Claude betrays the Empire - Fire Emblem Warriors Three Hopes

[@KendrixTermina]

It's interesting to see that Byleth would absolutely deadass cause major political chaos to avenge Jeralt.

[@YingofDarkness]

They lost the one person they give a damn about. For all the care, Fodlan can go to hell. Funnily enough those same ideals are why they can go with each lord while having no bias. They genuinely only care about the people they become close to. Fodlan and its politics don't matter until they are backed by someone Byleth has come to care for.

[@buttery_gooch6]

byleth mentally shutdowns after jeralt's death and lets sothis take over

[@thiago292]

​@@kevingame3198The hell u're talking about m8

[@berneebern]

I love this because Claude is like "Haha! You may have been playing 3d chess, but I've been playing 4d chess!" Then Hubert turns around and is like "Impressive, yet disappointing because I've been playing 5d chess"

[@TheMagicalHuy]

Shez, on the other hand, be like: 'Wait a minute, I thought we were playing checkers this whole time?!'

[@coppermeowmix]

@@TheMagicalHuy "Go fish!"

[@Ninjaananas]

@@TheMagicalHuy That's Edelgard when she gets Raging Storm out.

[@Knightgob]

@@coppermeowmix uh UNO!

[@227someguy]

That comment about Hubert makes his role in Azure Gleam laughable. Seriously, do you expect me to believe that he got nerfed that badly?

[@iamjaboba]

I've come to realize that both in Three Houses and Three hopes, Claude just wanted all three territories of Fodlan together as one, even if it wasn't under his ideals. In Verdant Wind, he doesn't ally with the Kingdom, and let's Dimitri die during the battle of Gronder(even if it wasn't intentional), then conquers the empire, destroys Nemesis + TWSITD, then let's Byleth lead the United Fodlan and leave for Almyra. In Azure Moon, he loses after Gronder, but escapes. In a last ditch effort, he reaches out to the kingdom to stop the empire from taking over Leicester, then just leaves to trust Dimitri and Byleth to take care of Fodlan, even if the church says around. In Crimson Flower, he realizes the empire with Byleth is too strong and just lets Leicester be conquered by Edelgard. He either escapes or dies, depending on player choice Basically in Three Houses, Claude knows any end where Byleth is in power over Fodlan is a good end and was always planning on leaving afterwards. With Three hopes, Claude just allies with whoever is winning the war. In Golden Wildfire and Scarlet Blaze he allies with Edelgard and the empire, though in Scarlet Blaze if Byleth isn't recruited he betrays Edelgard. In Azure Gleam, he allies with the Kingdom, despite his differing ideals. In Three hopes, Claude just goes with whatever he thinks will help him be on the winning side of the war.

[@bingomiingo8428]

Hopes Claude actually going to betrays both Edelgard and Dimitri....he Say it to The Golden Deers in Golden Wildfire and even say this to Dimitri in his support(he is going to dismantle The Church) He actually want to Win The War(alone) in Hopes, only needs time for his "real ambitions"

[@jas8288]

@@bingomiingo8428 well i mean it isnt really betraying dimitri if he tells him to his face that hes going to dismantle the church

[@hyperstargaming6150]

@@jas8288 and Dimitri didn’t necessarily disagree outright. His duties as king gives him few options though in a very faithful territory of Fodlan. VERY faithful.

[@MrGksarathy]

Verdant Wind Dimitri was actually too insane to reason with, and yes, Claude was quite flexible in how his goals might be achieved. He is definitely less flexible in Three Hopes, even if he still is.

[@IFuckingLoveFrenchToast]

Back in three houses i saw claude as the good guy and edelgard as the baddie, but now it's the other way around

[@Okami_Ari]

I love how even though byleth isn't the main character anymore, they still heavily influence the story. Heck, Claude even directly references three houses by saying the could-have-beens if byleth had been there

[@Okami_Ari]

@LegendaryIceWolf yeah that part was weird Like the special chap is just...there and never elaborated upon And byleth isn't even in there, despite being needed to unlock it

[@carltonpowell5313]

@@Okami_Ari bruh Byleth was wasted, even the content locked behind them didn’t have them in it Poor Byleth

[@0axis771]

The thing is, Edelgard indicates that she truly did hope to have genuine peace with the Alliance. Her battle dialogue with him indicates that she was genuinely upset by this betrayal. And you know what? Why wouldn't it? We had a scene earlier where Edelgard revealed that she's still very much affected by her trauma and that she struggles to trust others when she remarked that despite how much she trusts Shez, she can't erase all the doubt in her heart because she was betrayed by her uncle and Duke Aegir, the latter wasn't even replaced by a doppelganger. Making a peace treaty with Claude had her essentially try to trust someone, and that person just stabbed her in the back. So Edelgard's anger here is terrifying because it comes from a place of trauma.

