Fire Emblem Three Houses (Spoiler Thread)

Yes but the idea is that the Apex of the world is themed around the idea of one becoming the strongest and standing at the top through power alone.

Edelgard's...not that.

Nemesis and Rhea end up that though with completely different context for how and why.

You can see the similarities between Rhea, Nemesis and Edelgard's rise to power.

Let the victor be the hero of the tale and the vanquished be it's villain.

Interesting interpretation, I have the similar feeling regarding the theme. For Fo F I felt like seeing a mother-figure die. GSS felt like an true end to all of our troubles and the culmination of Fódlan's bloody history.

That is a bad cliche about history and it's not how it works, The Crusades,the Mongol invasion and WW 2 were written by losers and victors.

I was being dramatic. XD.

Its what a fictional villain from FFXIV says when facing the heroes, since to his own people he is their Hero, and to the Heroes, he is the villain.

Though Edelgard does say something like that line.

Besides, her classmates and countrymen CAN turn their backs on her.

Yeah, I just felt pointing out how ridiculous the notion is. It's a very far-spreaded idea about history that needs to be debunked.

Well thanks to Byleth's power of being an Protagonist and having the ability to groom even one of them to be their wife/husband. Seriously Crests are very dangerous.

Edited by Tropetalker on Nov 25th 2020 at 10:56:17 AM

I'm honestly not sure how fictional the idea actually is, given how people have historically had a fetish for downplaying and even pretending their shadier acts in the past never happened and that the others were always wrong ("they" being their nation's military and police in most cases). Heck, not seeing that in politics is kind of impossible if you ask me, at least from where I live.

In a more related note, there is an insane amount of parallels between Edelgard and Rhea —both in actions and character— to the point I'm convinced there is no way whatsoever it was not a deliberate move of the writers. As for Nemesis himself? Ehhhhhhhh... (there are a few similarities with Edelgard, but that's as far as it gets)

Edited by Blackress on Nov 25th 2020 at 5:44:00 AM

She shares crest with both for a reason, and Edelgard believes in the idea power equals worth(Merit), which is what Nemesis does too as his FEH version makes clear.

Ee dont see him much to get even more similarity. between them

Edited by OmegaRadiance on Nov 25th 2020 at 6:06:09 AM

The problem with "history is always written by the victors" is that it isn't always the case nor is everything 100% distorted. Even the Romans and Greeks, who were biased as hell at least gave an side to their Opponents and much of what we know about the Mongols came from those bested by them, heck much of our Knowledge regarding WW 2 and the Crusades came directly from the losers. History is written by the ones who have the pen and a paper and it's not always the victor who wrote it. While true that Conquerors would glorify themselves and give an heavily distorted view of things, this doesn't mean the other side is heard. Also spouding this meme is also insulting history as a profession and as a layman, I really hate that.

I actually see Rhea as an reflection of each of the main lords, if you like I can give you my veiw on how she is similar to both Dimitri and Claude/Khalid, because Edelgard-Rhea comparisons are getting tired. B 00 NFIRE did that already.

Yeah Nemesis is the manifestation of power and the cult of strength manifested, which created the Agarthans. I always see VW as an fight against the true oppressors and problem of Fódlan...the Glorifcation of Power.

Are you still trying to twist "any given task should be handled by whoever is best qualified to do so" into "power equals worth"?

A better way to put it would be, "power belongs in the hands of the worthy, the capable. The system needs to change to allow power to transfer from one set of hands into another, depending on their ability."

Edited by fredhot16 on Nov 26th 2020 at 12:04:51 PM

Having people of power who are good and smart is good politics, it stops so when you create an Society around that, because determining who is good for the job is very difficult and as seen with IQ test, very rigid.

Edelgard literally says merit and Ferdinand even mentions it as well.

Dimitris statement on AM of the strong trampling the weak doesn't exist in a vacuum because its the route intentionally designed to contrast CF, as the Benevolent Ruler to her Tyrant who tramples over the weak for her ideals. Merit has always been shorthand for Social Darwinism and Strong ruling others.

