Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
Moving to Strawman Has A Point on the YMMV page since this is never acknowledged in the story.
Deleted line(s) 77 (click to see context) :
* HypocriteHasAPoint: Even if she isn't much better in the truthfulness department, she is correct in arguing that the Church of Seiros altered history for their own benefit. She's later proven even more right when Byleth takes measures to conceal Rhea's knowing and deliberate distortion of history by describing them as simple mistranslations of the goddess's will.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
Even if the narrative fails to support the Know Nothing Know It All characterization, it's still a fact that this is how she's being portrayed. Also, the reason betrayal was in quotes was to emphasize the fact that any "loyalty" from Petra was coerced at bladepoint.
Changed line(s) 65 (click to see context) from:
* EtTuBrute: She's shocked and dumbfounded by [[spoiler:Petra's]] betrayal, and wonders if [[spoiler:Caspar or Ferdinand will turn on her next.]] She's indeed dumbfounded in chapter 72 when she sees [[spoiler:Ferdinand among the rebels and arguing her peaceful surrender.]]
to:
* EtTuBrute: She's shocked and dumbfounded by [[spoiler:Petra's]] betrayal, "betrayal", and wonders if [[spoiler:Caspar or Ferdinand will turn on her next.]] She's indeed dumbfounded in chapter 72 when she sees [[spoiler:Ferdinand among the rebels and arguing her peaceful surrender.]]
Changed line(s) 77 (click to see context) from:
* HypocriteHasAPoint: She is, however, correct in arguing that the Church of Seiros altered history for their own benefit. She's later proven even more right when Byleth takes measures to conceal Rhea's knowing and deliberate distortion of history by describing them as simple mistranslations of the goddess's will.
to:
* HypocriteHasAPoint: She is, however, Even if she isn't much better in the truthfulness department, she is correct in arguing that the Church of Seiros altered history for their own benefit. She's later proven even more right when Byleth takes measures to conceal Rhea's knowing and deliberate distortion of history by describing them as simple mistranslations of the goddess's will.
Added DiffLines:
* KnowNothingKnowItAll: Edelgard is portrayed as knowing nothing while playing the "I know more than you sheeple" card. It is consistently shown that [[spoiler:Edelgard bought off and believed the lies that the Agarthans had told her and claims to have the high ground when compared to everyone else. She was also under the impression that the people she tried to reach out to (such as Sylvain, Lysithea and Byleth) would understand and support her when they knew the truth; in reality, her ruthlessness had alienated them]].
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 77 (click to see context) from:
* HypocriteHasAPoint: She is, however, correct in arguing that the Church of Seiros altered history for their own benefit.
to:
* HypocriteHasAPoint: She is, however, correct in arguing that the Church of Seiros altered history for their own benefit. She's later proven even more right when Byleth takes measures to conceal Rhea's knowing and deliberate distortion of history by describing them as simple mistranslations of the goddess's will.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
Misuse. Unknown Rival requires the target of the hatred to not know of the hatee's hatred or at least why they hate them, but Claude obviously knows who Edelgard is, and why she targets him is brought up early in the war.
Deleted line(s) 96 (click to see context) :
* UnknownRival: As the story goes on, Edelgard grows to develop an incredible ''seething'' hatred for Claude in the most visceral of ways due to a great helping of EvilCannotComprehendGood, FantasticRacism and [[GreenEyedMonster jealousy]] on her part- She's absolutely (and utterly 100% erroneously) convinced in her belief that Claude is a ruthless, uncaring manipulator who cares about nothing but his own goals, ambitions and desires and would do anything in his power to TakeOverTheWorld, and therefore Edelgard treats him as her own personal ArchEnemy. And while Claude ''is'' one of the main enemies Edelgard has in the story, Claude himself has absolutely ''no'' idea Edelgard hates him in such a personal way and the main reasons why he's so strongly opposed to her are solely driven by the fact that he considers her an absolutely deplorable and amoral ruler and a major case of StupidEvil in how she has handled the war. Basically, her hatred towards Claude is all based on Edelgard's own delusions and myopic ideas, while her brutal and amoral actions done in order to take him down in turn have only [[CreateYourOwnHero served to galvanize his desire to take her down in order to save everyone from both her actions and the actions of her Agarthan allies.]]
Changed line(s) 100 (click to see context) from:
** [[spoiler:Edelgard in chapter 73 gets this as the truth sinks in to her that she is nothing but an UnwittingPawn and all of her plans have been crushed.]]
to:
** [[spoiler:Edelgard in chapter 73 gets this as the truth sinks in to her that she is nothing but an UnwittingPawn and all of her plans have been crushed. A particularly jarring moment, as Edelgard suffers defeat with grace in ''Three Houses''.]]
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
Misuse: Villainous BSOD is not, "villain feels really bad."
Changed line(s) 85 (click to see context) from:
* LovingAShadow: Chapter 73 reveals that [[spoiler:she’s just as much in love with Byleth]] as in canon and is absolutely [[VillainousBSOD broken]] when [[spoiler:Thales offhandedly mentions that Byleth is in a [[{{Polyamory}} relationship with both Claude and Dimitri]]]].
to:
* LovingAShadow: Chapter 73 reveals that [[spoiler:she’s just as much in love with Byleth]] as in canon and is absolutely [[VillainousBSOD broken]] broken when [[spoiler:Thales offhandedly mentions that Byleth is in a [[{{Polyamory}} relationship with both Claude and Dimitri]]]].
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
Didn't have anything to do with the example, also misuse of Entitled To Have You.
Changed line(s) 85 (click to see context) from:
* LovingAShadow: Chapter 73 reveals that [[spoiler:she’s just as much in love with Byleth]] as in canon and is absolutely [[VillainousBSOD broken]] when [[spoiler:Thales offhandedly mentions that Byleth is in a [[{{Polyamory}} relationship with both Claude and Dimitri]]]]. The [[{{Deconstruction}} rub]] here? [[spoiler:Edelgard has shown herself time and time again to be someone who discards any kind of dissenting opinion, including ''Byleth's'', and her connection with the older woman is absolutely flimsy in comparison to Byleth’s connection to both Claude and Dimitri. Her heartbreak also has some disturbing elements of [[EntitledToHaveYou entitlement]]; basically, she “loves” Byleth without truly knowing the other woman in any meaningful way whatsoever.]]
to:
* LovingAShadow: Chapter 73 reveals that [[spoiler:she’s just as much in love with Byleth]] as in canon and is absolutely [[VillainousBSOD broken]] when [[spoiler:Thales offhandedly mentions that Byleth is in a [[{{Polyamory}} relationship with both Claude and Dimitri]]]]. The [[{{Deconstruction}} rub]] here? [[spoiler:Edelgard has shown herself time and time again to be someone who discards any kind of dissenting opinion, including ''Byleth's'', and her connection with the older woman is absolutely flimsy in comparison to Byleth’s connection to both Claude and Dimitri. Her heartbreak also has some disturbing elements of [[EntitledToHaveYou entitlement]]; basically, she “loves” Byleth without truly knowing the other woman in any meaningful way whatsoever.]]
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
Misuse
Changed line(s) 107 (click to see context) from:
* CruelAndUnusualDeath: His death due to being [[ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice stabbed]] by an Obsidian Dagger is described as being ''excruciatingly'' painful.
to:
* CruelAndUnusualDeath: His death due to being [[ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice stabbed]] stabbed by an Obsidian Dagger is described as being ''excruciatingly'' painful.
Deleted line(s) 110 (click to see context) :
* ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice: Hubert is stabbed by [[spoiler:[[CruelAndUnusualDeath an Obsidian blade]] from an Agarthan child whose mother perished in the battle in Brigid, claiming revenge on Hubert for getting his mother killed]].
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
The author's opinion of her character isn't supported by what's demonstrated in the fanfic. Edelgard is generally correct in her grievances with the church, her grievances are generally just ignored by the narrative or taken as false without demonstrating how they're false.
Deleted line(s) 85 (click to see context) :
* KnowNothingKnowItAll: The opinion the author has of her, describing her as knowing nothing while playing the "I know more than you sheeple" card. It is consistently shown that [[spoiler:Edelgard bought off and believed the lies that the Agarthans had told her and claims to have the high ground when compared to everyone else. She was also under the impression that the people she tried to reach out to (such as Sylvain, Lysithea and Byleth) would understand and support her when they knew the truth; in reality, her ruthlessness had alienated them]].
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
Why was betrayal in scare quotes?
Changed line(s) 65 (click to see context) from:
* EtTuBrute: She's shocked and dumbfounded by [[spoiler:Petra's]] "betrayal", and wonders if [[spoiler:Caspar or Ferdinand will turn on her next.]] She's indeed dumbfounded in chapter 72 when she sees [[spoiler:Ferdinand among the rebels and arguing her peaceful surrender.]]
to:
* EtTuBrute: She's shocked and dumbfounded by [[spoiler:Petra's]] "betrayal", betrayal, and wonders if [[spoiler:Caspar or Ferdinand will turn on her next.]] She's indeed dumbfounded in chapter 72 when she sees [[spoiler:Ferdinand among the rebels and arguing her peaceful surrender.]]
Added DiffLines:
* HypocriteHasAPoint: She is, however, correct in arguing that the Church of Seiros altered history for their own benefit.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
Misuse. All for nothing is when the events of a story have no payoff, not when a character within the story has a plan that doesn't work. In a broader sense, Edelgard's revolution against the church, as it always does, forces change within the church, so it's not All For Nothing.
Deleted line(s) 52 (click to see context) :
* AllForNothing: Chapter 52 has Edelgard forced to face the fact that [[spoiler:she threw away hundreds of Imperial lives in the Battle of Garreg Mach and has nothing to show for it.]]
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* AdaptationRelationshipOverhaul: With all three of the main leads:
** Edelgard and Claude have a cordial relationship in canon and both agree that they share similar ideals, particularly a disdain toward the Church of Seiros. In this story, Edelgard loathes Claude as her chief obstacle, while Claude is the most openly contemptuous of her actions out of the three leads.
** Canonically, Edelgard regards Dimitri with respect and pity, considering him one of Thales's victims and lamenting that being born in such a tumultous age prevented him from becoming the good king he could have been. Here, she openly and viciously scorns him as a simple-minded madman.
** In ''Three Houses'', the sometimes positive, sometimes antagonistic relationship between Edelgard and Byleth has enormous influence on the story, particularly in Crimson Flower and Silver Snow. Here, they barely interact with or think about one another.
** Edelgard and Claude have a cordial relationship in canon and both agree that they share similar ideals, particularly a disdain toward the Church of Seiros. In this story, Edelgard loathes Claude as her chief obstacle, while Claude is the most openly contemptuous of her actions out of the three leads.
