History FireEmblemThreeHouses / TropesNToR

* NotForIntendedUse: Many of the playable units' proficiency will lean towards their favored classes. But if you were to give them a class they are not supposed to be suited for, they become surprisingly efficienct in the class that's opposite of their preferred class. For example, promoting a SquishyWizard into an Armor Class not only increases their strength stats, [[StoneWall but also their defense and health]].

* RedHerringTwist: Late into Part I, "those who slither in the dark" start causing chaos in the main plot, and while [[spoiler:Kronya and Solon]] are eventually dealt with for good, [[spoiler:[[BigBad Thales]]]] goes unfought and the group is set up to return in full force later. [[spoiler:No matter the route chosen, "those who slither in the dark" are swiftly forgotten by Part II to make way to the game's main antagonists, and while Thales and co. do return eventually, their overall relevance heavily differs depending on the route:]] [[spoiler:In Verdant Wind and Silver Snow, after Edelgard's death and, with some posthumous support from Hubert, the Alliance/Resistance Army invade Thales' headquarters and bring him down, but not without making way for the stories' final threat. In Crimson Flower, they collaborate with the Empire to bring down a common enemy, and while it's teased multiple times Thales' team-up with Edelgard is temporary and that they're next on her list once the war's over, TWSITD is mentioned to have been fought and defeated offscreen in various epilogues. Finally, in Azure Moon, both Cleobulus and Thales are fought and defeated but while wearing the guise of Cornelia and Lord Arundel respectively, and the group's remaiinvolvement with the Empire is heavily hinted but never directly acknowledged during the remainder of the story]].

** Before the time skip, practically every playable unit acts like plot-important characters in the previous games: when they lose in battle on Classic mode they retreat and are still present in the monastery but don't appear in cutscenes (unless they have PlotArmor), and can't be deployed or improve in any way. However, post time-skip they disappear entirely, and the ending slides reveal that they either died or went missing sometime during the interim.

** Before the time skip, practically every playable unit acts like plot-important characters in the previous games: when they lose in battle they retreat and are still present in the monastery but don't appear in cutscenes (unless they have PlotArmor), and can't be deployed or improve in any way. However, post time-skip they disappear entirely, and the ending slides reveal that they either died or went missing sometime during the interim.

** Before the time skip, practically every playable unit acts like plot-important characters in the previous games: when they lose in battle they retreat and are still present in the monastery but can't be chosen for battles or improve in any way. However, post time-skip they disappear entirely, and the ending slides reveal that they either died or went missing sometime during the interim.

** Before the time skip, practically every playable unit acts like plot-important characters in the previous games; when they lose in battle, they retreat and are still present in the monastery, but can't be chosen for most battles or improve in any way. However, post time-skip, they disappear entirely, and the ending slides reveal that they either died or went missing sometime during the interim.

** Before the time skip, practically every playable unit acts like plot-important characters in the previous games; when they lose in battle, they retreat and are still present in the monastery and cutscenes, but can't be chosen for most battles or improve in any way. However, post time-skip, they disappear entirely, and the ending slides reveal that they either died or went missing sometime during the interim.

** Why did the Flame Emperor hire Kostas to kill Edelgard, Dimitri and Claude? Unlike the rest of their schemes, the goal they sought to achieve with it is never revealed, and the evidence involving this subplot leads to contradictory possibilities. [[spoiler:For one, as the end of Part I reveals the Flame Emperor is Edelgard's secret persona, it can seem at first glance she willingly risked her own life just to kill potential future enemies in a way which didn't implicate her, and that Edelgard intended to survive the bandit attack seemingly through her own strenght and skills. And yet, Edelgard's own surprise over seeing Byleth being hired as a teacher for Garreg Mach after the attack, Caspar's comments that [[TheMole Jeritza]] was expected to get said job after Kostas' bandits scared away the original candidate before Byleth showed up, Ferdinand wondering if a house leader had been aware mercenaries were staying nearby Remire Village during the incident, and Edelgard deliberately ommiting to Kostas and his gang the Church of Seiros would've inevitably gotten involved in their attack, heavily suggest the possibility [[FailureGambit the bandit attack had been a set-up]] for the sake of giving Jeritza the job of professor to further Edelgard's goals. Regardless, the game never provides enough clues to confirm either possibility, and the story moves from this subplot without giving an answer. In the end though, ''Three Hopes'' confirms the latter outcome was Edelgard's inteded aim]].

