The Beauty of Fire Emblem Three Houses

Fire Emblem Three Houses is a tactical role playing game released on July the 26th, 2019. It follows Byleth, the player avatar who works as a teacher at a prestigious military institute. You select one of three different student factions at the school to teach and lead as the flames of war eventually shroud the continent. Fire Emblem is a series I follow closely, and I was blown away by the story of Three Houses so much I wanted to write about it. While I'd usually post about anime, I believe good storytelling is good storytelling regardless of the medium and Three Houses' anime aesthetic doesn't make it too far fetched for an anime blog. We'll be diving into the big themes of the game and how the game's different mechanics are integrated to express such themes. Big spoilers for the whole game.

PERSPECTIVE

Perspective is an essential theme in the storytelling of Three Houses. This is demonstrated by how there are four different routes to play, each laced with truths and falsehoods which ultimately re-contextualize each other and allow the player to reach the big picture- the truth. For example, Azure Moon would have you believe Edelgard is the leader of a fascist empire responsible for Dimitri's trauma, but Crimson Flower reveals her compassion for the suffering of others due to crests has forced her into taking drastic measures to tear down such a system. Crimson Flower suggests that the church is directly responsible for the existence of the crest system, but Verdant Wind and Silver Snow reveal that it is the fault of an evil cult and the Church has just been trying to cover it up to maintain order.

Perspective is extremely important in Three Houses' storytelling because each character is driven to take action using the limited information that they have been provided- either not knowing certain things or having been fed falsehoods. It is hence difficult to outright state that certain characters are absolutely evil or absolutely good. Edelgard, who stands as the most controversial figure among players, wages a war against the church and the rest of the continent- painting her to be evil. But only on her route do you gain her perspective- her witness to the suffering of others makes her believe that radical change is the only solution. In essence, every character is simply trying to do what they see is fit and just from their viewpoint, and I think that's a profound reflection of real life. We don't have all the answers, but we're just trying to make the best of what we reasonably know and it's worth to consider the same for others.

LOOKING BENEATH THE SURFACE

This is another big theme that ties in with the aforementioned idea of perspective, but is more prominent in the support system in Three Houses. After battling in close proximity, characters can unlock special conversations with each other that add extra layers of depth to characters that initially come off as one note or unlikable. Sylvain comes off as a womanizer in his limited lines of dialogue, but his supports with Mercedes reveal that his playboy attitude is a front for his deep hatred for women- how they only see him superficially for his crest birthright and he gets back at them by playing with their feelings. Lysithea seems like a snarky child prodigy, but her supports reveal that she hates being looked down upon for her age and that her genius is truly a result of hard work. Many characters follow a similar example, subverting initial impressions- and perhaps what we are to garner from that is you don't really know a person till you talk to them.

THE POWER OF HUMAN CONNECTION

The final theme of Fire Emblem Three Houses is that of human connection, embodied through the player avatar Byleth, who plays a unique role in the character development of the three main protagonists. In Crimson Flower, Byleth reaffirms Edelgard's ideals and acts as moral figure to Edelgard, preventing her from losing her humanity. In Azure Moon, Byleth helps Dimitri deal with his survivor's guilt, setting him free from his urge to appease the dead and helping him regain his sanity. In Verdant Wind, Byleth is a brother in arms and is the power Claude needs in order to achieve his vision for the world of Fodlan. But not only does Byleth change how the protagonists develop, but they literally determine their fate too- Edelgard and Dimitri ultimately die on routes Byleth is not present, and Claude is forced into hiding. The massive influence Byleth has on every character is testament to the power of human connection. It shows how we, as people, can have an immense positive impact on the lives of others if we were only to reach out to them.

"Reach for my hand", as the first line of the theme song Edge of Dawn puts it.

TYING IT ALL TOGETHER

For me, Fire Emblem Three houses sets itself apart in the series as the game with the most thematic complexity, ingrained within its mechanics. Through its multiple routes, support system, and player avatar it tells a story about how we can only make choices based off our limited perspective, how people are often not what they seem, and how the connections we form with others can influence them positively. And I think that's the beauty of Fire Emblem Three Houses.