#we take the wins when they come at this point…even when they’re draws 😂

[leonsliga]

At least we kept Liverpool from topping the table 😅

[cadopan]

You know, I really couldn't care less about what Kerr does with her shirt or not. Let's not go round accusing Arsenal twitter of being misogynists for not liking it, though they were being a bit over the top with their disdain. Like, I definitely rolled my eyes when I saw it because I wanted a draw (not just for Arsenal's benefit but because i think Villa deserved it!) but her celebrations have always been loud and dramatic like the ridiculous backflips, whether we like it or not. It's just her football personality 🤷🏽‍♀️

Focusing back on Arsenal, overall, what are your thoughts on how we've been doing?

Right now of course, Chelsea are in the drivers seat to overtake us and win it by a point, and there is nothing we can do about it. They have to make mistakes that we have no control over. We just have to win all our upcoming games and hopefully, we can do so decisively and in good form.

Personally I feel that at the end of the day, even if we lose by that one point, I still see us as having done very well this season. I think we have grown by leaps and bounds in terms of mentality, we've seen players like Beth blossom in confidence and consistency, players like Lia and Cait who started off shakier but upon finding their rhythm or being played in position, doing really well. I think that this season, Viv's an even better player than she always has been because she's a freer player, and I believe the club has made very wise transfers. The quality of the WSL has improved tremendously over the last one or two years so the fact that we are still riding high says something. It's also been a few years since we've been so comfortably certain about UCWL qualification.

The first season with a new manager, major changes in players coming in and out, different playing positions for some, and still we are at number 1? I feel like this is shaping up to be a positive omen for the coming years, and if we can keep injuries at bay, it think we can do even better next season.

PS: what would be an improvement next year is if January 2023 is not shit. Our Januarys are always shit. 🤪

Heylo!

I mean yeah, I'm pretty much the same as you that her shirtless celly doesn't bother me, she can do whatever she wants. I said I was doubtful about the shade towards her having misogynistic undertones (cause I think it was largely just frustration from watching Chelsea rescue themselves), however, the tweet that anon pointed out kinda made sense if you think about it...

I actually think I would love her celebrations if I were a Chelsea/Matildas/Kerr fan, but I can also see how it's extra off-putting if you're none those 😂

Back to us, at the rate we’re going (and how the team seems to be finding their groove more and more each week), I’m feeling confident that we can go and win all our games till the end of season. But like you said, it’s all down to Chelsea up till the point that they make a mistake and if they even do so. 

A mutual pointed out that Chelsea have already dropped as many points as they did all of last season, and doesn’t think they’ll go straight wins in all remaining nine games 👀 While that was news to me, I’m still a little weary... True that many will see Chelsea struggling against Villa as a sign that more unexpected teams can take points off them, but for me it’s down to how long Harder/Kirby/Eriksson are out for. Cause once they’re back, Chelsea look exponentially dangerous again, and it’s the hope that kills you 💀

I definitely agree with your whole paragraph about the massive step-up we’ve had in terms of quality of play and players looking like renewed versions of themselves!! I feel like everyone, including the team, would love to clinch the title within a single season after the revamp (and would be just as bummed if we don’t), but all things considered — I would call it a successful season already. Again as you mentioned, the transfer policy was immaculate from the beginning of the season and it looks like we now have a great group of players that can reach another dimension if given the time to gel and push one another 👍 Personally, the jury is still out on Jonas bc he was completely intolerable when we were self-combusting and the midfield was choking over itself, but he’s seemed to have gotten the players alive and clicking again. I’ll give credit to him for the influence he’s had in training etc (which players mentioned often too) but less so for what I’ve seen of his management during actual matches bc those haven’t particularly impressed so far. 

Oh, and I can’t state enough how much I agree that the WSL is improving by leaps and bounds! The quality of teams (particularly those outside the usual top 4 suspects) have been on a completely different level this year; it actually shocks me how much change a single season can make, because I was nowhere near this impressed whenever I watched these lower-ranked teams last season. And I hate to compliment them but even Spurs, a complete 180 from what they were like last season! They were playing the most dour football and struggling to stay afloat while now they’re challenging for a UWCL spot 👏 Super credit to the investments made in these clubs and the managers for doing respectable jobs. 

p.s. you were mentioning the Januarys, but don’t forget the Decembers. The final month of last year was pretty terrible too 😮‍💨

[randomnameless]

Ah, the “True Peace” route!

Not joking, some people really tried to say it’s the best ending for Fodlan since it’s the only one that mentions “True Peace” - disregarding everything else!

Chapter 17 :

Hubert and Edel talking smack at Dimitri about a “fair fight” is hilarious, but I wonder where’s Billy supposed to sit here.

Are we supposed to believe Hubert’n’Edel really believe what they’re saying and are completely obtuse, or is it another, uh, “motivating speech” like the “Church sent missiles to Arianrhod”? Are they trying to use propaganda on Billy themselves??

