#ALSO like. as someone who writes corrin and is now writing alear

[didsomeonesayventus]

I feel like I may be exaggerating this trait a bit but. I think it is very cute and important that Alear "mirrors" the people he listens to and hangs out with. Changes his response slightly, repeats the words they use. Gets down on their level and tries to convey that he understands them, he's listening. It's like. small. but it means so much to me.

[2ofpentacles]

An Extensive Character Analysis of Zelkov

You guys know that I'm a little unhinged about him, so have a lengthy examination of who he is and why he's like that.

Zelkov is an extremely unique, multilayered, and complex character. His supports are all excellent, ranging from funny to heartwarming to tragic. He had me from the moment he said, “It may appear as if I am sitting *mysteriously* by the fire, but I am actually cooking yams.” 

A few facts

His birthday is August 2nd. He’s 6’1”. His hobby is listed as “everything,” but he specifically likes reading, cooking, and sewing. His talents are “medicine and mystery.” His favorite foods are mostly carbs and potatoes. He hates being in the sun/heat and finds it exhausting. He carves a statue of Alear on the Somniel. The Ally Notebook describes his personality as “Meticulous and multitalented. Speaks in a *mysterious* way. Pursues activities passionately. Strong nurturing instinct.” I might add “extremely depressed, melodramatic, perfectionist workaholic.” So let’s break that down.

What’s his deal? The first thing you notice is that he emphasizes seemingly random words in his speech (also he never uses contractions). Why? For fun. As he says to Alear, “I may speak in a way that *suggests* a deeper meaning, but rarely is that actually the case. It is simply another way of “killing time.” Idle *amusement*, nothing more.” He also does it to appear more mysterious. The second thing you notice is his hobbies. Why does he have so many hobbies? To give him a reason to live. Again, as he says to Alear, “Once my work is done each day, I fill my evenings with these varied *pursuits*. As I *enjoy* them, I am always mindful to leave something unfinished for the next day. That ensures I always have a project. A reason to *continue* living.” He describes something as being “*fatally* boring.” With anyone else you would think it’s hyperbole, but with Zelkov you kind of wonder.

Additionally, he is a master at all his hobbies, as you see in many of his supports (such as Amber’s) or else he will work tirelessly until he does master it (as in Clanne’s). Of course he’s just as (if not more) serious about his job. As he tells Roy, “Our training begins now, Roy. It ends only when my body *collapses* from exhaustion.” He’s a perfectionist. He tells Camilla, “The thought of *failure* fills me with dread.” If he has to be healed frequently in battle, he’ll say, “That I should suffer so many *injuries* in battle is positively humiliating…”

The next thing you notice is his “strong nurturing instinct.” It’s particularly obvious when he’s interacting with children like Jean and Anna, and also Emblems that he thinks of as children, such as Tiki and Veronica. This often manifests as him giving them things (he also gives gifts to Ivy and Kagetsu). It’s most obvious in his support with Citrinne where he flips out about a bird he raised leaving the nest (he literally asks how he can keep living and is not over it by the end of the support chain), and then she asks him to write letters of advice to people struggling.

One of his characteristics that is less noticeable, but still very present if you look, is his lack of self worth. He calls himself a wretch in his support with Jean. He considers himself to be a bad influence on Alear. At Florra Mill Town he says, “Quite an *idyllic* scene, this. Someone like me is as wrong for this place as battle.” Most blatant is his bond conversation with Corrin. He says, “I have killed many people. So many, in fact, that I sometimes feel *violence* is all I am good for.” Corrin says, “If that were true, you would be a fundamentally bad person. I don’t think that’s the case.” He replies, “Your words are comforting, but I am afraid that is *precisely* the kind of person I am.” 

Now, as much as I’ve emphasized what a sweetheart he is, he can absolutely be ice cold. He’s not afraid to say exactly what he thinks (albeit very politely) in a cold, impersonal way as you can see in his support with Ivy. On the way back to Elusia, he says, “I have no issue with cutting down anyone in the Elusian army now. Not even the *familiar* faces.” In the DLC, he tells Fell Ivy, “I will end you now, and I will feel nothing.” (After she says that he can die for her again.)