** Canonically, Edelgard regards Dimitri with respect and pity, considering him one of Thales's victims and lamenting that being born in such a tumultous age prevented him from becoming the good king he could have been. Here, she openly and viciously scorns him as a simple-minded madman.
** In ''Three Houses'', the sometimes positive, sometimes antagonistic relationship between Edelgard and Byleth has enormous influence on the story, particularly in Crimson Flower and Silver Snow. Here, they barely interact with or think about one another.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 43,47 (click to see context) from:
* AdaptationPersonalityChange: The Edelgard of ''Savior King'' is the character version of an InNameOnly counterpart to her canonical self from ''Three Houses'', recognizable only in her possession of the same name and background and in that she starts a war. To wit:
** AdaptationalDumbass: Canon Edelgard is skilled at winning others to her side, is very efficient at playing her myriad foes against each other to keep them from focusing on her, deflects suspicion during her time at Garreg Mach and wins power back from the people who took it from her father, is a talented tactician, and ultimately wins in her shadow war against the Agarthans when they come to blows. Fanfic Edelgard mostly relies on brute force to get what she wants, her tactics consist of just charging her enemies, she willingly and stubbornly divides her forces while the Empire is being actively invaded, and she relies on threats and empty promises of power to convince others to join her side.
** AdaptationalJerkass: Canon Edelgard never disregards Dimitri as an out-and-out madman as she does in this fic, nor did she consider him naive, guileless, or stupid, and in canon she never disparages Claude for being mixed-race. She also doesn't privately insult her advisers as cowards, nor does she refuse good advice because it's something she doesn't want to hear.
** AdaptationalVillainy: Canon Edelgard explicitly had no idea that the Agarthans possess Javelins of Light before they're first used. Fanfic Edelgard both knows about them and orders them used for the war effort. She also tricks her citizens into becoming Demonic Beasts, while in canon it's never explained where and how she obtained subjects to create the beasts from.
** AdaptationalWimp: Canon Edelgard is a skilled combatant, able to fight Byleth to a draw. Fanfic Edelgard gets utterly dominated every time she tries to fight the heroes in open combat. During the battle of Enbarr in particular, she suffers multiple beat downs in rapid succession and is forced to constantly retreat or hide behind her soldiers.
** AdaptationalDumbass: Canon Edelgard is skilled at winning others to her side, is very efficient at playing her myriad foes against each other to keep them from focusing on her, deflects suspicion during her time at Garreg Mach and wins power back from the people who took it from her father, is a talented tactician, and ultimately wins in her shadow war against the Agarthans when they come to blows. Fanfic Edelgard mostly relies on brute force to get what she wants, her tactics consist of just charging her enemies, she willingly and stubbornly divides her forces while the Empire is being actively invaded, and she relies on threats and empty promises of power to convince others to join her side.
** AdaptationalJerkass: Canon Edelgard never disregards Dimitri as an out-and-out madman as she does in this fic, nor did she consider him naive, guileless, or stupid, and in canon she never disparages Claude for being mixed-race. She also doesn't privately insult her advisers as cowards, nor does she refuse good advice because it's something she doesn't want to hear.
** AdaptationalVillainy: Canon Edelgard explicitly had no idea that the Agarthans possess Javelins of Light before they're first used. Fanfic Edelgard both knows about them and orders them used for the war effort. She also tricks her citizens into becoming Demonic Beasts, while in canon it's never explained where and how she obtained subjects to create the beasts from.
** AdaptationalWimp: Canon Edelgard is a skilled combatant, able to fight Byleth to a draw. Fanfic Edelgard gets utterly dominated every time she tries to fight the heroes in open combat. During the battle of Enbarr in particular, she suffers multiple beat downs in rapid succession and is forced to constantly retreat or hide behind her soldiers.
to:
* AdaptationPersonalityChange: The Edelgard of ''Savior King'' is the character version of an InNameOnly counterpart to her canonical self from ''Three Houses'', recognizable only in her possession of the same name and background and in that she starts a war. To wit:
**AdaptationalDumbass: Canon Edelgard is skilled at winning others to her side, is very efficient at playing her myriad foes against each other to keep them from focusing on her, deflects suspicion during her time at Garreg Mach and wins power back from the people who took it from her father, is a talented tactician, and ultimately wins in her shadow war against gets the last laugh three times out of four when she and the Agarthans when they come to blows.blows (winning a shadow war directly in Crimson Flower and posthumously setting Byleth loose on them in Silver Snow and Verdant Wind). Fanfic Edelgard mostly relies on brute force to get what she wants, her tactics consist of just charging her enemies, she willingly and stubbornly divides her forces while the Empire is being actively invaded, and she relies on threats and empty promises of power to convince others to join her side.
** * AdaptationalJerkass: Canon Edelgard never disregards Dimitri as an out-and-out madman as she does in this fic, nor did she consider him naive, guileless, or stupid, and in canon she never disparages Claude for being mixed-race. She also doesn't privately insult her advisers as cowards, nor does she refuse good advice because it's something she doesn't want to hear.
** * AdaptationalVillainy: Canon Edelgard explicitly had no idea that the Agarthans possess Javelins of Light before they're first used. Fanfic Edelgard both knows about them and orders them used for the war effort. She also tricks her citizens into becoming Demonic Beasts, while in canon it's never explained where and how she obtained subjects to create the beasts from.
** * AdaptationalWimp: Canon Edelgard is a skilled combatant, able to fight Byleth to a draw. Fanfic Edelgard gets utterly dominated every time she tries to fight the heroes in open combat. During the battle of Enbarr in particular, she suffers multiple beat downs in rapid succession and is forced to constantly retreat or hide behind her soldiers.
**
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 43 (click to see context) from:
* AdaptationPersonalityChange: The Edelgard of ''Savior King'' is the character version of an InNameOnly counterpart to her canonical self from ''Three Houses'', recognizable only in her possession of the same name and background, and in that she starts a war. To wit:
to:
* AdaptationPersonalityChange: The Edelgard of ''Savior King'' is the character version of an InNameOnly counterpart to her canonical self from ''Three Houses'', recognizable only in her possession of the same name and background, background and in that she starts a war. To wit:
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 45 (click to see context) from:
** AdaptationalJerkass: Canon Edelgard never disregards Dimitri as an out-and-out madman as she does in this fic, nor did she consider him naive, guileless, or stupid, and in canon she never disparages Claude for being mixed-race. She also doesn't privately insult her advisers as cowards, nor does she refuse good advice.
to:
** AdaptationalJerkass: Canon Edelgard never disregards Dimitri as an out-and-out madman as she does in this fic, nor did she consider him naive, guileless, or stupid, and in canon she never disparages Claude for being mixed-race. She also doesn't privately insult her advisers as cowards, nor does she refuse good advice.advice because it's something she doesn't want to hear.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 44 (click to see context) from:
** AdaptationalDumbass: Canon Edelgard is a skilled at winning others to her side, is very efficient at playing her myriad foes against each other to keep them from focusing on her, deflects suspicion during her time at Garreg Mach and wins power back from the people who took it from her father, is a talented tactician, and ultimately wins in her shadow war against the Agarthans when they come to blows. Fanfic Edelgard mostly relies on brute force to get what she wants, her tactics consist of just charging her enemies, she willingly and stubbornly divides her forces while the Empire is being actively invaded, and she relies on threats and empty promises of power to convince others to join her side.
to:
** AdaptationalDumbass: Canon Edelgard is a skilled at winning others to her side, is very efficient at playing her myriad foes against each other to keep them from focusing on her, deflects suspicion during her time at Garreg Mach and wins power back from the people who took it from her father, is a talented tactician, and ultimately wins in her shadow war against the Agarthans when they come to blows. Fanfic Edelgard mostly relies on brute force to get what she wants, her tactics consist of just charging her enemies, she willingly and stubbornly divides her forces while the Empire is being actively invaded, and she relies on threats and empty promises of power to convince others to join her side.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 43 (click to see context) from:
* AdaptationPersonalityChange: The Edelgard of *Savior King* is an InNameOnly version of herself from *Three Houses*, recognizable only in her possession of the same name, position in life, and in that she starts a war. To wit:
to:
* AdaptationPersonalityChange: The Edelgard of *Savior King* ''Savior King'' is the character version of an InNameOnly version of herself counterpart to her canonical self from *Three Houses*, ''Three Houses'', recognizable only in her possession of the same name, position in life, name and background, and in that she starts a war. To wit:
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 43,45 (click to see context) from:
* AdaptationalDumbass: In canon, Edelgard is a skilled at winning others to her side, is very efficient at playing her myriad foes against each other to keep them from focusing on her, deflects suspicion during her time at Garreg Mach and wins power back from the people who took it from her father, is a talented tactician, and ultimately wins in her shadow war against the Agarthans when they come to blows. In this fanfic, she mostly relies on brute force to get what she wants, her tactics consist of just charging her enemies, and she relies on threats and empty promises of power to convince others to join her side.
* AdaptationalVillainy: Edelgard by and large sticks to her canon self with her negative traits exaggerated, but the author, who professes open hatred for her character, also created new flaws wholecloth. In canon, she never disregarded Dimitri as an out-and-out madman as she does in this fic, nor did she consider him naive, guileless, or stupid, and in canon she never disparaged Claude for being mixed-race.
* AdaptationalWimp: Edelgard's a skill combatant in canon, able to fight Byleth to a draw. In this fic, she gets utterly dominated every time she tries to fight the heroes in open combat.
* AdaptationalVillainy: Edelgard by and large sticks to her canon self with her negative traits exaggerated, but the author, who professes open hatred for her character, also created new flaws wholecloth. In canon, she never disregarded Dimitri as an out-and-out madman as she does in this fic, nor did she consider him naive, guileless, or stupid, and in canon she never disparaged Claude for being mixed-race.
* AdaptationalWimp: Edelgard's a skill combatant in canon, able to fight Byleth to a draw. In this fic, she gets utterly dominated every time she tries to fight the heroes in open combat.
to:
* AdaptationPersonalityChange: The Edelgard of *Savior King* is an InNameOnly version of herself from *Three Houses*, recognizable only in her possession of the same name, position in life, and in that she starts a war. To wit:
** AdaptationalDumbass:In canon, Canon Edelgard is a skilled at winning others to her side, is very efficient at playing her myriad foes against each other to keep them from focusing on her, deflects suspicion during her time at Garreg Mach and wins power back from the people who took it from her father, is a talented tactician, and ultimately wins in her shadow war against the Agarthans when they come to blows. In this fanfic, she Fanfic Edelgard mostly relies on brute force to get what she wants, her tactics consist of just charging her enemies, she willingly and stubbornly divides her forces while the Empire is being actively invaded, and she relies on threats and empty promises of power to convince others to join her side.