“No, it’s Dimitri’s fault people are dying because we’re invading his country. He’s a bad, bad man for not challenging us in a fair fight.”

Don’t worry, some people coined the term of “defensive invasion” during the height of discourse, because somehow it’s Dimitri’s fault that we have to attack him, else he would have attacked Adrestia.

Edelgard is going to “free” Dimitri by killing him? Holy shit. Are we REALLY saying that Dimitri should be grateful that Edelgard’s killing him?????

Funny, because I don’t know who is supposed to mirror who in this map (Tailtean is the Tailtean of old?) but Maurice heavily suggests Nemesis “liberated” people by killing them... Just like Edel is now “freeing” Dimitri by killing him?

“oh, the neighboring countries are not playing by the rules, how! evil!, it’s THEIR fault people are dying in this war we’re insisting on” and, like, wants me to actually agree

*craughs in discourse*

This route is so worried about making sure you, Byleth/self-insert, feel like the good guy, it’s watered CF down to unimaginative levels of bland that’s equal parts funny and frustrating.

@ezralahm​ already pointed it, but CF’s happy go lucky mood is the tree that hides the forest, through exploration dialogue and some comparisons with the characters in the other routes, you realise that nope, CF is the villain route/bad end route, but player pandering is player pandering, and so some people will really try to say the contrary, because the tree is very beautiful, and if you suggest there is a forest behind, you lack reading comprehension or something.

I’ll at least get to beat Thales seven ways to Sunday

Hahahaha

I don’t know if you’re interested in Discourse History, but damn if Rhea retreating (and coming late because TFW rain - plot device to make sure the BESF could win this map) wasn’t interpreted as her, uh, with the most charitable reading, using Dimitri’n’co as human shields while she’s retreating, because she’s so evil or something.

Rhea went down so easy this route. Oh, she’s just retreating. That bolting mage left too, which is nice.

Dimitri doesn’t have the luxury to retreat. Too true. :(

Rhea’n’Edel’s battle quote isn’t as hilarious worthy as her battle “quote” against Dimitri, but it sheds some light on a later point raised in the last battle

Basically, this. It’s hilarious how Edel answers with, uh, fried peanuts when someone asks her pointed questions.

Am I really supposed to be rooting for Edelgard here? 😂😂 OMG how lame is that response.

No wonder this game never challenged Edelgard on anything, if THAT’S what her rebuttal is 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

I can’t take this seriously. Why is she even upset?

“Hubert, bring me an onion, so the masses will see me grieving for Dimitri’s death, and hopefully the Professor won’t ask me questions.”

Like, then did she just taunt him while dying for shits and giggles?

It’s sadly not the last time you’ll see this!

---

Chapter 18

Eelgard be like, I can stand letting you guys continue experimenting on children, but I draw the line at someone who can turn into a dragon having a position of authority.

But they are not HUMANS!

Again, the number of posts/shit thrown around during the worst discourse day to justify, uh, specism was alarming, only because some people wanted to validate their waifu on everything (dragons can’t rule over humans they live too long and have a different vision of time - my dude, everyone was happy in Garreg Mach when the pointy eared lady was here, what are you talking about?).

Unless it’s kinky roleplay, than hey, no judging.

Should I mention here how Edel gets a special ending with each teacher of the Academy? Hanneman, Manu and Billy?

Hoping to return Fodlan to its people (and by “people” we mean “Edelgard”)

Hm, by people she means HUMANS and by HUMANS she means herself, as the Supreme Leader.

LAMO, what??? Why is she asking Rhea to stop fighting?? WTF does she plan to do? And why is Dimitri the only one she never gave a chance to surrender??

This started tons of discourse too, but Edel saying this just after confessing to Billy she wants to obliterate Rhea? As I see it, it’s again some sort of “motivating speech” given out loud to get a good PR with her allies (if you use the P word stans will riot!) but she doesn’t believe it. Why is she asking Rhea to stop fighting when she brought the fight at her door to begin with??

“What could be gained by shutting yourselves inside the capital of a kingdom without a king?” - to keep YOU out. If you haven’t gotten the memo yet, they DON’T WANT YOU. You’re forcing yourself on them.

:(

This character doesn’t understand why people fight against her instead of just accepting their fate, of course she cannot understand why Rhea doesn’t want to meet her Aymr.

“Unlike my attack on Garreg Mach five years ago, the church will not allow the inhabitants to evacuate.” Wow. This is some class A, S-Tier writing. You win, Edelgard. Because you didn’t lock citizens up, that makes alllll of this worth it. Noble Peace Prize when? #robbed

This is very funny in hindsight, because on the routes where you fight against the Death Knight, he says the chaos of the fight in the Monastery is nothing compared to what happens outside - implying all those people Edel “allowed” to evacuate? Were chopped down.