[@Watermage2]

Not disregarding Edelgard’s feelings but she was kinda naive in her alliance with Claude. She is the agressor after all. You think the leader of a nation she attacked wouldn’t consider stabbing her in the back? And believe that was Claude’s intention from the start based on his dialogue on Golden Wildfire. He was planning to betray her the moment she stopped being useful to him.

[@0axis771]

@@Watermage2 Edelgard didn't put blind trust in Claude, obviously. But she legitimately hoped that Claude wouldn't betray her. That's why Hubert's traps on Claude's tactics proved as such.

[@BURNINGKAM101]

@@0axis771 Still its kind of the woe is me play though is not? Trying to garner an alliance and then getting angry from a backstab. Friendship has no place on a battlefield when the stakes are no less than all of Fodlan!

[@0axis771]

@@BURNINGKAM101 It really isn't. If anything, it highlights that Edelgard was really putting herself out there by compromising with herself and issues and trying to actually be diplomatic and make peace. But in the end, all she was met with is betrayal, which we know is a very sore spot for her.

[@thomashalkes4699]

@@Watermage2 potentially. If you recruit Byleth the alliance seems to work out. I doubt Claude would be stupid enough to turn on Edelgard after Rhea and Thales are gone, but then he thought declaring war on everyone at this point was a good idea, so who knows.

[@0axis771]

I think it's a bit annoying that Claude only ever gets his "leader speech" CG image only on the route that wasn't even his. Dimitri gets his CG image of giving a speech near the end of AG. And Edelgard gets her's right at the beginning of Part 1 in her route. Yet Claude's has to be in the non-Byleth recruit run of Scarlet Blaze? Like...really?

[@Slenderquil]

Reminds me of Edelgard's leader speech CG not being in CF in the original game. These games make weird decisions

[@0axis771]

@@Slenderquil It actually makes sense for CF. Non-CF, she retreats to Enbarr. In CF, she retreats to an encampment with the others.

[@Slenderquil]

@@0axis771 I guess that makes sense. I never really considered that you don't get a chance to go back to enbarr before the timeskip

[@CuteHimbo]

"Loyal friends" - Claude, about people he is commanding to betray an ally Talk about loyalty...

[@angel_aeon]

Was playing the recruited Byleth version of this chapter in Scarlet Blaze earlier today and it's cathartic seeing this after having Randolph, Claude and Hilda as green units during the fight in the Valley Of Torment lol.

[@bingomiingo8428]

Claude: The only good future for me is a future with Rhea, Edelgard and Dimitria dying!!! Oh and with My bro Byleth with My side .

[@raviolibirb8009]

Ah yes, let's join forces and trust the guy who has huge trust issue and is the embodiment of distrust himself, I'm sure he's not going to backstab us or anything...

[@theravingtimes9582]

Claude: So we're basically enemies with the Church, the Kingdom and the Empire. Byleth: You may need allies before you needlessly throw your nation into an all-out war. Claude: Well ... I think we might know a guy who can help. *Meanwhile in another world* Shareena: Absolutely- Alfonse: No! Anna: We can send Summer Wrys to help in your hour of need. Claude: Welp, time for Plan B. *In yet another world* Mario: Yahoo! Link: Haah! Kirby: Poyo. Pikachu: I think they said something, but I ain't got no clue what any of that gibberish meant. Wanna stay for some coffee? Claude: On second thought, how about Plan C. *You know the drill* Cashier: Welcome to McDonalds, may I take your order? Byleth: What are we doing in this world? Claude: I was hungry and ... oh, there they are. Seteth and Flaynn are trapped in the play-place just as the legend fortold. Anyway ... *Claude picks up Seteth and Flaynn's orders* how about we just team up with Dimitri and Rhea on a temporary basis. I even devised a plan to get Edelgard and Rhea to kill each other in a freak "we thought you said 'close the gate'" maneuver. Byleth: You traveled dimensions just to steal food. Claude: Someone had to revive this meme from 3 years ago.