* AdaptationalVillainy: ** AdaptationalJerkass: Canon Edelgard by and large sticks to her canon self with her negative traits exaggerated, but the author, who professes open hatred for her character, also created new flaws wholecloth. In canon, she never disregarded disregards Dimitri as an out-and-out madman as she does in this fic, nor did she consider him naive, guileless, or stupid, and in canon she never disparaged disparages Claude for being mixed-race.
*mixed-race. She also doesn't privately insult her advisers as cowards, nor does she refuse good advice.
** AdaptationalVillainy: Canon Edelgard explicitly had no idea that the Agarthans possess Javelins of Light before they're first used. Fanfic Edelgard both knows about them and orders them used for the war effort. She also tricks her citizens into becoming Demonic Beasts, while in canon it's never explained where and how she obtained subjects to create the beasts from.
** AdaptationalWimp:Edelgard's Canon Edelgard is a skill combatant in canon, skilled combatant, able to fight Byleth to a draw. In this fic, she Fanfic Edelgard gets utterly dominated every time she tries to fight the heroes in open combat.combat. During the battle of Enbarr in particular, she suffers multiple beat downs in rapid succession and is forced to constantly retreat or hide behind her soldiers.
** AdaptationalDumbass:
*
** AdaptationalVillainy: Canon Edelgard explicitly had no idea that the Agarthans possess Javelins of Light before they're first used. Fanfic Edelgard both knows about them and orders them used for the war effort. She also tricks her citizens into becoming Demonic Beasts, while in canon it's never explained where and how she obtained subjects to create the beasts from.
** AdaptationalWimp:
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* AdaptationalDumbass: In canon, Edelgard is a skilled at winning others to her side, is very efficient at playing her myriad foes against each other to keep them from focusing on her, deflects suspicion during her time at Garreg Mach and wins power back from the people who took it from her father, is a talented tactician, and ultimately wins in her shadow war against the Agarthans when they come to blows. In this fanfic, she mostly relies on brute force to get what she wants, her tactics consist of just charging her enemies, and she relies on threats and empty promises of power to convince others to join her side.
Added DiffLines:
* AdaptationalWimp: Edelgard's a skill combatant in canon, able to fight Byleth to a draw. In this fic, she gets utterly dominated every time she tries to fight the heroes in open combat.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 14 (click to see context) from:
** First, that Sylvain would run Gautier territory into the ground. While Miklan himself is not exactly a sterling example of what a leader should be when it comes to anything more than commanding a bandit gang, he's not wrong that Sylvain, prior to his character development, does not take his future duties seriously and goes out of his way to anger the very people he'll need to work with once her inherits his father's position.
to:
** First, that Sylvain would run Gautier territory into the ground. While Miklan himself is not exactly a sterling example of what a leader should be when it comes to anything more than commanding a bandit gang, he's not wrong that Sylvain, prior to his character development, does not take his future duties seriously and goes out of his way to anger the very people he'll need to work with once her he inherits his father's position.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 65 (click to see context) from:
* HeelFaceTurn: Edelgard gets one [[spoiler:in a side story following what occurs after her death, where she is on her journey to being a face by reincarnation in the world of VideoGame/FireEmblemThracia776]].
to:
* HeelFaceTurn: Edelgard gets one [[spoiler:in a side story following what occurs after her death, where she is on her journey to being a face by reincarnation in the world of VideoGame/FireEmblemThracia776]].''VideoGame/FireEmblemThracia776'']].
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* AdaptationalVillainy: Edelgard by and large sticks to her canon self with her negative traits exaggerated, but the author, who professes open hatred for her character, also created new flaws wholecloth. In canon, she never disregarded Dimitri as an out-and-out madman as she does in this fic, nor did she consider him naive, guileless, or stupid, and in canon she never disparaged Claude for being mixed-race.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* HeelFaceTurn: Edelgard gets one [[spoiler:in a side story following what occurs after her death, where she is on her journey to being a face by reincarnation in the world of VideoGame/FireEmblemThracia776]].
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
!The Holy Kingdom of Faerghus
Deleted line(s) 15 (click to see context) :
Added DiffLines:
!The Leicester Alliance
Added DiffLines:
!The Adrestian Empire
[[folder:Edelgard von Hresvelg]]
* ZeroPercentApprovalRating: As the war drags on, Edelgard's [[spoiler:approval rating drops dangerously low; her civilian subjects riot in the streets, many of her soldiers do nothing to stop them, and all she has left are a few hardline loyalists and the Agarthans who plan to dispose of her once she outlives her usefulness.]]
* AlasPoorVillain: [[spoiler:Despite everything that she did, Claude still spares her some pity when she finally dies, noting that she only became what she was because of Thales. Dimitri is outright horrified.]]
* AllForNothing: Chapter 52 has Edelgard forced to face the fact that [[spoiler:she threw away hundreds of Imperial lives in the Battle of Garreg Mach and has nothing to show for it.]]
* AndIMustScream: [[spoiler:Chapter 80 is an interlude showing her imprisonment at the hands of the Agarthans, where for much of the chapter she's trapped by some sort of headgear that essentially acts as a muzzle. Several times she's nauseous enough to vomit—including during a truly sickening beating by an enraged Odesse—but she's forced to choke it back down because it has nowhere to go. She's finally free to speak by the end of the chapter...when she's StrappedToAnOperatingTable and about to be prepped for transfiguration into the Hegemon Husk, and she's sedated before she can have any release.]]
* AndNowForSomeoneCompletelyDifferent: After chapter 51, Edelgard starts getting the odd interlude every now and then from her point of view. They also count as [[VillainEpisode Villain Episodes]].
* BigBadWannabe: She thinks that she's TheChessmaster who [[spoiler:is using Agartha to her own ends, and that she's a noble revolutionary who is reclaiming stolen land for her kingdom and 'saving' humanity from the Nabateans.]] Edelgard does succeed in starting a war of reunification, but her ruthlessness alienates her fellow students, her use of DirtyBusiness and demonic beasts turn her people against her to the point of open revolt, [[spoiler:Maximus Varley, who she released under the assumption she could control him, attacks Hrym and slaughters hundreds of her own people]], and she repeatedly underestimates Claude and Dimitri even as they invade deeper and deeper into Adrestia. Finally, despite thinking that she's TheStarscream to Thales, [[spoiler:she's actually just an UnwittingPawn whose actions have only served Agartha's goal of destroying Fódlan.]]
* BreakTheHaughty: Edelgard is hit ''hard'' by this in [[WhamEpisode chapter 73]]. After seeing both the Immaculate One and the Immovable tearing through the Titanus and Demonic Beasts that were meant to be her trump cards, almost being killed twice - first by Glenn, then at the end of a CurbStompBattle with Lysithea and Sylvain who both [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech tell her how self-serving and immoral her decisions have been]], learning about Claude's status as the Prince of Almyra (meaning her invasion of the Alliance would have likely ended in disaster and bloodshed even if everything ''had'' gone as planned), she enters the castle to find Thales and Myson calmly having a discussion and planning to pull their troops out. When she attempts to confront him and force the issue, Thales summons [[CombatMedic Angel]] [[VoodooZombie Lamine]], who hits her with Bolting and almost kills her.
* BrokenPedestal: Becomes this to Dorothea, Linhardt and virtually everybody acquainted with her during their times in the academy in light of her declaration of war. As the war goes on, [[spoiler:the other Black Eagles (sans Hubert) who had initially joined her cause eventually started to see Edelgard in the same light as she starts to commit even more amoral and ruthless actions to win the war and promptly defect to Byleth, Claude, and Dimitri's side, one by one]].
* DeconstructedCharacterArchetype: Turns out, being a warmongering YoungConqueror is a ''lot'' more problematic and difficult that the game would have you believe, and her whole CharacterArc in the series is a painful reminder about the harsh realities of war.
** In order to provide funding for her armies, Edelgard has to raises taxes, which puts a strain on the economy.
** Most of the food gets sent to the army, while the rest is rationed among civilians, which causes famine in many cities.
** As Edelgard finds herself facing one defeat after the other, she resorts to even more desperate and immoral acts to try to eke out a victory.
** The constant defeats cause the citizens to have doubts about the war and begin protesting [[spoiler:in Enbarr. When Edelgard tries to quell the protest, the citizens see through her lies and half truths, which leads to a couple of bricks being thrown at her. One brick grazes her shoulder, and after she dodges the other one, one of her guards kills the protester who threw it, which sparks a riot in her own capital city.]]
** Finally, despite her plans to be TheStarscream, [[spoiler: she has far less power against Thales than she thinks.]] She's so blatant about her intention to betray him that [[spoiler: Thales had plans to remove her regardless of if she'd won the war or not,]] and despite being in the heart of her powerbase when she confronts him, [[spoiler: he easily reduces her back to a powerless prisoner and plans to strip her of her free will via {{Geas}} to ensure she serves the role he'd groomed her for.]]
* DefiantCaptive: She [[SpitefulSpit tries]] her best against Odesse in chapter 80, but to say that it did not go [[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown her way]] is a ''major'' understatement.
* DivideAndConquer: In Chapter 55, Byleth deduces that [[spoiler:after failing to prevent the Kingdom and Alliance from teaming up, Edelgard's objective is to drive a wedge between the two by using Gloucester (who doesn't bite) and Acheron (who does) to kill Dimitri and Rodrigue and make it look like the Alliance intended to backstab the Kingdom from the beginning.]]
* EtTuBrute: She's shocked and dumbfounded by [[spoiler:Petra's]] "betrayal", and wonders if [[spoiler:Caspar or Ferdinand will turn on her next.]] She's indeed dumbfounded in chapter 72 when she sees [[spoiler:Ferdinand among the rebels and arguing her peaceful surrender.]]
* EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: Edelgard is a ruthless extremist willing to plunge Fódlan into war to fix its societal issues, but she is utterly devastated to learn [[OnlyFriend Hubert]] is dead.
* EvenEvilHasStandards: Edelgard is willing to do almost anything to reunite Fódlan, but even she sees [[spoiler:releasing Count Varley to the front lines as an absolute GodzillaThreshold and is horrified to discover the Agarthans' transhuman project. However, this doesn't stop her from making use of the resurrected Elites, or from unleashing Count Varley to stop her people from rioting.]]
* EvilIsNotAToy: Edelgard is struck with a mundane version of this [[spoiler:in regards to their dealings with Count Varley. She orders him to subdue the rioters in Hrym banking on Ferdinand to keep him from going too far, not realizing that he will simply usurp Ferdinand's authority and start killing everyone.]]
* FreudianExcuseIsNoExcuse: Lysithea and Sylvain's opinion of her, [[spoiler:remarking that they too have suffered because of both Crests and the Agarthans but have not resorted to the measures she has, not the least of which being siding with the Agarthans themselves.]]
* GodzillaThreshold: As the opening stages of the war turn into several crushing defeats for Adrestia, [[spoiler:Edelgard notes she is getting desperate enough to let Count Varley out of prison to help turn the tide even though "blood, slaughter and ruin would follow him should he be put at the head of an army against foes who were encroaching on what he considered 'his land'". By Chapter 68, she has actually crossed that line and sent him to subdue the rioters, with predictably bloody results.]]
