Heartwarming / Fire Emblem: Three Houses

"Welcome back, my teacher. I'm so happy that you're safe."

Per troping policy, all spoilers are unmarked. You Have Been Warned.

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General/Supports

• All of the S-Supports and CG artworks. Just try not to smile.
  • Unlike in the previous games where you can unlock your S-Support whenever, you can only see your S-Support at the end of the game. As in, after the final boss, after the war, and you have to start it by choosing from a list of all possible spouses that Byleth has an A-Support with, giving the feeling of Byleth deciding for themselves who it is that they love. The choice may be difficult, but the payoff is sweet regardless.
  • Regardless if Byleth is male or female, they always give their beloved their mother's ring, just as Jeralt hoped they would.
  • Sothis' S Rank, as over-the-top as her confession is, really how shows how much she cares for Byleth. Selecting "I was lonely" at the dialog prompt has her telling Byleth to keep back their tears because she's here now, and she's absolutely overjoyed at being able to be with Byleth again.
    Sothis: I never tire of being around you.
• Related to the above, if you speak with the Gatekeeper during the Ethereal Moon, he'll mention a legend about how, if a man and a woman make a wish together under the Goddess Tower, it'll come true. Byleth asks themselves if there's anyone they feel about that way, and a list of all their possible S-supports pops up. Pick one, and you'll get a special scene with them the night of the ball. It really helps the romance feel more gradual and is pretty cute besides.
• The scenes where you reunite with your students after the timeskip. No matter how tumultuous Fódlan is by this point, they still came back and they're just so happy to see you.
  • Before that, when everything has gone to hell and it's just Byleth and Dimitri/Claude/Seteth to start with, your houses students arrive in groups of two or three. It really shows that they are always there for you.
  • While some of the students have changed and are weary due to the war, they still share banter as if nothing changed between them right after the battle is over. It makes you feel like you have finally come back home after being gone for so long.
• The reaction of various characters to Jeralt's death, and how they treat Byleth deserve mention.
  • After Jeralt's death, it can be noticed that Bernadetta isn't in her room like she usually is. Where is she? Near the graveyard, having prepared flowers for his grave.
  • Alois offers Byleth a Declaration of Protection and even offers to be their Parental Substitute.
  • While Hubert's words aren't truly heartwarming like the others, the fact he is honest and doesn't try to fake sympathy for Byleth after the death of Jeralt shows that despite his roughness, he knows better than to fake sorrow for something. If you chose to teach the Black Eagles, he instead offers what he calls logic, which for him, shows he at least cares enough to not hurt Byleth further.
  • It's not just playable characters that will comment and offer support, but NPCs! From the priest who deeply apologizes for the Church's failings to notice the infiltration, to the soldier who talks about how he went drinking with Jeralt, to the brawler who laments how unfair it is, many of them have something to say about how great Jeralt was and how much he loved you. Even some you can't talk to may have a speech bubble above their head, telling you to take it easy or offering condolences. That's when it sinks in that Garreg Mach isn't just where you teach—it's your community.
  • Finally, if you go to the graveyard after Jeralt's death you'll find that he was buried in the same grave as his wife.
• Alois, being who he is, is more often than not a beacon of joy and levity in his supports. One highlight is his supports with Dimitri, with the latter being one of the few people who laugh at his jokes. What makes this support more special is when you consider the lateness when you get him combined with Dimitri being unable to support with anyone until he turns things around for the better. Thus it's very likely these jokes are his way of showing support for Dimitri after all that he's been through, with the latter just happy to feel something other than rage or regret at this point.
• After Byleth merges with Sothis and everyone is commenting on how they have changed, Leonie assures them that even if they changed physically, deep down they are still the same person.
• Given that Manuela's life ambition is to marry, any paired ending with her is this.
  • In her S-Support scene with male Byleth, the way that she has resigned herself to being unworthy of marrying Byleth, only for him to present a ring and ask her to do just that is priceless. Even moreso is her Stunned Silence in reaction to the proposal and the way she stumbles over herself afterward, as it slowly dawns on her that what she's always wanted is finally happening.
  • If Manuela and Seteth are paired together, Manuela writes to him to say that she has opened up a school of her own and would like him to visit. Seteth ends up staying to work there and eventually marries Manuela, to the approval and adoration of their students.
  • Hanneman and Manuela seem to get married to each other almost out of spite, but the paired epilogue proves that the two care deeply for each other. It also states that they invited all of their former students to the wedding.
  • Manuela and Ferdinand are the only ending besides male Byleth that confirms Manuela had a child, and furthermore, he supports her decision to travel and bring positive reforms while staying at home with their child.
  • Manuela and Lorenz marry, and he is so impressed by her dream of running a school that he opens several similar schools all over Fódlan.
  • With Edelgard or Dorothea, Manuela never marries or has children, but she finds fulfillment with her partner. In Edelgard's case, it seems to be a case of Platonic Life-Partners (despite Edelgard being confirmed bisexual) while Dorothea, surprisingly, has a much more ambiguous ending which indicates that the two may be more than just "gal pals".
• At first, Manuela can come on a bit strong, potentially making it seem as if she doesn't really care about the students or what goes on. However, after Byleth gains the Sword of the Creator, she has this to say while exploring the monastery:
  Manuela: It's awful, just awful what happened with the Rite of Rebirth. The infirmary... well, it's a mess. Things are finally calm again, and I've come here to unwind. But let me tell you, I put all of my knowledge to use keeping those kids alive. Still, the truth of it is when someone faces death for the first time... well, they figure out who they are. They learn if they can do it again. We can't lose them, Professor, not to battle or to cowardice. If you can keep them going, then I will too.
• Flayn's solo ending, while not completely sunshine and rainbows, does note that she is more hopeful in revealing Seteth's and her real identities in a united Fódlan.
  • Hers and Seteth's A-Support is certainly one as well: the two have a deeply heartfelt talk about Seteth's overprotectiveness and ends with Flayn conceding that she'll let him be overprotective because it's a sign of how much he loves her. The final exchange between them is what seals it:
    Flayn: I shall allow you to worry about me enough for yourself and Mother both. But only that much and no more, my dear father, Cichol.
    Seteth: Thank you, Cethleann.
  • Over the course of Seteth's supports with Byleth, he goes from distrusting them to considering them a part of the family. This is reflected if you eat with Seteth and Flayn with high support ranks with them, as they liken it to eating with family.
  • If Seteth has an S-Support with Byleth, she can make that a reality for the both of them. Seteth can finally move on with a new love and Flayn's teacher and savior is now her new mother. Though Byleth and Seteth will be busy in the immediate future, one thing is certain, Chichol and Cethleann gets to have a new start.
• Additionally, even if you didn't recruit certain students, it's often still possible to complete their post-timeskip chapters without killing them. The battle with the biggest chance of Videogame Caring Potential is, ironically, the second battle at Gronder Field on certain routes. Though difficult, it is possible to finish the chapter without killing anyone if you make a beeline for the two bosses.
• After the timeskip, the students can now provide faculty training to boost your stats and even hold a lecture. It's heartwarming to see how the students are now the teachers.
• Petra is nearly always a source of earnest positivity and encouragement in her various supports and scenes, all without being overbearing or taking things lightly.
  • Also applies to Ashe, aside from his early supports with Catherine (though even that one turns more Heartwarming in their A support).
• During the school ball, when Byleth is standing off to the side, Claude, regardless of route or the professor's gender, appears and invites them to dance. Despite it previously having been said that knights and teachers don't participate in the dance, Byleth is the most popular dance partner there.
