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Steiner’s ongoing inner battle begins with his inability to separate his own life from work. He believes that his only purpose in life is to serve Queen Brahne and to protect Princess Garnet. He believes that so much, in fact, that he becomes blinded of his hopes and dreams.
The sad thing is I don’t think Steiner really knows who he is as a person.
“Having sworn fealty, must I spend my life in servitude?”
Let’s face it: Steiner’s life is his job. And his life and loyalty are held by Queen Brahne. Steiner’s not the knight he’d like to be. His knights don’t respect him. They fear him, yes, but have never respected him. Part of the reason is Steiner’s unwillingness –- or perhaps incapability – to make a decision. It’s much easier for Steiner to just take orders from the Queen and pass them on. It keeps him safe.
That safety comes with a price, though, and instead of the knight he wants to be, Steiner is a pawn on Queen Brahne’s giant chess board.
Steiner said he will do anything to protect Princess Garnet from harm, yet Steiner doesn’t know where harm lies. He tricked the group into heading back to Alexandria, back to the Queen, and would have succeeded if it weren’t for Zidane. He has it so messed up in his head, thinking Zidane is the root of evil, that he ends up hurting Garnet, and putting them in the way of the third Black Waltz.
As her pawn, Steiner can’t accept the fact that the Queen is evil, and as a result he becomes an annoyance, if not an obstacle, to the group.