The erosion of idealism is a central theme, handled with nuance. It's not just about becoming cynically dark; it's about the transformation of a naive belief into something harder, more complex, and perhaps more valuable. A character might start fighting for king and country, then for their unit, then simply for the person next to them, and finally for a vague idea of a future worth the bloodshed. Their original, shiny idealism is stripped away, layer by layer, by experience. What remains is the core of their character. Is it resilience? Compassion? Ruthlessness? The journey from a recruit who believes in glorious charges to a veteran who knows survival is the only glory is the heart of so many great military fantasy character arcs. It's a specific kind of coming-of-age story forged in the worst circumstances.