[@Dennis_Ryan_Lynch]

Needing to revive it would imply it was dead, which it was not, it was just stuck in the McDonald’s play-place

[@blueotter5954]

This is a meme?

[@flallana18]

@@blueotter5954 the Seteth “I have something to ask of you” meme? Yep

[@MrGksarathy]

At least Claude is self-aware.

[@lorddragonskin3603]

0:12 Translation: Play Three Houses.

[@CrystalSanchez094]

to think that Byleth, the Player Avatar of Three houses would have such an impact on the story of Three hopes whether or not the player did or didn't recruit them at least in the SB route idk about the AG route or the GW one

[@santiagogaviriasuarez7541]

Sadly Only in Scarlet Blaze

[@bingomiingo8428]

@@santiagogaviriasuarez7541 in AG recruit Byleth is important too, Rodríge is playable, saving him means more support and interactions, if you loses him You got new dialogs like Dimitri blaming Byleth

[@serronserron1320]

It's also interesting to think that in three houses,, Shez was probably just another rookie mercenary cut down in the path of Byleth.

[@muchluck7981]

@@bingomiingo8428 I mean sure but at the same time, kinda lacks the same impact IMO. It's like Byleth is only important cuz he murdered a playable character. I mean sure it's impactful cuz Dimitri's PTSD but at the same time kinda lacking and cheap cuz you have to murder someone important to get the same impact when Byleth in Scarlet Blaze makes Claude go backstabby. not saying that it's bad, but it didn't really justify having Byleth being important to Azure Gleam's story

[@santiagogaviriasuarez7541]

@@bingomiingo8428 Is not that important, only for two A sup with Felix and Dimitri, in Golden wildfire you lost a paralogue, also recruiting Byleth in AG makes the story worse, AG is the only route from the three that the two extra chapters do worse than better.

[@Cleruian]

On the one hand, poor Edelgard. On the other, it gave us a really great soundtrack and kind of the empire's Gronder Field we missed in 3 Houses.

[@dobadobadooo]

It's astounding to me that people actually feel bad for Edelgard. I don't like Claude as a character, but he's not wrong when he says that a pact signed under duress isn't worth honoring. If Edelgard wanted to work with him she shouldn't have invaded his lands unprovoked in the first place (or better yet just don't start a fucking war at all).

[@SalvLav]

@@dobadobadooo Odd, since he does honor it if byleth is recruited. The nobles of Fodlan were never going to voluntarily surrender their privileges and their power. Rhea was never going to voluntarily step down or do anything to change the fake church she built.

[@dobadobadooo]

@@SalvLav Rhea does voluntarily step down in every route she survives in Houses, the idea that she's some power hungry tyrant is 100% copium from people who bend over backwards to pretend Edelgard isn't a tyrannical conqueror.

[@dobadobadooo]

@@SalvLav Typical copium. Rhea willingly steps down in every route she survives in Houses, claiming she would "never" do it is just a desperate attempt to convince yourself Edelgard was anything but a tyrant. Literally _all_ of the most corrupt nobles in Faerghus and Leicester are allied with Edelgard, and we never get anything that implies they would be punished for their actions in the aftermath of the war or lose their wealth.

[@inanutshell7105]

I prefer this version of SB cuz it actually feels like a reprise for Gronder Field unlike the other version of this chapter

[@TheBritishSn0rlax]

What's rhe other version? I don't plan on buying the game so you don't need to worry about spoilers.

[@Sovereign-One]

@@TheBritishSn0rlax basically this scene only happens if you don’t recruit Byleth, if you do then for the next battle Claude will still be you’re ally.

[@santiagogaviriasuarez7541]

@@Sovereign-One I was thinking that you were talking about the AG version that is worse than the two from scarlet blaze.

[@santiagogaviriasuarez7541]

Strange that the CG from Claude is in Scarlet Blaze and being and enemy with the good soundtrack

[@dreamer9398]

Interesting how Claude and Byleth get screen time together. Probably it just me, but Claude and Byleth is my favorite relationship than the other lords. Plus, Claude speech is so good.

[@dhisufiroafrozenseraphimdragon]

Claude may have had a better chance of winning if he turned on Edelgard during the fight, not before. Also, I dislike how the game allows you to gang up on Byleth at the end. It makes him non threatening and it feels unfair. Maybe they should have allowed you to choose two units to fight him with instead?