There’s a reason why a lot of people start out scared of him. It doesn’t seem like he quite realizes this though. He doesn’t understand why Kagetsu thinks he dislikes him, and has to ask Yunaka about the impression he gives. Yunaka gives a good rundown. She says, “You’ve got the same killer instinct I do. It practically oozes from your pores. Like slime!” She describes his eyes as ice cold and calculating, and goes on to say, “Normal people don’t go around evaluating what folks’ lives are worth. That’s an assassin thing. You’re always probing for weaknesses too. Considering vectors of attack, right?” If he throws himself so entirely into his hobbies, you can imagine how intense he was about training to be an assassin. Which leads us to…

His history

The Ally Notebook tells us “From a wealthy family in a forest town of Elusia. Parents and younger brother were murdered by bandits.” In the Japanese version, it’s specified that his brother was his twin. We also learn from Jean’s support that Zelkov’s mother was a physician. It’s because of her he knows so much about medicine. We don’t know how old he was when his family was murdered, but he says that his mother has been dead for more than a decade. He swore revenge (he calls it his first pursuit) and became an assassin. He tells Alear, “A decade ago, my efforts bore their last fruit. All my family’s killers were vanquished.” If we’re considering his datamined age (28) to be accurate, that would put him at 18 when he accomplished his revenge. He continues to tell Alear that, “Once I had achieved my end, I suddenly became aware that I had nothing left. No purpose. It was King Hyacinth who rescued me, quite by chance. I was selected to join the royal guard. Then I was promoted to retainer, and that purpose has sustained me in large part since.” We don't know exactly how long he's been Ivy's retainer (although I have theories), but we know he was there before Kagetsu. (As an aside, Zelkov was able to defeat Kagetsu, so we know that Zelkov's a better fighter than Diamant who could only fight Kagetsu to a draw. /jk… mostly). Anyway, it’s clear that he fears his life lacks a purpose, and he uses his hobbies to fill that void. Now let’s talk a minute about…

His purpose

It’s being Ivy’s retainer, currently. He says as much in that quote above, but it’s reiterated multiple times. Edelgard tells him, “I’m glad you work hard for Princess Ivy’s sake, but be sure to take care of yourself as well.” He replies. “My duty *preoccupies* me. That is all the care I require.” In his conversation with Marth, he says, “The loss of my family left me with an emptiness that not even *revenge* was able to fill… Fighting for Princess Ivy gives me *relief.*” To Ivy herself, he says, “Princess Ivy, I hope you know I *enjoy* my work. In fact, when I have a task before me, it is my way to *immerse* myself in it entirely. In those times, and *only* those times, my mind is truly at peace. So long as I am your retainer, so long as there is *work* to do… I have a purpose. That is how deeply I appreciate working for you.” (I think people tend to take their support chain at face value that they dislike each other, when it’s much more complex than that, but that’s a whole post on its own.)

Although being Ivy’s retainer is currently his purpose, the fear of not having one in the future is still something that occupies his mind, hence all the hobbies. His ending card says that he later founded an orphanage.

In Conclusion

So what we have here is a man who has no sense of self worth who believes his life is meaningless. Despite all the kind and caring things he does for everyone around him, he thinks he’s only fit for violence. He ponders with Sigurd whether his revenge was just, and comments on Yunaka’s lack of regrets in a way that implies to me that he does have regrets. He’s desperately searching for a purpose, but in the meantime uses his hobbies to fill all his free time so that he doesn’t have to think about all the terrible things that he’s experienced. And speaking of which, his “superlative” in the Ally Notebook is that he sleeps the least of any ally. This is because, as he tells Tiki, “Old *nightmares* preclude me from proper sleep. I only dare to nap.” 

But for real, most of his supports are pretty funny.

Anyway, let me know if there’s anything you think I missed or disagree about. Also if you want to hear about my extensive headcanons, including: What’s with the keys? and Why does he have crit quotes in French?

[dentos-wife]

Since you say Chrobin is inferred what else is inferred and canon in FE?

