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Fire Emblem Three Houses


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8 hours ago, Jaywalk said:

Well, onto Blue Lions!

Azure Moon is my favorite route, so I hope you enjoy it! (Disclaimer: I still haven’t beaten Crimson Flower or Silver Snow. So who knows. But... Storms, I don’t want to spoil anything! I’ll just say it’s a very character-focused route.)

Edited by The Awakened Salad
My grammar is atrocious
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24 minutes ago, Pathfinder said:

What are your impressions of the DLC so far? Can you also say what the special skills are for the new classes? 

Well, I'm only two chapters in, but I can confidently say that the DLC units are pretty dang good.

Can't tell you all the skills, cause I'm at work, and therefore don't have access to my switch

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4 hours ago, Pathfinder said:

What are your impressions of the DLC so far? Can you also say what the special skills are for the new classes? 

Overall the DLC story is pretty fun! The objectives vary in the maps, and there are some pretty interesting (if not a little annoying) reinforcement placements. Of the new characters, during the story I used Constance (she's a riot) and Hapi (potentially my new Best Girl, tying with Marianne and Shamir) the most. Yuri was more of a healer than anything else. Balthus, while good, was used sparingly because Hilda, Dimitri, and Edelgard were all the heavy-hitters I needed. MVPs were Dimitri because he was a beast and Ashe (his crits were CLUTCH).

The lore added in the DLC is nice, but the best part about the DLC is finding out about Byleth's mom. You learn a bit more about her than the regular game gives (as far as I know...I haven't played SS yet and probably will never play CF) and it's really refreshing.

I haven't used the DLC characters outside of the side-story yet, so I can't say how well they'll fit in or what their supports are just yet. 

(I know you weren't asking me, but I thought I'd pitch in anyways).

Edited by Use the Falchion
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6 hours ago, Jaywalk said:

(If only I had the money...)

(That too) *sighs*

13 minutes ago, Use the Falchion said:

(I know you weren't asking me, but I thought I'd pitch in anyways).

Without spoilers, how good would you say the story is? I’m not necessarily expecting anything deep or profound, or on the same level as the base game, but is it engaging? 

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The Story of Cindered Shadows feels a lot more personal in nature, and a bit smaller in scope. It is as advertised on the main menu: It's a side story. There's some cool lore tidbits (Ok, more than tidbits.) Cool Character stuff, interactions between the three lords, and some pretty busted units in the form of Balthus, Yuri (The man's a dodge tank with Pavise), and Constance (Nobility intensifies.) And, whilst I love Hapi as a character, I found her to be a bit on the fragile glass cannon side- though she came in clutch a good few times.

As for map variability, you get new maps, only 2 of the mode's maps are reused from the main game. Alongside some interesting victory conditions that are a nice breath of fresh air compared to the main games' 'Rout the enemy/ defeat the Commander'

All in all, I'd say I'm satisfied. More than satisfied, actually. 

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1 hour ago, Wyndlerunner said:

And, whilst I love Hapi as a character, I found her to be a bit on the fragile glass cannon side- though she came in clutch a good few times.

I've found a better niche for her outside of the side story so far than during it. Constance has been the MVP of the new units for me so far, but Hapi isn't far behind. 

9 hours ago, The Awakened Salad said:

Without spoilers, how good would you say the story is? I’m not necessarily expecting anything deep or profound, or on the same level as the base game, but is it engaging?

@Wyndlerunner has the right of things about the overall satisfaction and story. It's engaging, if a little simple at times. But the gameplay is top-notch for Three Houses. The supports so far have been pretty good as well. There are still so many I need to see, but the one's I've watched have all been enjoyable. 

 

Just a note, the side-story and the actual recruitment dialogue are different. So it makes the side story feel like it's an alternate dimension...or like how popular anime like Bleach, Naruto, and My Hero Academia have movies that take place sometime in the story, but will never be mentioned. And if characters cross over it'll be completely different. It feels like that. 

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6 hours ago, Wyndlerunner said:

All in all, I'd say I'm satisfied. More than satisfied, actually. 

