#ingrid brundle galatea

[animenutcase]

[sleepukittu]

the eyes of fodlan

[the-apocryphal-one]

Byleth: My boyfriend is too tall for me to kiss him on the lips. What should I do?

Felix: Punch him in the stomach. Then, when he doubles over in pain, kiss him.

Annette: Tackle him.

Sylvain: Dump him.

Ingrid: Kick him in the shin.

Dimitri: NO TO ALL OF THOSE. JUST ASK ME TO LEAN DOWN.

[dokidoki-anon]

I will keep doing these until i perish by my own hands. 

[chynandri]

*gestures* my daughter!! 

friends are stored in the cloak

[arkus-rhapsode]

My Thoughts on Edelgard and FE3H’s portrayal of perception vs previous installments

(Please Read attached Re blog)

So this is a post I wanted to write after seeing FE3H to the end in all forms (and fair warning it may be a bit rambley). In short, FE3H is one of, if not, the best FE game in my opinion. And something that it delivered in spades was three-dimensional characters. No one is perfect and all have another side to them that greatly adds depth beyond that of previous games.

Now, that said, there has been some discourse regarding the character of Edelgard. I’m writing this under the assumption that those have actually played the game, but  for all those who haven’t played this game SPOILERS.

I’ve wanted to talk about Edelgard for awhile after watching her in each route. And the more I saw of the bigger picture, the more nuanced and poetic her character seemed. However it also tied in with something that I also found needed to be discussed and that is how FE’s perspective of reforming social systems around religion have changed

If you want me to be up front with my personal feelings of Edelgard, she is fantastic. She is one of the most complex characters the series has turned out and truly can make a case for her goals, antagonistic as they may seem. We understand the why to Edelgard more than any other antagonistic force in the series. That she is a person who made decision that brought her to this point. Unlike say, Hardin who had the Dark Orb that just amplified his negative emotions or Validar who believes in predestination, we see the logic behind every step she’s taken. In fact I found myself seeing her as similar to Alexander the Great to an extent.

Now, that said, I do not agree to answer to peace. I firmly reject the concept of unification through conquest. To me that is not true peace, and violated other beliefs and lifestyles to enforce your reform. In all honesty, I embrace Claude’s answer of free thought. The people of Fodlan should have the true history and then make their decision based on that. But, I see where Edelgard comes from in thinking that is the right steps to take.

She wants to drastically reform society and free it from all the horrible things crests have done and what the Church of Seiros has done to further that. And when that ideology encompasses all of Fodlan, war was her answer to solving it.

I found it interesting that this is the direction the story of Three Houses decided to take. As before this was FE Echoes, where the journey of Alm and Celica ultimately involves them liberating the world from the influences of gods. Unfying their land in a shared idea of humans realizing their best.

However, that story is much more easier than FE3H. In Echoes, Duma and Mila took active roles in influencing humanity. Duma’s teaching’s resulted in humans in humans losing a sense of empathy while Mila’s influence led to them inhibiting themselves and the privileged to grow greedier.

So when and Alm and Celica are smashing down those ideologies, it feels less like a battle of belief and the rejection of some greater force’s influence. But Sothis doesn’t take and active role. Seiros/Rhea is not a god (though she does possess immense power) rather they instead create a church around her beliefs that were meant to quell human impulses like that of the Agarthan.

And while the church is guilty of distorting history it is not fully absolute. Things like mercenaries are capable of existing with Jeralt only being reinstated due to previous connections. As well as people like Archenon, who clearly are using their wealth for petty reasons. It is only those who challenge the beliefs of Seiros are seen a swift end. Gerrag Mach highlights this as it has brought together many people from all across Fodlan. Even in an era where the church encompasses the entire continent, people are still capable of, well being people and not spouting theocratic rhetoric that’s been beaten into them. Unlike Rigel, a nation that thanks to Duma seems to lack the basic emotion of empathy. The church is not clean though, as it’s most damning things done by the church is elevating crests as seen as goddess blessings to the point people will do awful things for them or are obsessed with having them for themselves and the alteration of history.