  • A subtle one comes from asking Flayn to be your dancer. Normally when considering a student for the ball, Byleth's expression is neutral, but with Flayn they have a little smile because her earnest enthusiasm is infectious.
• A paralogue example in "Tales of the Red Canyon". When the house leaders and their fellow Number Two notice Byleth heading out on their own, the house leaders call for the class to follow after Byleth out of concern for their teacher. Small, but it shows how much they value Byleth.
• Ferdinand and Dorothea's A support gets down to the root of her issues with him and the misunderstandings it involved, as well as traumas she suffered as a orphan living on the streets. Ferdinand is exceptionally gentle in his tone, and muses he doesn't mind being thought of as a bee, as he'd quite like to be a drone devoted to a queen like her. Dorothea, near tears, remarks that having him to protect her from "other bugs" sounds nice. And to top it off, the two can happily wed and have children. The heartfelt voice acting really sells it.
  • Moreover, in their A-support, Dorothea hints that she always wanted to forgive him and really did see him as the beacon of nobility that he claims to be. While sadder, this is also visible if they come to blows in battle: Dorothea is clearly upset about fighting him during the mission and Ferdinand returns the sentiment. If he is killed as an enemy and she is spoken to afterwards, she's very morose about it and refers to him as her friend for the first time.
• In Sylvain's paired endings with Ingrid or Mercedes, he's finally able to convince the nobles of Faehrgus that Crests are not all that matter, thanks to his wife's support. It's noted that he also stays completely faithful and while none of their many children have Crests, they love them all equally.
• A bit of Heartwarming in Hindsight: at the start of Sylvain's paralogue, he's grateful for Byleth agreeing to go with him, and says that he'll see how many others are willing to help him out. Cue the beginning of the battle and - of course - everyone's there.
  • Honestly even more heartwarming in routes where you recruited Sylvain from the Blue Lions house into another, because that means that everyone in his new house was willing to pitch in and help out... even Hubert if you picked Black Eagles.
• In her paired ending with Felix, not only does Dorothea marry both into nobility and for love, she writes and composes operas about their adventures that last for generations.
  • In a non-Blue Lions route, while sad, it's stated that Felix always make a point to come to the opera house that Dorothea is performing at to watch her performance and she is absolutely happy to see Felix in the audience when he visited that she would direct her song to him.
• Sylvain and Mercedes' supports show an unusually serious side of Sylvain, as he empathizes with Mercedes over how their Crests have ruined both their lives. She in turn is very understanding of him, knowing that his flirting is because he's forgotten how to make a female friend without it, and gently supports him in turn. It's just the cutest thing, and notably, Mercedes is one of the few women he actually can marry.
• Sylvain's B support with Marianne is really sweet, when he mentions he's noticed Marianne doesn't like to talk about Crests and sympathises with her over it. He encourages Marianne to smile as he believes it tells you a lot about a person and he genuinely wants her to feel good about herself. Though her initial attempts aren't great, he continues to be gently encouraging and invites her to town. Marianne declines and he apologises if he's being too pushy, but she explains that while she does want to go to town with Sylvain, what she really wants to do is...go back to her room and practice her smile and tells him she hopes soon she'll be ready to go to town with him. Sylvain then says he can't wait to see her smile. Aww!
  • Also, Marianne sounds adorable when Sylvain tells her to say "cheese" to help practice and repeats it back to him.
  • Furthermore, if you achieve their B-support and then view Marianne's A-support with Ashe, Marianne will actually reference what Sylvain told her, telling Ashe that 'a person's value is in their smile'. In a way, it shows that, after talking with Sylvain, she understands how there's more to a person than just their words or actions.
• Sylvain's supports with Bernadetta have him sincerely complimenting her on her writing ability, much to the latter's embarrassment. Bernadetta is also one of the few girls that Sylvain makes no attempts to flirt with, because he recognizes that she's emotionally fragile and doesn't need him badgering her with his womanizing ways. It's almost a shame they don't have a paired ending.
• Sylvain and Felix's supports and ending also deserve a huge mention. They have been friends since childhood and Sylvain fondly reminisces about a young Felix always running to him to cry when he was upset. Even as Felix is his usual aggressive self for most of their supports, Sylvain never holds it against him and even manages to get a few kind words out of the prickly man.
  • The kicker comes in their A+ support, where Felix absolutely loses it when he thinks Sylvain has been critically injured and shows an amount of vulnerability he never has before. Luckily Sylvain is fine, and after teasing him a bit, he reminds Felix of the promise they made as children "to stick together until we both die together". He then reassures him that he still plans to keep it and Felix can't help blushing as he sincerly thanks him. The romantic subtext is very explicit in Japanese, as the way their promise is phrased makes it close to a Childhood Marriage Promise, Felix gets very explicit in telling Sylvain to please not leave him and Sylvain not referring to them as friends in the end.
  • And their ending in the Blue Lions Route has them live up to their promise, with them indeed dying on the same day "as if conceding neither could live without the other".
• Felix's supports with Annette are also rather adorable. Felix catches Annette singing to herself and starts over-analyzing her made-up lyrics, much to Annette's annoyance and embarrassment. Over the supports, he reveals that he didn't mean to offend her and was just using that as a way to avoid telling her he loves her singing. He even asks her to sing for him, which she gladly does.
  • What really adds to this is their ending on non-Blue Lions routes. Normally, Felix will end up living a life of meaningless bloodshed, with most of his endings only turning around later on or in his ending with Sylvain, features a full-blown Downer Ending. However, Annette suggests he goes with her to teach at the Officer's Academy with her instead, saving him from ever losing himself to violence. And all it took was a silly food song she wrote.
• While Bernadetta has quite a couple of adorable endings with her partners, one that stands out is her Crimson Flower ending with Felix. Normally, non-Azure Moon endings with Felix usually end up with him becoming a wandering mercenary, but in their paired ending here, Bernadetta convinces him to stay with her, and they eventually marry, with Felix even signing documents under the name Varley. For Felix, the fact that this route could end with him killing his own father and former friends, that he could find a new family is truly touching for a guy like him.
  • Furthermore, in their C-Support, when Felix tries to return Bernadetta's satchel, Bernadetta is scared of Felix and shrieks that he's going to kill her. Felix, misunderstanding, angrily asks who is going to try killing Bernadetta and draws his sword. This of course terrifies her even more and she runs away, but it's sweet that Felix's immediate response when he thinks his classmate who may not even be in his House is being threatened was to get ready to defend her.
• Ignatz and Raphael's paired ending is just adorable. After the war, Raphael returns home to help his family business while his artistic sister goes wandering for inspiration. She comes back a few years later with her new husband: Ignatz. Raphael is positively ecstatic at the news and the three live as a one happy family.
• Ashe has a known fear of ghosts, and he and Annette believe they encounter one in the a tower in their A Support. Despite this, upon learning that she dropped a doll given to her by her father, he returns to the tower to retrieve it for her in their A+ Support.
• Lorenz and Dorothea's paired ending is one when considering how committed Lorenz was to marrying nobility for his family's sake. With Dorothea convincing him that love, in the end, is what will determine his happiness, Lorenz ends up marrying her after he becomes the leader of his house. The resulting wedding is so magnificent that the outfits worn end up setting fashion trends across all of Fódlan.
  • This ending also at least implies that Dorothea ends up returning to the world of opera, and even maintains her status as a superstar.