So I see CF really decided to humanize Rhea and let her provide a good foil to Edelgard and treat her character with respect - oh, wait, no. My bad. OFC Rhea’s going full-blown super villain, because how else can they make Edelgard look like she’s worth rooting for?

ROASTED BABIES

At first I thought it was a classic use of the “eating a baby” trope to show how EVIL is Rhea and why she must die, then some people made a compelling argument about Rhea’s own mental state - she’s at her lowest here and PTSD’ing hard -> IMO it’s a mix of the two, to show how far Rhea’s mental state has fallen (thanks to someone smashing her trauma buttons) + making sure you won’t feel “too” bad for what happens next, even if it doesn’t work

My heart, Annette gets lines when Gilbert dies

If you kill her first, Jp!Gilbert sounds furious and desperate!

Cyril trying to defend Rhea. OMG! He did a critical. Edelgard has 2 HP left. That is … not what I thought would happen. She got him afterwards, but still, I don’t think she dodged him once

Go Cyril! You nearly did it!

Why does Edelgard assume Rhea hates all human life?

Hahaha,

You will have to thank NoA and Treehouse for their edited script, but in the JP script, when Edel throws this “so you don’t value human life at all, right Immaculate One”, JP!Edel adds, after “Immaculate One” “女神の眷属” aka “Child(en?) of the Goddess”

Edel assumes Rhea hates all human life because Rhea has pointy ears, as simple as that.

Forget how the Monastery was the biggest orphanage in Fodlan, or shelter for everyone who needed one, Rhea has pointy ears, so Rhea biologically hates humans.

And they really just went with “she’s gone ham!evil and wants her mommy” instead of, well, interesting

And this is where the battle quote from chapter 17 comes in play, JP!Rhea sounds really sad/upset at having to kill Edel, becuse she’s the descendant of a human who supported and protected her (US!Rhea doesn’t sound that bothered, but the line is the same). In the final map - one of Rhea’s golems is named after this Hresvelg ancestor!

Rhea telling Edel humans betrayed her and her mother again echoes to her infodump in VW - Nabateans shared their tech with humans, then Agarthans tried to nuke them. Second round, they live in a their village, and then Nemesis rings at their door. Edel is the third round, but since she refuse to consider other points of view or refuses to learn history, this remarks flies over her head.

For real, I completely forgot why, in CF, we’re fighting against Rhea, save that she has pointy ears.

LAMO, I love how Edelgard is talking about how humans don’t need gods, but like Byleth is RIGHT THERE.

Sometimes I really wonder if this route wasn’t made to make her look like a clown, like this line??

OOf, Rhea really is killed with her own mother’s bones. And bleeding out from the head. Yikes, that’s graphic. Poor Rhea. No respect even in death

Believe it, some people really argue that this scene is her “most dignified” death.

Is there a reason, or did the writers say “fuck it” to their own magic rules?

Of course there’s a reason, Billy’s de-nabateanified, so Edel can S Support them while remaining consistent on her views about pointy eared “creatures masquerading as humans”!

idk for real

How can that be the last chapter? Didn’t we see her uncle doing the “evil uncle” shtick RIGHT before the final battle? You mean to tell me we don’t get to kill him?

That’s why it reeks of bad end - like FE6 when you forgot to collect all Weapons, you got rid of Zephiel but Idunn vanished, and the world is saved... somehow, we’re not so sure.

Don’t worry though, the ending cards + Emile’s said Uncle was dealt with (remember Ramsay’s 20 Good Men?) so it must be true.

LAMO how the narration has this “Edelgard destroyed bad systems!” Then the S-Support starts with “we defeated the evil other so now everything is fine!” I dare you to replace Nabateans with other nouns that classify groups and see how that sounds

If you do this, some people will really really feel offended, because their waifu cannot do anything wrong, and even at times use real life nauseabond arguments to defend her!

Well, but humans don’t have POINTY EARS - jk, it’s just the thing that makes, I suppose, a good portion of people who played other FEs, realise her ending is nonsensical. 

Edelgard really be out here thinking that humans will do a better job than dragons. She’s in for disappointment.

I also don’t understand how she thinks killing Rhea and all the other dragons is going to fix all the problems when it seems like average human corruption and TWSITD did everything and they are both still around.

Humans are doing shit because people are shitty in general, regardless of the shape of their ears. Would Miklan not have raped/pillaged/burnt if Papa Gautier disinherited him because Sylvain was more martially able (instead of using the crest excuse)? I don’t know. Would Papa Gloucester not have killed Raphael’s parents trying to kill Claude’s grandpa if Rhea never existed? I don’t think so.

I swear those AUs about Rhea being Edel’s bioancestor wouldn’t be as funny without Edel’s own bias against Nabateans

Ok, Alois solo he’s a farmer instead of a captain of the guards. Both are good I guess.