The game of FE3H brings up a lot things like perception. Going back to my comparison of Alm, Echoes from his perspective makes it seem like this growing influence and reform is a good thing. The hero is bringing liberation to Valentia. But now compare that to Alm’s descendant Walhart and how his reform of Valm is portrayed.

We see this from the perspective of those being conquered like Say’ri. and those of Ylisse who are trying to avoid invasion. Walhart is seen as a dangerous force, even though in his great grandfather’s time, it was considered heroic. That is because in Awakening, gods like Naga are more distinctly benevolent. And someone who seeks to rid Ylisse of them, would clearly enter villainous as we know all the good godly influence like Naga and the Exalt has brought.

Why did that change? And what does it have to do with Edelgard? Well perspective matters when dealing with Edelgard. When you side with her, you are helping her make a new world. In a sense it feels like what you did with Alm, that this peace is for the greater good even if we must kill to achieve it.

But if you side against her, (and also somewhat depending on the route) she is seen as a conquering force that is forcibly trying to unify the continent. And unlike Echoes or Awakening, there is no higher power in this one that you can point and say is calling the shots.

This war is one of ideology and the winner gets to claim what is right. It’s not a battle of gods, but people. Those who slither in dark definitely have incited certain events, but at the end each route, Edelgard does not regress and say “I was being manipulated!” No she owns it. Everything she did was because she believed it was right and we understood it. Even if some of her own perception such as who’s more to blame for the experiments she suffered, the Church for altering history and glorifying something awful like crests or those who slither in the dark who’s ancestor’s are responsible for them in the first place.

No matter what route, Edelgard as a narrative force is flawed. Not flawed as poor writing like Garon, but as a person she has flaws. Its easy to see her point while rejecting it.

Its easy to see what crests do with people like Miklan, rejected because he lacks a crest, to Ingrid’s suitor who sees a crest as more important than the person its bound to. Its easy to see this and say there needs to be a factory reset. But then you see people like Sylvain and Lysithea (assuming Byleth didn’t recruit them), who has suffered because of crests and their intents on fixing the injustices are smaller and not nearly turbulent as causing a war.

Its also easy to hear the true history and see how maybe if Edelgard abolishes the crest system would lead to a better tomorrow, but that denial of what Seiros taught could give rise to another Agartha. But one could say that human progress is natural and that we must be able to progress for both the good and bad that comes with it.

So maybe Edelgard’s peace is only temporary and it lasts a few ages before New Adrestia divides into more smaller countries, but so what? That’s the cycle of progress. Oceans rise and empires fall.

But then you turn around and say “but she still wants Byleth by her side, which is basically the reincarnated goddess, to guide her. Isn’t that basically having holier than thou influence except you don’t call it god, you call it professor?” And to that I say look at her best possible ending.

Factoring in the best possible ending for Edelgard and where she wins and then waits for abolishment to happen and for tensions to cool, she also chooses to leave the throne while appointing someone who will carry on her idea of peace for the next age. She is not bent on being a monarch. She doesn’t want to be like Walhart who conquered with the intend of ruling. It shows that even if she wins, she is more deep than just conquest.

As said previously, I reject Edelgard’s answer to reform. Seiros is not perfect, but the cost of Edelgrd’s reform is not worth it. But I understand her. I understand her more than just being an evil ruler who conquers for the sake of godhood or dragons or some shit. Edelgard’s story is human, tragic, and a matter of perspective.

Well hope you enjoyed this long winded rambling fest.

[garrettsthings]

Welcome to the Blue Lion House BTS

Byleth: Alright, your turn Dimitri. The Academy wants you to give a short speech introducing your house, yourself, and three other members. What do you want to say?

Ingrid: You should plan what to say about yourself first, Dimitri! What do you want to put down for your likes and dislikes?

Dimitri: Hmm... well to the surprise of no one in this room, I think I’ll say that I like combat training. As for dislikes... let’s say fragile objects.

Annette: Why fragile objects?

Dimitri: Don’t laugh-

Felix: I’m so laughing.

Dimitri: -but... ever since I was a child I was afraid of them. I was always worried a vase or something would shatter into a million pieces and one of them would get into my eye.