4 hours ago, Use the Falchion said:

@Wyndlerunner has the right of things about the overall satisfaction and story. It's engaging, if a little simple at times. But the gameplay is top-notch for Three Houses. The supports so far have been pretty good as well. There are still so many I need to see, but the one's I've watched have all been enjoyable. 

Thanks to both of you guys! I’ve always been hesitant about buying DLC, but I am leaning towards getting Cindered Shadows. Also, it’s more Three Houses content, which I don’t really want to turn down anyway. 

Seriously, the impact this game has had on me is huge. I went from not caring about it at all to falling in love with it. The characters are wonderfully written, and while I have a few issues with the plot, I don’t really mind because the rest of the game is just so good. I love the concept of choosing a route that will determine the course of the story, and they executed it very well. Sure, it could’ve been better, but I’m very happy with what I got. And the music! While it still can’t beat Xenoblade for me, it holds its ground, and I’m still not sick of The Edge of Dawn even after listening to it for the thousandth time. It’s become one of my favorite games really quickly (well, it’s been out for around six months now, but still).

(How did this go from me talking about DLC to just gushing about the game? Oh well, it deserves it.)

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20 hours ago, Use the Falchion said:

Overall the DLC story is pretty fun! The objectives vary in the maps, and there are some pretty interesting (if not a little annoying) reinforcement placements. Of the new characters, during the story I used Constance (she's a riot) and Hapi (potentially my new Best Girl, tying with Marianne and Shamir) the most. Yuri was more of a healer than anything else. Balthus, while good, was used sparingly because Hilda, Dimitri, and Edelgard were all the heavy-hitters I needed. MVPs were Dimitri because he was a beast and Ashe (his crits were CLUTCH).

The lore added in the DLC is nice, but the best part about the DLC is finding out about Byleth's mom. You learn a bit more about her than the regular game gives (as far as I know...I haven't played SS yet and probably will never play CF) and it's really refreshing.

I haven't used the DLC characters outside of the side-story yet, so I can't say how well they'll fit in or what their supports are just yet. 

(I know you weren't asking me, but I thought I'd pitch in anyways).

 

11 hours ago, Wyndlerunner said:

The Story of Cindered Shadows feels a lot more personal in nature, and a bit smaller in scope. It is as advertised on the main menu: It's a side story. There's some cool lore tidbits (Ok, more than tidbits.) Cool Character stuff, interactions between the three lords, and some pretty busted units in the form of Balthus, Yuri (The man's a dodge tank with Pavise), and Constance (Nobility intensifies.) And, whilst I love Hapi as a character, I found her to be a bit on the fragile glass cannon side- though she came in clutch a good few times.

As for map variability, you get new maps, only 2 of the mode's maps are reused from the main game. Alongside some interesting victory conditions that are a nice breath of fresh air compared to the main games' 'Rout the enemy/ defeat the Commander'

All in all, I'd say I'm satisfied. More than satisfied, actually. 

Thank you both. I think I will give it a go after I finish my Golden Deer route. I was planning to in my blue lions run recruit everyone via newgame plus, and fully kit out my group to my ideal from all the other houses. I like building characters and didn't want repetition which is why I mainly avoided recruitment in my first two play throughs. So after golden deer, I may get cindered shadows to get the ashen wolves added to my last blue lions play through. 

side note: @Use the Falchion why do you feel you will never play Crimson Flower?

Edited by Pathfinder
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2 hours ago, Pathfinder said:

 

Thank you both. I think I will give it a go after I finish my Golden Deer route. I was planning to in my blue lions run recruit everyone via newgame plus, and fully kit out my group to my ideal from all the other houses. I like building characters and didn't want repetition which is why I mainly avoided recruitment in my first two play throughs. So after golden deer, I may get cindered shadows to get the ashen wolves added to my last blue lions play through. 

side note: @Use the Falchion why do you feel you will never play Crimson Flower?

Go for it! Since it's a package deal you can also recruit Emile for Crimson Flower if you'd like.