* HeelRealization: Edelgard spends most of the second half of Chapter 80 realizing she was nothing more than a power-crazed tyrant who only ever cared about herself.
* HumiliationConga:
** The whole war is a long, ''painful'' and constant one for her. [[spoiler:The war only lasts for a few months, the heroic forces led by Byleth, Dimitri, and Claude don't suffer a single meaningful loss, and the only ground she's able to gain in western Faerghus is swiftly undone when Almyra intervenes on the heroes' side.]]
** The Battle of Enbarr exemplifies this like nothing else. [[spoiler:Between the sheer numerical superiority of the combined Alliance-Kingdom-Church forces, having obtained information on Enbarr's defenses from captured Agarthans, and the participation of both The Immaculate One and the Immovable, the Imperial army quickly crumbles. Not only that, but during said battle there's the Edelgard vs. Sylvain and Lysithea fight. The two avoid or block her every attack, refute her attempts at garnering their sympathy, and verbally dress her down. In the end she's grievously injured by Lysithea and is almost finished off by Sylvain before Hubert teleports her to safety.]]
* {{Hypocrite}}: Edelgard accuses the Church of altering the truth to suit her own ends in the exact same breath she [[spoiler:lies her ass off about who really destroyed Fort Merceus.]]
* IAmTheNoun: [[spoiler:In one of the [[VillianEpisode Edelgard interludes,]] she says, "I am the revenge of the my murdered siblings upon the world that sacrificed them, of the people mistreated and stomped on by the 'Crest bearing nobility!'"]]
* IgnoredEpiphany: Her thoughts indicate that [[spoiler:several of the heroes' dressing-downs are getting to her more than she cares to admit, but she keeps pushing forward regardless.]]
* ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice: [[spoiler:Her final fate, in chapter 93. Stripped of her free will and forced into the Hegemon Husk, she battles the students before being attacked by Maurice, and the two fall several stories through the floors of Shambhala before she's impaled on the Viskam spire.]]
* InternalReveal: Chapter 80 has Edelgard discover Dimitri was her long-forgotten stepbrother.
* IRejectYourReality: Edelgard claims to be more open minded than any aristocrat before her, but in her [[spoiler:interludes this quirk rapidly spirals out into a refusal to acknowledge that Byleth, Claude and Dimitri are winning the war, or that they have justifiable grievances against her that aren't rooted in 'propping up Fódlan's current circumstances'.]] Even when [[VoodooZombie Renata]] [[LadyOfWar Fraldarius]] [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech spells out her lack of clarity and self-serving narrative]], she refuses to consider taking Blaiddyd's advice to flee, refusing to abandon her sense of righteousness or her belief that she's Fódlan's savior.
* ItsAllAboutMe: There's a subtle but tangible undercurrent to Edelgard's interludes; for all that she talks about improving her people's lives, she only thinks about that in terms of ''her'' ideals and ''her'' beliefs, by using ''her'' experiences and none others.
* KarmicDeath: [[spoiler:Contrary to every route in the original game, she dies in chapter 93 with no dignity or grandeur. Instead, she suffers the fate of every citizen who was forcibly turned into a Demonic Beast—her will stripped from her, her voice lost, and her body destroyed. Like her nameless citizens whom she carelessly sacrificed, her only real purpose was to be Thales's disposable pawn.]]
* KnowNothingKnowItAll: The opinion the author has of her, describing her as knowing nothing while playing the "I know more than you sheeple" card. It is consistently shown that [[spoiler:Edelgard bought off and believed the lies that the Agarthans had told her and claims to have the high ground when compared to everyone else. She was also under the impression that the people she tried to reach out to (such as Sylvain, Lysithea and Byleth) would understand and support her when they knew the truth; in reality, her ruthlessness had alienated them]].
* LovingAShadow: Chapter 73 reveals that [[spoiler:she’s just as much in love with Byleth]] as in canon and is absolutely [[VillainousBSOD broken]] when [[spoiler:Thales offhandedly mentions that Byleth is in a [[{{Polyamory}} relationship with both Claude and Dimitri]]]]. The [[{{Deconstruction}} rub]] here? [[spoiler:Edelgard has shown herself time and time again to be someone who discards any kind of dissenting opinion, including ''Byleth's'', and her connection with the older woman is absolutely flimsy in comparison to Byleth’s connection to both Claude and Dimitri. Her heartbreak also has some disturbing elements of [[EntitledToHaveYou entitlement]]; basically, she “loves” Byleth without truly knowing the other woman in any meaningful way whatsoever.]]
* MoralMyopia: Calls Rhea/Seiros a "beast" who is controlling people and lying to them, despite the fact that Edelgard herself does the exact same thing.
* NeverMyFault: In Edelgard's mind, everything that goes wrong with her plans for Fódlan is either Sothis' fault, [[spoiler:Thales' fault]], or Claude's fault.
* ThePoorlyChosenOne: [[spoiler:Twice over, in the opinion of the Agarthans. Both Marian and much later Thales himself consider her a terrible champion against the dragons in hindsight. Marian point-blank tells Dimitri that she personally believes he would be much better suited for the role than Edelgard and in chapter 73 Thales himself openly admits that ''Claude'' would have been a much better champion for the Agarthans to have than Edelgard, bluntly stating: "I choose poorly; I should have waited until he stepped into Fódlan and whisked him away, made him our chosen dragon slayer. He has more guile in one finger than she possessed in her entire body".]]
* ProperlyParanoid: Edelgard is portrayed as paranoid and distrusting when she questions the nature of Claude's sudden and easy friendship with Dimitri. Setting aside the fact that their coalition ''does'' end up ruining all of her plans, Claude works hard to present himself as an untrusting schemer, and Dimitri, while cordial and polite, is a closed individual, even among his fellow Lions. It's only natural that she would suspect these two suddenly having such a strong friendship, given their statuses as heir apparent to the other two countries of Fódlan.
* RightForTheWrongReasons: Edelgard's apprehension about Claude's sudden and easy friendship with Dimitri turns out to be spot-on, as they ''do'' end up ruining all of her plans together. However, in the biggest case of {{Irony}}, ''she'' was one who started the war which made said coalition possible. Their friendship and budding romantic relationship had nothing to with her and they were not planning to ally against her before the war started, because in their relationship she was a complete non-issue. Both Dimitri and Claude going against her turned out to be a SelfFulfillingProphecy due to her actions.
* SmugSnake: Edelgard is extremely arrogant and overconfident, thinking [[spoiler:she's TheStarscream to the Agarthans when in reality, she's just the Agarthans' dupe from start to finish.]]
* StrappedToAnOperatingTable: [[spoiler:In chapter 80, being prepped for her transfiguration under Agarthan imprisonment.]]
* SurroundedByIdiots: Edelgard's opinion of her war council, remarking in her head that she's close to just firing them all and leaving only Hubert and [[spoiler:Hanneman.]] Which becomes darkly ironic in Chapter 73, [[spoiler:considering that Thales himself considers her something of a LeeroyJenkins incapable of knowing when it's best to retreat and Odesse openly scorns her for her failures.]]
* ThisMeansWar: Once it's revealed that [[spoiler:Edelgard is the Flame Emperor, Byleth realizes that her attack on the Holy Tomb is an act of war and that they have to be ready for a full conflict with the Empire.]] Sure enough, the formal declaration comes the next chapter.
* UnderestimatingBadassery: Throughout their school year together, Edelgard expresses bemusement at both Claude and Dimitri's personalities. [[spoiler:She's confident she can sweep them aside once she starts the war, believing Dimitri to be too naïve and guileless to make a good king and Claude to be an overconfident schemer who's in way over his head. She also dismisses the idea that they would work together. After they inflict multiple crushing defeats on her without any significant losses, she re-evaluates her opinion on Claude, but persists in dismissing Dimitri as reliant on Claude and Byleth rather than a significant player in his own right - even after her own people start speaking favorably of him right before rioting against her.]]
* UnknownRival: As the story goes on, Edelgard grows to develop an incredible ''seething'' hatred for Claude in the most visceral of ways due to a great helping of EvilCannotComprehendGood, FantasticRacism and [[GreenEyedMonster jealousy]] on her part- She's absolutely (and utterly 100% erroneously) convinced in her belief that Claude is a ruthless, uncaring manipulator who cares about nothing but his own goals, ambitions and desires and would do anything in his power to TakeOverTheWorld, and therefore Edelgard treats him as her own personal ArchEnemy. And while Claude ''is'' one of the main enemies Edelgard has in the story, Claude himself has absolutely ''no'' idea Edelgard hates him in such a personal way and the main reasons why he's so strongly opposed to her are solely driven by the fact that he considers her an absolutely deplorable and amoral ruler and a major case of StupidEvil in how she has handled the war. Basically, her hatred towards Claude is all based on Edelgard's own delusions and myopic ideas, while her brutal and amoral actions done in order to take him down in turn have only [[CreateYourOwnHero served to galvanize his desire to take her down in order to save everyone from both her actions and the actions of her Agarthan allies.]]
* UnwittingPawn: Despite fancying herself TheStarscream, by chapter 73 it [[spoiler:becomes plain that in reality, Edelgard was nothing but a tool that Thales used to destabilize Fódlan and kill as many people as possible to achieve his plan to take the surface for Shambhala. When she attempts to confront him, he merely has Lamine blast her into submission and takes her prisoner again as they retreat, leaving Adrestia to the United Army.]]
* UsedToBeASweetKid: Dimitri's flashbacks in chapter 70 strongly indicates that Edelgard was this. [[spoiler:She was fierce but kind, encouraging him to stand up for himself, playing with him and fussing over an injured kitten, making their current relationship all the more tragic.]]
* VillainousBreakdown:
** [[spoiler:Edelgard in chapter 73 gets this as the truth sinks in to her that she is nothing but an UnwittingPawn and all of her plans have been crushed.]]
** [[spoiler:She's broken down even further in chapter 80, when she's taken prisoner by the Agarthans and learns that Hubert—the one person she trusted to always be at her side—is dead. The chapter is one long breakdown for her, culminating in a young Agarthan boy telling her how her mother really died and that Dimitri is her stepbrother—all while matter-of-factly stating that he's prepping her to be "transfigured" and deployed at a moment's notice, implicitly as the Hegemon Husk. It's while this happens that she realizes what characters have been trying to convince her of for the whole story—that she's fighting the wrong enemy, that she's not as powerful as she thinks she is, and that everything she's done has only destroyed the home she wished to save.]]
* YouDoNOTWantToKnow: An Agarthan civilian and former apprentice to Cornelia informs Edelgard that she doesn't want to know what happened to Anselma. When she persists, it's revealed [[spoiler:she was duped into thinking the Tragedy of Duscur would be nothing more than a simple ruckus; when she saw her second husband decapitated, she fled into a nearby forest, tripped, and died of internal bleeding.]]