Disclaimer this is just my option from the stance of an aromantic asexual who only follows the text and what they do with the characters and what I see pushed in side material. But here's what I see and with just the lords

FE1/3/11/12: Marth and Caeda canon, there's no arguing it, all the side material confirms it it's blatant canon

FE 2/Echoes: Alm and Celica canon same reasoning as Marth and Caeda

FE 4: Sigurd and Deirdre canon, Deirdre and Arvis is canon too but it's never pushed not like the former that's the FE4 ship they want you to remember. Seliph as far as I'm aware doesn't have a pairing, his siblingship with Julia is his important relationship and it's platonic

FE 5: I know nothing about this game except what I see in FEH. I think Leif and Nana canon, could be wrong, would be willing to hear someone out who knows that game, if not canon they are definitely inferred

FE 6: Roy and Lilina implied I think like his dad's game Roy can pick anyone to be his wife, IS seems to favor Lilina the most in side material

FE 7: Eliwood and Ninian highly implied this is the one I'd compare Chrobin to the most, Eliwood can marry Ninian but he doesn't have to he can marry anyone else if he wishes, in side material though and FEH they're pushed a lot to the point when I looked it up I was surprised it wasn't canon

FE 8: I...don't think anything is canon or even inferred here. Open season

FE 9: I'm going to get so much hate for this but here we go. It's heavily implied I don't think it's been stated, Soren has feelings for Ike. And I 100% believe that. However...Ike comes off as very ace to me so I don't think Ike can ever love Soren as much as Soren loves him. That said they could easy have a queerplatonic relationship I don't see the two ever separating it just wouldn't be a traditional relationship

FE 10: Micaiah Sothe canon I personally wish it wasn't and don't like it but you can't argue it's not canon, and the side material continues to agree with the game, just ignore it (I sure do)

FE 13: As I said Chrom Sumia was originally implied, but they dropped it now Chrom Robin is heavily implied Lucina has no one, protecting her dad is her character.

FE 14: Gender split. In the game one could argue for MCorrin Azura was slightly implied due to her having a different support per route. For FCorrin due to popularity Leo got a drama Cd and a manga which slightly implied Leo Corrin. That time has passed, Corrin has no implied pairings anymore Corrin just cares about family, everything is platonic

FEH: Yes this is a mainstream game. Almost everyone loves the summoner (because it's you) Fjorm outright is in love with them, Alfonse and Veronica could be implied due to Lif and Tharsir's relationship. Everything is canon here and nothing is canon here at the same time.

FE16: So this one is interesting because of how hard it splits between MByleth and FByleth

Edelgard is heavily implied not just with Byleth but MByleth in particular. In the game the portrait she's drawing is of MByleth if you look close enough, MByleth is also usually for advertisement purposes put with the Black Eagles, Edelgard's house. Because her crush on Byleth is such a part of her character they didn't write it out for FByleth yes, but it was made in intention to MByleth (aka the male players)

Dimitri is implied with FByleth. Her material has her with Blue Lions the same way MByleth's material has him with Black Eagles. It's not as blatant as Edelgard, nothing would be but it's still there (to cater to female players)

Claude: Ha you think they'd care about the character who is a copy paste route? They don't. Poor Claude, nothing is implied or canon with him

FE17: No one but due to Alfred's circumstances changing if you S support him, I might lean to Alear Alfred implied it will all depend on what the side material tells us

[squidsystem]

I wanted to address this reblog but I kept forgoring to and also sort of some of the posts about Engage not doing very much with dragons, which I respectfully disagree with. I think the two dragon protagonists, Corrin and Alear, are actually very interestingly done, but they just don't explore them very deeply and are very Nonstandard Fire Emblem Dragons.

Corrin is less interesting as a dragon and more interesting as a child of a Great Old Dragon. They're one of very few dragons that we've seen transform just from rage (if I recall correctly only Rhea shares that trait). I think it's cool how primal they show Corrin and by extension Papa Anankos to be when their power goes out of control. I personally think Anankos's lore is one of the coolest examples of how degeneration can be so fascinating and ultimately tragic, and something I was thinking about a lot while I was writing the original post. I love that Anankos was an idealist, just like Corrin is, but slowly succumbed to degeneration, and tried so desperately to stop himself from losing everything, to the point that the only thing that soothes him is a song that's about his future child. That turns me into a sopping wet pile of goop every time I hear it. Everything about Anankos is so tragic, and I wish Fates was better written to capitalize on how lonely, bitter, and honestly scared Anankos was. I'd love to see Corrin contemplate more on it. I also really recommend just listening to Fallen Corrin's lines from feh, mainly Male's because he literally looks and sounds like he's hanging on by a thread, and that's really what Anankos feels like, to me.