I'm not the biggest fan of Edelgard (I like Rhea much more, but I openly admit that the two are really the different sides of the same coin IMO), and I dislike having to fight other classmates. I like collecting and caring for my students and peers in-game, so the thought of having to fight more than two of them outside of Grondor Field really makes my heart hurt. Also the videogame cruelty potential seems to be the highest in CF, so no thanks (Marianne vs Hilda, Felix vs Rodrigue and then Dimitri, having the option to kill Claude..yeah...no thanks). I want my happy endings Storm it!

Besides, Claude's my guy and Dimitri's path is far more character driven and is the one with the most potential units, so I like those two. With Silver Snow, I have no lord, so as much as I'd like to play it, my incentives are far lower. 

I know Edelgard's story and her reasons for doing what she does. I sympathize with her, but doing Golden Deer first also colored my view of the world of Fodlan, and how Edelgard is acting without knowing the larger picture (justifiably of course, but still). I would love to use her as a unit, but I don't want to side with her in the conflict, nor do I want to invest in her if I don't plan on using her often (which is also what makes Cindered Shadows so great - I now know a little of how Edie functions as a unit and she's a TANK). Also, her methods seem to make little sense to me, but I can't judge her on them since I'll probably never play her route. 

 

@The Awakened Salad this IS  the thread for FE3H, so even if it's not about DLC we love to hear you gush about the game! 

Edited by Use the Falchion
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1 hour ago, Use the Falchion said:

Go for it! Since it's a package deal you can also recruit Emile for Crimson Flower if you'd like.

I'm not the biggest fan of Edelgard (I like Rhea much more, but I openly admit that the two are really the different sides of the same coin IMO), and I dislike having to fight other classmates. I like collecting and caring for my students and peers in-game, so the thought of having to fight more than two of them outside of Grondor Field really makes my heart hurt. Also the videogame cruelty potential seems to be the highest in CF, so no thanks (Marianne vs Hilda, Felix vs Rodrigue and then Dimitri, having the option to kill Claude..yeah...no thanks). I want my happy endings Storm it!

Besides, Claude's my guy and Dimitri's path is far more character driven and is the one with the most potential units, so I like those two. With Silver Snow, I have no lord, so as much as I'd like to play it, my incentives are far lower. 

I know Edelgard's story and her reasons for doing what she does. I sympathize with her, but doing Golden Deer first also colored my view of the world of Fodlan, and how Edelgard is acting without knowing the larger picture (justifiably of course, but still). I would love to use her as a unit, but I don't want to side with her in the conflict, nor do I want to invest in her if I don't plan on using her often (which is also what makes Cindered Shadows so great - I now know a little of how Edie functions as a unit and she's a TANK). Also, her methods seem to make little sense to me, but I can't judge her on them since I'll probably never play her route. 

 

@The Awakened Salad this IS  the thread for FE3H, so even if it's not about DLC we love to hear you gush about the game! 

Well if anything this goes to show what an amazing game FE3H is because having started with Crimson Flower playthrough, I find myself liking Edelgard far more than Rhea. If anything I see Rhea in a very negative light. In a lot of ways I would liken her to the Lord Ruler.

Spoiler

Immortal being using religion to enforce her will over the centuries, killing anyone who questions or resists under banner of "going against the goddess", using crests to perpetuate an unjust means of rule, and advocating experimentation on children.

But having not played fully through Golden Deer yet, I fully admit there is probably large bits of information I am missing. Also I totally understand if it is just against your preference. When I would play dungeons and dragons, I would always tends towards the magic casters, and in some cases the rogues. Fighters always felt boring to me, and divine characters always uncomfortable. The idea that to rely on some entity for my powers never sat well with me. Which is why despite fitting my play style (buff/debuff), I never gave cleric or invoker a shot. 

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2 hours ago, Pathfinder said:

Well if anything this goes to show what an amazing game FE3H is because having started with Crimson Flower playthrough, I find myself liking Edelgard far more than Rhea. If anything I see Rhea in a very negative light. In a lot of ways I would liken her to the Lord Ruler.

  Reveal hidden contents

Immortal being using religion to enforce her will over the centuries, killing anyone who questions or resists under banner of "going against the goddess", using crests to perpetuate an unjust means of rule, and advocating experimentation on children.