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Hubert von Vestra]]
* {{Angrish}}: One could very strongly argue that ShutUpHannibal moments are his metaphorical AchillesHeel as both times he's given one, [[spoiler:first by Marianne and later by Bernadetta]], he's left spluttering in rage and without any logical defense to their words. For all of the wordplay he enjoys dishing when giving smug lectures, Hubert really ''cannot'' counter whenever someone has a logical point.
* CruelAndUnusualDeath: His death due to being [[ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice stabbed]] by an Obsidian Dagger is described as being ''excruciatingly'' painful.
--> To his horror, he started to see the veins in the child skin were turning black, his body jerking sharply and his eyes rolled up into his head. Glancing at Hubert was something even worse; the blood dripping from his side wound sizzled when it hit the ground; the smell of rotting flesh hit his nose as bubbling blood began to drip out of his nose and mouth and eyes, and the once sneering, eternally composed Lord Vestra was thrashing in agony, his screams bubbling because of the blood in his throat.
* EtTuBrute: Feels this way towards Bernadetta, as she chooses to side with the Church instead of her homeland.
* ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice: Hubert is stabbed by [[spoiler:[[CruelAndUnusualDeath an Obsidian blade]] from an Agarthan child whose mother perished in the battle in Brigid, claiming revenge on Hubert for getting his mother killed]].
* NotSoDifferentRemark: Marianne calls out Hubert for his hypocrisy, saying that he's just like the "weak people" relying on their goddess, with the only difference being that he's blindly faithful to Edelgard instead of Sothis. Hubert doesn't take this well
* OnlyFriend: He's the only person genuinely loyal to Edelgard - everyone else is either using her for their own ends or abandons her once they discover the lengths she is willing to go to to change Fódlan.
* UndyingLoyalty: To Edelgard.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Edelgard von Hresvelg]]
* ZeroPercentApprovalRating: As the war drags on, Edelgard's [[spoiler:approval rating drops dangerously low; her civilian subjects riot in the streets, many of her soldiers do nothing to stop them, and all she has left are a few hardline loyalists and the Agarthans who plan to dispose of her once she outlives her usefulness.]]
* AlasPoorVillain: [[spoiler:Despite everything that she did, Claude still spares her some pity when she finally dies, noting that she only became what she was because of Thales. Dimitri is outright horrified.]]
* AllForNothing: Chapter 52 has Edelgard forced to face the fact that [[spoiler:she threw away hundreds of Imperial lives in the Battle of Garreg Mach and has nothing to show for it.]]
* AndIMustScream: [[spoiler:Chapter 80 is an interlude showing her imprisonment at the hands of the Agarthans, where for much of the chapter she's trapped by some sort of headgear that essentially acts as a muzzle. Several times she's nauseous enough to vomit—including during a truly sickening beating by an enraged Odesse—but she's forced to choke it back down because it has nowhere to go. She's finally free to speak by the end of the chapter...when she's StrappedToAnOperatingTable and about to be prepped for transfiguration into the Hegemon Husk, and she's sedated before she can have any release.]]
* AndNowForSomeoneCompletelyDifferent: After chapter 51, Edelgard starts getting the odd interlude every now and then from her point of view. They also count as [[VillainEpisode Villain Episodes]].
* BigBadWannabe: She thinks that she's TheChessmaster who [[spoiler:is using Agartha to her own ends, and that she's a noble revolutionary who is reclaiming stolen land for her kingdom and 'saving' humanity from the Nabateans.]] Edelgard does succeed in starting a war of reunification, but her ruthlessness alienates her fellow students, her use of DirtyBusiness and demonic beasts turn her people against her to the point of open revolt, [[spoiler:Maximus Varley, who she released under the assumption she could control him, attacks Hrym and slaughters hundreds of her own people]], and she repeatedly underestimates Claude and Dimitri even as they invade deeper and deeper into Adrestia. Finally, despite thinking that she's TheStarscream to Thales, [[spoiler:she's actually just an UnwittingPawn whose actions have only served Agartha's goal of destroying Fódlan.]]
* BreakTheHaughty: Edelgard is hit ''hard'' by this in [[WhamEpisode chapter 73]]. After seeing both the Immaculate One and the Immovable tearing through the Titanus and Demonic Beasts that were meant to be her trump cards, almost being killed twice - first by Glenn, then at the end of a CurbStompBattle with Lysithea and Sylvain who both [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech tell her how self-serving and immoral her decisions have been]], learning about Claude's status as the Prince of Almyra (meaning her invasion of the Alliance would have likely ended in disaster and bloodshed even if everything ''had'' gone as planned), she enters the castle to find Thales and Myson calmly having a discussion and planning to pull their troops out. When she attempts to confront him and force the issue, Thales summons [[CombatMedic Angel]] [[VoodooZombie Lamine]], who hits her with Bolting and almost kills her.
* BrokenPedestal: Becomes this to Dorothea, Linhardt and virtually everybody acquainted with her during their times in the academy in light of her declaration of war. As the war goes on, [[spoiler:the other Black Eagles (sans Hubert) who had initially joined her cause eventually started to see Edelgard in the same light as she starts to commit even more amoral and ruthless actions to win the war and promptly defect to Byleth, Claude, and Dimitri's side, one by one]].
* DeconstructedCharacterArchetype: Turns out, being a warmongering YoungConqueror is a ''lot'' more problematic and difficult that the game would have you believe, and her whole CharacterArc in the series is a painful reminder about the harsh realities of war.
** In order to provide funding for her armies, Edelgard has to raises taxes, which puts a strain on the economy.
** Most of the food gets sent to the army, while the rest is rationed among civilians, which causes famine in many cities.
** As Edelgard finds herself facing one defeat after the other, she resorts to even more desperate and immoral acts to try to eke out a victory.
** The constant defeats cause the citizens to have doubts about the war and begin protesting [[spoiler:in Enbarr. When Edelgard tries to quell the protest, the citizens see through her lies and half truths, which leads to a couple of bricks being thrown at her. One brick grazes her shoulder, and after she dodges the other one, one of her guards kills the protester who threw it, which sparks a riot in her own capital city.]]
** Finally, despite her plans to be TheStarscream, [[spoiler: she has far less power against Thales than she thinks.]] She's so blatant about her intention to betray him that [[spoiler: Thales had plans to remove her regardless of if she'd won the war or not,]] and despite being in the heart of her powerbase when she confronts him, [[spoiler: he easily reduces her back to a powerless prisoner and plans to strip her of her free will via {{Geas}} to ensure she serves the role he'd groomed her for.]]
* DefiantCaptive: She [[SpitefulSpit tries]] her best against Odesse in chapter 80, but to say that it did not go [[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown her way]] is a ''major'' understatement.
* DivideAndConquer: In Chapter 55, Byleth deduces that [[spoiler:after failing to prevent the Kingdom and Alliance from teaming up, Edelgard's objective is to drive a wedge between the two by using Gloucester (who doesn't bite) and Acheron (who does) to kill Dimitri and Rodrigue and make it look like the Alliance intended to backstab the Kingdom from the beginning.]]
* EtTuBrute: She's shocked and dumbfounded by [[spoiler:Petra's]] "betrayal", and wonders if [[spoiler:Caspar or Ferdinand will turn on her next.]] She's indeed dumbfounded in chapter 72 when she sees [[spoiler:Ferdinand among the rebels and arguing her peaceful surrender.]]
* EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: Edelgard is a ruthless extremist willing to plunge Fódlan into war to fix its societal issues, but she is utterly devastated to learn [[OnlyFriend Hubert]] is dead.
* EvenEvilHasStandards: Edelgard is willing to do almost anything to reunite Fódlan, but even she sees [[spoiler:releasing Count Varley to the front lines as an absolute GodzillaThreshold and is horrified to discover the Agarthans' transhuman project. However, this doesn't stop her from making use of the resurrected Elites, or from unleashing Count Varley to stop her people from rioting.]]
* EvilIsNotAToy: Edelgard is struck with a mundane version of this [[spoiler:in regards to their dealings with Count Varley. She orders him to subdue the rioters in Hrym banking on Ferdinand to keep him from going too far, not realizing that he will simply usurp Ferdinand's authority and start killing everyone.]]
* FreudianExcuseIsNoExcuse: Lysithea and Sylvain's opinion of her, [[spoiler:remarking that they too have suffered because of both Crests and the Agarthans but have not resorted to the measures she has, not the least of which being siding with the Agarthans themselves.]]
* GodzillaThreshold: As the opening stages of the war turn into several crushing defeats for Adrestia, [[spoiler:Edelgard notes she is getting desperate enough to let Count Varley out of prison to help turn the tide even though "blood, slaughter and ruin would follow him should he be put at the head of an army against foes who were encroaching on what he considered 'his land'". By Chapter 68, she has actually crossed that line and sent him to subdue the rioters, with predictably bloody results.]]
* HeelRealization: Edelgard spends most of the second half of Chapter 80 realizing she was nothing more than a power-crazed tyrant who only ever cared about herself.
* HumiliationConga:
** The whole war is a long, ''painful'' and constant one for her. [[spoiler:The war only lasts for a few months, the heroic forces led by Byleth, Dimitri, and Claude don't suffer a single meaningful loss, and the only ground she's able to gain in western Faerghus is swiftly undone when Almyra intervenes on the heroes' side.]]
** The Battle of Enbarr exemplifies this like nothing else. [[spoiler:Between the sheer numerical superiority of the combined Alliance-Kingdom-Church forces, having obtained information on Enbarr's defenses from captured Agarthans, and the participation of both The Immaculate One and the Immovable, the Imperial army quickly crumbles. Not only that, but during said battle there's the Edelgard vs. Sylvain and Lysithea fight. The two avoid or block her every attack, refute her attempts at garnering their sympathy, and verbally dress her down. In the end she's grievously injured by Lysithea and is almost finished off by Sylvain before Hubert teleports her to safety.]]
* {{Hypocrite}}: Edelgard accuses the Church of altering the truth to suit her own ends in the exact same breath she [[spoiler:lies her ass off about who really destroyed Fort Merceus.]]
* IAmTheNoun: [[spoiler:In one of the [[VillianEpisode Edelgard interludes,]] she says, "I am the revenge of the my murdered siblings upon the world that sacrificed them, of the people mistreated and stomped on by the 'Crest bearing nobility!'"]]
* IgnoredEpiphany: Her thoughts indicate that [[spoiler:several of the heroes' dressing-downs are getting to her more than she cares to admit, but she keeps pushing forward regardless.]]
* ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice: [[spoiler:Her final fate, in chapter 93. Stripped of her free will and forced into the Hegemon Husk, she battles the students before being attacked by Maurice, and the two fall several stories through the floors of Shambhala before she's impaled on the Viskam spire.]]