Small disagreement here, in his solo endings on the other routes, he becomes the Captain of the Knights of Seiros and is so awesome that his exploits and legend put Jeralt’s to shame. Alois is the prime exemple of meritocracy and can become an awesome Captain of the Knight or an Officer...

But in “Meritocracy : The Route” he ends up as a farmer.

Crimson Flower - Final (Both Chapters)

Alright guys, I'm not ready. This will be 3/4 routes finished with only two chapters left in AM and then it's all done.

Thoughts below.

PRE-BATTLE

OK, it's been forever since I last played Crimson Flower while everyone else caught up.

Time to pick someone for Byleth to marry. And, as promised, picking Edelgard. So far Claude's and Rhea's both seemed very different, so curious to see how Edelgard's goes. I really hope all the women's aren't super lovey and all the guys are more removed like Claude was. Because FEH did that all the time and it got really annoying.

Aaaaand time for the mission.

The timing couldn't be worse though. Being the big, giant nation deciding to invade and conquer the smaller one "for their own good" and reunite the two lands that used to be part of the same nation. Because that totally isn't happening right now as we speak. /s

And, like, I know, fiction and reality, but oof this timing is just BAD. And CF plays is so straight and on the nose too. Couldn't we get just a wee bit of nuance? A single moment of self-reflection?

I'm going to try hard to ignore how this parallels real life right now, but seeing how it's so important and prominent in the news and how personal social media is making this war (like actually seeing the faces, not just numbers), it's going to be kinda hard. FYI.

But yeah, different story, time to try and get immersed.

Oh, shit, mentioning King Dimitri. I'm not ready for this, guys.

Rhea looks badass in that outfit. Oh, she's Serios know. Cool. Too bad she's dying this chapter :(

I forgot Dimitri has both eyes in this route. It's so weird looking. I'm not used to it.

Oh, shit, Dedue. My boy, you don't deserve this.

"So long as I'm at your side, there is nothing to fear." - Dedue to Dimitri (my heart)

They're both dying today :(

What is Dedue planning :( I know everyone said there's two endings to this based on some action Dedue takes. I'm so nervous. I don't want Dedue to suffer.

Man, I feel like the bad guy. Why the hell did Edelgard think going around and killing everyone who wouldn't bow to her ideals was the solution to greed????

I love how we're judging Dimitri for not introducing himself and having a "fair fight" while we're screaming about the glory of Imperialism and how it's good actually and working with the evil death cult people.

"At the present the words 'fair fight' do not seem to suit Dimitri anymore." OMG guys this is borderline funny. It's hysterical that an aggressive, invading force is getting preachy because the guy they've failed to kill for 5 years straight doesn't want challenge them to a joust I'm just ahsdhfalehfaer 😂😂😂😂

"He disliked making victims of his friends, but other than that, he will do most anything these days . . ." Says the guy who's prologue is helping TWSITD, your allies, take control of their victims-tortured-into crests beasts. The hypocrisy is real.

"If he stops at nothing to continue the onslaught, I cannot imagine what will become of the battlefield." Are we REALLY blaming DIMITRI for the deaths caused during this war????

I feel like this game is straight-up gas-lighting me right now. "No, it's Dimitri's fault people are dying because we're invading his country. He's a bad, bad man for not challenging us in a fair fight." And you KNOW that Edelgard and Claude get praised up and down for being crafty and sneaky.

This feels EXACTLY like that scene in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid where the brother looks at the pictures of him partying and is like "that's not me." Except CF wants me to take Edelgard and Hubert seriously when they say that. It's so bad 😂😂😂

Edelgard is going to "free" Dimitri by killing him? Holy shit. Are we REALLY saying that Dimitri should be grateful that Edelgard's killing him?????

Like, Edelgard has some actual good points, and the whole "conquer the world to make it right under my rule" is an interesting plot, but it's not interesting when the plot is saying "oh, the neighboring countries are not playing by the rules, how! evil!, it's THEIR fault people are dying in this war we're insisting on" and, like, wants me to actually agree.

Edelgard deserved so much better than this shit writing guys. The potential drama is real, the awesome battle of ideals is real, but CF is just . . . not letting anything interesting happen and is saying that we're killing Dimitri for his own good and I'm just ashifla;hserilaheriow;eriha isn't killing someone the writing tries to make you care about so much of a better story like AM is doing for Edelgard? But, no, instead we get "Dimitri's not playing fair! It's his fault people are dying in this war WE started!" And just like .... whyyyyyy I scream into the void. CF really should've been my favorite or at least tied with AM.

This route is so worried about making sure you, Byleth/self-insert, feel like the good guy, it's watered CF down to unimaginative levels of bland that's equal parts funny and frustrating.