But having not played fully through Golden Deer yet, I fully admit there is probably large bits of information I am missing. Also I totally understand if it is just against your preference. When I would play dungeons and dragons, I would always tends towards the magic casters, and in some cases the rogues. Fighters always felt boring to me, and divine characters always uncomfortable. The idea that to rely on some entity for my powers never sat well with me. Which is why despite fitting my play style (buff/debuff), I never gave cleric or invoker a shot. 

Agreed!

And through GD, I never trusted Rhea that much, but she was slightly better than Edelgard. Characters like Shamir (a nonbeliever and a foreigner), Cyril (a prisoner of war/orphan of war and a foreigner), Catherine (an outlaw of sorts), and the survivors of Remire Village all helped Rhea's case. Once I learned Edelgard's background and goals, I found them to be similar enough to what Rhea's goals were to see them as the same. Edelgard wants power over Fodlan to change a system that is corrupt and has intimately hurt her and countless others. Both are defined by their trauma and had a single-minded focus on their goal. They are both extremists and willing to make unsavory deals to achieve their goals, that if their respective goal is achieved, everything will be worth it. Both viewed Byleth as a means to an end - a pawn in a larger chess game. Rhea knew this from the beginning, and for Edelgard things kicked into place after the Sword of the Creator incident. This changes for both of them over time (although for Rhea you don't really see the guilt unless you S support her; but in the case of AM she does step down, feeling not worthy of the role of Archbishop). And both Rhea and Edelgard (...and the entire cast, if we're being honest) really, really, REALLY need some therapy. Preferably by Seteth. The man knows how to listen and help the students. 

Spoiler

I can't remember a time where Rhea advocates child experimentation. The church, while making use of crests, actually opposes the glorification of them, as said in their lore. Seteth, as an individual possessing a Major crest and being a high ranking member of the church doesn't think too highly of the society based around them either. Byleth is a complex case, and Cindered Shadows digs a little deeper into that. Rhea, if she is to be believed, was actually pretty hands-off.

So again, yeah I tend to side with Rhea more often than not, but I'll be the first to say she wasn't the best individual. If it's any consolation, I seem to be in the minority about liking Rhea over Edelgard! ...or liking Rhea in general...

 

 

Bonus:

Top 10 people at Garrag Mach who need therapy:

1. Rhea (homegirl needs centuries of therapy)

1. Edelgard (homegirl needs decades of therapy...)

1. Dimitri (homeboy ALSO needs decades of therapy)

4. Bernadetta (Bernie needs a safe space to talk to someone in person, in a non-threatening manner, outside of her own room, CONSISTENTLY)

5. Marianne (the poor girl really needs therapy, but by Part 2 she can overcome most of her issues)

5. Gilbert

7. Dedue 

8. Lysithea (Lysithea's lifespan, age, and natural talent make her prone to outbursts for seemingly no reason. She needs someone to vent to).

9. Claude (he's lower on the list not because he's not as damaged as the others (his parents may be living, but he's lived a life full of racism and assassination attempts) but because he's become pretty well adjusted in spite of the damage).

10. Annette (just enough therapy to allow her to live her life without worrying/wondering about her father)

 

 

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If I may add to the Edelgard discussion:

Blue Lions was my first route, and in that route, Edelgard is probably vilified the most (maybe aside from Silver Snow). I only had the information Dimitri had, which was very incomplete, and so the route painted a very bad picture of her. 

Spoilery discussion below. Spoilers for the final map of Blue Lions, and pre-timeskip Edelgard supports. 

Spoiler

After the Flame Emperor reveal, I hated Edelgard. The cutscene... watching Dimitri finally snap as he believes he’s finally found the one responsible for his family’s murder. He was my favorite character in the game, and still is, so I was completely on his side. Part of the problem, I think, is that the Blue Lions route never actually gives you a reason why Edelgard started the war. All I knew was that she had some ideals, and that she was fighting for them. I kept waiting for the game to give me a concrete reason, so that I could try and understand her, but none never came. Of course, she doesn’t tell the public about the experimentation she went through (I doubt she’ll tell them in Crimson Flower), but even then, I don’t know what the official reason was either. And then right before the final Blue Lions map, when Edelgard agrees to meet with Dimitri, I was still wondering what she was fighting for. I didn’t hate her by this point, I still didn’t like her, but I was resolved to see her side of the story. I don’t remember there being a solid reason in Golden Deer either.

