tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12473389044962371242024-03-20T00:14:12.047-07:00Sean Network BlogThis is the home to my comic reviews mostly, though on occasion I will do movies, sports, etc.Sean Network Blogshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17485611190342614180noreply@blogger.comBlogger344125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1247338904496237124.post-20252212026292987972021-06-28T17:31:00.004-07:002021-06-29T10:02:23.809-07:00Fire Emblem: Three Houses story analysis - Crimson Flower (Black Eagles Part 2, Empire route)<p> <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">The following is a series on Fire Emblem: Three Houses that analyzes the story elements, characters and theming. For reference, here are the links to each one:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://theseannetwork.blogspot.com/2021/05/fire-emblem-three-houses-fire-emblem.html">Intro/Basic review, </a>
</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://theseannetwork.blogspot.com/2021/05/fire-emblem-three-houses-story-analysis.html">White Clouds (Common Part 1), </a>
</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://theseannetwork.blogspot.com/2021/05/fire-emblem-three-houses-analysis.html">Cindered Shadows (Ashen Wolves DLC Route - Part 1.5),</a>
</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://theseannetwork.blogspot.com/2021/06/fire-emblem-three-houses-story-analysis_28.html">Crimson Flower (Black Eagles/Eagle House Part 2, Adrestia route)</a>,
</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://theseannetwork.blogspot.com/2021/06/fire-emblem-three-houses-story-analysis_23.html">Silver Snow (Black Eagles/Eagle House Part 2, Church route)</a>,
</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://theseannetwork.blogspot.com/2021/06/fire-emblem-three-houses-story-analysis_20.html">Azure Moon (Blue Lions/Lion House Part 2)</a>,
</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://theseannetwork.blogspot.com/2021/06/fire-emblem-three-houses-story-analysis.html">Verdant Wind (Golden Deer/Deer House Part 2)</a>
Non-house leader characters (Eagle, Deer, Lion, Church)
Music analysis (very surface level)</span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Part 2: Crimson Flower - Reclaiming faith; finding love</span></b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9X3YhR7kctP5clStKaPuN3roVGDVa-3e42RkGY5OnDeKFXGVUg0ecd0H67XnsiiSpN4gfhBlsBeus73GOVNSkZb26LT1WwhaWSfak93zsFXR7xdfSsue0-GvojEQqHR4Hbf06HzgpYCfa/s1000/crimson.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="750" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9X3YhR7kctP5clStKaPuN3roVGDVa-3e42RkGY5OnDeKFXGVUg0ecd0H67XnsiiSpN4gfhBlsBeus73GOVNSkZb26LT1WwhaWSfak93zsFXR7xdfSsue0-GvojEQqHR4Hbf06HzgpYCfa/w300-h400/crimson.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>The story of Crimson Flower is distinct from every other story path in the game. <p></p><p>At six chapters, it's significantly shorter than the 9-10 of the others. (Even Cindered Shadows was longer at seven chapters.) It only shares two fights with its counterpart, Silver Snow. It's the only route that requires you to go out of your way to open, and even then, you have to actively <i>choose</i> to enter it.</p><p>And it's the story that gives you the 'good ending' to the game.</p><p>I know for many that's a contentious point; hear me out on this one.</p><p>There's a reason the pathway to get to CF is harder to reach. There's a reason the storyline is entirely different from literally every other pathway in the game. There's a reason Edelgard gets a prominent feature role in every storyline, even Verdant Wind where you have very little contact with her. There's a reason the Japanese script only gives Edelgard a unique way of greeting Byleth (she uses 'sensei' in the 'master connotation, vs. the 'teacher' connotation everyone else uses).</p><p>There's a reason the credits theme is different for CF compared to every other storyline. There's a reason the menu theme is named for Byleth and Edelgard's shared Crest. There's a reason the main theme of the whole game is titled "Girl of Hresvelg." ("Edge of Dawn" is a nice title but it does mask some of the game's intentions.)</p><p>The core story of this game is the relationship between Byleth and Edelgard (and, to a lesser extent, Sothis); more specifically, it focuses on how the relationship's failure dooms Edelgard, but its success saves both Edelgard AND Byleth.</p><p>To explain this point, we must return to Chapter 11 of White Clouds, where talking to Edelgard leads to one of the most important set pieces in the whole game.</p><p><b>Coronation: The most important scene in the game</b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu1qDGMCx7Pp9UJZL1DT1SiObeFmPqUPRG15lE4mpopqrOONa2uGtAdJgnUdi4vGLUl784tiNQDz9I-1fRcJuT9QkHuK-08amtBhH8VfnfcQTOjHHUEy5kffn8DAg7mi6IWiyLxnQMrnxc/s300/ionius.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu1qDGMCx7Pp9UJZL1DT1SiObeFmPqUPRG15lE4mpopqrOONa2uGtAdJgnUdi4vGLUl784tiNQDz9I-1fRcJuT9QkHuK-08amtBhH8VfnfcQTOjHHUEy5kffn8DAg7mi6IWiyLxnQMrnxc/w400-h224/ionius.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>Upon choosing to go with Edelgard to Enbarr, Byleth becomes the witness to her ascension to the throne of Adrestia. This is a role normally meant for Rhea, but Edelgard obviously isn't willing to bring her in. Thus, she gives the role to the person in the world she holds in the highest regard.<p></p><p>There is A LOT to unpack from the sequence of events here. First off, the reason why it was so important to do the ceremony so quickly. Despite the fact that Edelgard is the princess, this sequence is, for all intents and purposes, a coup.</p><p>Backstory from Hubert, Edelgard, and Hanneman reveal that the Insurrection of the Seven stripped Emperor Ionius IX of his authority as emperor. Why this was done is only mentioned in the Japanese script of Hanneman's support chain with Hubert: Ionius had wanted to abolish the consort (extra-marital lovers to birth more heirs) system in Adrestia, which would have weakened the hold the Crest-based nobility would hold in the long term, since it would be harder than ever to create heirs.</p><p>With his plan opposed by the other major families of the Empire, his attempt to overrule them led to the insurrection. For years, the Empire has been ruled in the shadows by the Prime Minister, Duke Aegir (Ferdinand's dad).</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhwFCcI6vpAXkvto-shsXilbsNyz7qSOT3i3yKigYhlfILT55SlTZiinLqy8fogs2BNoWEmf36QPPQYje0IarHWYD4bFv1Ps-kPWBGB3QsSoHUIYVzvYJ-o0IxCMGFAkBMnzBq17M0zHIO/s640/edeldaddy.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhwFCcI6vpAXkvto-shsXilbsNyz7qSOT3i3yKigYhlfILT55SlTZiinLqy8fogs2BNoWEmf36QPPQYje0IarHWYD4bFv1Ps-kPWBGB3QsSoHUIYVzvYJ-o0IxCMGFAkBMnzBq17M0zHIO/w400-h300/edeldaddy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Edelgard becoming emperor without his knowledge was the result of a long-term plan to put the role of Emperor back on top. Caspar mentions as early as Chapter 8 that his father was oddly present during the Battle of Eagle and Lion. And then, in talking with Linhardt in Chapter 12, he mentions Edelgard had gotten Count Bergliez (Caspar's father) and Count Hevring (Linhardt's father) to back Edelgard as chief decision-maker.<p></p><p>Hubert mentions in Chapter 12 that he replaced his father as Marquis Vestra (likely by killing him, given how much he resented his father for betraying Emperor Ionius), so Aegir's majority in the Six Noble Houses was broken. All that was left was to complete the imperial succession ritual before Aegir could break it up.</p><p>And thus the shadow government of Adrestia was removed in favor of its public leader again. Edelgard then deposes Duke Aegir and places him (and Count Varley, Bernadetta's father) under house arrest. I think we need to take a moment to express how important this moment is for Edelgard's character and how the game tries to give Byleth a real reason to trust Edelgard's judgment.</p><p><b>Edelgard: Rising above</b></p><p>Edelgard's supports reveal a very harsh truth: Edelgard is the victim of horrific physical and mental abuse, and Duke Aegir is directly responsible.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCiEpDtkDjDvDg-L6HevTukOWXHJwsjJRzGB6oyTyYpygBRy624Z8Pv55KyGddKvqwajTNyssOEGwMQdIS103dQyeBzUZi-cI5xpVAfLUW-2jx2FcKPrf0x3IoyQLwC3LDkPmYcjOw3PSz/s1280/aegir.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCiEpDtkDjDvDg-L6HevTukOWXHJwsjJRzGB6oyTyYpygBRy624Z8Pv55KyGddKvqwajTNyssOEGwMQdIS103dQyeBzUZi-cI5xpVAfLUW-2jx2FcKPrf0x3IoyQLwC3LDkPmYcjOw3PSz/w400-h225/aegir.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Again, Duke Aegir, was running the country for the last few years. That means the war with Dagda and Brigid, the ultimate decision to bring Petra to the Empire as a hostage, and allowing TWSD to use their blood experiments on the emperor's children were all approved by Ferdinand's father.<p></p><p>And contrary to the horrific misunderstanding of the situation Lysithea and Ferdinand reached in the game's most horrifying paralogue, Duke Aegir is not a patsy in this. The experiments on Edelgard and her siblings were done expressly to "create a peerless emperor" according to Edelgard's C+ support. Aegir intended to make Edelgard's ascension to emperor contingent on him retaining power and being able to use Edelgard's strength like a military battering ram.</p><p>It's also clear that he had made a deal with TWSD long ago. Based on the Ferdinand/Lysithea non-CF paralogue, at the time of his Insurrection, Aegir was in charge of Hrym territory and the TWSD mages were conducting secret experiments on Lysithea's family in the neighboring territory. With Aegir taking control around this point, he would have been the leader who first learned TWSD had infiltrated the Empire. This means Duke Aegir saw what was happening to Lysithea's family and thought, "This would be a great thing to do to the Emperor's children!"</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP6eL6W6dIg5EZlowWOFdOGl3al7_cgDz2t0-yNS5JdFTGp93vnjJX_ov434NuNxQT_esrXYgtqm2Jh8fTz3Nac61So9OYGygaeUCnMXwuyHBASH-ewaX19_20hKiah8ABVYnWCSJKs8oG/s300/aegirgard.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP6eL6W6dIg5EZlowWOFdOGl3al7_cgDz2t0-yNS5JdFTGp93vnjJX_ov434NuNxQT_esrXYgtqm2Jh8fTz3Nac61So9OYGygaeUCnMXwuyHBASH-ewaX19_20hKiah8ABVYnWCSJKs8oG/w400-h224/aegirgard.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>Let me be blunt: Aside from TWSD themselves, Duke Aegir is the most evil character in the entire game, and if Edelgard wanted to execute him for starting an insurrection, ruining Petra's childhood, callously murdering her 10 siblings and carving her open like a Thanksgiving turkey, I could not blame her for one minute.<p></p><p>And yet she doesn't. She had the authority and the power to execute him on the spot, and yet let him live. Why?</p><p>I suspect two reasons were at play. The first was to prove, both to Byleth and herself, that all her pain had not completely taken away her humanity. If a death was preventable in her plan, she could, and would, avoid it, no matter how much she may want to do it.</p><p>The second reason is out of loyalty to her friends. If you watch Edelgard's supports, even Ferdinand's, she never once brings up the actions of their parents. Hubert brings his family's actions up to Edelgard, but she never expresses disgust at the Six Noble Family leaders to any of their offspring, even after the war starts. I can only see this as an attempt to protect the feelings of her house-mates, Ferdinand especially, given how highly he values his status.</p><p>She keeps Duke Aegir alive, at least in part, because she didn't want to take a parent away from Ferdinand.</p><p>This is why I consider this scene to be so necessary before the events of the Holy Tomb. They reveal that Edelgard, at least at this point in the story, has still got her head and heart in a good place. She's a revolutionary, to be sure, but she's idealistic enough that proper guidance and perspective could lead to a positive outcome.</p><p>As I say in the Silver Snow dissection, the final decision in the Holy Tomb is an act of faith one way or another. This scene is Edelgard's best argument to put faith in her.</p><p><b>The Masks Come Off</b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigr2JpVeFKVDc5SGp9b5Y3ogqFuJJD6lv2ZElWT7G5Zdm5sWIEU0le8mvlc5ixOj8rYjcDYwvMQFlarz8foqIj4zoa_ryjIZ8zJ-zzuTbgJr4HRbylQAwtn3mFJCtJyNee74VyuvTmzG1C/s662/holytomb.webp" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="372" data-original-width="662" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigr2JpVeFKVDc5SGp9b5Y3ogqFuJJD6lv2ZElWT7G5Zdm5sWIEU0le8mvlc5ixOj8rYjcDYwvMQFlarz8foqIj4zoa_ryjIZ8zJ-zzuTbgJr4HRbylQAwtn3mFJCtJyNee74VyuvTmzG1C/w400-h225/holytomb.webp" width="400" /></a></div>When Byleth sits on the throne in the Holy Tomb, Edelgard interrupts the ceremony and reveals herself to be the Flame Emperor. As she said after the Flame Emperor's final appearance in front of Byleth, she has now appeared without her mask, and Byleth can now decide whether to support her or not.<p></p><p>I didn't notice a feature of the Holy Tomb battle originally, until I saw someone else's playthrough, but Edelgard will not kill anyone in the battle, not even Flayn. When going back through the Japanese script, her orders to the soldiers are different too. In English, she orders the soldiers to kill anyone in her way, but in Japanese she says, "You <i>may kill</i> them."</p><p>Obviously, since the soldiers are led by Metodey, the assassin, they're all more than willing to fight to the death, thus Metodey is the main threat in this level. Edelgard, however, tries to fight non-lethally, and the more death-minded Hubert is kept off the battlefield entirely.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfOS67w6ZCOaeIxHwrcWfHm7GPSylxJRK1hydLDi3RNIkfRMuhvVfLSAgv8FaVDjtXdImG68ZqN41UZw7aJ_6xJZCwbWKANgoyYNas3XIe1fzC5pQ2Fey7tId05z-tOVsUK4vc7E5kzTPS/s640/Choice1.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfOS67w6ZCOaeIxHwrcWfHm7GPSylxJRK1hydLDi3RNIkfRMuhvVfLSAgv8FaVDjtXdImG68ZqN41UZw7aJ_6xJZCwbWKANgoyYNas3XIe1fzC5pQ2Fey7tId05z-tOVsUK4vc7E5kzTPS/s320/Choice1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Eventually, though, Edelgard is beaten and we are left with the ultimate decision. The Silver Snow blog goes into the logic for why to pick one or the other, so I won't repeat here. And the section above offers a major reason to believe in Edelgard, so I'm going to go straight into when you make your decision.<p></p><p>I think it's worth noting that this is the only of the four routes where Byleth openly smiles following her decision. She smiles at Edelgard as she fumbles through a thank you and the smile seems to even increase when Hubert pops back in to express his gratitude.</p><p>While Byleth may be happy with the decision, it breaks Rhea's composure entirely. The fragile psyche of hers that has been hinging on the literal revival of the dead shatters upon Sothis's refusal to return and Byleth's rejection of her authority.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9cunKGDAj9I13782IPj9OrQGrc4UC3wtvoH0cqrATtgz_4NSNm9NqaDjJwZzI6K6vVeTu4aY_76C7PWi-rylZytNhS_7Q9KMMKBsgN25W2NSyx-qSKWa5N7TnWuCvwxz_lBcEMmO4iznS/s662/two.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="372" data-original-width="662" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9cunKGDAj9I13782IPj9OrQGrc4UC3wtvoH0cqrATtgz_4NSNm9NqaDjJwZzI6K6vVeTu4aY_76C7PWi-rylZytNhS_7Q9KMMKBsgN25W2NSyx-qSKWa5N7TnWuCvwxz_lBcEMmO4iznS/s320/two.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>She calls Byleth "just another failure," implying she sees the 13 attempted vessels (Sitri included) as failures and then threatens to tear out the heart of Sothis, Kano-style, before transforming into The White One (called The Immaculate One in English, but not here because it's too long to write repeatedly).<p></p><p>The White One in other routes only appears in a protective role. Rhea dawns the form to protect the monastery or stop the Javelins of Light. This time, however, she summons the form entirely for vengeance. The beast that was seen as divine intervention in other routes resembles nothing but unencumbered wrath to those who bear witness in the Holy Tomb, and unsurprisingly, every Eagle except Flayn is horrified and follows Byleth out the door.</p><p>Such an action confirms fears and concerns that have been bubbling up since the early chapters and reflects Rhea's motives in the early chapters to stifle dissent through fear. Rhea likes when people speak candidly to her, unless it's in direct conflict with her authority. And that mask falls off in this scene.</p><p><b>Edelgard finally drops her guard</b></p><p>After the entire Eagle house (Flayn excluded) joins the war effort, Edelgard expresses to Hubert that she cannot believe they are following her into war; moreover, that even knowing she's giving the order to revolt against the Church, Byleth is <i>choosing </i>to turn her back on the Church to help her.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0YMDfWCZs06LqEAqLPvjCS2_iPEivzGp0YJGrYksdeEtcjynYuenkdoa8C6X-UZJVcg6aMtECO_ZVXW-6vkaF-Pp2sC97OKQHDt-XUuPUSpYgJECjWPMLtVpenGVx_jAwXuUn0kx53Khk/s1280/edeldecides.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0YMDfWCZs06LqEAqLPvjCS2_iPEivzGp0YJGrYksdeEtcjynYuenkdoa8C6X-UZJVcg6aMtECO_ZVXW-6vkaF-Pp2sC97OKQHDt-XUuPUSpYgJECjWPMLtVpenGVx_jAwXuUn0kx53Khk/w400-h225/edeldecides.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>I said in the White Clouds analysis that Edelgard gives off the air that she has internalized her suffering, repressing memories from around the time and blaming herself. She asks Byleth to follow her but increasingly cannot believe that she would ever actually choose to side with her.<p></p><p>In her mind, even though she finds the Church's system to be unfair and full of lies, she still on some level believes in their teachings - most notably that the Goddess protects all that is good and beautiful. The fact that her prayers to save her and her siblings went unanswered is proof to her that she is ugly, evil and undeserving of love. And the more Edelgard falls for Byleth, the more convinced she becomes that they will never be together - because someone so good could never truly feel for someone so repulsive.</p><p>And this is not just conjecture. The lyrics to the game's title song (again, titled "Girl of Hresvelg") emphasize this point. Among the lines I would cite are: "My blackened heart/Scorched by flames, a force I can't run from"; I long to stay/Where the light dwells/To guard against the cold/That I know so well"; and "My dearest wish/Is that you’ll know/These tender thoughts/That only seem to grow."</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FSXuM2v0YLY" width="320" youtube-src-id="FSXuM2v0YLY"></iframe></div><br /><p>She even offers Byleth another chance to walk away and asks if she's really okay with fighting in a war against the Knights of Seiros. And she starts to get emotional once you confirm that you are, in fact, going to stay with her.</p><p>(I'm just going to refer to Byleth as female for the rest of this blog because I see female Byleth as the canonical version. This is because female Byleth is the only one who can S-rank with all the house leaders and finish their stories.)</p><p><b>How joining Edelgard changes the time skip</b></p><p>Byleth doesn't fall as the result of an accident in this version; instead, she is sent careening down into the river when Rhea transforms into The White One and attacks her. For all intents and purposes, Byleth is killed in service of Edelgard.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqUuOKsh92ZfhVvzUoUOTE0jl5a2YY4nUKhqdcvj-fR4-whpYbTpIvBMNH1lJgTIEMRzx5mV9a2BuhYBoAjpjvRPN0UqCNddo5z9tQMnwg3VhUWrlNGk_eDCaOeZyzV58zIzIoUDSUtDdU/s1920/twoattacks.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqUuOKsh92ZfhVvzUoUOTE0jl5a2YY4nUKhqdcvj-fR4-whpYbTpIvBMNH1lJgTIEMRzx5mV9a2BuhYBoAjpjvRPN0UqCNddo5z9tQMnwg3VhUWrlNGk_eDCaOeZyzV58zIzIoUDSUtDdU/w400-h225/twoattacks.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>As you can imagine, Edelgard is affected far more deeply by Byleth's absence in Crimson Flower, especially since it happened in the first battle after she committed to helping her.<p></p><p>First off, the battle in Chapter 12 is the first and final time TWSD mages are seen as allies in a main battle. It's also the last time Jeritza dons his Death Knight mask during the story. Jeritza no longer wearing the mask may be simply due to the fact that everyone knows who he is, but the end of TWSD as an active participant in battle is a major change from non-CF routes.</p><p>TWSD had conducted all their experiments on Lysithea and Edelgard because they sought to create a human weapon capable of taking control of all Fodlan, who they could then control or destroy. And in other routes, Edelgard incorporated them into the main army for the sake of numbers, with the hope that they could turn their weapons on TWSD once they won.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK9QeM2dC3GnIEXZLr1IrG2BXT1j55yxSW-jAhwxw5I_sXqjelC3jxtiwK2ZxcMjc0y2w4obJYw_TL7X7cZYGckIU59ADDu83j4hEgzt8RE4Ib61Wiut_UEudVS-9wO-6W-OCZRTn5-4Sn/s1280/cfreunion.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK9QeM2dC3GnIEXZLr1IrG2BXT1j55yxSW-jAhwxw5I_sXqjelC3jxtiwK2ZxcMjc0y2w4obJYw_TL7X7cZYGckIU59ADDu83j4hEgzt8RE4Ib61Wiut_UEudVS-9wO-6W-OCZRTn5-4Sn/w400-h225/cfreunion.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>In Crimson Flower, Byleth's support, recruitment of her classmates, and fall lead Edelgard to put more limits on how actively TWSD influences the war. Not only do they not set foot on a battlefield (unless you opt to purchase one of their battalions), but the only role you hear of them seems to be in an occupation role. TWSD seems to just raid conquered areas for Heroes' Relics and anything related to Crests.<p></p><p>Not that there's many of those options available, either. The other main effect of Edelgard's relationship with Byleth is that she is more protective of those around her and thus less willing to take risky, more dishonorable moves against the Kingdom and Alliance.</p><p>Non-CF routes all have the same fate for the Kingdom - Edelgard commissions Cornelia (an agent of TWSD) to organize a coup and remove Dimitri from power. Cornelia tries and fails to execute Dimitri, and his one-eyed self goes on a mission of inexhaustible vengeance.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY3dUWhuGKaKpr2ENjdZAWMUqnyzul6eb9CsoYemimu1lwB8njVEnr7Eg2qN_3RKGWiwKO-4ymTVFEeKWsAB07S2-iPR67HLfnimg3Dl-wj3g2HInJkPyMg0MTxDMslIk6grO1ahGLXGZD/s300/dimaking.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY3dUWhuGKaKpr2ENjdZAWMUqnyzul6eb9CsoYemimu1lwB8njVEnr7Eg2qN_3RKGWiwKO-4ymTVFEeKWsAB07S2-iPR67HLfnimg3Dl-wj3g2HInJkPyMg0MTxDMslIk6grO1ahGLXGZD/w400-h224/dimaking.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>The complete dominion over the western part of the Kingdom lets the Empire pressure Gloucester territory from two sides, and so while the Alliance is largely out of the fight, it had to concede the Great Bridge of Myrrdin and has run afoul of the Empire on occasion.<p></p><p>Neither of these results come to pass in Crimson Flower. While Cornelia still maintains the position of power in Arianrhod she held prior to the war, she is instructed not to incite a coup, and so Kingdom soldiers like Rodrigue communicate with her and work with her as a protector of the fortress city. Meanwhile, Dimitri ascends the throne through natural order and grants Rhea and the Knights of Seiros sanctuary.</p><p>This puts the onus of the Kingdom-Empire conflict wholly on the Kingdom, at least in the eyes of the public. Non-CF Edelgard had Rhea captured and yet still tried to weaken the Kingdom by stopping Dimitri from ascending the throne. CF Edelgard does not engage the Kingdom until after Dimitri grants Rhea sanctuary. From an outsider perspective, the Kingdom has stepped in the middle of the Empire's conflict with the Church.</p><p>Speaking of outsiders, with the western Kingdom largely following Dimitri's lead as king, there is no need for the Alliance to make any concessions regarding the Great Bridge. Claude is able to keep House Gloucester completely out of the conflict and the Alliance is basically untouched at the time of Byleth's return.</p><p>Battle has been kept to border squabbles for five years, with Garreg Mach being the only notable conquered territory. There have been relatively few casualties with TWSD neutralized as an aggressor, and all four sovereign armies in Fodlan are operating at full- to nearly full-strength.</p><p><b>A Found-family Becomes Whole Again</b></p><p>The reunion sequence of CF holds entirely different emotions for the characters involved than the non-CF routes, and it starts with the reunion with the house leaders.</p><p>Dimitri's reunion in Azure Moon is meant to show how far he'd fallen in the five years without Dimitri. There is no warmth, no joy in the fact that Byleth lived. He's entirely focused on his pain and the ghosts that haunt him.</p><p>Claude and Silver Snow Edelgard maintain their external facades and never lose sight of their larger goals. Claude does show more warmth toward you and brings a meal, but the fact he had a meal prepped and immediately knew where to find bandits to fight tells me he was already making calculations for the next part of his grand scheme and wasn't in-the-moment.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfMl-FULXNu0-RvLYXjji4rDVAeoVsaOIQBMKR1i6YloEUqbuO0xk5EnmWlfv0M1HU5hTM5YVv92vadX4aU6l2v6hUVXXgSAUYVBYXFB26-QRegqrwn9hLuJ-ocrzKuMq1vhk58tXiLD7M/s318/edelyth.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="179" data-original-width="318" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfMl-FULXNu0-RvLYXjji4rDVAeoVsaOIQBMKR1i6YloEUqbuO0xk5EnmWlfv0M1HU5hTM5YVv92vadX4aU6l2v6hUVXXgSAUYVBYXFB26-QRegqrwn9hLuJ-ocrzKuMq1vhk58tXiLD7M/w400-h225/edelyth.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>CF Edelgard runs an entire emotional gauntlet upon seeing Byleth. She goes from shock, to blushing, to anger, to word-vomiting five years of heartbreak and frustration, until finally settling on relief and hugging Byleth while a tear slips out the side of her eye. In four storylines, Edelgard is the only one to drop guard enough to hug Byleth, and it's the only time in the four stories that I feel unbridled joy from any of the house leaders.<p></p><p>After Edelgard explains the current situation, she organizes the entire set of Eagles for a reunion, and all of them express their joy that Byleth has returned and are eager to show how much they've grown in five years. Caspar even takes time to rib Edelgard about how emotional she was about losing Byleth, and while she blushes and sweats, she chooses to simply allow the comment to exist, indicating they're all familiar enough with each other to make jokes.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjFLJ8Ty4gc0LHyNWgN8yqrca2qr4VBpwwLVA4HW1tXIbCr17CD0u8Ph0Sj2L8QQbwlVgAhxONYiYudFPkB5gQ43sKDkHmlyEJpvcSxkMMi01GSU9F8wyxIrlDD6Ktgf3GqVKVN2Dejusb/s498/besf.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="498" data-original-width="318" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjFLJ8Ty4gc0LHyNWgN8yqrca2qr4VBpwwLVA4HW1tXIbCr17CD0u8Ph0Sj2L8QQbwlVgAhxONYiYudFPkB5gQ43sKDkHmlyEJpvcSxkMMi01GSU9F8wyxIrlDD6Ktgf3GqVKVN2Dejusb/w255-h400/besf.png" width="255" /></a></div>I don't think I mentioned this yet, but while VW and SS use the Crest of Flames as a symbol, and AM uses the Kingdom's coat of arms, Crimson Flower creates an elite unit of your house's soldiers, called the "Black Eagle Strike Force," or Schwarze Alderwehr in Japan.<p></p><p>This is why there is no big reunion fight with thieves. Byleth bonded the Eagle house members together through their school days and her disappearance. And thus, the BESF is a unified family who have supported each other through five years. </p><p>I'll talk more about it in the character blog, but so many of the characters in Eagle house had a heavy degree of suffering in their backstory. The BESF seems to be a real support system, and for Edelgard, it's a necessary influence on her that provides perspective and keeps her focused on her ideals, not the desperation to win.</p><p>Okay, so BESF is a dorky-as-all-hell name and will be cited later in this blog when I talk about how Edelgard is a gigantic, hyper-romantic dork. But I do want to offer a bit of real-world history on this one. </p><p><b>The part where I stop to give you a history lesson you've likely never thought about until now</b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhASpPJ03xjZwbMfZ3KHXP30Lf1nIvZY8E4bVyjQA2xWGmmOUcXq8X1HnJOAN5YtWhoxwmWE6mTFGywhJ-BVwuLAe52FDKPGW6a0YMPeIG75BE5oit50IZVG40S_ePKwnybusZW5X53xgb5/s675/ootbe.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="506" data-original-width="675" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhASpPJ03xjZwbMfZ3KHXP30Lf1nIvZY8E4bVyjQA2xWGmmOUcXq8X1HnJOAN5YtWhoxwmWE6mTFGywhJ-BVwuLAe52FDKPGW6a0YMPeIG75BE5oit50IZVG40S_ePKwnybusZW5X53xgb5/s320/ootbe.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>The Order of the Black Eagle was a real-world order of chivalry that operated in the Kingdom of Prussia. The Kingdom of Prussia was the main power that unified the German Empire in the 1800s until its dissolution at the end of World War I. The German Empire, known as the Second Reich (not to be confused with the Nazi-led Third Reich), was the result of the northern confederation and southern states unified under one imperial monarch.<p></p><p>There are obvious real-world parallels that inspired this game. The Northern-Southern unification following wars with Austria seem to line up with Adrestia in the south unifying with Faerghus in the north. The BESF flag resembles both the Order of the Black Eagle and the old Holy Roman Empire's coat of arms. The first Emperor of Germany was Wilhelm I, which is the name of the first emperor of Adrestia in-game. A notable Order member in Germany was a knight named Ferdinand.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDU1tiIMaE0L7z3PtI50Ve5L1muw3jWnK5dbe2k68SLRHT7YZ8FfvnnwZArv5O12L0k0n_Szrx3ymXukb7v0g814pHg5-fPRkyFXRqcxXrDSaVhroDCZCHjaSAIP89t9yJuwc0PKdI8qr0/s1024/hre.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="855" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDU1tiIMaE0L7z3PtI50Ve5L1muw3jWnK5dbe2k68SLRHT7YZ8FfvnnwZArv5O12L0k0n_Szrx3ymXukb7v0g814pHg5-fPRkyFXRqcxXrDSaVhroDCZCHjaSAIP89t9yJuwc0PKdI8qr0/s320/hre.png" /></a></div>Topping off the comparisons to this period in history, the events that led to the creation of the German Empire was the fall of the Holy Roman Empire, a loose connection of nation-states that followed the Holy Roman Emperor. This took place during the Napoleonic Wars and ended the rule of the Roman Catholic emperor. So in a sense, the Napoleonic Wars and the creation of the German Empire were used to help inspire this "unification of Fodlan" game.<p></p><p>I say this because I see many try to tie the events of this game to Nazi Germany, but the timeline doesn't match up at all. The events this game is based on start in the early 1800s, run through about 1870, and every trace of real-world connection is gone by the end of the first World War and the creation of the German Republic.</p><p><b>History nerd-time over; back to Fodlan stuff</b></p><p>So with the band back together, the BESF makes its move to break the stalemate by taking the Great Bridge. Count Gloucester is sympathetic to the Empire, so the Alliance forces guarding the bridge are soldiers serving House Daphnel and its leader, Judith.</p><p>We get a glimpse into the plan Claude has concocted, as the instructions given are for Judith and the Alliance forces to retreat if it's clear they can't win. We also get the first clashes between the Strike Force and students that weren't recruited. In this case, it's Ignatz as one of Judith's guards and Leonie as a calvary member.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpk2RV5pCnUMbMw19-2h85Sy65W9ZoHlG6VNihnmXrZOcAgHRuZm6SHNdkA773udomoXIGqoQDkksLDpHRpbBac3Ortnw5mAS4D4NiJ1GA55AVf5mvAh4THhn8DttHDHWOlnKbr0ht1om9/s1280/gbomcf.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpk2RV5pCnUMbMw19-2h85Sy65W9ZoHlG6VNihnmXrZOcAgHRuZm6SHNdkA773udomoXIGqoQDkksLDpHRpbBac3Ortnw5mAS4D4NiJ1GA55AVf5mvAh4THhn8DttHDHWOlnKbr0ht1om9/s320/gbomcf.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>I do want to note that this is the only route where literally every other faction is an enemy, but since most routes have Dimitri losing his mind and attacking everyone for no reason, I can't say it's the only route where you fight all factions.<p></p><p>This is, however, a route where the motivations of the people you recruit are really meaningful. All the other factions are fighting the Empire in their native route, so what is the motivation they give to fight <i>with </i>them?</p><p>One of the most fascinating questions for me in this game is, "Who makes your Crimson Flower team?" I'll be answering that at the end of the blog, but interactions like Leonie's rage that Byleth would turn against the Knights who Jeralt led are a look into each character that you can only get through CF.</p><p><b>Edelgard vs. Claude - the battle to decide Fodlan's grand reformer</b></p><p>This chapter has a weird mistranslation that is the exact opposite of what is happening. The English script says that Claude is making it hard for people to leave Deirdru, hinting that he's planning to use the people like human shields to stop the Empire from moving in.</p><p>The Japanese script says the exact opposite. Claude intends for the city to be completely abandoned for the battle except for his forces. This fits more into the idea that Claude wants the winner of this fight to have the full strength of both countries at their disposal.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUUeAanVerNo7PVhG_-OzGC94aVAhtWAPK50k0d_YJQ637HybBfozFNfvDBHrMwAnwFAHPfz2BkPOL12GdJnlBDzt4wFNBHI6J75ZEyyw4wg-IT6UQ7nRVXtrYio-UmOa7KprL91q1NO6h/s740/FE3H-Claude-Encounter.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="370" data-original-width="740" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUUeAanVerNo7PVhG_-OzGC94aVAhtWAPK50k0d_YJQ637HybBfozFNfvDBHrMwAnwFAHPfz2BkPOL12GdJnlBDzt4wFNBHI6J75ZEyyw4wg-IT6UQ7nRVXtrYio-UmOa7KprL91q1NO6h/w400-h200/FE3H-Claude-Encounter.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Many seem to believe (because Claude's dialogue in the English script masks his true intentions) that Claude was simply protecting the Alliance and the city, but it's clear from his actions and his dialogue post-battle that this isn't true. If Claude simply wanted the fighting to conclude, he'd have worked to get the Alliance behind one of the two factions. If he wanted neutrality, he'd have fought harder to protect the Great Bridge.<p></p><p>Claude posts up very little resistance to the Empire's march to Deirdru. And he's pinned near the sea so the Almayran navy can ambush them once they enter the city. Even in the Deirdru fight, Claude tells his people to surrender if they get overwhelmed and that the Alliance will join the Empire should the plan fail. </p><p>Claude is trying to turn the tables and become the conqueror himself, and he's setting his people up for secure positions in the Empire should his gambit fail. He says as much after the fight.</p><p>Or at least he does if you choose to spare him. Speaking of...</p><p><b>The route of mercy</b></p><p>One of the game mechanics I don't really see get talked about is the critique/console mechanic. When teaching your students, your instruction will lead to a good, great, perfect or bad level of improvement. Perfection automatically gives you one bonus lesson; good and great are just a difference of exp points; but a bad result triggers the console/critique option. This allows you to either offer a criticism of how they performed the task, or offer consolation so they aren't discouraged. Guessing incorrectly has no negative (besides I guess making you feel bad), but guessing correctly gives the student a second chance.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFSiEdqFl0I-fkVE2BSIZZipiJeQ4zxdS5JVii2RJ7nJejY4g9z78b1M5RyyiHpoYQHU_UIxshjLCd-8KFcbva4yrCq4Tq20IOJ4LdxTVrpsRUDvZo7WqU5pY7y2zme9g-Mq2p17mGgATk/s1200/teaching.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFSiEdqFl0I-fkVE2BSIZZipiJeQ4zxdS5JVii2RJ7nJejY4g9z78b1M5RyyiHpoYQHU_UIxshjLCd-8KFcbva4yrCq4Tq20IOJ4LdxTVrpsRUDvZo7WqU5pY7y2zme9g-Mq2p17mGgATk/w400-h225/teaching.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Most of the three houses' students (about 5/8) lean for critique, and the ones who choose consolation are fairly intuitive. Linhardt and Hilda are lazy, so critique would drive them away. Dorothea, Ignatz and Marianne are softer, less self-confident souls, so it makes sense they'd prefer an emotional boost to a pragmatic one. The Lions break on gender lines - males get critiqued, females get consoled.<p></p><p>Edelgard surprised me at first glance as being someone who prefers consolation. None of the other house leaders lean for consolation, and she does her best to appear driven and focused at all times.</p><p>But then I went back through Edelgard's backstory and compared it to her interests. She enjoys receiving stuffed bear toys and board games; she loves the arts and music; she loves animals, cats especially. In her supports, she's seen around animals and plants in her free moments. Edelgard is a stereotypical girly-girl at heart with a bend toward romanticism.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWgrl3346JIfZ_4fFR15yL_bZQZzWngaGWn7pWRuxITkTHnS_JfGimIRDCbexkjI3cy2f_EOc8jwyJrVw19Aj-xxQEq-6UrWVzIy6gSYKJGGdHzrjvSxeE2Q1iwQmVZW9rIDBoY_2NbpDB/s1220/sadel.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="672" data-original-width="1220" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWgrl3346JIfZ_4fFR15yL_bZQZzWngaGWn7pWRuxITkTHnS_JfGimIRDCbexkjI3cy2f_EOc8jwyJrVw19Aj-xxQEq-6UrWVzIy6gSYKJGGdHzrjvSxeE2Q1iwQmVZW9rIDBoY_2NbpDB/w400-h220/sadel.png" width="400" /></a></div>And yet she is constantly engaging in matters related to war and bloodshed. Edelgard isn't just projecting the confident attitude for others; she does it for herself. Every one of her actions as emperor is in stark contrast to the person she wants to be and she shows a clear disgust for everything she has become.<p></p><p>So in that vein, it would make sense for a person this damaged to have low confidence. And it also makes sense that she would want to seek merciful options at every turn.</p><p>This brings me to the point of this section: Crimson Flower is the route where the army you control shows by far the most mercy.</p><p>In the other routes, you may only spare students who were in your class and left (Ashe in VW, Lorenz in AM, both in SS). It's less a life-save and more of a re-recruitment.</p><p>Crimson Flower has the only unconditional post-timeskip recruitment with Lysithea, which makes complete sense given her backstory and how it connects to Edelgard.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg44SpZ1SwFBLNE0FpgGNQi3jIEPNYesBlfE1iIGE7PIIqhtZn80Vbcf0kgWWgNpkobG2NOC9jK1BkZW-8goiNhvXqvYY7IU2nbSIz3yy85YAu2__ITGxZd3tRrDdY3WE7HBhU1gtrHqKa3/s1280/scaredlysi.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg44SpZ1SwFBLNE0FpgGNQi3jIEPNYesBlfE1iIGE7PIIqhtZn80Vbcf0kgWWgNpkobG2NOC9jK1BkZW-8goiNhvXqvYY7IU2nbSIz3yy85YAu2__ITGxZd3tRrDdY3WE7HBhU1gtrHqKa3/w400-h225/scaredlysi.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Seeing as the two of them were both subjected to the same experiments and lost all their siblings in the process, the job of recruiting her in light of the war should be easy, and it's why Lysithea is considered by many fans to be the Ninth Black Eagle. I consider a run through CF without her to be incomplete, like a key part of the story was cut.<p></p><p>It goes beyond Lysithea, however. Byleth and Edelgard have the option to spare Claude at the end of their fight (as you probably gathered when I analyzed his statements made to Edelgard on the way out. </p><p>Though, as an aside, I get the sense that Claude is much happier losing Fodlan to Edelgard compared to Dimitri. I mention how he's less jocular with Dimitri in AM, but a real notable interaction difference is if Byleth asks Claude to lend them his strength. He shuts it down immediately in AM, but in CF, it actually gets a laugh out of him. Claude seems to genuinely want Edelgard to succeed, and I believe it's because they both recognize the need for reform in Fodlan. He's glad someone is making the move, even if he can't be the one to do it.</p><p>Also kind of notable is that it is theoretically possible to beat the Deer battles without fighting a single Deer besides Claude. The first objective is only to defeat the boss (i.e. kill Judith in Ch. 13, and beat Claude in Ch. 14). I was able to defeat Judith in only two turns, so since reinforcements never came, I never had to engage anyone else of note. </p><p>And with the right combination, you can avoid Hilda and win the battle with her still alive. Given that Edelgard's paralogue involves helping Goneril territory in the aftermath while Holst is ill, I'd argue it's the option the game is trying to lead to you take.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP7tvzbjer2XGne3qceJiQmY11dmKy0zZfCRsTwFs5veVioNE6Ap1QnqoRxauL5wWrKOFOtWlgbfhKlUTj1Lzl-kpp_0hRzzW8dcp3ekYBQ3ixS0upE466WFrGztwGJQIu_WK8H6rC5ok5/s1280/sadflayn.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP7tvzbjer2XGne3qceJiQmY11dmKy0zZfCRsTwFs5veVioNE6Ap1QnqoRxauL5wWrKOFOtWlgbfhKlUTj1Lzl-kpp_0hRzzW8dcp3ekYBQ3ixS0upE466WFrGztwGJQIu_WK8H6rC5ok5/w400-h225/sadflayn.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>After chapter 14, there's still a way to save Seteth and Flayn. If Byleth falls the first one, they will retreat from the battle, and then the other will retreat after being beaten by anyone. Based on the battlefield, Byleth will naturally make it to Flayn first, so it especially makes sense since neither Flayn nor Byleth hold hostility for each other. Only Alois and Shamir have to be killed in the chapter 15 fight.<p></p><p>People from the Kingdom do not get the same treatment, as their culture mandates they fight to the death, but even then, the last battle never requires you to fight anyone but the final boss - meaning the potential two Lion students (Annette and Ashe), Catherine and Gilbert can survive the final battle without even facing a member of the BESF. My first playthrough ended with Catherine trying and failing to reach my units, so she definitely lived.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvs-4rqc_ThVwmBsXi3ayzmTyqj2dQwk_9gfUVf4byvyy9ANkyOgX6b20m81QCnYCZkjEI-4fxv4K4AKkZ00c72-XYiRq57fNj5bam7MPuF4N0WBaoP7dCvRcsfwD84sRhQ6zE91cprNiL/s1280/spareclaude.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvs-4rqc_ThVwmBsXi3ayzmTyqj2dQwk_9gfUVf4byvyy9ANkyOgX6b20m81QCnYCZkjEI-4fxv4K4AKkZ00c72-XYiRq57fNj5bam7MPuF4N0WBaoP7dCvRcsfwD84sRhQ6zE91cprNiL/w400-h225/spareclaude.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Bearing all this in mind, even with no recruits, the only mandatory kills of playable characters in the entire Crimson Flower route are Shamir, Alois, Dimitri, his vassal Dedue, and his childhood friends (Sylvain, Ingrid and Felix). Mercedes and Leonie are mandatory if they make it onto the battlefield, and it would take a perfect storm to keep Mercedes off the battlefield, but you can win before they arrive.<p></p><p>That's a total of seven. In comparison, Azure Moon and Verdant Wind have nine each (Edelgard, Hubert, Jeritza, Bernadetta, Petra, Ferdinand, <span style="color: #2b00fe;">Lysithea, Ignatz and Raphael, </span><span style="color: #04ff00;">Dimitri, Felix, Mercedes</span>). Silver Snow only confirms four deaths (Edelgard, Hubert, Jeritza and Dimitri), but the Blood of Eagle and Lion battle happens off-screen, so I maintain that (at minimum) all the Lions and Deer who die in that battle in other routes fall here as well. This means the route actually has nine deaths - 10 if you believe Claude fell in battle and 11 if Leonie runs in as reinforcement.</p><p>Some will probably argue that this route has an advantage when it comes to minimizing killings because it's only six chapters, but that's also kind of the point.</p><p><b>A more complete peace at half the cost!</b></p><p>This storyline sits at six chapters in comparison to the 10 in the other stories (Silver Snow is 9 with a 10th battle off-screen). This is due to there being no battle with the monastery raiders, no fight in Aileil, no in-person fight in Shambhala and the final battle in Fhirdihad being one battle vs. Enbarr's two.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT7y0uXiF9NcWr1lmSnQd9-8FCSq5JH19JbE322KdO4JDA7Rp2u40vxBP7M7VAddAYr_nXH9jO7xcSXqDw6L4AnRbXi7sB-THxjooNIcEIfWwS0XQchvI5i_GMXiYaxM4YvvFf5Af9US0N/s1280/claudeleaves.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT7y0uXiF9NcWr1lmSnQd9-8FCSq5JH19JbE322KdO4JDA7Rp2u40vxBP7M7VAddAYr_nXH9jO7xcSXqDw6L4AnRbXi7sB-THxjooNIcEIfWwS0XQchvI5i_GMXiYaxM4YvvFf5Af9US0N/w400-h225/claudeleaves.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>From a story perspective, though, this makes perfect sense. The BESF has stayed together and used the monastery as a base for five years so thieves would have trouble getting a foothold there. There doesn't need to be a fight in Aileil because the Empire cannot receive reinforcements (paralogue in Brigid notwithstanding). And Dimitri is killed in CF's version of the three-way battle, so there's no need to enter the palace of Fhirdihad.<p></p><p>What those changes do, however, is shorten the war down to a mere five months once Byleth returns (four if you consider the first battle and exploration day to be too short as a month). And yet all of the major issues with Fodlan are dealt with by the end of the Crimson Flower storyline.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIsnCGFQKLJI1obgyZlGfmbHtRJcmS8IbfPTTxOkHfCAetpIyWBfYFkSwacMQlbQLEDV6_8XsE49kRIno82HZU8L09u0_ynVBDE-P_y06Kk17kmDHO4opuGR8ID3O6N4NoBJU5W9CpnyT7/s1200/crests.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1047" data-original-width="1200" height="349" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIsnCGFQKLJI1obgyZlGfmbHtRJcmS8IbfPTTxOkHfCAetpIyWBfYFkSwacMQlbQLEDV6_8XsE49kRIno82HZU8L09u0_ynVBDE-P_y06Kk17kmDHO4opuGR8ID3O6N4NoBJU5W9CpnyT7/w400-h349/crests.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Disorganized continent with three nations? Fodlan is unified in the end. Issues with the Church stepping in on sovereign nations? The church loses its military power in the end and becomes a standard religion. Issues with foreign relations? Brigid is released as an equal nation, and as Edelgard's paralogue indicates, relations with countries like Almayra will be pursued with cultural sensitivity. <p></p><p>Crests being held up as a status symbol? Wiped out by Edelgard almost instantly. Nobility system? The reforms begin, run throughout Edelgard's reign and is replaced by a nationalized education system. Hereditary rule? Edelgard begins appointing non-bloodline officials as early as Ladislava and Randolph and cedes power of her own volition to a person outside her family line.</p><p>Last of all, TWSD are dealt with in the shadows instead of a proper single battle. On my first playthrough, I was bummed that I didn't get to take out the group that killed Jeralt and cost Byleth access to Sothis in a real level. </p><p>But looking at it in hindsight, the declaration of war against them was cast when Cornelia was killed, and it would make sense for Edelgard to want the battle done without the main military so that lives were protected. The javelins hitting Arianrhod mean that Hubert will be able to trace them to Shambhala. And Rhea's death means no revival of Nemesis.</p><p>All in all, Fodlan reaps all the benefits in exchange for a shorter war that was decidedly less full of subterfuge and TWSD aggression. But speaking of the Cornelia fight in Arianrhod...</p><p><b>Lady of Deceit: Declaring War on the Death Cult... and Translation Fails</b></p><p>Edelgard's abuse may have started with the selfish motivations of the Six Noble Houses, but let's not mince words here - TWSD are always the ultimate evil in this scenario.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqnzTWhOi00cIC1yvwPtTAlMMNi0Hsflf9KFPln6PoumQVC5plT0LzeqzepIg9Lgl_i16JlOY4bgXRKsGzngqevE0ASWal1kx_527Hux-uP6lP-XW2_wKE-TD9Qlu_dXu6B1CsP3tig4Bw/s1280/map.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqnzTWhOi00cIC1yvwPtTAlMMNi0Hsflf9KFPln6PoumQVC5plT0LzeqzepIg9Lgl_i16JlOY4bgXRKsGzngqevE0ASWal1kx_527Hux-uP6lP-XW2_wKE-TD9Qlu_dXu6B1CsP3tig4Bw/w400-h225/map.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Hubert explains before the first battle of CF that their inclusion in the Empire's forces are a source of great shame and irritation for Edelgard. There is clear contempt from both Edelgard and Hubert toward them, and Hubert's paralogue strongly hints that he'll be directly handling the fight with TWSD as soon as the war concludes.<p></p><p>It's understandable that Hubert would be the one leading. Edelgard clearly displays discomfort at their presence. In the Japanese audio, Thales is the only person to whom she uses language that gives a subordinate tone, rather than an authoritative one.</p><p>Despite that discomfort, though, she does decide to pull a fast one on them and blindside their one major foothold in the Kingdom - Cornelia's fortress city of Arianrhod.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhogUrEIcbAn4tmJhJASxxMjiNfAMbQMMv-zoCJERvYJVzMB2sHJOvhQLRzZD48B1anfgrQ6GicobWQQVkKYoBeyynv0l5wssXlJ6LsGlstvzXg3anZkklR3Ix-HXHxo4CR3EPu0aytc9U1/s1280/corneliacf.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhogUrEIcbAn4tmJhJASxxMjiNfAMbQMMv-zoCJERvYJVzMB2sHJOvhQLRzZD48B1anfgrQ6GicobWQQVkKYoBeyynv0l5wssXlJ6LsGlstvzXg3anZkklR3Ix-HXHxo4CR3EPu0aytc9U1/w400-h225/corneliacf.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>By convincing everyone that she was targeting Fhirdihad before branching the BESF toward the city dubbed "The Silver Maiden," she leaves Cornelia's defenses depleted, forcing her to break out the Titanus beasts.<p></p><p>Cornelia figures Edelgard's aim pretty quickly, but the way she speaks, it's clear that I made a mistake playing CF as my first playthrough. I already figured I needed to do other playthroughs considering I had no knowledge of Judith or Rodrigue, and I didn't understand why Fleche became a regular dialogue set piece. But Cornelia's words in particular reek of self-congratulatory madness if you don't understand the context.</p><p>She realizes that the only reason they'd attack Arianrhod when a TWSD agent was in charge would be if they were <i>targeting </i>the TWSD agent. Arundel/Thales clearly realizes this as well, which is why he questions the decision and then obliterates Arianrhod with the Javelins of LIght.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVaT18MBKAToKyLPD5B5mB6EbPkL6DZAGeJz63OC3xCniWJeBgs98qX5PMzxMnKc3p_DS2pkoc83qUWm5S07hskKY3Y4cHxh4I915LAHCEWYMO6focAIFFcH09-hoGoWQ2gcUZIGjcKkKu/s1280/titanuscf.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVaT18MBKAToKyLPD5B5mB6EbPkL6DZAGeJz63OC3xCniWJeBgs98qX5PMzxMnKc3p_DS2pkoc83qUWm5S07hskKY3Y4cHxh4I915LAHCEWYMO6focAIFFcH09-hoGoWQ2gcUZIGjcKkKu/w400-h225/titanuscf.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>And the game makes sure the dialogue decision Byleth makes after the battle reflects this too. When he asks if eliminating Cornelia was the aim, Edelgard's support rises if you say that it was.<p></p><p>So how did the game straight-up botch the translation to make Cornelia's death quote say the opposite? How do you go from a Japanese line that translates,<a href="http://kagiyama.threebards.com/fire-emblem/2023#note10"> "I see… So this is… the storyline you’ve written for me…"</a>, to saying that this betrayal was "all in accordance with this carefully crafted script of ours"?</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7VN25LDfgAZq0Wpe9e3df5XCi3wyx9BYyCKvD388oXceY_4fOfcggxnrTlBhH0FzsJ5Bu9RnSLeCbLx9OBeOixeqcZU7ykU77f32-phBkgaTYerI2IMR6ywLAYR0CLuptGefLAWRUsX5L/s480/arianrhod.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="480" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7VN25LDfgAZq0Wpe9e3df5XCi3wyx9BYyCKvD388oXceY_4fOfcggxnrTlBhH0FzsJ5Bu9RnSLeCbLx9OBeOixeqcZU7ykU77f32-phBkgaTYerI2IMR6ywLAYR0CLuptGefLAWRUsX5L/w400-h300/arianrhod.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>It makes it sound like Edelgard attacking Cornelia is the <i>plan</i> TWSD wanted. That makes zero sense and almost makes it sound like she was actually loyal to the Kingdom. I played Azure Moon. I <i>know</i> that is not the case.<p></p><p>Well while the translation decision is questionable, it does set me up to talk about Edelgard's most questionable action in the game. They decide to control the information about Arianrhod being destroyed, blaming the Church instead of TWSD.</p><p>So what sense is there in even lying about this? From a military perspective, I see what Edelgard is getting at. If you reveal a new enemy right before you launch your hopefully final assault on your current enemies, that could screw with the nerves of the troops. </p><p>This is especially true if you have no intention of using the actual military to fight the new threat. Remember, Hubert, Jeritza and Byleth seem to be the main core in the shadow fight that is coming against TWSD. Hubert says in his paralogue that the war with TWSD will be "knives cutting in the darkness."</p><p>In that sense, it's sensible to lay all setbacks and problems at the feet of the current enemy until the battles next month are over. Even so, I can't condone keeping it quiet from the rest of the BESF. It's not a major issue if she reveals the truth to them <i>immediately </i>following the battles, but every moment after Fhirdihad that it's not made clear to them is a problem.</p><p>Of all Edelgard's actions, it's the one I hold the least amount of comfort with, as it reads so similar to the false history Fodlan currently has. Like I said, it's not an issue if she properly assigns the blame right after the next month's battles, especially if TWSD get wiped out and all traces of their brutality are wiped out in the shadow war, but it's a playing-with-fire moment for sure.</p><p><b>Tailtean Plains: The Battlefield of Change</b></p><p>Each route gets some kind of exclusive battle, but while Azure Moon and Silver Snow use exclusive enemies on a familiar map, Verdant Wind and Crimson Flower get maps that only they get to use.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQMQxpiXBsmOtbZHXseApYfYo3DhceQL3T3AwK564vVSpPxLz3FKGLkJOm-bKXwzpLS3Kube27YCppof6CNiaF1wXhVFf7Gb9HtDkNufcHmG1CmYszVUDUiKJiMwUoVQNdmDjnx-GnuwVz/s1920/tailtean.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQMQxpiXBsmOtbZHXseApYfYo3DhceQL3T3AwK564vVSpPxLz3FKGLkJOm-bKXwzpLS3Kube27YCppof6CNiaF1wXhVFf7Gb9HtDkNufcHmG1CmYszVUDUiKJiMwUoVQNdmDjnx-GnuwVz/w400-h225/tailtean.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>Verdant Wind got the Nemesis boss fight and the map in the empty field. Crimson Flower gets the Tailtean Plains (aka the battlefield they show in the opening cutscene of the game).<p></p><p>With no Blood of the Eagle and Lion in CF, this is the three-way battle replacement, though in this case it's more like a handicap match. The rain gives the battlefield the same dark echoes from the original cutscene, and there is a real frustration to getting close to beating the Kingdom, only for the Knights of Seiros to run in as you get close.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUNNzN6lAuE6Xry5L7343Ygc9b5nA2IqlakhSfQTgsiP1CIlzwHeSNOCktihNX5ige2e1SjxuE_OWSaJh4Q95msq8sldx9qQZ3gtuGyG8I6Qwz71OYGyeL0hodn2pSQdGx0LfsC_xh_Y82/s1280/seiros.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUNNzN6lAuE6Xry5L7343Ygc9b5nA2IqlakhSfQTgsiP1CIlzwHeSNOCktihNX5ige2e1SjxuE_OWSaJh4Q95msq8sldx9qQZ3gtuGyG8I6Qwz71OYGyeL0hodn2pSQdGx0LfsC_xh_Y82/w400-h225/seiros.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Speaking of Seiros, Rhea has gone full killer revenge mode in this story, as she reclaims her name from the battle 1000 years before. Watching the opening cutscene, you'd think Seiros would be a major player in your journey, but it's only in this fight that she actually steps on the battlefield, and even then, it's as one of the opposing commanders.<p></p><p>Adding to the irony, 1000 years before, Seiros had the Adrestian soldiers on her side against the forces of the Ten Elites. Now, she joins with the descendants of the Elites and their Kingdom to fight the Adrestian Empire.</p><p>Heck, she even gets the benefit of demonic beasts, as Dedue brings crest stones to help the soldiers become unholy monsters, including himself.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaR1gkK9DDscixq13efRR39fXUXWNDSWZgDRJBvOnq933-kcefh8A14utyaoZYQeeDtW1j_4XO6Yf3tJl_mlyOa0yXXRw3L92zyrvXxVb3WoyzBvKUW9gymw4t7CBbAULeSmEl453cI3sv/s1280/mercietailtean.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaR1gkK9DDscixq13efRR39fXUXWNDSWZgDRJBvOnq933-kcefh8A14utyaoZYQeeDtW1j_4XO6Yf3tJl_mlyOa0yXXRw3L92zyrvXxVb3WoyzBvKUW9gymw4t7CBbAULeSmEl453cI3sv/w400-h225/mercietailtean.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>A major theme in CF is that devotion can be toxic. This really reveals itself in the Kingdom fights. Not only did Rodrigue, Felix and Ingrid die defending Arianrhod on behalf of a TWSD commander who cared nothing for them, but now Sylvain does at Tailtean and Dedue destroys himself, all for the honor of a vengeance-fueled king.<p></p><p>I didn't mention it earlier, but one of the most painful lines in this route is Ingrid's death quote, where she says she "has become like him," meaning Glenn. Her glorification of his duty as a knight has given her the Bruce Wayne in <i>Dark Knight Rises</i> mindset where she wants a glorious death defending her kingdom. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtCaiHnIWiYGB4EIRCwkwezZKh7mzIQ_nY9k9GLOL_wMgIqbTnqhE-sXQyZzZwF6xhqbAIV3WDouEC-DAnSndgdhqNIOfqzigEesaIyZNT0_7SFzbh5VOQHkXjKabuVkWgtcecuGwfzfsX/s1280/edeldima.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtCaiHnIWiYGB4EIRCwkwezZKh7mzIQ_nY9k9GLOL_wMgIqbTnqhE-sXQyZzZwF6xhqbAIV3WDouEC-DAnSndgdhqNIOfqzigEesaIyZNT0_7SFzbh5VOQHkXjKabuVkWgtcecuGwfzfsX/w400-h225/edeldima.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>This is the mental state the Kingdom's values breeds - people so obsessed with being chivalrous and knightly that they will blindly follow orders to their death. And whether the leader is out of their mind (Dimitri) or is using you with no regard for your life (Cornelia) never factors into the calculus.<p></p><p>And Dimitri, for his part, never seems to learn the lesson of letting go, even in his final moments. Yes, he's operating on faulty information, but there never seems to be a point where he even considers he might be wrong in his assumptions. This was a problem in the other routes as well, but even here when he has the throne and got everything he expected to receive, he still cannot get out of his own way.</p><p>As for Edelgard, this battle affects her deeply. While she has repressed the memories of her time in the Kingdom to the point that she doesn't understand her connection to Dimitri, she did recognize the tragedy that was his life and nearly cries over it. She claims "the Edelgard who shed tears died many years ago," but it's clear that as she's gone through this story and made more connections that her hope is returning, and she's getting more in-touch with her emotions.</p><p>Just in time for the final battle.</p><p><b>To the End of a Dream/The Result of Our Love </b></p><p>(NOTE: These are the respective last chapter titles for the English and Japanese versions, respectively.)</p><p>I chose to mention the two titles of this chapter because they say a lot about what this chapter is.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjziCV0sowRLQ_59zc4MrUbbtq-JPeXGIzgTZaUJMm9rFLhL0PcmFh-SYs4l4ntLstbgkgt4gS1kXaYqpfWu-nikzE39o5eEkmGMZNULn25roWTWkwnq1LyrLP-5yUERf31gnWb7E6oge8c/s1908/madedel.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1908" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjziCV0sowRLQ_59zc4MrUbbtq-JPeXGIzgTZaUJMm9rFLhL0PcmFh-SYs4l4ntLstbgkgt4gS1kXaYqpfWu-nikzE39o5eEkmGMZNULn25roWTWkwnq1LyrLP-5yUERf31gnWb7E6oge8c/w400-h226/madedel.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>For those who don't remember, this chapter doesn't get a month of preparation. You go from the Tailtean Plains straight to Fhirdihad to face Rhea's forces and end the war. There is a final, tense conversation between Arundel and Edelgard, where she keeps his forces off the battlefield and it becomes clear that this temporary alliance is reaching its endpoint. They talk about a brief period where TWSD will be necessary, but the fact that they keep saying that it's "for a brief period" tells me the two are already planning each other's deaths.<p></p><p>Edelgard then gives Byleth her best explanation as to how Sothis ended up with Byleth. It's extremely incomplete, considering you need Rhea's SS and VW conversations to get the full picture, but it was a decent set of hypotheses given the information at-hand.</p><p>Much like her A-support and other start-of-month conversations, however, Edelgard continues to express how much she needs/values Byleth. The final months of this story really hammer home how much it meant to Edelgard that Byleth stayed with her. She had acted close to Byleth throughout White Clouds and attempted to show genuine care, despite the fact that she expected Byleth to leave her and (eventually) destroy her.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZSPOiO87IHcEE4-ySrt61RzvYDVeUASAdK8UByrAy1QytCGcAGGXbc8OZF8q4GvIwcZgGQvbUaccMIBoQQiRFIhVzkuy9JUmsDx6RqxQin8zPcywSHzi6BNmGIHwZ5TrM5WS_Q66s49PW/s1280/hresvelg.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZSPOiO87IHcEE4-ySrt61RzvYDVeUASAdK8UByrAy1QytCGcAGGXbc8OZF8q4GvIwcZgGQvbUaccMIBoQQiRFIhVzkuy9JUmsDx6RqxQin8zPcywSHzi6BNmGIHwZ5TrM5WS_Q66s49PW/w400-h225/hresvelg.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>As has been mentioned before, Edelgard was making this grand attempt to change the world for the better, but her own mind led her to believe the act was evil and justifying of her death. One FE fan named CaptainFlash made an argument that because the Adrestian Empire had such close ties to Seiros that Edelgard was likely very devout at a point in her life. At the very least, she practiced the faith often.<p></p><p>This means she knew the lines from the Church that were present in the monastery library: "The Goddess is all things, Her eyes see all, Her ears hear all, Her hands receive all.... The Goddess cares for and protects all that is beautiful in this world…”</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBpo5KjLbgp5R9PsZzALbRzODAQVIVNC6mts2R8B_VlAkZiKkA7W7nlJv7f1ukmEkfPNdehgFSbxJWg4x2dSA9eo0-bxNdanryib0lm7mjmosZx2aR_NsmPKcThvsbpcExJXuyfKW0p-f3/s1280/edeldoro.