Maxim Lugan (マクシム·ルーガン), also known as the Red Comet (紅い流星) is a renowned Z1 Grand Prix racer from Calvard, introduced in Trails through Daybreak.
Profile[]
Appearance[]
Maxim is a youthful, blond man with lavender eyes and wavy hair. He wears a black v neck t-shirt, white trousers, brown flat shoes and a bright red jacket. A gold pendant hangs from his neck.
Personality[]
Maxim is arrogant and self-absorbed with his fame, using it to win over women and live a life of hedonism.
In truth, Maxim was torn by guilt after a while about what he did and devoted much of his time travelling to try and find his former girlfriend. He is willing to go to lengths to protect others, putting himself in harm's way if it means they have a chance to escape. he is also gracious in defeat and accepts the consequences of his actions. He does try to do right by his family and atone for past mistakes.
Background[]
Eight years ago, when getting his start in the Z1 Grand Prix, Maxim was seriously injured in a race. He was nursed back to health by Paulette and the two started a relationship, Paulette supporting Maxim as he went on to earn great success in Calvard's premier racing league, winning three successive years in a row.
As he became more successful, Maxim gave in to the temptations his fame and wealth gave him, and became unfaithful to Paulette. Paulette, who had gotten pregnant, abandoned Maxim and returned to Edith to raise her daughter alongside her father at the Montmart bistro in Edith.
Two years prior, when finding himself at the same hospital by chance, Maxim learned through a coworker of Paulette's that she had gotten pregnant, but the coworker warned Maxim he would be reported if he tried to follow up what had happened to her as neither her nor Paulette wanted anything to do with him.
Trails through Daybreak[]
Maxim would occasionally cross paths with Van Arkride and his crew during the events of the game. He has his first encounter with the Arkride Solutions Office when enquiring about a traffic jam to Agnès Claudel and Feri Al-Fayed, and is downhearted that they don't immediately recognise him and fawn over him. Van wakes up and threatens him to not lay a hand on his truck. When leaving the congestion, Maxim challenges Van to a street race , which Van accepts and wins thanks to his turbo-booster. Maxim crashes as a result of trying too hard to win, but accepts defeat gracefully and declines assistance.
They run into him again in Langport where he is trying to woo women while sightseeing (although actually looking for clues on Paulette and using his celebrity antics as a cover). After escaping from the sea cave, Maxim takes two women to the Heilong Cheng Zhai where they are attacked by fiends and Melchior. Maxim is separated from the women as he tries to fend them off and buy time for them to escape. Elaine Auclair and the party save him and he thanks them before escaping to safety.
Maxim and Judith Lanster are caught speaking to each other in a car parking lot by Buzzraider, a gossip magazine. Judith's only intention was finding out if he was linked to Almata, which he was not. The ensuing scandal and gossip results in Maxim finally having a moment of elucidation. He contacts the Solution Office through Bermotti and hires Van and his crew to help him track down the mother of his child by recovering a time capsule the couple buried together; they all discover that it is actually Paulette, Maxim having unknowingly seen his daughter when he visited the family's bistro earlier. When meeting Paulette again, she acts as if she doesn't know him, but Maxim resolves to try and do better, not wanting to give them trouble but to support them in any way he can.
He attempts to reconnect with Paulette and his daughter, but struggles, even when Pauline gives him a chance. Judith agrees to go around with him on Revolution Day as long as it is to show Yumé the sights. Van temporarily borrows him to help in a street race, where maxim sides with the High Bloods and races Van, losing once again. He is protective of his family when Edith is thrown into Pandemonium and is separated when trying to protect them from Melchior. He is captured by fiends and rescued by the party. He then helps evacuate people from the danger.
Gallery[]
Trails through Daybreak[]
.png "Maxim & Paulette photograph concept art (Kuro).png (742 KB)")
.png "Maxim & Paulette 1 - Visual (Kuro).png (3.04 MB)")
.png "Maxim & Paulette 2 - Visual (Kuro).png (3.05 MB)")
.png "Maxim & Paulette 3 - Visual (Kuro).png (3.01 MB)")
.png "Maxim & Paulette 4 - Visual (Kuro).png (3.11 MB)")
.png "Maxim Rogen concept art (Kuro).png (286 KB)")
.png "Maxim Rogen concept art 2 (Kuro).png (153 KB)")
Trails through Daybreak II[]
.png "Maxim Rogen - Concept Art (Kuro II).png (502 KB)")
Trivia[]
- Maxim used to be part of the Red Star team, but now both of his known vehicles are produced by ETWS.
- Maxim's nickname, appearance, and introduction which sees him make a pass at young girls are all references to Char Aznable from the Mobile Suit Gundam series.