But in general, especially for Blue Lions, Edelgard is an easy person to blame for everything that happens.

And I think because Edelgard is so easy to blame that so many people just hate her (not saying anyone here does, but in other parts of the internet Edelgard hate is everywhere). Of course, there are also those who disagree with her methods, which is fair, but I think my point still stands. The game paints her as an evil conqueror in other routes, and without the context from her route that’s all the player has to go off of. They go even further in Blue Lions and just fully dehumanize her in the last map (again, with no explanation of why or how she could even transform), which doesn’t really help. 

Now, after doing Golden Deer and on a Black Eagles run, I still have very conflicting views on Edelgard. Her supports provide much needed context on why she chose to do what she has done, and even though I’m only on Chapter 7, things are starting to fall into place. I still have residual feelings of dislike because of Blue Lions, but I also sympathise with her and I see that she felt she had no choice but to go to war. It’s honestly left me feeling really confused. I don’t like her and I’m still a bit mad at her but I also just want to give her a blanket and some hot chocolate and tell her everything’s going to be okay? Hopefully the further I go the clearer things will get.  

I still think Edelgard is a very well written character, and I think the divisiveness in opinion about her is a testament to that. She takes very drastic actions that won’t agree with everyone, but I think that’s what makes the game so special to me. Every route uncovers a different side to the story (well, they’re technically all different stories), and eventually the fully puzzle will be pieced together. Some of the dialogue has extra layers of meaning now, especially Rhea’s, considering I’m going to go Crimson Flower instead of Silver Snow. “I hope the students all learned a valuable lesson about the fate that awaits all who are foolish enough to point their blades towards the heavens” is probably the one that stands out the most right now.

But for me, I think the differences in opinions makes Three Houses a much richer game.

Well, that turned into an essay. If you made it to the end, congratulations! You and Salad have reached C Support. 

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20 minutes ago, The Awakened Salad said:

If I may add to the Edelgard discussion:

Blue Lions was my first route, and in that route, Edelgard is probably vilified the most (maybe aside from Silver Snow). I only had the information Dimitri had, which was very incomplete, and so the route painted a very bad picture of her. 

Spoilery discussion below. Spoilers for the final map of Blue Lions, and pre-timeskip Edelgard supports. 

  Hide contents

After the Flame Emperor reveal, I hated Edelgard. The cutscene... watching Dimitri finally snap as he believes he’s finally found the one responsible for his family’s murder. He was my favorite character in the game, and still is, so I was completely on his side. Part of the problem, I think, is that the Blue Lions route never actually gives you a reason why Edelgard started the war. All I knew was that she had some ideals, and that she was fighting for them. I kept waiting for the game to give me a concrete reason, so that I could try and understand her, but none never came. Of course, she doesn’t tell the public about the experimentation she went through (I doubt she’ll tell them in Crimson Flower), but even then, I don’t know what the official reason was either. And then right before the final Blue Lions map, when Edelgard agrees to meet with Dimitri, I was still wondering what she was fighting for. I didn’t hate her by this point, I still didn’t like her, but I was resolved to see her side of the story. I don’t remember there being a solid reason in Golden Deer either.

But in general, especially for Blue Lions, Edelgard is an easy person to blame for everything that happens.

And I think because Edelgard is so easy to blame that so many people just hate her (not saying anyone here does, but in other parts of the internet Edelgard hate is everywhere). Of course, there are also those who disagree with her methods, which is fair, but I think my point still stands. The game paints her as an evil conqueror in other routes, and without the context from her route that’s all the player has to go off of. They go even further in Blue Lions and just fully dehumanize her in the last map (again, with no explanation of why or how she could even transform), which doesn’t really help. 