[@hyperstargaming6150]

I honestly think it should have been a permanent double awakening battle against Byleth with Shez. Both opponents are permanently awakened, but stat inflation is proper so Byleth isn’t impossible to beat like the beginning of the game, but is on “equal footing” with Shez in the climax of their story. Would have been a lot more dramatic and properly concludes their game-long feud.

[@dhisufiroafrozenseraphimdragon]

@@hyperstargaming6150 I agree. You're idea is good but if they don't want to limit our characters they also could have made Byleth strong enough to withstand 8 characters beating up on him. The way it is now, I can't help but feel like I'm cheating.

[@moonmoon2479]

It’s just yet another thing the game is going to use to tell you Shez could have never beaten Byleth and they are some chump that the world is better off without.

[@rockowlgamer631]

The only way this happens if you kill Jeralt, otherwise he'll stay allied with the Empire. Still you'd think him being the "master tactician" he would be smarter then this

[@dobadobadooo]

Unironically one of the story highlights of all the routes in Three Hopes. The idea of an actual all-out brawl between the forces of the Kingdom, Alliance and Empire was something Three Houses promised us, but honestly failed to deliver on. Easily my favorite map in the game (Azure Gleam is still by far the best route though), and a big reason why I never recruit Byleth on Scarlet Blaze.

[@mioharuka3652]

I think the only route one should recruit Byleth is Golden Wind- er Wildfire. Because recruiting Byleth in Scarlet Blaze means you miss out on this story highlight and recruiting Byleth in Azure Gleam really screws the ending up.

[@dobadobadooo]

@@mioharuka3652 I get where you're coming from, but personally I don't really have any major issues with recruiting Byleth in AG, and in fact I'd argue it's the route where recruiting them works the best story-wise seeing as it has revenge as one of its main themes, not to mention it actually foreshadows Epimenides existing prior to fighting him. I won't deny that the Zahras chapter has wonky-as-fuck writing in places though, but that goes for all the routes. Imo there is nothing that makes AG inherently worse in that regard than the others. That said, I won't deny the route works better story-wise if you don't recruit Byleth, which sucks since Epimenides is a really fun fight.

[@lucenart]

this game is basically faerghus just existing and getting shit from all over the place. "We dont care about the church! let us try to build our home in peace!!!!"

[@sonicthehedge]

0:56 I wish this happened on Golden Wildfire instead of what we actually got on that route.

[@naylisyazwina6836]

I wish when Edelgard and the empire almost died when the Kingdom attacked Garreg Mach, Claude left her to die. If Claude doesn't want to rule what's left of the Empire, then let Dimitri rule. Dimitri isn't even interested in uniting Fodlan. He cares a lot about chivalry. He wouldn't attack Leicester. The Claude can rule Leicester and do his own thing. Invite Almyrans and be friendly with them. Trade between the countries etc The ending for Golden Wildfire sucked. Rhea is dead but Empire and Kingdom fight and fight and fight, there is no end. War is prolonged. Claude is smart enough, he should have seen it coming. If he let Edelgard die without his backup then the war would have ended. Then Claude can swoop in and attack the Kingdom that are tired from fighting the Empire and have a talk with Dimitri saying the talk about dismantling the church. Even Dimitri agrees with the idea

[@claudevonrunningman]

Claude is at his best in the route that isn’t his own

[@MinisterChicken]

The sad part is is that you could say it’s literally any of the other two lol You’d have a pretty valid argument either pick

[@wholsom1003]

I think Claude is the only main lord to die in the story of Three Hopes

[@MrDeflador]

Ironicly enough, he was the only lord who (could) survive all three houses routes.

[@KendrixTermina]

well, i would consider Edelgard functionally dead in Azure Gleam even if she's still technically breathing

[@MrDeflador]

@@KendrixTermina Well no, she is not even mortally wounded. So no, she still can be used for any post DLC. Because someone is defeated (and captured) does not mean they are functially dead.

[@KendrixTermina]

@@MrDeflador i was rather referring to the mindwipe

[@hyperstargaming6150]

@@KendrixTermina thing is, she’s still completely combat able (somehow). So she may get beaten the shit out of, but she’s a useful puppet warrior who still gives people hell.

[@jiangwu7599]

Claude dies in the battle immediately following. So much for his grand scheme.