Anyways, it's almost over. After having to kill Dimitri, Dedue, and Rhea, I'll at least get to beat Thales seven ways to Sunday, and while I honestly don't really hate TWSITD because they're just not enough to them to feel much of anything, it'll be fun to, for once, actually kill someone I don't really like in CF.

Sucks that, again, none of the Black Eagles got to say anything.

BATTLE - #1

I forgot I made Hubert my dancer. 😂😂😂

And Ferdinand is so bad in this playthrough. Geeze, it's so weird when his SS unit was God tier.

And you know who's killing Dimitri, right? Felix.

I will make sure Edelgard engages Dimitri too, to get that sweet-sweet unique dialogue.

OH SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT. I was ready to kill Dimitri and Dedue, but Sylvain is here too??? WHHHHHYYYYY

Ahahaha, you know Felix is killing Sylvain too. 100% this IS happening. Felix you're going to kill your dad and ALL your friends! (I swear, I love Felix).

I already killed Ingrid, so maybe I won't have to kill Gilbert, Annette, Mercedes, or Ashe. Though, when Rhea's reinforcements show up, who knows :( Because I know they won't be there for the TWSITD chapter. But at the same time "kill them all!" is kinda fun.

Guys, I almost forgot to restore the batallions, and Byleth was in the yellow. Good thing I noticed that. That would've SUCKED.

Alright, time to do this.

"Leave no enemy general alive, least of all King Dimitri." My heart 😭

But at the same time, this is kinda fun, not gonna lie. It's going to be hella tragic having Felix behead Dimitri and Sylvain, and have Dedue and Dimitri have a last stand together.

It also "feels good" that the worst CF could come up with to prove Dimitri's a bad guy that we must destroy is that he's not introducing himself and politely challenging us to a duel 😂😂😂😂

My Felix is a badass though. First thing he's doing is making a beeline towards Sylvain. I'm gonna soak this drama up.

Man, I wish I had more fliers.

Whhhat why did that soldier change into a beast guy??

Dimitri didn't even know about it??

Dedue why 😭😭😭😭😭 OMG, no, no, this is what everyone meant, didn't they. Fuck. Dedue's going to turn himself into a beast to save Dimitri 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

And they didn't even tell Dimitri about it. Dedue nor Sylvain 😭😭😭😭😭😭

"You call this hope?!" Dimitri doesn't approve.

Man, it feels like a different writer wrote this dialogue. When Hubert, Edelgard, and Byleth are chatting, it's all "Dimitri's evil because he's not playing nice and by not letting us kill him without fighting back, he's getting his soldiers killed." Why didn't they just make Dimitri know about these beasts so he at least looks like a bad guy? Hubert even said "he'll do anything to win," but clearly not?? Big missed opportunity to see roaring rampage of revenge Dimitri, instead I'm just getting AM!Lite

Oh, shit, here comes Mercedes. 😭😭 She is literally the only one I've refused to kill so far (despite joking about "kill em all" I spared her in VW, because HOW).

Edelgard's like "we're in danger" - from what, Mercedes making a bad batch of cookies?

Oh, shit, they do get unique dialogue. Sylvain bringing up their promise to die together 😭😭😭

Ok, guys, I'm starting to ship Sylvix with all this CF drama and their god-awful paired ending being so tragic.

Sylvain beat the holy fucking shit out of Felix, holy shit. I did not expect that. If my boy didn't use guard, he'd be toast right now.

Sylvain's dead :(

And Felix needs to get healed asap

So the bolting person actually does a heap of damage to m CF!Lindhardt. my SS!Lindhardt never took any magical damage :( So Petra to the rescue.

Petra is a queen, y'all.

Oh, here comes Rhea. Those reinforcements left some of my weaker units in a bad spot, ouch.

Rhea went down so easy this route. Oh, she's just retreating. That bolting mage left too, which is nice.

Dimitri doesn't have the luxury to retreat. Too true. :(

Felix is killing Mercedes now. No special dialogue, but that's expected. "Why follow an Emperor who would start such a war?" Mercie whyyyyy 😭😭😭 Now she's dead, and apologizing to Dimitri 😭😭😭😭😭😭 That's the first time I killed Mercie, guys. And Dimitri sounds so sad. If only he knew Felix was behind all of it - Ingrid, Rodrigue, Mercie, Sylvain - Felix has killed all of them.

And now, Felix is killing Dedue.

Shit 😭😭😭 Dedue's dead. Ugh. It's like genuinely not fun playing this route. All I do is kill characters I like over and over in the name of Edelgard's ideals. This better have some banger endings to make all this misery worth it.

Is there a single chapter in this route where you actually kill someone who wants to hurt Edelgard or the Empire? I feel like such a bully right now. The real life war certainly isn't helping.

But, yeah, it's almost over.

Was I right about Dedue turning into a beast though? Because that didn't happen?

