Games Happy

4 years in the past, Nintendo launched Hearth Emblem: Three Homes, a brand new technology of Hearth Emblem that might go on to turn out to be the only best-selling technique RPG of all-time at over 3.4 million copies bought as of this writing. Many who performed this recreation discovered an intricate world stuffed with compelling characters to fall in love with. Nonetheless, not all followers discovered the forged of characters so lovable. 

In truth, one character specifically drove a divide within the fanbase that Three Homes gamers nonetheless talk about to at the present time. In case you performed Three Homes and engaged in even simply mild dialogue round it, you doubtless already know precisely who I am speaking about. That character, in fact, is the chief of the Black Eagles home, Edelgard von Hresvelg. 

Now, I may be barely biased. In truth, any Three Homes participant can be barely, maybe extra sympathetic to whichever home route you performed first. For me, that was Edelgard – and I’m right here to speak about why I contemplate Edelgard to be one in all my favourite Hearth Emblem characters in historical past, and one in all my favourite antagonists in all of gaming.

This text will include spoilers for Hearth Emblem: Three Homes, and is meant for many who have performed it already.

Up till the midpoint of Hearth Emblem Three Homes, it will be pure to imagine Edelgard is a traditional pupil on the Officers’ Academy like everybody else there. Nonetheless, beneath her cool exterior is a woman that’s making ready to shift the continent. The reveal of Edelgard because the enigmatic Flame Emperor, one of many predominant belligerents within the first half of the sport, was a shock to many who reached that time.  Edelgard’s ascension to energy by taking the reins of the mighty Adrestian Empire units the stage for the second section of the sport: a warfare that engulfs the whole thing of the continent of Fodlan.

Hearth Emblem Three Homes has a slight downside with the best way its general story is structured. In an effort to really get the total story and context for lots of characters’ motivations, it necessitates a number of playthroughs of the sport with the totally different routes contained inside the recreation. Until you are really devoted to this recreation, the possibilities of some individuals understanding the total story is fairly low except they exit of their technique to analysis it. Anybody who simply performs one route will not perceive the motivations of all three home leaders since they do not get the chance to know them. 

Since Edelgard is the villain in three out of the 4 routes within the recreation, it is simple to color her as this evil conqueror who declares warfare on the opposite nations out of the blue for the sake of her personal ambitions. Nonetheless, she has strong and, dare I say noble causes for her declaration of warfare. Let’s discuss Edelgard’s previous, and what influenced her to make this determination.

To begin off with, Edelgard wasn’t even the primary in line for the throne of the Adrestian Empire. She was the ninth baby of the present emperor, and the fourth daughter. Within the Blue Lions route, you be taught that Edelgard and Dimitri are step-siblings by way of Edelgard’s mom. After Edelgard Dimitri parted methods when Edelgard returned to the Adrestian Empire, she was kidnapped together with all of her siblings by the Agarthans, in any other case often known as These Who Slither within the Darkish (TWSitD). The Agarthans have been keen on experiments to create Crests artificially, and they also carried out them on Edelgard and her siblings. After the experiments have been over, Edelgard was the only survivor as her siblings both died or have been pushed mad. The experiment was profitable, as Edelgard possessed two Crests: the Crest of Seiros and the Crest of Flames (the Hearth Emblem).

Golden Deer gamers doubtless know that Lysithea additionally has two Crests. This is because of the truth that Lysithea was additionally subjected to the identical experiments by TWSitD, which led to her two Crests. Lysithea additionally makes it well-known that she would not have lengthy to stay, as possessing two Crests drastically shortens one’s lifespan.

Edelgard is in the identical place as Lysithea; she can also be confronted with a shortened lifespan and she or he is aware of that she has to behave rapidly if she needs to perform her targets earlier than she dies. Whereas not explicitly said by her, I think about that’s one in all her driving forces to rapidly pressure Fodlan into submission. Nonetheless, to do that, she has to take down the Church of Seiros, who has allowed Crest-bearers to rule over many of the continent. Her goal is to attain social change, and take away the barrier between the commoners and the the Aristocracy. She plans to create a meritocracy, the place individuals are raised to positions of energy by way of effort and ability, versus being born into excessive ranks. 