Now, after doing Golden Deer and on a Black Eagles run, I still have very conflicting views on Edelgard. Her supports provide much needed context on why she chose to do what she has done, and even though I’m only on Chapter 7, things are starting to fall into place. I still have residual feelings of dislike because of Blue Lions, but I also sympathise with her and I see that she felt she had no choice but to go to war. It’s honestly left me feeling really confused. I don’t like her and I’m still a bit mad at her but I also just want to give her a blanket and some hot chocolate and tell her everything’s going to be okay? Hopefully the further I go the clearer things will get.  

I still think Edelgard is a very well written character, and I think the divisiveness in opinion about her is a testament to that. She takes very drastic actions that won’t agree with everyone, but I think that’s what makes the game so special to me. Every route uncovers a different side to the story (well, they’re technically all different stories), and eventually the fully puzzle will be pieced together. Some of the dialogue has extra layers of meaning now, especially Rhea’s, considering I’m going to go Crimson Flower instead of Silver Snow. “I hope the students all learned a valuable lesson about the fate that awaits all who are foolish enough to point their blades towards the heavens” is probably the one that stands out the most right now.

But for me, I think the differences in opinions makes Three Houses a much richer game.

Well, that turned into an essay. If you made it to the end, congratulations! You and Salad have reached C Support. 

You better not make me wait 5 years to get to an A support! Also, agreed about the difference of opinion and Three Houses. 

As a quick question for those who've played more than one path (sorry all you one-path people!), which path do y'all think is the best first path? 

I've heard some pros and cons about Blue Lions, since, while it's the most character driven story it doesn't answer any questions. 

I haven't heard much in support of Black Eagles, but it feels like that's the house most people choose first (my own friend group was split, with two doing BE, two doing BL, and two doing GD. A friend not in that group also did GD first, but I think by the end of the game he'll really enjoy BE-CF).

And then there's Golden Deer, which is far more optimistic than it probably should be, and answers nearly all of the questions posed. 

I ask because I have a friend I'm really trying to get to play this game, but I have a feeling she'll pick one path and never play the rest. So I want to know the best path so that she can be excited to play a new path afterwards.

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26 minutes ago, Use the Falchion said:

I ask because I have a friend I'm really trying to get to play this game, but I have a feeling she'll pick one path and never play the rest. So I want to know the best path so that she can be excited to play a new path afterwards.

I know this probably isn’t the answer you were looking for, but I don’t think there is a right first path. I’d honestly just suggest she choose whichever one speaks to her the most. It sounds cliche, but I feel that if she picks the house that she just feels is right, she’ll have the best experience, and then she’ll be motivated to play the rest. 

But as a serious answer, it depends on what type of story she’s after. Does she like character driven stories, or stories that focus on the big picture and lore? Then you could suggest a path, but also tell her that she’s not obligated to choose it.

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If I might also pitch into the Edelgard discussion, as someone who went BE first. Spoilers for Length and Basically all of the base game (no Cindered Shadows here)

Spoiler

So, I went into this game knowing only that there were three houses at an academy, and that there was a timeskip at some point (due to the E3 trailer). I immediately ruled out  Blue Lions, because I was fairly certain Dimitri was going to be the villain due to his timeskip appearance and the ever memeable "Kill Every Last One of Them" line. So, that left me between Golden Deer and Black Eagles. While talking to the Students on that first day at Garreg Mach, However Lorenz just put me off. I thought he was annoying (an opinion I have since retracted). So, I chose Black Eagles. I saw the Byleth Supports with Edelgard, but didn't think they had much to do with the Church. I grew fond of El, and continued in my misguided suspicion that the Flame Emperor was related to Dimitri, if not just Dimitri himself. Then the reveal happened- and I felt betrayed. I felt like El had been using Byleth, along with the other students for (what I perceived to be a foul gain.) So- when given the choice to spare Edelgard or Kill her. I was distraught. I felt, rather foolishly, that I would have to choose between my students, or Edelgard. I eventually decided to side with the Church (partially because more Character drama.) I hated what El did, but I still liked El- and genuinely felt bad when I had to take her out.