Alear is also super interesting to me, and yes, we should get it out of the way, it's lame and cringe as hell that Alear never gets to transform into a draconic form despite being the first pure blood dragon character. It sucks and we better see it in supplemental content eventually. I especially love the Engage dragon forms, they feel so atypical for dragons in this series, being based on real world lizards! Awesome stuff.

But the main thing I think is so interesting about Alear is the way, as someone who doesn't remember their life before their reawakening, they feel so uncomfortable with how they are othered by essentially everyone. Everyone loves and supports them, but they can never be the normal person they feel as though they are. There are no Divine Dragons remaining, and while they can have some kinship with Veyle, they have no choice but to be The Divine Dragon. The burden of that expectation is insane and I don't think the text really explores that enough.

Also... Can we talk about how easy you can read transgender allegory into Alear fire emblem? Past Alear is one of my favorite inclusions of the game, seeing the way Alear once was as a depressed, repressed tool who couldn't let themselves think or feel anything lest they be killed like each of their siblings. All they care about is protecting their sister and not dying, because they feel as though they have to live as a Fell Dragon. When they get given the opportunity to live with Lumera and live as a Divine Dragon, they're happy for the very first time in their life. And in the future, when they truly do become a Divine Dragon through Lumera's sacrifices, they seem so resolute and truly happy to live as they are. Even though their identity keeps getting challenged, and Sombron and the hounds refuse to acknowledge that Alear is a Divine Dragon, Alear and their allies never give in, and always affirm that Alear is a Divine Dragon, no matter what they were born as, and no matter what other people say they must be. That doesn't have anything to do with dragon stuff but come on that's so easy to read as a trans thing and really dragons and transgender people are only a few degrees of separation apart.

I feel like this post is now criminally long but squidsystem don't caare. Play fire emblem. It's good, I promise

fire emblem dragons are so cool and awesome when they actually interact with the implications of them and it's a shame that some of their character designs are just really bad which obscures the cool stories involved with them. Because fire emblem dragons are just people, they think like people, they grow like people, they act like people, but they live a mind bendingly long time. I love the child dragon characters because more often than not they're either unnerving with how much they've lived and how much they understand when they literally just look like 10 year old, and or they are too young to even comprehend the meaning of their quite literally thousands and thousands of years lifespans. The fact Tiki is still grappling with the traumatic experience of losing everyone she's ever loved 2000 years after losing them is just such big frown. Like imagine the existential horror of being an 11 year old weird girl but for centuries instead of a year. The old as fuck dragons are really cool too, I think the degeneration lore is really cool and I don't see concepts like it get explored enough, the idea that being so powerful that mortals consider you an unknowable is so unsustainable that they essentially lose their sanity and eventually their sapience is so fucked up. And they probably didn't even realise it was happening until entire ages had already passed. Imagine being a member of a species with a fatal flaw that no one could know about until it was far too late. The fact pretty much all dragons in Fire Emblem are the humanoid manaketes is literally because the ones that didn't are more or less extinct because they were too prideful to relinquish their power, and in some sense, their entire identity. More FE stories should examine the experience of their dragons. Are any manaketes dysphoric because they're forced to live in a body that doesn't reflect who they really are? Imagine the angst. I love fire emblem

[raxistaicho]

Are we not Engaged? Part 10.

I’m thinking it’s back to paralogues until they get too tough again. For sure I wanna do Byleth because Celine can always get stronger.

Spoilers under the cut!

Now we begin the party where the party takes turns beating up Sigurd for Canter! :) Well, at least my non-melee units for sure. Ivy, Celine, Hortensia, Yunaka, and Seadall.

Alear Seadall C: He’s dancing late at night for the stars, he believes people join the stars when they die, and that his teacher is up there. He takes his craft exceedingly seriously. Interesting.

