Among the impressive library of games, e.g. breath of the wild, super mario odysseyand metroid fear2019 Fire Emblem: Three Houses Will still go down in my book as the best Nintendo Switch game ever. It’s a grand fantasy story and a brilliant tactical RPG that’s unparalleled even within the series it belongs to. Besides good gameplay and a charming world, what makes three houses A modern masterpiece lies in its cast of characters, each so fleshed out that each one could become someone’s favorite. But in honor of the game’s fifth anniversary, it’s time I declare one character above all the rest: Edelgard von Hresvelg, “Fire Emblem: Three Houses” The greatest victory.
purchase Fire Emblem: Three Houses: Amazon | Best Buy | Humble Bundle
same as before my city Writer Geeta Jackson puts it in their comments five years ago, “Fire Emblem: Three Houses This is a game for fun times. Those interesting times needed interesting people to inhabit them, all of them affected by the reality in which they lived—especially the war looming over their heads. The “three academies” in the title refer to the groups within the Garg Mach Monastery Officers’ Academy at the center of the game, one of which you choose to lead at the start of the game. While there are the Blue Lions and the Golden Harts, I’m most concerned about the Black Hawks and their seemingly ruthless leader Edelgard.
Each House leader is the presumptive heir to a particular political institution in the world three houses. They play classmates and temporary friends, but all exist in the shadow of a looming threat that will most likely make them enemies when (rather than if) the coming war finally begins. Edelgard is the only one of the three to consider this reality during the first part of the game, which is set during their school days when a mysterious adversary known as the “Fire Emperor” is terrorizing the monastery. This can make her an unpleasant person, coming across as calculating and uncaring. As the only female leader and, on the surface, a shallow, domineering woman, it’s perhaps not surprising that the white-haired ruler rubbed some people the wrong way. Cut to the game’s big reveal, Edelgard is actually the Fire Emperor, here to overthrow the lifestyle you and the rest of the game’s cast have been training to uphold. She’s a dangerous, authoritarian revolutionary who you’ll need to work to defeat in the second part of the game. At least, that’s true for all but one timeline.
If you choose to serve as Blackhawk’s steward at the start of the game, you’ll have the opportunity to develop a relationship with Edelgard, ultimately leading to her confessing her true identity and mission before asking you to join her. Thus begins the Scarlet Flower route. Given the cold and shallow demeanor Edelgard exhibits at the beginning of the game, this isn’t necessarily a tripping point. Even for those who choose her house, it takes consistent persistence to get to the point where she trusts you enough to reveal her secrets. In other routes, the only identity she acquires is that of a formidable opponent who must be stopped at all costs. In the first part of the game Red Flower and Black Hawk, she becomes human.
It feels inaccurate to view the reveal of Edelgard’s identity as Entei as a twist. If you join Blackhawk and spend time with her, it feels almost obvious because it’s a natural step considering how Edelgard sees the world. three houses. Throughout the first half of the game, you’ll see story beat after story beat that overtly shows you that the medieval fantasy world is a place robbed of horrific class inequality and entrenched ways of life that the Church It’s the organization you serve. Much of this inequality is due to heraldry, special markings that over time have been used to determine noble status. These crests are hereditary, resulting in women born with crests often seen as vessels for bearing men capable of imparting special powers, an issue made explicit in Ingrid’s story. These issues, along with more personal trauma, such as the massacre of her entire family, turn Edelgard into the cold-blooded woman we meet at the beginning of the game. But if you stay with her for the first half, we see these horrific realities of the world up close. If you pay attention to the world, Edelgard’s quest doesn’t have too many twists and turns. The reason behind what Xeecee accurately called her “call to arms” in a 2019 article vice All naked for you to see.
As shown during her school days, Edelgard is the world’s only future leader. three houses Who cares about changing the existing system to benefit the people. The other leaders, Dimitri and Cloud, are concerned with maintaining the status quo for themselves and their kingdom. They may talk about caring for their people, but it’s an us vs. them mentality, fear of losing their upper echelon in a church-dominated world. by Edelgard, three houses Giving you a rare opportunity to do something truly revolutionary as the protagonist. It invites you to truly leave the gaming world better than you found it.
This is not an easy thing for Edelgard either. In many ways, she gave up her identity and her life in pursuit of change for everyone. Part of the beauty of Red Blossom Road and leading Black Hawk during her time at the Officers Academy is that she regained some of her humanity after the horrific life she’d been through. Again, the downside is that if you choose to lead Blackhawk and then follow Edelgard in the revolution, you’ll only see this side of her. It locks so much of the best writing and character work in the entire game behind so many choices, but in some ways it’s better for it because it requires you to really see through your love for Edelgard Look for it.
Edelgard is still widely hated characters in three houses. She could easily be portrayed as an irredeemable villain who causes mass murder to serve her own goals. Sure, she’s not perfect, but the game goes to great lengths to show that revolution is costly but necessary. Edelgard is sacrificing her humanity, and it’s eating away at her. Revolution is not something she takes lightly, and she even confides in you that she fears the ultimate price will be too high. but preserve systems of oppression in the world three houses Accountability is something that has to be done and it will mean getting better. What shouldn’t be overlooked is how easy it is for a certain subset of actors to completely demonize a female protagonist (which I think is fair if we consider the Dean of the Academy as the protagonist). Ultimately, every character in every route is responsible for a litany of deaths and war crimes, but only one House leader has a clear moral drive behind every action they take.
For queer players, her route makes more sense if you choose to be the game’s heroine. Edelgard, regardless of gender, is romanticized in a revolutionary story in which she is fighting to break down an oppressive system that identifies her as queer. Building a relationship with Edelgard is a central pillar in understanding the moral obligation to fight alongside her. As I mentioned before, this also helps inject humanity into a world where she’s trying to tear humanity apart. It sounds cliché, but by giving her love and romance, you can make the story of the revolution more poignant. Not only does she fight for a better world for those around her, but so she can be her most authentic self without judgment.
For Edelgard, the red flower is the shortest route. three houses. However, it packs so much great story into a smaller package than its counterparts. It robs her of true catharsis, relegating the fruits of her labor to a coda. Additionally, each route follows a different House leader, ultimately ending in a world where corruption has been eradicated. three houses, so in the end, many may be wondering why Edelgard’s approach is necessary or justified. But again, even though the world changes no matter who you choose, Edelgard is the only ruler whose sole goal is that change. Her dedication to this mission also inspired other leaders around her, convincing them to finally work for some level of change, even on the lines of her being killed for a crime.
three houses is a game that encourages you to play it many times in order to see all the different routes and permutations, but ultimately, if someone asked me which route they should play, I would answer Crimson Flower. Not everything is right with Edelgard, she’s not perfect. However, she is the most compelling and best-written character in the piece. Fire Emblem: Three Houses. She would never receive the hate she received. That was true in 2019, and it’s true now five years later. Edelgard von Heresvelger, you will always be famous.
purchase Fire Emblem: Three Houses: Amazon | Best Buy | Humble Bundle
.