Byleth: *can see the future* Hnngh!

Dimitri: Professor? Are you alright?

Byleth: Y-yes, I’m fine. How about a blurb about yourself next?

Dimitri: Well I want people to know I’m a prince, but I don’t want to seem unapproachable. Why don’t I say that I’m no stranger to misfortune?

Byleth: *can still see the future* HNNNNNNNNNGH!

Dimitri: P-professor?

Byleth: I-I’m fine! Keep going!

*Some Time Later...*

Ashe: Phew! Almost done.

Sylvain: I mean... was it really necessary to specifically mention that Ingrid is knightlier than me? Can’t we say she’s knightlier than most?

Ingrid: Nope. Anyway Dimitri, you should say something to make people want to join our house!

Dimitri: That’s true. Though I want people to make their own informed decisions, perhaps I can say that the Blue Lions walk the true path of justi- Professor, are you crying!?

Byleth: *can see the future through their tears* WHAT HAPPENS TO YOUUUUUUUUUU!?

[staribon]

This is @demon-lord-bleh 's fault and I stand by that

[missgenoard]

TIME TO DO THE EXACT OPPOSITE AND INVITE HIM TO TEA

[kairiofknives]

It’s so interesting how much character growth there already is set up for the Blue Lions.  Dimitri’s hidden darkness seems to come from a bad childhood experience.  Is that where the dislike of fragile things and delicate work comes from?  Is how much he throws himself into fighting just an out?  I NEED TO KNOW.  And then to hug my boy.  Cuz damn.  

Then with Felix...who had SOMETHING happen with his father and Dimitri where he is now bitter and dislikes them both.  But not Ingrid or Sylvain.  Can’t WAIT to see the support between Dimitri and Felix honestly.  And Ingrid herself! I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say that as a noble girl who grew up in Faerghus, Ingrid probably hates the Duscur because of their alleged ties to the murder of the King. Maybe it had something to do with her house losing its wealth?  Maybe its just her believing hearsay.  Who can say for sure?  Either way, she and Dedue are going to have quite the interesting support.  

Because there were so many friendships in the Blue Lions, I sort of assumed they’d be SUPER close (kinda like the royal family of Nohr), which would be what got them through the awful shit that happens during and post time skip. But they’re really pretty broken already, huh?  Now, I’m thinking this school year may be a perfect opportunity to heal old wounds and rebuild lost friendships.  WHICH IS REALLY NEAT.  AH.

[adrestian-flame]

I just love these two

[the-apocryphal-one]

Random non-spoilery screenshots #1:

*laughs nervously*

YOU ARE NEVER AT YOUR BEST

(for the record, she’s now level 12 and still gets two or three stats on level-up. Her Strength, Speed, and Defense have each gone up once since this screenshot. Ingrid, you are dangerously close to being dropped.)

beautiful cinnamon roll too good for this world, too pure

Dimitri is totally crushing on her (Come back in five years)

awww, I love you too, Dad.

[mollymauk-ingyou]

SO the game isn’t even out yet, but @kirszche drew an absolutely adorable 10/10 piece of ingrid and sylvain in a sunflower field and uh whoops, my hand slipped??? i just love childhood friends man, they’re my one weakness. here’s a moodboard based on their art, because w o w it is pretty and you should absolutely go check it and the rest of their fe3h art out, like, immediately. i seriously can’t wait to see what kind of supports these two have now!

[chynandri]

ingrid, linhardt, ignatz, annette, dedue, hubert

[bylaude]

Immediately after timeskip is Ingrid's birthday so we went for tea and I'm just

I was already reeling from everything but HOT DAMN she is GORGEOUS my regal lady knight holy shit

[arkus-rhapsode]

I love how if you recruit everyone you can to Edelgard’s side, you get to see people like Lorenz, Ingrid, and Lysithea who actually seem to have legitimate reason to join Edelgard and her cause.

Then you have people like Ashe and Leonie who are just suspicious of the church.

And finally you have people like Sylvain and Ignatz who seem to have absolutly no reason to join Edelgard except Byleth sided with her.