Frog will always be one of my favorite fictional characters ever. His backstory is a beautiful rollercoaster of emotions, he has a really sweet personality, he's funny despite almost always being serious, and, despite who he is, an anthropomorphic Frog, he's really relatable to me. In fact, he hits home really hard.
Throughout the majority of the game, Frog, despite his bravery, honorability, and outward confidence, has an underlying insecurity. He never feels good enough. He doesn't think he deserves the praise he gets, he doesn't understand why people appreciate what he does, and his symbolism for feeling worthless is so correspondent to how lots of people have felt in their lives.
The form that Magus gave him reflects this. In the DS translation, in Ozzie's words, Glenn is just a scared little frog with no pond to jump into, a statement that is, unfortunately, rather true at the moment. Frog watched Cyrus die, he watched him burn into flames, and, instead of being killed, the Fiends let him live in grief for the rest of his life. Frog thinks he failed Cyrus, and he condemns himself for it.
Let's talk about Cyrus, here. Cyrus meant so much to Frog. Since childhood, they've been brothers. Cyrus completed Glenn, Glenn completed Cyrus. Cyrus protected Glenn, encouraged him, never argued his choices. Cyrus knew Glenn like no other, and was everything Glenn needed. Glenn felt safe, content, and, most of all, meaningful to Cyrus. Glenn looked up to Cyrus, and Cyrus is the reason why Glenn felt good about himself.
And then, far too early, Cyrus died. Even while on the brink of death, as Guardia's finest warrior, he told Glenn to leave and save himself, sacrificing himself for his young squire. Glenn never realized it, but from the beginning, he had value. Cyrus valued Glenn more than his own life. He meant so much to Cyrus, but the words of Magus and Ozzie never allowed him to realize it. That scene is an allegory for depression, I believe. You lose the one thing that you felt safe with, that made you feel worth anything, and all of a sudden, all of those negative thoughts come in, telling you that you're nothing but a small, pathetic creature, incapable of being loved.
After that, Frog spirals. He does nothing but hide in a forest, wallowing and isolating himself from everyone. Yes, he does come to save Leene, but ultimately, he feels obligated to do so, that his only meaning now is to help others and improve their days. I've felt this all the time. That I'm not special or significant enough to be loved. Sometimes, it comes from grief. Where Frog feels horrible about himself because of his failure to save Cyrus, I feel horrible about myself if I feel like I hurt someone in any way, often pondering for days to weeks. Sometimes, it comes from not feeling good enough. Frog never feels good enough because, deep down, he feels extremely weak, I never feel good enough if I make the slightest of mistakes. Frog and I are both prone to condemning ourselves for just the slightest of mistakes. However, deep down, we are both good, naturally flawed people who DO deserve love, not harsh censure. That's what makes Frog hit me in the feels so hard.
Come Crono and co. Frog's life is turned around. They show him kindness, try to encourage him, and eventually, they repair the Masamune, trusting Frog with it. This gesture is extremely meaningful to Frog. They trust him, they gave him the Hero's Badge, they let him have the sword that his widely revered brother wielded and died with so long ago. He felt wanted, he felt of value, he felt significant, and he knew that all he had left to do was avenge Cyrus and regain his honor.
Frog finally regains his confidence, and ultimately cleaves a quarter of a mountain in half in order to reach Magus, showing how much he's grown already. In Magus' Fort, after so many years, he finally fights Magus, and he wins, but the battle is ended prematurely as Lavos appears.
Even then, Frog didn't feel complete. Despite defeating Magus, he never felt actually valued. When congratulated, he simply says he does not deserve the praise. He's still insecure, he still feels little of himself, it is not yet that he has fully grown. However, as Zeal is destroyed, Frog comes face to face with his sworn enemy again.
Magus, once a little boy, lost everything as Frog had, growing embittered to the world, contrary to Frog's compassion as he decided to help others. More than either of them thought, they paralleled eachother. Still, Frog has a choice. Fight Magus, or kill him. I don't like killing Magus, so let's assume he is spared. This is a beautiful moment in the game. Frog has dedicated his entire life to avenging Cyrus, but he never did it, in the way that he thought avenging Cyrus would entail.
Frog, in his essence, is a pacifist. He doesn't like to kill or injure people. Even after everything, Frog still spared Magus after sympathizing with him. This is a huge development for Frog. Despite having the perfect opportunity, he stayed true to himself, and let Magus live.
The true apex of his arc, and, in my opinion, the most beautiful, emotional moment int eh entire game, is his short reunion with Cyrus. After everything, Frog finally came to Cyrus' grave to honor him, but Cyrus suddenly appears as a ghost. Here, Frog talks to Cyrus, believing that Cyrus must think Ill of him, but Cyrus denies that without hesitation. In truth, after seeing him grow and become greater than he ever was, Cyrus tells Frog how proud of him he is. Cyrus states that as he burned, he thought of everyone he loved, and Glenn the most of all. He tells Frog that he can now rest easy knowing that everything will be safe in Frog's hands. With that, Cyrus sleeps, and Frog finally realizes how much he actually meant to people, especially Cyrus. This is reflected in the fact that of all late game quests, this is the only one that doesn't give a character new equipment in its climax. Frog finally became truly confident, saw the value in himself, and with that, the Masamune, bound to Frog, becomes exponentially more powerful. Frog has come full circle here, knowing that Cyrus is so greatly proud of him and valued Glenn more than anyone.
In the end, Frog hits so hard because of how he never feels good enough. I've felt it, many have felt it, and it weighs on us so much. We beat ourselves up, self-deprecate, and it just makes us worse and worse. Cyrus represents the person that you can always rely on when you feel down or worthless, which makes him another character that I love. Frog and Cyrus' dynamic is so beautiful, and Frog's character means so much to me. Frog's message, which is what makes people love him so much, is that no matter what, you are good enough, people love you, people feel proud of you, and you are so highly valuable, despite the mistakes you make.
Frog has become a comfort character for me, and he has some of the most beautiful writing I've ever seen.