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBpo5KjLbgp5R9PsZzALbRzODAQVIVNC6mts2R8B_VlAkZiKkA7W7nlJv7f1ukmEkfPNdehgFSbxJWg4x2dSA9eo0-bxNdanryib0lm7mjmosZx2aR_NsmPKcThvsbpcExJXuyfKW0p-f3/w400-h225/edeldoro.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Edelgard's suffering, her family's demise, all done without intervention from the Goddess, has led her to internalize that she was not saved because she was deemed undeserving - not beautiful or good enough to save.<p></p><p>Her attempt to reform the world is out of a sense of selflessness. She wants to protect others who were victimized by the system created by the Church of Seiros... but she has every expectation she will die for what she's doing and be damned for it.</p><p>Consider how she interacts with everyone in her supports. She's always concerned about Hubert and Dorothea's mental states, tries to take care of Lysithea, initially views Caspar as a victim of circumstance, tries to find Linhardt something to be passionate about, and advises Petra and Bernadetta. Even Ferdinand, with whom she has a contentious relationship, is talked with cordially and given honest consideration, despite her history with his father - a history she never brings up to him, by the way. Outside of supports, she takes a no-name like Ladislava and a distant relative of a noble like Randolph and put both in prominent positions because they <i>deserve </i>it.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPcgo2xvLylUiOs7jcyxNBc0XG75uobh17_aOS59D2K7fgNPYbtcxzloQ8ttFhq9O5YtYm2hZNijnNXoO14ItnzgOduLWqo6n35nNclUIArAtHqKIZLy05F8DKMW3l12ebN3AtHeO4tGMW/s1280/edelferdie.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPcgo2xvLylUiOs7jcyxNBc0XG75uobh17_aOS59D2K7fgNPYbtcxzloQ8ttFhq9O5YtYm2hZNijnNXoO14ItnzgOduLWqo6n35nNclUIArAtHqKIZLy05F8DKMW3l12ebN3AtHeO4tGMW/w400-h225/edelferdie.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Every support exudes a care for everyone besides herself - except the ones with Byleth. It's the only support where she feels comfortable behaving like herself, caring for herself, talking about what <i>she </i>wants. Byleth is her inspiration to take care of herself and place value in her friendships. It's why she's not as aggressive in this route - she actually has friends now, and doesn't want to lose them in battle. It's why we see her hopeless romantic side as she tries to paint Byleth.<p></p><p>She expected to lose all of this in the Holy Tomb back in Chapter 11, but they are all still with her. The person who most exemplifies Sothis - talked directly to her, bears her power, Crest and hair - is on her side.</p><p>In Azure Moon, Edelgard hits her lowest point and becomes the Hegemon Husk. In Crimson Flower, Byleth's nickname is "The Wings of the Hegemon," a reflection of how Byleth pulled Edelgard out of the darkness so she could rise above her pain.</p><p>The English title "To the End of a Dream" is a thematic tie to Byleth's journey. Where Silver Snow's was titled "Following a Dream," implying that Byleth was still following orders in hopes she'd find meaning one day, the CF chapter title implies that Byleth found her purpose, and this chapter will bring her to its ultimate fruition.</p><p>The Japanese title "The Result of Our Love," gives away the point of this route. The world that will be created through the final battle is the result of Byleth and Edelgard's love for each other. Byleth has found purpose, and Edelgard has found value in her own life. And together, they will bring the world to a better tomorrow.</p><p><b>Faith finally gets repaid</b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBYyD4Tfe0P6FZLlc3vzlyPqMI_PANu44nN97iLIOjh8aHFjdtn2uQ9MJI79bKsHnPhTh5XIvQwyq3RgHNHszwFbvehez3FpM-2tGUpt-0EZaDOkVusCH_p08qgxPgmo5kj3deHqMrMX33/s640/crazyrhea.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBYyD4Tfe0P6FZLlc3vzlyPqMI_PANu44nN97iLIOjh8aHFjdtn2uQ9MJI79bKsHnPhTh5XIvQwyq3RgHNHszwFbvehez3FpM-2tGUpt-0EZaDOkVusCH_p08qgxPgmo5kj3deHqMrMX33/w400-h225/crazyrhea.png" width="400" /></a></div>Edelgard tries one more time to get Rhea to surrender and retire the Church's power over Fodlan (an option she never gives in other routes), and Seiros/Rhea chooses to burn the city of Fhirdihad alive...<p></p><p>The battlefield itself is intimidating and large, but as I mentioned before, The White One is the only target that has to die, so if you really want to keep the others alive, it'll take some effort, but it is possible.</p><p>Once Edelgard and Byleth destroy The White One, Byleth collapses and appears to die. Edelgard loses what little composure she held and begins to cry openly over Byleth's body.</p><p>And yet, in this moment, there is a miracle. Sothis's Crest stone of flames breaks, and the residual energy goes into Byleth's real heart to start it for the first time in her life. As Edelgard's emotions flip to tears of joy, the green hair/eyes of Byleth return to their natural blue, and she is 100 percent human for the first time in her life.</p><p>Edelgard's plan to give humanity its freedom back is reflected here in Byleth, as Byleth gains her humanity in this victory as well. And yet, I find myself thinking of a Garth Brooks song of all things in this scene: "Unanswered Prayers."</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9GuA5PZx3K4" width="320" youtube-src-id="9GuA5PZx3K4"></iframe></div><br /><p>"Some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers" is the line in particular. It's a song about how a man prayed for a relationship with a woman to work out, only for it to fail, giving way to the true love of his life.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8ZPlblnxQm0jneni-EbJlPFrbHpb30xs-3sQWiFKpm_SJlUBtrv3YMqwnTS6YHkQdP8wcQACPszaMKr1udktftiZnMbYZ7p7pfgxMvxzKH7VW0SQlOqGark8ltxlzBA6VHJX739g_IFF0/s1280/finalblow.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8ZPlblnxQm0jneni-EbJlPFrbHpb30xs-3sQWiFKpm_SJlUBtrv3YMqwnTS6YHkQdP8wcQACPszaMKr1udktftiZnMbYZ7p7pfgxMvxzKH7VW0SQlOqGark8ltxlzBA6VHJX739g_IFF0/w400-h225/finalblow.png" width="400" /></a></div>One of the most prominent themes of this game is that you can't always save everyone. Choosing not to start a war continues the human rights atrocities that will leave more children with death or ruined lives. Once the war starts, at least seven people you know will die, no matter which route you choose. It is the role of the leader to create the most positive outcome possible with as little sacrifice as possible.<p></p><p>We consider how these sacrifices had to play in when dealing with human characters because we can see the full scale of the result, but we rarely think about how this type of thought process would play out with a divine being who has to consider an entire world at-large across not only the current time frame, but all time - past, present and future.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZHoZZynK4RwHndAR_899uK8SZgbeZLk9UFd7MVsQzq8Vf14iSj8IeCDquUWgFIqiCX69wkC1ejn840UDQc61lAuq_zWMnDtcWXLtV3BtDMJtF21TkTTleOSbTfwFzKVhek9n6OolBjIhn/s416/sothis2.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="218" data-original-width="416" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZHoZZynK4RwHndAR_899uK8SZgbeZLk9UFd7MVsQzq8Vf14iSj8IeCDquUWgFIqiCX69wkC1ejn840UDQc61lAuq_zWMnDtcWXLtV3BtDMJtF21TkTTleOSbTfwFzKVhek9n6OolBjIhn/w400-h210/sothis2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Sothis - the full divine being, not just the version present in Byleth's mind - has very little influence over the world, and it's only through her heart being with Byleth that she can actually exercise a degree of effect upon Fodlan.<p></p><p>In that sense, Sothis's divine will is reflected in Byleth. She tells Byleth to cut a path that is her own, and then she leaves her full power to Byleth so that she may enact her will, whatever that may be. In effect, it is an endorsement of Byleth as a person that Sothis believes her will will be done, if Byleth simply follows her heart.</p><p>With that in mind, it's telling that Sothis only removes her divine power in Crimson Flower. One could take it as Sothis rejecting the goal Byleth sought out, but she remains a romantic option in this route despite everything, so it's not the interpretation I see. Instead, I see it as a sign that Sothis believes her work is done, and it's time to simply let Byleth be human.</p><p>It can be interpreted from such a read-through that Crimson Flower <i>is the original plan</i>. Byleth, who has to carry out this plan, is freed from the insane cycle that Rhea had created for reviving Sothis and gets with the only house leader who values her ability to choose and have autonomy above all else. Edelgard, who lost her entire family and ability to trust, gets a found family in the BESF, learns to trust and be open in her emotions again, receives a way to change the world in a manner that befits Edelgard's ideals, and finds a person to value her for who she is, not her position.</p><p>Viewed in this way, Sothis took Edelgard and Byleth, two present victims of Fodlan's past, and gave them Fodlan's future.</p><p><b>Final Thoughts - "Dearest Friends"</b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Y8gkA9tURpFPJLzz84l4yWLl-YnGCnqO6nsE-qGg6md6DXiTBreKXDUW6uo19IcWOnnTmIa6WAuPe7g8m6DyC4xDqe93FHnEBmjcdXMHHB79EfvVRjNg0COws4V0EIRKROUrJdZ4E3MI/s680/edelcries.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="383" data-original-width="680" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Y8gkA9tURpFPJLzz84l4yWLl-YnGCnqO6nsE-qGg6md6DXiTBreKXDUW6uo19IcWOnnTmIa6WAuPe7g8m6DyC4xDqe93FHnEBmjcdXMHHB79EfvVRjNg0COws4V0EIRKROUrJdZ4E3MI/w400-h225/edelcries.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>The translation where Edelgard calls Byleth her "dearest friend" after Byleth proposes is among the dumbest line interpretations I've seen. Also, I'd like to note that all the other house leaders propose to Byleth, but in this route and this route only, Byleth proposes to the house leader. Again, statement of Byleth's autonomy.<p></p><p>When I played Three Houses the first time, I played Crimson Flower first, and I remember being a bit underwhelmed that TWSD didn't get a proper defeat in-game since they were the ones whose plans led to Jeralt's death. Through the other routes, I realized all the other ways in which they ruined the land of Fodlan.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkB06bIwHq7SdlwRHVmWigvRqy94L86X4U7eks9ok2bq4tZM2p70yFMCT9j_QDPq1CxtTrM96_hcIF6HuqTTGX_zDZ-_ealE7RZeBz-UF61bVuTlEvffuWGnElWqVtueTEjDzsDJtmuLM0/s640/edelythpropose.webp" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="358" data-original-width="640" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkB06bIwHq7SdlwRHVmWigvRqy94L86X4U7eks9ok2bq4tZM2p70yFMCT9j_QDPq1CxtTrM96_hcIF6HuqTTGX_zDZ-_ealE7RZeBz-UF61bVuTlEvffuWGnElWqVtueTEjDzsDJtmuLM0/w400-h224/edelythpropose.webp" width="400" /></a></div>And yet, as the other routes took out members of TWSD, if not TWSD altogether, I didn't feel a sense of satisfaction in the battle. It was always an underwhelming afterthought in comparison to the fight in Enbarr. And playing those other routes helped me realize the TWSD fight is underwhelming because the game isn't about them.<p></p><p>Thematically, the members directly responsible for Jeralt's death fall in Chapter 10, and there's no direct emotional hatred for Cornelia or Thales, at least from Byleth's perspective. They're evil, but they are Dimitri's demons, Hapi's demons, Edelgard's demons. TWSD's commanders serve as setup for the fight with Edelgard and nothing more.</p><p>Hapi's journey with Cornelia pays off whenever she gets to fight at Arianrhod. And Edelgard sets her fight in motion when she takes out Cornelia in a blindside attack. We know how the fight with Thales will end eventually, but Edelgard in this story is not so consumed by hatred of them that it overwhelms the main story.</p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjND9aBhsCsBGuHqOD8QfMgwAnNmp2SFlRE3YhpaKSPuxK4q23U89HDKZiv7OuwYtNsrpEFH3GW2sKPzZzLLWtbGUuUdxIoTkZm7sxEqzKwpe5e8RbDhUcdrJudbhZa0oOBmmwA_CnvRWVV/s1994/BESF.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1994" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjND9aBhsCsBGuHqOD8QfMgwAnNmp2SFlRE3YhpaKSPuxK4q23U89HDKZiv7OuwYtNsrpEFH3GW2sKPzZzLLWtbGUuUdxIoTkZm7sxEqzKwpe5e8RbDhUcdrJudbhZa0oOBmmwA_CnvRWVV/w400-h180/BESF.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Credit the /edelgard <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Edelgard/comments/jvr9vi/black_eagle_strike_force/">Reddit</a> thread - Posted by u/blackjack8866</td></tr></tbody></table>Verdant Wind is the lore story, and so it's fitting the route ends with Fodlan's greatest villain, but it also takes out many of the personal connections to the story and make it into a standard save-the-day story by the end. Silver Snow is busy setting up its tragic final battle so TWSD never matter all that much.<p></p><p>Playing the four routes made me realize that the personal connections and the humanity in war is what matters in this game. And no route exemplifies finding a person's humanity, finding light in the darkness, and finding companionship to get you through the toughest times quite like Crimson Flower.</p><p>As a final note, I will give my ideal Crimson Flower team (a 13-person combo for normal play and a 15-person combo for new game plus).</p><p>For the record, the two combinations given in <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23064598/chapters/55167319">"Emperor and the Goddess"</a> are great ideas. (Also, seriously give this fic a read. It's such a good story and gave me a lot of angles that I hadn't considered with these storyines.) The two combinations given for recruits are: Ingrid, Sylvain, Lysithea, Marianne and Shamir (main timeline), and Felix, Leonie, Annette, Mercedes and Alois (parallel timeline).</p><p>Mine is a combination of the two:</p><p><b>Crimson Flower team</b><br />Byleth x Edelgard<br />Lysithea x Linhardt<br />Hubert x Ferdinand<br />Caspar x Annette<br />Jeritza x Mercedes (family reunion)<br />Petra x Dorothea<br />Bernadetta x Alois (Bernie gets an uncle!)<br />Leonie or Shamir as the wandering loner</p><p>If not NG+, Alois and Leonie/Shamir are dropped. Bernadetta goes with Hubert, Ferdinand goes with Mercedes, Jeritza takes the loner position.</p><p>I recruit Lysithea because she MUST be in Eagle house for CF in my view. I pick Mercedes for the Jeritza/Ferdinand supports and Annette to get her away from trying to please her dad. Alois is a freebie after Jeralt's death and has good supports. Leonie is my preference due to her desire to protect Byleth, but her death is avoidable; Shamir's is not and her support with Hubert is fun.</p>Sean Network Blogshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17485611190342614180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1247338904496237124.post-49358609161941142162021-06-23T12:25:00.009-07:002021-06-30T11:42:55.641-07:00Fire Emblem: Three Houses story analysis - Silver Snow (Black Eagles Part 2, Church route)<p> <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">The following is a series on Fire Emblem: Three Houses that analyzes the story elements, characters and theming. For reference, here are the links to each one:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://theseannetwork.blogspot.com/2021/05/fire-emblem-three-houses-fire-emblem.html">Intro/Basic review, </a>
</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://theseannetwork.blogspot.com/2021/05/fire-emblem-three-houses-story-analysis.html">White Clouds (Common Part 1), </a>
</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://theseannetwork.blogspot.com/2021/05/fire-emblem-three-houses-analysis.html">Cindered Shadows (Ashen Wolves DLC Route - Part 1.5),</a>
</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://theseannetwork.blogspot.com/2021/06/fire-emblem-three-houses-story-analysis_28.html">Crimson Flower (Black Eagles/Eagle House Part 2, Adrestia route)</a>,
</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://theseannetwork.blogspot.com/2021/06/fire-emblem-three-houses-story-analysis_23.html">Silver Snow (Black Eagles/Eagle House Part 2, Church route)</a>,
</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://theseannetwork.blogspot.com/2021/06/fire-emblem-three-houses-story-analysis_20.html">Azure Moon (Blue Lions/Lion House Part 2)</a>,
</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://theseannetwork.blogspot.com/2021/06/fire-emblem-three-houses-story-analysis.html">Verdant Wind (Golden Deer/Deer House Part 2)</a>
Non-house leader characters (Eagle, Deer, Lion, Church)
Music analysis (very surface level)</span></p><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Part 2: Silver Snow - “It starts with ONE THING I DON’T KNOW WHY…”</span></p><div style="font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></div><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3OGUWqR0kw_ZEC1Yc6-fvpos2VP8HfkF3gCeSpUBs8gAoW8OFBxOfYukZyF0F7EXnGaY_1eol92F-mE2w12bw0Dc7PFXKoSyU9Mx7Et74Nooz1_clqoS3OHSIgaBQeU66ljdsTciEbuwR/s267/silver+snow.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="267" data-original-width="189" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3OGUWqR0kw_ZEC1Yc6-fvpos2VP8HfkF3gCeSpUBs8gAoW8OFBxOfYukZyF0F7EXnGaY_1eol92F-mE2w12bw0Dc7PFXKoSyU9Mx7Et74Nooz1_clqoS3OHSIgaBQeU66ljdsTciEbuwR/w283-h400/silver+snow.jpeg" width="283" /></a></div>Silver Snow very much feels like the ‘tragedy’ route of the entire game. Where the Lions and Deer have a route that’s tailor-made to fit the personality of the house leader, the Eagles are given a split route, and I have a hard time believing this route was built for any reason other than to tug at the heartstrings and make you feel sorrow.<p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">The crew that made this game said in interviews that they made the Eagle route first, and Intelligent Systems and Koei Tecmo said the routes they were proudest of were Silver Snow and Crimson Flower, respectively. And it’s fitting that those two routes, the only split stories in the game, should be so intertwined to represent the classic ideas of fate versus self-determination; heart versus duty; and the classical ideals of tragedy (from order comes chaos) versus comedy (from chaos comes order).</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Duty as a Teacher - "</span><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Watch the time go right out the window, tryin' to hold on, I didn't even know
I wasted it all just to watch you go."
<br /></b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">When playing the Eagle route, Silver Snow is the default route. By ‘default,’ I mean that it’s the route you naturally get if you put zero effort into anything beyond the necessary battles.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Thing is, Fire Emblem: Three Houses is not just a tactical RPG with battles only. It’s also a management and development system - id est, a teacher simulator.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Part 1 covers Byleth's role as a teacher, and defaulting to the Silver Snow route represents a failure in that role.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">This game does keep the overall barrier to the choice between SS and CF really low, so I do believe the game programmed it so that a person who isn’t given the choice between the two routes had to have actively shirked their responsibility as a teacher at major junctures of the game.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL5V28iC9mHXZCwHkKjq8m5He28RiIavqeTfKT5g4VGU04RX2v9aj-5FljD3_-JgYvyP1DeHU657cUWnmVuMPwWSHGp-sZ_Fi-qkX7cR73G4Fu4lqK-Rp2O1qB2u3oTfV9-M5uEKkdGDFP/s300/Choice%2560.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL5V28iC9mHXZCwHkKjq8m5He28RiIavqeTfKT5g4VGU04RX2v9aj-5FljD3_-JgYvyP1DeHU657cUWnmVuMPwWSHGp-sZ_Fi-qkX7cR73G4Fu4lqK-Rp2O1qB2u3oTfV9-M5uEKkdGDFP/w400-h224/Choice%2560.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>Think about it: The only requirements to earn the choice at the end of Chapter 11 are: 1) Earning a C+ support level with Edelgard (first 2 support conversations) and 2) talking to Edelgard during exploration mode in Chapter 11.<p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">C+ support should be easy to make happen through normal gameplay. You’d practically have to keep Edelgard or Byleth away from the action in every battle to not get to C+ in the minimum ten battles. This means, fittingly, the only requirement you could actually lapse on is talking to your students.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">I feel that my perspective on this requirement is skewed a bit by the fact that I am a teacher now and have been for six years. When I started this blog, it likely wouldn’t have crossed my mind, but now, it actually does stick with me. You would have to actively avoid talking to one of your students for an entire month near the end of the year to lose the decision. I understand for some that exploring the monastery or taking a vested interest in instructing and developing your students can get monotonous (Believe me! I understand), but part of the job as a teacher is making connections with the students as future humans of society. Any teacher who tells you that teaching is just a job and that the students are just their charges (like Jeritza actually does say in-game) are generally not very good at their job.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">After month 10, Byleth becomes fused with Sothis and undergoes a massive change. The idea that you wouldn’t at least gauge the reactions of all the students is so foreign to me that I had to actively choose to not do it to make the choice disappear. Which brings me to my next point:</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Byleth's decision - "With the hands of uncertainty... let mercy come and wash away... WHAT I'VE DONE!"</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">So let’s assume the actual decision does come up and Byleth chooses to execute Edelgard after the battle in the Holy Tomb. What would be the motivation for making this choice?</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2w4CGzPDJbXsS-g01P7ACGlFMCphVjjRJJUe_RF1GS5HO7SAnFSYM1DfYhylEAZmNCIqrb5puH_pwahPp5Pi2RBTtjYkBrFaDvyXz04oIAIkkMPcIfSubYk6tUiu-Y7s9FX7ITooSBaoc/s640/Choice1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2w4CGzPDJbXsS-g01P7ACGlFMCphVjjRJJUe_RF1GS5HO7SAnFSYM1DfYhylEAZmNCIqrb5puH_pwahPp5Pi2RBTtjYkBrFaDvyXz04oIAIkkMPcIfSubYk6tUiu-Y7s9FX7ITooSBaoc/w400-h225/Choice1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>On one hand, it makes a great deal of sense in terms of Byleth’s recent activities. The previous three battles have been with TWSD leadership, and Byleth’s father, Jeralt, was lost in the process along with the consciousness of Sothis. Mages and beasts from TWSD were in this battle, so it makes sense that Byleth might feel used by a student who had every opportunity to tell her about this.<p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Likewise, Byleth’s connections are not just with Edelgard. There have been moments where Byleth bonds with Hubert (who has been threatening to kill you) and more positive bonds with the other Eagles. Also, members of the Church of Seiros like Cyril, Alois and Shamir have all been generally positive and reflected the individuals of the Church well. On top of that, Rhea has granted Byleth a great deal of trust and autonomy, to the extent that I could see Byleth adopting a sense of duty to Rhea in this moment.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIsL0W4gqou1aehnZow5jq8P2DPtdI0XHjpJT7C3RAMzV0CWrLRLx18mh3zjAT0V1oDRFuOO9Je7fYVHoBYUkJ19ZBl_T9LtVzBHYa_OlAR80MPTF5X_yiKWmqItopMZj6u91Wz_w6lnlo/s680/edelgard_crowning.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="383" data-original-width="680" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIsL0W4gqou1aehnZow5jq8P2DPtdI0XHjpJT7C3RAMzV0CWrLRLx18mh3zjAT0V1oDRFuOO9Je7fYVHoBYUkJ19ZBl_T9LtVzBHYa_OlAR80MPTF5X_yiKWmqItopMZj6u91Wz_w6lnlo/w400-h225/edelgard_crowning.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>On the other hand, by reaching this choice, Byleth has had the C and C+ conversations with Edelgard, and has seen Edelgard’s coronation as emperor. I’m going to save the thoughts on such motivations for Crimson Flower, where Edelgard is still in the unit to have character progression. For now, though, it’s enough to say that Byleth is aware of why Edelgard wants to fight this war and what the end goal of the fight is.<p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Byleth also knows that Edelgard fought against TWSD the last few months, even going so far as to directly challenge Solon after he uses the Forbidden Spell of Zahras. Admittedly, this could have been a ploy, but it would have to be pretty elaborate for an 18-year-old almost-emperor.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Moreover, the first part of the story builds up a lot of mistrust in the Church. Through the missions the Eagles take, through Jeralt’s own words, through Jeralt’s diary, and even through Sothis’s final conversations with Byleth. There is just as much reason to think the Church is not executing Edelgard in good faith, especially given how quick the decision was.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">The bottom line of all this is that Byleth is ultimately forced to take a leap of faith in this decision. The Church of Seiros and Rhea have their own authority, the compliments of the faithful, and Byleth’s sense of duty. Edelgard has the words she said and her actions to offer as proof.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">And in Silver Snow, that's not enough to protect her student. In Silver Snow, Byleth chooses the sense of duty and puts faith that the Church really is acting right.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><b>"I'VE PUT MY TRUST, IN YOU. PUSHED AS FAR AS I CAN GO"</b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZpYfLIdhmXpm_WBhMWAhGZhv6TSHccSBe0mcnxcIusZGKEm_CPe4H3ryHWEF6sSTRvFEGckndCN5CmMQZrhgRUXeaiCkxLVW2eB_MkIPAdMHTAZa9dTsrcKBMNC5Myi28NdeRiY8MZ9HM/s1920/Rhea.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZpYfLIdhmXpm_WBhMWAhGZhv6TSHccSBe0mcnxcIusZGKEm_CPe4H3ryHWEF6sSTRvFEGckndCN5CmMQZrhgRUXeaiCkxLVW2eB_MkIPAdMHTAZa9dTsrcKBMNC5Myi28NdeRiY8MZ9HM/w400-h225/Rhea.png" width="400" /></a></div>The game hammers in almost immediately that your choice may have been the wrong one. The first cutscene after Edelgard leaves shows Seteth and Rhea discussing what has happened to Byleth, and Rhea makes it clear that she does not see you as Byleth; she sees you as Sothis.<p></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Rhea explains that Byleth's body is a vessel for Sothis. When she had Byleth sit on the throne, the hope was that Sothis's consciousness would take over, and Sothis would walk the world again.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">The idea that Byleth was part of an elaborate two-decade ritual in human sacrifice is actually quite disappointing if you felt like the Church of Seiros might still be a force for good on the continent. To this point, many of the problems experienced in White Clouds could have been attributed to TWSD just as much, and so there was a semblance of justification that the Church was exercising their best judgment in trying to suppress a possible war.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGyWWl3Z1dVhgqXu-Kl8hi5i1ylEhaCw_ziwkm0Q_FFCzoRSAz_DwK7zTL8CILbYrx0CG_FMt21pd9lehY11kV2-7tIbLXwvKcZNCqxMzzdnKzlATBUM2ZoDRpOKwgKAaAYHBnKbUACLYG/s299/BylethSothisfusion.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="299" data-original-width="280" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGyWWl3Z1dVhgqXu-Kl8hi5i1ylEhaCw_ziwkm0Q_FFCzoRSAz_DwK7zTL8CILbYrx0CG_FMt21pd9lehY11kV2-7tIbLXwvKcZNCqxMzzdnKzlATBUM2ZoDRpOKwgKAaAYHBnKbUACLYG/w375-h400/BylethSothisfusion.jpg" width="375" /></a></div>This moment, however, is a turning point in that. This is an unquestionable violation of human ethics that is motivated for entirely self-centered reasons. You don't experiment on babies. You don't trade an innocent's life for the chance of reviving the dead. This is ancient Egyptian/Greek/Roman/[ insert your favorite ancient culture here] sacrifice nonsense and reeks of the Dark Ages.<p></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">These realizations only get worse as you play through other stories and learn about the Church's suppression-heavy history; but for the Eagle route, right now the information you get here serves as your red flag. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">It's a horrible realization that the only reasons Byleth doesn't die in Part 1 was A) because she cut her own path (advice only Sothis and Edelgard ever gave) and pursued Kronya into a trap, and B) because Sothis LIKED Byleth and gave up <i>her</i> agency so Byleth could be in charge of their fused power.</p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">And the fact that Flayn comes in the scene does not help matters. </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">I'll be getting into Seteth and Flayn in a moment, but this scene is a major issue.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">All of this information is true in the Lion and Deer routes as well (the scene plays out identically), but this scene hits differently when you've been in the Eagle house and been hearing so much about how Crest-based society has damaged the lives of students.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">The Deer had a few people complaining, but their focuses were more on family issues (Marianne's stepdad, Raph and Ignatz's family needs, Hilda's brother, Lorenz's legacy). Claude, Lysithea and Leonie were really the only three who expressed outright frustration with the Church, Crests and nobility system, respectively.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">The Lions would express concerns from time to time, but frequently those doubts were pushed down by a need to fulfill a duty to their Kingdom or their Church. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0zc2dR98kL2VLRdJIj8FLXyL0NVT9o1sIGF3jaW3GUtNhYkQ_diPai_ZCH-tOkUg7XXRC_XVc09-m4Y1vQTfWbVVhaXDAB6NNJWUZY-bSAHBPxlzuSZhmhrN7I30c0RMAJjyc5IEeHP1l/s275/be.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="275" data-original-width="183" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0zc2dR98kL2VLRdJIj8FLXyL0NVT9o1sIGF3jaW3GUtNhYkQ_diPai_ZCH-tOkUg7XXRC_XVc09-m4Y1vQTfWbVVhaXDAB6NNJWUZY-bSAHBPxlzuSZhmhrN7I30c0RMAJjyc5IEeHP1l/w266-h400/be.jpeg" width="266" /></a></div>But with the Eagles? Not only have Edelgard and Hubert witnessed great horrors, but Dorothea has been put through an awful existence because of nobility's treatment of the commoner class. High expectations and low patience have given Bernadetta a complex; Petra is a vassal because of mistrust in foreigners. Even Caspar and Linhardt have experienced undue pressure to succeed because of their positions within their family (even if it's unobtrusive to Caspar's life and Linhardt rejects the notion outright).</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">The only one in the group who seems to be actively okay with the current system is Ferdinand, but even then it has not been healthy for him. He defines himself only by noble status and his eventual role in trying to best Edelgard. Whether he joins the Eagles and loses to her in an outright duel, or whether he joins with the Church and loses his status, Ferdinand post-timeskip is a man trying to find purpose in a world that is rejecting his ideology. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">It's fitting that the Eagles would all have strong opinions on Crests, nobility and the Church because they are the ones who, like Byleth, will have to make a choice over who to support. And it makes the scene here so heartbreaking. These students (aside from Ferdie) are siding with the idea of maintaining the system that has consistently screwed them over, all because of their faith in Byleth. Byleth, in turn, is taking a leap of faith on the Church.</p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">And in this scene, we find out Byleth was leaping right into danger all along.</p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>"Put to rest what you thought of me while I clean this slate"</b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><br /></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">One bit of gameplay I didn't realize was there (I played Silver Snow in casual mode) is that any of the core Eagles who are beaten in Ch. 12 will end up recruited to the Empire instead of killed.</p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">I bring this up because the whole transition from White Clouds to Silver Snow betray the image of Edelgard in the main villain role for this route. She commits to too many acts of mercy to work as an ultimate evil, which is why I see her fall two chapters before the end as more sensible in this route.</p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOApNPcu_vaxA-QwR1ZldL71IRhcsTA4JYtUA93panVULyIblkgrFTn-2meTjtNPIyeVGWl0WLZcRdgfeD25QtSbmhPy6eTjUGY_o2bVoltwm3X3t1cUQUK7HFeDRxiaAk1u9cj4oDPQx1/s712/sadedel.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="392" data-original-width="712" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOApNPcu_vaxA-QwR1ZldL71IRhcsTA4JYtUA93panVULyIblkgrFTn-2meTjtNPIyeVGWl0WLZcRdgfeD25QtSbmhPy6eTjUGY_o2bVoltwm3X3t1cUQUK7HFeDRxiaAk1u9cj4oDPQx1/w400-h220/sadedel.png" width="400" /></a></div>When the five years have completed, the reunion with Edelgard still happens despite being on opposite sides. I have thoughts on this.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">There is something deeply sad about the idea that Edelgard still kept her word and met up for the reunion, in spite of the war. If any of the Eagles were defeated, she'll note that there are members of the house who have joined her.</p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">But you do not get to make the choice. Much like the Flame Emperor scene, it's clear Edelgard has already accepted the rejection. Why she'd return anyway is likely either to satiate the childish desire to see the people she loved one more time, or out of a sense of guilt and need to punish herself with rejection. </p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhArEFlQqnzk6FiyT-aVvsqUlOu9Dti-URrGssWozitb0omDm5gnUeT9OzBaTVc8CdqtDebl3W-1n-0CCwSonmOJ-zyRoQbM_T5lEWkXj4N9uz3oYUTtlUOislY63sGmzXfLFGzQJfrqqvI/s809/edelythSS.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="448" data-original-width="809" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhArEFlQqnzk6FiyT-aVvsqUlOu9Dti-URrGssWozitb0omDm5gnUeT9OzBaTVc8CdqtDebl3W-1n-0CCwSonmOJ-zyRoQbM_T5lEWkXj4N9uz3oYUTtlUOislY63sGmzXfLFGzQJfrqqvI/s320/edelythSS.png" width="320" /></a></div>The Edelgard in this scene is more broken than any of the other non-CF Edelgards. Lion Edelgard has succumbed to the darkness entirely, forcing her goals to succeed because she knows nothing else. Deer Edelgard is in denial, trying her best to hide whatever feelings she had for Byleth, which is why the feelings never reveal themselves until her death scene. Silver Snow Edelgard is someone who had love and lost it. She believes her path itself is what makes her unlovable, and puts on a front to try to suppress her heartbreak.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>"The Role of Edelgard and Hubert will now be played by..."</b></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><br /></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">After Edelgard leaves, Seteth and Flayn step in to fill the positions of house leader and second-in-command.</p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge9SqIROTpmG6H5Su5gTAqiO2vc_32eGbR9WoFAwtn_M8QFJHU4gG2rXe5zflL_JigvArs1PSO61W8eYhMtckLIuH3dVYY3Um8Kny1ztaIVVsFlo3MJVS_cQyAqgcKD0C0aJNlUjfLStJu/s507/flayn.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="507" data-original-width="459" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge9SqIROTpmG6H5Su5gTAqiO2vc_32eGbR9WoFAwtn_M8QFJHU4gG2rXe5zflL_JigvArs1PSO61W8eYhMtckLIuH3dVYY3Um8Kny1ztaIVVsFlo3MJVS_cQyAqgcKD0C0aJNlUjfLStJu/s320/flayn.png" /></a></div>Seteth and Flayn show up at the monastery because, as Flayn explains, she left something at the Holy Mausoleum that she had to get back. I'd note this is the day of the reunion and she wasn't in the Holy Mausoleum mission five years prior, so I believe she was making this up as an excuse to go see everyone.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Something about Flayn that has always concerned me is how much she knows <i>exactly.</i> She's clearly sheltered and naive about a lot of the world, but she also has the ability to navigate through numerous conversations and end up with exactly what she wants. The only time, so far as I can tell, that someone actually puts her in a position where she doesn't know how to respond is Linhardt.</p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">It's fascinating to see someone who has lived such a long life but has gained so little life experience. From a book-learning perspective, she can speak with almost professorial precision, but then her main goal in life right now is to have friends and learn how to do basic everyday functions in the world. (Remember, the "I even haggle" boast?) </p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Because of this dichotomy, it's hard for me to get a handle on who this character is. I definitely see her as a kind-hearted idealist who just wants the fighting to stop, but she also has a serious blind spot when it comes to dishonesty.</p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Her entire support with Claude was like a "Spy vs. Spy" comic where each one tries to catch the other. She's so uncomfortable around Linhardt because he has the game's best poker face and she can't actually tell what he knows. So she sticks to the lies and hopes she doesn't back herself into a corner.</p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Most uncomfortable, though, is her tenuous relationship with honesty when talking to Byleth. In Ch. 12, when Seteth and Rhea is talking about Byleth being a vessel, she overhears at least some of it. It's unclear how much she fully grasps, but she goes along with their plan to support Byleth without ever telling Byleth.</p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">As a matter of fact, she has the chance to come forward about what was discussed in the A-support and claims she doesn't know what's going on. This may be true, but it also could be a situation where she was asked point-blank about this situation and willingly withholds information.</p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">And despite wanting romance, she continues to withhold information to her possible partners. In post-game epilogues, Flayn continues lying to Claude to the very end. Ignatz seems to never figure it out despite her giving away more about her life to him than anyone else. And again, Byleth and Flayn's S-support conversation shows her correct herself to make herself sound younger. ("No one's ever... well, of course they haven't...")</p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnlUt2gRR53lDThC4ocRTXNC9gruzahWf5BdhR_kT_TG7FnP1iyi-bE1ktbAUp-cj72SqPZUgo7KBia28EKKbijLbQaVef5GSM9bag2IjNCpWXqC3LVWctw6sqb4VzB4zenKBfHnUB5JfK/s234/seteth.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="234" data-original-width="215" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnlUt2gRR53lDThC4ocRTXNC9gruzahWf5BdhR_kT_TG7FnP1iyi-bE1ktbAUp-cj72SqPZUgo7KBia28EKKbijLbQaVef5GSM9bag2IjNCpWXqC3LVWctw6sqb4VzB4zenKBfHnUB5JfK/w368-h400/seteth.jpeg" width="368" /></a></div>While my feelings on Flayn are complex and tough to decipher, Seteth has no such issue. Seteth is an extension of the 'taking devotion WAY too far' dynamic that is reflected in Rhea as well. Seteth does everything in his power to protect Flayn and genuinely cares for her. I understand his desire to help keep his daughter safe in every way imaginable.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">That said, he has kept Flayn removed from people for ages, to the point that it seems to have stunted her growth as a person. She's more than old enough to be able to have agency over her life, and yet she's held back, including in her unpaired ending.</p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">He's extended this protection to justify all of the church's crimes, including being directly responsible for the suppression of history and information that could limit the absolute authority of the Church of Seiros. Seteth admits in his C-support with Byleth that he basically has maintained all of the day-to-day affairs of the Church for a minimum of two decades. While Rhea has more than done her part in messing up Fodlan, Seteth has had his own direct hand in it for 20 years at minimum - and that's assuming he doesn't fill the role periodically then disappear through the ages.</p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">I found his writing of children's fables endearing, at least until I realized that they are all written under the false history that the Church passes off as real. What should be a fun fanfiction will likely be treated as legitimate history, and in that sense it's kind of horrifying.</p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGF_jWfp7VnNnqefRG3WjYKNMY3snYK4kBK92V3toLDYFuruEnNtYZnoxoh9kfOXyRrPU_LOIr5qguBaZH2jawZS4fLvZQczELcAtdZ3Qnpsv2mXLPYSlN1unBlancwef2jFDHMvGrsSWP/s1024/setethxingrid.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1024" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGF_jWfp7VnNnqefRG3WjYKNMY3snYK4kBK92V3toLDYFuruEnNtYZnoxoh9kfOXyRrPU_LOIr5qguBaZH2jawZS4fLvZQczELcAtdZ3Qnpsv2mXLPYSlN1unBlancwef2jFDHMvGrsSWP/w400-h225/setethxingrid.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>This view comes to a head when viewing Ingrid's support through it. In that chain, she tells him about the societal pressures she faces to marry, and while he does say that she should not have to do that and offers support, he doesn't offer anything concrete. Most notably, he doesn't go and search the library of documents he's suppressed, where he could grab the letter that explains how House Galatea was created because a male noble couldn't force a House Riegan noble to marry him. That might have been some useful information when Ingrid considers how much loyalty she should hold to her duties as a daughter.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">But no, the only real help he can give aside from the same maxims everyone else gives is <i>to marry her. </i>Admittedly, neither is unhappy with this setup, but I feel like the 'complete trust' he feels toward her would be one-sided if she knew how much of her history was hidden from her as a direct result of Seteth's suppression of information.</p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">As for his role in this story, he's the one who directs Byleth like an attack dog. Very little focus is put toward what Byleth wants and he'll even chastise Byleth for wanting to exercise any type of mercy toward the Adrestian Empire.</p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">To be clear: This is Seteth's plan for how the war will go. Byleth is in the role of mercenary, following orders to please the person who asked for assistance.</p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b style="font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Silver Snow vs. Verdant Wind - "</b><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>I'VE BECOME SO NUMB"</b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">The events of Silver Snow play out almost identically to Verdant Wind with a few exceptions. Silver Snow is one chapter shorter, but it's not because the actual number of battles decreased; the second fight at Gronder Field happens off-screen here because the Church of Seiros has no practical reason to be there for the fight. Because of this, Claude and Dimitri are removed from play without ever actually entering the story.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQNCYIUl5LnxFucmHl8I4A7C-oojzavGkwcYcs6RzQVjccCn8wu_1_8vzWgJz3ZaR2Et0ndvXRSquW45zMguue-1n4pgrRdjJNh_6FGX9ja1E68EI4z5F4Esyx65mYGaqyZEZGJoyvAsvO/s600/claudeSS.png" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="600" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQNCYIUl5LnxFucmHl8I4A7C-oojzavGkwcYcs6RzQVjccCn8wu_1_8vzWgJz3ZaR2Et0ndvXRSquW45zMguue-1n4pgrRdjJNh_6FGX9ja1E68EI4z5F4Esyx65mYGaqyZEZGJoyvAsvO/w400-h210/claudeSS.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Claude's only meaningful role in Silver Snow.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Claude is only seen through quotes in one of his letters to the Knights of Seiros, and Dimitri is only seen through a hallucination that Byleth has following his death. And while it's never made clear whether Claude dies or simply flees, Dedue's return to battle in the Enbarr fight proves Dimitri's death played out identically to the one in VW.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">(Note: A little peak behind the curtain here - I am writing the Silver Snow blog after the Verdant Wind blog, so that may inform the format for this section.)</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">The aspect of Silver Snow that I find most notable compared to Verdant Wind is that there is so much less humor and levity in SS. The big, over-the-top personalities of the Deer combined well with their utter removal from the main conflict to create a ragtag unit of effective, funny people.</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyJMSGdqpFs0vC5UuvPgNhKsHc45FNUIo45Q-fBHvh2MupGCRowkg9-bYNjYVYMeQLT36gc0G4qaUn2XtZF4ep98bN-evUSnJl3JZtbex4r2Ied1QIC26e5c7skvBnyzGTgrZK2E3hNotA/s1280/dimadead.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyJMSGdqpFs0vC5UuvPgNhKsHc45FNUIo45Q-fBHvh2MupGCRowkg9-bYNjYVYMeQLT36gc0G4qaUn2XtZF4ep98bN-evUSnJl3JZtbex4r2Ied1QIC26e5c7skvBnyzGTgrZK2E3hNotA/w400-h225/dimadead.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Talking to Dimitri's ghost.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />In SS, the humor from the Eagles is muted, likely because they couldn't simply return home like the Deer did, and it led to them taking the conflict more personally. The church figures don't really give much in the way of boisterous moments.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Probably the most notable distinction can be seen in the Fort Merceus battle. The way the soldiers sneak in by posing as allies is the same, but it's explained matter-of-factly by Seteth as being "Byleth's idea" with no scene in place where the plan occurs. In VW, Claude hints at it at the start of the chapter, and there are jokes about him dressing as Edelgard peppered throughout.</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Here are some quick hits on this story from Chapter 14 until they reach Enbarr:</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCxTQrTUL_k6xJrb-FqBSLZ13V5OYlrjJNIRx9-_6ymJJmLRJSsWx1OQT1F_2WKNXMa41gIZhz_ETOf5bvyyRSS1QbqsHg0As26BnGjZIuZwGSgDQ4TlMdrS6xh-zKdDXzAPtfCDE4wS5Q/s600/COF.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="600" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCxTQrTUL_k6xJrb-FqBSLZ13V5OYlrjJNIRx9-_6ymJJmLRJSsWx1OQT1F_2WKNXMa41gIZhz_ETOf5bvyyRSS1QbqsHg0As26BnGjZIuZwGSgDQ4TlMdrS6xh-zKdDXzAPtfCDE4wS5Q/w400-h210/COF.png" width="400" /></a></div>Ch. 14: Flayn, in her naivete about Fodlan's overall functions, asks why Edelgard would even start a war. Depending on whether you got through the scenes with Edelgard's motivations or not, you can attempt to explain, but Seteth frames it as a way to upset the social order, as to him it's something worth protecting. And thus, Flayn walks away with a minimal, incomplete understanding of the issue at hand.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">It does make me question, though, whether Flayn would have been willing to help Edelgard had she been more forthcoming on her issues with Fodlan. I doubt Flayn would be willing to actively <i>fight</i> the Church of Seiros, but I could see her acting as an advocate of Edelgard's cause and she might even seek neutrality in the conflict in an attempt to bring them to the negotiating table.</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">(Yes, I am aware that it's an unlikely scenario that Edelgard would entrust a literal descendant of the Goddess and relative of Seteth with information that might indicate a war is looming, but it's being explored a bit in an excellent fanfiction on AO3, titled "<a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23064598/chapters/55167319">The Emperor and the Goddess.</a>" It's a side timeline, and the explanation hasn't been written yet, but there's some good stuff present.)</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzUpYMYYNprJOx0bUepuFB6bJGLxHPxMdU-vGt3elogjgMNzjjiMHFUjPLDdXZM47MCSJPMJUxuDfwR_yJHjVeZFC0A__pzucdoNIqIZ3E4V5u0TQpaRpi6r4Ywm90TmMCSqHvpQNoTnge/s416/aileil.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="230" data-original-width="416" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzUpYMYYNprJOx0bUepuFB6bJGLxHPxMdU-vGt3elogjgMNzjjiMHFUjPLDdXZM47MCSJPMJUxuDfwR_yJHjVeZFC0A__pzucdoNIqIZ3E4V5u0TQpaRpi6r4Ywm90TmMCSqHvpQNoTnge/w400-h221/aileil.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Ch. 15: The fight in Aileil is notable because you can recruit Ashe back into your house. If you'd already had him in your house, he leaves after the time skip, so this is a chance to reassemble your unit.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Also, oddly, Ferdinand is the only person in any route to note that there are theories that the Goddess was blamed for the Valley of Torment's condition. This implies that the Empire's understanding of Fodlan's true history runs deeper than even the office of the Emperor. This would also help explain the high degree of mistrust in the church that pervades through the Empire. At least a few have to have been able to put together that the Church sided with protecting their own lies when the Kingdom challenged them.</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8CPZ_UwRNZoKhXA9GlYgjs7FAYVtuc1V8LSSb5DO3b2ReATdMljtmA7ixfldrR-iWEIetoL_aRu1Jx3APf3JIZyhgc64am9ZMEQkkFjNdEc-d5wEPf3HCPetptRkyfIGwqRFcqIV7Q6IM/s416/lorenzrecruit.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="245" data-original-width="416" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8CPZ_UwRNZoKhXA9GlYgjs7FAYVtuc1V8LSSb5DO3b2ReATdMljtmA7ixfldrR-iWEIetoL_aRu1Jx3APf3JIZyhgc64am9ZMEQkkFjNdEc-d5wEPf3HCPetptRkyfIGwqRFcqIV7Q6IM/s320/lorenzrecruit.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Ch. 16: The fight on the Great Bridge is your chance to recruit Lorenz back into your house, for similar reasons to Ashe. It's worth noting that SS is the only route with multiple conditional recruit-back chances. VW only has Ashe and AM only has Lorenz.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Ch. 17: This is the Fort Merceus fight (the Blood of Eagle and Lion fight happens off-screen at the start of the month), and as I had said, the humor of this scene and the epic nature of the Almayrans coming in to help is lost here. The battle feels soulless when compared to the VW version. The dubstep explosion is still pretty cool-looking, though.</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b>Enbarr: "Erase myself and let go of what I've done"</b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b><br /></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">The two battles in Enbarr reek more of tragedy than they do a triumphant victory. Unlike other routes where Edelgard and Hubert are just side characters you can't interact with, here, they are still your students. They are characters you built up personally and used in battle.</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">While the Death Knight is far from a tragic character based on your interactions, the idea that you can't win the city fight without wiping out Hubert is a sad moment. Unless you fight in the Petra paralogue, this is the first interaction Byleth has with Hubert in the entire second phase. The same can be said for any character that is lost in the Ch. 12 battle and gets recruited to join Edelgard.</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Byleth asks if there is a way to walk the same path as Edelgard before the fight in the palace, but Seteth shuts it down immediately. At this point, the other nations are out of the picture, so it may have been possible for the Church to negotiate a partnership if they disbanded the Knights of Seiros and ceased their interference in the affairs of sovereign nations, but such a suggestion won't be coming from Seteth.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7EDzbqUEBc_Yk3eyKJo2SRyUhOFz4XJX0rCArT_OKdVOAB_tcUxpcarPs5KRx0H2ukY3yW4ak1ugNirUhf3OYWuMdR9LiGwqwhJCupEo3Cm-S3R3ynuH43Cw-OrUkL9uv1Zc3McsaA5H1/s600/bylethedelfight.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="600" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7EDzbqUEBc_Yk3eyKJo2SRyUhOFz4XJX0rCArT_OKdVOAB_tcUxpcarPs5KRx0H2ukY3yW4ak1ugNirUhf3OYWuMdR9LiGwqwhJCupEo3Cm-S3R3ynuH43Cw-OrUkL9uv1Zc3McsaA5H1/w400-h210/bylethedelfight.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">The entire final fight in the palace is one of great sadness. Where with Verdant Wind it's more fascinating that Edelgard still had connections with Byleth, in this scenario, it's very obvious why Edelgard cares for Byleth. The idea that she gets to die at the hands of Byleth may be one of the only consolations her mind has received in a long time.</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Byleth's character experiences a major loss too. This is the person whose life being saved awakened Sothis. Edelgard is the person who, aside from Jeralt and Sothis, spent the most time with Byleth during that year. So much of Byleth's identity as a character is destroyed through this. Ironically, Sothis was lost because Byleth disregarded directions and acted recklessly; Edelgard was lost because Byleth didn't push back on directions and followed orders.</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">The hope in all of these choices is that protecting Rhea is the right decision - that upholding the Church and following these directions will lead to a better Fodlan than the one Edelgard sought to create. It is a lingering hope that taking the route that wipes out ALL THREE of the students you met that night in Remire will somehow lead to a good outcome.</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b>"I tried so hard and got so far, but in the end, IT DOESN'T EVEN MATTER"</b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b><br /></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">The fight in Shambhala is identical to the one in Verdant Wind. Fight in the weird underground chamber with the blaring house music. Beat Solon. Watch Rhea stop the Javelins of Light. The only difference is that Nemesis fails to revive.</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">I have a couple theories as to why he fails to return this time. They ultimately revolve around the idea that the overall strength of spirit in Shambhala was greater in Verdant Wind. This could be because Claude and the Deer have more Crests from the Ten Elites. It could be because Edelgard's lack of house members in her army forced her to use more TWSD members, which meant a weaker TWSD membership in Shambhala at the time of battle.</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja_W_JpN51lOLEMtJT3B7r12dvfJXXuRsSUgi8Ob7Kb9tQU2oxdwCkaj3hvpw2BYc0F7Ghjb_DQMHWGHTwLEaLq6E8QlY8UrYYDvdez-Us3o0ZUHgKyMTJJiJa3VrJ6ZOzfVu2ZxvFSz8s/s1399/decision.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1399" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja_W_JpN51lOLEMtJT3B7r12dvfJXXuRsSUgi8Ob7Kb9tQU2oxdwCkaj3hvpw2BYc0F7Ghjb_DQMHWGHTwLEaLq6E8QlY8UrYYDvdez-Us3o0ZUHgKyMTJJiJa3VrJ6ZOzfVu2ZxvFSz8s/w400-h193/decision.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Regardless of what the reason is, Rhea is once again very weak and the push is made to give the status of Archbishop to Byleth.<p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">For the first time all route, the wants of Byleth are actually considered, and the last month of exploration is dedicated to Byleth talking to everyone about the possible decision.</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Unfortunately, much like the rest of the route, the choice is taken away. Rhea loses control of her power and becomes a berserk version of The White One (in English, the Immaculate One). All the Knights who underwent a ritual involving her blood also became white beasts.</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNq11I7-AczwzW2EPzBE7SW2SQ8RqAzfblSGr9QCqW7RIrcumKvNYCEG42_Ppk3m5cf_WJqi-PHSqXj5yYhy5IHONEaUPjRA01bWZDU1CrYGoFjTFEf5oVIbomEsJ5OQrqDBjY_eiKxbIG/s1280/berserker.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNq11I7-AczwzW2EPzBE7SW2SQ8RqAzfblSGr9QCqW7RIrcumKvNYCEG42_Ppk3m5cf_WJqi-PHSqXj5yYhy5IHONEaUPjRA01bWZDU1CrYGoFjTFEf5oVIbomEsJ5OQrqDBjY_eiKxbIG/w400-h225/berserker.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>And so the final fight of the game, after sacrificing everything to save Rhea, is to fight and kill her, along with all her most loyal knights.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Only adding to the emotions is the fact that right before she lost her mind, Rhea admitted that Byleth was the 13th attempt at creating a vessel, and that Rhea actually was STILL HOPING that Sothis would replace her someday.</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">And in the end, when Byleth actually takes down Rhea, her final words to Byleth are "Mother, you're here," which could be the result of a hallucination, but probably is one final sign that Rhea never saw Byleth as anything but a Sothis stand-in.</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7zo0BmdjZPFA9p4ofK6rwYTKR4kIfV0BwnOgmZwSPTDdDjBsTZl7rYxsWynNBFku7AcNcCYmkxRwGfzzGv7ajg44fsGnQ9k0Y7x1Ix5Yxksbun5cRqcDRZB2XrcQb5zQ0pD91KhZt-d8Q/s600/rheafalls.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7zo0BmdjZPFA9p4ofK6rwYTKR4kIfV0BwnOgmZwSPTDdDjBsTZl7rYxsWynNBFku7AcNcCYmkxRwGfzzGv7ajg44fsGnQ9k0Y7x1Ix5Yxksbun5cRqcDRZB2XrcQb5zQ0pD91KhZt-d8Q/s320/rheafalls.png" width="320" /></a></div>If there was any question that Byleth's decision to join with the Church of Seiros was meant to be spat back at the player as the wrong choice, this final chapter is it. Every aspect of this fight just piles on more and more consequences to the choice back in Chapter 11.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">This chapter was meant to hurt - from killing the person you were meant to save, to realizing how little you were thought of, to losing the option to simply leave and go in peace - and it's the kind of conclusion that leaves an observer feeling hollow inside. As all great tragedies should.</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b><br /></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b>"I start again, a</b><b>nd whatever pain may come ...</b><b>"</b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b><br /></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizkkP_0MrQMav-g4-4wDjUPnuaFg5qq3XP1FI4wLU0ZTvqaB19R1FFafhok17QfXW3ORrQAlpmIh5nnqB3XqkLcqPGl1oSjNEBiFYuN6FpBv3q-9sOAfy9vqCaHGkIzQO5UAhGPoVV_xbz/s1200/setleth.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizkkP_0MrQMav-g4-4wDjUPnuaFg5qq3XP1FI4wLU0ZTvqaB19R1FFafhok17QfXW3ORrQAlpmIh5nnqB3XqkLcqPGl1oSjNEBiFYuN6FpBv3q-9sOAfy9vqCaHGkIzQO5UAhGPoVV_xbz/w400-h266/setleth.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>The final S-support was one that I felt really mattered thematically, and it's the reason I believe that female Byleth is more canonical than the male version. S-supporting the house leader is something that only female Byleth is capable of doing, so choosing the male version gives you a less complete understanding of Seteth, Dimitri and Claude as characters</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">In this case, Seteth drops some major truth bombs on the life that has been made for you. The first appears to be that Seteth intends for you to rule in a manner similar to Rhea, in that moments of repose and instances where you take care of your mental health will be at a premium. Given that in this route you do not show any particular acumen for being a political/religious leader, I can already see this course of action eventually backfiring on everyone involved.</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Seteth does seem to have his heart in a good place, but he's also pushy to the point that his will ultimately will be the one that is followed. This was already evident in the route itself where he seems to be the one issuing all the directives. They hint that Byleth is offering ideas, but they are almost never seen - the Fort Merceus plan being the most notable example.</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">The other, more uncomfortable truth comes out in his vows. He says, "For <i>whatever centuries</i> may yet be ours, I will always remain by your side."</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Centuries? I know he's definitely living for centuries more, but Byleth was born human. Does the power given to Byleth grant Sothis's immortality/extended life as well. That's a piece of information that probably should have been given more than a throwaway mention in a random character's marriage vows.</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">I know Sothis only made the move as a last resort, but that is one heck of a detail that probably deserved a spot in the discussion. Maybe since Byleth was receiving the power of a goddess, everyone just kind of assumed it affected the lifespan? Or maybe this is all just wishful thinking on Seteth's part? Either way, it took me by surprise.</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">It definitely makes your role as Archbishop/divine-monarch have a more permanent feel to it.</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZr7vFACRlcSbwwCQtQrqgDeFwn_GNmfIyp999Ezp6wXpglZO1JU67SptMs-e11PEAGXzaZCN2CqwOwH0ic4o5ok2gSMJ2H_x-2NW-1tUx7v_T-RcoHByWy-H_MxOY2WZAE2syJiSQ-UPT/s300/flayleth.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZr7vFACRlcSbwwCQtQrqgDeFwn_GNmfIyp999Ezp6wXpglZO1JU67SptMs-e11PEAGXzaZCN2CqwOwH0ic4o5ok2gSMJ2H_x-2NW-1tUx7v_T-RcoHByWy-H_MxOY2WZAE2syJiSQ-UPT/s0/flayleth.jpeg" /></a></div>Briefly, I do want to make note of Flayn's S-support in case male Byleth was chosen. She expresses confusion about your gender (male goddess?) and then awkwardly fumbles through the conversation until she realizes you are proposing. She refuses to tell you who she actually is, double-checks that you aren't actually Sothis (and therefore, her great-grandmother) and then has an admittedly sweet exchange. This sequence is a wild ride but it's honestly not very impactful to the overall story.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b>"I had to fall to lose it all, but in the end IT DOESN'T EVEN MATTER!"</b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b><br /></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">You may have noticed by this point that all but one of my subheads have been Linkin Park lyrics, and that is because the songs "In the End," "Numb" and "What I've Done" came up frequently when trying to gather my thoughts on the futility feeling that exudes from every part of Silver Snow's tragic story.</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxF0riylw5VEg81VNkzKynRo0g65bemW8W83fv-iZpXT52OCp0_33pRT4ZVw2w37kuVXwcdDMg6_uXsuzb7OhoneXmLkLtbHq0IF5dIDz66xWu1ddXU_ob_U8jPPZ7G0UPUorjiXK5db_n/s1508/throne.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="1508" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxF0riylw5VEg81VNkzKynRo0g65bemW8W83fv-iZpXT52OCp0_33pRT4ZVw2w37kuVXwcdDMg6_uXsuzb7OhoneXmLkLtbHq0IF5dIDz66xWu1ddXU_ob_U8jPPZ7G0UPUorjiXK5db_n/w400-h159/throne.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>If Silver Snow had a one-word tagline to describe itself, it would be "fatalism."</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">The events of Silver Snow feel like Byleth is being guided from one point to the next. Whatever sense of agency existed in part 1, when Sothis was imploring you to cut your own path and think more critically/broadly, vanishes here as Seteth directs you from battle to battle.</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">The ultimate tie to this theme is Byleth's nickname in the 'Where are they now?' segment.</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Deer route focused on Claude, his goals, and Byleth's role in said goals, thus the nickname for Byleth reflected their role in the story - "The Ruler of Dawn." Lion route focused on Dimitri and his morality becoming the rule of the land, thus Byleth's role in reinforcing his rule led to the nickname "The Guardian of Order."</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Byleth's nickname in Silver Snow is the "Wandering Flame," a powerful force of destruction that goes wherever it is directed to go. Be it by the wind or via a path humans made for it, the flame itself holds no agency over itself. And yet it looks wild and uncontrollable to an outsider.</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">In Silver Snow, Byleth's life purpose is whatever Fodlan needs Byleth to be in a given moment. Frequently, protagonists with little to no voice acting/dialogue in Nintendo games are treated as vectors for the players, filling whatever character role the player wants them to fill.</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Silver Snow is the route that takes the 'character' out of Byleth.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/eVTXPUF4Oz4" width="320" youtube-src-id="eVTXPUF4Oz4"></iframe></div><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p></span></div>Sean Network Blogshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17485611190342614180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1247338904496237124.post-69601342376209526222021-06-20T15:25:00.007-07:002021-06-28T17:33:17.921-07:00Fire Emblem: Three Houses Story Analysis - Azure Moon (Blue Lions Part 2)<p> <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">The following is a series on Fire Emblem: Three Houses that analyzes the story elements, characters and theming. For reference, here are the links to each one:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://theseannetwork.blogspot.com/2021/05/fire-emblem-three-houses-fire-emblem.html">Intro/Basic review, </a>