Ok, but why does the "effective" symbol show up around Dimitri no matter what unit type I send towards him? I think I asked this before in VW, but I don't remember.

Alright, guys, time to kill Dimitri.

Dude, he's going to gut everyone who attacks him. He has a 92% chance of doing 30x2 to Edelgard. She's got a 43% chance of doing 45. Yikes. And she's like my first or second best unit. (Did I post this because I'm proud of my boy, yes, yes I did).

WTF was that 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

"Must you continue to reconquer?" 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 What is she even talking about?? This game's not even trying anymore. I can't take this seriously. I can't. Am I really supposed to be rooting for Edelgard here? 😂😂 OMG how lame is that response.

No wonder this game never challenged Edelgard on anything, if THAT'S what her rebuttal is 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

Also, she missed and now she's got 11 HP left after that "epic" comeback.

Felix has better chances, banking on that 47% critical to go off.

Ohhhhhh, burn, he called Felix, Edelgard's lapdog. And brought up that he killed Rodrigue, and all Felix can say is "I said I'd cut anyone down who got in my way?" But, like, wtf is Felix even doing in CF? What's he fighting for, exactly??

Ah, well, I made my boy suffer by killing all his buddies. I'll make nice with him once this is over and we're back in AM.

Shit, Dimitri hits like a truck. He can fucking one-shot my Byleth. 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 Only SS!Serios was this hard to kill.

Byleth hit though. So Dimitri's dead :(

Felix MVP, as expected. "Felix's motivation is maxed out" 😂😂😂 He's hyped after killing Sylvain, Mercedes, and Dimitri.

POST BATTLE #1 -

I'm so glad that battle is over.

Oh, shit, Dedue's back. Even now Dimitri's telling Dedue to stop calling him "majesty"

I've never felt like such a bad guy playing a video game in my life. It really feels like we were supposed to root for Dimitri here (and Claude, and Flayn and Seteth, and Judith, and - you get the idea) But especially here. I don't know if it's because it's Dimitri, or that Dedue is here or what but 😭😭😭

"Because of you, I was able to live on until today. You saved me." - Dedue (guys, this is like a reverse of their A-support).

I'm really expecting the "Game over" screen. Like. Fuck.

"Despite all, I count myself a lucky man." My shipping heart is dying, everyone. Like, if they cut Dedue from 3 Hopes, I will find a way inside COVID-locked Japan and hold Nintendo hostage until they amend that.

"Is that so? I see . . . I am glad." So Dimitri's dying in Dedue's arms. Why.

Well, if CF's good for one thing, it's plenty of Dimitri/Dedue, Sylvain/Felix, and Felix/Dimitri angst.

Oh, right, shit, we're about to beat Rhea up with her own mother's body. Ugh. That's . . . so wrong.

Haha, I picked the "can we defeat them? option because I know Edelgard gets pissy the second Byleth falters on anything, and low and behold, I was right 😂😂😂

Why does Edelgard care about Dimitri?? Didn't she just like call for his head?

I love how Edelgard thinks her uncle played 4-D chess to get Dimitri to want revenge rather than, like, IDK slaughter his family in front of him. Maybe that had something to do with it? /s

WTF does she mean "he lost sight of his path as king." I saw Dimitri literally do 0 things wrong in this route. AM (post upgrade) or VW or SS Dimitri, sure but like CF!Dimitri??? This writing is whacked.

"There was nothing there I could to do save him." Because . . . you tried so hard?

I can't take this seriously. Why is she even upset? Why does she care about Dimitri at all?? Doesn't she not remember him?

So now she's like, yeah, I might've killed - like - a shit ton of people, but it's just part of the ebb and flow of "history"

"It's time for humanity to take this world back." WTF is she going on about?? Rhea's not the problem, sweetie, your allies are.

OK, guys, I'm about to look at the alt scene.

I hate this picture :( Edelgard really does go and behead him.

"You will bow your head before all the lives you trampled for your ideals." Dimitri just spitting facts though.

And Edelgard's like, OMG, why you so obsessed with me? It's not like I've been trying to kill you and invade your country for five years straight or anything, god. 😂😂😂

Edelgard really went and told Dimitri he's delusional and that it's too bad there's a war or he'd be a good leader. Like?? 😂😂😂

And then in the next scene explains she knows he's not delusional and says why he hates her guts?? Like, then did she just taunt him while dying for shits and giggles? Because that seems OOC. I blame CF's shitty writing.

So Edelgard just straight-up beheads an on his knees Dimitri. Ouch. She never would've let him live in her world, I don't think. I 100% got the better scene.

PRE-BATTLE - FINAL BATTLE

Glad that's over. Time to fight Edelgard's uncle, and Rhea I guess.

And yup, there he is. Finally time to squash him.