[@BardockSkywalker]

Cutscene: *Shows Seteth in his Wyvern Lord Class holding his signature Lance: The Spear of Arsal* 3 Hopes, the Game: & We took that personally

[@MinisterChicken]

Yeah… Is it that hard to give us a lance variant? Like just make it the same as the Pegasus move set idc

[@mikaackerman1477]

Claude x Byleth Forever 🤗🥰🥳

[@endoprimario7235]

Lol a legit Claude x Byleth moment and that causes the death of both

[@dreamer9398]

Such a tragic love story…🥺 *write that down, and put on the pile of fics ideas*

[@dhisufiroafrozenseraphimdragon]

Yeah, kinda sad...

[@SchadoVA]

At least we got a grondor field rematch for black eagles

[@moon4236]

I've heard people say Claude can actually survive this even after betraying you. Is it true?

[@FazFaz]

it is! I have a few vids on that tomorrow. Stay tuned!

[@DxL55]

@@FazFaz Hilda needs Claude, show us how to spare him

[@FazFaz]

video should be up in about 12 hours!

[@moon4236]

@@FazFaz thank you, I want to kill byleth in SB but I don't Claude to die since he's my favourite lol

[@santiagogaviriasuarez7541]

Also the Edelgard, Dimitri, and Claude have and unique dialogue if they are in the same place

[@shadownight9956]

So koei tecmo could not stop themselves to recreate a tragedy from three kingdom wu backstabbing shu that prevented shu from conquering wei

[@pepeelghetto1231]

You are right Shez, it doesn't make any sense 🤣

[@drparadox7833]

Claude: Betrays Empire. Black Eagles: What? Guys who picked Black Eagles in 3 houses: First time?

[@MinisterChicken]

Wonder how that feels Although I’m glad I experienced it through blue lions so we could have an actual climactic cutscean for it

[@ResurgentRaven]

Probably the only time I actually rooted for Claude because it feels like the only time he's ever really stood his ground and not just said, "whelp, things are looking dire here, so Imma just ditch you guys and fly to Almyra. Ta-Ta." He actually is fighting for a future for his Alliance that doesn't mean siding with anyone. He wants to put his country on the figurative map and not just be some afterthought. And I can respect that. Even if it means that his death causes one of the worst endings in Fire Emblem history.

[@NavonodSemaj]

Its depressing that the same route Claude sees the error of siding with Edelgard is the same route he gets killed on. No good deed goes unpunished...

[@yunuss58]

"Error"

[@sparxstreak02]

Is this what happens if you don’t recruit Byleth in Scarlet Blaze? Cuz I just finished that route with Byleth on my side & this doesn’t happen.

[@dragonreaper9850]

& this is why I have save everyone mentality. Be a *bleep*hole get punished with sadness.

[@thenoblemaster5211]

Man I can't find the song that plays during Claude's speech this is pain

[@noahd395]

He shoulda betrayed the empire in his own route as well

[@worthywill9294]

Honestly facts

[@naylisyazwina6836]

@@worthywill9294 Yeah for real. I wish when Edelgard and the Empire almost died when the Kingdom attacked Garreg Mach, Claude left her to die. If Claude doesn't want to rule what's left of the Empire, then let Dimitri rule. Dimitri isn't even interested in uniting Fodlan. He cares a lot about chivalry. He wouldn't attack Leicester even if he has more land. Then Claude can rule Leicester and do his own thing. Invite Almyrans and be friendly with them. Trade between the countries etc The ending for Golden Wildfire sucked. Rhea is dead but Empire and Kingdom fight and fight and fight, there is no end. War is prolonged. Claude is smart enough, he should have seen it coming. If he let Edelgard die without his backup then the war would have ended. Then Claude can swoop in and attack the Kingdom that are tired from fighting the Empire and have a talk with Dimitri saying the talk about dismantling the church. Even Dimitri agrees with the idea

[@worthywill9294]

@@naylisyazwina6836 like almost nothing about Claude's route in 3hopes made sense.... It's arguably worse than scarlet blaze plot wise, just because of how poorly put together it was

[@elijahshaheed778]

I mean edelgard was going to conquer the alliance either thru war or political means that was discussed earlier right before they signed the agreement

[@santiagogaviriasuarez7541]

Conquer one place troughs political means it doesn’t mean is bad, also it would help Claude to return to Almyra and be the next king

[@endoprimario7235]

@@santiagogaviriasuarez7541 Claude Hopes has other plans, plans that involve governing more than "just fodlan".