</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://theseannetwork.blogspot.com/2021/05/fire-emblem-three-houses-story-analysis.html">White Clouds (Common Part 1), </a>
</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://theseannetwork.blogspot.com/2021/05/fire-emblem-three-houses-analysis.html">Cindered Shadows (Ashen Wolves DLC Route - Part 1.5),</a>
</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://theseannetwork.blogspot.com/2021/06/fire-emblem-three-houses-story-analysis_28.html">Crimson Flower (Black Eagles/Eagle House Part 2, Adrestia route)</a>,
</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://theseannetwork.blogspot.com/2021/06/fire-emblem-three-houses-story-analysis_23.html">Silver Snow (Black Eagles/Eagle House Part 2, Church route)</a>,
</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://theseannetwork.blogspot.com/2021/06/fire-emblem-three-houses-story-analysis_20.html">Azure Moon (Blue Lions/Lion House Part 2)</a>,
</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://theseannetwork.blogspot.com/2021/06/fire-emblem-three-houses-story-analysis.html">Verdant Wind (Golden Deer/Deer House Part 2)</a>
Non-house leader characters (Eagle, Deer, Lion, Church)
Music analysis (very surface level)</span></p><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Part 2: Azure Moon - MY PARENTS ARE DEAAAAADDD!!!</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhTxsZjVw2hGiXS1rqygiALkXw3iAxWKAZQolskE6tC8GAqmK0ufvuanLncCW8Qx0OOvE8hEECk6rQNqs3AkSO9bHo8u-1jffF9AC-NzYVoPUdlToRm85hyDKdVrOi2l-HUeapeTXJ3J-2/s1000/AM.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="750" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhTxsZjVw2hGiXS1rqygiALkXw3iAxWKAZQolskE6tC8GAqmK0ufvuanLncCW8Qx0OOvE8hEECk6rQNqs3AkSO9bHo8u-1jffF9AC-NzYVoPUdlToRm85hyDKdVrOi2l-HUeapeTXJ3J-2/s320/AM.jpg" /></a></div>Have you ever read any of the modern Batman comics or watched any of the recent movies and noticed that Bruce Wayne is so obsessive over the loss of his parents years ago that he struggles to respond to any normal events in a person's life like a rational adult? Like, to the point that you start to question if any trained psychologist ever attempted to help him as a child?</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">This stems from the 1980s stories written by Frank Miller, the writer whose stories <i>The Dark Knight Returns </i>and <i>Batman: Year One </i>helped set the tone for the modern Batman. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Miller is, to be blunt, an off-putting individual for people like myself. His writings seem to demonstrate a low opinion of psychology as a field and therapy as a treatment; his heroes' actions will overreach to the point that it seems like he sees authoritarianism as a real solution to pesky things like <i>due process</i> and <i>proof of guilt;</i> and he's willing to justify his heroes' actions to the point that he'll strawman whole groups of people to make his hero seem reasonable, which leads to wildly racist/sexist/bigoted stereotypes that give his already-authoritarian messaging a fascist undertone.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWJUKeP9Lzlxh4RiKJ0wcfQbjJ12REVATKAVJzl5K1gX6jcbrN-1cISo2yqRM0cSJ21rvFMR-lliRQyb9Rfz6raTt8W5gDUeagc9sgWTrKI0Cp3Pa8ytHV66jAFRjssCT0KkNyWBARTGpb/s600/my_parents_are_deeaaaaaad.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="581" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWJUKeP9Lzlxh4RiKJ0wcfQbjJ12REVATKAVJzl5K1gX6jcbrN-1cISo2yqRM0cSJ21rvFMR-lliRQyb9Rfz6raTt8W5gDUeagc9sgWTrKI0Cp3Pa8ytHV66jAFRjssCT0KkNyWBARTGpb/s320/my_parents_are_deeaaaaaad.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Most Bat-writers now try to actively avoid the uncomfortable aspects of Miller's writing like the plague, but they try to maintain his tone. And thus we've had nearly four decades of a brooding, unable-to-cope Batman who cannot break his self-destructive habits. The rare times where Bruce has had a chance to find inspiration to get better (Tim Drake, Damian Wayne, his relationship with Selina Kyle) have all eventually been cut short so that no lasting positive change occur with DC's resident sad-boy.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Many of you are probably asking why I decided to start this FE3H analysis with a multi-paragraph rant about my frustrations with the never-ending sorrow in Batman comics. To put it simply: Dimitri's story is basically just a Batman story where he learns not to "KILL EVERY LAST ONE OF THEM!!!"</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yes, there are distinctions between the two, most notably that Batman ends up deciding not to kill, period, while Dimitri learns not to kill for vengeance. Still, as someone who spent over a year on this blog reviewing various Batman comics, I thought there were enough parallels that I'd keep Bruce's journey in most books in mind while talking about the War Phase of the Lion House.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">(NOTE: I brought this up in other blogs, but I will be focusing primarily on the house leader and Byleth's relationship in this section, bringing up other characters when needed. The other members will have their journeys considered in a separate blog for the sake of length. This is especially true for Azure Moon, where the supporting characters' arcs get kind of buried alive underneath Dimitri's.)</span></span></div><div><br /></div><div>I want to make clear before starting that I actually really enjoyed playing through Azure Moon and think the writing for this storyline was mostly brilliant. There is real thought to everyone's characterization and motivation, as the story marches through its beats to hammer home a lot of themes about how everyone's views affect each other and Fodlan at-large.</div><div><br /></div><div>I say this now because it's going to sound to many like I'm lashing this story and am piling on criticisms. To be clear, my opinions are not coming across negatively due to the story's lack of quality; my negativity stems from the fact that I view the themes in Azure Moon as completely antithetical to my view of the world. </div><div><br /></div><div>And no, that does not mean I see Azure Moon as the "villain route." Truthfully, there really isn't a villain route, and all four routes end up improving the world at least a little. My argument is that the route in Azure Moon does the worst job of addressing Fodlan's problems, and because Dimitri speaks with a high degree of self-righteousness, my blog is going to be more forceful against his points to illustrate why I believe he is creating a world where his friends and the continent have to settle for major disappointment in their lives.</div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>One bad day... or rather, one REALLY bad time skip</b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnKpxUl9fCQyTwEZ_Rp9kR7dheCM9fMZwEhNTLqXlbNnd9uahDXEryhhxxd9PsbNFq4kOJmBTK_D5CH1Gd_JUQ54gcJznIllMTbIsPwLe9UcJC7N5MrtWMMUuVt2ElwedFHN33bkeG-3KW/s600/dima.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnKpxUl9fCQyTwEZ_Rp9kR7dheCM9fMZwEhNTLqXlbNnd9uahDXEryhhxxd9PsbNFq4kOJmBTK_D5CH1Gd_JUQ54gcJznIllMTbIsPwLe9UcJC7N5MrtWMMUuVt2ElwedFHN33bkeG-3KW/s320/dima.png" width="320" /></a></div>Chapter 12 of White Clouds tends to have very little of substance beyond the Empire's invasion of Garreg Mach. The most notable thing we see is the aftermath of Dimitri's mental breakdown in the Holy Tomb. He's become obsessive and vengeful, seeking to destroy Edelgard for what he believes is a mutli-year betrayal.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">When Byleth falls into the canyon and goes into a five-year slumber, the events that happen in non-Crimson Flower routes all play out, though since we have ties to the Kingdom this time, those events are more of the focus. Cornelia, an official for TWSD, organizes a coup on behalf of Edelgard and the Empire, and Dimitri is slated for execution. Dedue protects him and takes the guillotine in his place, and the now one-eyed Dimitri now wanders the wilderness as a lone-wolf vigilante.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Well, he may see himself that way. In reality, he's an unhinged lunatic who is killing people he deems to be bad until he can figure out a way to kill Edelgard. Throughout this entire journey, he still hears the echoes of the dead, demanding that he exact vengeance for them so that they may rest peacefully.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I am immediately drawn to <i>Batman: Mask of the Phantasm</i>, the animated movie where Bruce falls in love with a woman and is so unable to accept the idea of happiness and love that he pleads with his parents' graves for permission not to do his Bat-crusade. It's an obsession with death and a warping of the wills of loved ones for a destructive purpose, and it's one that severely damages Dimitri's ability to move forward.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TjAFbEP0wK4" width="320" youtube-src-id="TjAFbEP0wK4"></iframe></div><br /><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">When the time comes for the Millennium Festival reunion, Dimitri has paid no attention to the time and is only there because Garreg Mach is an easy place to hide and find looters for his killing spree. Byleth reaches the tower only to find a broken man who is unable to trust anyone or anything.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Let's let the wild animal with no regard for our lives run free! (Pro-tip: DO NOT DO THIS IN REAL LIFE!)</b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">After we reunite with everyone and stop the obligatory bandits, Gilbert joins us in place of the executed Dedue and the Knights of Seiros combine their forces in what is by far their least consequential role of the game.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yes, technically the gang's all here, but aside from the occasional insertion to the conversation by Seteth, there isn't much to their existence as far as contributions to the story go. Instead, a lot of time in the early part of the War Phase is given to Gilbert and, later, Rodrigue.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgncqep3VFDCF3gL-BynnhvCzETDR1CFdf93kjKefNmqdKnpQ2RoK71olhZ1mQ-b102pqRYrzE15GC6nQ3Y72E_ES8ZVz2SzUpC83rj0wLmU3srC6nfD80nWXafmbwVSILFra2cuysR-IHy/s740/FE3H-Annette-Gilbert.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="370" data-original-width="740" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgncqep3VFDCF3gL-BynnhvCzETDR1CFdf93kjKefNmqdKnpQ2RoK71olhZ1mQ-b102pqRYrzE15GC6nQ3Y72E_ES8ZVz2SzUpC83rj0wLmU3srC6nfD80nWXafmbwVSILFra2cuysR-IHy/w400-h200/FE3H-Annette-Gilbert.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Understatement of the century!</td></tr></tbody></table>Bear in mind, we are being given Annette's and Felix's fathers as cast members, and in Gilbert's case, he's a playable character; however, there is very little interaction between the two. Felix chastises his father for being so devoted to Dimitri, and Rodrigue does the same in return for Felix not showing due respect. Unless you actively put Gilbert and Annette together to raise their supports, there is nothing in-game otherwise.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">And I know this section is about Dimitri, but I need to lash this support right now. There is nothing resembling a happy ending between Annette and her father. It's the story of a girl who always had unreasonable expectations put upon her, got abandoned, moved in with a relative who also had unreasonable expectations and then spends her entire life trying to be (in her mind) worthy of the parent who abandoned her.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Annette is the one who has to reach out to him first. She and her mother are the ones who have to have their emotions on the matter tabled so he can finish whatever guilt trip he's dealing with. Let's be clear here: the person who abandons a family and makes no attempt to reach back out does NOT get to dictate when these conversations take place if the child initiates it. If the consequences come, you deal with them then and there. Simple as that. Comes at a bad time? Too bad! You have had more than enough time to get it together.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqiOGUZY4aR1OSeoIOsXMowI9R4TnewfOQlJa88nVoh84bdaWXVWLyWOxCflvhGfl4cR-jwjdeOi_iTL2RJWwyAYyY3xhNp86OoxV4la4Z1ioSwB2Jzmw15kw4vMnVstjupl01UgS5d2ig/s1280/gilbertdima.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqiOGUZY4aR1OSeoIOsXMowI9R4TnewfOQlJa88nVoh84bdaWXVWLyWOxCflvhGfl4cR-jwjdeOi_iTL2RJWwyAYyY3xhNp86OoxV4la4Z1ioSwB2Jzmw15kw4vMnVstjupl01UgS5d2ig/w400-h225/gilbertdima.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Gilbert puts an obscene amount of effort into helping Dimitri and maintaining his relationship with Dimitri, but he puts virtually no effort into his relationship with Annette at all. He makes her a doll. Once. And it's clear he just wants a moment of the family time back. He still holds no interest in dealing with the pain he's caused, and believes the guilt he feels over it is enough. Clearly not enough to make even a token attempt at fixing anything! Not enough to make sure they were taken care of! (Left that to your brother, who in the Japanese audio is a REAL piece of work.) Needless to say, Gilbert being a sycophantic replacement for Dimitri's dad while completely ignoring his actual daughter rubbed me the wrong way.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">To tie this back in, though, everyone seems content to make Dimitri a prominent decision-maker in this fight (or at least offer it to him) while also pushing for him to eventually become king. And yet at no point do calmer heads prevail and ask, "Is it really the best thing for Dimitri that we put him in charge of others? Dude can't even properly care for himself right now."</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinx36u-wKzQjLzA0LCcWkBVMIP5POC9eGAv99WX6si9iYxYvKWp9beBgo2vbEBE26yQivj4dwZiCj4mTBSgCy9fwIjpsH-XImZdhjxDhrSYpO0JgczYHSVN3AhRReGt6l69SUUH8KhfaH7/s1280/dimareunion.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinx36u-wKzQjLzA0LCcWkBVMIP5POC9eGAv99WX6si9iYxYvKWp9beBgo2vbEBE26yQivj4dwZiCj4mTBSgCy9fwIjpsH-XImZdhjxDhrSYpO0JgczYHSVN3AhRReGt6l69SUUH8KhfaH7/w400-h225/dimareunion.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Dimitri's death wish does end up extending to the people who help him. At one point, he even tells Byleth that he'll just keep using everyone and working them to death until he gets his fight with Edelgard. (And at this point, given his penchant for murder and torture, he should have been knocked out, locked up in a cage and told if he's going to behave like an attack dog, then he can only be out in the open when it's time to attack.)</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">The amount of leeway granted to Dimitri in this early stage is ridiculous, to the point that it made his over-the-top edgelord madness less enjoyable. If someone like this is going to exist, they need to be removed from everyone and possibly actively avoided. The idea that they keep bringing him in as if his opinion in this state means anything borders on lunacy.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgugzJT6jQZSVOnVC1r9F0Rg5B9zLoDAsr3A3C862v-kz_-7RHGQ9OLPgSARh4nUE7FRLU2FqvtbcFe_972Q2A_jsphcU8vEsFj5CoZ1dH-T4VsWo8UbohyrK7ek9bbreCEeW1qjR-p8y5M/s615/hiketia.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="495" data-original-width="615" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgugzJT6jQZSVOnVC1r9F0Rg5B9zLoDAsr3A3C862v-kz_-7RHGQ9OLPgSARh4nUE7FRLU2FqvtbcFe_972Q2A_jsphcU8vEsFj5CoZ1dH-T4VsWo8UbohyrK7ek9bbreCEeW1qjR-p8y5M/s320/hiketia.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>His freedom even ends up causing real problems for them. He ends up defeating Randolph von Bergliez (one of Caspar's relatives) and chooses to torture him instead of just killing him outright. This is the sequence where he yells at Byleth because they (understandably) put Randolph down on the spot.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Not only is this one of the most blatantly unlikable things anyone in this game attempts to do, but it leads to Fleche, Randolph's kid sister, to go on a mission of vengeance herself. It pays off in a couple chapters, but I wanted to introduce it now.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Batman shows a much higher degree of clarity when he leads and has a distinct lack of desire to kill, and even in those cases, there will still be times where his methods are defeated and he must stand down (see stories like Wonder Woman's <i>Hiketia.).</i> There appears to be no regard for how off-the-rails Dimitri is in these early chapters.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Role of the Attendant/2nd-in-command</b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Having now talked about Gilbert and Rodrigue, whose focus on all things Dimitri dominated the first three chapters, we come to the Great Bridge of Myrrdin chapter, where we see Dedue again (assuming you played his paralogue in part 1). There is nothing added to the story if Dedue <i>isn't</i> present, so I want to talk about his role in the overall story.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNGZyYrGsXBIehyphenhyphenN0YUdMmmyi2eD8sltggeaGrK471Yqe2h-Gnmodjx9OJtp7c2joxvcs4vZsl56sRGeBx89T2QMigI8ZXKjfmgGtZL_UqpO1fwFOlY2qK1nujHyC2qtXQ2zZMTbMDwvqt/s1280/dedue.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNGZyYrGsXBIehyphenhyphenN0YUdMmmyi2eD8sltggeaGrK471Yqe2h-Gnmodjx9OJtp7c2joxvcs4vZsl56sRGeBx89T2QMigI8ZXKjfmgGtZL_UqpO1fwFOlY2qK1nujHyC2qtXQ2zZMTbMDwvqt/w400-h225/dedue.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Dedue is a vassal for Dimitri, joining up with him after Dimitri stopped his execution when the Kingdom did their revenge crusade against the Duscar people. This scenario plays out differently to the other vassal in the game: Petra, who was sent to the Empire after the Dagda/Brigid invasion as a hostage on behalf of Prime Minister Aegir (who was secretly running the country).</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Because of this, where Petra's relationship with the Empire is complicated -- especially after Edelgard befriends her and removes the person who gave the orders against her from power -- Dedue's relationship with Dimitri is purely positive.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">If anything, Dedue supports Dimitri to an unhealthy degree. Dimitri actively seeks friendship with Dedue, but Dedue will not hear of being treated as an equal until Dimitri's goals for Duscar are met. While such devotion does end up saving Dimitri's life, it gives him yet another person who will not hear of a scenario where Dimitri's orders are not followed.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dimitri's understanding that the Duscar are innocent in his family's deaths is what leads to the paralogue opportunity in part 1, and that paralogue puts Duscar leadership in Dimitri's debt, which saves Dedue in the end. It's a display of one of Dimitri's best traits: a belief in people's innocence and desire to help the wrongly convicted. And his joy at seeing Dedue return to the battlefield is one of his absolute best moments.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Unfortunately, it does nothing to change his bloodlust. Dedue is all-too-willing to allow these plans to continue, even if they are self-destructive, because he knows what his end goal is (in theory) and doesn't feel it's his place to question things. In that sense, Dedue resembles Hubert, who also struggles to openly question any of Edelgard's decisions.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">The difference between Hubert and Dedue is that while Hubert will defy orders he disagrees with at times (but not tell Edelgard so he doesn't to challenge her ideals directly), Dedue will not refuse any order that isn't "stop following me blindly." And while this extreme devotion does appear in this route, it's the other routes where the devotion is taken to its logical extremes. Whether it's taking up Dimitri's mantle of revenge (Verdant Wind and Silver Snow) or becoming a literal demon beast (Crimson Flower), Dedue earns the title of most devoted attendant in this game.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>"Channel your <strike>power </strike> character development to me!"</b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">To this point in the blog, I've been picking at the edges of this critique, but the chapter where the three-way battle at Gronder happens is where it becomes apparent that this story has no interest in telling anyone's story besides Dimitri. Everyone else's baggage is window dressing that only gets a mention if you can tie it back into Dimitri's business.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWg09zA40r0myukkUqhnD1Twd_27uYZlvQI7FOLvJdBwgOmLXVJcYCuH885gwh_VY2xFS-Xheg-ffeZYQe0cJpCBhgHS3OzRPDsha-6rdupfDy-dJnLu7hZAi8pUFGNvZigkt5YPLW0Ykk/s640/fleche.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWg09zA40r0myukkUqhnD1Twd_27uYZlvQI7FOLvJdBwgOmLXVJcYCuH885gwh_VY2xFS-Xheg-ffeZYQe0cJpCBhgHS3OzRPDsha-6rdupfDy-dJnLu7hZAi8pUFGNvZigkt5YPLW0Ykk/w400-h225/fleche.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Following the victory at the Great Bridge, Dimitri allows Fleche (the Bergliez child who is bent on revenge against Dimitri) in to their camp, not knowing to whom she is related. This allows her access to him when they get to Gronder Field.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">There is little to be said about the battle itself. Communications don't make it through to the Alliance in time, so once again we have a three-way battle that really has no business being a three-way battle.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Once Edelgard is able to flee, Dimitri tries to give chase, only for Fleche to take him down. As she stands over him talking about revenge, I am reminded of <i>Batman Forever, </i>one of my favorite Batman movies, where Bruce has already taken revenge on Joker and watched Catwoman die taking vengeance on Max Schreck.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-jo5FLjcXVvrA25F8At49Pfcjw4muQ6z2YYeNjwnYH34G9m1vpYePRKXKBGKuCda4Mw_xwI_CqRVO-rtofcH8RZSRfeWRpx3p0wAhhno2LYjk0eSNOfM_DBCNj3n5jZtM84m_6L536aKV/s1280/dickgrayson.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-jo5FLjcXVvrA25F8At49Pfcjw4muQ6z2YYeNjwnYH34G9m1vpYePRKXKBGKuCda4Mw_xwI_CqRVO-rtofcH8RZSRfeWRpx3p0wAhhno2LYjk0eSNOfM_DBCNj3n5jZtM84m_6L536aKV/w400-h225/dickgrayson.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>In <i>Forever, </i>Bruce takes in Dick Grayson, who wants revenge on Two-Face for killing his family. Bruce, knowing where the path of vengeance took him and Selina, tries to dissuade him from killing as a means of revenge, noting that seeing him be arrested and imprisoned would be better for him. I see a lot of that version of Dick Grayson in Fleche von Bergliez and was curious how they would handle the attack from a child.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">The answer: They kill her. I mean, Rodrigue takes the fatal stab for Dimitri first, but then Byleth puts the Sword of the Creator through her. And just like that, the main character has killed a child younger than any of the students you had been teaching. I can not imagine that felt good and likely will haunt Byleth forever.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">We'll never know, of course, because such mental focuses are not about Dimitri and thus must be left on the cutting room floor with Jeralt tea time and playable Sothis. Instead, we watch Rodrigue try to talk Dimitri back to sanity on his deathbed. His final words are about King Lambert and how proud he always was of Dimitri. Noticeably absent from his dying ramblings are any mention of Felix - his actual LIVING child who is on this battlefield. Felix doesn't even get dialogue about his father's death until you go exploring at the monastery the next month.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">You may have wondered why I didn't make the obvious Alfred comparison in the Dedue section, and the reason is I felt it worked better in this one so I could talk about all of Dimitri's Alfreds at once. Dimitri has five Alfred-esque characters in this story: Dedue, Gilbert, Rodrigue, and even Byleth and Seteth. None of the five really do much to challenge him, even though he needs it. Byleth seems to be the only one interested in trying. Most Alfred variations will offer advice but never demand it be taken, choosing merely to let things go the way Bruce sees fit. It makes the few Alfred versions that do think for themselves (Michael Gough in the 1989 film, Sean Pertwee in Gotham sometimes) more notable.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidRSt1cGNuwfEiV7MjkXt0YM4My_bbUvrhhwkWqAbXBBPMuKSfhBTsDzPPyAGrJXoAp97yKvkGGBExWD4k9a8Jb3C3dnaE8xp_lSXdZbONr3WT8xiPryr-S4LEZNu-NrRMEUiC_l1_1fmS/s1918/alfred.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1918" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidRSt1cGNuwfEiV7MjkXt0YM4My_bbUvrhhwkWqAbXBBPMuKSfhBTsDzPPyAGrJXoAp97yKvkGGBExWD4k9a8Jb3C3dnaE8xp_lSXdZbONr3WT8xiPryr-S4LEZNu-NrRMEUiC_l1_1fmS/w400-h225/alfred.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>The issue here is that the sheer volume of Alfred-like influences on Dimitri end up taking over the entire storyline, to the point that the ones with family members in the storyline end up neglecting them. So far, I've lambasted Gilbert for his treatment of Annette and her mother, but it really becomes a great stain on his character when his devotion to Dimitri is shown in their supports. He may speak to his great shame, but he never wavers from working with Dimitri and even acts like a parent to him at certain points. This is an action never shown to Annette even in their supports.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rodrigue has similar issues, as his devotion and blind support of the royal family contrasts so badly with the utterly contempt-filled relationship he and his son have. The fact that Rodrigue feels guilt over it indicates he knows what a parent is supposed to do, but he can't bring himself to prioritize his family over the royal family.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is the central thesis of the Kingdom - duty over everything, family included. It's why Fleche trying to kill the man who wanted to torture her brother is met with Byleth's sword, but everyone treating their family members like crap to support Dimitri gets either glorified or given a feeling of tragedy in the case of Rodrigue.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is as good a time as any to bring up a deleted sequence from the game that I feel would have added to this theme of Duty over family. There's a scene early in Part 2 where Dimitri and Byleth discuss whether to go to free the Kingdom capital or attack the Imperial capital. The choice if effectively meaningless, but that's only because the consequences were removed.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvl6Xx967PBth8CXhYQj3ll8xDIfqm05aAK9Zj3ImnMSJ_ER3j4oXF9iaW4ItKrtM-4qt5pSENVF9xeqxYai5Wp_J8MsXikl8smZyPNm14VR4UzAWJV8PRxFpPeUClE09cy6Fp-ZAcmJrm/s1280/deletedscene.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvl6Xx967PBth8CXhYQj3ll8xDIfqm05aAK9Zj3ImnMSJ_ER3j4oXF9iaW4ItKrtM-4qt5pSENVF9xeqxYai5Wp_J8MsXikl8smZyPNm14VR4UzAWJV8PRxFpPeUClE09cy6Fp-ZAcmJrm/w400-h225/deletedscene.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Originally, had you chosen Enbarr, the Imperial capital, Felix and Annette would have left your group and gone to assist the Kingdom in Fhirdihad. Later, when going to free the Kingdom capital, you would have to fight and potentially kill the two en route to facing Cornelia. The code with the two in battle can still be accessed, and dialogue for the sequences was already written and recorded. The lines are still coded in.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">It was likely taken out because they couldn't figure out a good alternate consequence for making the other choice, meaning the route would stay identical except one version would have fewer available units. The point is, under this setup, Felix would not have been at Gronder when his dad dies, and his dialogue reflects that. This is why Felix gets no mentions from his father.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">But again, this ties into how being family is ultimately meaningless in the Kingdom if you don't agree. Felix's dad dies not mentioning him. Mercedes is going to be hurried off the battlefield while her brother dies and thus he dies alone. Gilbert declares with no hesitation that Annette must die in Crimson Flower should she be with the Eagles.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Many characters are defined by their actions; in this case, the Kingdom's characters are defined by their inaction. Dimitri is the focal point of so many of their lives that everything else takes a backseat. Even the horrors of killing a child must be put aside so Dimitri can deal with an existential crisis of his own morality.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Let's let the man who was a relentless murderer until this past month lead a whole country! (Tip: SERIOUSLY, DO NOT DO THIS IN REAL LIFE!!!)</b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">The taking back of Fhirdihad is notable for two things: the killing of Cornelia and Dimitri's coronation as king. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU39Xm0f3GywMUQuTcnxCG0ND2TyvS8hoz5p0ZouNQtVwnmjICdWTjHyPJ8lsein0GjS87NxbYmfMWiGNfSb0c8fcVqrYV60YY1VfJ0HJ6ucEexY4QLJjEoXAxjs5nHy4ldRQF4k588-ZI/s1280/hapicornelia.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU39Xm0f3GywMUQuTcnxCG0ND2TyvS8hoz5p0ZouNQtVwnmjICdWTjHyPJ8lsein0GjS87NxbYmfMWiGNfSb0c8fcVqrYV60YY1VfJ0HJ6ucEexY4QLJjEoXAxjs5nHy4ldRQF4k588-ZI/w400-h225/hapicornelia.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Cornelia's death is of obvious importance if you've kept up with the Hapi/Dimitri support chain or gotten Cornelia's backstory late in part 1 from Sylvain. Basically she was an Imperial mage who figured out a cure for a Faerghus plague who eventually started to look and behave differently, which is implied to be that she was replaced by a TWSD figure or defected, at the very least. Her behavior was different enough that Dimitri's stepmother chastised her for Hapi's imprisonment, and it's during this timeframe that it's assumed Lord Arundel is replaced by Thales.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">With Cornelia's defeat, TWSD's hold on the Kingdom is severed, and their longest-standing agent (that we know of) is killed, albeit as a side effect of Dimitri's mission.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5g0IOO59cae6pjZfvmLdFNPGIIiYvUjUWPt_i0GNrdoIG0Q-UKWz_OURz7oHly2MS-pxapbmmW_0NJSwVEgdN4nvsfrazsjom4BsMGDkw9KjTfcpg-kdgxVxXoovOtqNPnoIKPgZYFCzH/s1280/cornelia.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5g0IOO59cae6pjZfvmLdFNPGIIiYvUjUWPt_i0GNrdoIG0Q-UKWz_OURz7oHly2MS-pxapbmmW_0NJSwVEgdN4nvsfrazsjom4BsMGDkw9KjTfcpg-kdgxVxXoovOtqNPnoIKPgZYFCzH/s320/cornelia.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />In terms of Faerghus itself, Dimitri becoming king is seen as a point of stability for the country after Cornelia's reign, but the question remains here: Is this actually the right call to make?</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Again, Dimitri has spoken callously of people until very recently. He has killed his own countrymen who were siding with the Dukedom and now has to get the whole country to follow him willingly. And this is all assuming that Dimitri's reform is stable and not prone to relapse while he's king.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I understand putting him in power until the end of the war for the sake of morale, but there is something strange and almost perverse about putting someone in power who has committed so many atrocities for flimsy reasons, if any. Heck, even Dimitri isn't sure this is a good idea, and yet he feels he has no choice. So much of this route is about not having a choice because duty calls.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sylvain and Ashe dealt with having to kill family members without negotiation, all for the sake of duty. The sake of duty prevents Felix from ever reconciling with his dad or even being mentioned in his final words.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA_pRf9pns1EGg4i3B125gfAnL0Ijx91eL-4dxYP5ufO9UK6TxDp3_3jxFwoHbpvz7H701jdVTNTGLyTyiJfUZIN7tDCxFMpjaUVMW36D7ReweVo2uIQUkhs2ukb2MPLcoj-wyjyijhZx8/s650/merciejeritza.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="366" data-original-width="650" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA_pRf9pns1EGg4i3B125gfAnL0Ijx91eL-4dxYP5ufO9UK6TxDp3_3jxFwoHbpvz7H701jdVTNTGLyTyiJfUZIN7tDCxFMpjaUVMW36D7ReweVo2uIQUkhs2ukb2MPLcoj-wyjyijhZx8/w400-h225/merciejeritza.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>And as bad as it is for the men, it's somehow worse for the women. We've already discussed the fresh hell Annette deals with, but again, Mercedes's brother is fighting for the Empire, and she isn't given any time to grieve. She isn't even a Kingdom native, but its culture adversely affects her all the same.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Somehow, the one who gets this dealt to them constantly is Ingrid. She doesn't really have an interest in marriage but is betrothed to Felix's brother. When he dies, his death in service of his duty is glorified, and she then tries to live up to those ideals, only for all her childhood friends to chastise her naivete. Despite the fact that every single one of them ends up following along with those ideals in the end, she's the only one who ever has to admit she's wrong. And in the end, she still ends up in a position where the only way she can fulfill her dreams is to marry someone supportive of those dreams.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">(I will agree, though, that she absolutely needed to get her head right regarding the people of Duscur. As someone who saw how angrily people reacted to Middle Eastern people after 9/11, I know her response to be cold toward Dedue is paltry by comparison, but it's still an attitude that needed to be worked out, especially since it turns out the Duscar people were innocent.)</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEw-agTT0gEUMkPIt-AJnnouU3X2ZeuLvC-6-sCDODMnBvumHg9JTwfCWSkfPq9tMKKqianfm5QLgllbWh-Ty8Gy_NdNfJRqPY3SI3GfvWO2ipOOfJ-ZMi16Woxs7lgIYHX6izNeIeQBDt/s1280/ingrid.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEw-agTT0gEUMkPIt-AJnnouU3X2ZeuLvC-6-sCDODMnBvumHg9JTwfCWSkfPq9tMKKqianfm5QLgllbWh-Ty8Gy_NdNfJRqPY3SI3GfvWO2ipOOfJ-ZMi16Woxs7lgIYHX6izNeIeQBDt/w400-h225/ingrid.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>There seems to be a lot of discontent with everyone's lots in life throughout the story, but the ability to take agency over one's own life really seems to be downplayed in Azure Moon.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">On a positive note, that predictability ended up saving Claude, as he based his entire escape plan on predicting Dimitri's actions. The seventh battle frees Deirdru, the Alliance capital, from Imperial control, and also allows Dimitri to kill Lord Arundel/Thales.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Because Claude was able to predict how Dimitri would handle the previous few months, his aid request timed out perfectly, and Claude was able to hand off control of the Alliance to Dimitri.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">The only thing I'll note is that Claude's scene here seems a little more subdued than the one in Crimson Flower. Here, it seems like he's not entertaining the idea of allying at all and seems to crack jokes more than act with sincerity. He does say he plans to see Dimitri again (likely as King of Almayra) and not to go too hard on him when they do, which given Dimitri's unpredictable nature seems like a fair request.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I interpret this as Claude realizing that a Fodlan run by Dimitri might not be as receptive to his ideology of an open border. He's trying to display some semblance of honor with Dimitri so that his attempts at diplomacy will be better received. Through this interaction and the one he has with Edelgard and Byleth in CF, you get a clear view of how differently Claude saw the two royals.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Bad negotiation, lost in translation</b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is my least favorite scene in the English audio because so much of the thematic framing is lost. It completely undermines the tragedy that is the final battle.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCR0TDDNfy3_VoMmxYgToxjq_YfowwvUGWJPpg2EphbYtgdiHPLyoWFRpFw5sPvsv3yOhF_V_zUN6PoTil5kfdu6xVuzNN69OZ87oU-simdjGE6NC_mns9g-YYuXpf39qn1aqchTP46RPk/s800/dimael.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCR0TDDNfy3_VoMmxYgToxjq_YfowwvUGWJPpg2EphbYtgdiHPLyoWFRpFw5sPvsv3yOhF_V_zUN6PoTil5kfdu6xVuzNN69OZ87oU-simdjGE6NC_mns9g-YYuXpf39qn1aqchTP46RPk/w400-h225/dimael.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Dimitri and Byleth go to meet Edelgard and Hubert to see if there is a way for the two to coexist peacefully. I applaud this approach, as it hearkens back to Dimitri's desire to negotiate with Lord Lonato after he was killed. Unfortunately, Dimitri not really being challenged to this point that he might be wrong really kills the negotiations before they even begin.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">While asking why she started the war, he immediately begins lecturing that she could have reformed her own land and avoided casualties. Immediately, he just made A LOT of assumptions.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">He assumes the Emperor can just make reforms without resistance (we know from the Eagle storyline that, in fact, the emperor cannot do such things, at least since the insurrection). He doesn't know what the reforms are. He doesn't know if the Church of Seiros would intervene in such matters. And yet he feels like he has a full functional understanding of how his neighboring nation works.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3StBsg8nF4CE83aX8OmTSF6WTls5N1eKuwKG07vvFOj2ywJ0d95ba5palnw9n2gATaFHlwp-KjyVbaLYuoICSO217ozx-SZOBvLk6jKkfnGoOoOPVxWhHwbWREN-JJX5k4CieTLqZwaQY/s1280/flecherevenge.png" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3StBsg8nF4CE83aX8OmTSF6WTls5N1eKuwKG07vvFOj2ywJ0d95ba5palnw9n2gATaFHlwp-KjyVbaLYuoICSO217ozx-SZOBvLk6jKkfnGoOoOPVxWhHwbWREN-JJX5k4CieTLqZwaQY/w400-h225/flecherevenge.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Remember this? And he's lecturing less than three months<br />later?</td></tr></tbody></table>So much of this discussion reads like Dimitri is trying to castigate Edelgard for resorting to war without even considering the motivations. As someone whose country was literally created via a revolution over TAXES, I know there can be real motivations for fighting against a regime. And so many of Edelgard's motivations are based on suppression and crimes against humanity that I'd have liked to see potential solutions presented. But they aren't given, and I think that's the point of this route.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">The idea of following duty and unwavering loyalty above all else has made the consideration of other ideas in Fodlan difficult to comprehend, at least in the minds of Faerghus nobles. It's why Dimitri is so unwilling to alter the social order, even if the good might outweigh the bad. And so Dimitri simply challenges all of Edelgard's arguments and tries to lead her toward stopping the fighting, because stopping the dissent is what he cares about. Edelgard is focused on the goals she wants to achieve for Fodlan, and Dimitri at no point offers how to fix said problems because he doesn't really ask what the problems are.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">A war for independence, despite being the reason Faerghus exists, is incomprehensible in the minds of the Kingdom now. They have accepted the Church of Seiros as an unquestioned positive influence and will not hear of their power even being limited, let alone neutralized.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">And thus, we get to the single worst translation in the game. Dimitri argues about how not everyone is strong enough to get by without the Church. He says that all people need those support systems and points out how he was saved from a dark path by Byleth and his support system.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqqvC4V13iHrXy27fef7KIJgYNVkiR_WWYAw8r1dd7NJ5IV0L1uYvuODfYvbYNpc0vyG3ViEi4dhDJkZ_GNs84lQ9wZjeumDna-AxQcfs3qXv0tcX1KlxpcVL72zW1DMjqgPUfdDXz4i8R/s1920/Young_Dimitri_and_Edelgard.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqqvC4V13iHrXy27fef7KIJgYNVkiR_WWYAw8r1dd7NJ5IV0L1uYvuODfYvbYNpc0vyG3ViEi4dhDJkZ_GNs84lQ9wZjeumDna-AxQcfs3qXv0tcX1KlxpcVL72zW1DMjqgPUfdDXz4i8R/w400-h225/Young_Dimitri_and_Edelgard.png" width="400" /></a></div>At this point, Edelgard in the original script makes the point that those who have such things (i.e. support systems) cannot understand those who have none. This is the tragedy of the game.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Edelgard, as we know was betrayed by her own uncle, her family was sold out by the noble families who were supposed to be their support system, and the Church of Seiros, the Goddess Sothis, who supposedly had a special relationship with the Adrestian Empire, were all silent as her whole family was destroyed and her body violated.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Aside from Hubert, who refuses to speak to her as an equal, Edelgard has no one to stand at her side, to support her, to guide her. And in this route especially, with Byleth helping the leader so opposite her own, she is entirely alone. This moment emphasizes more than any other the importance of having someone to lean on and support you. In both Azure Moon and Crimson Flower, one receives Byleth's support, and one doesn't. One lives. One dies. It's a core theme of the whole story.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Too bad the game botches it in English!</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">The game mis-translates Edelgard's line about Dimitri not being able to understand someone without support as him being "highborn," which makes no actual sense because Edelgard is born a noble. This scene, which is meant to be a major thematic tie, ends up kind of thrusting Edelgard into an Amon-style role, where she leads a commoner revolution from an advantaged position. It's not a story-breaker - there were some French nobles who helped the commoners rebel in the French Revolution as well so her ideals aren't compromised; it's just egregious that such an important scene got nerfed.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span id="docs-internal-guid-0708d70b-7fff-4c97-41d9-3e3f575cb19a"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Oath of the Dagger, and the Fall of the Hegemon</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAIJonTNneVKH2KBhspxXCS4AzPW-si3GgIggB2QF7lt1WZuSbnYkylSueVoICMBDS8ynR_WCqxgHWV93FHMvWRVKw5FP3956svWXv1CIEdMLFydMlZ0lumnjaZGxu8NJJ8d8OcsiXhyphenhyphenbc/s1024/dagger.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="485" data-original-width="1024" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAIJonTNneVKH2KBhspxXCS4AzPW-si3GgIggB2QF7lt1WZuSbnYkylSueVoICMBDS8ynR_WCqxgHWV93FHMvWRVKw5FP3956svWXv1CIEdMLFydMlZ0lumnjaZGxu8NJJ8d8OcsiXhyphenhyphenbc/w400-h190/dagger.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There is a real tragedy to the final chapter being named "The Oath of the Dagger." There is a subtle difference in the way young Dimitri phrases his gift of the dagger to Edelgard versus what his adult self says when he returns it to her.</span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When Edelgard left the Kingdom, Dimitri said, "El, listen to me. No matter how hard things get, you can't give in, OK? You've got to cut a path to the future you wish for, no matter what."</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This line served as an inspiration to Edelgard to survive her torment. It's one of the few maxims that made it through the haze of repressed memories she had. And it motivated her to change the world that was cruel to humans in service of two non-human factions' war with each other.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On the other hand, when he returns the dagger, he tells Edelgard, "This is for you. Use it to cut a path to the future you wish for. And I will rise up to meet you there...El."</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He still talks about Edelgard cutting her own path, but now he promises to meet her there. Years ago, it would have likely been as an ally, assisting her in her goals. Now, it's to meet her as an enemy - to stop the vision Edelgard has from coming to fruition.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The dagger that helped save her life years before will now be the end to her life, and she makes it so by throwing it at Dimitri, forcing him to slice her down.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxjXrxFeYDKTInGEdndK9msGT8iHnpmt2Qmxhg2KpUKtRAynxMsT-RJ_RkbJVroxpbUIw8THZ1gbgPtcuelPIjkcRezVwHBLjDP4uIn00lKSrWwk81i_fU3jVEdRvF1oQYaCTeKquags1J/s1280/Ss_fe16_hegemon_husk.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxjXrxFeYDKTInGEdndK9msGT8iHnpmt2Qmxhg2KpUKtRAynxMsT-RJ_RkbJVroxpbUIw8THZ1gbgPtcuelPIjkcRezVwHBLjDP4uIn00lKSrWwk81i_fU3jVEdRvF1oQYaCTeKquags1J/w400-h225/Ss_fe16_hegemon_husk.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The battle itself is also a dark reflection of Edelgard herself. She is referred to in the game as the Hegemon, and the form she takes in the final fight is called "Hegemon Edelgard." She achieves it by taking a concoction developed by TWSD mages.</span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Up to this point, I haven't brought up Edelgard's relationship with TWSD, but now seems to be the moment. Edelgard has deep hatred for TWSD, understandably, because they were the group that helped take her father out of power and destroy her family. Her alliance with them in-game is one of necessity due to the war with the Church of Seiros - they're one of the most organized anti-Church factions in Fodlan - and one she plans to dissolve at the earliest convenience.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Crimson Flower is the only route where she succeeds in severing ties, as Byleth and the Eagles allow her to turn on them and face the Church and Kingdom unassisted. Silver Snow and Verdant Wind show them as arms-length allies that end up outlasting Edelgard, hence why Hubert requests Byleth go to finish them off.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In Azure Moon, however, Edelgard seems to have embraced the darkness more completely. This is likely due to a few factors: her relationship with Byleth being weakest here, Dimitri being more condescending in a sincere manner than Claude, a full-strength Kingdom being the most formidable challenge to the Empire's military on the continent, among others.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgErrQCYMZo4RdX9rjdJ3Fl8yPasrZu-b8s7x3o_h-7aeSV_famQRp_wO0MlYPhQ-F7nBcQR_4IlGFnAk_i0R-KCCFp-Jxxfap_4xS0njmqfFsLa9zQDIKGDAKmkCFnK5UGwn8gz4yFwFP8/s1280/dimavsel.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgErrQCYMZo4RdX9rjdJ3Fl8yPasrZu-b8s7x3o_h-7aeSV_famQRp_wO0MlYPhQ-F7nBcQR_4IlGFnAk_i0R-KCCFp-Jxxfap_4xS0njmqfFsLa9zQDIKGDAKmkCFnK5UGwn8gz4yFwFP8/w400-h225/dimavsel.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The biggest factor, however, seems to be the ideological canyon that exists between Dimitri's ideal Fodlan and Edelgard's ideal Fodlan. In other routes, Edelgard could be sure that at least some of her goals would be met with Byleth or Claude in charge. In Dimitri’s case, he wants to have open lines of communication, sure, but he’s made it clear that </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">he thinks </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the system works and so he’ll try his best to maintain its core while making corrections around the edges.</span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The nobility will stay intact. Crests will keep holding their weight. Heck, the war between TWSD and the Church will remain because the Church will still hold major power and Dimitri doesn’t know about TWSD as a larger organization.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Edelgard feels now more than in any other route that her goals will fail in Dimitri’s hands, so she accepts the full force of the darkness she feels. She brings in TWSD mages, lets them hold power in the Alliance and Kingdom, and in this final fight, allows herself to become the weapon that TWSD always hoped she’d be.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This fight is incredibly painful and sad when seen in that light, but it is set up brilliantly and the actual level is a great challenge. This is why I’ve said that for all I disagree with the ideology of Azure Moon, the writing for it is top flight.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A better world, but the poison remains</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">At first glance, the world of Azure Moon seems to be a great, happy ending. Fodlan unifies under a new, beloved king. Rhea (who makes all of zero appearances in this route) gives the Church of Seiros to Byleth to manage. Reforms are made to be more tolerant of different nationalities and belief systems, and there seems to be a sense of openness that allows problems to be chipped away in ways that didn’t exist pre-war.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3WWMx9WV6FeFN5WAQydxZgKbDn7wHG9Rije8yYce493pXiE_nLm189V1_p5_IdprTStJNKHulTFrUYcacG78q028gvOTGlrpuPpKn3XGT31slrAK9tVgX3QZoTwCgs0mmPUUG8eKS8nsH/s1280/lions.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3WWMx9WV6FeFN5WAQydxZgKbDn7wHG9Rije8yYce493pXiE_nLm189V1_p5_IdprTStJNKHulTFrUYcacG78q028gvOTGlrpuPpKn3XGT31slrAK9tVgX3QZoTwCgs0mmPUUG8eKS8nsH/w400-h225/lions.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Heck, this is the only route with no Javelins of Light being used, so that’s one mass murder that didn’t happen! If this was your first route and only route, you could easily walk away seeing this as the good guy ending.</span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Unfortunately, much like much of this whole adventure with the Lions, all these niceties and seemingly great moments come laced with poison pills.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Church of Seiros maintaining its power with Seteth and Rhea at least running the transition means that Byleth will go without a full understanding of Fodlan’s history with the church. All the technology and documentation that was suppressed is very unlikely to see the light of day and will have to be rediscovered.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Crest system holding power in the nobility means that sooner or later, Crests will once again become a be-all and end-all in the power structure. Situations like Ingrid dealt with, where there is intense pressure to marry powerful, will be the subject of incomplete reforms that will eventually fall. Crest-gaining experiments may be likely to see a resurgence.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkaHCF8pMpTFlSFZlxsCZkPsZ7PwfcOeyrY-KBA2gP1UmtbiaNHd2IheU4IG7w-B9sGJJER2Sg2lQ0OxYg3_5P_CUebIH2Z5OpvGvI5iWzSQOQhGz36eGzfWiemMvj-jV8475sFcazPfih/s180/angrydima.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkaHCF8pMpTFlSFZlxsCZkPsZ7PwfcOeyrY-KBA2gP1UmtbiaNHd2IheU4IG7w-B9sGJJER2Sg2lQ0OxYg3_5P_CUebIH2Z5OpvGvI5iWzSQOQhGz36eGzfWiemMvj-jV8475sFcazPfih/s0/angrydima.jpg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">That last problem is due to the most important detail: TWSD was never outright destroyed. Cornelia and Thales were taken out by complete happenstance. They were Dimitri’s targets and that led to their demise, but the base in Shambhala is still at full strength and their Javelins of Light are still fully operational. And honestly, since they were never fired, Hubert couldn’t trace their location, so this could be a recurring problem for quite some time.</span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What initially seemed like a real success, becomes a hotbed for a host of new problems down the line. Fodlan cut out some symptoms, but its disease remains.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(NOTE: Worth noting that the DLC does try to at least address the TWSD problem, though it's limited. Thanks to a <a href="https://www.thegamer.com/azure-moon-is-secretly-fire-emblem-three-houses-bad-ending/">US Gamer article that actually makes similar points about the ending</a>, I found out about Hapi and Dimitri's ending that shows Hapi pursued TWSD and Dimitri helped. I would still point out it says they pursued them. It does not say they <i>found </i>them, and there was no mention of Shambhala, so the Javelins are still a threat if any TWSD survive.)</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Final Thoughts - Dimitri’s story… and ONLY Dimitri’s story</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What really struck me when reflecting on this story and reading other takes on the story is how much Dimitri’s opinions and arc become the only things that matter in his story.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidQPLkKGohLIZQG9dZ_OEpPJ4kYzeamNsKRCJmiOnB0CLafG-n7xY1KBWrZTdIr95VSH4hFQPHM7m9BgELmh7Y-tdLLobtH5ZwBSZaK_x-mI1gYbb_xUUtLqFIFdW4CPKnvaChEulCCIM9/s300/dimabyleth.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidQPLkKGohLIZQG9dZ_OEpPJ4kYzeamNsKRCJmiOnB0CLafG-n7xY1KBWrZTdIr95VSH4hFQPHM7m9BgELmh7Y-tdLLobtH5ZwBSZaK_x-mI1gYbb_xUUtLqFIFdW4CPKnvaChEulCCIM9/w400-h224/dimabyleth.jpeg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When he goes on his long vengeance streak, no thought is put into how his actions are affecting those around him. Felix gets one real bit of back and forth with his father, it isn’t positive, and then Rodrigue’s final words go to Dimitri. Nothing about Felix’s emotions really enters the story.</span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gilbert’s role in the main story and his supports show him attentively filling in the role of Dimitri’s father while his role as Annette’s ACTUAL father flounders. They don’t even reach some form of understanding until their final scene together, and even then it’s not clear that Annette and Gilbert’s relationship is actually good again. Best case, it </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">exists</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> but that’s about it.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mercedes loses a brother in battle and can’t even be there for his final moments. Ashe’s situation with Lonato was lost to time before the time skip even happened. Ingrid ultimately only gets to achieve her dream if her </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">husband </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">allows it to occur.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwflvFkdL5gkSvC5lB5g2nuZTkSufsGMob7Zqi66fuu4oV0xnmYq6V-z3J23i4LcwHK-qYaC99ACyJbPrQR4rj0b7DBN19rqwF9iv7BUlKQI5edAiy-ACLZAFSMvQ7HHh30OeK3faCguLo/s1710/Fire_Emblem_Blue_Lions_Bad_Ending.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1710" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwflvFkdL5gkSvC5lB5g2nuZTkSufsGMob7Zqi66fuu4oV0xnmYq6V-z3J23i4LcwHK-qYaC99ACyJbPrQR4rj0b7DBN19rqwF9iv7BUlKQI5edAiy-ACLZAFSMvQ7HHh30OeK3faCguLo/w400-h210/Fire_Emblem_Blue_Lions_Bad_Ending.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Worst of all is how Byleth is affected in terms of ability to develop. No thought is placed into where Byleth’s headspace has gone. Not after Dimitri goes on a vengeful tear that shames the one-month search for Solon and Kronya; not after Byleth kills Randolph without offering imprisonment, all to make sure Dimitri doesn’t torture him; not even after Byleth kills Fleche, a literal child, to protect Dimitri from an admittedly justified assassination attempt (again, I guess subduing and imprisoning isn’t a thing we do in Lion land.).</span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But all these problems fall by the wayside for Dimitri because they mostly work out, albeit not in an ideal form and certainly not through his own influence. He received constant support from all these people at their expense. His ideology is the one that wins out. His beliefs of what should be glorified end up winning the day. And if you pair him up with Byleth, it’s said the two argued intensely over reforms and how far to take them, implying Byleth basically had to become a negotiation-dominant Edelgard.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">People who work with Dimitri’s ideals get glorified and get second chances; people who don’t die. And for all the good he tries to do, Dimitri’s future is an excellent argument as to why Fodlan needed a war in the first place.</span></p><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div></span></div>Sean Network Blogshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17485611190342614180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1247338904496237124.post-2609667570374533812021-06-08T14:09:00.008-07:002021-06-28T17:33:35.004-07:00Fire Emblem: Three Houses story analysis - Verdant Wind (Golden Deer Part 2)<p> <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">The following is a series on Fire Emblem: Three Houses that analyzes the story elements, characters and theming. For reference, here are the links to each one:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://theseannetwork.blogspot.com/2021/05/fire-emblem-three-houses-fire-emblem.html">Intro/Basic review, </a>
</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://theseannetwork.blogspot.com/2021/05/fire-emblem-three-houses-story-analysis.html">White Clouds (Common Part 1), </a>
</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://theseannetwork.blogspot.com/2021/05/fire-emblem-three-houses-analysis.html">Cindered Shadows (Ashen Wolves DLC Route - Part 1.5),</a>
</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://theseannetwork.blogspot.com/2021/06/fire-emblem-three-houses-story-analysis_28.html">Crimson Flower (Black Eagles/Eagle House Part 2, Adrestia route)</a>,
</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://theseannetwork.blogspot.com/2021/06/fire-emblem-three-houses-story-analysis_23.html">Silver Snow (Black Eagles/Eagle House Part 2, Church route)</a>,
