Gilbert Chris von Muir, also known as Edward Chris von Muir, is a character from the video game Final Fantasy IV. His original name is Gilbert, but in the English translation for the SNES he is called Edward. This is confusing, because in the original Japanese version there is a different character with the name Edward (Edward Geraldine, shortened to Edge in the English translation.)
Backstory:
Gilbert is the Crown Prince of Damcyan, but likes to travel disguised as a bard. He meets a young lady named Anna and wishes to marry her, but her father Tellah objects, not knowing that Gilbert is a prince. Anna and Gilbert run away to Damcyan, and Tellah chases after them.
Tellah cannot catch them because a giant octopus blocks his road through the pass to Damcyan, but with the help of Cecil Harvey and Rydia of Mist, he manages to get through. The party arrives just in time to witness the burning of Damcyan from afar, an invasion by the Red Wings of Baron to steal the Crystal at Damcyan.
Gilbert survives the invasion, but Anna has been fatally wounded by arrows in an effort to protect Gilbert. This angers Tellah, who attacks Gilbert and yells out what may be FFIV's most famous line of dialogue, "You spoony bard!" He is not pacified by the revelation that Gilbert is a prince nor by Anna's insistence that she truly loves Gilbert, and after witnessing Anna's final moments, he storms off in a fit of anger to get revenge against Golbez, the man responsible for the attack.
Gilbert seems inconsolable-- he has lost his beloved Anna, his kingdom is destroyed, and the Crystal is stolen. Little Rydia tells him to stop crying and act like a grown-up, because it is his responsibility to help set things right and crying won't solve anything. He is afraid, but agrees to help.
Gilbert goes with Cecil and Rydia to help get the Sandruby to cure Cecil's beloved, Rosa Farrell, of a fever in Kaipo. Although Gilbert is afraid to fight, Anna appears to him in a dream and encourages him, and he realizes that he must stand up for himself.
After further adventures, the party is shipwrecked, and Gilbert washes up in Toroia, badly injured. When Cecil and friends arrive in Toroia seeking the Crystal, Gilbert wakes up, and gives them a harp from a set of identical twin harps. Later, sensing that Cecil and others are in a bind which the twin harps can fix, he stumbles out of bed to reach his harp, although he can barely walk and the doctors try to stop him from getting out of bed. Although Gilbert is never able to rejoin the party due to his injury, he saves them from danger. Later, he returns to Damcyan to rebuild his kingdom and restore its former glory.
Analysis:
Gilbert's story is about learning to have courage in the face of fear. Some people characterize him as a wimp because he has little courage when he first joins the party. I believe this is unfair. Gilbert learns to have courage through the encouragement of others: Anna's ghost, Rydia's chiding, and Cecil's dependency on his help. A wimp is someone who can't grow a spine and do what is necessary. Gilbert does do what is necessary, despite being inexperienced and fearful. He shows true courage by doing what he must do even when he is sad and afraid.
Tellah calls Gilbert "spoony," which means overly sentimental and gushy. It is fair to say that Gilbert is sentimental. However, this does not weaken him. Gilbert's love for Anna and his desire to do good for his kingdom are the things that strengthen him and pull him through the crises he must face. Tellah's criticism becomes praise in light of Gilbert's actions. The scene shows that Tellah is a rash and too-hasty judge of character, unwilling to take time to get to the bottom of things. This is typical of Tellah's behavior and does not operate as a fair assessment of the worth of Gilbert's behavior.
Gilbert's stats
(from the Final Fantasy IV Settei Shiryouhen):
Gilbert Chris von Muir
Bard
Age: 24
Height: 174 cm
Weight: 51 kg
Right-handed
Birthplace: Damcyan