Stop acting like it isn't the case, because FE villains of the past like Ashnard who Edelgard has a lot in common with was a similar case. Hell her system is a hierarchy that ensures one person is given absolute power and has been shown in Real Life to benefit the Elite who already power in the first place. Even Ferdinand says it will just be a way for the Nobility to stand even more at the top of the hierarchy in their support when bringing up free education.

Edited by OmegaRadiance on Nov 26th 2020 at 12:15:49 PM

Let's remember to keep it civil, please. And it's "vacuum", not "black hole".

Edited by fredhot16 on Nov 26th 2020 at 12:12:37 PM

Its just tiring when merit in media everywhere, and even the West has long used the Myth of Meritocracy as a way to punish people and blame them for circumstances beyond their control, and she combines this with a Authoritarian government where one person has absolute power and her ministers serve at her whims? These don't exist in a bubble, especially as they weren't being subversive as her ideals are meant to be like past FE Armored villains.

Hell the woman onsessed with returning to Nobility the most in Constance is in love with showing off her meritorious spellcraft.

Edited by OmegaRadiance on Nov 26th 2020 at 12:25:51 PM

It is a nice fantasy to think that skill has any significant bearing on the outcome of things. The alternative is not particularly pleasant to think about.

Ideally, power would actually get into the right hands, but abuse of the system is second nature to people, so such a system invariably ends up corrupted. It is kind of funny that Three Houses somewhat acknowledges it, then hand waves it away.

Yeah thats kind of where my problem derives. It acknowledges it, but it also ignores it and handwaves it away and the underlying things peoples use to get that power through unfair means like money. And it feels like they could have put in the ffort to contront those underlying problems if they really wanted to.

Edited by OmegaRadiance on Nov 26th 2020 at 1:25:33 AM

And, of course, Edelgard's version of Meritocracy involves her and all of her friends turning out to be the most fit for the positions of power they were set to inherit due to heredity.

That's kind of the thing with absolutism. Since the monarch (theoretically) holds all the power, to gain positions of wealth and status one must gain favour with the monarch. Which means that power pools amongst the people that have access to said monarch. Which are usually the people that had wealth and status to begin with.

Edited by Kayeka on Nov 26th 2020 at 11:39:41 AM

Worse, even if you give as Ferdinand suggests Free Education, they have still all the money and can buy good tutors to help them with their tests. It helps, but doesn't get rid of the underlying factors creating such class divisions. What will get rid of it are programs helping the commoners to get up or reducing the power of the Nobles by taking some of their money.

Maybe after CF a new revolution starts and this time it's not the Emperor who starts it, it's the commonfolk and they would like to get rid of the Emperor as an Authority for all of eternity. No Emperors!!!

Edited by Tropetalker on Nov 26th 2020 at 12:00:57 PM

Alsp finding ways to support the labor of farmers and the like, the backbone of society, who require thwir kids help to help sustain themselves because the government would rather tax them and they cant afford the manpower.

Edited by OmegaRadiance on Nov 26th 2020 at 3:01:36 AM

And when you get right down to it, Edelgard herself doesn't really believe in meritocracy.

She admires Nemesis for having the strength, intelligence, and charisma to unite humans and over throw the dragons. Yet Loog displays those exact same traits against the Imperial throne, and she considers Faerghusan independence an injustice and violation of the natural order which needs to be corrected. But, well, if Loog was able to break free and form his own country, doesn't he deserve it?

Where does Edelgard say all that stuff about Nemesis? The most I recall is she saying the dude was "all powerful", but not that he's her role model or something. Is it from FEH?

It's also worth mentioning Edelgard blames the Church more than Loog for losing Faerghus, which is also her bias leaking it since records state the Church's intervention more or less saved the Empire from getting wrecked by Loog and his totally non-agarthan weapons.

I know that comparing Edelgard to nazis should be hyperbolic, but the writers literally have Edelgard pushing a Stab-In-The-Back myth.