</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://theseannetwork.blogspot.com/2021/06/fire-emblem-three-houses-story-analysis_20.html">Azure Moon (Blue Lions/Lion House Part 2)</a>,
</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://theseannetwork.blogspot.com/2021/06/fire-emblem-three-houses-story-analysis.html">Verdant Wind (Golden Deer/Deer House Part 2)</a>
Non-house leader characters (Eagle, Deer, Lion, Church)
Music analysis (very surface level)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;">Part 2: Verdant Wind - My Little Deer: Friendship is Magic</span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-073bb3cb-7fff-6ebf-430c-c5af253087f7"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdwnFB3xarIhRy3SrEcIl8N_ZXMyn8lTnciYC0K0sduHEmGOnrqj5PnmNxLl_pf-e4CQP0o-7FXOBmD9zZ-XdTRrQe0LHmAjIcbM3P_WSpo9Qec0eL6xAW5IlJCGfE8XpCWtk4KksmlN_o/s1000/VW.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="750" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdwnFB3xarIhRy3SrEcIl8N_ZXMyn8lTnciYC0K0sduHEmGOnrqj5PnmNxLl_pf-e4CQP0o-7FXOBmD9zZ-XdTRrQe0LHmAjIcbM3P_WSpo9Qec0eL6xAW5IlJCGfE8XpCWtk4KksmlN_o/s320/VW.jpg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(NOTE: So as it turns out, just going through the themes of this story run deep, so I’ll go back and talk about the other Deer in a separate blog. For this one, I’ll focus on Claude and the overall story that generates from his and Byleth’s friendship.)</span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I finished the Golden Deer storyline second in my playthroughs and used New Game Plus when going through it, so a lot of the challenge in this storyline’s maps was probably lost on me because I was ridiculously over-leveled for most of the game. In fact, the only time my character wasn’t the highest level on the battlefield was when I faced the final boss, and even then Claude was only like 3 levels behind.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">To be honest, though, I was actually grateful for the relative ease of this playthrough because it let me focus entirely on the story. Unfortunately, it led me to a very horrifying realization: the Deer House is made up of My Little Pony characters.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGJaVQQaSoXxwdzj7pJeqPHrqH1589PM0eD9sgcoPA7bhrohUT0Yq4xs2ifxFNRiQZEJLQ7qPaafClTOKqUyIMYapkopkJrxQCbIVw_7EDpkBE9QeP4CZayMODEb8QfGKyi_XCTAOT7KG1/s1600/mlp.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="797" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGJaVQQaSoXxwdzj7pJeqPHrqH1589PM0eD9sgcoPA7bhrohUT0Yq4xs2ifxFNRiQZEJLQ7qPaafClTOKqUyIMYapkopkJrxQCbIVw_7EDpkBE9QeP4CZayMODEb8QfGKyi_XCTAOT7KG1/s320/mlp.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Think about it. The eight characters of the house are: a bookish, affable type who feels pressured to live up to expectations; a farm hand; a tomboy who’s loyal to a fault; a purple-haired fashion lover who is obsessed with dating; a shy girl who talks to animals; a pink-haired girl who is constantly goofing off; a magic-obsessed academic with no chill; and their leader is a smooth-talking agent of chaos.</span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The house is more known for its memes than any of its actual content, and the final battle literally ends with a sanctimonious speech about the power of friendship. How did this even end up happening?</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ok, so a lot of these character archetypes are not new; it’s just weird that they all seemed to coalesce in the exact same configuration in a Fire Emblem game.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Anyway, beyond being the MLP-FE crossover fanfic that nobody asked for, does the Deer route, and more specifically, Verdant Wind, have anything worth looking at when playing? Actually, a lot, to be honest.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This game decided to shove nearly all its lore into the Deer’s story. And not just the extraneous, ‘why do I even care?’ kind of lore. Lore that is necessary to have any working understanding of what the heck is even going on.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Who are these villains we keep fighting? Go to the Deer House. What is the deal with Byleth and Sothis? Deer house. Why are Crests so important in the first place that we have to fight about them? Deer house. Why did this game open with a battle cutscene from 1000 years ago? Deer. House.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A large portion of what helps Fodlan and its surrounding areas feel alive is due in no small part to this storyline. And yet, ironically, while this route provides the most overall information for informing the world, it’s probably the storyline most disconnected to Fodlan’s major conflicts.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Being a third-party / On the Edge of a Major Conflict</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigW-jU7ybvnnEPtnLtFwhtlDc-QezfJw4bBLCH7_YdMldoLmZQlonMYeqDATdBfZIMREa7k9rRV7V4cZJzNE7rza7SnbXHZ6cSQJCUnlMNx3ZRv-Zc91d0BIk-R9zdd28VTEnJrTApCDS4/s600/deer1.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="600" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigW-jU7ybvnnEPtnLtFwhtlDc-QezfJw4bBLCH7_YdMldoLmZQlonMYeqDATdBfZIMREa7k9rRV7V4cZJzNE7rza7SnbXHZ6cSQJCUnlMNx3ZRv-Zc91d0BIk-R9zdd28VTEnJrTApCDS4/w400-h210/deer1.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’ve said this in my blog about the Academy Phase, but much of the time spent when working with the Deer is trying to solve mysteries about Byleth and what the Church of Seiros is hiding. Because of this focus, our eyes are taken off the looming conflict that’s building in the background of the other two White Clouds variations. When the time comes for the war to start, the Deer has put so little effort into thinking about the actual implications of the Crest system and what to do about it that it almost feels thrust upon the Deer.</span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When the War for Fodlan starts up, the Church and Kingdom default to being allies against the Adrestian Empire. The Alliance, however, opts to stay neutral and allows matters to play out. This is due in large part to Claude taking the lead role for the anti-Empire faction while Lorenz’s family leads the pro-Empire faction. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Since the Alliance’s houses are split along roughly even lines, very little is done. In non-Crimson Flower routes, their only interaction in the war is the Empire’s control of the Great Bridge of Myrrdin, which comes about as a concession because the Empire started a coup in the western part of the Kingdom and had Gloucester territory surrounded.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Much of the Alliance’s actions during the five years away are purely reactionary. The Alliance is doing what it needs to so that the conflict remains between the Empire and the Church, with the Kingdom acting as the Church’s meat shield.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Byleth’s return in Verdant Wind is the spark needed for Claude to make a run at unifying the continent under the Alliance’s control. And thus, a new player has entered the war!</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCfeY3oA4o0mB2C1VlWEzuYSJP8g30hznUzfWEFACX3VaoljIjvOTc0GgsdgC5QbdclhyOj1kWK1-h4ZB97_3NWMiOKgV0JgKl6l4bLMShjL25_3Muxfnq79Yz88bqy5-w7LPruS61y_VV/s600/claudefort.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="600" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCfeY3oA4o0mB2C1VlWEzuYSJP8g30hznUzfWEFACX3VaoljIjvOTc0GgsdgC5QbdclhyOj1kWK1-h4ZB97_3NWMiOKgV0JgKl6l4bLMShjL25_3Muxfnq79Yz88bqy5-w7LPruS61y_VV/w400-h210/claudefort.png" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This idea of being an outsider is present with the Deer as a house, with the Alliance as a country, and with Claude as a man. Throughou</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">t the story, it has come across that none of them have been particularly impactful to the continent, and so much of Verdant Wind’s theme is about how people can still make a positive impact from outside whatever current power structure exists.</span><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fhWhTbe3MWk" width="320" youtube-src-id="fhWhTbe3MWk"></iframe></div><span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Such a storyline speaks to the idea that lasting change sometimes does have to come from an interloper. Or a benefactor. Being too close to a conflict can cloud a person’s judgment. And such a lack of focus proves to be the downfall of the Empire throughout this storyline. Overlooking Garreg Mach and Claude’s forces, as well as ignoring the idea that Claude’s outside-the-box thinking might prove successful, come back to bite Edelgard and the Empire constantly.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’ll come back to the idea of outside influences on a conflict in a bit, but first I want to talk about how Claude fits into these ideals of an outsider trying to affect positive change on a society.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Claude von Riegan - The Eternal Outsider</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Claude’s backstory is very, VERY gradually revealed as the story progresses through White Clouds and into Verdant Wind.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdRUiFy_GXVyJDhNAh9FHsjSZkSRsaASS33e8X2Y9Y2w6EFw14IQP5kcB8L0pMny1ajfq4NMY2akDKLOItwtuB3dGbCFjLTY31FzB5cUDXNSI_GBR7odnPX9CxbL3foXYYyO4IH2SlETgR/s774/claude.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="733" data-original-width="774" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdRUiFy_GXVyJDhNAh9FHsjSZkSRsaASS33e8X2Y9Y2w6EFw14IQP5kcB8L0pMny1ajfq4NMY2akDKLOItwtuB3dGbCFjLTY31FzB5cUDXNSI_GBR7odnPX9CxbL3foXYYyO4IH2SlETgR/s320/claude.png" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Through a series of direct references and allusions, we are told that Claude was a mixed-race child, who was born with the Crest of Riegan due to his mother, an estranged member of House Riegan. </span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On his father’s side, he is related to the Almayran royal family, though it is not made explicit what role specifically his father played. He must be fairly high up, though, because Claude assumes Cyril (an Almayran refugee working for Lady Rhea) would recognize who he is.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Almayra and Fodlan have been in conflict for a long time by the time the game starts. Prejudice reigns on both sides, and Claude’s heritage has been a hindrance in both locations. In Almayra, his mixed birth is seen as a problem (and might be one of the main reasons he tries to seek power in Fodlan first), and in Fodlan, Claude hides his origins out of fear the same prejudices will crop up (not an unfounded belief).</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Because prejudice, nationalism and racism have affected him so deeply, Claude sees them as the greatest hindrances to peace long-term. When Claude finally does reveal his goal to Byleth early in Verdant Wind, he admits he wants to tear down the borders that separate his two countries and create a society where people from all walks of life live together.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(NOTE: In other routes, it’s made more explicit, but before meeting Byleth he intended to conquer Fodlan and then ascend to the Almayran throne to likely unify the two. This plot never materializes in any route, though, because even in this successful route, he still hands over control of Fodlan before heading back to Almayra.)</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsENcs1reld77QhBWe4BTARW7VdUJ5SaXfV9H8zWo1IFx7rXmwxaC9o70IcoeE2tCJVc-mAPdQkWBG5Zc6U3ThdvZr9JCb7He3slaj3BS3j-E7grYYpiqbvVcPEw5su6lkPW3ANFvC3cBU/s974/claudegun.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="972" data-original-width="974" height="399" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsENcs1reld77QhBWe4BTARW7VdUJ5SaXfV9H8zWo1IFx7rXmwxaC9o70IcoeE2tCJVc-mAPdQkWBG5Zc6U3ThdvZr9JCb7He3slaj3BS3j-E7grYYpiqbvVcPEw5su6lkPW3ANFvC3cBU/w400-h399/claudegun.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This combatting of prejudice does extend into other areas of life, as he sees the crest system and nobility as a whole as an unjust system, and he finds the Church of Seiros to be too dictatorial.</span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This has led to many people questioning why Claude and Edelgard don’t end up joining forces in any of the routes. Ideologically, they both believe in heavy reforms and seem to have a mutual understanding that the current system will likely never bend toward their way of thinking without making a big move. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The only major difference is in their points of emphasis - Claude’s primary interest is in combating prejudice and hatred; Edelgard primarily focuses on fighting abusive and controlling practices. Even then, going through their supports makes it clear that they do also believe in each other’s main ideals.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So where does the disconnect come in? I think Edelgard’s perspective on the matter can best be found in the battle conversation Claude has with Edelgard in Chapter 20 - their final showdown in the throne room. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">She does not believe Claude can be trusted to enact the reforms she wants to make because he lacks the knowledge of all the pieces at play in Fodlan. Claude makes the point, though, that he has seen plenty of injustice and knows what sources he can tackle to finish the job that her war started.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyDaD9DOMQeztnOyJBzMKGjYBV4X5XrIzJflis_GEaApGNTek4kyMIyeJjwGmXs1lx8D2c3paH9Xbpou0-23C8mYhd2NQGucBaYkDILlzKkWfrbVMR7osyAr3k8dTx_aO27QhYOtkeZZES/s1024/clauderobotnik.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="750" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyDaD9DOMQeztnOyJBzMKGjYBV4X5XrIzJflis_GEaApGNTek4kyMIyeJjwGmXs1lx8D2c3paH9Xbpou0-23C8mYhd2NQGucBaYkDILlzKkWfrbVMR7osyAr3k8dTx_aO27QhYOtkeZZES/s320/clauderobotnik.jpg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And in Verdant Wind, Claude would be correct if only because of one key advantage: Thanks to Edelgard starting a war, he is seen by those fighting the Empire as a defender. Even though he wants to make nearly identical changes, the average person in the Alliance will see Claude and Byleth as protectors instead of conquerors. </span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is a great opportunity to bring about reform, but it does speak to the cynical nature of Claude’s approach to the world. He only involves himself in fights if he believes he can win. Across all four routes, Claude keeps the Alliance as close to neutral as he can in the hope that an opportunity will present itself.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It just so happens that Byleth is that opportunity.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">To the good fortune of the people of Fodlan, Claude is, in fact, a benevolent leader. But for all the positives generated by Claude and the real arguments in favor of an outsider helping implement reforms, Claude reveals the great negatives in such an approach as well. (Shock of all shocks, the people are the ones who suffer.)</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A Human Chess Board</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">During White Clouds, there’s a scene where Claude shows frustration that Byleth got to the Sword of the Creator first. It had been his hope to find this ‘sword that could cut down a mountain’ and use it to destroy the mountain range that blocked Fodlan and Almayra. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBy4lJav4d6l0dlD-xsnsvpTQ6t4iQ3CJlwGMlZQWypqYM9FMR2HyFWMQ_1z7Zqga1kP8-w5JWCVMUaXikuWS66zyPPFkMzzPayEdHzt2FbHfFiKiYaAxOf34PNYqwXSdl_wzYR1ILgHKj/s283/demonott.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="283" data-original-width="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBy4lJav4d6l0dlD-xsnsvpTQ6t4iQ3CJlwGMlZQWypqYM9FMR2HyFWMQ_1z7Zqga1kP8-w5JWCVMUaXikuWS66zyPPFkMzzPayEdHzt2FbHfFiKiYaAxOf34PNYqwXSdl_wzYR1ILgHKj/s0/demonott.jpeg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br />Everyone recognizes Claude’s ambitions, but the idea that he was looking for Heroes Relics to tear down mountains and become the leader of all Fodlan could have just as easily been the desires of an Almayran mad man seeking only power. As it so happened, his plan was benevolent, but there was no question he would make moves if he had to.</span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The language is softened in English, but it’s still clear that Claude sees Rhea as a threat to his goals and even mentions the continent may need her to either step down or die to get there. When he meets with Edelgard in the throne room, there is no offer to join forces, even though Byleth tries to ask before the battle if there’s an option that doesn’t kill her.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Even after Byleth is let into Claude’s confidence, he still doesn’t fully reveal his plans, springing his alliance with the Almayran military on everyone at once. And when all is said and done, he leaves to claim the throne of Almayra, putting Byleth in charge (an action that Byleth protests in the S-support, if you so choose it.)</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The biggest dangers that come with outside forces affecting the actions of another group stem from the fact that such interlopers do not have firm connections with the people they are trying to help. It can be hard to determine what the outside force’s motivations are, and when they do share their ideals, it can be difficult to know if they’re being honest with you.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’m reminded of how so many lands were conquered by European nations, only to have the Europeans leave and re-partition the whole area in ways that made no actual sense.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ_FnwDQWzRoYs4v4Z1ysOTLDb_K0YJ-FLtunwxlKYPgt0BDvN7RrP-mBMugA00Dq_wtXjU0dRZ1O5R9RtN0jiTbwbfaRCJggbA0b_JKhV0wj3aWeEB3x0YIOk0yFnhXfj22H3oz2gWZsb/s320/claudefailnaught.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ_FnwDQWzRoYs4v4Z1ysOTLDb_K0YJ-FLtunwxlKYPgt0BDvN7RrP-mBMugA00Dq_wtXjU0dRZ1O5R9RtN0jiTbwbfaRCJggbA0b_JKhV0wj3aWeEB3x0YIOk0yFnhXfj22H3oz2gWZsb/s0/claudefailnaught.jpg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Claude’s Japanese nickname “the Demon of the Tabletop” is fitting because someone who treats his strategies like a game of chess will likely carry that mentality in situations where he has no emotional investment. While he cares about the people in his circle and people in general, when it comes to battle, he views the battlefield like it’s a game. He (in other routes) expects his people to retreat when bested because he doesn’t understand the idea of fighting on behalf of a nation. For his soldiers, it’s life-and-death. For Claude, it’s Fire Emblem on Casual Mode.</span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Claude’s actions could have easily been villainized or at least taken as reckless. They likely would have been so if he had been the one to start a war. Only by having Byleth on his side did he gain full trust from the Knights of Seiros, and only by Edelgard being the spark to war did the board shift in a way that Claude’s plans could have a chance to succeed.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Had Byleth not been there and had Edelgard not chosen war, where would that leave Mr. von Riegan? Would he have turned tail back to Almayra? Would he have opened the border with the Alliance and risked the wrath of both the Church and the fellow Alliance houses? Do any leaders end up getting assassinated to ease his path? It’s hard to say because the war begins before Claude actually holds power.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Of the three house leaders, I find Claude to be the greatest enigma. He speaks so highly of helping others, but he won’t let anyone in on his full plans. He wants transparency of everyone while being patently unwilling to do the same. Watch his supports with Balthus to see how uncomfortable he gets when it’s clear someone does know one of his closely guarded secrets. He recognizes the need for sacrifice, and will even play up the importance of fighting for a cause, but when the rubber meets the road, he expects his people to suddenly give up while in that mental state.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Most notably, the S-support scene with Byleth shows just how much of his plan was based on using people. We had already talked in the Academy phase about how he demanded Jeralt’s diary, and given how the storyline ends, I do wonder how much Claude factors in the desires of other people. He very much expects people to do their due diligence, and I wonder if he knows the difference between someone </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">wanting </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">to do something and someone who </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">feels they must </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">do something out of a sense of duty/necessity. Or if he feels that difference is relevant.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sometimes… It's hell getting to Heaven.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I have been considering this point for some time, and I think I can say definitively that Verdant Wind is the bloodiest route of all four War Phases (in the sense of casualties to Fodlan).</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUAhJrbfDMxMz4fKFNtUli55NAV5_Dyx7SGao6WTJHVjsEAo2DQWmJlh4hT5ePh6GpejJrO7hdUyDQ-PsBJUSpeYJs6PIQIeVHlNZKcFeNl6h4zTjYyyOAidzH4O9X98O-oFAucIw8ojkS/s1738/Javelins_of_Light_%2528Fire_Emblem%2529.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1154" data-original-width="1738" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUAhJrbfDMxMz4fKFNtUli55NAV5_Dyx7SGao6WTJHVjsEAo2DQWmJlh4hT5ePh6GpejJrO7hdUyDQ-PsBJUSpeYJs6PIQIeVHlNZKcFeNl6h4zTjYyyOAidzH4O9X98O-oFAucIw8ojkS/s320/Javelins_of_Light_%2528Fire_Emblem%2529.png" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">All the routes start from roughly the same point in the war with the same situation (except Crimson Flower, which shows the war at a stalemate, sparing a lot of internal battles in the Kingdom during the time skip). Verdant Wind is tied for the longest route with Azure Moon, meaning the war lasts longer than all the other routes except the Lion route. All non-CF routes have a second three-way battle at Gronder (though it happens off-screen in Silver Snow).</span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the end, two actions make Verdant Wind bloodier than the others: the Javelins of Light, and Nemesis’ return.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The destruction of a major fort with the javelins (in VW’s case, Fort Merceus) doesn’t happen in Azure Moon, putting VW and Silver Snow at a disadvantage in terms of death toll. But what permanently puts VW ahead of SS is when Nemesis goes on a tear through the central countryside of Fodlan, wiping out all small towns in his way en route to Garreg Mach (echoing what Claude said would happen had they not stopped Lord Lonato back in Ch. 4). Silver Snow’s final battle was contained to the church itself. VW had multiple slaughters before the final battle even began.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Let’s be clear: The world created by Byleth and Claude ends up being a positive one that deals with most, if not, all of the problems that were inherent to the previous Fodlan system. But a higher price was required than in some other routes.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The mass destruction in this route represents a drawback to being on the periphery of this entire conflict. Claude spent much of his time trying to understand the secrets of Fodlan. This was a necessary action for him because he needed intel on how to best take control of the country and achieve his own goals. He also needed to understand the grander nature behind the war in part 2 so that he knew the best courses of action to take.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYLI72EVv8g8ySIitOViu8sKEG_ehDx10JwM9-N5886kYU3ThCjb2K6nAhZv04ri9Sn0jLkbMTNq7yMiVKCdh8w6N5sLuozg_o5gxV_GqGr3iDEeoKj8V3eQaeiJDJPSEYz-EkGsdhM6tr/s1280/merceusfalls.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYLI72EVv8g8ySIitOViu8sKEG_ehDx10JwM9-N5886kYU3ThCjb2K6nAhZv04ri9Sn0jLkbMTNq7yMiVKCdh8w6N5sLuozg_o5gxV_GqGr3iDEeoKj8V3eQaeiJDJPSEYz-EkGsdhM6tr/w400-h225/merceusfalls.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Unfortunately, in his quest for understanding, he was forced to take sides in conflicts while he had an incomplete comprehension of the situation. He worked directly with the Church of Seiros to combat the Empire without fully being certain that the secrets of the Church wouldn’t wind up revealing them to be the problem.</span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And thus, we get a scenario where Edelgard is killed, only for basically all of her goals to be met anyway. (The only notable difference I see is that since Arianrhod never falls directly, it’s likely that Cornelia survives and TWSD has a shot at reviving itself.)</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The other tragedy of the matter is that the search for knowledge that was necessitated by Claude being an outsider is the reason we end up with Nemesis returning. Moving in to directly attack Shambhala was a good call, but with no precautions taken, Thales is able to unleash the javelins and force Seiros to transform again.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(By the way, I racked my brain to figure out why Nemesis doesn’t appear in Silver Snow, and my best guess is that Riegan was the main attendant for Nemesis, which is why he stood closest to Nemesis in the final battle. The blood of a Riegan gave him the final push needed to awaken him, while in Silver Snow, it’s just the bloods of Seiros and Sothis, which wasn’t enough.)</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I do find the revival of Nemesis to be a unique ending from a gameplay perspective, especially since it brings in a fighter from the opening cutscene, but there’s no question it could have been prevented in-universe had some course of action been changed. Personally, I’d say the mistake was letting Rhea join the mission in Shambhala. The final boss of both SS and VW are a direct result of bringing her along, though not bringing her along likely leads to the whole group getting killed, so all things considered, it seems tragic death is an inevitability built into Verdant Wind’s ending.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Other notable story beats</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi133VX-4c63BL5S-n_FVZi-flXdmH_Qm_OtNgpN7i21gkloZ57Qk7dqy7gSDq-1KnNDHbj0BES0xvH2t3LYaAJdyyMMIUTfG8eOVAnwS8wVSAnsqn5xg153iCBpPmY59a7e9CCDRKJZ_1_/s600/claudereunion.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="600" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi133VX-4c63BL5S-n_FVZi-flXdmH_Qm_OtNgpN7i21gkloZ57Qk7dqy7gSDq-1KnNDHbj0BES0xvH2t3LYaAJdyyMMIUTfG8eOVAnwS8wVSAnsqn5xg153iCBpPmY59a7e9CCDRKJZ_1_/w400-h210/claudereunion.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ch. 13 - The obligatory reunion chapter. All non-CF routes require you to meet with your house leader then deal with bandits raiding Garreg Mach. Your people come in waves until the entire set of Deer has arrived.</span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Claude is extremely affable during this, as per his nature and endears himself back to you before taking you over to test your fighting skills. This chapter continues that proud tradition of Claude disguising his true aim amidst his friendly, jocular outer shell. It should come as a surprise to no one that he immediately tries to use the reunion as a chance to springboard a resistance to the Empire. He even gets the Church of Seiros in his corner!</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ch. 14 - The Empire tries to reclaim Garreg Mach as soon as they see people enter it. This is the chapter where Claude’s ambitions to break open the isolationist border policy of Fodlan is given, and post-battle is where Claude reveals he thinks Fodlan might be better without Rhea around. I’ve got to give Claude credit: He is excellent at picking his timing. Heck, he doesn’t reveal this to you until he’s already got the Church on your side with the Crest of Flames banner.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ch. 15 - The Aileil battle is a rescue mission to get Judith, but it’s also a chance to regain Ashe as a unit. If you had recruited him in White Clouds, he stayed with the Gwendal’s army during the time skip. It’s notable that he must have already been recruited to bring him back; otherwise, the opportunity to spare him never pops up. I hadn’t recruited him during my VW run so I never saw the prompt during the playthrough. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Also, this chapter is worth revisiting with a translation of the Japanese script. They mention Claude’s nickname, which is different in English vs. Japanese. Understandably, the lines have to be reframed to fit.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ch. 16 - The Great Bridge of Myrrdin must have been a map these devs were proud of because it shows up in every route. The most notable aspect of this fight is the post-battle where all the noble Deer go back to visit their families while Claude introduces Byleth to Nardel. Nardel reveals himself as an Almayran general in a couple of chapters, so it’s nice they gave the character and introduction here.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ch. 17 - This is the rematch at Gronder Field. For keeps this time. This fight happens in all non-CF routes, but in Silver Snow, it occurs off-screen since you hold no allegiance to any of the territories. The dynamic between the Kingdom and Alliance is always odd in this one. Because of an interception of messages, the Kingdom and Alliance can’t connect with each other, and thus you have two anti-Empire groups fighting each other for no adequate reason. Then again, you have a decidedly anti-Rhea Alliance leader fighting alongside the Church of Seiros and a victim of TWSD using their power to try and end the war.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">War makes for strange bedfellows.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzDhyL2di9hw23YYmFjMGKVaSgkxTrgOsjfn-g1ZFBZDL7LSoKKn5ZPaZz0INfcLiM-2KN2WSXcvbnOmfP2Al7Q9vGB0Emn4cZ5mMSFTAsIjhZtCbm2EZRKXiWolIihAwsaHF3Nrfq77Wo/s713/dedue.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="587" data-original-width="713" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzDhyL2di9hw23YYmFjMGKVaSgkxTrgOsjfn-g1ZFBZDL7LSoKKn5ZPaZz0INfcLiM-2KN2WSXcvbnOmfP2Al7Q9vGB0Emn4cZ5mMSFTAsIjhZtCbm2EZRKXiWolIihAwsaHF3Nrfq77Wo/s320/dedue.png" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Anyway, Dimitri dies in the post-Gronder cutscene off-screen. Oddly, he only gets one on-screen death despite dying in every non-Lion route. We then get a scene of Dedue swearing revenge, and thus Dimitri’s obsession has been passed on to a new host.</span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The most important sequence here is that Lysithea mentions the mages from TWSD. She gives her backstory of how she was experimented on (which is virtually identical to Edelgard’s descriptions of the experiments in her C+ support) and thus we start to try to turn this story to make TWSD the main final bosses of the game.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Admittedly, they are the most unambiguously evil group of the game, but their most important actions were in White Clouds, and while they are still a threat, it holds less emotional weight as the very personal fights the game is currently putting the player through.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5H0sX9ijQaTjFL36bepVz5X9Zb_xOOTeHPizYMD7d52Si9tnqIx9xfZueSmDhwNZSBxh6gVJYP6Ztxc_tSYIbWbvT7HA6GyzSVpvjhhzN8ZwitRRom9Yg36sDupIKKTr4KQHjgAUPGMid/s1280/lysi.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5H0sX9ijQaTjFL36bepVz5X9Zb_xOOTeHPizYMD7d52Si9tnqIx9xfZueSmDhwNZSBxh6gVJYP6Ztxc_tSYIbWbvT7HA6GyzSVpvjhhzN8ZwitRRom9Yg36sDupIKKTr4KQHjgAUPGMid/s320/lysi.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ch. 18 - Here is the Fort Merceus fight. Some of Claude’s best moments are in this chapter, specifically how he convinces the Empire’s army to let them in and how he springs the Almayran forces on the Alliance army as a new ally. So much of what Claude’s been planning is unveiled here, but at this point it’s too late to object. It’s a great move on his part strategically.</span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is also where the Javelins of Light come down and destroy the fort. It was an act of desperation, and it was one that TWSD likely regretted because it gave away their location to Hubert.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ch. 19 and 20 - The start of the month gives a scene where the Deer basically explain the wind metaphor, and honestly it’s kind of fitting. They see Claude as the wind that pushes them forward, which is generally what he does. He likes to place people in the right location, even if no one but him knows what position that’s supposed to be.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Also notable is that Claude talks about how Fodlan must be united under one ruler, and the only answer Byleth can give to disappoint him is to volunteer for the role. This actually does a good job of informing Claude’s character. He wants the Fodlan leader to be selfless and in line with the kind of leader Plato would have described as “a philosopher king,” one who is reluctant to hold the position. It does make sense that having ambitions to lead would not be what Claude wants, though if Byleth doesn’t want to lead, it is a rude move on his part.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Anyway, Ch. 20 is called “Conclusion of the Crossing Roads,” and it shares the name with the same battle in Silver Snow. I’ll be honest: This battle holds a lot more meaning in SS than VW. Wanting to walk the path with Edelgard, Edelgard confessing she did as well, the tragedy of her character… all these things read better when you had her as a student for an entire year.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">That said, I hold the VW version in high regard anyway because it speaks to the overall importance of the Edelgard-Byleth dynamic. It’s an overriding theme of the entire game, and even in the most disconnected route, it finds a way to have meaning.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Explanations for everything are hinted at when you rescue Rhea, but the game drags them out… again.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ch. 21 - The fight in Shambhala is the one fight I’d have liked to see in an epilogue for CF. I know the methods with which the Adrestian Empire would take them out would not resemble this one (because Edelgard would know a frontal assault would likely lead to the Javelins coming down), but there would have to be a way to work in a battle similar to this.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Anyway, there’s not much of importance in this chapter other than the destruction of the TWSD base and Rhea nearly destroying herself stopping the missiles. Nemesis gets revived as a result of all this, and thus we get to the final chapter.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fhWhTbe3MWk" width="320" youtube-src-id="fhWhTbe3MWk"></iframe></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br />Ch. 22 - “God-shattering Star” is the best final boss theme I’ve ever heard in any game and that alone makes this fight great. We do get a glimpse of the future Claude had in mind after the battle, and the power of friendship speech is great and all, but really, the bulk of this chapter is front-loaded.</span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rhea’s account of the fight between her people and TWSD does a good job of explaining why the crests and Relics exist, though it doesn’t really go into why she felt like these remnants of her own people’s genocide should be given positions of prominence in the Church.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ultimately, I see the maintaining of her people’s blood and bones as a means of A) honoring her loved ones, and B) having Nabatean blood on hand for her “questionable” resurrection experiments.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In all seriousness, for all her talk that she was going to give Claude and Byleth the full truth, she handwaves the crimes against humanity stuff pretty quickly. It’s only in Silver Snow that you get </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">those</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> details. As for the war details themselves, they do a fine job of setting Rhea up as a victim in this too, but it is worth noting that we only get her perspective on the matter. DLC content (which I go over in that blog) seems to indicate the dispute was fear-based so I’d be curious to see a past in which both nations are active.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Anyway, Verdant Wind is a great deal of fun, though it is not as morally black-and-white as many try to make it. As this blog has shown, this is the ‘ulterior motive’ route through and through. And for all the truth we gain, the most important truth is just how much people like Claude and Rhea can leave out while still claiming to be transparent.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It’s a lore-heavy route that would be a one-time-only playthrough if not for the excellent banter of the cast keeping the story from simply being exposition and nothing else. It’s definitely one to play once, and who knows? Maybe more.</span></p></span></div>Sean Network Blogshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17485611190342614180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1247338904496237124.post-65156798890248154682021-05-27T18:55:00.008-07:002021-06-28T17:33:46.897-07:00Fire Emblem: Three Houses Analysis - Cindered Shadows (DLC route)<p> <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">The following is a series on Fire Emblem: Three Houses that analyzes the story elements, characters and theming. For reference, here are the links to each one:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://theseannetwork.blogspot.com/2021/05/fire-emblem-three-houses-fire-emblem.html">Intro/Basic review, </a>
</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://theseannetwork.blogspot.com/2021/05/fire-emblem-three-houses-story-analysis.html">White Clouds (Common Part 1), </a>
</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://theseannetwork.blogspot.com/2021/05/fire-emblem-three-houses-analysis.html">Cindered Shadows (Ashen Wolves DLC Route - Part 1.5),</a>
</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://theseannetwork.blogspot.com/2021/06/fire-emblem-three-houses-story-analysis_28.html">Crimson Flower (Black Eagles/Eagle House Part 2, Adrestia route)</a>,
</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://theseannetwork.blogspot.com/2021/06/fire-emblem-three-houses-story-analysis_23.html">Silver Snow (Black Eagles/Eagle House Part 2, Church route)</a>,
</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://theseannetwork.blogspot.com/2021/06/fire-emblem-three-houses-story-analysis_20.html">Azure Moon (Blue Lions/Lion House Part 2)</a>,
</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://theseannetwork.blogspot.com/2021/06/fire-emblem-three-houses-story-analysis.html">Verdant Wind (Golden Deer/Deer House Part 2)</a>
Non-house leader characters (Eagle, Deer, Lion, Church)
Music analysis (very surface level)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;">PART 1.5: Cindered Shadows, or, The Make-up on Each Storyline’s Face</span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-6dfeadb6-7fff-17ed-ee9c-30f7eb6d4577"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lucky for me, Cindered Shadows is a Part 1.5 in the same way Lion King 1 ½ was a part 1.5 - it exists to bring support characters into the main narrative but is fairly easy to ignore in the long run.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUJsbXi6a1gykdNOCOzei0DOyYzIH37YaeOjxjpWQgzAarhfZh7PdBcawqwxwGGYOhshyI2_OZX38PxqM2JN0rC7eMUGESUsQJZ5TnPUbb2EmQy6Pgl5oQYz6Fo62XAaEVFJtAkGyNkGlz/s1920/Fire-Emblem-Three-Houses-Cindered-Shadow.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUJsbXi6a1gykdNOCOzei0DOyYzIH37YaeOjxjpWQgzAarhfZh7PdBcawqwxwGGYOhshyI2_OZX38PxqM2JN0rC7eMUGESUsQJZ5TnPUbb2EmQy6Pgl5oQYz6Fo62XAaEVFJtAkGyNkGlz/s320/Fire-Emblem-Three-Houses-Cindered-Shadow.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ultimately, the DLC content is there so you can have some new, distinct challenge levels and have a bunch of lore to parse through. Those are not aspects that particularly interest me in the grand scheme of this game. What interests me more fro</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">m this DLC is how it informs the characters we already know of in the main game.</span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For the sake of people who never bought the DLC, I will do a quick rundown of the storyline in play:</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The three house leaders, Byleth, and a separate representative from each house (Linhardt, Ashe and Hilda) go through a passageway to an underground dwelling beneath Garreg Mach where the “social undesirables” seem to be living.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is where we meet five notable characters: Aelfric, a major church leader and former friend to Byleth’s mother, Sitri; Yuri, a former hitman/former adopted noble who feels like Claude if his expertise was more exclusive to Fodlan; Balthus, a former noble who abandoned his house and is friends with Hilda’s family; Constance, a disgraced former noble who is prone to manic-depressive episodes; and Hapi, a rural girl who was imprisoned by a TWSD-led insurrectionist group in the Kingdom.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8rk8BLpSPObn5XJNyZePmuF1QavXWY8Dk1viklgDsBzmcsDkYp0sf0n_m1nHHEbRcXCLnxiZXySSQetBZ6j12wXZz1fi3l1p0brP5S1gMdxBXVfckD2z4K3gUZAYA2RgwvB3xU5oWxv4F/s2048/AshenWolves.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1253" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8rk8BLpSPObn5XJNyZePmuF1QavXWY8Dk1viklgDsBzmcsDkYp0sf0n_m1nHHEbRcXCLnxiZXySSQetBZ6j12wXZz1fi3l1p0brP5S1gMdxBXVfckD2z4K3gUZAYA2RgwvB3xU5oWxv4F/s320/AshenWolves.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As it turns out, each of the teens is part of a secret fourth house called the Ashen Wolves, and they have been helping Aelfric find a chalice that will help resurrect the dead. Unbeknownst to the Wolves, each is a descendant of four apostles who had helped Rhea try to resurrect Sothis ages ago, and Aelfric (who is creepily obsessed with Sitri) is using the four to find the chalice and resurrect her (at the cost of the four’s lives).</span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Through this failed plot, Rhea eventually reveals that Byleth has Sitri’s heart because Byleth’s heart wasn’t beating at birth. This leads to Aelfric transforming into a giant beast. The subsequent victory grants the Wolves status to walk the above-ground world again.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As I said, The story itself is fairly basic and uninteresting. What matters to me is how the four Wolves affect other characters and help shape the larger plot as a whole.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbZj3zV_ma-CNSe8pzm5WiwZ08Mytyb2Yx9-knv1tPcJR4Hkkw_FBEaTMtHxK0tP5nNlWkch95XJGhWcxUVMvKs7cVRdeA4WamKZfCj3q1os0KUyqsVJKgojZSAfT4_WnPD_kB6FQ4dKmH/s519/Sitri.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="519" data-original-width="435" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbZj3zV_ma-CNSe8pzm5WiwZ08Mytyb2Yx9-knv1tPcJR4Hkkw_FBEaTMtHxK0tP5nNlWkch95XJGhWcxUVMvKs7cVRdeA4WamKZfCj3q1os0KUyqsVJKgojZSAfT4_WnPD_kB6FQ4dKmH/s320/Sitri.png" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Let’s deal with the main thing we learned from all of this: Sitri gave Byleth her heart because ours wasn’t beating, and yet Byleth still has no heartbeat even as an adult and with the transplant. This, of course, adds to the mystery of what is going on with Byleth, and it isn’t until one of the Part 2s that we are finally given explicit confirmation that Sitri’s heart was Sothis’s heart, aka the Crest stone of Flames.</span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The impact of this, plus the whole resurrection attempt, seem to do more to paint Rhea’s motivations and much of what she does as a byproduct of grief. This is not a DLC story that reflects extremely poorly on Rhea as a person, when all is taken into consideration, but it does speak miserably of her as a leader.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Nothing is more damning to Rhea’s entire history than the library of Abyss, where Seteth has apparently been busy burying and burning texts that might give away uncomfortable truths about the world. Rather than paragraph form, here’s a short list of all the insane revelations that were censored:</span></p><br /><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A letter explaining an issue regarding Crest-based marriage and how it affected the breakup of House Daphnel of the Alliance. As a reminder, House Daphnel lost its ‘five major houses of the Alliance’ status before the start of the game. Additionally, since the writer was a daughter of Riegan, it’s possible that this hidden letter held pertinent details for Claude and Judith.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Multiple papers outlining the close relationship between Seiros and the first Emperors of Adrestia. One of which was a recipe that was meant to be prepared at the crowning of the emperors. As a reminder, Seiros/Rhea was traditionally present at every crowning since the Empire’s founding, until Edelgard got her turn.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A book/possible novel that Seteth had removed told a story about the early Empire, making particular note of a romantic relationship between the first emperor and Seiros/Rhea. It was likely removed due to both its less-than-academic nature as well as its peak behind the curtain at Seiros’s private life. Seteth appears hell-bent on keeping his family’s identities secret.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In a slightly hilarious twist, Seteth destroyed a love manual that specifically references a “love garland” named for Saint Cethleann. (If I haven’t mentioned it, Seteth and Flayn are Saints Cichol and Cethleann, respectively.) I’m going to assume this was removed at about the point where Flayn started living at Garreg Mach.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A report that seems to indicate Loog and the Kingdom of Faerghus managed their rebellion through the assistance of TWSD and other questionable individuals. Since they were using Heroes’ Relics (or at least close approximation replicas) and were the descendants of the 10 Elites, it seems the Church granted legitimacy to the Kingdom in order to maintain their false history and (possibly) avoid direct conflict with the Relics.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A report that the King of Faerghus was assassinated and a will faked to give nobles the idea that the Kingdom was meant to be split among three heirs, hence why a segment of nobles may have founded the Leicester Alliance in the first place.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A document that indicates that the Western Church was deeply critical of the Central Church after the Tragedy at Duscur and that the “dogma” of the church’s false history might get tested. It seems, to me, to imply that Lord Lonato’s son, Christophe, may have been targeted for silencing because he was a prominent critic.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A report that seems to believe Duke Riegan’s son was killed by Lorenz’s father so that a new noble house might take control. This obviously was thwarted by Claude’s arrival.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A book with a fake insect title that gave a list of scientific achievements that Rhea had suppressed - among them are a telescope/binoculars, crude oil, a printing press and autopsies as a procedure in general. Given that a standardized method of organizing bookshelves is absent, and the purchase of a single book set back Ashe severely, we can assume that books largely remain available in elite households, academies and the church itself.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">An Agarthian text that sees the arrival of Sothis as their culture’s equivalent to the anti-Christ. Sothis, in their opinion, would bring down a great flood to drown everyone and wipe out the world. Given the Sothis we see in the game, I’m inclined to believe that the Agarthians were superstitious and prone to reactionary hysterics (can’t imagine </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">that</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> happening today!), but it does nonetheless inform why the group acts as it does.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A confessional from an early priest who seems to have realized the Heroes’ Relics were not made from a traditionally forged material. Though they lacked the words at the time, there’s a clear implication they understand the weapons are made from dragon bones and that the 10 Elites may not have been gifted these weapons.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A memoir from one of the Elites (likely Maurice, the Erased Hero). It seems that the false history was already being perpetuated by the Empire at the time they were fighting Nemesis because this Elite thought Nemesis was a divinely ordained king. This lack of understanding may be why Rhea didn’t simply wipe out the bloodlines.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A long discussion of how the first Emperor and Seiros altered the calendar to create an effective soft reboot of time. This made history harder to track from before the Empire’s creation and would help mask Seiros and her race’s histories and identities.</span></p></li></ul><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbEvbp_VYYmf1UJHJRXD0oO7eip27_1_nAy0r-J2_sf4Wa5uVFTOJYoi5cEwnxwfdEcAIP_MAAI4bve_wodbXZ4vRHwH6I3ikcI1ZAVLi3Gq-XJWkfF381ck3iRa_gqYG7mOf49_J_0LYp/s1200/enterabyss.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbEvbp_VYYmf1UJHJRXD0oO7eip27_1_nAy0r-J2_sf4Wa5uVFTOJYoi5cEwnxwfdEcAIP_MAAI4bve_wodbXZ4vRHwH6I3ikcI1ZAVLi3Gq-XJWkfF381ck3iRa_gqYG7mOf49_J_0LYp/s320/enterabyss.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Long story short, Rhea (and Seteth, via the execution of these orders) have clouded the histories of the world to the point that no one is able to get an accurate idea of what is happening in this world. Even Sothis, the progenitor, has her memory wiped out. </span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There is A LOT of deception here that has forced the church to double- and triple-down on lies. Heck, the whole reason three houses exist in the game is because the Kingdom rebelled, and that is because of the false dogma THE CHURCH wrote. What blows my mind is that Rhea has espoused so much false information that she actually internalizes a lot of it. She’s mad that the Western Church is rebelling due to a disagreement over how the rules SHE MADE UP should be followed. On one hand, yes, she wrote them, but on the other hand, SHE WROTE THEM, not Sothis.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One of the side quests that is particularly damaged by this information is the paralogue where you help Seteth and Flayn protect his wife’s grave. At the time, I understood his emotions far better than the Western Church. You don’t deface an innocent’s grave. But it feels like more of a self-inflicted wound considering he used his wife’s grave as the site for his tomb when he faked his death.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Heck, just consider how uncomfortable the whole battle is. The Western Church believes the Central Church is failing to uphold the ideals espoused in the false narrative the archbishop crafted herself. They seek to take Cichol’s gravesite to protect it from defacement, only to have Saint Cichol and his daughter march down to personally execute them. There is something deeply unsettling about how hard Seiros and Cichol fight to maintain this false narrative to everyone, to the point that they fight as if the made-up histories they concocted are true.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Anyway, I’d like to talk about the four Ashen Wolves to close this blog out and how they affect the main story. They won’t get the same character studies as the main houses, but I do feel they should get some discussion.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEher7u8BYhvCLvhIk1bEW2xYgrMsIaluqytcGItmaghf3W14SAB4Y-FtVrlfTeLEAAUrQBrtegKy6sdz6DIn3sz0Ao58UV3zIGLQIkesaSQ3JCrwX-j_M9uCxesOmREAkiw4rdQYUPCf49P/s300/yuri.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEher7u8BYhvCLvhIk1bEW2xYgrMsIaluqytcGItmaghf3W14SAB4Y-FtVrlfTeLEAAUrQBrtegKy6sdz6DIn3sz0Ao58UV3zIGLQIkesaSQ3JCrwX-j_M9uCxesOmREAkiw4rdQYUPCf49P/s0/yuri.jpeg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yuri - </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Much like Claude, Yuri is someone who has had to rely on his wits to survive and has a full understanding of what it’s like to not have noble privilege. Unlike Claude, however, his grand ambitions were only ever about protecting those he cared about. This was likely sparked by his hesitancy to assassinate Bernadetta when he had been contracted to do so. I take this to mean that Yuri is less willing to see people in a transactional light, the way Claude does.</span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My explanation of the two as parallels of each other may be best described using Batman and Green Arrow. Both are attempting to stop crime in a city full of corruption. Both are unfathomably wealthy. Oliver Queen, however, has lived with nothing, both when he was on the deserted island and when he lost his fortune. As such, Green Arrow sees corruption at the top as the biggest problem and focuses the bulk of his work on stopping white-collar crime.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Batman’s origins are tied to street crime, and so while he does deal with crime bosses, his abilities are spent dealing with the street-level, everyday criminals in hopes it will lead to a bigger fish. Batman fights through the symptoms, hoping a path to the root cause will reveal itself. Green Arrow directly targets the root cause and only brushes against the symptoms if they get in his way.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I see Claude and Yuri similarly. Claude is trying to instill overarching change to the world, but he becomes so focused on the main issue that he forgets there are everyday problems that shouldn’t be pushed aside. Yuri prefers to help people on a personal level, but he has no real interest in the larger-scale world other than what avenues are available for him to navigate through it.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Interestingly, where this hurts Claude in terms of actual personal connections, it hurts Yuri, as he struggles to fully grasp the bigger picture when he’s not involved in it personally. Probably the worst example is where he goes through his history with Count Varley to Bernadetta. His conclusion is that he actually does care about her, but given what other things she’s gone through, that may not be a comforting place to leave such a conversation. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Obviously, Yuri isn’t aware of what Bernadetta has been through, but it shows he’s very capable of blind spots when he gets close to a situation. He views things through his own lens and stops looking at what he might have missed while he was more removed from the situation.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In any case, I find Yuri uniquely suited in relation to Claude, and since he has little personal connection with anyone beyond Bernadetta, I don’t really see a particular route where he’s best suited.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE6Kd1I7xu17KKDYYaxQotHaHjQi5ZVshkxEWdcKzEkJBixnUdZsUuIs5n-SeK8C8uWRorHf5S61uSEQj3S-a27tNQHozcMeE3od7mjEApfcIcZt8doK3o_6DrhbXMIVUEQBuOTGLWzXc8/s300/constance.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE6Kd1I7xu17KKDYYaxQotHaHjQi5ZVshkxEWdcKzEkJBixnUdZsUuIs5n-SeK8C8uWRorHf5S61uSEQj3S-a27tNQHozcMeE3od7mjEApfcIcZt8doK3o_6DrhbXMIVUEQBuOTGLWzXc8/s0/constance.jpeg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Constance - </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So without question, Constance is best suited for the Eagle route - whether it be via Silver Snow or Crimson Flower - and that is due to her position as a disgraced former noble. Her obsession with regaining her status requires her to be of use to the Empire, so she has to in some way start by working with them.</span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">While I’m not a particularly big fan of Constance’s relationship with Byleth, her supports with Ferdinand, Jeritza and Mercedes are excellent. It’s through Constance that I really thought the situation with House Bartels got a more human touch to it. It’s nice to see Mercedes and Jeritza have someone around them who knows of their old lives, and it’s all the more tragic if they’re on opposite sides during Part II.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Silver Snow appears to be her true path, as she still seems to hold Emperor Ionius and the much Imperial nobility in low regard after all of this. But she’s still so obsessed with regaining what she lost that joining a side determined to end its significance as a whole does seem out of character. (Admittedly, this is addressed with her supports with Edelgard, but she still strikes me as a character who you recruit to replace Hubert for Silver Snow.)</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">She’s also a unique character because of how visibly (through her manic and depressive sides) the loss of noble status affects her. It gets to the heart of how broken the system is that it can literally break someone in two.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUjeQhrvGqwJUcibZfBFVSA6wZXZQKTT4uQKB2fGPYCaAATqeaznAsXfudtaLeCYILFuokUE7TNn7XdkJpwUV50rxHXUb_8wYsIrqo04MaNMOVs9TjOPnpItO8V84cZclS64KHNN17mOy6/s300/balthus.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUjeQhrvGqwJUcibZfBFVSA6wZXZQKTT4uQKB2fGPYCaAATqeaznAsXfudtaLeCYILFuokUE7TNn7XdkJpwUV50rxHXUb_8wYsIrqo04MaNMOVs9TjOPnpItO8V84cZclS64KHNN17mOy6/s0/balthus.jpeg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Balthus - </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This string of supports probably gives you more information on Fodlan’s Throat and the Alliance than most of the Deer House. It’s also the only support that feels like it actually explains what happened with Claude’s life.</span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Balthus is the only one who actually deduces Claude’s origins before he reveals them and has somewhat of a connection to his mother (this conversation gets hilarious at points), so it’s great to see. His personal connection to Holst and, by extension, Hilda, also fits nicely into the larger story.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I will say, though, that because of the debt he feels he owes Count Ordelia, and the frustration with current society in general, I can see a real argument for Balthus being there for Crimson Flower. Without question, Verdant Wind is his main route, but his interests absolutely would align with CF, especially the part about protecting his brother from losing power to his mother (a system not based on blood would wipe out whatever footholds might give her a claim to influence).</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Balthus is a pro-reform kind of guy and should be used in the pro-reform routes.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiWlZSFHhf-IqiU_gXAOtDasmQGUHvE-qo2-tV2k2u-2VY4nmCt3q8JwddgRy5aP76GDLh7QenF_ruxgfXjTpvH-vYqusrIAlolsLt9-o4bzn8_3co04xrf9_0L6-lLT195rVdu958x7uR/s920/hapi.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="920" data-original-width="750" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiWlZSFHhf-IqiU_gXAOtDasmQGUHvE-qo2-tV2k2u-2VY4nmCt3q8JwddgRy5aP76GDLh7QenF_ruxgfXjTpvH-vYqusrIAlolsLt9-o4bzn8_3co04xrf9_0L6-lLT195rVdu958x7uR/s320/hapi.jpg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hapi - </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I don’t fully understand why Hapi’s supports are mostly found in the Lion route, but I also kind of do.</span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On one hand, she has a personal connection to Anselma von Arundel/Lady Patricia, so she informs the backstory that Dimitri is so obsessed with. Ironically, she also reveals the tragedy of Dimitri and Edelgard losing their connection to each other. The way that Dimitri responds to Hapi’s backstory, I get a real sense that had Edelgard and he spoken to each other, they might have been allies.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It’s through Hapi that I fully understand the Tragedy of Duscur and what TWSD was trying to accomplish. Anselma had deep connections to Emperor Ionius and King Lambert, both of whom were trying to make reforms to the current system. Hapi reveals that Anselma believed Lambert had hidden Edelgard from her while Dimitri knows his father was never in a position to speak privately to her in the first place.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By keeping everyone’s origins hidden from each other, isolating Anselma and Edelgard while both were in the Kingdom, and turning Lambert into a scapegoat, they were able to orchestrate a massacre that </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">should </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">have wiped out the royal bloodline, but as a consolation, left them a prince too young to rule and obsessed with vengeance.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisIBN67Np7hKD6eirDLDUwER8S21Um1vlxqSjoqOIxObTH1yb6Pq622Fiqq1H8CbsLFXjRoNY4Jt1kHTjlPnFmhcDBYRZzFKUG0vSaczi1GQa5ix7w3OwZt2Y67WeEccVsu5i59EUw4Ms9/s300/cardinal.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisIBN67Np7hKD6eirDLDUwER8S21Um1vlxqSjoqOIxObTH1yb6Pq622Fiqq1H8CbsLFXjRoNY4Jt1kHTjlPnFmhcDBYRZzFKUG0vSaczi1GQa5ix7w3OwZt2Y67WeEccVsu5i59EUw4Ms9/s0/cardinal.jpeg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rather than have the two strongest nations in the continent allied with each other, the two leaders were destined to go against each other. TWSD hoped that Edelgard would eventually wipe out Dimitri, then they could take her down once Fodlan was captured. (Only in Crimson Flower does Byleth tip the scales and put TWSD in a position where they hold no influence.)</span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So Hapi absolutely is needed in Azure Moon, and I love that Ashe’s pure idealism even wins her jaded heart over. Even so, I’d love an Edelgard support stream for Crimson Flower. They wouldn’t even have to bring up the connection to Dimitri; just the information that Hapi knew Edelgard’s mom and that she wanted to see her would be a worthwhile info-dump for Edelgard to have.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hapi is vehemently against the Church of Seiros, so it seems natural to put her in Crimson Flower, but aside from Linhardt, she doesn’t have much to say to anyone.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcdWtP3DpyQkHdg5g8zSR5eQNUuFLwyt2-qGYYQsX9xzrr9_9Kso_Gkiv-LTwb3Vi1gZHvz-AUASE7oJ74RqPN9Z9LMKNmXkOQqjDDIgrGsc-hOUIxtQlROgTiY6HWazI4GltslgZ6MyOj/s640/sitrixjeralt.webp" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcdWtP3DpyQkHdg5g8zSR5eQNUuFLwyt2-qGYYQsX9xzrr9_9Kso_Gkiv-LTwb3Vi1gZHvz-AUASE7oJ74RqPN9Z9LMKNmXkOQqjDDIgrGsc-hOUIxtQlROgTiY6HWazI4GltslgZ6MyOj/s320/sitrixjeralt.webp" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Overall, I did like how much the characters and conflict were informed through this DLC, and it’s clear a lot of positives came from this run. Even so, a lot more could have been achieved.</span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As a final thought, I’d like to discuss my favorite character interaction in Cindered Shadows. In one of the exploration stages, you see Edelgard and Dimitri talking, and Dimitri asks if her hair was always white. Edelgard is confused how he would know about her younger, brown-haired self, but the two never talk any deeper about it, due to Edelgard’s wariness on the topic and Dimitri’s hesitancy to open up wounds from his past. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It’s a cruel irony. The two leaders in CS actually do start the conversation that needed to be had in order to create an alliance between the two, which would have rendered TWSD obsolete for Edelgard’s purposes and left Fodlan’s leaders united in a desire for major reforms, to the point that the Church would have to adapt or fight a destined-to-fail war. Instead, the scars of the world they live in render them unable to speak further on the matter. And even if the conversation had happened, it would have had to navigate the fact that both now view the world in such opposite lights. The world itself is too damaged to allow for a “Golden Path,” and that is the greatest tragedy of Cindered Shadows.</span></p><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div></span>Sean Network Blogshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17485611190342614180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1247338904496237124.post-42700323179945848682021-05-25T15:13:00.012-07:002021-06-28T17:34:02.262-07:00Fire Emblem Three Houses Story Analysis: White Clouds (Academy Phase)<p> <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">The following is a series on Fire Emblem: Three Houses that analyzes the story elements, characters and theming. For reference, here are the links to each one:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://theseannetwork.blogspot.com/2021/05/fire-emblem-three-houses-fire-emblem.html">Intro/Basic review, </a>