** Why did the Flame Emperor hire Kostas to kill Edelgard, Dimitri and Claude? Unlike the rest of their schemes, the goal they seeked to achieve with it is never revealed, and the evidence involving this subplot leads to contradictory possibilities. [[spoiler:For one, as the end of Part I reveals the Flame Emperor is Edelgard's secret persona, it can seem at first glance she willingly risked her own life just to kill potential future enemies in a way which didn't implicate her, and that Edelgard intended to survive the bandit attack seemingly through her own strenght and skills. And yet, Edelgard's own surprise over seeing Byleth being hired as a teacher for Garreg Mach after the attack, Caspar's comments that [[TheMole Jeritza]] was expected to get said job after Kostas' bandits scared away the original candidate before Byleth showed up, Ferdinand wondering if a house leader had been aware mercenaries were staying nearby Remire Village during the incident, and Edelgard deliberately ommiting to Kostas and his gang the Church of Seiros would've inevitably gotten involved in their attack, heavily suggest the possibility [[FailureGambit the bandit attack had been a set-up]] for the sake of giving Jeritza the job of professor to further Edelgard's goals. Regardless, the game never provides enough clues to confirm either possibility, and the story moves from this subplot without giving an answer. In the end though, ''Three Hopes'' confirms the latter outcome was Edelgard's inteded aim]].

* PoorCommunicationKills: This is at the crux of the three lords and Rhea. Everyone has personal issues as to why they are unable to trust anyone outside of Byleth and their inner circle. That goes double for Rhea, who is carrying by far the most secrets of the cast.

* RiddleForTheAges: A number of mysteries are left unclear by the story’s end, relating to the backstory.
** What became of [[spoiler:Patricia/Anselma after the Tragedy of Duscur? Azure Moon makes clear that not only did [[NeverFoundTheBody she disappeared and faked her death]], it was also very important to have her leave Duscur ''alive''. Despite this, she's nowhere to be seen in the present day, even though its stated she very much intended to reunite with her daughter. Also, how did she really feel about Dimitri? He grew up thinking that she loved him as though he were her own blood son, but did she really leave him to die so cold-heartedly? Dimitri's DLC support with Hapi suggests that Patrica did care for her daughter Edelgard ''and'' Dimitri, but was barred from seeing the former by Cornelia, who suggested that it was the King's doing (when in reality, it was nothing of the sort) to drive a wedge through them... and after some time of this emotional poisoning, she was desperate and then tricked into participating in the Tragedy of Duscur in some manner, all just to see her daughter again. However, what became of her remained unknown. ''Three Hopes'' would reveal more, confirming she is dead (though not the exact circumstances beyond that they involved using her body to empower Edelgard) and that if she did care about Dimitri it was not enough to keep her from helping organize the event that she had every reason to believe would result in his death, even writing to a Western lord to enlist them in her plot.]]

* PoorCommunicationKills: This is at the crux of the three lords and Rhea. Everyone has personal issues as to why they are unable to trust anyone outside of Byleth and their inner circle. That goes double for Rhea as its seen that any attempts to have any ideal that directly challenges her's is struck down with pure predjudice.

** What became of [[spoiler:Patricia/Anselma after the Tragedy of Duscur? Azure Moon makes clear that not only did [[NeverFoundTheBody she disappeared and faked her death]], it was also very important to have her leave Duscur ''alive''. Despite this, she's nowhere to be seen in the present day, even though its stated she very much intended to reunite with her daughter. Also, how did she really feel about Dimitri? He grew up thinking that she loved him as though he were her own blood son, but did she really leave him to die so cold-heartedly? Dimitri's DLC support with Hapi suggests that Patrica did care for her daughter Edelgard ''and'' Dimitri, but was barred from seeing the former by Cornelia, who suggested that it was the King's doing (when in reality, it was nothing of the sort) to drive a wedge through them... and after some time of this emotional poisoning, she was desperate and then tricked into participating in the Tragedy of Duscur in some manner, all just to see her daughter again. However, what became of her still remains unknown.]]

** What became of [[spoiler:Patricia/Anselma after the Tragedy of Duscur? Azure Moon makes clear that not only did [[NeverFoundTheBody she disappeared and faked her death]], it was also very important to have her leave Duscur ''alive''. Despite this, she's nowhere to be seen in the present day, even though its stated she very much intended to reunite with her daughter. Also, how did she really feel about Dimitri? He grew up thinking that she loved him as though he were her own blood son, but did she really leave him to die so cold-heartedly?]]
*** [[spoiler:Dimitri's DLC support with Hapi suggests that Patrica did care for her daughter Edelgard ''and'' Dimitri, but was barred from seeing the former by Cornelia, who suggested that it was the King's doing (when in reality, it was nothing of the sort) to drive a wedge through them... and after some time of this emotional poisoning, she was desperate and then tricked into participating in the Tragedy of Duscur in some manner, all just to see her daughter again. However, what became of her still remains unknown.]]