Regardless of understanding the reforms she could be implementing will draw the ire of the continent, she believes it’s the path ahead for a lot of commoners to interrupt free from the corrupt the Aristocracy. To realize her aim, she seeks the removing of Rhea, the archbishop of the Church of Seiros, which has a stranglehold over the the Aristocracy of the three international locations of Fodlan. The the Aristocracy of Fodlan gained most of their energy by way of affiliation with the Church of Seiros. By declaring open hostility towards the Church, Edelgard will successfully declare warfare on the Kingdom of Faerghus and the Leicester Alliance since their rulers usually tend to aspect with their the Aristocracy to maintain their international locations secure. 

What drew me to Edelgard was how totally different she was in comparison with most Hearth Emblem antagonists, particularly out of the video games launched up to now ten years. When you get to know her quite a bit higher than many of the different Hearth Emblem antagonists, it was a breath of contemporary air to see a villain combating for greater than conquest for the sake of conquest. Edelgard is handled because the villain due to her want to start out a warfare to alter the continent fairly than permitting it to stagnate as a result of the the Aristocracy needs to maintain it that means. 

The morality of the conflicts in latest Hearth Emblem video games have been very black and white. One aspect are clearly the great guys, which is you because the participant, and one aspect are clearly the dangerous guys. Whereas it is simple to rally behind the reason for the faction you play as, not every thing is reduce and dry as that in warfare. One of many predominant themes of Three Homes are the morally gray actions of nearly all of its characters, particularly the home leaders. Relying in your standpoint, and your personal private experiences, who’s “proper” or “flawed” on this recreation is totally as much as interpretation. Do you suppose {that a} corrupt system that raises up these born with a specific bloodline ought to proceed to keep away from warfare, or are you keen to problem the corrupt system and alter it, even when it means throwing individuals’s lives into chaos? 

Edelgard is the latter, and her previous trauma has pushed her to this mindset that one thing have to be finished to alter the social system that the continent has fallen into. She is a particularly pushed character however for many who do not know her, her calculating and standoffish nature could make her appear to be a cold-blooded conqueror who’s simply in search of energy. Nonetheless, there’s a advanced character beneath her cool demeanor. Nonetheless, gamers who have not performed the Black Eagles route can get a way of who Edelgard really is. The reply lies within the theme tune of Hearth Emblem: Three Homes.

The theme tune for Hearth Emblem: Three Homes is named The Fringe of Daybreak (with the alternate model being Seasons of Warfare) which is the tune that performs throughout the opening of the sport. The total model additionally performs throughout the ending credit on three of the 4 routes of the sport. The one one it doesn’t play on is Crimson Flower, the route the place you aspect with Edelgard.

Why is that you could be ask? In case you take heed to the lyrics of the tune, the opening verses may sound a bit acquainted if you realize the context. In case you made it to the second half of the sport, who’s the character that these lyrics greatest describe? Who hides behind a masks and claims to have a “blackened coronary heart, scorched by flames”? The Flame Emperor herself, Edelgard. In case you thought this tune was by some means not meant to be from Edelgard’s perspective, the tune in Japanese is named “Woman of Hresvelg”.

A brief abstract of the tune is that Edelgard is pouring out her emotions for Byleth, and hoping they’ll keep by her aspect. Nonetheless, the principle takeaway that I received out of it, is that Edelgard is a deeply conflicted character. She is aware of what she’s doing, however deeply regrets the ache and struggling she is about to inflict on others, particularly to the opposite college students of the academy. Maybe for some individuals, it might be contradictory for Edelgard to really feel dangerous for the ache and struggling she is going to inflict on others in a warfare that she began. 