* InternalReveal: Chapter 80 has Edelgard discover Dimitri was her long-forgotten stepbrother.
* IRejectYourReality: Edelgard claims to be more open minded than any aristocrat before her, but in her [[spoiler:interludes this quirk rapidly spirals out into a refusal to acknowledge that Byleth, Claude and Dimitri are winning the war, or that they have justifiable grievances against her that aren't rooted in 'propping up Fódlan's current circumstances'.]] Even when [[VoodooZombie Renata]] [[LadyOfWar Fraldarius]] [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech spells out her lack of clarity and self-serving narrative]], she refuses to consider taking Blaiddyd's advice to flee, refusing to abandon her sense of righteousness or her belief that she's Fódlan's savior.
* ItsAllAboutMe: There's a subtle but tangible undercurrent to Edelgard's interludes; for all that she talks about improving her people's lives, she only thinks about that in terms of ''her'' ideals and ''her'' beliefs, by using ''her'' experiences and none others.
* KarmicDeath: [[spoiler:Contrary to every route in the original game, she dies in chapter 93 with no dignity or grandeur. Instead, she suffers the fate of every citizen who was forcibly turned into a Demonic Beast—her will stripped from her, her voice lost, and her body destroyed. Like her nameless citizens whom she carelessly sacrificed, her only real purpose was to be Thales's disposable pawn.]]
* KnowNothingKnowItAll: The opinion the author has of her, describing her as knowing nothing while playing the "I know more than you sheeple" card. It is consistently shown that [[spoiler:Edelgard bought off and believed the lies that the Agarthans had told her and claims to have the high ground when compared to everyone else. She was also under the impression that the people she tried to reach out to (such as Sylvain, Lysithea and Byleth) would understand and support her when they knew the truth; in reality, her ruthlessness had alienated them]].
* LovingAShadow: Chapter 73 reveals that [[spoiler:she’s just as much in love with Byleth]] as in canon and is absolutely [[VillainousBSOD broken]] when [[spoiler:Thales offhandedly mentions that Byleth is in a [[{{Polyamory}} relationship with both Claude and Dimitri]]]]. The [[{{Deconstruction}} rub]] here? [[spoiler:Edelgard has shown herself time and time again to be someone who discards any kind of dissenting opinion, including ''Byleth's'', and her connection with the older woman is absolutely flimsy in comparison to Byleth’s connection to both Claude and Dimitri. Her heartbreak also has some disturbing elements of [[EntitledToHaveYou entitlement]]; basically, she “loves” Byleth without truly knowing the other woman in any meaningful way whatsoever.]]
* MoralMyopia: Calls Rhea/Seiros a "beast" who is controlling people and lying to them, despite the fact that Edelgard herself does the exact same thing.
* NeverMyFault: In Edelgard's mind, everything that goes wrong with her plans for Fódlan is either Sothis' fault, [[spoiler:Thales' fault]], or Claude's fault.
* ThePoorlyChosenOne: [[spoiler:Twice over, in the opinion of the Agarthans. Both Marian and much later Thales himself consider her a terrible champion against the dragons in hindsight. Marian point-blank tells Dimitri that she personally believes he would be much better suited for the role than Edelgard and in chapter 73 Thales himself openly admits that ''Claude'' would have been a much better champion for the Agarthans to have than Edelgard, bluntly stating: "I choose poorly; I should have waited until he stepped into Fódlan and whisked him away, made him our chosen dragon slayer. He has more guile in one finger than she possessed in her entire body".]]
* ProperlyParanoid: Edelgard is portrayed as paranoid and distrusting when she questions the nature of Claude's sudden and easy friendship with Dimitri. Setting aside the fact that their coalition ''does'' end up ruining all of her plans, Claude works hard to present himself as an untrusting schemer, and Dimitri, while cordial and polite, is a closed individual, even among his fellow Lions. It's only natural that she would suspect these two suddenly having such a strong friendship, given their statuses as heir apparent to the other two countries of Fódlan.
* RightForTheWrongReasons: Edelgard's apprehension about Claude's sudden and easy friendship with Dimitri turns out to be spot-on, as they ''do'' end up ruining all of her plans together. However, in the biggest case of {{Irony}}, ''she'' was one who started the war which made said coalition possible. Their friendship and budding romantic relationship had nothing to with her and they were not planning to ally against her before the war started, because in their relationship she was a complete non-issue. Both Dimitri and Claude going against her turned out to be a SelfFulfillingProphecy due to her actions.
* SmugSnake: Edelgard is extremely arrogant and overconfident, thinking [[spoiler:she's TheStarscream to the Agarthans when in reality, she's just the Agarthans' dupe from start to finish.]]
* StrappedToAnOperatingTable: [[spoiler:In chapter 80, being prepped for her transfiguration under Agarthan imprisonment.]]
* SurroundedByIdiots: Edelgard's opinion of her war council, remarking in her head that she's close to just firing them all and leaving only Hubert and [[spoiler:Hanneman.]] Which becomes darkly ironic in Chapter 73, [[spoiler:considering that Thales himself considers her something of a LeeroyJenkins incapable of knowing when it's best to retreat and Odesse openly scorns her for her failures.]]
* ThisMeansWar: Once it's revealed that [[spoiler:Edelgard is the Flame Emperor, Byleth realizes that her attack on the Holy Tomb is an act of war and that they have to be ready for a full conflict with the Empire.]] Sure enough, the formal declaration comes the next chapter.
* UnderestimatingBadassery: Throughout their school year together, Edelgard expresses bemusement at both Claude and Dimitri's personalities. [[spoiler:She's confident she can sweep them aside once she starts the war, believing Dimitri to be too naïve and guileless to make a good king and Claude to be an overconfident schemer who's in way over his head. She also dismisses the idea that they would work together. After they inflict multiple crushing defeats on her without any significant losses, she re-evaluates her opinion on Claude, but persists in dismissing Dimitri as reliant on Claude and Byleth rather than a significant player in his own right - even after her own people start speaking favorably of him right before rioting against her.]]
* UnknownRival: As the story goes on, Edelgard grows to develop an incredible ''seething'' hatred for Claude in the most visceral of ways due to a great helping of EvilCannotComprehendGood, FantasticRacism and [[GreenEyedMonster jealousy]] on her part- She's absolutely (and utterly 100% erroneously) convinced in her belief that Claude is a ruthless, uncaring manipulator who cares about nothing but his own goals, ambitions and desires and would do anything in his power to TakeOverTheWorld, and therefore Edelgard treats him as her own personal ArchEnemy. And while Claude ''is'' one of the main enemies Edelgard has in the story, Claude himself has absolutely ''no'' idea Edelgard hates him in such a personal way and the main reasons why he's so strongly opposed to her are solely driven by the fact that he considers her an absolutely deplorable and amoral ruler and a major case of StupidEvil in how she has handled the war. Basically, her hatred towards Claude is all based on Edelgard's own delusions and myopic ideas, while her brutal and amoral actions done in order to take him down in turn have only [[CreateYourOwnHero served to galvanize his desire to take her down in order to save everyone from both her actions and the actions of her Agarthan allies.]]
* UnwittingPawn: Despite fancying herself TheStarscream, by chapter 73 it [[spoiler:becomes plain that in reality, Edelgard was nothing but a tool that Thales used to destabilize Fódlan and kill as many people as possible to achieve his plan to take the surface for Shambhala. When she attempts to confront him, he merely has Lamine blast her into submission and takes her prisoner again as they retreat, leaving Adrestia to the United Army.]]
* UsedToBeASweetKid: Dimitri's flashbacks in chapter 70 strongly indicates that Edelgard was this. [[spoiler:She was fierce but kind, encouraging him to stand up for himself, playing with him and fussing over an injured kitten, making their current relationship all the more tragic.]]
* VillainousBreakdown:
** [[spoiler:Edelgard in chapter 73 gets this as the truth sinks in to her that she is nothing but an UnwittingPawn and all of her plans have been crushed.]]
** [[spoiler:She's broken down even further in chapter 80, when she's taken prisoner by the Agarthans and learns that Hubert—the one person she trusted to always be at her side—is dead. The chapter is one long breakdown for her, culminating in a young Agarthan boy telling her how her mother really died and that Dimitri is her stepbrother—all while matter-of-factly stating that he's prepping her to be "transfigured" and deployed at a moment's notice, implicitly as the Hegemon Husk. It's while this happens that she realizes what characters have been trying to convince her of for the whole story—that she's fighting the wrong enemy, that she's not as powerful as she thinks she is, and that everything she's done has only destroyed the home she wished to save.]]
* YouDoNOTWantToKnow: An Agarthan civilian and former apprentice to Cornelia informs Edelgard that she doesn't want to know what happened to Anselma. When she persists, it's revealed [[spoiler:she was duped into thinking the Tragedy of Duscur would be nothing more than a simple ruckus; when she saw her second husband decapitated, she fled into a nearby forest, tripped, and died of internal bleeding.]]
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Hubert von Vestra]]
* {{Angrish}}: One could very strongly argue that ShutUpHannibal moments are his metaphorical AchillesHeel as both times he's given one, [[spoiler:first by Marianne and later by Bernadetta]], he's left spluttering in rage and without any logical defense to their words. For all of the wordplay he enjoys dishing when giving smug lectures, Hubert really ''cannot'' counter whenever someone has a logical point.
* CruelAndUnusualDeath: His death due to being [[ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice stabbed]] by an Obsidian Dagger is described as being ''excruciatingly'' painful.
--> To his horror, he started to see the veins in the child skin were turning black, his body jerking sharply and his eyes rolled up into his head. Glancing at Hubert was something even worse; the blood dripping from his side wound sizzled when it hit the ground; the smell of rotting flesh hit his nose as bubbling blood began to drip out of his nose and mouth and eyes, and the once sneering, eternally composed Lord Vestra was thrashing in agony, his screams bubbling because of the blood in his throat.
* EtTuBrute: Feels this way towards Bernadetta, as she chooses to side with the Church instead of her homeland.
* ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice: Hubert is stabbed by [[spoiler:[[CruelAndUnusualDeath an Obsidian blade]] from an Agarthan child whose mother perished in the battle in Brigid, claiming revenge on Hubert for getting his mother killed]].
* NotSoDifferentRemark: Marianne calls out Hubert for his hypocrisy, saying that he's just like the "weak people" relying on their goddess, with the only difference being that he's blindly faithful to Edelgard instead of Sothis. Hubert doesn't take this well
* OnlyFriend: He's the only person genuinely loyal to Edelgard - everyone else is either using her for their own ends or abandons her once they discover the lengths she is willing to go to to change Fódlan.
* UndyingLoyalty: To Edelgard.