Now, post Silver Snow's final map, and the reveals about Byleth's origins- I felt more mixed about Rhea and the Church generally. And then I immediately jumped into an Azure Moon playthrough. (in no small part due to that weird Dimitri bit in Silver Snow- it's just so out there). Now here, I began to see more of the Churches flaws on display in some of the supports (Particularly Ashe and Catherine's, and the somewhat backwards society in Faerghus, displayed in Sylvain and Mercedes, and Ingrid and anyone really). I go through part one much the same- except for feeling a bit more about it (Honestly White Clouds was made for Azure Moon). Then the first of many reveals happens: Edelgard is Dimitri's Stepsister. Not only that, but they were childhood friends, who had a good relationship. (Don't tell me it didn't make your heart melt a little when she taught him how to dance). So rather than abject betrayal and anger- I felt Dimitri's anguish. The Knowledge that the one he seeks vengeance upon is also someone he cares about. I empathized with this, as I too cared about El. However for a good half of Azure Moon- I focused inward. Worrying more about Dimitri's inner struggles and pain, rather than a grand 'Cause of the War'. Then, we reached the Endgame of Azure Moon- and I began to feel genuine respect for El's devotion to her cause. She and Dimitri were both fighting for their Ideals, and each respected that (And another Dagger, Dimi you lovable tortured soul, you know just how to make me bittersweet). Then, the final map arrived, and I felt horrified by what Edelgard had done to herself (then I proceeded to laugh hysterically over her lack of ability to hit anything). Then the final cutscene played, and I felt saddened by Edelgard's dedication. The fact that she would rather forfeit her life than yield to Dimitri, whom she has already acknowledged as "Her dear forgotten friend." 

Post Azure Moon, I still cared about El, but I also felt like she had made too many moral miscalculations, and I found her extremism to be a grand error. But, in Azure Moon's ending, Fodlan also doesn't really change- except that it's all united as Faerghus, and the reliance on Crests seems to be going away with time (As Per Sylvain and Ingrid's Paired Ending). So, I went to Verdant Wind, as the last route I needed to play, hoping for some real answers about our favorite Dubstep DJ's, and 'Solon, the Savior of All' (Even post Verdant Wind, I'm not sure why that line exists).

It was in Verdant Wind, where I finally realized what El was lacking. She and Claude are actually quite similar characters, save for a few key differences. Both want drastic change for Fodlan, and distrust the Church of Seiros. (additionally both want a future where reliance on the church is lessened). But their key difference lies in their outlook and how far they're willing to go to find the change they seek. No matter what route you play- Edelgard is willing to start a continent-wide war to get the change they seek. But for Claude, that's off the table. No matter how noble or in the right he feels he is- he doesn't believe in killing to achieve his dream, until it becomes clear that both the Empire and TWSiTD, are posing significant threats to Fodlan having a peaceful united future. (I should also note that from what I know of Crimson Flower's plot, that Claude openly says that he trusts Edelgard with Fodlan's future, should you spare him at Derdriu.). I honestly believe that if there were to be any Golden Route, it would involve a scenario, where Claude tempers Edelgard's extremism, and both work together to build Fodlan's New Dawn.  Both are devoted to making sure that no one else must suffer the afflictions that both suffered in their childhood. As for Rhea and the Church- Verdant Wind's confirmation that Rhea was in fact Seiros, made me feel like the church was even more oppressive than before (as Rhea is essentially the Eterana-Pope of her own religion.). However the Truth of the Relic Weapons and Crests themselves, made me certain that the Agarthans were the true enemy, and the Cause of both Edelgard's and Rhea's Trauma. Yes the truth of Crests and Relics were obscured, and history was rewritten. But it felt like it came from a desire to protect what few Nabateans remained. Did the Church of Seiros misuse its creed like El claims? Yep they did. But I also still don't see them as the ultimate evil, like El seems to think they are. They are Misguided.

Edelgard is Misguided in her extremism.

Dimitri is misguided in his hatred, and his willingness to let the status quo stand.

Rhea is misguided in her attempts to revive her mother, and a fear of Zanado repeating itself.

Claude is misguided in his attempts to straight up use Byleth for the Sword of the Creator's power.

Nobody in this game is a perfect good character- except Seteth and Flayn. They're perfect.

Thank you for reading

 

 

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