Was Ted included in IV to close a plot hole?

[KingSpilly]

The flashback to Ted's hometown in Suikoden 1 shows that he was a small child when he first obtained the Soul Eater Rune, yet he is noticeably older in the present. This seems to contradict the fact that people who have true runes don't age. In Suikoden IV, it's revealed that Ted gave the Soul Eater to the fog ship guide to escape the burden of bearing it. Ted not being in possession of the Soul Eater during his time on the fog ship provides a possible explanation for why he looks older than he did in the flashback. The fact that the fog ship had never been mentioned before or since makes me believe that it was a quick filler arc thrown together for the sole purpose of explaining why Ted had aged.

[Raww Le Klueze]

Kind of but no, because the Fog Ship also makes you ageless.

Fog Ship Guide: Come with me upon this ship, where time governs us not.

Fog Ship Guide: Come... Be eternal...

Razro: If I stay here, my life will never end?

True Runes let their bearers age to maturity.

Originally the story was that Ted lost the Soul Eater for a while and that's why he aged when people pointed out that he did in fact age after Suikoden I released. This plot hole was later closed when Konami retconned how True Runes work to let their bearers age to a certain point if they get them very young.

However, Ted's official backstory never changed so it remained canon that he lost the Soul Eater for a time despite the need for this plot thread being gone.

The Fog Ship actually exists to explain how Ted lost his Soul Eater without aging.

[KingSpilly]

I am aware of the retcon. I'm just theorizing on alternate ways Ted's story in IV could have been planned while in development, and whether or not the fog ship would even exist if not for Ted's inclusion in the game. Plotlines often go through several revisions before being finalized.