"Why are you here uncle?" Because he's ready to nuke you the moment Rhea's out of the way.

Who said it? Thales or Edelgard? "The very moment that humans will finally be free from the control of that false beast of a goddess. . ."

You know you're wrong when you're saying the same thing as those mole people lamo.

So when we kill Rhea, Arundel wins. Yippe. /s

"When this fight is over, a world completely controlled by the Empire will be upon us." - Again, who said this, Edelgard or her evil uncle?

Is this supposed to be the villain route? Because we're reaching super villain levels muhahahahah with this stuff.

Eelgard be like, I can stand letting you guys continue experimenting on children, but I draw the line at someone who can turn into a dragon having a position of authority.

I have a goddess sleeping inside me - that sounds like a banger book title. 100% a manga title. Write it down.

I seek to obliterate Rhea - except like, she left a huge bloody scar all across Fodlan to do so. Whatever. This is the last chapter. Finally.

"I thought that perhaps it wasn't the path you were meant to take." Hey, for once, Edelgard and I agree lol. 😂😂😂

Why is she still calling Byleth, "my teacher?" It always sounded a bit weird. Unless it's kinky roleplay, than hey, no judging.

"You are the one person in thie world who can share the heavy burden I must carry. Someone without equal who I can always share my mind to. . ." - Hubert found dead in Miami.

"Someone without equal" reeks of putting Byleth on a pedestal. She never really moved past the "stop crying just because your dad died, ugh" phrase did she?

Hoping to return Fodlan to its people (and by "people" we mean "Edelgard")

LAMO, what??? Why is she asking Rhea to stop fighting?? WTF does she plan to do? And why is Dimitri the only one she never gave a chance to surrender??

"What could be gained by shutting yourselves inside the capital of a kingdom without a king?" - to keep YOU out. If you haven't gotten the memo yet, they DON'T WANT YOU. You're forcing yourself on them.

"Unlike you, I have no desire to unleash wicked atrocities upon this world." You mean like, war? Because I struggle to think of something worse than war.

Hubert is like, they're not responding. No shit. 😂😂😂 😂😂😂 I don't think this is supposed to be funny.

"Unlike my attack on Garreg Mach five years ago, the church will not allow the inhabitants to evacuate." Wow. This is some class A, S-Tier writing. You win, Edelgard. Because you didn't lock citizens up, that makes alllll of this worth it. Noble Peace Prize when? #robbed

Except she totally did lock citizens inside in VW, right? Or did I misremember that?

"What the hell are they planning?" No one ever told Edelgard about siege warfare, hunh?

CYRIL!!! IDK, I'm happy so see him. I expected Catherine.

So I see CF really decided to humanize Rhea and let her provide a good foil to Edelgard and treat her character with respect - oh, wait, no. My bad. OFC Rhea's going full-blown super villain, because how else can they make Edelgard look like she's worth rooting for?

Why did she set fire though? Just sit there and wait. That's how most ancient warfare actually went.

God the writing is SO BAD. The writers really had no faith in Edelgard, did they?

If the city is on fire, why doesn't Edelgard just . . . wait? "Becasue fire cannot kill a dragon." Sorry, sorry, can't help myself.

More empty one-liners from all the Black Eagles. Only Hubert's was touching, but Edelgard barely acknowledges that he exists so . . .

BATTLE -

Oh, shit. I see Ashe, Annette, and Gilbert :(

But no Aruendel?? He'll be a reinforcement then? Is this the last chapter?

Edelgard being like "Fhirdiad's in a pitiful state." I'm sure that's 100% Rhea's sudden evil turn and not AT ALL the result of a 5 year long war. Nope. None whatsoever. /s

Petra is all "we probably should avoid the fire." Grand observation lamo.

Ashe's quote hits hard. "Our pride, our people, our king. You've torn them all apart. Haven't you had enough? What else is there for you to take?" Oof, that makes up a bit for joining Cornelia. And the angry face too. I'm proud of my boy right now.

FYI, Felix killed Ashe too.

My heart, Annette gets lines when Gilbert dies 😭😭 😭😭

And now she's aiming for Felix. And who's going to kill her? Felix. Of course Felix.

Oof, he can one-shot her. This is so wrong. And so delightfully right. Ugh. That sucked. Felix just killed her too.

Cyril trying to defend Rhea. OMG! He did a critical. Edelgard has 2 HP left. That is . . . not what I thought would happen. She got him afterwards, but still, I don't think she dodged him once.

And dude, Catherine. She's even worse than Dimitri. No one has a hit chance on her. God she's so badass and hot. I'm going to try and get Shamir to kill her if I can.

Oh well, Felix actually hit her twice with a 47.

Why does Edelgard assume Rhea hates all human life?