Celine Fogado B: He’s trying to flirt with her again, lol. She at first rebuffs him, but he replies Firene is known for being closed-off due to their self-sufficience thanks to their strong farming. She decides to accept his offer to talk more to prove him wrong - and also so she can glean some of Solm’s secrets in return. I’m not sure who in security let the Three Houses writers sneak in to write this support chain, but I salute them.

Seadall Yunaka C: She can do impressions, lol. Seadall invites her on stage for a play, lol. She’s shy but he convinces her.

Louis Rosado C: Rosado starts off doing his usual “aren’t I cute? :3″ teasing, but Louis openly and honestly agrees he is. They actually hit it off quite well due to their respective aesthetic natures, it’s a very sweet support.

Byleth paralogue time!

Byleth reciting the legend of Saint Seiros is odd, it makes me wonder from what point of 3H Byleth was yanked. His hair isn’t green so he can’t have fused with Sothis yet, and he’d learn eventually the legend was a lie, so he.

Ugh, nine units, just the same as the map itself.

Oh shit, Byleth’s staffers used Warp tactics on me!!! That’s cheating! :(

The first half of the chapter was easy because I just did the same thing I do in this map in 3H, but once I aggroed the dragons Byleth’s priests got cheeky and began warping in units to break the crystals. I lost 1 but according to a friend of mine I got the same reward he did when he saved them all.

That reward being a talisman and an elixir. Alyos!Rhea is a fucking skinflint.

Alear: I’m worried what might happen if I ever make the wrong choice...

Well don’t look to Byleth for guidance then, he’ll just kinda act sad around you as you commit atrocities and hope you snap out of it.

Alear Diamant B: Diamant admits he’s unsure he’s worthy of leading his people. Pretty classic FE Lord concerns, but it’s in response to Alear’s fear of Corrupted, so that’s not bad.

Chloe Seadall B: She gives him some weird folk food and has to kinda cajole him into trying it. This is a pretty cute little support of her sharing the things she likes with someone else :)

Hortensia Fogado C: Fogado tries to invite Hortensia to tea, but she scolds him for being a flirt, saying he has the reputation even in Elusia, lol. She scolds him for idling away his time and not helping Timerra. Fogado has no luck with the royal princesses in his supports, lol.

Louis Rosado B: They get into a discussion about whether sea grapes are cute. Louis thinks they aren’t, and is sad that he doesn’t share Rosado’s enthusiasm for them, since he likes liking the things his friends do. Gotta say, these two are kinda great together!

Alcryst Boucheron B: Alcryst is trying to work out but he’s struggling. Boucheron says they’ll try later.

Corrin paralogue! She talks about her choice to Alear, but doesn’t say which she chose. Pretty typical. Corrin dries out the river partway through, but I saw that coming, lol.

Strangely, Yato has 4 gems but it has the appearance of the base Yato. “Yato was by my side on every step of my journey” Nobody tell the devs that the Corrin meta involves class changing Corrin out of Nohr Prince(ss).

I only just noticed Ivy’s really tall too :3

Alear Yunaka B: Alear wants to get to know Yunaka a little better so she can trust her a little better. Yunaka admits she spent time wandering and is trying to distance herself from her past self. Cute support :)

Celine Hortensia B: Hortensia tries to out-cute Celine, only for Celine to not take the contest remotely seriously and just be friendly. Celine’s friendliness ends up making Hortensia happy, which upsets her. Cute support, lol.

Celine Jean B: Jean's dedication to his studies so he can save lives moves Celine, so she decides not to ask him to TEA.

Celine Alfred B: Celine criticizes Alfred at length for choosing stupid solutions to his problems and points out that it makes him look bad as a prince, but he doesn’t really get the point. Alfred’s such a doofus.

Seadall Yunaka B: They’re practicing for the stage show, heheh. This is a cute support but it REALLY shows off Laura Post’s chops as a voice actress.

Gotta say, Yunaka actually has some impressive depth for an Engage character, I’ve really come to like her.

Rosado Jade C: (People who’ve only read these posts probably have no idea who Jade is lol) Basically she’s just jealous of Rosado’s boundless energy and he convinces her being cuter will give her more energy.

Back to the story!