</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://theseannetwork.blogspot.com/2021/05/fire-emblem-three-houses-story-analysis.html">White Clouds (Common Part 1), </a>
</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://theseannetwork.blogspot.com/2021/05/fire-emblem-three-houses-analysis.html">Cindered Shadows (Ashen Wolves DLC Route - Part 1.5),</a>
</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://theseannetwork.blogspot.com/2021/06/fire-emblem-three-houses-story-analysis_28.html">Crimson Flower (Black Eagles/Eagle House Part 2, Adrestia route)</a>,
</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://theseannetwork.blogspot.com/2021/06/fire-emblem-three-houses-story-analysis_23.html">Silver Snow (Black Eagles/Eagle House Part 2, Church route)</a>,
</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://theseannetwork.blogspot.com/2021/06/fire-emblem-three-houses-story-analysis_20.html">Azure Moon (Blue Lions/Lion House Part 2)</a>,
</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://theseannetwork.blogspot.com/2021/06/fire-emblem-three-houses-story-analysis.html">Verdant Wind (Golden Deer/Deer House Part 2)</a>
Non-house leader characters (Eagle, Deer, Lion, Church)
Music analysis (very surface level)</span></p><div><div><span id="docs-internal-guid-c20bc914-7fff-40a1-8a41-0d43dd9ce2de"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPGdzEiE51SjnFgKS6nRzfg-o_eZ8CZPrFFaGVqRzNtFR2-Ys-ZKbBkLWockRp35bUJc2MtIGehr-dE_L7uCFNTH9Y9wRPNrAhmQtXiDrBuzSaAS6KepDTnUZv7wI0YkV09IJ2Xn7tRuc-/s440/whiteclouds.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="248" data-original-width="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPGdzEiE51SjnFgKS6nRzfg-o_eZ8CZPrFFaGVqRzNtFR2-Ys-ZKbBkLWockRp35bUJc2MtIGehr-dE_L7uCFNTH9Y9wRPNrAhmQtXiDrBuzSaAS6KepDTnUZv7wI0YkV09IJ2Xn7tRuc-/s320/whiteclouds.jpeg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">PART 1: White Clouds, or, How People in your Life Frame Your Viewpoint</span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I should note before we begin that I am far more interested in how a story you effectively have to play 3-4 times can feel so distinct based on only the framing that your supporting cast creates.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The common parts of the story will get discussed first, followed by a second run-through, chapter by chapter, to show what distinct elements were being used to give White Clouds a distinct feel from house to house.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’m going to be quick with the common elements because although I do think there are some important details present, this blog sets up the War Phase storyline blogs. There’s a lot to discuss within each house that really requires Part II to fully make sense.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The prologue and Chapter 1 are basically the same each time. You see the fight between Seiros and Nemesis, protect the house leaders from Kostas the Bandit, go with Alois and Jeralt to the monastery, score a teaching job, pick your house, and win the first mock battle. Aside from differences in the introductions and congratulatory lines, there really isn’t anything special going on from one story to the next.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhge9mrk-E-0WgZ-hgBqNl2BXCad1kn4OPi12qfCFbvqsAWViMTqysEaRZxNGD0yhPWrRAb9J46AIMnBi_rET_ZS7ACJxRIfCuYOYTNXs9uBbGifJs2srSRXKFFB6-bH2q5URgLJ_HFJO4Y/s416/sothis2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="218" data-original-width="416" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhge9mrk-E-0WgZ-hgBqNl2BXCad1kn4OPi12qfCFbvqsAWViMTqysEaRZxNGD0yhPWrRAb9J46AIMnBi_rET_ZS7ACJxRIfCuYOYTNXs9uBbGifJs2srSRXKFFB6-bH2q5URgLJ_HFJO4Y/w400-h210/sothis2.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It’s once we get into the chapters where you are no longer dealing with the other house leaders that you start to get a feel for the unique flavor of each house.</span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Before we enter that section of the blog, though, here are my thoughts on the common pieces:</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chapter 2 gives you a basic “stop the bandits” story that’s really no more interesting than the monthly side battles. Killing Kostas is the only thing that makes it stand out. It is interesting that before this battle, you meet the Flame Emperor for the first time, which raises the question of what Edelgard (who is in the FE suit) was even trying to do by getting herself attacked.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The general theories are either A) She wanted to have Jeritza as a house head so she could control the room more, or B) She wanted the others killed. Based on the fact that she chose an area with mercenaries around, my guess is A was the priority. B may have been held out as an high-end goal, but I think Edelgard knew that three Crest-bearing leaders would be trained enough to avoid getting killed. Plus, Caspar mentioning that Jeritza was supposedly a shoo-in tips the scales toward theory A.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimSu3LUsqDZ0QjjSayeaKXUWFlvmlxDVYbktBoIyl02BSQpLGsgLqRHhSmRrPRVYbAB4hNMoJv8_r9zFpKkahXiV3afp8o7TgrOcWU2Q3MaGnc0Zua0UKmytsA6xxyFDgVCfvMBV78YWHc/s960/FETH-Catherine.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="960" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimSu3LUsqDZ0QjjSayeaKXUWFlvmlxDVYbktBoIyl02BSQpLGsgLqRHhSmRrPRVYbAB4hNMoJv8_r9zFpKkahXiV3afp8o7TgrOcWU2Q3MaGnc0Zua0UKmytsA6xxyFDgVCfvMBV78YWHc/s320/FETH-Catherine.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The next three chapters provide a real hint of doubt regarding the nature of the Church of Seiros and its relationships with the three nations of Fodlan. In all three cases, the students are sent to take down people from Kingdom territory, whether it be Lonato’s Rebellion, the Western Church thieving, or Miklan stealing a Hero’s Relic, the Church is stepping in on matters that should be handled by the Kingdom. </span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Even in the case of the thieves, a church stepping in to execute Kingdom citizens is something that would likely not fly in the modern world. It ties back to the era when the Templar Knights and the Vatican had direct say in national politics and how other nations were viewed. The reactions of each house to these meddings early in the game color how you’ll view the church later in the game, as their errors fade to the background for a while after this.</span></p><div><br /></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-j37rFRxGo7AlXGbdZnn3XRkw0lUuXqcjxEYEzxHKxhc2mzKDDo3VrZ7Ul_wiY95C0k9nYG0OhKEn-GV3TRCo1BDFjGIlqN0s8Wc6K_bXZsqjBEX2wirxFdZUr_2E2Q0HnU966n1gE4lo/s1280/kronya.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-j37rFRxGo7AlXGbdZnn3XRkw0lUuXqcjxEYEzxHKxhc2mzKDDo3VrZ7Ul_wiY95C0k9nYG0OhKEn-GV3TRCo1BDFjGIlqN0s8Wc6K_bXZsqjBEX2wirxFdZUr_2E2Q0HnU966n1gE4lo/w400-h225/kronya.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chapters 6, 8, 9 and 10 deal with Those Who Slither in the Dark aka TWSD, aka the Agarthian remnants, aka the creepy Morlock-looking people. They kidnap Flayn in Chapter 6 for blood experiments (and plant Monica/Kronya for future use). They do horrible experiments on the Remire citizens and students in Chapters 8 and 9, then try to trap Byleth into revenge in Chapter 10 after they kill Jeralt.</span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Interestingly, in all instances where TWSD commits an action BEFORE killing Jeralt, the Flame Emperor pops in to either pull the Death Knight out before he does anything, or to openly disown TWSD. The sequences where TWSD and the FE speak are fascinating because it shows a clear alliance of convenience, and in the Eagle Route, you see even more so that it’s a relationship of barely restrained hostility. Knowledge that the Church of Seiros is a far more pervasive and dangerous enemy to their goals is literally the only thing keeping these two sides from flipping on each other. It’s why I believe the offer from the Flame Emperor to have Byleth and Jeralt join them is genuine, regardless of route - the faster TWSD can be disowned and turned on, the better.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I skipped Ch. 7 because it’s unrelated to the conflict between the Church and TWSD; rather, it’s a midpoint progress check in the game where you can see inter-house relationships and find a couple more people to recruit.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKRSdTcZ2Q9cc3Lh3wDdfey7_Oc0B4aAex2jEM37eo8O0MzJqImawsh-YQ0SdkSPqUCfXQW3wjlr02eILS4iZKW0zGEA1mwVD80a0zWj_8fUCWAFkkXVKdgqtPvL19WCe1e055sST3jipv/s299/bylethsothis.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKRSdTcZ2Q9cc3Lh3wDdfey7_Oc0B4aAex2jEM37eo8O0MzJqImawsh-YQ0SdkSPqUCfXQW3wjlr02eILS4iZKW0zGEA1mwVD80a0zWj_8fUCWAFkkXVKdgqtPvL19WCe1e055sST3jipv/s0/bylethsothis.jpeg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What is important to note now is Sothis’ role in this section of the story. Sothis has no memory of her past and has only flashes of Byleth’s life to go over in terms of memories. As such, even though she is long-lived and has divine power, she basically exists as Byleth’s extra source of perception. She is fun to talk to, and it’s worth noting that she realizes about four chapters in that you must cut a path that is your own. It’s very fitting that the goddess character in her purest heart form would see free will as so eminently important.</span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Over the course of the story, Byleth and Sothis actually do develop quite the bond, and I actually am sad for Byleth that by the end of Chapter 10, both of Byleth’s emotional rocks -- and the ones who value free thought -- are gone (unless you’re in Eagle house, where a potential third arises), leaving you with your very important choice in Chapter 11.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Now, let me deal with more specific details from each route specifically: </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ch. 2 - </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When you go to deal with Kostas permanently over in Zanado, the demeanor of each group starts to reveal itself. (For the record, I’ll be detailing my thoughts on each character in the house-specific storylines, to keep this one a tad more streamlined.)</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In general, Lion House (AKA the Blue Lions) has a few more soft-hearted people in terms of battle. Deer House (AKA the Golden Deer) have probably the most gusto. Finally, Eagle House (AKA the Black Eagles) show a mix of enjoyment and a revulsion toward blood - not necessarily fighting in all cases, mind you. Since the Eagles are the house with the most nobles, it makes sense that their sensitivity toward gore might be heightened, as they're less accustomed to it.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Once the battle ends, though, we start to see the thematic elements of each house start to reveal themselves. </span></p><div><br /></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXg68ybzXDtLW6RoXAO0MrBCInyt210S11Nb_msW9nBd4uT5cH0r8L7_9quP6sB4ThEoqq6riVxg6l7dMIcTq6-O7IHanOWU7oBxPlM9oTq7VwEONOHTAGF7RG-xSt5Ylj3Uqf9fqGWlW9/s503/dimitri.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="503" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXg68ybzXDtLW6RoXAO0MrBCInyt210S11Nb_msW9nBd4uT5cH0r8L7_9quP6sB4ThEoqq6riVxg6l7dMIcTq6-O7IHanOWU7oBxPlM9oTq7VwEONOHTAGF7RG-xSt5Ylj3Uqf9fqGWlW9/s320/dimitri.png" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dimitri has a conversation with Edelgard on the way back from the mission in the Lion route, setting up that this storyline will be framed around their friendship, rivalry, and falling out.</span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the Eagle route, Edelgard is focused on the distinct nature of the architecture and fascinated by who lived there, setting up that she’s aware of the long war that has been going on behind the scenes that’s affecting Fodlan to this day.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Claude in the Deer route asks about you personally and questions the mystery of the Red Canyon’s nickname, indicating his route will be focused on mysteries of the world and mysteries of Byleth.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’ll get to my main thoughts after touching on each chapter through 11, so to save time, I’m going to note the major distinctions in each chapter below before getting to my main point:</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ch. 3</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - Claude is focused on Thunderbrand and hints at the Sword of the Creator one chapter early while casually dismissing any thoughts about having to stifle a rebellion.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dimitri and Edelgard react in completely opposite ways to the Lonato Rebellion. They agree that his cause may have well been just, but Dimitri opts to lament that no one reached out to seek a nonviolent solution. He sees violent solutions to problems as an unjustified and cruel idea.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Edelgard, on the other hand, sees herself in Lonato. He’s someone who has clearly seen a horrible flaw and injustice and he’s seeking to take it out because he has no faith a nonviolent solution would be met amicably. I’ll be bringing this up later, but much of Dimitri and Edelgard’s routes deal with similar issues of trust and support of people, but they end up so opposite of each other due to their opposite beliefs on trusting the current systems at hand.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ch. 4 - </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Act I of this storyline ends with Byleth receiving the Sword of the Creator. The month plays out fairly similarly, but while debriefing with your house-mates, the last exchange before Seteth comes to get you is fairly notable.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyAILjb6aDIKNPX8ys28eXCzia-RjDCSYt5KOeKIeUOcSABk26fH7MWn8vxCzcIuF-HfQ8Ies03u-Js_31OG3Njvas7P-MNVWBaqJ8fkwv6qDMg5aXThJiY-eLcBA9zHa0X4C2jRP6jcLM/s774/claude.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="733" data-original-width="774" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyAILjb6aDIKNPX8ys28eXCzia-RjDCSYt5KOeKIeUOcSABk26fH7MWn8vxCzcIuF-HfQ8Ies03u-Js_31OG3Njvas7P-MNVWBaqJ8fkwv6qDMg5aXThJiY-eLcBA9zHa0X4C2jRP6jcLM/s320/claude.png" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Eagle house is pretty much in agreement that executing the Western Church members for effectively theft is a harsh, possibly extreme punishment. Lion house is generally in support of the executions, in Mercedes’ case vehemently so. (Ashe is more just stating facts in his case, though that’s likely due to his stepfather’s death the month before.) Meanwhile, the Deer house is pretty split, with Lysithea speaking more against it and Marianne clinging to the idea that it’s acceptable.</span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">These reactions are very much in line with how they view the war later on, with one being against the church, one siding with them, and the other seeing them more as a deeply flawed ally.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Additionally, we learn in an extra sequence, after the common talk between Byleth and Sothis, that Claude was seeking the Sword of the Creator himself and was disappointed that Byleth not only found it, but was the only one who could wield it.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ch. 5 - </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This chapter has some of the greatest divergences and is one of my favorites to discuss (though not to play; this is one of my least favorite battles). </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Claude’s version of this chapter introduces us to Judith, who will play a more integral support role in the War phase. After the battle, he and Byleth look up information on relics in the library and get backstory on them and the destruction of church records from Tomas. (This is the only cutscene where Tomas is a major player.) As he leaves, Edelgard enters. She and Claude have a discussion that makes their mutual distrust of each other clear. It’s an important sequence because it helps justify why two reform-minded leaders didn’t join forces at the outset of war.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAk80MZCEi5mqPghTF1kIX3PKVrZt0eQ2CUxRHF5ZzHxVpqdhK7ecIjQyxpPxwxTxadsYP5VoIRBwJWkoMTG2fopbwra-HcHi_-DKTEdTKox8ewAFinRdHPOwKCeBDlxIayuOMgxaK8qD8/s540/sylvain.gif" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAk80MZCEi5mqPghTF1kIX3PKVrZt0eQ2CUxRHF5ZzHxVpqdhK7ecIjQyxpPxwxTxadsYP5VoIRBwJWkoMTG2fopbwra-HcHi_-DKTEdTKox8ewAFinRdHPOwKCeBDlxIayuOMgxaK8qD8/s320/sylvain.gif" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dimitri’s route influences Rodrigue, who will be one of Dimitri’s greatest allies later. After the battle, Dimitri voices a distaste for the power Crests hold on society but also defends their importance for military purposes, specifically pointing to the fact that if their influence was nullified, the “bloodlines that carry Crests would dwindle.” This always rubbed me the wrong way and struck me as someone defending a broken system using a blood purity argument that’s better suited in a classroom of Death Eaters. It undermines the “listen to all sides” stance he’s trying to take by showing he’d include viewpoints that are hateful by their nature.</span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Edelgard gets no additional cast member, instead receiving an extra sequence in her post-battle cutscene. If you’ve recruited Sylvain, you’ll get to make a choice whether to return the Lance of Ruin to Rhea or not, which can build support points with Edelgard. More importantly, she makes her feelings on Crests clear: They are a deep root to a lot of Fodlan’s problems and should have their influence pulled. This is an extremely important step for her because she’s opening up to someone as more than a simple ally. Her extra sequence even shows her wondering if it’s even ok for her to reach out her hand when she’s (in her mind) throwing her life away.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6EXYWybEx8BF5Y7Ysgw5AYjns9iW73Q-avzZljDJyWE7Zz5GXTssIB12G75LDIwb2mPxt4iO9_GdFJcwYNQD6IJCqshi3x79HQRkcCjSz3OV_-aT952UJPfVv2nKubvHzWezoSnkMRGaa/s507/flayn.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="507" data-original-width="459" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6EXYWybEx8BF5Y7Ysgw5AYjns9iW73Q-avzZljDJyWE7Zz5GXTssIB12G75LDIwb2mPxt4iO9_GdFJcwYNQD6IJCqshi3x79HQRkcCjSz3OV_-aT952UJPfVv2nKubvHzWezoSnkMRGaa/s320/flayn.png" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ch. 6 - </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This chapter really doesn’t vary a wide amount aside from character-specific phrasing. All three are looking for Flayn. All three leaders go to take Manuela to the infirmary. All three are happy to see Byleth smile. </span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ch. 7 - </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This covers the Battle of the Eagle and Lion chapter. The major marked differences happen in the celebrations, specifically surrounding the house leaders. Each one shows a level of character growth or emphasizes one of their major character weaknesses.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dimitri compliments the growth he’s seen in Byleth’s emotions, showing his recognition in the development of humanity in Byleth, something he values but struggles to show himself. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Edelgard rescinds her offer for Byleth to work for the Empire, and instead asks for Byleth to counsel her as an equal, showing Edelgard’s growth in being able to rely on others again.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Claude kind of hangs back until everyone heads out, then admits to Byleth that he wanted to find the Sword of the Creator and use it himself. He then asks to have Byleth as an ally. This shows he still sees the relationship as transactional, but he is starting to hold out hope that he and Byleth will have a close relationship one day.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ch. 8 - </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Of all the chapters, this one is probably the most distinct in the sense that there are clear differences in focus both before and after the battle. As such I’m going to discuss each route separately, and this section will probably have the most meat to pick at:</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the Deer route, Claude is researching the Heroes’ Relics and notices that all of them (except the SOTC) have a crest stone, something Sothis called your attention to when you first got the weapon. He also notices Tomas is missing and gets confirmation (through Seteth’s behavior and reaction to a found photo of Rhea's dragon form) that the church is burying information about itself and the Crests, and surmises it must extend to Byleth’s origins as well.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After the battle, Claude and Byleth discuss the Flame Emperor and try to piece together their motivations. He realizes the experiments and the Relic thefts that have been tried this year are too different to have a small-time motivation. Thus, the best response you can give to Claude is that the Flame Emperor seeks world domination - the only response that definitively indicates full war is imminent. Claude suddenly starts exercising caution, as he realizes he’s no longer the only one grand-planning in Fodlan.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the Lion route, this is the chapter where we begin to take a hard turn into this route becoming Dimitri’s story. We meet Dimitri’s uncle, Lord Arundel, who he was researching a few chapters back. We also begin to learn about Dimitri and Edelgard’s shared family lineages. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">During and especially after the battle, Dimitri is recovering from his lusts for blood and vengeance. He espouses hatred for the Flame Emperor, already starts blaming them for his parents’ deaths (with no evidence, mind you), and states his reason for even coming to the academy is to advance his desires for revenge. This story is slipping into Crazy Town really quickly.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3MJUjnYfr66sqcuMufVGuneeCPeJym-gZytiD8GS9d4GadlbpV2ns2JJQ5ReM0UnVNsOAYYRxlOrqDN3CUzuGHZ0ovMR6SAsjAvgIYMKmiHjz3e6X0TdbXcXB1PPmE5rsn_fUt2Ws4S2f/s640/Edelgard_Profile.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3MJUjnYfr66sqcuMufVGuneeCPeJym-gZytiD8GS9d4GadlbpV2ns2JJQ5ReM0UnVNsOAYYRxlOrqDN3CUzuGHZ0ovMR6SAsjAvgIYMKmiHjz3e6X0TdbXcXB1PPmE5rsn_fUt2Ws4S2f/s320/Edelgard_Profile.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Finally, we have the Eagle route, where Edelgard spends the beginning scene trying to not see the events of the previous chapters as connected - or rather, she wants Byleth to see the actions of the Flame Emperor and the actions happening with the experimentation as separate, with overlapping pieces like the Death Knight serving as the overlap.</span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This ties in to the scene where the Flame Emperor (rather, Edelgard in her Flame Emperor getup) tries to disown what Tomas/Solon and his crew are doing. Again, it’s difficult to do because the Death Knight has been present in all the encounters. This is where the game has tried to make the argument more clear. In the common scenes, it was revealed the Flame Emperor gave command of the Death Knight to Lord Arundel, so the disowning of him (coupled in hindsight with Edelgard’s revulsion over all of this plot by Solon) actually does have some merit to the player at this stage.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Interestingly, in the post-battle scene, Edelgard questions you about your encounter with the Flame Emperor and your opinion of them. If you grant them the benefit of the doubt either as the Flame Emperor OR as Edelgard, she has trouble accepting it. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYQFA7e3QHrpqYBhqq16bgoLUI4Przt82AdllASu0_JU-QjAG1EEpprmAsnxh4n5Rr2FbcR3fH25TVSFo9cxQei3QDFep_5r-1aAbaYwbmRbO1xoWOgU7FMurNg9YheeiWZ0CRqVOKpDVG/s1280/flameemperor.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYQFA7e3QHrpqYBhqq16bgoLUI4Przt82AdllASu0_JU-QjAG1EEpprmAsnxh4n5Rr2FbcR3fH25TVSFo9cxQei3QDFep_5r-1aAbaYwbmRbO1xoWOgU7FMurNg9YheeiWZ0CRqVOKpDVG/w400-h225/flameemperor.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is probably where Edelgard’s story becomes its most interesting. Edelgard has been hoping to have Byleth as an ally, but she has no expectation that she actually will do so. I’ll be going into this more during the Crimson Flower blog, but Edelgard’s backstory reveals someone who has been victimized harshly throughout her life. She is an abuse survivor, and she has internalized a belief that her victimhood is justified. She is fighting with everything she has to overhaul the entire system around her, all the while expecting that this system will cast its judgment and kill her for the action in the end.</span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The fact that she cannot believe the person so close to her is willing to sympathize with her cause is incomprehensible to her. So she tells Byleth that someday the Flame Emperor may appear without their mask, and she does so anticipating that when the full picture is revealed to Byleth, it will reveal Edelgard’s true nature. There's an incredible dissonance in Edelgard here. Her heart is hoping Byleth will side with her, and vindicate her as doing something good, but her battered and worn-down mind knows deep down that Byleth will turn to the church, confirming the darkness that she has fought against all this time.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ch. 9 - </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A lot goes down in each of these routes, but oddly, only the Lion route receives a major distinction. (I mean, it is worth noting that Edelgard is the only house leader who actually </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">volunteers</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to be in the White Heron Cup, but it doesn’t affect the story too much.)</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjibvJdxKtNI57f-bRmC6rw_rgMM43MQ0pA6hjZkwt8eSTX2Xugvr4JtB1wUvBhDi-_qX4Nug_fcIQQpgW_N4bmSIgCujkKsv2glzUEjRBarOdxPjau05bc7JlqaLFwqyAom07wrClXZdKu/s1920/Young_Dimitri_and_Edelgard.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjibvJdxKtNI57f-bRmC6rw_rgMM43MQ0pA6hjZkwt8eSTX2Xugvr4JtB1wUvBhDi-_qX4Nug_fcIQQpgW_N4bmSIgCujkKsv2glzUEjRBarOdxPjau05bc7JlqaLFwqyAom07wrClXZdKu/w400-h225/Young_Dimitri_and_Edelgard.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Lion route gets two exclusive scenes that set up its upcoming shift in tone and focus. The first is the meeting with Dimitri before the Goddess Tower sequence. He reveals his childhood friendship with Edelgard and the significance of gifting a dagger to her. This sequence - the dagger part especially - has thematic reach not only in this route, but in Crimson Flower (the Empire route) as well. I’ll discuss this more in the blogs covering Crimson Flower and Azure Moon.</span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The other scene is your time with Dimitri after Jeralt is killed. Yes, all three house leaders get this chance to offer guidance to their professor in a bit of a role-reversal; however, Dimitri’s is the only one that happens while you’re still in Chapter 9, and it happens after Sothis and Byleth commit to taking down the ones responsible.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The timing is actually extremely significant because this is the time in the other two houses when Alois, a direct link to Jeralt’s past, comes in and offers consolation. By moving Dimitri’s talk up to this chapter, it severs that personal tie in the story. This ties back to my thought that the Lion route becomes a Dimitri-centric story over the next couple chapters, relegating Byleth to a supporting role. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As for his pep talk itself, it’s a mixed bag. It starts off well enough, saying you need to take time for yourself to grieve (very good). But then he goes into the idea that you must find something to cling to in order to push forward. This leads Dimitri to return to the Tragedy of Duscur story. There are A LOT of poisoned pills in this sequence that show Dimitri is not coping with grief in a way that even remotely resembles healthy. He endorses wallowing in grief, making it the driving force for your existence, and clinging to a few threads to maintain any ties to the world at-large. As such, I can’t really say this is a good speech to give to someone grieving. At all.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Oh, I should note the Goddess Tower scenes themselves. Most people in the game have straightforward sequences that don’t affect the story, and Dimitri’s even follows that (likely because he’s already gotten SO MUCH in this chapter already). Claude’s is a little different in that he’ll bring up his commoner roots and talk about the fact that he has a dream he wants to work with Byleth toward, but he goes back to a basic Goddess Tower sequence before it gets too detailed.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Kw24aXGVhlC3QpCYjhvzrFwxxsewpgI7EgcJLdKrytrtAuzTKUo_zHahYt4rZYFdhbz7YoYvTSsYfjV0oxd3jNXrYvkuzrVz2TqwEEmMitJZgCG5Y490EJ5GZWBA1e-OFI6CzKLzluQK/s1280/edelgoddess.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Kw24aXGVhlC3QpCYjhvzrFwxxsewpgI7EgcJLdKrytrtAuzTKUo_zHahYt4rZYFdhbz7YoYvTSsYfjV0oxd3jNXrYvkuzrVz2TqwEEmMitJZgCG5Y490EJ5GZWBA1e-OFI6CzKLzluQK/s320/edelgoddess.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Edelgard’s is the only one that feels unique out of the set. She doesn’t bring up any wish to the Goddess, (Why would she? By now she’s very used to those requests being ignored.) and instead she chooses to reminisce about her parents’ love for each other. Edelgard also reveals her first love was a Kingdom noble whose name she has repressed (Dimitri) and asks about Byleth’s first love. All-in-all, this one goes the farthest in terms of advancing a relationship outright.</span><p></p><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span>This also happens to be a sequence where the translation to English fails the Edelgard route. We hear that Edelgard's dad had an arranged marriage and his relationship with her mother had to be a consort relationship as a result. In Japan, there's a line elsewhere in the story that reforms to marriage were the issue that helped lead to the insurrection that cost Edelgard's father his power as emperor. It demonstrates why Edelgard sees peaceful reform as an impossible option. This detail never crops up in the English version, likely in order to simplify sentences, but it's a MAJOR loss in trying to explain the lead-up to the war.</span></div><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ch. 10 - </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dimitri gets to open this month as well by eavesdropping on a conversation between the Flame Emperor, Kronya and Thales. They set up the big Chapter 11 reveal here by having the Flame Emperor drop the dagger. This fails to happen in any other route, so it’s clear it’s going to tie in to the theme of Azure Moon as a whole.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI7bch3N6EHE125f_VTEkNMwXexIpTaZQKQ7aPlngV1a5C3NnIPldRxVuiquljI0qV7IM5XiI-4iY_tXSFhZNkNCWaWmonGnaOSFzijKdrlpDlyXp_vwtjE0apMAdDP3Dz5eV8B-Lyi-Rf/s1280/thales.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI7bch3N6EHE125f_VTEkNMwXexIpTaZQKQ7aPlngV1a5C3NnIPldRxVuiquljI0qV7IM5XiI-4iY_tXSFhZNkNCWaWmonGnaOSFzijKdrlpDlyXp_vwtjE0apMAdDP3Dz5eV8B-Lyi-Rf/s320/thales.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Edelgard and Claude get their chance to speak to Byleth about loss here, and I think they go a long way toward showing what each one is dealing with.</span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Claude is empathetic and tries to help you move forward by using Jeralt’s diary as a way to answer some of their questions. I actually thought this was a decently handled way to help a person find something connected to a loved one as a way to move forward… until I realized the choice to not loan the diary leads to a loop where you’re railroaded into doing it. Now, it’s more unreasonable and reads like someone taking advantage of a friend’s family death. It’s still probably the best of the scenes for Byleth’s perspective because Claude doesn’t offer toxic advice, but it’s still not great. It’s clear Claude is still too big-picture focused to really be able to offer a proper personal connection, though that also may be because his greatest pains aren’t related to death.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On the other hand, Edelgard may have set a land speed record in the race for worst consolation of all time. To be fair, Byleth having no response to Edelgard’s words exacerbates the problem because some response prompts would at least frame her speech, but as is… I think picking 50 random words out of the dictionary would have been a better consolation. Screaming “IT’S BEEN A WEEK! GET OVER IT!” would have likely been a better consolation. She starts with “I won’t weep with you” and just keeps digging a deeper grave from there.</span></p><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span>(NOTE: Since writing this I've been playing with the Japanese audio with a fan-done translation, and I think this scene is a victim of the translation process. Edelgard sounds far less cold in the Japanese version, and her statements are more straightforward, tough-but-compassionate deliveries. She asks if Byleth is taking a reprieve or unwilling to move forward, then basically says, "The moment where you have to fight is coming, will you be prepared or will you fail to get ready?" </span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span>The English version reads like she thinks the concept of grieving is selfish, and my interpretation of the scene reflects the English version.)</span></div><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In spite of its tactlessness, though, I’d argue it’s completely expected given how Edelgard has been shown to cope. Where Dimitri dwells too much on his own past pains, Edelgard tries to hide from them entirely. She hopes that by avoiding emotion and focusing on the future, she can run from her own pain (to limited success), and so she advocates for that in the most ardent way that she can.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqAZuB4BbAgchk2U-l1JJzvUd-zv3am2UVUx7fHSn0-UF3bLt3IXhCn83Hd5aU2hMHc2NjleoxUooFhYhNyE1QngNYeCLhXBtuOUwHhK2vHjObg_LikFnsn29bAQWOrgu044x18uCVn0NF/s300/solon.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqAZuB4BbAgchk2U-l1JJzvUd-zv3am2UVUx7fHSn0-UF3bLt3IXhCn83Hd5aU2hMHc2NjleoxUooFhYhNyE1QngNYeCLhXBtuOUwHhK2vHjObg_LikFnsn29bAQWOrgu044x18uCVn0NF/s0/solon.jpeg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Moreover, I think it reeks of guilt. Remember, she’s been trying to distance herself from her alliance of convenience with TWSD, but now it’s hurt someone close to her. She makes her disgust with them clear in their next conversation, but what’s clear now is that Edelgard sees herself as responsible. In other routes, she offers her services in pursuing revenge because there’s enough distance between her and Byleth to speak more clearly. But in the Eagle route, her guilt is there full force. I see this speech as a means to push Byleth away. She’s telling her to move on, not just regarding Jeralt, but regarding </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Edelgard herself</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Edelgard has committed to the idea that they will be enemies soon, and she just wants as much time with her teacher as possible before then.</span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I think it’s worth noting how the house leaders respond to you returning in their exploration quotes. As I had mentioned, Edelgard offers to lend support when you’re in other houses. In Eagle route, though, she is glowing toward you, calling it a gift that you’re back out in the open.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With Dimitri, he’s focused only on consolation in other routes, while he’s ready to go on a killing spree for you in the Lion route. Claude gives some philosophical thoughts on how the world keeps moving in other routes, while he reassures you of how much Byleth meant to Jeralt in the Deer route.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The only other distinct quotes come from Hubert, whose lines go longer in the Eagle route. He offers an intelligence report of the defenses of Garreg Mach, which I take to be how he’s always consoled Edelgard - by offering some task, some distraction from the pain. A bit enabling, to be sure, but I do love how he’s clearly grown a place in his heart for Byleth.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgrcdQnFQ4A7J19AMD1mjxKzdGNWKxTVchqWKn-bvb8OjwCxXgWTQh4N-VlDG1yXHuv4s_n1xniqBSccwoJB4y_GQ7BRLLV5oVwmfOACPjDlxeife9xWSoqoz_9Q_pQE38i4tG6BuO95Fs/s1229/bylethsothis.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="1229" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgrcdQnFQ4A7J19AMD1mjxKzdGNWKxTVchqWKn-bvb8OjwCxXgWTQh4N-VlDG1yXHuv4s_n1xniqBSccwoJB4y_GQ7BRLLV5oVwmfOACPjDlxeife9xWSoqoz_9Q_pQE38i4tG6BuO95Fs/w400-h217/bylethsothis.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There are distinctions before the battle that I also want to bring up. Edelgard warns Byleth that this is likely a trap, as her concern in this encounter is for Byleth. Dimitri speaks A LOT about cutting these people down, as his focus is on punishing the wicked and vengeance. Claude wants you to remain focused on this as a mission to solve a riddle, not to exact revenge, showing how Claude prioritizes understanding and his own goals over people’s emotional well-being.</span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Finally, following the battle, what each person focuses on is deeply meaningful. Claude is focused on what happens and is the only one who gets the full story on Sothis. Claude asks a lot of the questions we are probably thinking about at this time regarding how and why this happened. This does start to set the Deer route overtly as the backstory/lore arc. This arc is going to become so much about </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">why</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> everything is happening.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixAHNyh_fbkL4Bei5oLxmmcmXxF2wxTzWL9IBhyY6B_g_OHknVtCEuVZeXu0FQYQYmakocnxU9RGVw0D0xUghI7H-aNfKaQdRfoUNP5VERlic6SJMSUP_t6OqNhX7ylxBS2OIN_R-7x20Q/s1280/bylethfsothis.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixAHNyh_fbkL4Bei5oLxmmcmXxF2wxTzWL9IBhyY6B_g_OHknVtCEuVZeXu0FQYQYmakocnxU9RGVw0D0xUghI7H-aNfKaQdRfoUNP5VERlic6SJMSUP_t6OqNhX7ylxBS2OIN_R-7x20Q/w400-h225/bylethfsothis.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dimitri’s is fairly straightforward, asking about what happened and tying it to the legend of Seiros and Nemesis. As this scene kind of concludes Byleth’s development in the Lion route, there scene almost feels out of lockstep with everything else that’s been going on. I will say, though, that the comparison of Dimitri to Nemesis is fascinating, in the grand scheme of this world.</span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Edelgard’s scene is one that took a bit of a hit when switching to English. As it is now, Edelgard is guarded when hearing that Sothis gave Byleth her power, and she starts evaluating how this power will be used. In the original script, Edelgard is struggling to mask the raw contempt she feels for Sothis. Again, much of the Edelgard arc is on faith, and it’s clear that her sister “crying for help that never came” has affected Edelgard’s view on relying on people, and Sothis especially.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The question of how Byleth will use the power reads less like evaluation in the original script, and instead seems more like a desperate hope, that maybe Byleth would be willing to give her the miracle that she never received as a child.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ch. 11 - </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’m just not going to bother bringing up the Eagle route in Chapters 11 and 12 because there are far too many moving parts. Instead, I’ll save it for the Crimson Flower and Silver Snow blogs.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I will briefly touch on the other houses, though. The Lion route shows the characters expressing excitement, either for you or for the ability to see the Holy Tomb. The only ones really showing distraction are Dimitri (who is avoiding sleep), as well as Dedue and Felix, almost acting as respective shoulder angels and devils for him. Once again, we’re seeing the story tipping their hand about giving Part II to Dimitri.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Claude’s house is more cerebral about the whole thing. There is a lot of questioning about this whole situation, especially from Claude and Hilda. Claude even gets a bonus scene where he eavesdrops on Seteth and Rhea. When you get ready to enter the tomb, where the Lion route was a mixture of support for you and concern for Dimitri, the Deer house is all about wanting to know what the deal with all this is.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It’s worth noting that Flayn only has lines in the Deer route. In the other routes, she seems excited by this whole development of Sothis helping Byleth, but likely due to her being in the house that’s seeking answers, she’s more aware in this route, and she’s more apprehensive because of this.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgNsdcCSj1Sr78_ji1ChDZ5bGPHHEQmKgNP9HjoY2KDlEGtM0MhgkJoFFehF_6TQFuBv_sY2W7SU3x3vTn-G3VI4G41nAODETX4Iu2N75ybcC65Ks2q8UPUSVns7w_NB8iXwX7ugUgwrlB/s662/holytomb.webp" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="372" data-original-width="662" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgNsdcCSj1Sr78_ji1ChDZ5bGPHHEQmKgNP9HjoY2KDlEGtM0MhgkJoFFehF_6TQFuBv_sY2W7SU3x3vTn-G3VI4G41nAODETX4Iu2N75ybcC65Ks2q8UPUSVns7w_NB8iXwX7ugUgwrlB/s320/holytomb.webp" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I didn’t realize it until I wrote this part, but it’s off-putting how almost sociopathic Rhea sounds in this chapter. She’s aware of what she THINKS will happen to you, and she’s telling you all will be well after the ceremony. It very much gives me vibes of a mafia boss, or George leading Lenny to his death in </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Of Mice and Men</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. And Seteth seems to be unsure if he can be okay with all this, as this chapter is by far his most distant toward you.</span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Obviously, Edelgard’s unmasking as the Flame Emperor affects Dimitri far more than Claude, where it barely gets an elevated emotion from Claude. The cutscene where Dimitri loses his mind and rushes Edelgard is the stuff of memes now, but it shows how someone can be driven mad and into a dangerous mental state through the use of incomplete information. After all, Dimitri loses his mind because he thinks Edelgard got his family killed, when in fact, she wasn’t even aware enough to know her mother was part of the tragedy. He’s become so blinded by the past that he can’t accept her very true denial, and she’s so separated from her past that she doesn’t even think to look into Dimitri’s for understanding of all this mess.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKrvIFfCVFBE_CINkmz0xvgpTcB6gz-kW4cmu-cN08jIWNkG9izbsHc3V3kYWQCjqZ1GBO2lY1QeWgaUIwniGOrFQ7UTjoR0boAk2RWBSQDGlYdzbq4PX3vo3Gls19dBLhD_CzoPfz_TAy/s1280/dimitrirage.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKrvIFfCVFBE_CINkmz0xvgpTcB6gz-kW4cmu-cN08jIWNkG9izbsHc3V3kYWQCjqZ1GBO2lY1QeWgaUIwniGOrFQ7UTjoR0boAk2RWBSQDGlYdzbq4PX3vo3Gls19dBLhD_CzoPfz_TAy/s320/dimitrirage.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I do find it interesting that the post-battle scene in the Deer route is almost identical to the Silver Snow scene. It really reflects how far to the outside of the story that Deer house has been to this point. It’s almost like the Deer have been on a sidequest for months, and suddenly the plot has busted through the earth and thrust itself upon the player.</span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I was going to go through the Cindered Shadows chapters here as well, but this thing has been a behemoth of words, so I’ll give my final thoughts on White Clouds instead. (I’ll save Chapter 12 for all the Part II routes since they directly set up what will come after the time skip.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I think it’s clear that Part I is a definitively Byleth-centric story, but where the game goes from here depends on your route of choice. Edelgard has been incredibly focused on her relationship with Byleth, and because of that, she has the strongest Part I role of the three leaders. Part I in the Eagle house becomes a shared story between Edelgard and Byleth by the end, so taking Crimson Flower as a Part II means that dynamic will continue to dominate.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Silver Snow will do the same, but in a more self-destructive way. Everything that happens in White Clouds will be like a dagger through the heart as you go through Silver Snow more and more.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Byleth’s story draws to a close in the Lion route once White Clouds ends. I feel like there is a lot more definitive language in Chapters 10 and 11 for the Lions, like the writers are trying to put the bow on all of this storyline material so that only Dimitri’s baggage remains.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Deer route is going to blend Byleth’s story with the lore of the world in Part II, so Claude’s scenes in White Clouds are meant to pick at your brain and make you curious for the answers to these mysteries. The mysteries have to be worth solving by the end of Part I, or Part II will be insufferable. Luckily, they do a solid enough job to make Verdant Wind worth playing though at least once or twice.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We will continue with Cindered Shadows and all the Part II storylines in the next entries.</span></p><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div></span></div></div>Sean Network Blogshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17485611190342614180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1247338904496237124.post-33068461522831643382021-05-21T10:50:00.013-07:002021-06-28T17:34:12.158-07:00Fire Emblem: Three Houses / Fire Emblem: Wind, Flower, Snow, Moon - A series of analyses<p> <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">The following is a series on Fire Emblem: Three Houses that analyzes the story elements, characters and theming. For reference, here are the links to each one:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://theseannetwork.blogspot.com/2021/05/fire-emblem-three-houses-fire-emblem.html">Intro/Basic review, </a>
</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://theseannetwork.blogspot.com/2021/05/fire-emblem-three-houses-story-analysis.html">White Clouds (Common Part 1), </a>
</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://theseannetwork.blogspot.com/2021/05/fire-emblem-three-houses-analysis.html">Cindered Shadows (Ashen Wolves DLC Route - Part 1.5),</a>
</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://theseannetwork.blogspot.com/2021/06/fire-emblem-three-houses-story-analysis_28.html">Crimson Flower (Black Eagles/Eagle House Part 2, Adrestia route)</a>,
</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://theseannetwork.blogspot.com/2021/06/fire-emblem-three-houses-story-analysis_23.html">Silver Snow (Black Eagles/Eagle House Part 2, Church route)</a>,
</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://theseannetwork.blogspot.com/2021/06/fire-emblem-three-houses-story-analysis_20.html">Azure Moon (Blue Lions/Lion House Part 2)</a>,
</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://theseannetwork.blogspot.com/2021/06/fire-emblem-three-houses-story-analysis.html">Verdant Wind (Golden Deer/Deer House Part 2)</a>
Non-house leader characters (Eagle, Deer, Lion, Church)
Music analysis (very surface level)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">On a whim this year, I decided to try to get into a few more JRPG games. I have been chipping away at Dragon Quest XI for a while now, but the longer the game goes, the more obvious it is that I am nowhere near the end. I enjoy the game’s story, but there is only so much passive running around and battle watching I can tolerate in a single session.</span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-3be1cb2d-7fff-81e4-0c78-c83c14a227c5"><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This has always been the bane of the JRPG genre. The gameplay is, by its nature, less active than other genres. An adventure game requires you to control the movements and attacks in real-time, while turn-based RPGs are more focused on picking your attack and then watching the result of your decision. With that degree of separation in the gameplay, my enjoyment hinges mostly on the story.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This means that the stories of JRPGs tend to stick with me more than any other game genre. Since the storyline is the main reason I got into the game and kept following it, I get VERY invested.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTZqTPqxAI3zJH-g6Bh8jLepgT20tpGmtFy6aoZSqR8zPp2Q1mtnL5MyQMO-bI0BGa8fMptUOzu6xzpki9lVDY9LJ2pMuSjrB-DWNLRrGIQFreTq3OOnG7ackI-f022Hq2EpMu8xejSKAi/s1920/fire-emblem-three-houses-switch-hero.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTZqTPqxAI3zJH-g6Bh8jLepgT20tpGmtFy6aoZSqR8zPp2Q1mtnL5MyQMO-bI0BGa8fMptUOzu6xzpki9lVDY9LJ2pMuSjrB-DWNLRrGIQFreTq3OOnG7ackI-f022Hq2EpMu8xejSKAi/w400-h225/fire-emblem-three-houses-switch-hero.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br />All of this endless prattle has brought me to the game I want to talk about today: Fire Emblem Three Houses.</span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I had never even heard of the Fire Emblem series until I started playing Smash Bros and realized the sheer number of FE characters that were in it. So when a friend of mine recommended the newest entry for the Nintendo Switch, I figured it was worth a try.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Needless to say, I’m glad I did.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Three Houses is the 13th unique entry to the series and it’s done enough to get me interested in the other games. That said, though, I have a lot of thoughts on FE3H that need to be expressed before I’m ready to close the book on it.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This will likely be a six-part blog. The game is split into two halves: an academy half and a war half. The academy half is common in all situations, and the only differences based on your choice of house is the dialogue and what characters/elements get focus.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The war half has entirely different storylines based on your house selection. There are three different house routes, and one of those routes splits in two, creating a fourth storyline. As such, I’ll be doing a blog for the common storyline, as well as one for each war storyline.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">All that, however, will follow the basic gameplay review I conduct here.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So for those that have never heard of tactical RPGs (i.e. you’re me from earlier this year), you and your enemy have armies with a set number of people (units) you can send forth in battle. You get a turn where you can move up to all of your units to new locations on the battlefield. If you get within range of an opponent, you may engage them in 1-on-1 battle. Once you’ve moved all the units that you want, the turn ends and your opponent moves.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Effectively, it’s like chess if the board was 10 times as large and you could move all your pieces in one turn.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There are three difficulties and two modes: Classic and Casual. Casual resets your team after each battle, while in Classic, anyone who dies is permanently removed from the game. Basically, think like you’re playing a gauntlet of chess opponents, and every piece you lose is lost for the next game.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO8VedC646gVWJFSns1Sydzprvr7xI3hPH25mlvcaHWfZF1CyI06VFeIPcXvJrsv72DmrdyG-GTGaDXY2Q_5suwz_8pQgG7WeExWnQaJDMFnW4BIMNCZe84Lee4Ae191gcFBoXR2ppGqRc/s640/which-house-7ddc8.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO8VedC646gVWJFSns1Sydzprvr7xI3hPH25mlvcaHWfZF1CyI06VFeIPcXvJrsv72DmrdyG-GTGaDXY2Q_5suwz_8pQgG7WeExWnQaJDMFnW4BIMNCZe84Lee4Ae191gcFBoXR2ppGqRc/s320/which-house-7ddc8.jpg" width="320" />f</a></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Honestly, I recommend Casual mode for your first few playthroughs. The story in this game has a lot of twists and turns, and people need to survive for that to reveal itself. Play the story out in casual mode first, then switch to Classic if you want the challenge.</span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Those who are playing Classic in this game and are worried about losing too many people do have a tool that most FE games don’t give them: the Divine Pulse. This is a tool of the character Sothis. Basically, you rewind the battlefield to any earlier point and try your strategy over again. You won’t have much use of it early on, but it becomes a big deal toward the end.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you’re in Casual mode, you’ll probably only use it on a couple occasions, since you’d have to be routed to need it. But Classic mode people will become VERY familiar with it by the end.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Outside of battle, there is an academy (exploration) stage of the game where you talk with all the characters, do quests and engage in bonding activities to increase the support level with all your students. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is where I should probably mention the military academy setting of the game. The Church of Seiros has a military academy where Byleth (the player character) ends up working as a professor. You are named the homeroom teacher (head of household) for one of the three houses.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This group will serve as the backbone of your battle experience. You can also recruit other students to your house during the academy stage by increasing your abilities in the skills they want to learn. I would recommend recruiting 6-7 people because your maximum professor level will allow you to use up to 12 people in battle, plus three in a supporting role. As such, the 8-9 you are given in Part 1 will not fill all the roles.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Those who are familiar with the series will know there’s a dancer class, and it is present, but it only can be won in a specific competition and you can only give the role to one person. I’d recommend someone who has decent sword or black magic skills, and it should be someone you don’t mind taking out of an offensive role. This is where recruiting is important because it lets you fill the black mage/swordsperson role with someone else.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieT8rj-6McsrmATk0JJdwlTLEorcBJNEoWYvRUBT_EkLO_czdZp9M4YaJOoIg-8GY7sUbHGN7uRdd9NK7J9XKPYkVA-3PyV7D2icW6DxU3YaF6QtFcrhVCjZJOXz6UrjmAyuYAkBQNGrVE/s1280/fe3h.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieT8rj-6McsrmATk0JJdwlTLEorcBJNEoWYvRUBT_EkLO_czdZp9M4YaJOoIg-8GY7sUbHGN7uRdd9NK7J9XKPYkVA-3PyV7D2icW6DxU3YaF6QtFcrhVCjZJOXz6UrjmAyuYAkBQNGrVE/s320/fe3h.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br />Your students increase in proficiency through battle, but most immediately through personal tutoring sessions, weekly lessons and seminars. It’s up to you to determine which roles get increased and when. Speaking as someone who loved NFL Head Coach, a fan of manager modes in MLB games, and an actual teacher, this was a deeply engaging experience. And every support level I earned with the house members felt like a real achievement. </span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The voice acting was excellent in this game, as every sequence was fully animated and voiced. The roles were chosen well, and they really got into the story.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My main gripe seems to be that some of the translation was slipshod. It undermined some of the main themes of the game, and the director of the voice actors ended up directing scenes in a way I felt were unfitting because of said mistranslatons.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">That said, it doesn’t undermine the story to the point that I couldn’t figure out the main points, but it was frustrating nonetheless when I found translated versions of the Japanese text and realized a lot of the quirky storytelling botches I had were actually not in the Japanese version; they were there solely due to a slapdash effort on the translation team. I'll bring up some of the more egregious examples as they arise.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I feel like that explanation as to why the translation tripped up is a reasonably one because the game was running against the time limit a good bit. It got delayed and certain ideas that may have gotten fleshed out never materialized. Still, the core story is still a complete one, and the only things really lost in the shuffle were a playable character or two, a number of supports, a split path that would have only lasted for a few battles anyway, and a possible epilogue that I personally would have wanted, but I don’t think was ever planned anyway (more on that later).