[[/folder]]
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 2,3 (click to see context) from:
[[center: [- [[Characters/VerdantMoonAzureWindMainCharacters Main Characters]] | [[Characters/VerdantMoonAzureWindOfficersAcademy Officer's Academy]] | [[ Characters/VerdantMoonAzureWindAllies Allies]] | '''Antagonists''' | [[Characters/VerdantMoonAzureWindAgarthans Agarthans]] | [[Characters/VerdantMoonAzureWindEinhejar Einhejar]] '''(HEAVY SPOILERS)''' | -] ]]
to:
[[center: [- [[Characters/VerdantMoonAzureWindMainCharacters Main Characters]] | [[Characters/VerdantMoonAzureWindOfficersAcademy Officer's Academy]] | [[ Characters/VerdantMoonAzureWindAllies [[Characters/VerdantMoonAzureWindAllies Allies]] | '''Antagonists''' | [[Characters/VerdantMoonAzureWindAgarthans Agarthans]] | [[Characters/VerdantMoonAzureWindEinhejar Einhejar]] '''(HEAVY SPOILERS)''' | -] ]]
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 1 (click to see context) from:
Notable major antagonists in Fanfic/TheSaviorKingTheMasterTacticianAndTheQueenOfLiberation. For the Agarthans, go here.
to:
[[center: [- ''Fanfic/TheSaviorKingTheMasterTacticianAndTheQueenOfLiberation'' '''[[Characters/TheSaviorKingTheMasterTacticianAndTheQueenOfLiberation Main Character Page]]''' -] ]]
[[center: [- [[Characters/VerdantMoonAzureWindMainCharacters Main Characters]] | [[Characters/VerdantMoonAzureWindOfficersAcademy Officer's Academy]] | [[ Characters/VerdantMoonAzureWindAllies Allies]] | '''Antagonists''' | [[Characters/VerdantMoonAzureWindAgarthans Agarthans]] | [[Characters/VerdantMoonAzureWindEinhejar Einhejar]] '''(HEAVY SPOILERS)''' | -] ]]
Notable major antagonists in Fanfic/TheSaviorKingTheMasterTacticianAndTheQueenOfLiberation. For the Agarthans, gohere.[[Characters/VerdantMoonAzureWindAgarthans here]].
[[center: [- [[Characters/VerdantMoonAzureWindMainCharacters Main Characters]] | [[Characters/VerdantMoonAzureWindOfficersAcademy Officer's Academy]] | [[ Characters/VerdantMoonAzureWindAllies Allies]] | '''Antagonists''' | [[Characters/VerdantMoonAzureWindAgarthans Agarthans]] | [[Characters/VerdantMoonAzureWindEinhejar Einhejar]] '''(HEAVY SPOILERS)''' | -] ]]
Notable major antagonists in Fanfic/TheSaviorKingTheMasterTacticianAndTheQueenOfLiberation. For the Agarthans, go
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
Notable major antagonists in Fanfic/TheSaviorKingTheMasterTacticianAndTheQueenOfLiberation. For the Agarthans, go here.
----
[[foldercontrol]]
[[folder: Miklan Gautier]]
* AdaptationalDumbass: In ''Three Houses'', Miklan is noted to be a skilled bandit leader, suggesting a talent for leadership and tactics. In this fanfic he mostly just leads his gang by being the biggest brute around, and is noted for having been given little more than very basic training by his father.
* AdaptationalHeroism: Downplayed. While he's still murderously jealous of his younger brother, his canon self's implied kidnapping and rape of Faerghan villager women is never mentioned. Most likely this is because the chapter in which he appears was published long before the release of the DLC wave that revealed this.
* JerkassHasAPoint: When cornered by the heroes, Miklan rants at the them, dropping two main points. Neither is directly addressed at the time, and they're disregarded seemingly because it's [[{{Jerkass}} him saying them]]:
** First, that Sylvain would run Gautier territory into the ground. While Miklan himself is not exactly a sterling example of what a leader should be when it comes to anything more than commanding a bandit gang, he's not wrong that Sylvain, prior to his character development, does not take his future duties seriously and goes out of his way to anger the very people he'll need to work with once her inherits his father's position.
** Second, that Count Galatea would never allow Ingrid to become anything more than, "some rich old man's bedwarmer". Ingrid is under immense pressure by her father to marry someone who will reverse Galatea territory's dire fortunes. It's only when the war breaks out, in which she fights against his wishes, that he begins to relent.
[[/folder]]
[[folder: Lord Acheron]]
* BoomHeadshot: Acheron meets his death via a Blaiddyd-powered javelin through the skull during the battle at the Great Bridge of Myrddin.
* ButtMonkey: Nobody gives him any kind of respect, and we mean ''nobody''. [[EmotionlessGirl Byleth]] outright groans when remembering working with him and later calls him an idiot, [[UpperClassTwit Lorenz]] completely agrees with Byleth’s statement, [[TheTrickster Yuri]] and [[DeadpanSnarker Claude]] do nothing ''but'' mock him, [[BoisterousBruiser Balthus]] constantly pulls exasperated faces when talking about him or in his presence, [[BrilliantButLazy Hilda]] treats him as a verbal punching bag and even [[NiceGuy Ashe]] and [[ShrinkingViolet Bernadetta]] are [[YouHaveGotToBeKiddingMe utterly incredulous]] when the learn about him and witness his personality first hand. Hell, even [[GodIsGood Sothis]] herself utterly [[FlatWhat looks down]] upon Acheron!
* TheCorruptible: Is easily persuaded by [[spoiler:Edelgard to turn on the Alliance when the war starts.]]
* DirtyCoward: For all his bluster and posturing, he folds easily under pressure, such as when he realizes that he's inadvertantly attacked and insulted both ''Lady'' Hilda Goneril and Claude, who is the Riegan heir and therefore ''the next leader of the Alliance.'' [[spoiler:More seriously, he betrays the Alliance when the war starts, feeling intimidated by the Empire's might. It's also implied that Edelgard promised to give him more power under her new regime.]]
* DirtyOldMan: As dryly pointed out by Hilda, it does not surprise her in the least that Acheron did not recognize Claude at first glance… after all, Acheron was the kind of man who would not recognize her if not for the fact that he once spent a whole afternoon staring at her breasts. [[MamaBear Byleth]] was ''not'' impressed in the least after hearing Hilda say this.
[[/folder]]
[[folder: Count Gloucester]]
* AdaptationalVillainy: [[DownplayedTrope Downplayed]] due to what has been revealed in ''Three Hopes'': In this fic, the Count was [[spoiler:the one responsible for the deaths of Godfrey Riegan and Raphael’s parents]], whereas in ''Three Hopes'' it’s revealed that [[spoiler:the Count had nothing to do with it and that it was actually those who slither in the dark who orchestrated the tragedy]].
* ArrangedMarriage: Used to have one with [[spoiler:Claude's mother. Claude's mother naturally wasn't interested and absolutely loathed Gloucester that she'd rather run away to Almyra with Kirah, who is a prince at the time Tiana made her escape]].
* EntitledToHaveYou: How [[spoiler:Count Gloucester ultimately felt about Tiana Von Riegan as the daughter of house Riegan, who led the Alliance at the time and felt that it is within his right to have Tiana to be his wife. Tiana naturally loathed him for being like most nobles who try to suck up to her because of her position and ultimately chose to run away to Almyra]].
* {{Foil}}: Is one to Count Varley, Bernadetta's father. While Count Varley openly disdains the poor, Count Gloucester hides his true feelings about them behind a mask of nobility. Lorenz has mixed feelings about his father while Bernadetta is terrified of hers. Count Gloucester is beaten by words, while Count Varley is beaten by swords.
* HateSink: In his brief second appearance in Chapter 85, Count Gloucester is revealed to be little more than a hypocrite and racist who is heavily implied to be hating Claude [[spoiler:out of anger and jealousy over Claude’s mother for rejecting him and fleeing her arranged marriage]]. As a result, the entire chapter consists of him getting absolutely ''buried'' by multiple [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech speeches]] and [[ShutUpHannibal rebuttals]] from Claude’s friends when he tries to turn the Alliance against him.
* {{Hypocrite}}:
** Accuses Claude of plotting to steal Fódlan when he himself [[spoiler:plotted to murder Godfrey Riegan to take control of the Alliance before Claude was even born]].
** In Lorenz’s POV chapter in ''The Knights of Fódlan'', Lorenz mentions how his father thinks very little of the people living in his lands despite saying that a nobleman’s duty is to his people.
* VillainousBreakdown: Gloucester slowly loses his cool as more and more people [[ShutUpHannibal destroy him verbally]], ''including his own son'', and eventually ends up unable to speak due to being overcome with emotion.
[[/folder]]
[[folder: Maximus Varley]]
* AdaptationNameChange: Due to the fic being written before the release of ''Warriors: Three Hopes'' confirmed his given name to be Grégoire, he is named Maximus here.
* AdaptationPersonalityChange: Due to the fic being written before the release of ''Warriors: Three Hopes'', which portrayed him as a snivelling DirtyCoward, he is portrayed as a violent GeneralRipper here.
* GeneralRipper: Described by Edelgard as such.
-->'''Edelgard''': [E]ven in small matters, the man had no concept of collateral damage. Blood, slaughter and ruin would follow him should he be put at the head of an army against foes who were encroaching on what he considered 'his land'.
* GodzillaThreshold: How he is treated by Edelgard due to his GeneralRipper status and [[TheSociopath his own personality]]. As the opening stages of the war turn into several crushing defeats for Adrestia, Edelgard notes she is getting desperate enough to [[spoiler:let him out of prison to help turn the tide even though "blood, slaughter and ruin would follow him should he be put at the head of an army against foes who were encroaching on what he considered 'his land'". By Chapter 68, she has actually crossed that line and sent him to subdue the rioters, with predictably bloody results.]]
* HateSink: Maximus Varley doesn't get a lot of screen time, but he spends every sentence he gets being as loathsome as possible. Not only did he tie Bernadetta to a chair and lock her in the attic to 'teach her to be quiet', he's repeatedly implied to have been physically abusive as well; on top of that, he even turns protecting her into a KickTheDog moment - [[spoiler:after catching Yuri as a would be assassin, he didn't tell Bernadetta that - instead, he has a maid take her to a window and force her to watch his men beat Yuri nearly to death]] to ensure she wouldn't 'disgrace him' by 'slumming it with commoners' again. Maximus holds commoners in such deep contempt that, [[spoiler:when Edelgard reluctantly lets him out of house arrest in order to suppress the riots that have sprung up against her]], Maximus leads the army to slaughter people armed with stones and bricks and their bare hands. [[spoiler:When Ferdinand attempts to countermand his violent orders at Hrym, Maximus attacks and usurps him before ordering the city to be razed as punishment for defying the Emperor.]] When Felix confronts him in a duel, Maximus is unrepentant, claiming "when animals snap at their masters, it's prudent to cull the herd".