Sombron’s big mad. Also Veyle’s asleep. Somborn gave Zephia some sort of ridiculous helmet lol. It seems Sombron believes he killed Alear and was imprisoned shortly after. Zephia didn’t get the chance to retrieve Alear’s corpse. Hmm, so it sounds like Lumera probably saved Alear while she was near-death.

Boat map!

Oh, cannon’s interesting.

Engage managed to make a good boat map, which is interesting, lol. Using the cannon you have to manage enemy approaches on both sides so you don’t get overwhelmed, it’s pretty careful stuff.

Also I finally recruited an enemy unit! lol.

Seems the Emblems can do a “miracle” which could be used on Lumera, but Ike, Sigurd, Lucina, and Lyn believe it would be reckless to use it. Honestly, it’s REALLY nice getting a scene of the Emblems interacting.

Interestingly, during her wakeup talk, Ivy mention she’s long wanted to come to the Somniel to pray, but the Elusian royal family never accepted Lumera’s invitations. I guess Hyacinth wouldn’t allow it.

Ivy Diamant A: Aww, Ivy fashioned the gem Diamant gave her into a necklace so she can wear it every day, and as a symbol of the future relationship Brodia and Elusia should hold. They both promise to build a better relationship between their countries. Very very good support!

Ivy Alcryst B: She mentions that Elusian children are taught to fear Brodian armor, which is interesting. Alcryst apologizes on behalf of Brodia, but Ivy teases him, asking him if he means that as an official gesture from Brodia. She dislikes Brodia, but not Alcryst himself.

Ivy Timerra C: Though both are future queens, Ivy feels she and Timerra are as opposite as can be. When Ivy mentions she’s never been camping, Timerra urges her to give it a try lol.

Seadall Alcryst C: Seadall used to travel with traveling merchants, which makes Alcryst a little jealous as he hasn’t traveled around. Seadall offers to tell Alcryst about some of his travels.

Fogado Timerra C: Lol, mostly it’s just them being gushy good siblings. It’s pretty cute. Seems they barely spent much time together before, as they were both rarely at the palace.

Yunaka Citrinne B: Apparently Yunaka was named Larimar at birth. She was abandoned by her parents but found by an assassin who trained her to in the same profession. There’s more to this tale but it just kinda awkwardly cuts off.

Continuing with the story!

Veyle is still asleep. It seems Zephia’s fucking up with Veyle’s mind is detrimental to her health, and Mauvier is concerned that they should knock it off. Zephia seems to think puting the helmet Sombron gave her on Veyle and then casting her spell will make her permanently evil.

Anyways, Marni offers to go fight us. Guess it’s round 4 of knocking her and Mauvier on their asses. Seems Mauvier’s loyal to good Veyle but he doesn’t like...

grab her...

and run away...

Seems Sombron turned the people of the Elusian port to Corrupted.

God dammit Marni you suck. Marni stole stole some Emblem Rings it seems. Thanks for the delivery, dumbass.

This town is filled with Miasma lol. Seems I’m to use the flame canons to burn it out.

Oh no Mauvier has warp. Bad feeling.

Lol, there’s corrupted ambush spawns in the houses. That’s... actually pretty sensible, Ivy and Alear did say everyone was dead.

Yeah he multi-warps thanks to Micaiah having staff AOE lol. But Warp only has so much range in this game so you just need to be mindful of that.

So rather than use his last warp, Mauvier rescued in Marni’s group and charged, but Marni didn’t... actually move. And even if she did, I decided to kite Mauvier back toward the bottom part of the map where I know I have more canon shots open and Marni’s still an armor and she’s still slow as hell on the move.

Marni sucks and she needs to be fired :p

Oh Marni’s finally moving. It was only AFTER Mauvier was half-dead, but she tried. Sorta. Not really.

Alear can one-shot Corrupted Wyrms with Twin Strike. That’s pretty cool.

So to kill Marni I had Alcryst plink at her with a longbow to proc Dreadful Aura and Draconic Hex while Celine with Byleth blasted at her. Holy shit Corrin is GOOD.

And now we have Roy and Micaiah back! \o/

Seems like Sombron’s been nabbing Elusians and turning them into corrupted.