• Hanneman delivers a spectacular You Are Better Than You Think You Are speech to Marianne over the course of their supports.
• Due to her shortened lifespan as a result of possessing two Crests, Lysithea has resigned herself to believing that she won’t ever have a future. Having her achieve an A-support with the right people, however, can potentially save her from this fate.
  • In their A-support, Hanneman commits to spending the rest of his career discovering a way to cure Lysithea’s condition. In their paired ending, it is revealed that he succeeds, and Lysithea repays him by assisting him with his Crest research and eventually succeeding him after he passes.
  • Likewise, Linhardt manages to find a way to remove Lysithea’s Crests, though he ended up renouncing his noble title in the process. Taking this in stride, Lysithea also renounces her noble claim, she and Linhardt get married, and the two are explicitly stated to have raised a happy family.
  • A more ambiguous case comes in her and Claude’s paired ending, but it is no less sweet. After ascending the throne, Claude asks Lysithea to be his queen, but she declines due to her shortened lifespan. What does Claude do in response? Give up the throne to embark on a journey to find a cure. Why? Because he was unable to abandon his love for the girl he used to mercilessly tease at the monastery. It ends with him showing up a few years later, claiming to have found a cure, and whisking her away.
  • In Lysithea's paired ending with Edelgard, they both carefully analyze ancient techniques and discover ways to recover the years of life stolen from them, so Lysithea is saved from a tragic fate in her ending with Edelgard as well.
  • Finally, there is her S-support with Byleth. With her Crests removed, Lysithea details her plans to renounce her noble claim and let her parents live in peace. When asked what she would do after that, she asks to return to Byleth’s side, wanting to use her new life to support him in any way she can. Byleth gives her a ring, telling her that he will be waiting for her safe return, to which Lysithea responds by either confidently assuring, albeit sounding increasingly emotional (English) or tearfully promising (Japanese) that they will be together forever.
• In Raphael and Marianne's A support he reveals his wish for her to talk to him as openly and cheerfully as she talks to animals. He then tries making bird chirps to help, and is surprised and delighted when this makes her laugh.
  Raphael: What if I try this? Cheep cheep, chirree-chir-chidoo!
  Marianne: What the—? Hahaha!
  Raphael: Whoa! I've never heard you laugh before! I should've talked to you in birdese sooner!
• Ignatz' attempts to hit on Marianne during their support. He brings to watch a sunset, and as she stands in awe he mutters how he wanted her to see it, and maybe think about how he was there with her when she'd remember it. The two's profound shyness makes their interactions adorable.
• Lorenz' supports with Marianne. Marianne's self-doubt and shyness greatly contrast with Lorenz who from the onset insists on treating her like she's a great noble lady whom he's romancing. Her attempts to dismiss or rebuff his compliments falling flat because he legitimately sees her as some great, gorgeous and refined lady. In fact he apologizes at one point for suggesting how she'd look in makeup, saying that after thinking about it, it's an insult to the beauty that radiates from her heart, and that he doesn't think she needs to change anything about herself. And Marianne's own joy at someone who is attracted to her just the way she is.
• In Claude and Marianne's A support, Claude shares quite a lot of information about his backstory to help Marianne let go of her past and move forward. This is notable because he hardly ever shares anything about himself to anyone because it could put him at risk, but he is willing to do so to help Marianne.
• Lysithea and Cyril's supports are almost criminally adorable. After Lysithea learns Cyril is illiterate, she goes from helping him to read grocery lists to lending him books and encouraging him to learn on his own. Lysithea is uncharacteristically patient and helpful with Cyril, and Cyril comes to enjoy seeing Lysithea happy to have someone looking up to her.
  • In their B support, Lysithea can tell Cyril is struggling with the list and figures out how to read it for him without forcing him to ask for help. This is sweet enough, but after she leaves Cyril reveals that he figured her out right away. He isn't offended, though, as he could tell how happy she was to aid him.
    Cyril: And I think I'd like to see that smile again sometime.
  • The supports culminate with Cyril learning enough to write an entire letter to Lysithea, and even though his words are rough and simple (and not entirely grammatically correct), his gratitude shines through.
    Lysithea: What I mean to say is... I'm bappy too!
• Several of Hubert's Supports go out of their way to show that despite his general attitude, he is very much capable of empathy and kindness.
  • His Supports with Bernadetta show him going out his way to act less creepy around her for her nerves, and in their A support, he ultimately accepts a gift from her to wear.
  • His Supports with Petra has him showing sympathy for her situation as being a political prisoner to ensure Brigid's loyalty to the Empire, and later on encouraging her rivalry with Edelgard. Their paired ending reveals they were wed, ostensibly to strengthen the now-independent Brigid and united Adrestian Empire, but it also mentions they had multiple children and a happy family life, suggesting he truly did grow to love her.
• Bernadetta doesn't recover from the trauma her father inflicted in a lot of endings - but when she does, it can be spectacular. Her ending with Byleth in Crimson Flower has her throwing herself into the war with "those who slither in the dark" alongside her husband resulting in her completely overcoming her trauma and becoming absolutely fearless.
  • The other endings with Byleth, while not featuring Bernadetta overcoming her fears, are no less endearing. As the ever-loyal wife to the new archbishop or king of a unified Fódlan, advisers and ministers who scare her end up losing their job. Those who manage to get on her good side do well for the people, earning Bernadetta a reputation with the people of Fódlan as a savvy people reader.
  • Both her A+ support with Felix and their ending on the Azure Moon route are super-heartwarming. The former has her realizing he's not so terrifying and looking for ways to help him be happier, and is a cavalcade of cuteness, while the latter involves her not becoming as reclusive as in their Crimson Flower ending, still being a bit of a shut-in (due to Faerghus' cold) but always rushing out to greet her beloved husband when he returns home from serving the king, and handling the duties in their lands when he's not there.
  • Her paired ending with Raphael is just as sweet, as Raphael's support and warm encouragement is what allows Bernadetta to slowly recover and become outgoing. Her A support conversations with Raphael in general have Raphael help Bernadetta to get used to his presence and by the end of their A+ support, they promise to share meals together when the war is over.
• Throughout the game, your students will suggest various builds for you to focus your instruction on and give you the option to change their current training to these suggestions or ignore them and continue as they are. (For example, Bernadetta may ask to focus exclusively on bows to stay far away from all the action or Petra may ask to focus on mastering the Thief class.) These requests come with many varying reasons, some funny and some practical. The crowning moment in particular here however, is Dorothea's explanation as to why she, a character who has made it fairly clear she doesn't really give a crap about the gods, should focus on faith magic to become a Priest or a Bishop.
  Dorothea: I don't believe in the goddess, but... I do believe in you. You've taught us all so much, Professor. You've even taught me how to have faith.
• Annette and Gilbert's supports. At first, Annette does indeed show she has some resentment for her father, but it's not the "I hate you, daddy" type... she still wants them to be a family again. They do have a few arguments, but they never get heated, and at the end, Gilbert mentions that once it's all over, they will be a family again.
  • Annette's desire to come to Garreg Mach led her to attend the magic school in Fhirdiad, where she met Mercedes. She tells Gilbert that while she might be mad at him, she's happy with how her life has turned out while looking for him.
  • When Annette was younger, Gilbert would carve dolls for her out of wood. She still keeps at least one of them with her.
• Byleth's Character Development is subtle but nice. Early in the game, their face is blank and people comment that they're like an unfeeling statue. But, over the course of their year with their students, they become more expressive, openly displaying emotion whether it's happy or sad. This is especially true post-timeskip, where they smile quite a bit.