[@santiagogaviriasuarez7541]

@@endoprimario7235 Corretion, Edelgard said she wanted to eradicate the power structure from Fodlan and the Claude answer that I doesn’t mean he want to govern the other countries is more like he wants to change the way of thinking of all the people and better relationships overall

[@naylisyazwina6836]

Yeah lol people acting like Edelgard would let Claude keep Leicester. She wants one big Empire with no Leicester

[@matthewoconnell2754]

The ultimate Claude speech couldn’t think of anything else well said Claude

[@shaneaycock9306]

1:53 Does anyone know what the name of this track is? I'm not sure where it is.

[@feaquil]

Silent Passion

[@blackthunder763]

What was his plan here? Kill Edelgard and Dimtri and then what? They made him dumb in this mission which doesn't make any sense for his character. He pretty much became a bloodthirsty leader in this mission

[@santiagogaviriasuarez7541]

Yeah the alliance has no power to conquer both kingdom and Empire

[@goroadachi9489]

Fair but with what Byleth probably told him, he probably just felt that he would be conquered no matter what he did. And to be fair even if Byleth said nothing Edelgard would have just conquered him anyway

[@serronserron1320]

The plan was to have the Imperial and Kingdom forces slaughter each other to the point where the victor would easily be defeated by the Alliance. The major leaders were all in this battle so with the heads cut off each faction would be crippled except for the Alliance.

[@crimson1million]

It’s not as bad as golden wildfire

[@goroadachi9489]

@@crimson1million He isn’t really that dumb in Golden Wildfire either. People kinda just blow it out of proportion.

[@tahishryuzaki4620]

Claude is like Rajendra 😂

[@moon4236]

Who is that and how is Claude like him?

[@olddog2706]

I didn't know they have support convo?!!

[@spiderlillycatacombs9705]

Empires always fall , history had taught us that countless times .

[@DarkAdonisVyers]

And temples filled with warrior monks burn. Your point?

[@esukgfjyijlgul5335]

​@@DarkAdonisVyers what do you think?

[@DarkAdonisVyers]

@@esukgfjyijlgul5335 I wasn't being rhetorical.

[@duyanhpham9227]

I wonder how exactly Byleth pulled this off what did he say? Maybe whispered hail hydra into his ear?

[@Eyro64]

Look I'm not gay but are we going to let Claude slide when he said think long and hard

[@chasemarion1210]

Does this actually happen or is it just cut content? If it does happen how do you cause it?

[@FazFaz]

Yes it does happen. Don’t recruit Byleth

[@nemostrangesonginthedirt8448]

I wonder if we get to see a female version of Byleth in this cutscene. It is very difficult to find it though. Anyone willing to link me it?

[@wanderlustwarrior]

The version of Byleth is chosen by the player. So you'd need to find someone who chose that.

[@willowball9286]

This is cool, I wish you could kill Claude more often.

[@pigeonleader]

Whats wrong with Claude🤨

[@willowball9286]

@@pigeonleader I love Claude, I just like being able to oppose characters as well as aid them because it creates interesting scenarios. Personally, I would like a scenario where I’m on the church’s side while Claude is your enemy because I think It would be fun.

[@dhisufiroafrozenseraphimdragon]

@@willowball9286 I wanted to kill Claude as Dimitri.

[@greendemon905]

Uhm... play Crimson Flower, I guess?

[@unownenjoyer4662]

I’m happy that you can give Claude his proper punishment for his killing of Randolph

[@CountShaman]

Claude may be out of control here, but who the hell cares about Randolph lol

[@nintendosega100]

@@CountShaman THIS. Every time I see this man he dies.

[@TheOmegaDragon]

@@CountShaman Fleche, his half sister

[@SomeAsian]

@@CountShaman "They killed Randolph again." "The dastards!"

[@HalaPokok2]

Respectfully: Randolph is barely relevant except as a plot piece in which that plot involves his death for another character to grow. Also, I see a lot of hate for Claude for killing Randolph, and it confuses me. Yes, he made a mistake, but was he maniacally saying "We're gonna let this man die"? He was saying during the battle in a conflicted manner "This is the only way." and then after Randolph dies he says mournfully he hoped to finish capturing the strongholds to then go and rescue the Imperial troops+Randolph. Yes, it was a poor choice, but he expressed he wanted to minimize casualties on his side (aka: he's fearful of losing his friends under his command/strategies and consequently feeling the same way he felt when he killed Shahid with his own arrow), and his friends reasonably had a stern talking with him about trusting them to survive. I think the events that unfolded gave enough insinuation of why Claude did what he did and that it came from a place of fear and uncertainty. He had his moment to grow and learn from that mistake, and he regrets letting it happen the way it did. "Proper punishment" isn't necessary.

