Increases HP restored to self (not using HP Potions) by 10%. | 2,500 | |
Cool Focus | Boosts Dexterity by 10%. | 3,750 | |
Ultimate Footwork | Boosts Agility by 10%. | 7,500 | |
Ancestral Protection | Boosts Luck by 10%. | 6,250 | |
3 | Imperial Pride | 50% chance to survive hit with 1 HP + 5 secs invincibility (once per battle). | 15,000 |
Legendary Skill | Slightly fills the Party Gauge for each critical hit delivered. | 5,000 | |
Golden Opportunity | Increases attack power ratio at the start of a Chain Attack. | 10,000 | |
Ultimate Discipline | Boosts Strength by 10%. | 12,500 | |
Royal Attributes | Increases Affinity by 25% after winning a Special button challenge. | 7,500 |
Quotes[]
Post-Battle Dialogue[]
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"Ahah, that'll teach them. Never underestimate the power of the common folk."
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"Indeed. The emperor bestows his gratitude."
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"Kind of giving the wrong impression there, Hugo."
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"Lord Hugo, you've sustained no cuts, I hope? No scrapes, no bruises?"
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"Thank you for your concern, Haze. You are very kind."
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"And why exactly are you staring at me, Your Majesty?"
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"The bond between driver and Blade is some powerful stuff."
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"I would gladly excel at any chores His Majesty would entrust me with."
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"Is… that what we're calling a bond now?"
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Condition: After the quest Community Spirit (quest) | |
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"Brighid, you really… gie it laldy!"
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"And where, pray tell, did you hear that expression, Your Majesty?"
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"Uh, I overheard it on the streets of the capital. Did I misuse it?"
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Trivia[]
- Hugo and Niall share the same voice actor in both dubs.
- A post-battle dialogue between Hugo and Haze suggests that the former is at least 18 years old.
- A post-battle dialogue between Hugo and Addam suggests that Hugo may have a fear of Aspar, due to one slithering out from under his pillow when he was younger.
- Hugo is the only playable character in Torna ~ The Golden Country to not appear in the main game of Xenoblade Chronicles 2.
- There is a Unique Monster named Tattooed Hugo located in Mor Ardain during the base game. It's possible that this Unique Monster was named after Emperor Hugo.
Gallery[]
Characters in Torna ~ The Golden Country | |
---|---|
Playable Drivers | Lora · Addam · Hugo |
Blades | Jin · Haze · Mythra · Minoth · Brighid · Aegaeon |
Supporting Characters | Amalthus · Azurda · Mikhail · Milton · Tornan King · Zettar · Rhadallis · Baltrich · Stannif |
Antagonists | Gort · Malos |