</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl0mVRVc2RBE7AnfEhf0TPNuQF3MjKPt3JGg6UgA8kRqkhx4Y49p1WVLn9yLS6jK1tKDxpmnwsP5gShpbpU6DXKxmc95v72Gekb0fe5TodjGmlyr7z6UaSj-8pzTe38Uw8vB4fYS58LGWt/s1058/sothis.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="596" data-original-width="1058" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl0mVRVc2RBE7AnfEhf0TPNuQF3MjKPt3JGg6UgA8kRqkhx4Y49p1WVLn9yLS6jK1tKDxpmnwsP5gShpbpU6DXKxmc95v72Gekb0fe5TodjGmlyr7z6UaSj-8pzTe38Uw8vB4fYS58LGWt/s320/sothis.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Overall, as far as games go, this one feels extremely complete. It joins Breath of the Wild in terms of games where I’ve put more in than 100 hours of play time. (I mean, ALL my playthroughs of Link to the Past and Link Between Worlds may add up there too but…)</span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I highly recommend the game in terms of enjoyable gameplay. It’s the most involved I’ve felt with a JRPG from a gameplay perspective ever.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">That said, I stand by my thought that story is what makes or breaks a JRPG, and this one is a doozy. I will be touching upon all the possible routes over the next few blogs, specifically their thematic elements and my stance on their overall quality. Each one will be pretty exhaustive in terms of plot details so if you prefer to go in blind, this is the only entry you should read until you've started to beat routes of the game.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But honestly, I think you’ll find the story far more interesting if you know how each route frames itself, so I would say to let me spoil the tar out of this story!</span></p><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span>If you would like to hear my character analysis, I'll save my thoughts on each character for their house's war phase route. I want White Clouds to stay at least vaguely streamlined since it already has to cover the events of every house, so the characters will be split into their houses of origin. That said, I will raise things from their alternate routes in the same description. For example, the Church of Seiros figures will be mentioned in the Silver Snow route, and I'll also touch on what they do in the alternate routes at that time as well.</span></div><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Whether you read this as a prospective buyer, or a fan who has already finished the game, I hope you enjoy this journey.</span></p><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div></span>Sean Network Blogshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17485611190342614180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1247338904496237124.post-28884053432007602312021-01-11T00:10:00.003-08:002021-01-11T00:10:50.742-08:00I'm having... thoughts... on "Another" and "Toradora!"<p>This is my first post since everything went down on this planet last March. Much has happened, to say the least.</p><p>I was just going to wait for my annual NFL conference championship weekend blog to return, but I was busy getting back into creating media again and got an idea. In between writing a soft <a href="https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13765297/1/Love-Swims-in-the-Age-of-Calamity">Hylian-Zora romance story</a> chapters, I started looking up various anime. I've finally seen the first four arcs of Hunter X Hunter; I'm anxiously awaiting season 2 of Dr. Stone; and I've seen a couple standalone anime series.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCzWlRQ0PHgNI9c8w_T-HQmKAxnGiH5FPnijDS1b6NrYIfcPhtlmNyxbAVPkfmzTGH4n_1xYIcO3pwJVXuq0A0ihRGocwo8RD3B2ETo6G6fhs7XYezvrRzEEMJeX4K0qHQ6DVkp1wlbhSR/s400/another.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCzWlRQ0PHgNI9c8w_T-HQmKAxnGiH5FPnijDS1b6NrYIfcPhtlmNyxbAVPkfmzTGH4n_1xYIcO3pwJVXuq0A0ihRGocwo8RD3B2ETo6G6fhs7XYezvrRzEEMJeX4K0qHQ6DVkp1wlbhSR/s320/another.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />In particular, I want to talk about two of them: "Another" and "Toradora!" Genre-wise, these two don't belong together at all. <i>Another </i>is a primarily a horror anime and <i>Toradora!</i> is primarily a slice-of-life romantic comedy.<p></p><p>And yet I feel like the two share one major trait in common that I notice a lot in anime: the dramatic shift in style, tone, or even genre about two-thirds of the way through the show. I've seen this happen a lot - <i>Yu Yu Hakusho, Mirai Nikki, Little Witch Academia, </i>etc. </p><p>As a general rule, I don't like these shifts. At best, they're pedestrian enough to shrug and roll with, but at worst, they can destroy the entire reason the show was appealing in the first place. Once YYH started dealing in the demon realm, it got way less interesting. LWA scaled back much of the fun cast in favor of a more serious group of characters who were not given much interesting with which to work.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhahLDxL5FkC0qTZAPYOC4bVeKZSVOmpvKu4fleOvI5cOzRnri9aYTxFFsiMIJWEs_8nKuTtzkucPumPP3B16RQUAO3NvE0g_npeNd8R86MOvabVIXUDPAxmYYm8En6jlungq45z1nb9kGu/s1600/toradora.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhahLDxL5FkC0qTZAPYOC4bVeKZSVOmpvKu4fleOvI5cOzRnri9aYTxFFsiMIJWEs_8nKuTtzkucPumPP3B16RQUAO3NvE0g_npeNd8R86MOvabVIXUDPAxmYYm8En6jlungq45z1nb9kGu/s320/toradora.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />The reason I wanted to talk about this is because <i>Another </i>and <i>Toradora! </i>epitomize how to handle a shift like this well (i.e. it doesn't affect quality) vs. how to handle it poorly (i.e. it makes me actively hate a show that I had been loving mere episodes before).<p></p><p>I should note that, except for mysteries since guessing along is part of the initial viewing fun, I don't really care about other spoilers. Shows should have rewatch value, and that means there should be a lot to enjoy even when you know what's coming. If spoiling ruins a story, then it likely had deep structural flaws anyway.</p><p>Nonetheless, before I go through them, I'll give you the heads-up that I'll be spoiling a lot of each show, but not so much that I think you need to avoid this blog. I can avoid the mystery reveal at the end of <i>Another</i> and I can gloss over much of the <i>Toradora! </i>ending.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kupW7eDG48s" width="320" youtube-src-id="kupW7eDG48s"></iframe></div><p></p><p><b>ANOTHER</b></p><p>Let's start with <i>Another.</i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipCPXoRxHg-QrEUOshrKGcHZBR-FhIcbDI1TWlaboO7oJh94uoDcsfKyROACesr5mGprGCcHeL8oKUsHBNYPLvkHiIE8Pbobg6D46pG3opsnrwabQ_gZk-0-Thd7toL6kmK8EJ_z2l2995/s400/mei.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipCPXoRxHg-QrEUOshrKGcHZBR-FhIcbDI1TWlaboO7oJh94uoDcsfKyROACesr5mGprGCcHeL8oKUsHBNYPLvkHiIE8Pbobg6D46pG3opsnrwabQ_gZk-0-Thd7toL6kmK8EJ_z2l2995/s320/mei.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>This show, as the opening scene explains, is about a school that is dealing with an alleged curse of returning dead students. A transfer student, Sakakibara, has to have a hospital stay before entering the school and meets a short, eerie girl with an eyepatch one night after visiting hours ended.<p></p><p>The first four episodes of the 12-episode series play out like a psychological suspense mystery. The girl, Mei Misaki, pops up in random places and says to avoid her. The other students are clearly scared of her name and act like they can't see her. There are creepy dolls all over these episodes, and two characters who managed to get a lot of screen time are killed off in two of the most absurdly unforgettable death scenes ever put to animation.</p><p>But then, the final third of the show (eps. 9-12) drop the psychological elements entirely and go full slasher flick. The deaths, save about three, are effectively extras thrown in to bulk up the body count. Gore takes top priority; and the multitude of mysteries by this point is down to just one, which gets solved in between slashings.</p><p>And yet the two parts feel like they connect and were well put-together. I actually quite love this show and think it's a great example of horror mysteries done right.</p><p>So how did they do it? It all comes down to the second third of the show (eps. 5-8).</p><p>Many shows commit a cardinal sin in shunning the most enjoyable characters when things get serious in favor of underdeveloped "serious" characters. This is never a real problem because the first episodes of this show really only prioritized Sakakibara and Mei. There were others on the periphery, but they don't get a real focus until the middle of episode 7.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs5S9vaTsds2_UjLu0iMUbKMyeNF-duygkNPA9gLWLw7MkrAZTObx6jfirHoNcw4ygXncA7dGWb4PtDypkNh4B5Cp5MTeijd1uPfo8SMQnFJO27BYCfCXEzhY2u06TFG6ky_8mOsgXIXDJ/s1920/another-13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs5S9vaTsds2_UjLu0iMUbKMyeNF-duygkNPA9gLWLw7MkrAZTObx6jfirHoNcw4ygXncA7dGWb4PtDypkNh4B5Cp5MTeijd1uPfo8SMQnFJO27BYCfCXEzhY2u06TFG6ky_8mOsgXIXDJ/s320/another-13.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />By that point, though, the two main characters have actually grown closer, with episodes 5 and 6 being almost exclusively driven by the two of them hanging out. The only reason the others get added is to give the show more people with which to tease death.<p></p><p>The show also pares back the mysteries naturally. When Sakakibara gets "unpersoned" in episode 5, it frees Mei up to actually tell him what's going on, and the librarian becomes more helpful. The mysteries cleared up because of a legitimate story development. By the end of episode 8, the only two mysteries left are: "Who is dead?" and "How do we stop the curse?"</p><p>While researching, it becomes clear that whatever stopped the curse once before happened at a cabin in the woods, which sets the students up for a cabin trip in the final episodes, securing the classic slasher setting.</p><p>Everything in the story felt deliberate, and because of that, accepting the change in tone was easier. And the final mystery's payoff worked out great because there were plenty of clues that were placed with multiple meanings -- it's revealed that memories have to be altered to allow the dead to walk again, so the erratic behaviors among the cast cannot easily be pointed toward one person on a first viewing (though it is absolutely possible. Enough clues do exist.).</p><p>That's not to say the show was perfect. The break beach trip in ep. 8 was anime-exclusive and undermines both future deaths and future reveals by creating circumstances that shouldn't be happening. And some characters go full-Castlevania II and lie until it's convenient in the story. (Most notably, the original dead student is called female and 'Misaki' until it's blatantly clear that Mei is eliminated as a suspect to the audience. Then, suddenly, we learn the original Misaki was male.)</p><p>Overall, however, I adored this story and have been playing the theme song non-stop. Seriously, both shows have excellent opening themes, and I'm glad <i>Another</i> just stuck with the one opener for its entire run.</p><p>For the record, both Japanese and English voice audio are excellent. English does a better job with phrasing what's going on so it's easier to follow, but there's no topping Mei's Japanese VA. She has the creepy ghost-like voice down to an art.</p><p><b>TORADORA!</b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Y3Xmzu0OtS8" width="320" youtube-src-id="Y3Xmzu0OtS8"></iframe></div><p></p><p>And then there's <i>Toradora!</i></p><p>I will start by saying that I absolutely loved the first 15 episodes and about 20 minutes of episode 16. It had a story I loved, characters who were great fun, witty dialogue, smart slapstick, heartfelt moments, and a litany of other great traits. It was well on its way to being a candidate for one of my favorite animated series ever.</p><p>And then the last nine episodes happen.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgWwe92zjHO5bK7KY4Idp8BX1wWLB41_4LdBw__jtHAkOXDrLxPM_A0Mj69lrknqdD1pVUysTAFSph9gui9QGe8ZZ_t3j3ktQB3DQQM1jX8WQ4869qSzImbRk5PNPwz2Plr1C8_-vZNJxf/s500/toradora-ryuji-taiga.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="281" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgWwe92zjHO5bK7KY4Idp8BX1wWLB41_4LdBw__jtHAkOXDrLxPM_A0Mj69lrknqdD1pVUysTAFSph9gui9QGe8ZZ_t3j3ktQB3DQQM1jX8WQ4869qSzImbRk5PNPwz2Plr1C8_-vZNJxf/s320/toradora-ryuji-taiga.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />I should note that this show is considered a classic. While looking up the first opening theme (another banger), I found out that this show was many people's introduction into the greater anime world and Crunchyroll as a website. So I know many will find meaning in the final episodes and may even identify with some of the subject matter in the final episodes.<p></p><p>Anyway, here's why the show nevertheless crashed and burned in a span of just six episodes. Yes, starting from episode 17 and going through episode 22, by the time I completed them, I hated the show. I'd describe the episodes as a stumble that sends someone down a hill, which leads them off a cliff, down into a canyon, and when they land, they create a sinkhole that connects to a bottomless crater.</p><p>To explain what went wrong, I need to explain what the show was doing so right in the first place.</p><p>As I said before, this show is a romantic comedy, slice-of-life show that occasionally dealt with teen melodrama. It's the story of two main characters: Ryuji, a tall boy with a strong face that intimidates most people from even approaching him; and Taiga, a short girl who has instilled fear in most students at the school by being comedically violent toward most everyone.</p><p>In the first episode, the two realize that 1. they're neighbors, and 2. they're each best friends with the other person's crush. So although they get off on the wrong foot, they quickly join forces to pair each other off.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaWh1h6Zf5OGZVZiQhUXqZoh5olvZiiG0cS045jmne6NrTdVVtsz7W2PldlyOfQo1i045M1yO_-LIzk8eBSZDIpnMbMCe36K1ttEEPlRQd6_SXmVM9Bf-lqA1KwuVZojqyLqrmLqEtx4-N/s1280/ami.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaWh1h6Zf5OGZVZiQhUXqZoh5olvZiiG0cS045jmne6NrTdVVtsz7W2PldlyOfQo1i045M1yO_-LIzk8eBSZDIpnMbMCe36K1ttEEPlRQd6_SXmVM9Bf-lqA1KwuVZojqyLqrmLqEtx4-N/s320/ami.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>One thing I immediately appreciated was how the show approached the possible relationships. The standard in Rom-Coms like this (I've seen many that use variations of this trope) is to 'babyface' the two leads, to steal a wrestling term. See, in Rom-coms, the idea of destroying a current relationship with a new one via infidelity kind of kills the vibe of the film. So 'babyfacing' is where the current/prospective love interests are revealed early on to be either bad people, destructive, abusive, unwilling to compromise, or something else that allows the audience to justify leaving the current option.<p></p><p>(Unrelated, but one unique example of this is "Bride Wars," where the flaw is tipped, but not made clear until later. Anne Hathaway's fiancé enables her own self-defeating behavior of giving up on her interests, so when she starts asserting herself, he can't reconcile her new confident self with the meek people-pleaser he preferred. Not the best example, mind you; her assertiveness never benefits her and only makes the situations worse, so the positive message gets buried under incompetence. But it's one example that's still memorable to me for some reason.)</p><p>In <i>Toradora,</i> the main characters are made sympathetic, but they have very obvious character flaws that are preventing them from being with their respective love interests. Meanwhile, the two love interests are excellent reflections of what each one needs to work on.</p><p>Yusaku, Taiga's love interest, had been interested in her and seems to gravitate to girls who are similar to her but channel that aggressive energy into productive projects. So Ryuji needs to help her trust herself and others enough for her to become a positive force at the school.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ6kFT45Eg4f6fHwk_0XjJ5SQU0PCthPrVc5fYtnaWCh3W5lTywQi3ei4J2rc3BYTEwLHOG84yTqS5RC7_F-KIOBeQy5uc7LsuxGoYr4bApLTVRtLBPqfVYOq_VGu0GzRyDvYEYAsSfVYC/s1280/Toradora_Screenshot_0043.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ6kFT45Eg4f6fHwk_0XjJ5SQU0PCthPrVc5fYtnaWCh3W5lTywQi3ei4J2rc3BYTEwLHOG84yTqS5RC7_F-KIOBeQy5uc7LsuxGoYr4bApLTVRtLBPqfVYOq_VGu0GzRyDvYEYAsSfVYC/s320/Toradora_Screenshot_0043.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>And Minori, Ryuji's love interest, approaches stress in the exact opposite way Ryuji does - where he scales himself back and withdraws, she involves herself in everything she possibly can. The two serve as a good balance to each other's disposition, and with Taiga's help, gets them both to open up and discuss their approaches to the world.<p></p><p>I will say straight-up that I LOVE both of these relationships as they motivate the main characters to improve as people, and it seems clear that by the time everyone is officially together, they will all be the emotionally whole adults they were always meant to be.</p><p>And then there's the Taiga-Ryuji dynamic. Taiga is revealed to be living on her own because she didn't get along with her dad and stepmom, so she gets taken in by Ryuji, his mom and their pet bird. It creates this surrogate, found-family dynamic that I absolutely love. Although, the running gag is the two are a couple, it always plays up like more of a brother-sister dynamic. The two are mutually building the other up and the foursome really feel like a lifelong group joined at the hip.</p><p>And then, thrown in on top of all this is Ami, a model who transfers in a few episodes into the show. Ami is childhood friends with Yusaku, immediately hits on Ryuji, and both girls can't stand her immediately because she puts on an obviously fake-nice act to earn sympathy from people. </p><p>Ami works as a great foil and bisected love triangle force. She is characterized deeply enough that you can see her with either boy, but her arc is clearly not romantic focused and it's clear the failure to be with either will force her to grow as a person as well.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTPAIgDNr_M5Cweo4jUUPC0YUCkA3xpxEYEnFVyRFuiGTy_tHg78VHmJ7O5mZZd-EkrvbSnEBLXl39HaQ9CKCrOiWBFwSWsNjcE8xJKf-WUCSidrTS4kQftQiWAZrwOup3-PKYckMxsrzW/s340/yusaku.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="192" data-original-width="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTPAIgDNr_M5Cweo4jUUPC0YUCkA3xpxEYEnFVyRFuiGTy_tHg78VHmJ7O5mZZd-EkrvbSnEBLXl39HaQ9CKCrOiWBFwSWsNjcE8xJKf-WUCSidrTS4kQftQiWAZrwOup3-PKYckMxsrzW/s320/yusaku.png" width="320" /></a></div>So you have two main characters, one of which is assimilating into her newfound family, helping each other improve as people; two romantic interests who come across as great people and who already love their best friends, creating a tight-knit group; and a fifth wheel who is learning both how to be honest with herself and that 'herself' needs a lot of work.<p></p><p>This is the dynamic of the show for the first 16 episodes, and had it kept going like this, I'd probably be giving it a standalone blog as one of the greatest shows I've ever seen.</p><p>Unfortunately, there were still nine episodes left to screw it all up.</p><p>So what happened? They chucked nearly all of what I said out the window over the final nine episodes.</p><p>Episode 17 marked the debut of the second and final intro song (a major downgrade), and a song change has never so perfectly signaled a drop in show quality.</p><p>First, remember how I said it was rom-com driven with some melodrama thrown in? Those reverse completely, and suddenly we're in a Degrassi-style teen drama with rom-com elements present but scaled back.</p><p>Now, unlike <i>Another</i>, these elements were always present in the show, so it didn't feel as jarring looking back. But suspense/mystery to horror is a much smaller jump from comedy-driven to drama-driven. The show almost feels like an imposter of itself. (Tora is sus... I apologize. That was horrible.)</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSqOXmUd5Jbzx2Ir2dKYDA_RzO4QSA1nRY16nWlOykDnAWCEX4VjxJye33cb7S0SRp_esRYmvIMS5qFPFfq1ZyJ2Gc9BHYDqY4w3dDd-IvMa1qz_8LUK5GABkpzWaprrUvxvFfBtiN-5Sv/s848/minori.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="848" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSqOXmUd5Jbzx2Ir2dKYDA_RzO4QSA1nRY16nWlOykDnAWCEX4VjxJye33cb7S0SRp_esRYmvIMS5qFPFfq1ZyJ2Gc9BHYDqY4w3dDd-IvMa1qz_8LUK5GABkpzWaprrUvxvFfBtiN-5Sv/s320/minori.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>This is further emphasized by the fact that characterization of the five main characters gets altered, reversed or chucked out in order to fit the direction the story wants to move.<p></p><p>Taiga's aggressive demeanor vanishes almost entirely for the Christmas episodes (because she still believes in Santa... as a high-schooler...) and remains scaled back for the rest of the show. Ryuji goes on meathead-mode for a while and can't seem to intuit any of what the people around him are feeling, which he had been working on and much improved on over the show. A minor setback is one thing; he felt like he was back in episode 3 or 4 again.</p><p>It affects the other three as well. Minori probably gets it the worst, as she begins to feel guilty for events at the end of episode 16, and it costs her team the game in episode 17. She mopes for THREE EPISODES STRAIGHT because of this, and I was getting unnerving Sayori from DDLC vibes about her for a while.</p><p>Ami's personality switches back-and-forth depending on what role the writers need her to fill in a crystallized moment, and I'm pretty sure Yusaku had his main character status revoked at some point in all this because he fades in the background a lot and has his character destroyed in contrived, stupid ways. Basically, he becomes the Yamcha of the group.</p><p>Remember the found-family dynamic I loved? Yeah that went right out the window. In a move that was just unfortunate on so many levels, the writer decided that Taiga and Ryuji should be the main couple. This is despite the fact that Ami even calls out that the two have a family dynamic (though she notes that she sees Minori and Ryuji as surrogate parents for Taiga, which makes what's happening here SO MUCH worse).</p><p>This is why the changes in character and tone had to be made. By not 'babyfacing' the main characters at the beginning, they set up a scenario where the initial romantic relationships weren't DOA. That's great when you plan to let those relationships pan out to the end of the show, but when you plan to just pair the two main characters off anyway, it doesn't generate good feelings toward your show.</p><p>Because of all that, they had to do a rush job in the middle of the show. The next six episodes try to keep Minori mostly good by having her give Ryuji up on her own (She comes across Taiga crying in one of the least sensical sequences of the whole show and decides to tap out.), but not before making me genuinely nervous about this show going the tragic death route. Meanwhile, Yusaku gets caught up in multiple lies and feels like a weird appendage to the rest of the show.</p><p>Even the found family dynamic gets abandoned in favor of bringing both Taiga and Ryuji's extended families into the story. Hey, remember when we all learned that lesson mid-series about how family members who constantly use and abandon you are not family worth keeping? Remember when Taiga found her support system in Ryuji and his mom, who even called her 'family?' Clearly not, based on these last few messes of episodes.</p><p>I won't go into specifics of the ending; honestly, this should be enough to make the point clear. This show (and from what I can tell, the books they're based on) did not realize when the story they wanted to tell - and the story they were telling - had diverged to the point that they needed to change course. By sticking to their plan all the way to the end, they derailed a story that was proving to be great fun, and drove it off the roof of a building in favor of nonsense melodrama.</p><p>I do recommend the first 16 episodes, but be ready to be disappointed if you choose to see the final nine. I actually may have to rewrite the last nine episodes myself if I get some time.</p><p>Though, for right now, I have a lot of side stories for my current fic that need attending.</p>Sean Network Blogshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17485611190342614180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1247338904496237124.post-90711154860006259442020-01-19T11:37:00.004-08:002020-01-19T11:37:52.266-08:00NFL Conference Championship teams and their wrestling counterparts (Year 10: 2019-20)NOTE: To see the previous years, follow these links: <a href="http://seannetmma.blogspot.com/2011/01/wrestling-blog-nfl-playoffs-who-are.html" style="background-color: #fff9ee; color: #ff1900; font-family: georgia, utopia, "palatino linotype", palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px;">2010-11</a><span style="background-color: #fff9ee; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "utopia" , "palatino linotype" , "palatino" , serif; font-size: 15.4px;">, </span><a href="http://wrestlingblogarchive.blogspot.com/2012/01/2012-conference-title-teams-who-would.html" style="background-color: #fff9ee; color: #888888; font-family: georgia, utopia, "palatino linotype", palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px;">2011-12</a><span style="background-color: #fff9ee; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "utopia" , "palatino linotype" , "palatino" , serif; font-size: 15.4px;">, </span><a href="http://wrestlingblogarchive.blogspot.com/2013/01/who-would-afcnfc-conference.html" style="background-color: #fff9ee; color: #888888; font-family: georgia, utopia, "palatino linotype", palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px;">2012-13</a><span style="background-color: #fff9ee; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "utopia" , "palatino linotype" , "palatino" , serif; font-size: 15.4px;">, </span><a href="http://wrestlingblogarchive.blogspot.com/2014_01_01_archive.html" style="background-color: #fff9ee; color: #888888; font-family: georgia, utopia, "palatino linotype", palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px;">2013-14</a>,<span style="background-color: #fff9ee; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "utopia" , "palatino linotype" , "palatino" , serif; font-size: 15.4px;"> </span><a href="http://wrestlingblogarchive.blogspot.com/2015/01/nfl-conference-finalists-and-their-wwe.html" style="background-color: #fff9ee; color: #888888; font-family: georgia, utopia, "palatino linotype", palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px;">2014-15</a>,<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "utopia" , "palatino linotype" , "palatino" , serif;"><span style="background-color: #fff9ee; font-size: 15.4px;"> <a href="http://theseannetwork.blogspot.com/2016/01/nfl-conference-finalists-and-their-wwe.html">2015-16</a>, <a href="http://theseannetwork.blogspot.com/2017/01/nfl-conference-finalists-and-their-wwe.html">2016-17</a>, <a href="https://theseannetwork.blogspot.com/2018/01/nfl-conference-championship-teams-and.html">2017-18</a>, <a href="https://theseannetwork.blogspot.com/2019/01/nfl-conference-championship-teams-and.html">2018-19</a>).</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "utopia" , "palatino linotype" , "palatino" , serif;"><span style="background-color: #fff9ee; font-size: 15.4px;"><br /></span></span>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "utopia" , "palatino linotype" , "palatino" , serif;"><span style="background-color: #fff9ee; font-size: 15.4px;"><b id="docs-internal-guid-01a95ad2-7fff-18ba-2935-22faa2b573c3" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></span></span>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">This year’s wrestling-NFL blog will complete a decade-long tradition, but it will also represent a #10yearchallenge for this blog.</span></div>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "utopia" , "palatino linotype" , "palatino" , serif;"><span style="background-color: #fff9ee; font-size: 15.4px;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></span></span>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">When I started out with this idea, I was watching WWE consistently and had a good grasp on the talent. A decade later, my wrestling fandom is more entrenched, but I have gained a better grasp on my tastes in what makes a good wrestler, a good angle, a good match, and a good overall show.</span></div>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "utopia" , "palatino linotype" , "palatino" , serif;"><span style="background-color: #fff9ee; font-size: 15.4px;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></span></span>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Ultimately, it has led me away from the WWE programming and its overall incompetent structure. My weekly wrestling fix is now filled by three promotions that represent, to varying degrees, what I think should be present in professional wrestling.</span></div>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "utopia" , "palatino linotype" , "palatino" , serif;"><span style="background-color: #fff9ee; font-size: 15.4px;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></span></span>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">As such, I am going to tie this year’s teams to the promotions I think best represent their personalities. If you like a certain team’s playing style, you can kind of extrapolate from there whether the company might be the one for you. Let’s begin!</span></div>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "utopia" , "palatino linotype" , "palatino" , serif;"><span style="background-color: #fff9ee; font-size: 15.4px;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></span></span>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Kansas City Chiefs - All Elite Wrestling</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGENbPSk7u_Z7QqNc8DU8QLPeihCS3YzI9uu6BCi2M4am6nSg5gJQpMPgpRxM1agC6fAQRno9zYgC_RTO4C05jZreDS_VlVSfMoSXv8yNftbokFCicxkSeSzq6IptyKzmptgLXYpZaW4FK/s1600/chiefs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGENbPSk7u_Z7QqNc8DU8QLPeihCS3YzI9uu6BCi2M4am6nSg5gJQpMPgpRxM1agC6fAQRno9zYgC_RTO4C05jZreDS_VlVSfMoSXv8yNftbokFCicxkSeSzq6IptyKzmptgLXYpZaW4FK/s1600/chiefs.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "utopia" , "palatino linotype" , "palatino" , serif;"><span style="background-color: #fff9ee; font-size: 15.4px;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></span></span>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">The thing about KC this year has been that, after emerging as a legitimate threat to New England in the AFC, people assumed that this would be the year that they could take over as the new guard in the conference.</span></div>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "utopia" , "palatino linotype" , "palatino" , serif;"><span style="background-color: #fff9ee; font-size: 15.4px;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></span></span>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Then, lo and behold, they got off to a VERY rocky start. People began questioning if they had it together enough to actually live up to their potential, or if they would become the New York Knicks to New England’s Chicago Bulls.</span></div>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "utopia" , "palatino linotype" , "palatino" , serif;"><span style="background-color: #fff9ee; font-size: 15.4px;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></span></span>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">What we did not count on, though, was the teams ahead of them collapsing around them so that when they righted the ship, there was no resistance. New England failed to even get out of round one this year.</span></div>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "utopia" , "palatino linotype" , "palatino" , serif;"><span style="background-color: #fff9ee; font-size: 15.4px;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></span></span>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">This represents AEW and their wild opening journey. The show is still heavily flawed. The women’s division is booked incompetently and the tag division has chosen to focus on being a spectacle more than actually creating must-see tag teams.</span></div>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "utopia" , "palatino linotype" , "palatino" , serif;"><span style="background-color: #fff9ee; font-size: 15.4px;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></span></span>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Nonetheless, an impressive top of the card, solid main event angles, and most of all, a monster collapse of the WWE’s product quality and viewership, has convinced TNT that this company is worth $175 million.</span></div>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "utopia" , "palatino linotype" , "palatino" , serif;"><span style="background-color: #fff9ee; font-size: 15.4px;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></span></span>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">AEW, like KC, is here to stay. Question is: Will they live up to their potential?</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxWuKU2b0zejebjtdl6epA4Hm5oUekPq2y9bi9_4oNttU-nTPjQ4HhN625eXWoZvnoIZCAXISDmoYO7gnxQv7lo0MPLwkE-W2tQZOaUtI4N1dyqyljT4uNOot-cewab3E9ZRlXsWu0yOld/s1600/aew.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="473" data-original-width="840" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxWuKU2b0zejebjtdl6epA4Hm5oUekPq2y9bi9_4oNttU-nTPjQ4HhN625eXWoZvnoIZCAXISDmoYO7gnxQv7lo0MPLwkE-W2tQZOaUtI4N1dyqyljT4uNOot-cewab3E9ZRlXsWu0yOld/s320/aew.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Tennessee Titans - Major League Wrestling</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDd4v-r30vEMVqo-b3IDByEZTVC5EG6HzM83okdP83Vco_ky8Uc3t9LtbaQ0gn2z6oHr-di2HAgvVX5eQK1QhbzWQABXfW4hXB3XePEtqtXUsqWe2RztuAV5vuhyphenhyphenQ_7rp4mfulDtQpfv8G/s1600/titans.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="547" data-original-width="843" height="129" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDd4v-r30vEMVqo-b3IDByEZTVC5EG6HzM83okdP83Vco_ky8Uc3t9LtbaQ0gn2z6oHr-di2HAgvVX5eQK1QhbzWQABXfW4hXB3XePEtqtXUsqWe2RztuAV5vuhyphenhyphenQ_7rp4mfulDtQpfv8G/s200/titans.png" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">MLW has seemingly come out of nowhere after reviving itself in the mid 2010s. Court Bauer convinced BeIn Sports to give them a rights deal, and not only has the show been successful, it may be getting upgraded to Showtime or the Paramount Network.</span></div>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "utopia" , "palatino linotype" , "palatino" , serif;"><span style="background-color: #fff9ee; font-size: 15.4px;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></span></span>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Such a move would pole vault the company into world-class discussions with world-class money. And it’s fitting for a company that mixes old-school simple booking, with international styles that blend surprisingly well, an adherence to actual weight classes (!), and some (admittedly) trash deathmatch stuff. Can’t be perfect.</span></div>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "utopia" , "palatino linotype" , "palatino" , serif;"><span style="background-color: #fff9ee; font-size: 15.4px;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></span></span>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Regardless, this is the crossroads where Tennessee finds itself as well. They are relying on old-school running backs - like Jim Brown old-school - with a modern twist to find themselves on the verge of being a legitimate force in the conference. They just need one more signature moment to validate themselves.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6bRyDb2OZKoMivWfDecWhOwuaWODUqV6z3JtJtVdzWi2kJsNjFkdSjs-pVM7fEkJK69_QtRHlZOxC0KfXM_lHCEcv-ussqQCsT1KgWXE0sGlaBnseHbFXzlRruE0jF0MJ4-Ictv00waA5/s1600/mlw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1479" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6bRyDb2OZKoMivWfDecWhOwuaWODUqV6z3JtJtVdzWi2kJsNjFkdSjs-pVM7fEkJK69_QtRHlZOxC0KfXM_lHCEcv-ussqQCsT1KgWXE0sGlaBnseHbFXzlRruE0jF0MJ4-Ictv00waA5/s320/mlw.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Green Bay Packers - Ring of Honor</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDsWZPmDfeSgME2zRiGlgLEqNFhTd4B59TMGm9qedKR0tO3QxCNr9LnEbTIyD5I0WEbLNsHOsZOID55BRmLTQNw6wxUf9fSVB37BoR463ZRmQk2tceLqWwMKsWC5hSaFIKKN6catQNGvkf/s1600/packers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1365" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDsWZPmDfeSgME2zRiGlgLEqNFhTd4B59TMGm9qedKR0tO3QxCNr9LnEbTIyD5I0WEbLNsHOsZOID55BRmLTQNw6wxUf9fSVB37BoR463ZRmQk2tceLqWwMKsWC5hSaFIKKN6catQNGvkf/s200/packers.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Green Bay is that team that always seems to be in the hunt, but never actually cracks the top tier. They have all the ingredients offensively that make you think they’d have more titles by now, but a porous defense and coaching always seem to degrade them in the playoffs.</span></div>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "utopia" , "palatino linotype" , "palatino" , serif;"><span style="background-color: #fff9ee; font-size: 15.4px;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></span></span>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Ring of Honor’s fans could tell you the same stories. Despite great talent coming through over the years, a mess in the booking department, letting people get over at the expense of the larger brand, and unsupportive management have left the brand damaged.</span></div>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "utopia" , "palatino linotype" , "palatino" , serif;"><span style="background-color: #fff9ee; font-size: 15.4px;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></span></span>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Both, however, have seen recent upsides. The Pack is finally moving in the right direction, and it seems like, in spite of all his controversy, Aaron Rodgers is finally making his run behind some real support.</span></div>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "utopia" , "palatino linotype" , "palatino" , serif;"><span style="background-color: #fff9ee; font-size: 15.4px;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></span></span>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Meanwhile, after ROH hit its low point with the recent Kelly Klein issues, they were able to re-sign top star Marty Scurll as well as some big talent from Mexico to pad out their roster. There may be life in them after all.</span></div>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "utopia" , "palatino linotype" , "palatino" , serif;"><span style="background-color: #fff9ee; font-size: 15.4px;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></span></span>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">The rest of Green Bay’s year, and all of ROH’s 2020, will go a long way toward determining their futures.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmWiy_m1LGwt4ENVHLsKQhlHkYdP5iEV3SdyGjOvWGKWdIwkT7JbY9_JbfHfUTnPGYQG7JNbo4H-lPAUJAti01ZSRQZ4DuOmJul_eh-HSjWPNr4eKRa18X6Dq7pF8cLKemVwSTjM68-DIv/s1600/roh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="388" data-original-width="643" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmWiy_m1LGwt4ENVHLsKQhlHkYdP5iEV3SdyGjOvWGKWdIwkT7JbY9_JbfHfUTnPGYQG7JNbo4H-lPAUJAti01ZSRQZ4DuOmJul_eh-HSjWPNr4eKRa18X6Dq7pF8cLKemVwSTjM68-DIv/s320/roh.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "utopia" , "palatino linotype" , "palatino" , serif;"><span style="background-color: #fff9ee; font-size: 15.4px;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></span></span>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">San Francisco 49ers - National Wrestling Alliance</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf9hyV05qwTGzILGexJnItCA1o-UZbSxBMU6KAPTgIorTpl6YCFgrHUkpkDVUIQCOJg8KD4354EFqJKpskHsVC8-qy_jC9w2oymmfN3VVcD1vW8zwCMrgpRwBOGyOoKChAe0JXoDNsJZn1/s1600/49ers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="900" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf9hyV05qwTGzILGexJnItCA1o-UZbSxBMU6KAPTgIorTpl6YCFgrHUkpkDVUIQCOJg8KD4354EFqJKpskHsVC8-qy_jC9w2oymmfN3VVcD1vW8zwCMrgpRwBOGyOoKChAe0JXoDNsJZn1/s200/49ers.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">San Fran has not seen relevance in a long time. Just a few years back, they were a punchline.</span></div>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "utopia" , "palatino linotype" , "palatino" , serif;"><span style="background-color: #fff9ee; font-size: 15.4px;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></span></span>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">But sure enough, a move to pick up a backup quarterback from the Patriots changed their trajectory, and they have been on the upswing ever since. Do they look invincible? No. But do they look closest to a consistent squad that won’t make major blunders? Absolutely, and that could carry them to being the best.</span></div>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "utopia" , "palatino linotype" , "palatino" , serif;"><span style="background-color: #fff9ee; font-size: 15.4px;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></span></span>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Likewise, the NWA has not been a relevant company since the early 90s (or mid 2000s, if you count when their belts were in TNA). The name had long since been a relic of the bygone territory days.</span></div>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "utopia" , "palatino linotype" , "palatino" , serif;"><span style="background-color: #fff9ee; font-size: 15.4px;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></span></span>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">But like San Fran, the best thing to happen to them seemed innocuous. Billy Corgan’s purchase of the name and rights has revitalized the company, and through small-scale growth, he has built a brand that mixes retro with the modern, quick-paced style of television. While the show is currently YouTube exclusive, the simple matches and easy-to-follow storylines have been an excellent display of why the older wrestling style still can work in modern day.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX4szEtXbZwGbGMfba7Xl0kfZwzkLe8WQDNJlxaXyJejVDkzovHXZU2MwUQLrboFj2E5t3ep5FF4TxlejxUguqEwSebNhGTw2hVfuw36mAh2W61avrD7mM_jOrhieV5F9fITtePao1wa3W/s1600/nwa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="722" data-original-width="1284" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX4szEtXbZwGbGMfba7Xl0kfZwzkLe8WQDNJlxaXyJejVDkzovHXZU2MwUQLrboFj2E5t3ep5FF4TxlejxUguqEwSebNhGTw2hVfuw36mAh2W61avrD7mM_jOrhieV5F9fITtePao1wa3W/s320/nwa.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "utopia" , "palatino linotype" , "palatino" , serif;"><span style="background-color: #fff9ee; font-size: 15.4px;"><br /></span></span>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">End of the day, I suspect the 49ers pull off a narrow win, and KC finally gets over the hump after a very difficult game with the Titans.</span></div>
Sean Network Blogshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17485611190342614180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1247338904496237124.post-77195116566473959392019-01-20T09:07:00.001-08:002019-01-20T09:07:07.284-08:00NFL Conference Championship teams and their wrestling counterparts (Year 9: 2018-19)NOTE: To see the previous years, follow these links: <a href="http://seannetmma.blogspot.com/2011/01/wrestling-blog-nfl-playoffs-who-are.html" style="background-color: #fff9ee; color: #ff1900; font-family: georgia, utopia, "palatino linotype", palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px;">2010-11</a><span style="background-color: #fff9ee; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "utopia" , "palatino linotype" , "palatino" , serif; font-size: 15.4px;">, </span><a href="http://wrestlingblogarchive.blogspot.com/2012/01/2012-conference-title-teams-who-would.html" style="background-color: #fff9ee; color: #888888; font-family: georgia, utopia, "palatino linotype", palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px; text-decoration-line: none;">2011-12</a><span style="background-color: #fff9ee; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "utopia" , "palatino linotype" , "palatino" , serif; font-size: 15.4px;">, </span><a href="http://wrestlingblogarchive.blogspot.com/2013/01/who-would-afcnfc-conference.html" style="background-color: #fff9ee; color: #888888; font-family: georgia, utopia, "palatino linotype", palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px; text-decoration-line: none;">2012-13</a><span style="background-color: #fff9ee; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "utopia" , "palatino linotype" , "palatino" , serif; font-size: 15.4px;">, </span><a href="http://wrestlingblogarchive.blogspot.com/2014_01_01_archive.html" style="background-color: #fff9ee; color: #888888; font-family: georgia, utopia, "palatino linotype", palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px; text-decoration-line: none;">2013-14</a>,<span style="background-color: #fff9ee; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "utopia" , "palatino linotype" , "palatino" , serif; font-size: 15.4px;"> </span><a href="http://wrestlingblogarchive.blogspot.com/2015/01/nfl-conference-finalists-and-their-wwe.html" style="background-color: #fff9ee; color: #888888; font-family: georgia, utopia, "palatino linotype", palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px; text-decoration-line: none;">2014-15</a>,<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "utopia" , "palatino linotype" , "palatino" , serif;"><span style="background-color: #fff9ee; font-size: 15.4px;"> <a href="http://theseannetwork.blogspot.com/2016/01/nfl-conference-finalists-and-their-wwe.html">2015-16</a>, <a href="http://theseannetwork.blogspot.com/2017/01/nfl-conference-finalists-and-their-wwe.html">2016-17</a>, <a href="https://theseannetwork.blogspot.com/2018/01/nfl-conference-championship-teams-and.html">2017-18</a>).</span></span><br />
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Hard to believe it, but I've been working on this thing for nearly a decade. Next year will be one decade of the NFL conference championship blog, and I already know what gimmick I'll be using next year.<br />
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As for this year, I actually kept switching between different gimmick ideas for a multitude of reasons. Among them were: 1. Each gimmick had one team that had trouble fitting with its counterpart when I thought of the explanation, and 2. I have basically been avoiding WWE like the plague for most of the year.<br />
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That's not to say I didn't watch wrestling at all this year. Heck, you may have seen that I tried to keep a monthly best matches column on this blog before it became clear my teaching schedule would make doing anything on a scheduled basis difficult. I'm sure it won't stop me from trying again, but realistically, I should stick to writing when I have an opinion I have a MIGHTY NEED to give out.<br />
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(Probably my favorite thing that ever happened on Invader Zim... well that or this one:</div>
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Or maybe the Christmas special... I'm getting off track.)<br />
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Anyway, since I did stables last year, this go-around I wanted to touch on tag teams. But OH MY does WWE not care about tag teams. When I looked at the current tag team roster, I saw a crew that gets jobbed out like no one's business.<br />
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Admittedly, SmackDown at least seems to have a little more protection, but even with a cursory following of Raw on recaps, I know that the tag division is broken. When one of the teams who held your World championship is literally called the B-Team, you have given up on trying to make money with your division.<br />
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So as an act of protest against this load of garbage, I'm going to do a WWE counterpart, but only as a secondary thought. It's also only going to be women's wrestlers, since when I do hear positives about WWE, they almost always come from the women's division.<br />
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My main idea will be tag teams from the companies I actually followed this year (New Japan Pro Wrestling, Ring of Honor and CMLL). Because they have earned the right to be talked about this year.<br />
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Let's do this! AFC first!<br />
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<b>KANSAS CITY CHIEFS - THE YOUNG BUCKS (WWE: ASUKA)</b><br />
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The Chiefs have had an entertaining year to say the least. Their offense was at the top of the league and their new rookie quarterback, Patrick Mahomes, has been a source of great fun on the field.<br />
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Despite the youth, though, it's the experience that is helping carry this team through its more difficult moments. Travis Kelce is a long-time monster at the tight end position, and Andy Reid is nothing if not legendary as a coach at this point. The only thing missing from his résumé is a championship, and he may finally have a team who can do it, so he is clearly on a mission this year to make that happen.<br />
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The Young Bucks represent all of these emotions pretty clearly. They have always come across as the "NEXT GEN" of professional wrestling, but at this point they are past the 30-year mark in life. They look like they don't age, but Nick and Matt Jackson were at a point this year where this current free agency was their last good chance to make money.<br />
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So what did they do this year? They moved up to New Japan's heavyweight division and captured the championships, then did the same in Ring of Honor. This is the only tag team in the world who could force themselves in the tag title matches of both companies' biggest shows (despite not really being involved in the storylines at all) and not have the bulk of the internet get mad at them. (Though I was annoyed at the New Japan one.)<br />
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And now their mission carries on into 2019 when they start their own wrestling company. If anyone has a chip on their shoulders the size of Andy Reid, it's these two.<br />
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I should note that I don't think the women's wrestlers I'm using are great matches for the teams, but they're the closest I can get to WWE talent that makes sense for this blog.<br />
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Asuka works because she has a high-octane offense (when it's allowed to be shown), and despite being new to fans of WWE, she's actually one of the most veteran talents on the roster. Her credentials speak for themselves... honestly far more than the Chiefs can boast, though her year has been spotty due to injury (which doesn't match the Chiefs success this year). That said, she's the best option from WWE to match KC.<br />
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<b>NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS - THE BRISCOES (WWE: CHARLOTTE FLAIR)</b><br />
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I'm really getting tired of coming up with new analogies for the Patriots. I'm tired of the AFC east being so collectively incompetent that the Pats keep winning the division despite getting markedly worse by the year. I'm tired of them using those easy wins to stack their record into getting a bye week in the playoffs. I'm tired of them getting through a home playoff game with an extra week to plan so they can get on this blog.<br />
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The continued perpetual round of New England madness continues this year, but at least this time they're at a disadvantage compared to most years. Usually, if the Pats go to the Super Bowl, they're at home in the conference title game. The fact that they have to play in Kansas City this time may be the difference maker. At least it better be... I already have money on the outcome.<br />
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But regardless of any of the previous statements, they nonetheless are never totally out of the picture, which makes the Briscoes of Ring of Honor the perfect team for New England.<br />
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"Dem Boys" won the ROH tag title on two occasions this year, bringing their grand total to 10 times in their careers dating back to ROH's creation in 2002. Teams have come and gone, but the Briscoes are a permanent fixture in the ROH arenas akin to furniture or weird, creepy men at ringside who cheer for everything the company does (even when they need you to boo, you annoying little man!).<br />
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But yeah, the Briscoes rose to power around the same time the Pats did, and chances are they'll exit the scene around the same time. Unlike the Pats though, I highly recommend you go and find the work of Jay and Mark Briscoe ASAP. It's a great time.<br />
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As for the Charlotte comparison, I think it goes without saying. She's in the title picture constantly. She's gotten all the major "first time ever" matches they have been doing for the women's revolution, and at the rate she's going, by the end of next year, she will probably have broken Mickie James' record of nine women's world title reigns (Mickie had 6 in WWE, 3 in TNA).<br />
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<b>NEW ORLEANS SAINTS - THE GUERRILLAS OF DESTINY (GoD) a.k.a. THE OG BULLET CLUB (WWE: BECKY LYNCH)</b><br />
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If there's a tag team out there I enjoy more than Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa, they are escaping my mind right now. This has been a year of revival for the classic era of the Bullet Club.<br />
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Over the last couple years, the Elite of Kenny Omega, the Young Bucks and Cody (notRhodes) have been dominating Bullet Club storylines to the point that I had largely forgotten about the original members who had not gone anywhere.<br />
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This quickly changed when the OGBC's laid out the Elite and have basically stuffed them at every turn since then, ensuring that the Elite were purged from the classic crew. The Elite may end up with way more money by the end, especially if All Elite Wrestling takes off like I think (hope) it might, but as far as New Japan fans go, GoD got one up on them on the way out.<br />
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The Saints feel like a redemption tour has been long in the works. Despite winning a title and having a candidate for Greatest Quarterback Ever, New Orleans has been almost perennially on the bridesmaid list without any hope of actually getting back to the altar.<br />
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(Actually come to think of it, marriage is a terrible analogy here. The point of football is to get to the big stage more than once... eh, forget it. You all get it and I'm on a roll here.)<br />
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This year has felt like a renaissance with the renewed offense and a revived defense that has given Drew Brees and the Saints a real shot again. I'm still not a believer in Sean Payton, but we'll see how this goes.<br />
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Oh, and hey! The Saints beat the Eagles, who claimed last year's Super Bowl by beating the Pats. You know what that means...<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New Orleans is THE MAN.</td></tr>
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Please give Becky Lynch the main event of WrestleMania. She is quite literally the best thing on any show right now.<br />
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<b>LOS ANGELES RAMS - SO CAL UNCENSORED (WWE: RONDA ROUSEY)</b><br />
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So this is the team that I said didn't fit ideally with this specific gimmick. I have looked at tag teams across multiple companies and simply have not been satisfied with any of the choices for who could match the Rams.<br />
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The closest WWE came was Lucha House Party, but giving anyone a WWE tag team for a comparison feels like a cruel prank at this point, so that was out.<br />
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I thought of Suzuki-GUN in New Japan, but the teams they field don't usually revolve around new wrestlers. I considered Los Ingobernables de Japon's junior heavyweight team of Shingo and BUSHI, but the team only started mid-year.<br />
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I had really considered Nueva Generación Dinamitas in CMLL (El Cuatrero and Sansón), but they despite being in major storylines most of the year, they never felt like a team they were going to focus on as a team. (Kind of the nature of CMLL, but nonetheless...)<br />
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I finally settled on So Cal Uncensored because like the Rams, their offensive output and ability to impress has returned to previous levels this year. I have gotten enjoyment out of basically all the SCU matches I've seen, and their quest to become champions again was the best thing on ROH TV this year. I am truly glad that ROH recognized their talents and gave the tag titles the main event of 2018's biggest pay-per-view. Whether the team was Daniels and Kazarian, or Kazarian and Scorpio Sky, they delivered.<br />
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That said, the biggest draw to the Rams was youth and inexperience. There is no team that represents young blood in this league quite as well as the LA Rams. Fact is, across the major companies, the teams right now have all established themselves pretty well.<br />
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Luckily, using women as well in the comparison has saved me here because Ronda Rousey is perfect for the Rams.<br />
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Rousey, like the Rams, had been famous for being dominant in a previous time, but their stock had faded over the last few years... mostly thanks to incompetent coaching on both their parts.<br />
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Recently, though, both have revived themselves and appear better than they may have ever been. The Rams broke records that "The Greatest Show on Turf" set during their brief reign atop the football world. Meanwhile, Rousey has entered WWE and immediately become both a huge draw and a steady working hand in the ring.<br />
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Rousey matches are one of the few guarantees of quality left in the company, and few teams can boast being as exciting as a Rams football game.<br />
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Had it not been for "The Man" appearing on SmackDown, Rousey would be the biggest deal in the company right now among the fans. And had it not been for the Saints upending their undefeated season, the Rams would be the big deal Holyfield in the NFL going into this week's games.<br />
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WrestleMania and the remaining NFL playoffs will be monumental in determining whether the years of Ronda and the Rams will be simply another great season with a flat finish, or if the year will go down in the annals of history as being legendary.<br />
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(For the record, football-wise I think it will be, as I will take the Rams to win a rematch with the Chiefs to pick up a championship.)Sean Network Blogshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17485611190342614180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1247338904496237124.post-26841708006772137352018-03-31T12:43:00.001-07:002018-03-31T12:43:14.656-07:00Thoughts from Up North: CMLL Viernes 3/30/18My top matches of March blog is due up, seeing as I'm typing this on the last day of March. I am, however, reserving judgment on the rankings because of this show. There seems like there might be a contender on the card, so let's find out!<br />
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Before I do, though, I wanted to give credit to a match on the Tuesday card: Barbaro Cavernario vs. Soberano Jr. in a non-title bout. This blew of a feud that went a couple weeks over there apparently, but I was interested mainly because of the two involved in the match. I'll discuss it in the matches of the month almost definitely, but needless to say, check it out.<br />
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<b>Opening Match: Flyer and Robin vs. Templario and Akuma</b><br />
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Always happy to see Flyer and Templario in matches. I don't think I've seen the other two. If I have, they left no impression. Robin's actually got a decent set of high-flying moves, though he's still trying to get speed into all of his moves. The first fall happens fairly quickly, with Akuma and Templario both hitting dives from the ramp into the ring to take out Flyer, while Robin was taken out with a top-rope splash from Akuma.<br />
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Akuma was almost immediately a non-factor in the second fall, though. Flyer went off the second rope and hit him with a knee to get him out of the equation. Templario then got a good heat segment where he actually managed some offense. It's actually somewhat rare for anyone to get offense once outnumbered, especially in an early fall, so good for Templario that they trusted him with that. He eventually fell to a rana to even the fall count 1-1.<br />