• Despite Dimitri abandoning himself to his inner darkness, Edelgard's lacking belief in the gods, and Claude's views of an almighty god, they can only achieve their dreams because Sothis chastises Byleth to awaken when they would rather sleep. Without the goddess to push them forward, Byleth would never have been able to reach forward to take their hand, showing that the mother of all life and arbiter of every soul is always watching over the land and will do what she can to save the people.
• Rhea's S support and paired ending on Silver Snow is quite touching, especially considering that much like Edelgard she can only S rank on one route, with her coming to terms at last with her loneliness and finding salvation in Byleth's acceptance of her in spite of all the mistakes she's made, as well as acknowledging how much she has come to love Byleth for who they are rather than their link to Sothis. That she goes on to help Byleth make reforms across Fódlan to achieve progress is doubly heartwarming. In contrast to other endings, where she either retires to Zanado, potentially alone, or dies, this is quite a happy ending for someone who suffered immensely during her long life.
  Rhea: Ever since the tragedy at the Red Canyon, I have lived a solitary life. In an effort to fill the hole left by that solitude, I took up the challenge of reviving the progenitor god... I wished for you to become the progenitor god... I wished desperately to be held in my mother's arms once more... But that has changed. Now, I wish only for you to be yourself...and to have you by my side. I love you. Dearly. And so, I must ask... Will you accept this ring? If you feel the same, I would like nothing more than to spend the rest of my life with you.
• Chapter 9 is probably the most festive month of the entire game as everyone is preparing for two things, the White Heron Cup and the Grand Ball. Even the more serious-minded students and some of the knights are taking this time to relax and have fun. Even the mission for the month seems to be a relatively standard mission by now and with Jeralt accompanying your class to ensure safety and success, and Rhea expressly hoping that the mundane mission will give Byleth and Jeralt time to bond. Needless to say, this is probably the most relaxing months you and your students will have in the entire game. You even have a potentially romantic scene at the Goddess Tower to cap off the month's events. However, the end of the month turns into a tearjerker with the death of Jeralt and the rest of the game following this month is an intense build up to the war. Thus this chapter serves as one final reminder of the innocence that these hallowed halls bring before the drums of war begin.
• Hubert and Ferdinand's support with one another begins as one would expect: Hubert and Ferdinand disagreeing and telling each other how much they despise one another. However, as the support goes on, they do find understanding in one another despite their differences especially in the way they treat Edelgard, Hubert saying that Ferdinand's positive attitude is the one quality he surpasses Edelgard in while Ferdinand appreciates Hubert's ability to assess and judge without emotion giving him the best idea of how a person is. Their A+ support sees the two exchanging gifts of each other's favorite drinks - coffee for Hubert and tea for Ferdinand - as an appreciation for their friendship. Their paired ending sees the two as Emperor Edelgard's most trusted advisers becoming remembered as the Empire's two jewels.
• After an amusing and charming series of shenanigans involving Petra wanting to learn "commoner techniques" from Ashe (including offering to teach him special curses in return) and becoming good friends, their support chain ends with her excitedly declaring he should come live in Brigid with her when she becomes queen, promising to make an order of knights for him so he can become her guardian knight and achieve his dreams. In their paired ending she makes good on this promise, and the two fall in love. The order is even named the Blue Sun in honor of the pair's love of swimming in the sea together.
• While the potential effects of the ceremony are often debated by fans, it is heartwarming when one considers that rather than have it be done in insidious secret or privately with just her present, Rhea insists that Byleth's class accompany them for the ceremony in the Holy Tomb. She believed if the ceremony succeeded it would be a joyful event, and wanted Byleth to be surrounded by their friends and loved ones just as Rhea had been when she lived under the name Seiros.
• In tea time conversations, Ferdinand will sometimes mention his fear of being forgotten in time. But come his A-support conversation with Byleth, he eventually resolves that even if he would be forgotten in time, he can at least be proud that he lived a fulfilling life. Some of his endings mention how half his work would be lost to history, which is sad by itself, but despite this, Ferdinand keeps on continuing and at the very least, lived a fulfilled and content life.
• Caspar and Hilda's supports together consist a lot of the two complimenting each other as they learn more and more about how the other likes to live their life and what they admire about the other's personality, their support line being one of the most overall upbeat and positive in the game. Said supports end on a sweet and steamy note with Hilda having Caspar come over to her room to offer him some intimate time. Their paired ending is a life of fun, romance and adventure. Even when they settle in House Goneril territory (Caspar becoming a knight) and finally marry, having lots of kids, their lives remain "notoriously lively."
• Yuri is revealed to be the childhood commoner friend that Bernadetta mentioned to Dorothea. Not only that, he was hired to assassinate her. Count Varley caught him and gave him the beating of a lifetime. It puts that whole scenario in a new light. What's more, despite all this, Bernadetta still wants to be Yuri's friend like the old days, something that Yuri is stunned by.
  • In Yuri and Bernadetta's paired ending, Yuri's presence around his new wife helps her stay calm more easily, allowing her to better interact with people and become the much-beloved ruler of her land, with people grateful for Yuri for being her husband. Bonus points for the fact that by marrying Yuri, Bernadetta is basically giving the middle finger to her abusive father and his legacy in every possible way.
• Male Byleth’s S-support and ending with Yuri is very sweet. While the supports overall are the same as female Byleth’s, on the non-Crimson Flower routes Yuri’s ending with male Byleth has a bit of a twist at the end which sets it apart from female Byleth’s. In their S-support, Yuri mentions wanting Byleth to write his name in his book of his fallen comrades when he dies, which visibly upsets Byleth based on their potential dialogue responses. By the end of the game, their paired ending heavily implies that Byleth makes Yuri immortal, with it being noted that they were incredibly long-lived and their youth was not touched by the passage of time. This hints that Byleth turned him so that they would be together forever, and so he could avoid ever having to write his name in the journal.
  • While different, female Byleth’s ending with Yuri is sweet as well. They have children that continue their work and it’s discovered through the love letters found from them that Byleth had begun to call Yuri by his real name.
• As noted by Hapi, Lindhardt is uncharacteristically helpful in their supports. While a little blunt with helping her prevent her sighs, he becomes rather enamored with what he attributes as the origins of her unique condition. What follows in their A-Support is Linhardt taking time away from the war (and his naps) to help find a way to cure her of her curse, implying that they had spend hours, possibly days, searching for whatever research they could find, their epilogue together showing that they were successful. He even emphasizes how she has become more important to him than almost anything else. For her part, Hapi becomes increasingly at ease with him in meal dialogs and such.
• The counselor in the monastery lets you read notes from students and faculty and answer them in hopes of improving your relationship with them. One from Mercedes has her ask what she can do to be a caring older sister figure to her classmates. One of the responses? "Do not worry. You already are." A response which satisfies her.
• Dorothea and Ferdinand have a number of antagonistic interactions outside supports that can change to funny and heartwarming if their support level is raised, be it Dorothea accepting a date with him, or this exchange when doing a group task:
  Dorothea: Oh. I'm with you, Ferdie. This should be fun.
  Ferdinand: Dorothea being nice to me? I will do my best! Like my very life depends on it!
  • And if they do well at the task:
  Ferdinand: What an astonishing outcome! Only you and I could have achieved this, Dorothea.
  Dorothea: OK, Ferdie. You're right this time.