* OverzealousUnderling: Edelgard orders Count Varley to suppress a civilian riot in Hrym. He promptly usurps Ferdinand's authority and orders the rioters to be put to the sword. The civilians are forced to turn to the heroes for salvation, and the whole incident fractures the Empire's already deteriorating morale.
* PersonaNonGrata: In Chapter 69, [[spoiler:Felix declares his intent to ensure Count Varley can never return to Fódlan after his defeat.]]
* TheSociopath: Easily the most morally disgusting and reprehensible general of [[TheEmpire Adrestia]] under the command of Edelgard that is not Agarthan. A chillingly brutal and monstrous AbusiveParent towards his daughter? Check. An abhorrent [[AristocratsAreEvil classist asshole]] who treats the common people with absolute disdain, a horrifying amount of LackOfEmpathy and considers their life to be [[PoliticallyIncorrectVillain utterly inconsequential to him]]? Check. A disturbing GeneralRipper that [[AxCrazy viciously and without any kind of mercy]] tries to subjugate those that he considers traitors to his country even if they are [[InnocentBystander innocent civilians]]? Check. Someone who is so brutal about his [[PatrioticFervor jingoism]] that he considers any non-Adrestian to be [[FantasticRacism inherently lesser than himself]]? The man is easily one of the most outright evil characters in the whole story and it’s no surprise that even those on his side [[EvenEvilHasStandards consider him]] to be a [[YouMonster monster.]]
[[/folder]]
----
[[foldercontrol]]
[[folder: Miklan Gautier]]
* AdaptationalDumbass: In ''Three Houses'', Miklan is noted to be a skilled bandit leader, suggesting a talent for leadership and tactics. In this fanfic he mostly just leads his gang by being the biggest brute around, and is noted for having been given little more than very basic training by his father.
* AdaptationalHeroism: Downplayed. While he's still murderously jealous of his younger brother, his canon self's implied kidnapping and rape of Faerghan villager women is never mentioned. Most likely this is because the chapter in which he appears was published long before the release of the DLC wave that revealed this.
* JerkassHasAPoint: When cornered by the heroes, Miklan rants at the them, dropping two main points. Neither is directly addressed at the time, and they're disregarded seemingly because it's [[{{Jerkass}} him saying them]]:
** First, that Sylvain would run Gautier territory into the ground. While Miklan himself is not exactly a sterling example of what a leader should be when it comes to anything more than commanding a bandit gang, he's not wrong that Sylvain, prior to his character development, does not take his future duties seriously and goes out of his way to anger the very people he'll need to work with once her inherits his father's position.
** Second, that Count Galatea would never allow Ingrid to become anything more than, "some rich old man's bedwarmer". Ingrid is under immense pressure by her father to marry someone who will reverse Galatea territory's dire fortunes. It's only when the war breaks out, in which she fights against his wishes, that he begins to relent.
[[/folder]]
[[folder: Lord Acheron]]
* BoomHeadshot: Acheron meets his death via a Blaiddyd-powered javelin through the skull during the battle at the Great Bridge of Myrddin.
* ButtMonkey: Nobody gives him any kind of respect, and we mean ''nobody''. [[EmotionlessGirl Byleth]] outright groans when remembering working with him and later calls him an idiot, [[UpperClassTwit Lorenz]] completely agrees with Byleth’s statement, [[TheTrickster Yuri]] and [[DeadpanSnarker Claude]] do nothing ''but'' mock him, [[BoisterousBruiser Balthus]] constantly pulls exasperated faces when talking about him or in his presence, [[BrilliantButLazy Hilda]] treats him as a verbal punching bag and even [[NiceGuy Ashe]] and [[ShrinkingViolet Bernadetta]] are [[YouHaveGotToBeKiddingMe utterly incredulous]] when the learn about him and witness his personality first hand. Hell, even [[GodIsGood Sothis]] herself utterly [[FlatWhat looks down]] upon Acheron!
* TheCorruptible: Is easily persuaded by [[spoiler:Edelgard to turn on the Alliance when the war starts.]]
* DirtyCoward: For all his bluster and posturing, he folds easily under pressure, such as when he realizes that he's inadvertantly attacked and insulted both ''Lady'' Hilda Goneril and Claude, who is the Riegan heir and therefore ''the next leader of the Alliance.'' [[spoiler:More seriously, he betrays the Alliance when the war starts, feeling intimidated by the Empire's might. It's also implied that Edelgard promised to give him more power under her new regime.]]
* DirtyOldMan: As dryly pointed out by Hilda, it does not surprise her in the least that Acheron did not recognize Claude at first glance… after all, Acheron was the kind of man who would not recognize her if not for the fact that he once spent a whole afternoon staring at her breasts. [[MamaBear Byleth]] was ''not'' impressed in the least after hearing Hilda say this.
[[/folder]]
[[folder: Count Gloucester]]
* AdaptationalVillainy: [[DownplayedTrope Downplayed]] due to what has been revealed in ''Three Hopes'': In this fic, the Count was [[spoiler:the one responsible for the deaths of Godfrey Riegan and Raphael’s parents]], whereas in ''Three Hopes'' it’s revealed that [[spoiler:the Count had nothing to do with it and that it was actually those who slither in the dark who orchestrated the tragedy]].
* ArrangedMarriage: Used to have one with [[spoiler:Claude's mother. Claude's mother naturally wasn't interested and absolutely loathed Gloucester that she'd rather run away to Almyra with Kirah, who is a prince at the time Tiana made her escape]].
* EntitledToHaveYou: How [[spoiler:Count Gloucester ultimately felt about Tiana Von Riegan as the daughter of house Riegan, who led the Alliance at the time and felt that it is within his right to have Tiana to be his wife. Tiana naturally loathed him for being like most nobles who try to suck up to her because of her position and ultimately chose to run away to Almyra]].
* {{Foil}}: Is one to Count Varley, Bernadetta's father. While Count Varley openly disdains the poor, Count Gloucester hides his true feelings about them behind a mask of nobility. Lorenz has mixed feelings about his father while Bernadetta is terrified of hers. Count Gloucester is beaten by words, while Count Varley is beaten by swords.
* HateSink: In his brief second appearance in Chapter 85, Count Gloucester is revealed to be little more than a hypocrite and racist who is heavily implied to be hating Claude [[spoiler:out of anger and jealousy over Claude’s mother for rejecting him and fleeing her arranged marriage]]. As a result, the entire chapter consists of him getting absolutely ''buried'' by multiple [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech speeches]] and [[ShutUpHannibal rebuttals]] from Claude’s friends when he tries to turn the Alliance against him.
* {{Hypocrite}}:
** Accuses Claude of plotting to steal Fódlan when he himself [[spoiler:plotted to murder Godfrey Riegan to take control of the Alliance before Claude was even born]].
** In Lorenz’s POV chapter in ''The Knights of Fódlan'', Lorenz mentions how his father thinks very little of the people living in his lands despite saying that a nobleman’s duty is to his people.
* VillainousBreakdown: Gloucester slowly loses his cool as more and more people [[ShutUpHannibal destroy him verbally]], ''including his own son'', and eventually ends up unable to speak due to being overcome with emotion.
[[/folder]]
[[folder: Maximus Varley]]
* AdaptationNameChange: Due to the fic being written before the release of ''Warriors: Three Hopes'' confirmed his given name to be Grégoire, he is named Maximus here.
* AdaptationPersonalityChange: Due to the fic being written before the release of ''Warriors: Three Hopes'', which portrayed him as a snivelling DirtyCoward, he is portrayed as a violent GeneralRipper here.
* GeneralRipper: Described by Edelgard as such.
-->'''Edelgard''': [E]ven in small matters, the man had no concept of collateral damage. Blood, slaughter and ruin would follow him should he be put at the head of an army against foes who were encroaching on what he considered 'his land'.
* GodzillaThreshold: How he is treated by Edelgard due to his GeneralRipper status and [[TheSociopath his own personality]]. As the opening stages of the war turn into several crushing defeats for Adrestia, Edelgard notes she is getting desperate enough to [[spoiler:let him out of prison to help turn the tide even though "blood, slaughter and ruin would follow him should he be put at the head of an army against foes who were encroaching on what he considered 'his land'". By Chapter 68, she has actually crossed that line and sent him to subdue the rioters, with predictably bloody results.]]
* HateSink: Maximus Varley doesn't get a lot of screen time, but he spends every sentence he gets being as loathsome as possible. Not only did he tie Bernadetta to a chair and lock her in the attic to 'teach her to be quiet', he's repeatedly implied to have been physically abusive as well; on top of that, he even turns protecting her into a KickTheDog moment - [[spoiler:after catching Yuri as a would be assassin, he didn't tell Bernadetta that - instead, he has a maid take her to a window and force her to watch his men beat Yuri nearly to death]] to ensure she wouldn't 'disgrace him' by 'slumming it with commoners' again. Maximus holds commoners in such deep contempt that, [[spoiler:when Edelgard reluctantly lets him out of house arrest in order to suppress the riots that have sprung up against her]], Maximus leads the army to slaughter people armed with stones and bricks and their bare hands. [[spoiler:When Ferdinand attempts to countermand his violent orders at Hrym, Maximus attacks and usurps him before ordering the city to be razed as punishment for defying the Emperor.]] When Felix confronts him in a duel, Maximus is unrepentant, claiming "when animals snap at their masters, it's prudent to cull the herd".
* OverzealousUnderling: Edelgard orders Count Varley to suppress a civilian riot in Hrym. He promptly usurps Ferdinand's authority and orders the rioters to be put to the sword. The civilians are forced to turn to the heroes for salvation, and the whole incident fractures the Empire's already deteriorating morale.
* PersonaNonGrata: In Chapter 69, [[spoiler:Felix declares his intent to ensure Count Varley can never return to Fódlan after his defeat.]]
* TheSociopath: Easily the most morally disgusting and reprehensible general of [[TheEmpire Adrestia]] under the command of Edelgard that is not Agarthan. A chillingly brutal and monstrous AbusiveParent towards his daughter? Check. An abhorrent [[AristocratsAreEvil classist asshole]] who treats the common people with absolute disdain, a horrifying amount of LackOfEmpathy and considers their life to be [[PoliticallyIncorrectVillain utterly inconsequential to him]]? Check. A disturbing GeneralRipper that [[AxCrazy viciously and without any kind of mercy]] tries to subjugate those that he considers traitors to his country even if they are [[InnocentBystander innocent civilians]]? Check. Someone who is so brutal about his [[PatrioticFervor jingoism]] that he considers any non-Adrestian to be [[FantasticRacism inherently lesser than himself]]? The man is easily one of the most outright evil characters in the whole story and it’s no surprise that even those on his side [[EvenEvilHasStandards consider him]] to be a [[YouMonster monster.]]
[[/folder]]