This version of Rhea is SOOOO much easier to kill than in SS. I expected her to generate a new shield every turn like in SS, but she doesn't this is making this infinitely easier. I also think she hits less hard and is less accurate. Literally in SS Ferdinand did 90% of the work, where here just about everyone gets to do something. I think the only one Rhea's actually hit is Edelgard lamo.

I had Edelgard and Byleth attack Rhea. And they really just went with "she's gone ham!evil and wants her mommy" instead of, well, interesting.

They needed to make her more accurate.

Felix MVP. Not surprised.

POST BATTLE

Oh, this one actually gets a cut scene!

LAMO, I love how Edelgard is talking about how humans don't need gods, but like Byleth is RIGHT THERE. 😂

OOf, Rhea really is killed with her own mother's bones. And bleeding out from the head. Yikes, that's graphic. Poor Rhea. No respect even in death. Even Dimitri and Claude got smudges or respect when they died.

Wait? How does Byleth survive if his crest thingy broke? Wasn't that basically like a magical pacemaker?? Didn't VW or SS (or both??) say that was what kept him alive after being born dead?

Is there a reason, or did the writers say "fuck it" to their own magic rules?

Also, how predictable that the cutscene was all about Edelgard x Byleth. Because that's all the route has really been about. All the interesting stuff got ignored or shoved aside.

Wait, wait, THAT's the ending??? Edelgard rules over everyone now, except she has Those Who Slither in the Dark to fight now. That's like . . . what?

How can that be the last chapter? Didn't we see her uncle doing the "evil uncle" shtick RIGHT before the final battle? You mean to tell me we don't get to kill him?

S-SUPPORT + ENDING STUFF

LAMO how the narration has this "Edelgard destroyed bad systems!" Then the S-Support starts with "we defeated the evil other so now everything is fine!" I dare you to replace Nabateans with other nouns that classify groups and see how that sounds.

Edelgard really be out here thinking that humans will do a better job than dragons. She's in for disappointment.

I also don't understand how she thinks killing Rhea and all the other dragons is going to fix all the problems when it seems like average human corruption and TWSITD did everything and they are both still around.

Ok, here comes the romantic stuff.

So so far my fear that the women get all lovey dovey and the men are all more mature about it is coming true :(:( But I've only seen Claude for the guys so far. So it's a bit early to worry.

So Byleth gives her the ring and called her "El." That's pretty cute.

What is with this "dearest friend" stuff??

"So long as I had you by my side, it never mattered how many enemies I amassed. You were all I needed." - This is a bit yikes though. Edelgard, girl, that's toxic. Get some other friends.

I still am flabergasted that you don't kill TWSITD. Like any of them except Cornelia.

"I will then find a suitable successor and hand over the reigns of the Empire." - That's a bit yikes for me here too. That sounds kinda like a dictator.

Though, this support is doing a good job balancing the romance stuff with the world changes stuff whereas Rhea was all romance, and Claude all world stuff - more or less.

OMG poor Edelgard. What the hell is that picture? Lamo. I can't. Why doesn't she have a nose?? 😂😂😂

Alright, time to see all the MVPs. Lots of Edelgard at first 7ish chapters, and then it's the Felix show for he rest of part 1. And most of part 2. No other unit was as dominant at bing MVP as Felix was here. Guess I played favorites a bit lamo.

Ok, only commenting on new paired endings. So here's what was the same: Anna solo, Hanneman solo, Manuela solo, Leonie and Shamir,

Ok, Alois solo he's a farmer instead of a captain of the guards. Both are good I guess.

Lysithea's solo is so sad. She really got the short end of the stick endings wise so far.

Lorenz solo, so he's a politician that helps the people. Pretty generic but not terrible.

YES! Linhardt and Caspar - I got this one before, but I'm happy to get is again. So they traveled together. I really love this ending. It fits both characters so well despite how different they are

Bernie and Jeritza - Mostly about Jeritza fighting TWSITD off screen (still not over that) and ending up palling around with Bernie. Wish it included Bernie more.

Ohhh, Felix went solo! I thought it went through all the solo ones before going to the paired ones. And he just went and became a mercenary again? It's a bit better than his Sylvain one, but not really. He really became the "boar" himself, didn't he? I'm SUPER curious to see his AM endings, since I know people said they're kind of different (I would hope so, it would suck if he got stuck in a regressive character arc).

OMG Hubert paired up with Ferdinand lol. It's not as romantic as I expected, but Edelgard being jealous of them is priceless lol.

Dorothea and Petra - let's go! I know I got this one before, but I seriously LOVE it. You can't straighten that last sentence. They are both queens. After seeing that ending, how can you not ship it?

Edelgard and Byleth - really ambiguous about the romance part, surprised after how hard they really shoved that at you in the route. It was nice seeing it focus on the changes, though, that wasn't really reflected in the paired endings at all. They were all more or less the same as VW and SS.

Alright, guys, CF done! All that's left is finishing AM.