  • The circumstances where they go on a date are themselves very sweet. After the first Battle of the Eagle and Lion during chapter 7, the player's class will have a short scene upon returning to the monastery where the students will interact with each other, mostly in pairs. If you are teaching the Black Eagles, one of these interactions is between Dorothea and Ferdinand. If they've reached B support by this point, their exchange will be downright adorable. What really sells it is the voice acting, from Dorothea's pouting before he speaks up, to the earnestness in Ferdinand's offer, and then the slight tease in her tone when she accepts. It really sounds like Dorothea actually is looking forward to spending some time with him, and is just trying to disguise her interest with her usual wit.
  Dorothea: Did anyone get the feeling that there were already couples forming? That's not really fair, is it? I wanted to sneak off with someone too...
  Ferdinand: I was hoping for some tea after our meal anyway. Would you care to join me?
  Dorothea: I suppose I can settle for you just this once, Ferdie.
• While almost everyone tries to help Marianne find happiness and confidence, Dimitri's support with her is special because he's the only one in the game who can empathize with her. He knows Survivor Guilt all too well and approaches her with an understanding of that pain.
• Perhaps it's hyperbolic, but in their paired ending Ashe makes good on his vow from their A support to work to make Hapi so, well... happy as her friend and husband that she never has reason to sigh.
• Early in the game Rhea often maintains an attitude that one should push past the various harrowing events Byleth and the students go through and put behind any traumas they incur. However, after Flayn's kidnapping and the students battle with the Death Knight's forces underground, support points with Rhea will actually rise if Byleth tells her that they find it difficult to put it behind them, and she will admit she feels much the same.
• In Chapter 11, one guard near the front gate of the monastery will warn you that now is the time to get in your students' good books, since after graduating, some of them will become royalty or nobility who can ruin your career if they don't like you. After saying that, he says that he knows that your current class of students won't do that to you, and it's obvious that they respect you. It becomes a bit of a Tear Jerker if you realize what's coming next, but it also goes to show how much the students respect Byleth, to the point that most of them are willing to follow whatever path their teacher takes.
• A minor moment in Yuri and Balthus' C support. There's something oddly heartwarming about Balthus, who is straight, offering to become eye candy for his bi male friend when he has no stories left to pay with, even if the offer is dismissed.
• Byleth saving Rhea from the Demonic Beasts dogpiling her at the end of part 1 becomes this when you remember how lonely Rhea feels, because she doesn't have any real friends or people who she can consider an equal due to the position she's in, just how intimidating/unreachable people find her or her true nature as a Nabatean. But in that moment, she had someone who not only risked life and limb to go rescue her, but also outright went against her orders solely for the sake of ensuring her safety, and doesn't look the least bit intimidated or put-off by her monstrous form. The surprise and concern in her voice when she asks Byleth why they came shows how she really hadn't been expecting anyone to help her, but against all odds, Byleth did (doubly heartwarming if you managed to have them reach A-support before this point).

Crimson Flower

• Edelgard's relationship with Byleth in its entirety. Despite unknowingly foiling Edelgard's plans to assassinate Dimitri and Claude at the start, she develops a strong attachment towards them and begins to hold Byleth in high esteem thanks to their tutelage.
  • At some point she starts dropping hints to Byleth about her true identity as the Flame Emperor and makes plans to recruit them to her cause, but Hubert questions if she's being hasty as Byleth was still too much of an unknown factor at that point. In private, Edelgard admits she knows she can't do everything by herself and simply wants someone that she could trust to walk alongside her. That she already sees Byleth as being potentially that person speaks volumes.
  • After Jeralt's death, Edelgard has a talk with Byleth to encourage them to move forward instead of grieving and promises to lend her help once they do.
  • In their S-support, Edelgard's overjoyed to learn her feelings aren't unrequited, stating no matter how many enemies she made, it wouldn't have mattered as long as she had Byleth by her side. She then outlines her plan to pick a successor to rule the Empire after peace has been truly restored, which means the two of them will be free to walk any path they desire.
• Midway through the story, after fulfilling certain conditions, Edelgard will invite Byleth to come with her to Enbarr. Should the player agree, it's revealed that she wanted you to bear witness to her coronation as the next Emperor of Adrestia. Afterwards, she admits that she wanted Byleth to come with her as she's leaving the academy to attend to her new duties as Emperor and wanted them to know.
  • The brief scene between Edelgard and her father, Emperor Ionius IX, show that they share a deep love for each other. Even though Ionius was too weak and ill to prevent the corrupt nobles from allowing Crest experimentations on Edelgard and her siblings, Edelgard doesn't hold a grudge against him, as she knew that he loved her and his fatherly love is one of the things that helped her overcome the hardships.
  • This has a double meaning during the Holy Tomb mission where Edelgard, now revealed to be the Flame Emperor, finally faces off against Byleth. Knowing that she and Byleth are likely to kill each other next time they meet, Edelgard quite clearly wanted to make at least one last memory with her teacher before that happens. Shortly after defeating Edelgard, Rhea orders Byleth to execute Edelgard with the latter musing that she had expected for them and her to become enemies. Byleth however can potentially turn this on its head and side with Edelgard, in spite of everything she had done. Edelgard is appropriately stunned speechless that her teacher sided with her against all odds, and is thankful for their support. Even Hubert can't help but do the same towards them.
• Shortly after siding with Edelgard after the split at the Holy Tomb, one can view her B support if they raised the level high enough prior. There, Edelgard expresses her feelings about how happy she is that Byleth is walking alongside her. She even claims her heart would have turned to ice and she would have become cold and uncaring without them there for her. Knowing how the other routes turn out, one can't help but smile knowing that she will no longer be alone or lose sight of what's right.
• After the timeskip, Edelgard arrives at the Goddess Tower to reminisce on her academy days. Shortly afterwards Byleth, who had gone missing and went into a coma during the five year period, shows up to greet Edelgard. She is appropriately shocked and relieved that her teacher is alive and well and moves to hug them as pictured above, even shedding a tear of joy despite all the hardships she went through the past five years.
  Edelgard: Welcome back, my teacher. I'm so happy that you're safe.
• Shortly after reuniting with Edelgard you are reunited with your class, as well. Caspar is quick to point out that Edelgard took your disappearance the hardest and kept looking for you. An embarrassed Edelgard can do nothing except look away blushing.
• A few chapters into the timeskip Byleth will be alerted by a scream from Edelgard's room, where they will find her having been scared by a rat. Byleth can fluster her by calling her scream cute, and soon after notices a portrait of themselves that Edelgard had been drawing from the five years they were gone. Despite Edelgard insisting they saw nothing, the subject makes up a majority of the monastery exploration dialogue with her from that point on. The player can even catch her locked in her room still working on it. She clearly really missed Byleth.
• A small one, but during your first mission post time skip, Hubert approaches Byleth alone and tells them that they are working with "those who slither in the dark". Should Byleth respond with hostility, Hubert expresses sympathy to them, noting the role the cult played in Jeralt's death and admits that even he is against the idea, only allying with them out of necessity, and reassuring Byleth that their time will come. It's small, but coming from Hubert it becomes a case of Pet the Dog.
• Hubert's A-rank Support. Up until now, he's treated Byleth coldly to the point where he openly considered assassination while he's standing right in front of them. He becomes a bit softer around you as time progresses, and when you choose to side with Edelgard, he sounds relieved that he does not have to fight you. Better yet, when Byleth returns after the Time Skip, Edelgard says that even Hubert is happy. Their A-rank Support has Hubert not only treat them like a comrade, he states that, if he had another life to give, he would offer it to Byleth. Not as master and subordinate, but as friends and comrades.