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CMLL's mandate against top-rope moves in the opener led to some attempts to play with moves off the second rope. Some were awkward, but I was actually impressed with the ideas. Robin and Akuma were both on the second rope when Robin jumped up and hit a rana to eliminate him again. Templario immediately countered with a powerbomb to eliminate Robin. It then took two Canadian Destroyers, the second one using the low rope as a launchpad for speed, for Flyer to take out Templario. Really fun match that showcased Templario as a real up-and-coming rudo. Flyer looked great as well, and I'm hoping this creates a singles match down the road. <b>3 stars.</b><br />
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<b>Second Match: Kaho Kobayashi, Marcela, Princesa Sugehit vs. La Seductora, Zeuxis, Dallys</b><br />
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This is yet another rematch. I know there are other women on this roster, some significantly more talented than Seductora. And I know it's possible to book a large women's division well, so what the heck are we doing here? Oh, as an aside, Zeuxis is now a champion in Puerto Rico, so she has two titles.<br />
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So watching the first fall, Seductora is capable of working and taking bumps, but they are way too slow to be believable. She could be a solid ground-exclusive wrestler if the matches were booked around it. Also, there is a fine line between arrogantly leaving a limb open to counter, and blatantly placing it and waiting for a counter. Dallys should work on that. Anyway, Seductora tapped out Kaho with a Disarmer, and Dallys pinned Marcela for fall 1.<br />
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In the second fall, following some of the worst ground stomps in the history of televised ground stomps, Kaho got caught outside the ring trying to hit a top-rope plancha, and got slammed into the guard rail. Marcela then took out Zeuxis and Dallys with a plancha of her own. Sugehit nearly rolled up Seductora, but Seductora wrapped her arm into the bottom rope to hold her down for a captain's fall and a 2-0 win. The técnicos were livid after this, but at least it seems like they had an idea for an angle. Hopefully, this goes somewhere. <b>1.75 stars.</b><br />
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<b>Third Match: Blue Panther family (Blue Panthers Sr and Jr, and The Panther) vs. Kuwato San, Dragon Rojo, Felino</b><br />
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Pretty hyped for this one. I love the whole Panther family, Kuwato San has looked good since coming over from NJPW on excursion, and Dragon Rojo's entrance has more pyro than literally all of Raw and SmackDown in 2018 to date. Not sure if I've seen Felino. The go-go dancers that perplexingly get all the camera time during the special ring intros are dressed like cowgirls for some reason.<br />
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Kuwato seemed to tease rudo interference a couple times that Blue Sr. caught, but he eventually went for it. The Panther saw him and started a sequence of lucha tags, and the chaos led to The Panther faking a dropkick and turning it into a roll-up for the captain's fall. 1-0 faces. Blue Panther Sr. did the bulk of the work here, and though his work is clearly slower, he has clearly mastered the ring enough to still maintain believability. He's a great hand to help dictate this match.<br />
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Blue Sr. and Blue Jr. got taken out of the equation early in the fall, allowing a 3-on-1 on The Panther. The Panther had a nice leapfrog over Dragon Rojo, but it only led him into a splash from Felino. Rojo then made him tap to the disarmer. Blue Jr. ran in next, but the 3-on-1 continued, and Kuwato hit a top rope splash for the pin. 1-1.<br />
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Rojo clawed at the masks of both The Panther and Blue Jr., leading to them double-teaming on his mask while Blue Sr. intimidated the ref. A lot of good combo moves from the brothers before the rudos started hitting top-rope dives to the outside of the ring. Eventually, Blue Jr. got rolled up by Rojo, while Kuwato got rolled up by The Panther. The two then took their fight outside the ring while Felino scored the captain's fall on Blue Sr. with a modified leg lock. Great third fall, though I wonder when they will pull the trigger on pushing the younger panthers. They look like they are due to move into the upper half of the card. <b>3.5 stars.</b><br />
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<b>Fourth Match: Mr. Niebla, Negro Casas, Barbaro Cavernario v. The Axis (Johnny Idol, Sam Adonis, Okumura)</b><br />
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Rudos vs. Rudos here, so I'm thinking The Axis will act as the heat generators. Oh, and Tirantes is reffing. That almost seems perfect.<br />
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This became a brawl almost immediately that covered most of the area around the ring. A glitch jumped time forward on the stream, so I didn't see the second fall during the match. Luckily, I got it on replay. Okumura hit a slam on Cavernario, then Idol hit a drop kick on Niebla to take the first fall.<br />
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Niebla took most of the beating in the second fall, but he was able to break free and hit a dive outside the ring on Adonis to take him out of the equation. This allowed Cavernario and Casas to hit simultaneous roll-ups on the Axis to even the match at 1-1.<br />
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The third fall was heavy on spectacle, mostly involving spit. It was kind of hard to sit through. Eventually, though, they got back to actual wrestling and had a decent finish. Cavernario dropkicked Idol to pin him, while Niebla hit a splash on Okumura to complete the match. Good for Cavernario picking up a win, but the third fall kind of lost me. <b>2.5 stars.</b><br />
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<b>Semi-main event: Revelos Increibles - Caristico, Atlantis, El Valiente vs. Rush, Kraneo, La Bestia del Ring</b><br />
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Revelos Increibles are supposed to have teams with members that are either A) feuding or B) on opposite sides of face-heel alignment. I have no idea which this is. I guess if you count Caristico as a rudo completely, and the weird técnico turn for Kraneo in Puebla extends here, it technically works...<br />
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I think CMLL has gotten wise to Atlantis' limitations as a performer right now, so he basically got mugged early in this match so he's not expected to hit a lot of offense the rest of the way. The ref got tossed out of the ring, leading to a DQ of the Los Ingobernables team. 1-0 Team Atlantis.<br />
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The second fall felt dominant, with Atlantis getting tossed outside the ring and Caristico getting hit with a piledriver to take the second fall. 1-1.<br />
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The final fall started slow, but Valiente hit some big power moves on Kraneo, and Caristico got a few big dives on Rush to get the final push to the finish going. I expected the pace to crack when Atlantis and Bestia went with each other, but they held up ok, and at the end, Atlantis tricked Los Ingobernables into attacking Kraneo. This, of course, led to him getting revenge on his teammates and leaving them for the loss. It was an interesting angle to play, and I'm curious if this develops into anything. At the very least, they told a good story. <b>3 stars.</b><br />
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<b>Main event: NWA Historic Welterweight Championship: Volador Jr. (c) w/ Flyer vs. Matt Taven w/ Sam Adonis</b><br />
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Volador, accoding to Cubsfan, is defending this belt for the 20th time in this reign. Taven is normally a Ring of Honor wrestler, who leads the Kingdom faction.<br />
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The Code of Honor is followed to start the match. There was a lot of posturing and taunting to start, much of which involved Adonis' Trump flag. Taven went for a clothesline, and it was countered into a superkick, then a backstabber, then a pin. 1-0 Volador.<br />
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The second fall started with Volador continuing the momentum, sending Taven out of the ring before diving and hitting him. En route to finishing him, though, Taven was able to counter, hit a big kick to Volador, then finished with a frog splash to even the falls at 1-1.<br />
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The third fall had good energy, but it never seemed to kick into fourth gear. Tirantes went full rudo with his counts toward the end, leading to Taven winning the title.<br />
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I have two major thoughts on this title change. One, this is the same Matt Taven I saw in Vegas a month ago having an average match with Cody, so while this is great for the Kingdom, I'm curious how good of matches he is capable of producing. Second, since the NWA is still a thing in the US, how will this title be promoted? Will it adopt CMLL's name? Will it be put in a merger match the CMLL welterweight belt? Can they say the title's name in RoH? Many logistical thoughts must be considered.<br />
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Anyway, the match was an acceptable 3.25 stars, and the show, while lacking a must-see match, had plenty of interesting angles worth following up on. Hopefully CMLL does so.Sean Network Blogshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17485611190342614180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1247338904496237124.post-85640479708705634242018-03-26T00:53:00.001-07:002018-03-26T00:53:33.696-07:00Thoughts from Up North: CMLL Viernes 3/23My recent review of the Homenaje a Dos Leyendas card got me to thinking that I should give my thoughts on the CMLL programming, to help fill a void in the wrestling community.<br />
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Unfortunately, while CMLL is profitable (and one of the few major companies that has been able to accomplish this feat), the company has had a miserable history when it comes to archiving their footage. While they gladly accept working relationships and broadcast expansions into the US and Japan, they don't really seek them out. And their method of building feuds is too slow and infrequent for international viewers who are used to storylines being made clear.<br />
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These issues cause the company to almost exist in a vacuum - almost like the tourists who simply want to see that "masked wrestling we heard about on TV" dictate the method of booking.<br />
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Even so, CMLL probably has one of the most consistently good weekly products in its Friday show. It's rare that any match is outright bad, and when the company decides to push a feud, the match that is eventually given does tend to pay off well. I've taken to watching the Friday show more frequently this year than any WWE brand, and much of that is due to the caliber of talent.<br />
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Is it a perfect company? No, there are plenty of ways to improve. That said, hopefully I can provide notes on what makes the show worth seeing.<br />
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One final note: I definitely won't hit every CMLL show. If something of serious note happens on the Monday shows from Puebla, or the Tuesday Arena Mexico shows, I will probably discuss that specific point. Otherwise, I will limit myself to the Friday shows, and even then, I'm not paid to do this, so it will only be when my teaching allows me time to write.<br />
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So this week's opener was a mini-Estrella tag match where técnicos <b>Stukita and Shockercito </b>defeated <b>Mercurio and Pequeño Nitro. </b>I actually can't comment much on this, as the match was joined in progress on the feed. Still, I can at least note that I am definitely a fan of Shockercito and Nitro. I've seen them enough to know I will get good, fast-paced action with them, and that's enough for me to be impressed with an opener.<br />
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In the second match, rudos <b>Templario, Sagrado, and captain Virus </b>defeated <b>Magia Blanco, Pegasso and captain Star Jr. </b>The heels took the first and third fall. Virus is quickly rising through the ranks for me, which will come as no surprise to those who know him. He's a long-time veteran. Templario is definitely my favorite of the young heels. I love the whole look of his mask and the Templar gimmick. He's a great pace-setter.<br />
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The faces did solid work as well, with Blanco and Star looking like the key figures. Pegasso seems to come up on a lot of shows, and while I don't dislike him, he feels like a wrestler who fills out space on the card. Still, fun match that was worth about 3 stars.<br />
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For some reason, <b>Blue Panther Jr. </b>won a lightning match (10-minute time limit, single-fall match) against <b>Drone. </b>I honestly am not sure why this match existed or why the two went against each other, but it was an effective way to push BPJ. Drone was game, but BPJ looked larger and more in control the entire match. There's a big legacy to live up to when Blue Panther is your dad, but I consider myself to be a fan of BPJ, and even more so, his brother, The Panther. The match is nothing to write home about, with a lot of hard-hitting spots and a submission finish, but nothing was really wrong here. I give it 2.75 stars.<br />
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Match 4 was strange, with <b>Misterioso Jr., Puma and Tiger</b> winning the last two falls over <b>Audaz, Guerrero Maya Jr. and Fuego. </b>The heels got the last fall when a sudden accidental mask removal caused a DQ. It's a shame because everyone seemed to be on their game (except Misterioso Jr., who seemed slow and lackadaisical until the post-match).<br />
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Audaz is getting a real push in CMLL, and is already into the second half of the Friday shows. Good for him. Fuego seems to be putting his Fantastica Mania appearance to good use, and he had some good spots here. Puma and Tiger tried to keep the match pace up, but something didn't click here. Worth noting, though, that Misterioso took Audaz's mask on the way out, so a feud might be brewing. I give the match 2.5.<br />
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The semi-main was a mixed trios match, with heel <b>Matt Taven working with brothers Niebla Roja and Angel de Oro </b>to beat face <b>Volador Jr. and Nueva Generacion Dinamitas siblings Cuatrero and Sanson. </b>Roja and Oro could very easily become a successful tag team, especially with their tandem submissions as a finisher. Oro and Volador also seem to have a real knack for aggression, which might make for a great set of rudo traits. I don't think either will go that route, but I could see it happening.<br />
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This match got 3 stars. Afterward, Taven attacked Volador to demand a title shot. This would be Volador's third defense of the NWA Historic Welterweight Championship in the last three months. Can you tell this is the belt that's getting a push?<br />
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The main event was a straight-falls win for <b>Diamante Azul, Marco Corleone, and Ultimo Guerrero </b>over <b>Kraneo, Rush and Terrible. </b>The teams had to work on the spot for Marco, who injured himself diving into the ring with a flying crossbody. If that was faked, it was VERY impressive selling from both Corleone and rudo referee Tirantes.<br />
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It's hard to tell if it was real or not because Corleone not only stayed in the match, but took submissions and bumps from his opponents. Tough guy.<br />
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As for the match itself, it was good. Easily the top of the card at 3.25 stars. I liked the story in the second fall that Corleone tried to fight his way back in, as well as the fact that he didn't succeed because Los Ingobernables went to injure, not to win.<br />
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Overall, a lot of storylines seem to be starting, and we are off and running in this post-HDL world.<br />
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<br />Sean Network Blogshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17485611190342614180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1247338904496237124.post-80285683079912295372018-03-17T23:52:00.003-07:002018-03-17T23:52:50.939-07:00CMLL Homenaje a Dos Leyendas review/Intro to CMLL eventsRead my top matches of <a href="http://theseannetwork.blogspot.com/2018/02/top-10-matches-of-january-2018.html">January</a> and <a href="http://theseannetwork.blogspot.com/2018/03/top-10-matches-of-february-2018.html">February</a> lists! Read my review of the <a href="http://theseannetwork.blogspot.com/2018/03/ring-of-honor-16th-anniversary-live.html">Ring of Honor 16th Anniversary</a>.<br />
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CMLL had its Homenaje a Dos Leyendas pay per view event on Friday, and seeing how I laid down $5 to watch it, I figure I should give my thoughts on the event.<br />
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It dawns on me, though, that if I had no idea about CMLL's wrestlers or format before getting into it, then most probably don't. The Wrestling Observer Newsletter and 411Mania don't really cover Mexican wrestling. Except for some people at <a href="http://www.voicesofwrestling.com/">Voices of Wrestling</a>, the Cubsfan's <a href="http://www.thecubsfan.com/cmll/">Lucha Blog</a>, and MLW's <a href="http://www.mlwradio.com/lucha-talk.html">Lucha Talk podcast</a>, I really don't see a lot of help on lucha libre from the English-speaking front.<br />
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As such, I figure I should work in some details about CMLL and background as I go over the matches from this card.<br />
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I'll start with what it is. Homenaje a Dos Leyendas is CMLL's second-biggest card of the year, like WWE Summerslam or NJPW's Dominion. It's one of the only cards they are sure to put on annually.<br />
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Each HDL honors two influences on the lucha libre world. CMLL founder Salvador Lutteroth is always one of the two, and this year's second legend is Mil Mascaras, a first-time honoree.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sofia Alonso, left, along with Mil Mascaras (with mic)</td></tr>
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Between the third and fourth matches, Mil was officially presented with a plaque and honored alongside Lutteroth's great-granddaughter, Sofia Alonso.<br />
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It's worth noting that CMLL is a family-owned business. Current owner Paco Alonso is the third generation to run the company (Salvador and Chavo Lutteroth). Sofia is in charge of marketing and seems likely to be the next owner when Paco retires.<br />
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She must be fairly competent because while my Spanish is still developing, he definitely spoke kindly about Sofia. From what I read online, he said she specifically brought him back into the fold. If so, good for her.<br />
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Anyway, on to the six-match card! I'll probably never say that again because with CMLL, it's ALWAYS a six-match card. The Friday night cards that CMLL runs at its own Arena Mexico are the company's 'A'-show, and the only weeks where six matches aren't the norm are tournament weeks.<br />
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<b>Audaz, Flyer, Star Jr. d. Virus, Disturbio, Templario (2-1) - </b>CMLL usually starts with either a four-man or six-man tag match featuring mini-Estrellas (wrestlers under 150 lbs) or low-card guys. It's worth noting that CMLL was NWA's Mexican territory for years, and it shows by the way the company believes in not out-shining the featured bouts. Usually, the opener is not allowed to do dives or other major spots so the crowd doesn't burn out early.<br />
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Not so for the major cards, though, I guess. This was excellent. Audaz has been pushed heavily, being honored with a new mask and name in January. He served as the captain for his team, which consisted of Star Jr, who I've only seen perform at Fantastica Mania, and Flyer, who I enjoy from his matches at the Monday Arena Puebla shows. Opposing them were Virus, a veteran rudo (heel) who is great at generating heat, fellow veteran Disturbio, and young, knight-gimmicked Templario, who I really enjoy.<br />
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Worth noting right now is how matches set up in CMLL. Técnicos (faces) and Rudos are in separate locker rooms and come out of different entrance sides (faces left, heels right). CMLL operates on old Texas territory rules: tag matches dominate the scene, and matches are 2 out of 3 falls unless otherwise noted. In trio matches, CMLL designates team captains. To score a fall, either the captain must take the fall, or both of the other members must be pinned/submitted.<br />
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The first and second falls seemed to get more time than normal, and Star Jr. pinned Virus with a frog splash to get his team the first fall. For the second, Star Jr was pinned following Disturbio hitting him in the corner with a double knee. Flyer got pinned when Templario did a dive from the elevated ramp into the ring.<br />
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The final fall saw dives that don't normally get to take place in the opening match, and the fall came when Star Jr. caught Disturbio with a top-rope kick, and Audaz wrapped around Templario for an armlock submission. It kind of reminded me of the Black Widow that AJ Lee used to do.<br />
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Anyway, this was the best opener I've seen from CMLL. Everyone was motivated and pushed the pace. <i>3.5 stars</i><br />
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<b>Dallys, Zeuxis, La Seductora d. Princesa Sugheit, Kaho Kobayashi, Marcela (2-1) - </b>The rudas picked up the win in this match. CMLL's women's division is like WWE's in the early 2000s: plenty of talent, but it's shoved to the back of the card and the booking can be nonsensical.<br />
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Everyone in this match is a solid hand except La Seductora, who was thankfully limited in her action after the first fall. But geez, this first fall got ruined by her segment. It was so slow and telegraphed the moves could have been called from space. I really wish Reyna Isis had waited to start her three months in Japan until after this card so she could have been in Seductora's role. Anyway, Marcela picked up a pin on Seductora with a Coup d'Grace, and Sugheit submitted Zeuxis to win the first fall.<br />
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Kaho Kobayashi is on a three-month stay in Mexico and is a great talent. She is the CMLL-REINA champion, but with REINA being infrequent, this has been a better use of her talents. Still, she has been getting the brunt of the beatings because of her smaller size. Zeuxis pinned her following a series of double knees, and Seductora walked the ropes (with Zeuxis as a balance) to hit a frog splash on Marcela.<br />
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The third pin saw Seductora pushed to the background, so energy picked up. Sugheit and Kobayashi eventually got submitted by Dallys and Zeuxis to earn the win. It was a good women's showcase, but a real storyline needs to develop for these girls. There are more than enough to make a good division, but something needs to happen. <i>2.75 stars</i><br />
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<b>Rush, Mistico, Dragon Lee d. Mascara Año 2000, Forastero, Sanson (2-0) - </b>This is a clash of two families, as the Munoz family (captained by Rush) took on Dinamitas' clan (led by MA2000). Worth noting on the Munoz boys: Rush is the founder and leader of Los Ingobernables, who have a Japanese branch that is huge in NJPW; Mistico was originally called Dragon Lee, but when the original Mistico moved to WWE and became Sin Cara, he took on the mantle and his brother became Dragon Lee. Now, the original Mistico is back under the name Caristico. Let all that sink in...<br />
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For the first fall, Dragon Lee stomped Forastero for a pin while Mistico submitted Sanson. MA2000 is by far the weakest of the six in this match, but he actually took a big bump that then allowed him to be featured minimally. Good booking work here.<br />
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The match went into full brawl mode between falls. It's about at this point that I realized the crowd was one of those bizarro world hardcore crowds that roots for the rudos. They were intensely behind Los Dinamatas here and even turned on Rush, who was técnico by default tonight. MA2000 got in minimal offense before Rush got in a dropkick and used the ropes as leverage to score a straight-fall victory. I love straight-fall victories and wish more would happen. This was essentially a 3-on-2 handicap match much of the way, and the booking was very smart. Good work. <i>3.75 stars.</i><br />
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<b>Atlantis, Niebla Roja, Matt Taven d. Ultimo Guerrero, Gran Guerrero, Euforia (2-1) - </b>Atlantis has been struggling with knee problems and being well over 50 years old. Matt Taven is still shaking off the stink of his ROH 16th Anniversary performance in my view, and the first fall was almost completely lost due to a bad PPV stream. This match was in a rough spot.<br />
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For the positive, Niebla Roja got a showcase before accompanying his brother to the ring for the main event. The two Guerreros are consistent top-of-the-card talents even in their 40s, and Euforia is being set up for a lucha de apuestas at the Arena Puebla shows, so there were good aspects to this match.<br />
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The first fall, of which only the end was caught, featured the rudos winning via triple submission pose... Yeah... Second fall saw Atlantis hit an actual dive spot outside the ring. It's impressive due to his age, his injuries, and the fact that he has long since moved into "maestro lucha" style, which is more ground-based. Anyway, Taven splashed Euforia and Roja eliminated Gran to even the match.<br />
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The third fall was quick and painless. Atlantis pinned Ultimo to win the match. Overall, hard to tell if this was a good match or not. It had its positives but it was weak in a lot of spots. <i>2.25</i> stars seems fair.<br />
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<b>CMLL World Tag Team Championship: Volador Jr./Valiente d. Terrible/Rey Bucanero - </b>CMLL's tournaments are an interesting thing. They take place over the course of three shows and consist of 16 competitors in two blocks of eight. The first two weeks feature a block-wide battle royal to set seeding, followed by a series of one-fall, single-elimination matches to decide block winners. This match is the 2-of-3-fall final of a tournament for the vacated titles.<br />
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Volador is already CMLL World Trios Champion and NWA Historic Welterweight Champion, so it didn't make sense for this team to win, especially with Valiente filling in for Caristico. But then, Terrible just joined Los Ingobernables and broke up his team with the Pirate King. So unless they planned to swerve everyone and have Bucanero join LI, I'm not sure who thought this was a good set of tag teams for this match.<br />
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Terrible, being a more grounded luchador, and Bucanero, being very limited, did not match with the style the other two wanted at all. The first fall came very early, when Bucanero tapped out Valiente with an arm lock, and Volador got hit with a Styles clash by Terrible. (Oh yeah, both members must fall to score in a four-man tag.)<br />
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Valiente got revenge by submitting Bucanero in the next fall while and looked like he knocked Terrible's wind out. The third fall is where the pace finally quickened, and we got some real wrestling. Volador got a roll up pin after a second submission fall from Valiente on Bucanero. Overall, this match was a disappointment. I enjoyed the Parejas Increibles tournament earlier this year, and that had a MOTYC as a final match. This one was merely good. <i>3 stars.</i><br />
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<b>Lucha de Apuestas - Mask vs. Mask: Cuatrero d. Angel de Oro - </b>Niebla Roja, who lost his mask last year, accompanied his brother to ringside, while the rest of the Dinamitas clan watched Cuatrero. This match was made to be a big deal for weeks and it paid off here in spades.<br />
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They told a great story from the beginning, as Angel de Oro tried to dive outside the ring to blindside Cuatrero to start the match and failed, allowing the rudo to beat him down for nearly three minutes before scoring the first fall, submitting him with an upside-down bear hug. Sanson tried to help Cuatrero win in straight falls, but when it got into the ring, Angel racked up enough offense to get some breathing room. He eventually submitted Cuatrero to level the match.<br />
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Angel took Cuatrero outside the ring between falls and dove off the staging area to hit Cuatrero. There were a lot of near falls, with Angel nearly locking in the same full-body submission he used in the second fall again for the third, but he was weakened and couldn't hold the body weight. Cuatrero eventually got the pinfall to protect his mask.<br />
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Honestly, with how the Dinamatas clan all have similar matches, it is probably best the family stable keeps their matching white and black masks. Plus, Angel de Oro without a mask looks like a more square-jawed Niebla Roja, so the two could be a great matching tag team.<br />
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I love the CMLL's lucha de apuestas setup. It's played as a big deal, and they never back down on the gimmick. It's enacted immediately. There was real emotion when Angel de Oro asked for his parents to come down and untie the mask on his behalf. Another great thing about lucha de apuestas in Mexico is that the athletic commissions do not release luchador names, so Angel de Oro had no identity under the mask until the loss. For the record, he is 29-year-old Miguel Angel Chavez Velasco.<br />
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This is why the mask is so key in lucha, I think. The quick moves, the high-flying, the masks that conceal a secret identity... They all serve to make luchadors into true superheroes, and their matches like real-life superhero-supervillain battles. Think back to when Spider-Man revealed himself in Civil War. It was controversial not only in the story world, but in real life. Fans were divided on the choice and it even made national news. Angel de Oro's mask may be smaller in scale, but the idea of a hero and villain putting their identities on the line is rife with comic book ties.<br />
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As for the match, it's a must-see. It fell slightly short of MOTY contention for me, but it's a sure-fire top 10 entry for March unless the next two weeks go completely crazy with quality. <i>4.25 stars.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Overall, this show was well worth the $10 price of admission. Three matches well worth watching and a new pair of champions, in addition to hearing from Mil Mascaras. Not a bad night. This is also why full-priced pay-per-views are dying. Between the WWE Network, NJPW World, and the fact that CMLL airs 50 free Friday shows and 2-3 $10 PPV events, there is more than enough quality wrestling to not seek full-priced cards anymore.<br />
<br />
But yeah, CMLL did good work with this card, and I recommend it. I don't rate shows on any kind of scale. Instead I just give the average match rating. If you need a 1-10 scale, just double my average. Yeah, no card will ever approach a perfect 10, but on a good note, anything above a 6 is worth your time.<br />
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<b>Average Match Score: </b>3.25<br />
<b>Doubled for an out-of-10 score: </b>6.5/10</div>
Sean Network Blogshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17485611190342614180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1247338904496237124.post-18114009594710517962018-03-17T10:58:00.002-07:002018-03-17T10:58:41.721-07:00Ring of Honor 16th Anniversary Live ReviewRead my top matches of <a href="http://theseannetwork.blogspot.com/2018/02/top-10-matches-of-january-2018.html">January</a> and <a href="http://theseannetwork.blogspot.com/2018/03/top-10-matches-of-february-2018.html">February</a> lists!<br />
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A couple of weeks ago, I got the chance to finally attend a Ring of Honor show. It's been some time since I followed ROH with any type of regularity, but thanks to their working relationships with New Japan and CMLL, I have been able to keep up on what the major feuds are, and I had an idea that the show was going to have some good stuff on it.<br />
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ROH has been coming to my area - the Las Vegas metropolitan area - for a few years now, and from what I've read of old reviews, they tend to put on a good show, so I made sure to pay attention to the storylines this year and... Has the anniversary card stopped mattering?<br />
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It's one month away from Supercard of Honor, which I feel is getting far better matches and more buzz. The anniversary card, I had come to understand, was one of the four quarterly major cards. Still, there were some good matches, and the card looked more trustworthy than the Elimination Chamber card that happened the week before, so I paid the $35 for my ticket and made the trek to Sam's Town with my brother and 2 cousins.<br />
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First things first: Sam's Town is a surprisingly good wrestling venue. This is the only casino that does watch parties for WWE events, and as one of the oldest casinos (not only for Boyd Gaming, but the city as a whole), it shows its age constantly. It was built to look like an old saloon and the smoke that fills the video poker area certainly maintains that image.<br />
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That said, their staging area was large enough for the full setup, and there really aren't any bad seats in the building. My only gripe is that the second biggest wrestling company in the US really should be able to fill more than a 750-capacity ballroom/convention hall at the Casino that Time Forgot. Why not the Cox Pavilion? It only seats 2,500-3,000, it's closer to the Strip, and UNLV seems receptive to charging decent rates.<br />
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I got there about a half hour before the rest of my group because I wanted to see the pre-show festivities. The Kingdom was shouting a bunch of cult-like madness at the merchandise table, and SoCal Uncensored's members were signing copies of a comic book in the main area. I chose to pay a little extra for the meet and greets since I'd never tried one.<br />
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I met three of the talents: Hiromu Takahashi, Tenille Dashwood and Cody Rhodes. Takahashi seems pleasant enough. There was a language barrier, but he carried himself cordially. Dashwood was nice, but her match was a half hour away at that point so she did try to move people along quickly. Rhodes was absolutely a great guy. He was one to make a show of all his meet-ups and make them memorable. We talked about Stephen Amell and his "Dashing" gimmick. Fun stuff.<br />
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Anyway, on to the card itself:<br />
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<b>Pre-show: WOH Tournament Eighth-Final: Sumie Sakai d. Hana Kimura - </b>This match was more posturing than anyone else. The story was that 20-year-old Kimura tried to sell the arena and the tournament as her time, and that Sakai was no longer relevant. This led to a lot of taunting and a very slow match. It was decent in places, but I am surprised Sakai went over here. Why bring a young talent in from Japan if she's only there for one pre-show match that lasts less than 10 minutes? Oh well. <i>2 stars.</i><br />
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<b>Pre-show: WOH Tournament Quarterfinal: Tenille Dashwood d. Brandi Rhodes - </b>Clash of former WWE talents here. Dashwood came across as far more adept here, as she should have. The match was shorter, and moved a little quicker because the taunts were more blended into the action.<br />
<i>2 stars</i><br />
<br />
My brother and cousins arrived just before this match, so I'll include their reactions to the main card, as their perspective is unique. Of the three, only one has watched any ROH this year, and even he had only seen 2-3 episodes. I actually follow it closer than any of them.<br />
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Main card time!<br />
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<b>Hiromu Takahashi d. Flip Gordon - </b>I'm not a big Flip fan, but he brought it more than usual tonight. Takahashi did his comedy with Daryl, but it wasn't too in-your-face, so it was fine. I was impressed with it. This is where I had a disagreement with my group. They all enjoyed Flip's style and thought Takahashi was breaking the action. I thought Takahashi wrestled a consistent match while Flip just tried to be over the top. Overall, a good match, though. <i>3.25 stars.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<b>Marty Scrull d. Punishment Martinez - </b>We all agreed, however, that this was the match of the night. Both men came out swinging and thoroughly impressed me. I knew Scrull was going to be good (and his entrance is amazing live), but I had never heard of Martinez. His match here made me a fan quickly. He reminds me of a more competent Baron Corbin, and that's a high compliment. Nothing on the card came close to this. <i>4 stars.</i><br />
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<b>ROH TV Championship: Kenny King (c) d. Silas Young - </b>It was in this match that I realized this was not a local crowd. King is a local boy who I've actually seen make appearances at FSW shows. He should have been big here, and my group certainly tried to cheer him on. That said, this building must have had a lot of Wisconsinites and midwesterners because Silas got a lot of support. A "Last Real Man" gimmick should NOT be getting face pops, but here we are. It threw off the match to me, and it wasn't going that well to begin with. They mustered a decent effort on talent, but it's not a must-watch. <i>2.5 stars</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<b>ROH 6-man Tag Team Championship: SoCal Uncensored d. Hung Bucks (c) - </b>This match felt like an IWGP Jr. Heavyweight tag team bout: a spotfest. The match had everyone invested early on, but by the time they started setting up multiple table spots and the spot with the metal barriers, it started to feel contrived and I started losing interest. At one point my youngest cousin and I both heckled Kazarian for taking a punch, clearly laying down on a table unforced, and waiting nearly 30 seconds for his opponent to scale a ladder and jump off onto him. It looked so bad. Maybe it came across better on TV. For me, it's a top-flight spotfest, but there's a limit to that, and that limit is <i>3.5 stars</i><br />
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<b>Cody d. Matt Taven - </b>I am a huge Cody fan, and I looked forward to this, but this was a disappointment. Taven and The Kingdom are not interesting in any way, and this actually made me unsure of the CMLL pay-per-view since Taven was booked on the card.<br />
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The All-In bear thing was odd, but it made sense by the end when Kenny Omega revealed himself. Because I don't keep up with all the promos online, the Omega-Brandi kiss confused me, but having gotten the full context it makes more sense. Kind of. Worth noting: Some jerk jumped the guardrail and had to be carried out during Cody's entrance, and you can see Brandi and the bear waiting at the top of the entrance ramp until it gets taken care of. Not sure if it showed up on PPV, but it was interesting nonetheless. <i>2.5 stars</i><br />
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<b>ROH Tag Team Championship: The Briscoes d. Motor City Machine Guns (c) - </b>Admittedly, this was the match I looked forward to the most. I loved the MCMGs in TNA, and the Briscoes know tag wrestling. Because of this, I felt very let down by the brawling-type match they had. I know there is a better match in these two team, and the fact that it went so short and barely used any traditional tag-team wrestling disappointed me. Hopefully a rematch will give a better performance. <i>3 stars</i><br />
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<b>ROH Championship: Dalton Castle d. Jay Lethal - </b>I had a lot of fun with the crowd in this match. One of my cousins absolutely loathed the fact that a gimmick that was so over-the-top could take the title, so he began openly dumping on Castle throughout the match. Since we all liked Lethal from his TNA days anyway, all four of us joined in. The ROH hardcores in the row in front of us gave us multiple sideways looks, and having now seen an ROH crowd, I take that as a badge of honor.<br />
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As for the match itself, it was ok. Technically, there wasn't anything bad in it, but Lethal's heat segment ran a long time and never felt convincing. Castle never did anything to grab my interest, and combined, the two's effort became wasted as the match never entered 'great' territory. Not really worth going out of your way to see, but good enough, I guess. <i>3.25 stars</i><br />
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As to the crowd itself, I like the "us against the world" mentality the crowd has, and Bubba Ray Dudley is a great enforcer to push that narrative, but the company clearly has flaws that the crowd exacerbates. No one's face or heel work functions right because the crowd does whatever they please. In many ways, ROH fans remind me of ECW's fanbase: They recognize quality, and they are great support, but they overwhelm the show and cause the wrestlers to do too much. It makes the show very hard for newer people to get into because the crowd, wrestlers and announcers are all pushing different agendas.<br />
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Big spots are blown way early in the card, so the show feels like it peaks in the first hour. Later matches have to contrive increasingly ridiculous ways to push the envelope, and it leads to laughable spots like in the 6-man tag match. And with a face-heel dynamic that's fluid, the storyline is lost and you can only judge on the quality of moves.<br />
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Channel Awesome just talked about the movie <i>Legend </i>for "Tamara's Never Seen", and I think the problem with ROH is summarized in their review of the movie. Production values can be great, everyone can be acting at 100 percent, and the direction/cinematography can be gorgeous; however, if you forget to provide a story for people to follow, the whole thing becomes a boring mess. A beautiful boring mess, but a boring mess nonetheless. ROH isn't at that point yet, but there are plenty of signs of this company losing the narrative of their own feuds.<br />
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Don't let this critique take away from the fun of the show. I actually did have a great time, and my whole group agreed it was a better use of time and money than Elimination Chamber. I would definitely check out another ROH show if the storylines and matches get me invested.<br />
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Here's hoping ROH play their cards right so I'm back at the 17th anniversary.Sean Network Blogshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17485611190342614180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1247338904496237124.post-28333157976138528102018-03-11T12:01:00.001-07:002018-03-11T12:01:03.972-07:00Top 10 matches of February 2018Check out January's list <a href="http://theseannetwork.blogspot.com/2018/02/top-10-matches-of-january-2018.html">here.</a><br />
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February was a much less successful month than January. Without any major shows in the month, most wrestling companies showcased transitional feuds to set up their more notable shows in March and April.<br />
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Nonetheless, there were some quality matches, and I will still give my top 10 (or top 9 + 1 because only the top nine are, in my opinion, must-see TV).<br />
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Here we go!<br />
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<b>Honorable Mentions (all at 3.75 stars out of 5, listed chronologically)</b><br />
Los Ingobernables de Japon d. CHAOS, 10-man tag match, Road to New Beginning<br />
IWGP Jr. HW Champion Will Osperay d. Takahashi, New Beginning in Osaka<br />
Kalisto d. Lince Dorado, 205 Live Cruiserweight Title Tournament Eighth-Final<br />
Roderick Strong d. Hideo Itami, 205 Live Cruiserweight Title Tournament Eighth-Final<br />
Angel de Oro/Atlantis/Dragon Lee d. Forestero/Sanson/Cuatrero, CMLL Friday Show, 2/23<br />
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<b>10th Place: IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship: EVIL/SANADA (c) d. Kazuchika Okada/Hirooki Goto, Road to the New Beginning</b><br />
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I had trouble picking a 10th place since the ranking would be even with the 11th-15th places, but I went with this one because it proved to have a real high-stakes feeling to it. With the actual New Beginning matches, in my mind, hinging on the result of this match, I actually had a feeling that this match had higher stakes than were apparent.</div>
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Maybe that is a cheap way to decide the tie-breaker, but the matches really were about even, and I'm splitting hairs with this ranking. All the 3.75 matches are great watches, but none mandate you see them like the top nine do.</div>
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<i>The following matches are all 4 stars.</i></div>
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<b><i></i>9th Place: Mustafa Ali d. Jack Gallagher, 205 Live Cruiserweight Title Tournament Eighth-Final</b><br />
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These two helped close out round 1 with a bang, and they showcased a revival of sorts for Jack Gallagher. I remember being invested briefly in Gallagher, but much like the rest of the cruiserweight division, interest waned as WWE's interest waned. It's nice to see the division getting back on the map.</div>
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<b>8th Place: 2/19 Raw Gauntlet Match, Braun Strowman d. Finn Balor, The Miz, Elias, Seth Rollins, John Cena, Roman Reigns</b></div>
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This match lasted nearly two hours on its own, but kept each singles match from overstaying its welcome. I don't think a match this long can hold attention the whole time by its nature, but this one certainly tried.<br />
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<b>7th Place: Soberano Jr. v. Niebla Roja, 10-minute Broadway draw, CMLL 2/23 Friday show</b></div>
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This lightning match was more impressive than I was expecting. I liked both Soberano and Niebla Roja during Fantastica Mania, but I was thoroughly surprised by the amount of action they crammed into the 10-minute limit. I would be more than happy to sit through another.<br />
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<b>6th Place: Raw World Women's Championship Elimination Chamber: Alexa Bliss d. Sasha Banks, Bayley, Mickie James, Absolution</b></div>
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This was kind of a by-the-numbers chamber match with only a few major spots and a fairly simple setup. There were no real surprises and the eliminations came in the exact order you would expect, but that's kind of what made this match work. Sometimes it's best to just keep it simple and tell a story that you know will work with your audience.<br />
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<b>5th Place: Drew Gulak d. Tony Nece, 205 Live Cruiserweight Title Tournament Eighth-Final</b></div>
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Drew Gulak was rambling about PowerPoint presentations and using politician mannerisms when I saw him for the first time this past January, and I thought him to be annoying beyond belief. The dawn of his new gimmick as a hard-hitting ground fighter with dirty tactics, however, is a great contrast from the high-flying style that dominates the cruiserweight division. The bout with Nece made me a fan and has me rooting for him to reach the final.<br />
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<b>4th Place: WWE United Kingdom Championship: Pete Dunne (c) d. Roderick Strong, NXT</b></div>
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I have heard many good things about the UK title matches that have been going, but this is the first I've seen of them. Roderick Strong looks every bit the star that people have made him out to be, and I now feel like I need to check out the UK title tournament to see more of the work of Pete Dunne and the UK wrestlers.<br />
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<i>The following matches are 4.25 stars.</i></div>
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<b>3rd Place: The Golden Lovers (Kenny Omega/Kota Ibushi) d. CODY/Hangman Page, NJPW/ROH Honor Rising Night 2</b><br />
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The return of the Golden Lovers was anticipated since New Year's Dash and they did a good job of leading an excellent match between Cody and Hangman. I'm still not sold on Hangman as a top-flight talent, and he was the weakest element of the four, but he held his own here with Cody's heel tactics and the long-time tag efforts of Omega and Ibushi. I am looking forward to the Lovers facing the Young Bucks at New Japan's US show, in addition to the Cody/Omega match at Supercard of Honor.</div>
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<b>2nd Place: NXT Championship Lucha de Apuestas (Career vs. Title): Andrade "Cien" Almas (c) d. Johnny Gargano, NXT 2/21</b></div>
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This is the fourth match between these two, and it shows. Their match from January was definitely better, but this one had a great crowd in Florida and a high-pressure feel the whole way through. The dirty finish was not my favorite, but the rest of the match more than made up for it.<br />
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And the top match of the month, the only 4.5-star match, and the only MOTY contender from February is...</div>
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<b>1st Place: El Gran Final del Torneo de los Parejas Increibles: Los Ingobernables (Rush/Terrible) d. Volador Jr/Ultimo Guerrero, 2 falls to 1, CMLL 2/23 Friday show</b><br />
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I initially was not sure about the idea of the incredible pairs tournament. It's an odd mindset that faces and heels are acknowledged to be faces and heels, but it does lead to some solid drama, and that showed here.<br />
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Volador and Guerrero are probably the top face and heel in the company, and their history of success allowed them to show good teamwork despite normally being rivals. Rush is the founder of the Los Ingobernables faction, and it was interesting to see him induct Terrible into the group with this match.<br />
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The match told a great story and the final fall hit all the beats it needed to. The early falls weren't perfect, but I enjoyed the match all the way through.<br />
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March is going to be a big month, with ROH's anniversary (which I attended live), New Japan's anniversary show, the New Japan Cup, Strong Style Evolved, and the Homenaje a Dos Leyendas will be making up most, if not, all of the spots.</div>
<b></b><b></b><b></b><b></b><i></i><b></b><i></i><b></b><br />Sean Network Blogshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17485611190342614180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1247338904496237124.post-6486201969004757972018-02-04T10:34:00.001-08:002018-02-04T10:34:34.457-08:00Top 10 Matches of January 2018You know what? Every wrestling site gives its own top matches of the year and rates them. Heck, <a href="https://411mania.com/wrestling/">411wrestling</a> has a writer doing a top 130!<br />
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With that in mind, I'm going to do my own. I watch enough wrestling each month to try it, so let's give this a go!<br />
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Please note: I currently record Raw and SmackDown, watch the pay-per-views and NXT: Takeover cards on the WWE Network, watch the major events on NJPW World, and I follow the Friday shows of CMLL on their <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3lOpKjW4_j4PGXWLNTt4iQ">Youtube channel.</a> Anything else that I see will come from major events I find for free (like AAA's recent Guerra de Titanes card on Twitch) or matches recommended to me. Places like 411 or Cubsfan's <a href="http://www.thecubsfan.com/cmll/">Lucha Blog</a> will help with lucha stuff, but for Impact, ROH, RPW, AJPW, NOAH and others, comments on this blog will have to advocate for them.<br />
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(Though I will be at the ROH anniversary PPV since it's in a casino near me.)<br />
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Anyway, on to the list!<br />
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<b>Honorable Mentions:</b><br />
3.75 Stars (6 matches, Listed Chronologically)<br />
1) <i>Hirooki Goto d. Minoru Suzuki - Hair vs. Hair Lucha de Apuestas for the NEVER Openweight Championship. </i>This match was brutal and did a good job of getting people behind Goto's comeback. I just feel the heat went a bit too long to be believable.<br />
2) <i>Will Osperay d. Marty Scrull, KUSHIDA and Yujiro Takahashi for the IWGP World Junior Heavyweight Championship.</i> Fun match, lots of spots, but much like most four-ways, a mess to follow.<br />
3) <i>Sobernaro Jr. d. Sanson for the Mexican National Welterweight Championship. </i>This is from night one of Fantastica Mania. A high-flying affair with good psychology. Just nothing to put it into the must-see territory.<br />
4) <i>Niebla Roja d. Gran Guerrero for the CMLL Light Heavyweight Championship. </i>From the same night. If I had to choose, I liked Sobernaro's match better, but this one actually had some hard-hitting moments that pushed it to even level.<br />
5) <i>Faby Apache d. Lady Shani for the AAA Reina de Reinas championship. </i>These two decided to just beat the tar out of each other and it was a grand old time. It felt like it ended abruptly, but before that I was having a blast. The bright spot in an otherwise non-stellar card<br />
6) <i>Alestair Black d. Adam Cole at NXT Takeover. </i>A brutal, extreme rules match that had a strong ending. It felt like it should have ended two or three times before it actually did.<br />
<u>4-star matches (2 did not make the list)</u><br />
12th place) <i>Jay White d. Kenny Omega for the IWGP US Championship. </i>From New Beginning Night 2. It's more notable for the storyline that followed it than the actual match. It's the best I've seen from Jay White, but that's not saying much. Not sold on him yet.<br />
11th place) <i>Asuka wins the Women's Royal Rumble Match. </i>A fun ride with plenty of nostalgia, but the early part of the rumble with the stable members getting in was a slog.<br />
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On to the top 10!<br />
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<b>10th place: Kazuchika Okada d. Tetsuya Naito for IWGP World Heavyweight Championship</b><br />
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This was the main event of Wrestle Kingdom. Admittedly, watching this for the first time after midnight didn't help it, but this felt a little more by-the-numbers than I was expecting. I didn't feel the desire from these two in a way that matched the hype. I do acknowledge it as a must-see match, and have given it a second look, but ultimately, this is the best I can give it.<br />
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<b>9th place: Ultimo and Gran Guerrero d. Mistico and Dragon Lee - Fantastica Mania Final Night</b><br />
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This was the final match of a brothers tournament, and it delivered a solid main event. It never excelled into match-of-the-year territory like I was hoping, but all four guys did push each other and the outcome was in doubt the whole way. This is a great introductory match to CMLL tag teams.<br />
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<b>8th place: Kota Ibushi d. CODY w/ Brandi Rhodes</b><br />
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This is from Wrestle Kingdom, and it was my match of the night. I really hope the former Cody Rhodes gets a run with a title this year because he has grown into an excellent heel pair alongside his wife. Ibushi remains my favorite Japanese wrestler and wish he'd just settle into a NJPW contract so they could give him a major title run. Honestly, this match suits my taste better than most other people, but it's still a must-see.<br />
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<b>7th place: The Undisputed Era d. the Authors of Pain for the NXT Tag Team Championship</b><br />
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I legitimately didn't expect anything to top this opening match on the NXT card last week. This was a great classic tag team match. Good psychology, good action, brutality; this match had plenty. I liked the cheap win from the champs, though I would have liked it to have looked a bit better, but a seriously great time.<br />
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<u>The following matches are 4.25 stars.</u><br />
<b>6th place: Shinsuke Nakamura wins the Men's Royal Rumble Match</b><br />
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Nakamura-san's performance from the 14th slot was amplified by an excellent final 6 and final 4 competitors. It's about time WWE booked this thing the right way. It's hard to make a more-than-an-hour match into a MOTYC, but they got close.<br />
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<b>5th place: Roppongi 3K d. Young Bucks for the IWGP World Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships</b><br />
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I'm not a fan of these two teams constantly trading the belts, but it is at least distracting from the fact that the division is a wasteland. NJPW seriously needs to invest more in this division because while these teams are getting better with each other every time they square off, that trend will break eventually.<br />
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<b>4th place: Minoru Suzuki d. Hiroshi Tanahashi for the IWGP IC Championship</b><br />
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The main event of New Beginning Night 1 got its position here almost entirely based on the last 10 minutes. The early match was too slow for me, but the brutality of the last 10 made up for it in spades. My only major gripe with the ending is that wrestling needs to really get away from seeing tapouts as a sign of weakness, especially in one-fall matches. It makes guys with submission finishers feel instantly outdated and less credible. Tanahashi should have tapped, if I'm blunt about it.<br />
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<u>The following matches are 4.5 stars.</u><br />
<b>3rd place: Kenny Omega d. Chris Jericho for the IWGP US Championship</b><br />
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The match that got so much hype really did live up to it. It's worth noting that anything 4.5 or above will get a re-watch at the end of the year, so good on these two for earning that spot. I felt like the match should have ended after the table spot, but they at least made the part after-the-fact feel like time well-spent. Good stuff.<br />
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<b>2nd place: Volador Jr. d. Barbaro Cavernario for the NWA Historic Welterweight Championship</b><br />
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This was the main event of Fantastica Mania's penultimate night, and it delivered big time. Cavernario did not grab my attention watching CMLL, but in the hands of a Japanese crowd, he stepped up to a new level. I loved the energy in this match and found a wrestler in Volador Jr. to look forward to on a weekly basis, as I go deeper into CMLL. It's not a super-long match, so give it a viewing.<br />