** No matter which house Byleth chooses to lead, the story will give many hints that your house leader ''might'' be the [[MalevolentMaskedMen Flame Emperor]]. Whoever your lord is, they are suspiciously absent the first times the Flame Emperor shows up. Edelgard implies that teaming up with the Flame Emperor might not be a bad idea, and her own future title will be Emperor. Dimitri is shown having a friendly conversation with one of their accomplices, and as TheReveal approaches, begins to complain about headaches and becomes increasingly erratic. Claude is openly critical of the Church and shows a fixation on the Sword of the Creator right after the Flame Emperor states a similar interest. In the end, each lord eventually has a moment where they’re able to settle their innocence, [[spoiler:where only Edelgard reveals she was the one behind the mask]].

** What became of [[spoiler:Patricia/Anselma after the Tragedy of Duscur? Azure Moon makes clear that not only [[NeverFoundTheBody she disappeared and faked her death]], it was also very important to have her leave Duscur ''alive''. Despite this, she's nowhere to be seen in the present day, even though its stated she very much intented to reunite with her daughter. Also, how did she really feel about Dimitri? He grew up thinking that she loved him as though he were her own blood son, but did she really leave him to die so cold-heartedly?]]

** Can be said of both sides on the Crimson Flower route [[spoiler:when the Knights of Seiros under Seteth attempt to retake Garreg Mach from the Black Eagle Strike Force while a larger force commanded by Rhea and Catherine takes on the Imperial Army in the field]]. [[spoiler:The Garreg Mach invasion is repelled, at the cost of many knights (including potentially Alois if he was not recruited) and ends with Seteth and Flayn either dead as well or going into hiding, removing some of their best fighters, and further unbalancing Rhea. However, the Imperial Army takes a severe beating from Rhea and Catherine's forces, and veteran Imperial soldiers like Randolph and Ladislava are lost in the fight. In the end, Edelgard admits that while they can and will call it a victory, the Church will do just the same.]]

* NeglectedSidequestConsequence: "War for the Weak", Dedue's paralogue, is completely optional. However, if you don't complete the sidequest [[spoiler: it results in his death while helping Dmitri escape imprisonment]].

** The very first cutscene offers some depending on the route you previously played. For all routes, there are 10 more glowing red lights after Nemesis makes his entrance. These represent the 10 Elites, as they all fought with Hero's relics. Additionally, [[spoiler:Seiros' outfit further drives home that she and Rhea are the same. Especially since she only wears the same armor again in Crimson Flower. How she disarms and kills Nemesis is also where Rhea's ability to instruct brawling comes from.]] Lastly, [[spoiler:Nemesis' brief {{Leitmotif}}, Serios' anger and grief as she confronts and kills Nemesis, and her holding the Sword of The Creator to her face afterwards can take different tones]] if the player had just completed Verdant Wind route.
** At the start of the first battle, you can have the three youths talk to Byleth, and while Dimitri and Claude express concern about the bandits and the threat to their lives, Edelgard is more interested in Byleth. [[spoiler:This takes a darker tone later on, when it comes to light that Edelgard hired the bandits to help kickstart her ambitions by killing the other two, and thus has little reason to be worried about them.]]

* RagtagBunchOfMisfits: This game presents a marked [[AvertedTrope aversion]] for the series. There are four carefully grouped playable factions that host the majority of playable units, and your party will consist of one of the three houses you pick at the start of the game and whichever members of the Knights of Seiros you were able to recruit during the academy arc. Recruiting enemies and [=NPCs=] during battle or elsewhere [[LaterInstallmentWeirdness isn't featured at all]] in this game, with only one very specific option to recruit an enemy. The few odds and ends of the Knights of Seiros include Dagdan mercenary [[TheStoic Shamir]] and the former Almyran slave [[UndyingLoyalty Cyril]], but they are greatly outnumbered by regular folk like [[PungeonMaster Alois]] and nobles like [[ActionGirl Catherine]]. The Golden Deer house does fit this image more compared to the other two houses, but the three commoners (Raphael, Ignatz, and Leonie) all have respectable upbringings and most of them are fairly united in protecting the Alliance come the war arc.

*** Jeritza became a proper playable character for the [[spoiler:Crimson Flower]] route, which required a few pieces of monastery dialogue to be tweaked so his whereabouts in Part II are consistent with the story.

** From version 1.1.0 onwards and, on the Crimson Flower route, [[spoiler:Jeritza]] will join your party automatically at the start of Part II, [[spoiler:with his signature Death Knight class and Scythe of Sariel included]].

* PersonalityPowers: It is speculated InUniverse, and in some cases strongly implied due to similarities, that Crests influence a person's personality. Amongst other things are a general love of sweets (excluding Felix, and potentially, the Crest of Fraldarius); Bernadetta's skills in crafts, social awkwardness, and archery that are like Indech's; or Flayn and Lindhardt's aversion to violence.