Within the second verse of the tune, you may get a way of her want to stay out her days usually like everybody else there. Since she had such a traumatic childhood, she typically longs for the easy issues in life. Nonetheless, her want to alter the continent can not look forward to lengthy as a consequence of her shortened lifespan. To enact the change she wants, the removing of Rhea and the dismantling of the Church is vital.

One of many strongest examples for my love of Edelgard comes from her relationship with the protagonist of Three Homes, Byleth. Out of the three lords, Byleth has probably the most affect on Edelgard, in my view. Claude retains everybody, together with Byleth, at arm’s size always, Dimitri is spurred on by all of his mates together with Byleth to interrupt out of his melancholy, whereas Edelgard sees Byleth as an equal and somebody she will be able to confide her feelings to. 

Her admiration and belief in Byleth might be interpreted as emotions of deep love. Among the cutscenes and pictures which might be burned into my thoughts once I take into consideration Edelgard are: the reunion at Garreg Mach shortly after Byleth’s awakening in Crimson Flower, the look of utter devastation when she thinks Byleth dies on the finish of the sport and the aid that spreads throughout her face when she realises they’re alive, and even her resignation of her dying at Byleth’s palms in Silver Snow and Verdant Wind. These character moments with Byleth actually emphasize their dynamic collectively, and it is simply one of many highlights of Crimson Flower.

Edelgard can also be a staunch supporter of these she will be able to name her mates. Her cool exterior retains individuals away however at coronary heart, Edelgard is a sort one that is at all times occupied with others. In case you take heed to her help conversations with a number of the different characters from her home like Dorothea and Bernadetta, Edelgard turns into an icon for these two. Dorothea and Bernadetta come to idolize Edelgard for her power, and so they attempt to break by way of Edelgard’s partitions to turn out to be her pal. Edelgard returns their gestures, and helps give them recommendation to spice up their confidence. 

One in every of my private favourite help conversations are those she has with Lysithea. As I discussed earlier, Lysithea and Edelgard are merchandise of the identical ugly experiments carried out by TWSitD. The 2 kindred spirits take solace in one another, with Lysithea pledging herself to Edelgard’s aim. Lysithea is the one character in Crimson Flower that may be recruited exterior of the primary half of the sport, exactly due to this relationship.

That is to not say Edelgard would not have her flaws. Enjoying a bit of satan’s advocate right here, she is certainly not an ideal human being. She’s a controversial determine for a cause. Her shortened lifespan has pushed her to behave extra on logic than emotion, and she or he is a agency believer of the ends justifying the means. That’s a part of the explanation she groups up with TWSitD, and permits them to maneuver about as they please. Even in Three Hopes when she opposes them, most of her actions are nonetheless pushed by practicality. In Three Hopes, Edelgard has a help dialog with Monica, the place Edelgard confirms to Monica that she was keen to depart Monica for useless as a result of she did not need to stand in the best way of TWSitD since Edelgard wanted them. Solely by way of Three Hopes’ circumstances does Monica survive. By teaming up with TWSitD, it is simple to mark her as a villain by affiliation. 

Creating an ideal villain or antagonist that may win the hearts of many is kind of the accomplishment, however Clever Programs and Koei Tecmo have managed it. Edelgard is maybe probably the most morally grey character in all of Three Homes/Three Hopes. 

She is not some form of devilspawn that some individuals would have you ever consider, however a fancy character that’s seeking to enact change by pressure. She is aware of her revolutionary beliefs will thrust the continent into warfare, however she really believes that her warfare is justified. She needs to create a world the place individuals aren’t manipulated or taken benefit of due to an arbitrary start trait. She has seen far an excessive amount of affected by such a younger age, and one can simply perceive the explanations that drive her ahead. She needs to ensure that others do not undergo what she did. 

She is chilly and heat, calculating and thoughtful, logical but empathetic of others’ feelings. Above all, Edelgard is a particularly well-written character, one of many franchise’s greatest antagonists, and one in all my private favourite characters in the whole sequence.