[@patricksusulin9335]

"Your ambition will live on through me" said the one who only has a couple of years to live until another idiot throws all what she had worked for out in the gutter.

[@wanderlustwarrior]

If you recruit Lysithea you find out, both in the Lysithea/Ferdinand report, and the Edelgard/Lysithea/Hapi paralogue, that the Empire is going to all the TWSITD bases, rooting them out, and then researching ways to undo the damage they've done. Ferdinand says he, Hubert, Linhardt, Hanneman, and all the rest of the Empire's best minds are working together for it. So Edelgard and Lysithea's Crest Cancer is more likely to be fixed here than anywhere else. Plus, Edelgard says in most games that she will step down and make sure a fair leader takes over once she's done cementing her reforms.

[@patricksusulin9335]

@@wanderlustwarrior the weird part of it is that if the crest cancer can be cured. then why the hell did Edelgard went to war with the church who had absolutely no relation to crest experiments. didn't she hated crest because it caused her and her siblings suffering? and the ones who conducted these crest experiments are TWSITD? so if crest cancer can be cured why started a war as if she only had a limited time to see her ideals into fruition? when she could just 1 cure herself first, 2 fucking annihilate TWSITD for fucking up her childhood, and 3 just ascend the throne and say to the church "hey you know what crest is cool and all but if feel like I'm not gonna include the crest system in the my new empire's social hierarchy".

[@Waashoe]

I hate that this is only if you don’t get byleth

[@johnheuslerjr9623]

Does this happen in Scarlet Blaze?

[@FazFaz]

yes, if byleth isnt recruited

[@johnheuslerjr9623]

@@FazFaz Huh. So he doesn't betray Edelgard in the finale, but the Battle before that... Off Topic but... Is Shez the only one who can learn Appraise? Or can Byleth learn it too?

[@danielatortora3335]

There's no way to prevent this? Claude is my favorite!

[@FazFaz]

you can! as long as you recruit Byleth!

[@dork4202]

If you choose a specific tactic claude retreats instead of dies

[@jeffersongutierritos1992]

If there is, it should be deleted at once. Nothing better than finally making Funny Meme Man silent with your own hands. I hate Scarlet Blaze, but this specific scenario makes going through it worthwhile (Of course, I am referring during the kill Jeralt route. If you spare him, Claude lives, which the game determines as a better ending. But when I got the chance to kill him, I did it without hesitation. I'd also like to kill Edelgard, not sure if it's possible, but we'll find out as soon as I start Golden Wildfire)

[@Banjoisawesome]

So you don't recruit Byleth and you fight the Alliance.

[@FazFaz]

yes!

[@kelseycarlisle5319]

Wait what route is this?

[@FazFaz]

Scarlet Blaze if Byleth is not recruited

[@ElRojales]

Claude always came off as a weasel to me. Good riddance.

[@Somerandompokemon]

I love claude but this time.. he did something unforgivable

[@XMizzTuraX]

Yet again they butchered Claude’s character. He wouldn’t betray people like that. Which route is this? He stayed allied to Edelgard in GW AND the fact he keeps saying alliance. I’ve only completed GW so far and working through AG now

[@FazFaz]

Scarlet Blaze if Byleth is not recruited

[@XMizzTuraX]

@@FazFaz I might have to try that “route” when I play SB I keep recruiting her haha

[@waitselljones8068]

I've not played the game but his reasoning seems sound. Edelgard basically had a gun to their head and said "Hey, let's be friends... or else. Or else what? I dunno. But we should be friends"

[@endoprimario7235]

@@XMizzTuraX didn't golden wildfire claude tell his friends that once his alliance with the empire no longer benefits him he will betray her?

[@TheDeanofLean]

Claude would definitely betray president but he should be doing it in a smart way.

[@davidstone7257]

Is it just me or does it feel like byleth should only be recruited in GW. In AG and SB the story plays out in a way that makes more sense if you don’t, plus their paralouge is with leonie

[@santiagogaviriasuarez7541]

Honestly I felt that only in AG should not be recruited after all Jeralt doesn’t want to be near the archbishop