Wolfgang Wagner is a character in Shadow of Memories.
Description[]
Wolfgang Wagner was an alchemist in the 1580s and was the father to Margarete and Hugo Wagner. However, unknown to the old alchemist, he has an impossible destiny that has already been laid out for him, one which he may never escape.
Biography[]
*SPOILER WARNING: Plot and Ending details follow!*
Early Life[]
Born the son of a farmer, Wolfgang became the ward of a rich relative who recognised his intelligence, and pursued science at the university. He eventually became a famous alchemist in the town of Lebensbaum, and also met his wife Helena, with the two eventually having a daughter. However, their daughter was swapped with another baby girl by a powerful being without their knowledge. Apparently, neither of them suspected the girl to not be theirs, and some years later had a son named Hugo. The years passed and presumably the family lived a happy life. However, Helena eventually became sick from an unknown disease and Wolfgang become desperate to find a cure through alchemy, particular through trying to find the Philosopher's Stone.
Losing his Wife[]
Despite all his attempts however, Helena passed away at some point prior to 1582. Following this point, Wolfgang's reputation fell to pieces as he stopped interacting with people. As he became more and more reclusive, and as people grew more and more wary of his alchemy, people began to call him and his family evil and godless. This caused many problems for Margarete and Hugo, with neither finding it easy to cope with their father's behaviour. On the 24th of May 1582, Wolfgang first met a mysterious man named Eike Kusch, who knew that he was searching for the stone. When Wolfgang learned that Eike once possessed the Philosopher's Stone, he begged for the man to give it to him if he found it again.
Becoming His Destiny[]
Two years later on the 3rd of August, Eike indeed returned and gave him the Philosopher's Stone. At this point the timelines vary, but evidence suggests that Eike likely told Wolfgang to create a pentagram when trying to use the stone. Wolfgang heeded his warning and after doing so, used alchemy to free the being inside the stone, who was named Homunculus. When told that he only freed Homunculus, not create new life as he had intended, Wolfgang grew depressed due to the fact it meant he had wasted all these years for nothing, and in his anger wished to be young like Eike. Homunculus granted his wish, but Wolfgang then used the pentagram to try and reseal Homunculus in the stone. While he succeeded, Homunculus placed a curse on Wolfgang, one which granted the man eternal youth at the cost of losing his memories after an unspecific amount of time. Taking the stone, Wolfgang began to wander the world lived for four hundred years, eventually taking up the name Eike Kusch and returning to Lebensbaum in 2001.
A New Fate[]
In a new, alternate timeline created by all the other alternate timelines, Wagner's older self Eike Kusch retains his memories of all the timelines and his past. This enables his future self to alter history in a way that prevents the release of Homunculus in two different ways. In one timeline, Eike causes both the Philosopher's Stone and Homunculus to cease to exist, which erases the stone from history and leaves Wagner no way to save his wife. However, in a different timeline, Eike went back and showed Wolfgang Wagner how to use a chip of the Philosopher's Stone to create the elixir of life. This enables Wolfgang to save his wife of her illness, and thus remove any need to try and "create" Homunculus. Regardless of how Eike did it, Wolfgang has no opportunity to become Eike Kusch, meaning that he presumably dies sometime after 1584.
Personality[]
Wolfgang is a very firm and driven man, rarely having time for his children and being obsessed with his work. This has had the consequence of alienating his children, with Hugo arguably suffering the worse. However nearly all of Wolfgang's decisions have been born out of love from his family, and he had been obsessed with saving his wife. Also when Eike gives him the Philosopher's Stone he responds with kindness, acting far more like Eike. This suggests that at heart him and Eike are not that different, with Wolfgang only acting the way he does due to the pain he has suffered and the responsibility he feels for his family.
Relationships[]
Helena Wagner[]
Hugo Wagner[]
Margarete Wagner[]
Eike Kusch[]
Having only limited interactions with Wolfgang Wagner, neither learn that they are the same person from different points in time, except for in the EX Endings when Eike loses his amnesia. Due to Wolfgang's hardened and abrasive personality, as opposed to Eike's more polite and friendly one, the two rarely talk much when in the presence of one another. However, Wolfgang instantly becomes grateful and kind towards Eike when the latter gives him the Philosopher's Stone.
Homunculus[]
Quotes[]
Wolfgang "A hunch. Well, if you say so. I'm sorry, but I must ask you to leave now. And if you can, forget about what you saw in this room, please."
Wolfgang: "You have, by chance, the Philosopher's Stone?"
Wolfgang: "Well, should you gain possession of it, allow me a small amount, I beg of you. Please!"
Wolfgang: "By then, the experiment should yield fruit. I will be able to show you the Homunculus. At last, science will prove itself capable of creating life! How I wish you could have been here, Helena. That is my only regret."
Wolfgang: "The sooner the better. I'll send word in about ten days. Go to your relative's homes or anywhere else you like. That's all."
Wolfgang: "I want to thank you for your concern. Your youth belies your thoughtfulness. I cannot help but envy it. Look at me, I have grown old in my laboratory. Ah, youth. Forgive me, I must not lapse into self-pity."
Wolfgang: "Was my research in vain? Was I wrong, after all these years devoted to my task? Helena, forgive me."
Gallery[]