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And the No. 1 match for the month, and the only 5-star match from January 2018 (for now) is...<br />
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<b>1st place: Andrade "Cien" Almas d. Johnny Gargano for the NXT Championship</b><br />
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There really couldn't be any other match, honestly. I thought I was going to be disappointed by this match, having only really been tangentially interested in these two before this match, but I was blown away by how good these two are. Most already love Gargano, and I get why. He's a great Rocky Balboa-esque character, making comebacks and pushing his limit. But I think the unsung hero in this match is Almas. He worked a great match as the heel, and Zelina Vega has found a real calling as a heel manager. I look forward to the next Takeover card to see Almas wrestle Alestair Black (in all likelihood), though I doubt it reaches this level.<br />
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See you at the end of February!Sean Network Blogshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17485611190342614180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1247338904496237124.post-69324628203139399562018-01-21T08:28:00.002-08:002018-01-21T08:28:51.271-08:00NFL Conference Championship teams and their WWE counterparts (Year 8: 2017-18)NOTE: To see the previous years, follow these links: <a href="http://seannetmma.blogspot.com/2011/01/wrestling-blog-nfl-playoffs-who-are.html" style="background-color: #fff9ee; color: #ff1900; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px;">2010-11</a><span style="background-color: #fff9ee; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "utopia" , "palatino linotype" , "palatino" , serif; font-size: 15.4px;">, </span><a href="http://wrestlingblogarchive.blogspot.com/2012/01/2012-conference-title-teams-who-would.html" style="background-color: #fff9ee; color: #888888; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px; text-decoration: none;">2011-12</a><span style="background-color: #fff9ee; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "utopia" , "palatino linotype" , "palatino" , serif; font-size: 15.4px;">, </span><a href="http://wrestlingblogarchive.blogspot.com/2013/01/who-would-afcnfc-conference.html" style="background-color: #fff9ee; color: #888888; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px; text-decoration: none;">2012-13</a><span style="background-color: #fff9ee; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "utopia" , "palatino linotype" , "palatino" , serif; font-size: 15.4px;">, </span><a href="http://wrestlingblogarchive.blogspot.com/2014_01_01_archive.html" style="background-color: #fff9ee; color: #888888; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px; text-decoration: none;">2013-14</a>,<span style="background-color: #fff9ee; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "utopia" , "palatino linotype" , "palatino" , serif; font-size: 15.4px;"> </span><a href="http://wrestlingblogarchive.blogspot.com/2015/01/nfl-conference-finalists-and-their-wwe.html" style="background-color: #fff9ee; color: #888888; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px; text-decoration: none;">2014-15</a>,<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "utopia" , "palatino linotype" , "palatino" , serif;"><span style="background-color: #fff9ee; font-size: 15.4px;"> <a href="http://theseannetwork.blogspot.com/2016/01/nfl-conference-finalists-and-their-wwe.html">2015-16</a>, <a href="http://theseannetwork.blogspot.com/2017/01/nfl-conference-finalists-and-their-wwe.html">2016-17</a>).</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "utopia" , "palatino linotype" , "palatino" , serif;"><span style="background-color: #fff9ee; font-size: 15.4px;"><br /></span></span>
It may not seem like it with the rarity of my publishing schedule, but I always look forward to sitting down and writing, and this is an article I am sure to prioritize.<br />
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This will be the eighth year of comparing WWE superstars and NFL teams playing for the AFC and NFC titles, but this year sat with me as a challenge this time around. In the last year, my passion for the NFL has waned in favor of the Premier League and the NHL, and my excitement for wrestling has drifted away from the WWE toward the international circuit. I'm subscribed to New Japan World to see all the NJPW events, and I have even taken to watching CMLL shows from Mexico City on their YouTube channel.<br />
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I actually started to consider using NJPW wrestlers in favor of WWE wrestlers because I had more interest in it, but WWE is still good at creating defined characters and has a slew of good male and female talent. Plus, the language barrier does make it somewhat difficult for me to fully define the characters of the Japanese talent.<br />
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It really took some time to match the NFL's teams this year with their counterparts, but I eventually was able to put this together by making a slight adjustment: The teams this year will be matched with stables, not individual talent. Makes sense, right? Team sport; use wrestling teams.<br />
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Let's give this a go!<br />
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<b>New England Patriots - The Shield</b><br />
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The Shield made their grand return to WWE television this year, and I have largely thought the idea was a good one. If they want Roman Reigns to be a big deal at WrestleMania, then returning him some popularity by restoring the faction that made him popular was an inspired plan. Shame about the meningitis outbreak and the Dean Ambrose injury botching those plans.<br />
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Fact is, though, the Shield is the most successful of WWE stables post-Evolution, not only winning the tag titles multiple times, but also producing World title reigns for all three members. At this point, only Seth Rollins isn't a Triple Crown champion, and he only needs an IC or US title reign for that.<br />
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Likewise, New England has been the most successful team in the last decade-plus. Admittedly, the last couple of years have been the failure of the AFC to produce talented challengers, but still, it's an impressive feat.<br />
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If the Pats are a long-running contender, then the Shield would be the recent faction that works best.<br />
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<b>Jacksonville Jaguars - The Balor Club</b><br />
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I really lucked out that the Balor Club finally became a real thing in the last couple of months, but it is a group that kind of fits the Jags perfectly.<br />
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First of all, both have come into their own very recently, at least on television. The Balor Club has a history of success, but it was years ago, in another company, and with a better, cooler name.<br />
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Likewise, the Jags history of success pretty much stopped in the early 2000s. Their return to success is welcome, but it does feel a little out of nowhere.<br />
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Additionally, while Anderson and Gallows have been limited in their main roster success, Balor was the inaugural WWE Universal Champion before getting injured and shoved down the card. This has made the man fly well under the radar when he should be prominent.<br />
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Jacksonville has also been under the radar because defense doesn't catch attention the way that the offense does. But if people aren't careful, both the Club and the Jags will sneak up on you.<br />
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<b>Philadelphia Eagles - Absolution</b><br />
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For those who have no idea who Absolution is, they're the stable Paige created upon her return, featuring Sonya Deville and Mandy Rose. And yes, this team is getting the nod for the Eagles because their head member, Paige, is on the IR like quarterback Carson Wentz,<br />
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It's really hard not to immediately bring the injuries to mind when looking at these two. All I can think of when seeing both is how much better they were early when everyone was healthy and they were dominating.<br />
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That said, both teams have shown merit recently with how their non-focal members have handled themselves. Deville and Rose appear like they can be good hands on Raw, and the Eagles have done solid work the last few weeks in earning themselves this NFC title opportunity at home.<br />
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It remains to be seen whether Absolution breaks up in the near future, and the Eagles will most likely need to hope for Wentz to return regardless of the result this weekend. But the members that are healthy helped get where they are too, and they deserve the opportunity to make something happen.<br />
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<b>Minnesota Vikings - The New Day</b><br />
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These two teams share more than just being excessively colorful and having eating being part of their histories (Booty-O's and the Purple People Eaters).<br />
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Both teams have qualities that would make you think they wouldn't be able to succeed, and yet somehow, the combinations make them great.<br />
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The Vikings have lost a running back and are using their third choice to lead their offense as quarterback. And yet, I don't think this team would be as successful at full strength and with either Teddy Bridgewater or Sam Bradford behind center. It's just an offense that is efficient and does what it has to do.<br />
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The New Day's comedy schtick should have been enough to shove them out of the picture long ago, and yet they remain the biggest tag team act in the company. They probably should have gone over the Shield at Survivor Series, but then again, the Shield are a nostalgia act to some extent, and those always win in WWE... I'm not bitter.<br />
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At some point, this team may break and one of them may make a singles run that gets them up the card, but if I'm blunt, I'd rather they be successful in the tag division for as long as humanly possible. As for the Vikings, if I'm assessing honestly, they're the best team still standing.<br />
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My pick is the Vikings to win it all, at home, against New England.Sean Network Blogshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17485611190342614180noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1247338904496237124.post-38549224581590983602017-11-11T12:04:00.001-08:002017-11-11T12:04:24.124-08:00So... About that Sonic Canon...I know what you are thinking. I post for the first time in ages, and I decide to talk the canon of Sonic the Hedgehog games. Yes, I really do want to go down this road.<br />
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As many of the gaming community know, Sonic has gotten his - I'm not kidding here - 26th and 27th games in the core series this year: Sonic Mania and Sonic Forces. Mania was universally acclaimed as a top-notch return to 2D platforming and a must-have deal. Forces is... Not.<br />
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To be clear, I have played both. I've nearly beaten Mania for the third time already and just finished Forces two days ago. And yes, Mania is better and almost hilariously so. The jokes about Sonic Team being incapable of making a better game than fan creators are well worth your Internet surf time.<br />
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But I can talk about that another day. I can offer my theories about what needs to be done in future Sonic 3D games another day. I can dissect why Sonic's move to the third dimension has been SO MUCH WORSE than Mario's another day. What I want to talk about is the set of cutscenes that made Classic Sonic an alternate dimension.<br />
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For those who haven't played yet, I am spoiling story elements, so duck out now of you want to wait until you have the game for yourself.<br />
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Anyway, when Classic Sonic arrives, he is said by Tails to be an alternate version of the blue hedgehog, rather than the time-displaced past version of the current one. Later cutscenes clearly introduce the Phantom Ruby from Mania and even lift the sound effects.<br />
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This could mean many things, especially since I am still working through the full Forces story, but what I am interpreting from this is that Sega wants the ability to grow Classic Sonic without the canon of Modern getting in the way of their game play and storyline ideas. (I mean, the drop dash was never a modern skill for Sonic, for example). Thus, Classic Sonic gets his own branch in the timeline.<br />
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Does this mean no classic games in Modern Sonic? I don't think so. Instead, I think the end of the Genesis/Mega Drive split the timeline.<br />
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Here's my theory, the "Core Four" games (Sonic 1, 2, CD and 3&K) are shared. Classic Sonic gets the Game Gear games and Mania, bringing the total to 10 games in the timeline.<br />
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Modern Sonic might (but based on gameplay, I'd argue he probably didn't) get the GG games. Instead, after 3&K, 3D Blast and Pocket Adventure were the follow-ups. Adventure-2006 were continuations of the 3D game play, and the Dimps games (Advance-Rush Adventure) continued 2D. When 2D elements entered during Unleashed and Colors, the two styles joined to create the Modern Sonic in his current form.<br />
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This would make Sonic 4 (both episodes) a Modern exclusive, and turn Mania into Classic's Sonic 4.<br />
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Am I overthinking this? I am overthinking this. Oh well. Already written. Enjoy, Sonic theorists!Sean Network Blogshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17485611190342614180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1247338904496237124.post-63622268339293633992017-01-22T04:16:00.002-08:002017-01-22T08:55:22.476-08:00NFL Conference Finalists and their WWE Counterparts (Year 7: 2016-17)(NOTE: To see the previous years, follow these links: <a href="http://seannetmma.blogspot.com/2011/01/wrestling-blog-nfl-playoffs-who-are.html" style="background-color: #fff9ee; color: #ff1900; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px;">2010-11</a><span style="background-color: #fff9ee; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "utopia" , "palatino linotype" , "palatino" , serif; font-size: 15.4px;">, </span><a href="http://wrestlingblogarchive.blogspot.com/2012/01/2012-conference-title-teams-who-would.html" style="background-color: #fff9ee; color: #888888; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px; text-decoration: none;">2011-12</a><span style="background-color: #fff9ee; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "utopia" , "palatino linotype" , "palatino" , serif; font-size: 15.4px;">, </span><a href="http://wrestlingblogarchive.blogspot.com/2013/01/who-would-afcnfc-conference.html" style="background-color: #fff9ee; color: #888888; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px; text-decoration: none;">2012-13</a><span style="background-color: #fff9ee; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "utopia" , "palatino linotype" , "palatino" , serif; font-size: 15.4px;">, </span><a href="http://wrestlingblogarchive.blogspot.com/2014_01_01_archive.html" style="background-color: #fff9ee; color: #888888; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px; text-decoration: none;">2013-14</a>,<span style="background-color: #fff9ee; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "utopia" , "palatino linotype" , "palatino" , serif; font-size: 15.4px;"> </span><a href="http://wrestlingblogarchive.blogspot.com/2015/01/nfl-conference-finalists-and-their-wwe.html" style="background-color: #fff9ee; color: #888888; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px; text-decoration: none;">2014-15</a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "utopia" , "palatino linotype" , "palatino" , serif;"><span style="background-color: #fff9ee; font-size: 15.4px;"> and <a href="http://theseannetwork.blogspot.com/2016/01/nfl-conference-finalists-and-their-wwe.html">2015-16</a>.)</span></span><br />
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This master's degree is a time-eater, guys.<br />
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It's been a busy last few months with teaching English, karate (2nd Dan Black Belt now!), and monthly classes for my master's. I also elected to coach basketball for my school. But good news is that my busy season will be wrapping up in March, which means I'll be able to log hours into Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.<br />
<br />
With any luck, I'll be able to do a year one retrospective for DC Rebirth, which will cover my thoughts on all the titles, and a Zelda retrospective that's been sitting in the drafts for a while. I also have fanfictions that have been gaining subscribers but decomposing for over a year. Summer is going to be a writing binge.<br />
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But that's a future event, unfortunately. For now, I can only do scattered posts. And of course, this post was one I was absolutely not going to miss.<br />
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This NFL season has been... just... awful. I don't know if it's the CBA or the decreasing talent in college, but I actually avoided watching most games this year. It just wasn't a pleasant watch for the lion's share of the year. Good thing I can focus on soccer and hockey next year (Golden Knights coming in fall!).<br />
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By contrast, WWE seems to be in a much better place than last year. Splitting the brands has given each show a unique feel. I have investment in every SmackDown feud, and everything in each of the show's divisions feels well-thought-out and put-together. Oh, and Raw happens each week too.<br />
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So for the first time since I started this tradition, I feel like I genuinely care about the wrestler counterparts more than the teams competing. Should make this interesting. Let's go!<br />
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<b>NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS - CHARLOTTE FLAIR</b><br />
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Can I just take a minute to give the WWE props for finally realizing that the women's division can be top flight if taken seriously. The feud between Charlotte and Sasha Banks may have been the best thing on Raw in 2016 (from an in-ring perspective. Someone really needs to work on live promos with Charlotte.)<br />
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Charlotte is now a four-time Women's World Champion because of that feud, which puts her even with the Patriots, and also like the Pats, fans respect the heck out of Charlotte's accomplishments while finding her to be grating and a cheater.<br />
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(Oh please, Pats fans, don't even act like you didn't expect me to throw shade at The Deflater of Balls.)<br />
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But yeah, while I don't really like the Patriots or even acknowledge their accomplishments as legitimate, I respect that they got them, whether by hook or by crook. Same for Charlotte. There is something VERY lacking in her ability to speak, and I groan whenever she's alone with a live mic, but I definitely respect her in-ring. She plays the heel brilliantly and makes all the moves look devastating.<br />
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Whether loved or hated, both the Pats and Charlotte share large-scale success and should be known as central players in 2016.<br />
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<b>PITTSBURGH STEELERS - CHRIS JERICHO</b><br />
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Remember when the Steelers used to be defense-heavy? That's not the case this year.<br />
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Big Ben and Le'Veon Bell have been tearing it up as a unit, and Pittsburgh has been treated to some high-scoring affairs this year. It says a lot about the front office that this team was able to evolve into something so different from what basically everyone knows about them.<br />
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On the Chris Jericho side, the former Lion Heart, former Y2J, former Save_Us guy has a new gimmick: The List of Jericho. How this thing has gotten over I have no idea, but here we are.<br />
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This thing is so over it has made it into my classroom. I'm not even kidding. It's where I go to write up bad behavior.<br />
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Add in a more ground-based style and you have a career revival for a man who has been in the business for more than two decades. He even has the United States Championship to show for his efforts.<br />
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This was a tough call between Jericho and Randy Orton, but I went with Jericho because his success has yielded a singles championship run, and it seems like it will be more memorable than Randy Wyatt.<br />
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<b>GREEN BAY PACKERS - ALEXA BLISS</b><br />
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You know, this was the hardest one to pick this year.<br />
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The Packers had a weird season. There were those couple months where they sucked and everyone piled on that Aaron Rodgers was actually terrible.<br />
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Remember that whole thing where we all decided Rodgers hated his family and that that had to be the reason he wasn't the BAD MAN Stephen A. Smith thought he was?<br />
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And yet, here we are. Once again, it was all about keeping cool and busting out wins. That was what Rodgers did this year. Now it's hard to imagine a time where we thought of Green Bay outside of the contender category (though I still have a hard time buying they are the best the NFC has to offer).<br />
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Bliss basically did this in WWE on SmackDown. She was brought in from NXT during the supplemental draft. (Yes, I watched the supplemental draft.) She was greeted with a resounding "Why was Bayley snubbed for you?"<br />
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While I thought she was improving, I didn't buy her as especially credible, and the image of Nia Jax laying her out at Survivor Series did not help matters. But against all odds, she is the SmackDown World Women's Champion; has main evented the show in only the second women's cage match in the main company's history; and owns some of the best promos on the Blue Brand.<br />
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She's an elite for sure. I still don't see her as Becky Lynch caliber, but she's getting there.<br />
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Anyway, time for the last team!<br />
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<b>ATLANTA FALCONS - JAMES ELLSWORTH??</b><br />
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Relax, guys. I'm just screwing with you.</div>
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<b>ATLANTA FALCONS - KEVIN OWENS</b></div>
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Believe me, I'd love to call out the Falcons as an overrated fraud who is here on blind luck, much like Ellsworth. That said, I do think there actually are some legitimate reasons the Falcons got here and skills that are worth noting.</div>
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Talent-wise, the Falcons are strong enough to contend. Matt Ryan has had a career renaissance this year. And his offense is strong enough to score on anyone.</div>
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This team is certainly deserving of respect. It just so happens, though, that they pad their record bt playing in the worst division of the NFL, have a history of screwing up royally, and lack a quality that indicates (at least to me) that they can hang at the grandest stages.<br />
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Owens at least doesn't have that issue. I know from his skills in the ring and on the mic that he could carry a show. Thing is, he doesn't. He's paired with Chris Jericho, which limits his ability to be seen as his own man.
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Additionally, he's never been the focal point of the show despite holding the WWE Universal Championship for months. The focus has been on the women's feuds, or whatever Roman Reigns is doing, or Goldberg. He just habitually is lost in the shuffle.</div>
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Sound familiar? Between the Packers' resurgence, the Seahawks' known ability to be a threat. the Giants and their weird Florida yacht club, and the Cowboys in general, did you even realize the Falcons were in the playoffs, let alone as a No. 2 seed?</div>
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Honestly, looking at the final four teams this year, I can say for certain that this has been one of football's least interesting years for me. I'm rooting for Packers-Steelers round 2, but after the silliness of last week's locker room shenanigans with Pittsburgh, I'll expect the Super Bowl XXXI rematch of Green Bay vs. New England. Here's hoping for a repeat of the result, too.</div>
<b><br /></b>Sean Network Blogshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17485611190342614180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1247338904496237124.post-26147081302054128862016-06-16T19:41:00.002-07:002016-06-16T19:41:56.063-07:00Comic Blog Rebirth: DC Rebirth #1Those who know me know that this blog has fallen into a state of inconsistency since I started training to become a teacher. Well, my first year is over and I have summer now to get myself back into a groove!<br />
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It's actually great timing that this last week of summer tutoring has happened because I am still in a position to tackle DC Comics' biggest alteration since the 2011 Flashpoint book - DC Rebirth.<br />
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If you followed my early blogs on here, you would know that I began reviewing comics (and returning to the medium as a whole) because of the DC universe-wide reboot that Flashpoint caused. The "New 52," as it was called, has been in effect for the entire four (almost five) years that I've been following DC's books, and while I absolutely loved the books I purchased over the years, there is no question that returning to comics and exploring that which came before has affected my view of the New 52.<br />
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Reading the Ted Kord era of the Blue Beetle solo series made me lament the fact that a character so focused on his legacy and using his power to help those less fortunate was not around for me to enjoy new stories of him. The New Teen Titans books of the 1980s, easily my favorite running series that has been retired, have left me unable to enjoy the melodrama that the modern incarnations of the Titans have attempted to pass of as nuanced character arcs.<br />
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And while I may have been an infrequent comic reader as a kid, whenever I think of the Flash in print or broadcast media, I think of the personality reflected in the Wally West Flash, the only Flash I knew until I started looking at the New 52. The fact that he was gone threw me for a loop, and his initial return as a moody whiner left me unable to get into Flash comics when he returned.<br />
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So I've stuck with books where I could trust the creative teams - Greg Pak's Action Comics, the Lemire-Sorrentino run on Green Arrow, Scott Snyder's Batman, and so forth. I became less willing to branch out because I knew a creative change could kill the momentum of a book dead in its tracks.<br />
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DC Rebirth, though not a proper reboot, is a chance to give the books a fresh start creatively and tie back to the main narrative when unsure where to go next. Think how Infinite Crisis didn't reboot Crisis on Infinite Earths; it just added stuff back in that had been lost.<br />
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I am getting all the "Rebirth" books to get a feel for how each hero/heroine/team will be handled, and I will be auditioning new books to follow now that Rebirth is running. And I can already see a major problem - everyone is on their A-game.<br />
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I can't buy all these books consistently, so I feel like I'll be cutting muscle when I narrow my purchases down. Fact is, though, that DC is now doing a lot of books with twice-monthly schedules. Even with the uniform cut down to $3 a book (which I LOVE. PLEASE KEEP THIS, DC!), that's two books per title in some cases, which will eat up two slots I can afford.<br />
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Anyway, enjoy over the next few weeks my binge-reading of many books at once. Admittedly, my summer reviews will be like rapid-fire thoughts until I narrow my field of titles (and summarize my thoughts on the final New 52 books I bought and have yet to read), but I think it will be a fun journey.<br />
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My first rapid-fire will end this blog, and it will be on the DC Universe Rebirth one-shot that started this whole thing.<br />
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This book was, in all likelihood, the final Geoff Johns-penned title for quite some time. Johns, who has been a major force in DC creative for some time, is now being asked to oversee creative for both the TV and film universes, which means his time writing books will be very limited in the coming years. My guess is that his main writings from here on in will be his Batman: Earth One graphic novels. (Don't give those up, Geoff!)<br />
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Anyway, this story is told from the perspective of Wally West. Not New 52 Wally, mind you, but the original, humorous, optimism-in-the-face-of-the-darkness Wally West. This story reminded me on a few occasions of Terminal Velocity, which is my favorite Flash story, and that's absolutely not a bad thing.<br />
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What tied it to Terminal Velocity was Wally's conflict of trying to stay around despite the speed force seemingly seeking his doom. Wally is fighting through three-quarters of this book trying to find someone who remembers him so he can anchor himself back into the world. His relentless attitude to keep pushing in the face of an increasingly hopeless situation is admirable and certainly one that many Flash fans will recognize as being so distinctly Wally.<br />
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His attempts to reach Batman first lead to a unique encounter where Bruce does not recognize Wally but can tell the speedster is aware of something worth noting. There was a weird <i>Batman v. Superman</i> vibe to this sequence, as it reminded me way too much of the Barry Allen dream sequence in Bruce's mind, but it was handled much better here because there was an actual reason for the scene to exist and pre-existing characterization that made the motivations work.<br />
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What was less brilliant was the idea that three Jokers are around and have just never run into each other. This has to have been a recent development following the events of Multiversity or something. (As I said, I can't read every book and I do tend to avoid books that feel like event comics.) One cool thing to note, though, is that the story seemed to reference all three Joker incarnations (pre-Crisis, post-Crisis, post-Flashpoint), which is cool.<br />
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I also liked the check-ins with the Justice Society and the post-Crisis Superman, who it seems will be taking over as the main DC Earth's Superman. The scene-stealing section, though, was the third part, where Aquaman finally proposes to Mera (in defiance of DC's 'no happy couples' edict) and it inspires Wally to talk to Linda Park who... does not remember him.<br />
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I will admit - that was a good spirit-breaker for the story. It also led to a great sequence where Wally oversees his Earth one more time. He explains how two Wally Wests can exist, which is great for those who have grown to care for the new Wally.</div>
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His final conversation is a heart-to-heart with Barry Allen, which I thought was handled beautifully. Of course, this review is weeks old so you know all the big moves that happened.</div>
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*SPOILERS IF YOU DON'T KNOW. DON'T READ PAST THIS POINT IF YOU PLAN TO READ IT FRESH.*</div>
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Barry finally remembers and anchors Wally, so now Wally is back in the DCU. He says someone has affected the memories of the Earth and that the heroes need to be ready to take the force on, and it's revealed that Batman discovered the bloody smiley face from <i>Watchmen </i>in his cave, which makes no sense why it's there, but it does reveal Dr. Manhattan to be the antagonistic force behind the New 52.</div>
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Honestly, I'm taking a wait and see approach with the Dr. Manhattan thing. It's a great idea from a meta-standpoint. <i>Watchmen</i> did help take superhero comics in a grittier, more 'realistic' direction, and DC Comics at its best has always embraced the over-the-top and crazy as much as it has the dark and grim.</div>
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On the other hand, it's disrespectful to Alan Moore to keep milking a franchise that has effectively been held hostage by the company, and this crossover could easily go catastrophically wrong. I'll withhold my judgment for now.<br />
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As for Wally being back and the older continuity elements being worked back in... I am all in favor of it. While I've enjoyed the New 52 book I follow, there are plenty of elements that have left me ambivalent. Giving the legacies back to the books puts some new emotional spectra at play, and with any luck this will give the creative teams plenty with which to work.<br />
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Overall, I gave this story a <b>9/10. </b>Good start to the new era.Sean Network Blogshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17485611190342614180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1247338904496237124.post-59647287673363728712016-01-23T14:50:00.000-08:002016-01-23T14:50:07.649-08:00NFL Conference Finalists and their WWE Counterparts (Year 6: 2015-16)Oh, how I've missed this.<br />
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For those who didn't read my on-and-off <a href="http://wrestlingblogarchive.blogspot.com/">wrestling blog</a> when it was getting occasional updates, one constant was the annual article where I took the four teams who qualified for the AFC and NFC conference championship games and selected current WWE Superstars whose persona and performance best emulated those teams.<br />
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If you'd like more of a picture of what it looked like, you can check out my articles for <a href="http://seannetmma.blogspot.com/2011/01/wrestling-blog-nfl-playoffs-who-are.html">2010-11</a>, <a href="http://wrestlingblogarchive.blogspot.com/2012/01/2012-conference-title-teams-who-would.html">2011-12</a>, <a href="http://wrestlingblogarchive.blogspot.com/2013/01/who-would-afcnfc-conference.html">2012-13</a>, <a href="http://wrestlingblogarchive.blogspot.com/2014_01_01_archive.html">2013-14</a> and <a href="http://wrestlingblogarchive.blogspot.com/2015/01/nfl-conference-finalists-and-their-wwe.html">2014-15</a>.<br />
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Those who elected to follow these links will notice last year's was a bit of a chore because of WWE's lackluster booking making it so that I couldn't create anything resembling hype for the wrestling part of this wrestling-football equation.<br />
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I have solved the problem this year.<br />
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Don't get me wrong: The current WWE product is still an absolute nightmare. Awesome characters are being shoved down the card. The Authority is putting itself on the screen far too often. The "Divas Revolution" is the same nonsensical booking with a face-heel alignment that makes no sense (though at least the matches are better, I guess). And almost every notable Superstar is shelved with an injury.<br />
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So what have I done to fix it? Suck it up and just enjoy the product? Of course not!<br />
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Throw up a bunch of RKO Vine videos? Please, I was going to do that anyway.<br />
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Maybe some "And his name is JOHN CENA" videos? Heck no! I've got that page <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/UnexpectedCena/">bookmarked</a>. Here's a sample:</div>
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In all seriousness, though, I do have a solution: Use NXT's Superstars instead!</div>
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I thoroughly enjoy NXT and have tremendous respect for the product. It's still owned by WWE, so I don't feel like I'm cheating by going outside the company. And who knows? Some of these guys may end up in the Royal Rumble match.</div>
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The only rule I set for myself is that the competitor must have been an active member of the NXT roster for a period of time this past year. No one-shot deals or guest spots. NXT had to be their home base.</div>
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(For the record, if I'd gone with WWE guys, I'd have used Cena for the Patriots, Roman Reigns for the Panthers, Seth Rollins for the Broncos and Dean Ambrose for the Cardinals. I've used Cena far too often and while it would be cool to mention all three Shield members, I don't feel like all three are as fitting as the NXT competitors are.)</div>
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So let us move on to the main event!</div>
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<b>New England Patriots - Kevin Owens</b></div>
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So when it came to finding an NXT force to take the Patriots' run, I asked myself a few questions:</div>
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Who won the title and proceeded to continue being a dominant force?</div>
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Who can win clean and yet insists on playing the cowardly heel role and putting themselves in obvious cheating positions?</div>
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Who loves to win, whether by technicality or brutality?</div>
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Who is identified by many fans as part of a unit (Belichick and Brady; Steen and Generico)?</div>
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The answer to all those questions is New England.</div>
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Though it continues to irritate me that this team is still showing up in major spots, and though I still stick to my guns that the Pats would not be the current defending champions had ball deflation never been an issue, I have no gripes with giving the former NXT Champion and easily the most successful NXT-to-WWE transfer in the last year to the champs.</div>
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And heck, Owens got famous in WWE by beating Cena, so this is just perfect in many ways.</div>
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Now for the opponent. And speaking of names joined at the hip:</div>
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<b>Denver Broncos - Sami Zayn</b></div>
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If one thing on Twitter irritated me in 2015 more than anything it was those stupid Zayn hashtags. The reason being that it annoyed me that the most enjoyable male wrestler on the NXT roster gets zero hashtags in favor of a dude no longer in the now-defunct boy band who made him famous.</div>
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Denver, too, gets overlooked, though it's mostly been due to Peyton Manning being absent from the team for the middle of the season. His injuries were a plague on a Bronco unit seemingly destined for success early in the season.</div>
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Likewise, Sami Zayn's star, which had been rising into the main roster this past spring, hurled itself back to earth after his injuries forced him out of a roster call-up and NXT title reign.</div>
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Nonetheless, don't assume that Zayn and the Broncos both belong in the scrap heap. Zayn is back and making noise in NXT once again, and the newly-restored Broncos surged at the end of the season to take the No. 1 seed.</div>
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Zayn and Owens could have been the feud of 2015 had Zayn been healthy, and it's only fitting that their NFL analogues feature Tom Brady and Peyton Manning as quarterbacks.</div>
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One heck of a match-up awaits fans on Sunday.</div>
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Now for the NFC Championship Game:</div>
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<b>Arizona Cardinals - Baron Corbin</b></div>
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I almost feel like I'm cheating here. Who should be the Cardinals' representative? How about the guy who actually played for them?</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kind of weird, right?</td></tr>
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But let's be clear here: That is not the only reason I picked Corbin. It's the main one, but he works here in other ways.<br />
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Corbin is an absolute force and appears like he could be a real player at the main roster level. His offense packs an awesome punch and the man is deceptively nimble despite being known for power.<br />
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Likewise, the Cardinals' unit, built by head coach Bruce Arians, is a major threat. The team owns a suffocating defense (until they lost a linebacker, anyway) and an offense that can rack up the points.<br />
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The drawbacks for both is the inability to show success in major tests. I will grant that in Corbin's case it's because 90 percent of his 2015 matches were squashes and in Arizona's case it's because Carson Palmer simply hasn't had many playoff opportunities. Regardless, the comparison is fitting.</div>
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I would not be shocked to see Corbin or Arizona hold titles in 2016.</div>
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On now to the final team, whose counterpart is a trailblazer for this blog:</div>
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<b>Carolina Panthers - Sasha Banks</b></div>
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Yes, everybody, after years of waiting, there is finally a female wrestler deserving of a spot on this blog!</div>
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In spite of WWE's attempts to kill any momentum NXT's ladies had when joining the main roster, there is no changing what we all saw during the NXT Takeover specials. What we saw was the dawn of a competitor worthy of being the next big draw in this company.</div>
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Though I don't consider Sasha's to be the top of the Four Horsewomen in terms of actual wrestling (Becky holds that mark), intimidation (Charlotte) or authentic likability (Bayley), Sasha is a master at getting the exact crowd reactions she desires and possesses the "X" factor that so few can claim to have. When her music hits and she walks in, there's no doubt who owns the room.</div>
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Over the last year, Sasha has produced five matches that topped anything the WWE Diva roster produced in the previous eight years. And it comes from her ability to push the pace, beat opponents in a variety of ways, and taunt in just the right way.</div>
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And geez, if any NFL star is getting under people's skin for taunting, it's Cam Newton. His touchdown celebrations are a thing of brilliance, getting on people's nerve in that 'right' way that makes him a must-see player.</div>
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The team can win through the air (though it's harder because of the receiving core), on the ground or through the defense. They are the total package and my pick to take the title this year.</div>
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I hope everyone enjoyed this year's entry in the NFL-WWE saga, and to close out I give you my picks for WWE's ill-timed Royal Rumble card! (Seriously, nothing is happening next week. Who the heck decided to run this during the NFC title game?)</div>
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<b>WWE World Tag Team Championship - </b>New Day defends successfully vs. The Usos</div>
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<b>United States Championship - </b>Alberto Del Rio defends successfully vs. Kalisto</div>
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<b>Intercontinental Championship - </b>Dean Ambrose defends successfully vs. Kevin Owens</div>
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<b>WWE World Women's Championship (I refuse to call it Divas title) - </b>Becky Lynch beats Charlotte by DQ, leaving Charlotte as champion</div>
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<b>WWE World Heavyweight Championship/Royal Rumble Match - </b>Brock Lesnar wins championship</div>
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Sean Network Blogshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17485611190342614180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1247338904496237124.post-56540393393796607212016-01-17T15:45:00.002-08:002016-01-17T15:45:44.019-08:00UFC Fight Night: Dillashaw vs. Cruz previewDominick Cruz came onto the UFC scene a few years ago when the company absorbed the WEC bantamweight division. He lost the title, not because he was bested by an opponent, but because he suffered an unfortunate injury. And then another. And then another.<div>
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Cruz has been a tad injury-prone since it was announced that he was a coach on The Ultimate Fighter. To date, fans everywhere still must wonder how the fight would have gone between Urijah Faber and him.</div>
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Nonetheless, the man who has fought one time in five years is finally getting a shot at regaining his title when he faces TJ Dillashaw for the UFC World Men's Bantamweight Championship.</div>
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Cruz's most recent fight was two years ago and it barely lasted a minute. He's going to be dealing with ring rust. The question will be whether Cruz's incredible ability to frustrate and out-strike his opponents has carried over after all these years.</div>
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<div>
In many ways, Dillashaw is the replacement for Cruz in terms of style. The two each have an unorthodox style and can frustrate their opponents. Cruz certainly has done it longer, but Dillashaw has earned his stripes since dominating Renan Barao twice in his last three fights.</div>
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Most of the time, my pick would be Cruz, but the gap in time is so great that I can't say he's the same fighter I remember. I'll take <b>Dillashaw by decision, </b>but take it with a grain of salt.</div>
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Also on the card is a clash between Anthony Pettis and Eddie Alvarez. The winner will most likely be in position for a title shot once fight is over between Rafael dos Anjos and...</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh hi, Conor.</td></tr>
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<br />This should be a clash of strikers for certain, but Pettis is far from a slouch on the ground, so be ready for that. My pick is <b>Pettis by KO 2 </b>to earn his return match for the lightweight crown.<div>
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<b>Rest of the Main Card</b></div>
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<b>Heavyweight Bout: Travis Browne vs. Matt Mitrione - </b>Taking Browne on this one by KO 1.</div>
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<b>Lightweight Bout: Ross Pearson vs. Francisco Trinaldo - </b>Pearson wins in a secure decision.<br /><div>
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Sean Network Blogshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17485611190342614180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1247338904496237124.post-80258574625564077872015-12-19T10:47:00.001-08:002015-12-19T10:47:09.754-08:00UFC on FOX: dos Anjos vs. Cerrone II previewThere is a joke Stephen Colbert uses where he shows all the US presidential candidates piled up in a ridiculous display that eats up about three-quarters of the page. Then he'll bring up Donald Trump and Trump will absorb the space all the other candidates had taken up.<br />
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Yeah, there it is.</div>
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Anyway, that's kind of how the UFC is dealing with their new World Featherweight Champion, Conor McGregor. Ever since he defeated the top pound-for-pound fighter in a fight so short it could fit on Instagram, McGregor has been the talk of the town.<br />
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It's now to the point that he's the most important conversation piece at the UFC World Lightweight Championship fight tonight.<br />
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McGregor <a href="http://oceansidepost.com/2015/12/16/conor-mcgregor-planning-to-move-to-ufc-lightweight-division.html">has claimed</a> that he will be moving soon to the 155-pound weight limit to chase a second title. There has been talk that his corner would really rather he not make the cut down to 145 anymore.<br />
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This may not be true anymore, though, as McGregor has an obvious No. 1 challenger for the belt he actually holds. Frankie Edgar, a former lightweight champion in his own right, is looking for to be a multi-division champion too, and he made his case for a match with a first-round KO win over Chad Mendes last week.<br />
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<a href="http://www.mmamania.com/2015/12/16/10220160/ufc-coach-conor-mcgregor-will-fight-frankie-edgar-just-not-yet-wait-mma">There is talk</a> that McGregor would jump up a weight class, then move back down to fight Edgar at UFC 200, but that may not be likely when held up to scrutiny. This would require McGregor to cut to 155 around March, then conduct an additional weight cut - 10 pounds more this time - in July.<br />
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It may just be my own opinion, but when McGregor does choose to become a lightweight, if he succeeds, that's it for him at featherweight. And that is a shame because there are so many fights at featherweight worth making first.<br />
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A rematch with Aldo is there. Urijah Faber is ready, willing and able to jump back up to 145 for a fight. Dominick Cruz has probably stuck at bantamweight for far too long now...<br />
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And most of this blog is talking about McGregor instead of the fight that's actually happening tonight, isn't it?<br />
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See, this is exactly the point! And it's a shame because the fight between champion Rafael dos Anjos and challenger Donald Cerrone has all the makings of an absolute classic.<br />
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Cerrone is the fighter known for taking on all comers, whether he gets a full camp or not. He's been on an absolute tear in recent months (years, technically) and is riding an eight-fight win streak dating back to 2013.<br />
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The man who beat him, though, is Rafael dos Anjos.<br />
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It's kind of a unique situation where dos Anjos has beaten his challenger before, won a championship, and yet still has more losses in the last two years. (Cerrone has been 8-0 while dos Anjos is 4-1 with a loss to No. 2 contender Khabib Nurmagomedov.)<br />
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As for how the match-up shakes out, it's clear that while dos Anjos is an excellent striker, boasting a high rank in Muay Thai, he's outclassed by Cerrone's boxing and kickboxing background. A stand-up fight will almost definitely go Cerrone's way.<br />
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It will come down to ground game if the champion wants to win. Though he hasn't won by submission in a few years, dos Anjos has a 3rd-degree black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Cerrone isn't any slouch on the ground thanks to Greg Jackson's training, but those are chops he's years from earning himself.<br />
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Looking at the fight as a whole, my guess is that the fight stays standing more than it's on the ground. Cerrone has good takedown defense and should be able to free himself without relying on the referee to stand the fighters back up.<br />
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I will say <b>Cerrone takes the decision</b> in this fight and moves on to face Nurmagomedov. Or Pettis. Or...<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dang it, McGregor!</td></tr>
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Oh right, there are other fights on this card!<br />
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<b>Heavyweight Bout: Junior Dos Santos v. Alistair Overeem - </b>This may be a final gasp for the title aspirations of 'The Reem.' These gasps will go unanswered. JDS by KO in Round 2.<br />
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<b>Lightweight Bout: Michael Johnson v. Nate Diaz - </b>The Diaz brothers are never going away, are they? Well, at least Johnson is more than a match for the little Diaz. Johnson by decision.<br />
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<b>Strawweight Bout: Randa Markos v. Karolina Kowalkiewicz - </b>What is with all the Eastern Bloc fighters in the strawweight divison. You may remember Randa Markos as that woman who annoyed the crap out of EVERYONE in the TUF 20 house. Kowalkiewicz is undefeated, but I'll take the experience of the Iraqi-Canadian "Quiet Storm." Markos by decision.Sean Network Blogshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17485611190342614180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1247338904496237124.post-73766652896020019422015-12-12T17:38:00.001-08:002015-12-12T17:44:23.915-08:00Return of the Blog: UFC 194 previewWell...<br />
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Hello again! I have returned with a single, fused blog and my picks for UFC 194.<br />
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Yeah, so the MMA blog is moving in with everything else, if only to make it easier to maintain. But enough talk, let's talk about the pair of title fights going on tonight.<br />
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I don't think it's possible for those who pay any attention to the fight game to not have heard about UFC World Featherweight Champion Jose Aldo's title defense against Conor McGregor. Brazil vs. Ireland may not be the national clash that comes to mind in the fight game, but needless to say, both nations will have their sights set on the MGM Grand Garden Arena tonight.<br />
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Aldo has not lost a fight in the time I've followed him, which dates back to my first viewing of a WEC event in the mid-2000s, so it's safe to say he's built up a Fedor-like aura of invincibility in the minds of many-a-fan.<br />
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This is not without good reason. Aldo's striking is known for quick finishes, as evidenced by the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BB4KW-DYTxw">double flying knee</a> he used to open a fight with a KO victory. But he also has a legitimate submission game and always has had the look of a man who should be at lightweight but instead chooses to dominate at 145.<br />
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And then there's the greatest fighter since Muhammad Ali in terms of both mouth and skill - or at least that's what McGregor and his handlers would have you believe. McGregor's ability to get people to pay attention to him has not been seen in MMA since Ronda Rousey talked her way into a Strikeforce title shot a mere three professional fights into her career.<br />
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But don't think for a minute that McGregor's mouth means he's all talk. He may well be a better striker than Aldo. His ability to angle himself perfectly for strikes and punishing power make him an incredible threat to the champion. His weakness is that he has yet to really be tested on the ground, and if he does prove to be too much for Aldo standing, that could be a location for the champion to rack up the points.<br />
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I'm not going to lie here - I REALLY want to see McGregor pull this out. An Irish champion with a mouth that can sell a million buys with minimal effort? Count me the heck in!<br />
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That said, I know what Aldo is capable of when he wants to win, and it's hard for me to take him as a failure on his biggest stage ever. I will pick <b>Aldo by decision.</b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's OK, UFC forgot this was on the card too.</td></tr>
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In the other main event, Chris Weidman, most likely the second best in the world pound-for-pound, will defend against "I Really Am Not Interested In Watching" Luke Rockhold.<br />
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Yes, I made that nickname up, but can you blame me? The dude was about as bland as they came in his Strikeforce career (in spite of his title run near the end of the company's existence), and <a href="http://www.foxsports.com/ufc/story/luke-rockhold-on-michael-bisping-i-m-just-more-of-a-man-than-him-102814">since then</a> has come off as a fairly <a href="http://uproxx.com/sports/2015/01/luke-rockhold-said-some-nasty-things-on-millionaire-matchmaker/">unlikable individual</a>.<br />
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Weidman has a mouth, but he mostly lets his winning do the talking. This is the man who KO'ed Anderson Silva to win the title, then retained in the rematch by breaking Silva's leg with a shin-check.<br />
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From a match-up standpoint, I see Weidman as the clear superior. Rockhold's striking is legitimate, but Weidman's has been tested at the highest caliber. For wrestling, I'd also give Weidman the edge, and while Rockhold has looked solid on the ground, at best he's a match for Weidman.<br />
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I don't see this going the full five, and I'll take the World Middleweight Champion to retain via a 3rd-round KO.<br />
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<b>Rest of the Main Card</b><br />
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Middleweight Bout: Jacare Souza (#2 MW) vs. Joel Romero (#3 MW) - Jacare by submission Round 2.<br />
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Welterweight Bout: Demian Maia (#6 WW) vs. Gunnar Nelson (#12 WW) - Nelson by decision<br />
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Featherweight Bout: Max Holloway (#5 FW) vs. Jeremy Stephens (#8 FW) - Stephens by decisionSean Network Blogshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17485611190342614180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1247338904496237124.post-51359338342236557282015-01-01T18:46:00.000-08:002015-01-01T18:46:02.634-08:00Comic Book Reviews: Batman Eternal #39The 2014 year of comic book reviews ends with a single, mediocre issue of a solid weekly series.<br />
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<b>Batman Eternal #39 - </b>6.8/10<br />
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