  • There's also a rather interesting line in the A-rank Support as well as Hubert queries if Byleth would maintain their humanity seeing as how close he is to the enemy. While there is an obvious "it won't happen" answer, there's another option where he says that "if it were to happen...", suggesting that if Byleth would lose their humanity, they trust that Hubert would take them out. A subtle way to show that they know Hubert would eliminate them not because they're a burden on Edelgard, but to kill them as themself.
• Throughout the route, Hubert will give Byleth quests to complete and should they do so, he rewards them with Edelgard's various favorite tea and gift items. In addition to that, he also actively encourages Byleth to be Edelgard's emotional anchor acknowledging that it is a role that he cannot perform himself. Considering his A-rank Support with Edelgard confirms he's been in love with her for a while, this shows how much Hubert has warmed up to Byleth and gracefully acknowledging the positive effect they have on Edelgard that he now does everything in his power to actively push them closer together.
• Edelgard and Lysithea’s Support chain has the two girls bond over their similar pasts and develop an almost sisterly relationship, with Edelgard growing concerned over the younger girl’s health and Lysithea gradually opening up to the future empress. In their A-rank Support, Lysithea swears allegiance to Edelgard’s cause to rid the world of Crests because she doesn’t want people like them to be victimized, to which the latter gladly accepts.
  • Even better is that this results in one of the few paired endings where Lysithea is explicitly confirmed to have been spared from her short lifespan, as both she and Edelgard eventually find a way to restore themselves to normal. Lysithea eventually becomes Edelgard’s most trusted officer, and together the pair ushered a new age of innovation and prosperity for the Empire.
  • In a monastery conversation late in the route, Lysithea reveals that Edelgard told her about the plans for a surprise attack, a closely-guarded secret. Lysithea is fully aware of how much Edelgard trusts her, despite her being a member of an opposing house, and is determined to support Edelgard to the best of her ability.
• During the final fight with Claude, if you have Marianne fight Hilda, Marianne starts to express guilt for betraying her friends and house. Hilda's response is to tell her not to worry, and that she understands. It goes to show that despite the conflict, some former friends avoid It's Personal and understand that nobody is at fault.
• Post-timeskip, Manuela reveals that she finally confronted the Death Knight over him stabbing her five years after learning he's a general in the Empire's army. She told him off and...he apologized sincerely and heartfeltly for it.
• After finally managing to kill Rhea, Byleth suddenly collapses and Edelgard rushes to their side, overcome with worry. When she tries to listen for a heartbeat, she hears none, as Byleth's heart has never beat, and begins to break down crying, and it looks like the Black Eagles will have a Bittersweet Ending where Edelgard will have to build her new world, free from gods, Crests, and nobility alone. But then we see the heart of Sothis that's been attached to Byleth's heart their whole lives dissolve into light...and for the first time ever, Byleth's own heart begins to beat on its own. Edelgard seems to pick up on this, tries to listen for a heartbeat...and this time she hears one, at which point she can only hold Byleth in her arms, crying gratefully into their shoulder as Byleth's hair and eyes return to their original colour. It's worth noting that Edelgard had even warned Byleth before the final battle that killing Rhea could have unforeseen effects on Byleth and both appeared ready to accept that outcome if it meant ridding the world of the Immaculate One. But when Byleth does collapse, Edelgard's worry and grief makes it clear she's not ready to lose her teacher, as do her Tears of Joy when Byleth revives.
• Post-timeskip, Bernadetta is always out of her room. Compared to how she was when Byleth first arrived, it shows that she has really grown during the five years her professor was gone. Even if she is still incredibly anxious and socially awkward, it is clear that she trusts all her friends and feels secure around them. Rather than constantly fearing for her safety, she now fights for the Black Eagles with her life. Even her various Supports reflect this. You can't help but be proud of the how much she's grown.
• Unlike in the other routes, Garreg Mach doesn't sit abandoned for the five-year timeskip, but remains in use. Granted, it's to be used as a military base by the Imperial army rather than a school, but better that than the den of thieves it becomes otherwise. It's quite likely that there are also more sentimental reasons for Edelgard continuing to use it as well, especially compared to the other routes where she conducts the war from Enbarr, since in this route her memories of her time as a student are more positive than they would otherwise be.
• Sparing enemies on this route is pretty heartwarming. The Empire may have started the war, but you can ensure there is no need for unnecessary causalities. Sparing Claude in particular has him putting his faith in Edelgard to change Fódlan for the better and wishing her and Byleth good luck, and his dialogue implies that once he becomes king of Almyra, he will repay the mercy shown. This essentially shows that Claude is still able to achieve his dream of opening up Fódlan to Almyra and the rest of the world despite losing, since Edelgard shows herself to be willing to open up Fódlan's borders in her paralogue, and she now has a reason to cooperate with the future king of Almyra.
  • Byleth can also persuade Seteth and Flayn to stop fighting and quit the war. While their interaction is rather sad towards the end, with Flayn stating that they will "likely never meet again", it's also rather reassuring to know they aren't consumed with revenge and will be able to start a new life in a safer place.
  • Just before the final battle in Fhirdiad, Edelgard will try and call for Rhea to surrender peacefully. The offer falls flat as the latter orders to torch the city, but it still shows how Edelgard is starting to grow out of her disdain towards Nabateans.
• Mercedes and Jeritza's paired ending allows for an outcome that isn't possible in any other route — Mercedes being truly reunited with her brother after the war is over.
• As sad as Dimitri's death is, if you defeat Dedue before he transforms into a Demonic Beast, he makes his way over to Dimitri and reminds Dimitri of how he saved Dedue. Dimitri then says that he's glad to hear that, and dies thinking of the person he saved, rather than his quest for revenge. Compare this with his rather undignified death at Gronder Field on Silver Snow or Verdant Wind, or his other death on this route, and this is probably the most peaceful end for Dimitri outside of his own route.

Silver Snow

• Despite his own firm stance against Edelgard, Seteth recognizes it is asking a lot for her former classmates to oppose her and has no intention of forcing them. He gives them the option of returning to the Empire and states he will not stop them if they choose to do so, and gives them until the fighting commences to decide. For their part, the Black Eagles are indeed conflicted, with some believing Edelgard's actions are wrong, while others are not sure what to believe yet, but they choose to stick with Byleth out of trust in them.
• While it is also a violent and sad reunion, there is something touching about Edelgard keeping her five-year promise to meet with Byleth, even as she berates herself for the action. Despite already knowing their answer, she gives a final offer to join her in the Empire, and both her and Byleth hold back from striking the other's neck in the scuffle that ensues to cement their opposition to each other. She swears that one of them will die next time they meet, but is content to leave in peace on this day.
• How supportive and understanding Seteth and Flayn are toward Byleth in part 2 is quite sweet, especially how they treat Byleth's extended dormancy as no big deal.
• Despite his issues with the church, Claude has no problem lending aid to them with Byleth in charge as he believes he can trust them.
• Rhea and Byleth reuniting, while similar to Verdant Wind, is more heartwarming here both with how Byleth and Rhea can have a deeper relationship on this route and with Seteth and Rhea here talking about how the scenario brings to mind memories of when she reunited with him and Flayn long ago. He then implores Rhea that it is time they stopped hiding the truth about the goddess and themselves from the people of Fódlan, and for her part Rhea does not disagree.
• In general, all the students' potential to defect from their respective nations and join Byleth's Resistance Army. Unlike the other routes, where the students are motivated by seeing the Lord's vision for a new Fodlan come into a reality, here it's their complete faith in Byleth's leadership that draws them in.

Azure Moon

• After Jeralt's death, Dimitri visits Byleth and tried to invite them to eat, noticing that they haven't eaten anything in the past few days in their grief. The heartwarming moment comes in that Dimitri accepts that not everyone can get back on their feet so quickly and tells Byleth to take the time they need to recuperate from Jeralt's death before they can come back again.
• Despite dismissing Byleth as a hallucination when he meets them again, it's telling that Dimitri is there at the monastery when Byleth wakes up and heads to the tower. Even in his madness, he still remembered the promise to reunite.
• Meeting up with Lord Rodrigue again. He, along with Sylvain and Ingrid's fathers, have been resisting Cornelia, the usurper responsible for Dimitri's exile. As soon as he hears you've found the lost prince, Rodrigue immediately leaves to bring you as many troops and supplies as he can. Keep in mind, he has a war going on in his own territory at the time, but what makes this really heartwarming is Dimitri's reaction: he calls Rodrigue his friend and thanks him, voice breaking. It's the first glimmer of hope you've seen for him, and it's emboldening.
• A later moment offers more hope: while walking around the monastery, one NPC, if you talk to them, will mention seeing Dimitri pat the head of an orphan child, and wonder if, despite being consumed by his desire for vengeance, he's a good man deep down.
• After Rodrigue's death, Byleth confronts Dimitri before he can go to Enbarr in what's implied to be a suicide run. What follows is an emotional outpouring, as Dimitri claims he's come too far to go back, bitterly denounces the notion of living for the dead, and then begs Byleth to tell him, if they're so sure they have the answers, how to make the voices stop. Their response is, in short, telling him to forgive himself and to find a new dream to live for. There's then a CG of Dimitri in the rain, looking despondent, as he asks whether a monster like himself can truly hope for such a life. The CG then changes to show Byleth's hand reaching out to him◊, just like when they first reunited after the timeksip — but this time, he takes it.
  Dimitri: Your hands are so warm... Have they always been?
  • It gets more heartwarming if you think about it. For the past five years, Dimitri's been on his own, fighting and killing. When he meets up with everyone again, he shuns interacting with people. When he takes Byleth's hand, that's the first non-hostile human contact he's had in five years.
• Byleth's entire relationship with Dimitri is basically this. There's a recurring motif of Byleth being the light who brings him out of darkness, as this post sums up.
• Doing a Pacifist Run of Chapter 17 is perhaps the most powerful on this route, as since the objective only requires you to defeat Edelgard and Claude, neither of whom die here, it's actually possible to throw Dimitri's "kill every last one of them" line in his face and win this battle without a single casualty. And since Dimitri's Heel–Face Turn and He's Back! moment mentioned above occurs right afterwards, it seems particularly fitting.
• Also, all of the Blue Lions are deeply concerned for Dimitri during his time of being Ax-Crazy. Even Felix, who's denounced him as a wild animal, asks (in his own way) Byleth to bring Dimitri back because he can't stand seeing him like this.
  • Once Dimitri manages to recover, his friends in the Blue Lions turn out to be supportive and forgiving. Sylvain says that even after everything Dimitri did, he'll still stand by him as his friend. Felix also starts referring to Dimitri by name again.
  • After completing Chapter 17, it's once again possible to deepen Dimitri's Supports with others, and you are able to view the A supports, showing that Byleth isn't the only one who's there for Dimitri.
  • If you managed to poach some students into the Blue Lions, when they rejoin you, a lot of them seem like they're Not in This for Your Revolution, they're just being pragmatic based on what their houses wanted and out of Undying Loyalty towards Byleth. Eventually, little by little, even they show concern about Dimitri dwindling further into madness and when he eventually recovers, they also show relief to see Dimitri making a recovery.
• If you did his Paralogue and completed the bonus objective by defeating the Duscur rebels before the other enemies could, then Dedue will make his return in Chapter 16. The game tells you he's dead and even removes him from the Supports list, doing a convincing job of making the player believe it. So, to see him alive and alright, because of a choice you made, will make you gasp with joy.
  • And how does Dedue get saved? The same Duscur rebels which you spared by defeating them before they were massacred in a hopeless fight come to Dedue's aid. The rebel leader certainly kept his word about remembering debts.
  • Dimitri's reaction to this also qualifies. During this point he is heavily locked into his vengeful and violent nature. But when he see's Dedue alive he is both surprised and overjoyed to see his old friend alive and still loyal.
• Dimitri's return to Fhirdiad. First, the fact he's willing to turn around and save his people even if it means giving up his revenge, which marks the moment you know he's going to make good on his promise to atone. Second, the return itself. When the people hear he's coming back, they start rioting in the streets to help him. And when he takes the city and overlooks the city from his castle, what does he see? Citizens filling the courtyard below, all cheering for him.
  • Dimitri's so moved he actually starts crying. He really thought they'd hate him for abandoning them for five years, when they never blamed him for his exile.
• There's something uplifting about a reformed Dimitri immediately riding to Claude's aid, after seeing him declare he would kill the Alliance if they got in his way.
  • Even better? Claude later admits that he sent the messenger before Dimitri even retook the capital. Not only did Claude have complete faith that Dimitri would win, he had complete faith that Byleth would eventually succeed in pulling Dimitri back from the brink.
  • Claude entrusts the whole Alliance to Dimitri's leadership. He and Dimitri may not have been close at the academy, but Claude must trust Dimitri deeply to do something like that.
• Female Byleth and Dimitri's paired ending is a literal union of church and state that gives everyone in Fódlan cause for celebration. Together, they devote themselves to improving the lives of all people and reforming both church and government from the inside. And while their different duties do cause debates at times, ultimately they're madly in love for the rest of their days.
  • Also, their S-support has him calling her "beloved" in the softest tone of voice and yet again holding her hand. Too cute!
  • Byleth's answer to him offering a ring is also very wholesome. She simply pulls out her own ring and offers it right back. Cue a Stunned Silence from Dimitri, who was clearly not expecting reciprocation. The only other person that this happens with is Rhea.^ExplanationEveryone else will either have Byleth giving them their mother's ring, not do any exchange, or in a few a rare cases be given a ring but they do not exchange rings.
• Dimitri and Flayn's support chain is full of heartwarming moments, from him being one of the first to praise her cooking to confiding in her about his loss of taste. In their paired ending, it's said that when he passes, his journals reveal that he kept a record of all the meals he and his wife enjoyed together.
• Dedue and Mercedes' paired ending has them marrying and opening the first school for Duscur children. When Duscur regains their homeland, the graduates from this school are able to revitalize their culture, and Dedue and Mercedes are forever renowned throughout the reborn Duscur's history.
• Sylvain is a magnet for heartwarming moments. In his support with Dedue, he's openly friendly to the Duscur man, which confuses Dedue as he knows rumors will fly if Sylvain is friends with him. Sylvain responds that he doesn't care if people talk badly about him, he can be friends with who he wants, and then gives several logical reasons why he believes the Duscur people are innocent anyway. You can see how touched Dedue is by his honesty and sincerity.
  • In their B-Rank support, Dedue heard rumors about Sylvain's bad reputation and tried to correct them because he knew that Sylvain is a good person underneath all his philandering because of the conversation he had previously. Sylvain is honestly touched and thanked Dedue for trying.
• If Sylvain and Mercedes marry on this route, their ending states that he was able to persuade the nobility to give up their views on Crests and Relics, and it's mentioned that he was succeeded by his non-Crest-bearing son.
• Dedue and Flayn's A-Support starts right after Flayn has once again failed in her attempts to cook. Dedue doesn't mince words with how bad it is, but also tells Flayn that she's made some clear improvements and could one day surpass him as a chef. And in their ending, she does just that.
  • Speaking of their A-support, while Flayn's cutesy pet names for Dedue are rather goofy, they're also very sweet, showing how much she's come to appreciate him.
• Byleth and Flayn's paired ending has both of them becoming renowned across Fódlan for their kindness, with the people calling them two incarnations of Saint Cethleann. That's a far cry from Byleth's days as the "Ashen Demon".
• Just the sole fact that the Azure Moon route comes the closest to Everybody Lives in the game, as you can recruit all but Claude (who is un-recruitable but is spared from death in the story), Jeritza, Hubert, and Edelgard (who are the main antagonists of the Azure Moon route) along with you. The fact that you can have all these characters to survive the war gives a fulfilling feeling of having the struggle worth it.
• In hindsight, this route provides one of the better endings for Rhea, as she abdicates as Archbishop (implied to be in atonement for her past deeds) and retires to live peacefully in Zanado, a place of very special significance to her if you've played other routes. And she isn't necessarily alone: in certain endings, Catherine (and her husband if she has one) goes with her, and she becomes the Guardian of Zanado. Knowing what happens to Rhea on the other three routes, this ending might as well be a case of Throw the Dog a Bone.
• After spending previous years since the reveal at the Holy Tomb with an obsessive desire to kill Edelgard, Dimitri attempts to show her mercy after the final battle. Even though he is unsuccessful, his reversal from a borderline-insane vengeful Sociopathic Hero to a kind and caring leader willing to forgive even his sworn enemy is fairly impressive.
  • Even before the final battle, Dimitri meets with Edelgard and tries to negotiate peace. While Edelgard refuses, the conversation makes Dimitri understand that even if he disagrees with her she is doing what she truly believes to be right, and promises to kill her not out of vengeance but respect - because Edelgard wishes for a final battle with neither of them holding back in fighting for their beliefs. And to top it all off, he gives her back her dagger, which makes her finally remember their past together.
  Edelgard: I'll tell you now what I wasn't able to tell you back then. Thank you. My dear, forgotten friend...because of you, I never lost my heart.

Verdant Wind

• Claude's relief upon meeting you after the Time Skip; he doesn't lash out at what he thinks is a hallucination, he doesn't initially greet you with formal politeness before letting down his guard, he's just happy you're alive and overjoyed that he finally has someone he trusts to stop the war.
• Of all people, it's possible for Dedue to survive on this route if he's not killed in the mission where he assists you.
• The S-support between Claude and Byleth. Like many of his other endings, he decides to return to Almyra to tie up some loose ends there. But before he leaves, he gives Byleth a ring and declares his love for her. And on top of that, the special CG you get is him embracing Byleth tightly.
  • Bonus points to his promise to return when compared to his other potential spouses. In all other paired endings it takes Claude years to return from Almyra. With Byleth, he returns in just under six months... alongside the army he brought to help quell a rebellion, and the ending text implies he married her on the same day and united the two nations as one.
• Claude and Byleth's relationship in the Golden Deer route, as these posts describes as Claude and Byleth both are growing to have a mutual trust with each other in time until they fully trust one another. Claude is described as the light waiting for Byleth to return during the reunion after the time skip and walk together under the same light as equals. It's also worth noting that Claude's A Support with Byleth can be initiated right after the timeskip, unlike the other Lords. It shows how much he's come to trust them.
  • Retroactively made even more heartwarming after the release of Three Hopes. Unlike with Edelgard and Dimitri, what Claude is like without Byleth to balance him out is more hinted at than explicitly shown. Three Hopes rectifies this by showing us that without Byleth's guidance, Claude has the same capacity for evil as the other two Lords. This arguably makes his heroism and idealism in Three Houses all the more poignant.
• The army's morale after the time skip is relatively higher than they are in the other routes as some of the Golden Deer students along with other students recruited from other houses have several cheerful dialogues along the way. For example, Dorothea mimics the gatekeeper in one chapter in this campaign. It highlights how much Claude inspired hope and does his best to keep the army's spirit in check.
• The Verdant Wind route in general has a lighter tone as explained here, being not as war-focused as the other two. Naturally, the major plot-important characters, Claude and Byleth, end up smiling and being more relaxed than Edelgard and Dimitri.
• Before the last battle of part 1, Claude tells Byleth their hearts are connected, and even if their paths diverge, he knows they'll meet again. He also promises that he'll be on Byleth's side no matter what.
• While Claude grows to trust Byleth over the course of the game, Byleth also trusts Claude more than any other person. After Sothis merges with them, they tell Claude that Sothis has been living inside their mind since they were a baby. They never share this information with any other character in the game, not even Jeralt. Claude also believes Byleth's story without any doubt.
• After the time skip, Claude has complete faith in Byleth's command during battle. If you move him when he's below half health, he says, "I'm hurt, but I'm with you."
• A couple of times, Claude asks everyone if they're sure they want to continue fighting, and that they're free to leave if not. Everyone always says they'll keep fighting, and at the end of the route, Ignatz tells Claude that he shouldn't even need to ask them anymore since he should know they're with him.
• After retaking the Bridge of Myrddin, Claude asks Judith to defend the bridge. Judith says she'll defend it even if it costs her her life, but Claude tells her she's not allowed to die.
• Claude's friendship speech at the end of the route, while cheesy, shows just how far he's come since the beginning of the game when he ran away and abandoned his allies to save himself. Now he's willing to charge straight at Nemesis, risking his life for his friends and for Fódlan. After defeating Nemesis, Byleth smiles at Claude and reaches out their hand to him to help him up.
• The Golden Deer really come to admire and depend on Claude and Byleth and credit them with bringing the group together to overcome all of their challenges. Marianne compares the Golden Deer to birds and Byleth to a tree that embraces them and watches over them. She compares Claude to the wind that pushes them forward. Ignatz says that he'd love to paint a picture of all of them after the war is over.
• A minor one, but at the Battle of Gronder Field, both Edelgard and Dimitri show reluctance to fight Claude if he enters combat with them, especially considering both of them are much colder without Byleth's influence here.

Cindered Shadows (DLC)

• This is perhaps the only time other than the prologue where the three house leaders work together. Considering everything that ends up happening, it reinforces how well they could have collaborated for the future of Fódlan. And the way they play off each other feels somewhat like a stereotypical Student Council from an anime.
• Yuri's absolute loyalty; upon discovery of the fact that Yuri was forced into working for Aelfric because he was holding Yuri's mother hostage, the other Ashen Wolves can't even find it in themselves to be mad he lied, since they know Yuri would move heaven and earth to save her. Of course, the only reason they're still around to consider the whole thing is because Yuri had outplayed Aelfric from the beginning, all for the sake of saving his family and friends.
• While Aelfric was in love with Sitri, he was still overjoyed when she found happiness with Jeralt and wholeheartedly supported their marriage, and Unbalanced By Rival's Kid is completely averted: he shows no resentment towards Byleth at all. Even in his twisted attempt to resurrect Sitri, he never displays any hints of Entitled to Have You. He isn't reviving her because he thinks she'll love him, he just wants her to live again.