The house leader of the Black Eagles class in Fire Emblem: Three Houses is the most controversial of the bunch. Unlike Claude, who is clear cut, and Dimitri, who is just about universally condemned for his callous actions, Edelgard sits in a very gray area. Countless arguments have been made condemning or defending Edelgard’s methods for making a better Fódlan.
Some players argue that her actions were unwarranted. Other players argue she needed to take such drastic measures to make Fódlan a better place. Whichever side of the argument a player stands on, there are things most players will agree are good and bad about Edelgard.
10 Love: Her Goals Are Noble
Whether or not her actions are justified, her means are noble. She wants to make Fódlan a better place for everyone. She wishes to destroy the system that keeps crests in the spotlight and shuns everyone else.
For example, someone like Leonie would be better respected than someone like Hilda since Leonie works way harder. Also, big issues in the world of crests like disowning a noble for lack of a crest and forcing a second crest onto someone would most likely come to an end in the new world Edelgard wishes to create.
9 Can’t Stand: Shes A Fascist
Despite her goals to make Fódlan a better place, Edelgard doesn’t wish to get rid of feudalism (the governing system in Fódlan at the beginning of the game) in favor of democracy. Instead, she wants to create an imperialistic system based on merit.
While the system she wishes to create sounds good, it’s too idealistic to work in the long run. Merit is subjective, and unless there are actual checks and balances, there’s no one to stop the system from becoming as corrupt as feudalism.
8 Love: She Changes The World For The Better
No matter what route is taken, the result of the war she starts is pretty much the same. In all of the routes except her own, Byleth comes to power and rules Fódlan as a kind and caring leader. In Edelgard’s route, she takes on the role of leading Fódlan while Byleth usually helps her in the background.
Although the war is terrible and takes many lives, it does create a unified country that is better for everyone to live in. Those Who Slither In The Dark are defeated as well thanks to the war, so Fódlan is finally able to be at true peace, and it’s because of her.
7 Can’t Stand: She Has Questionable Allies
Edelgard allies with Those Who Slither In The Dark. They are the ones who wish to destroy humanity and Fódlan. They were the reason for most of Fódlan’s problems, so Edelgard using them to further her own cause is wrong.
She sees them as a necessary evil, but they are the ones that killed Jeralt. While she was not directly involved, she doesn’t make any attempt to stop them or scorn them for their actions.
6 Love: She Doesn’t Get Mad For Fighting Her
Edelgard is surprisingly understanding of Byleth and the other students for not joining in her crusade. When Byleth has to decide whether or not to fight her and chooses to do so, Edelgard accepts that choice. Even when the other students stand with Byleth, Edelgard still doesn’t get upset or angry. She’s respectful to her friends turned enemies.
Edelgard understands that what she is doing is wrong, at least when it comes to her actions. It’s hard to fully hate someone who is just trying to do the right thing through questionable actions (not that it makes it right, of course).
5 Can’t Stand: She’s Insensitive
Although she is understanding of Byleth and others when it comes to fighting her, when it comes to emotions, she seems rather insensitive. One of the scenes where this is shown is when she talks one-on-one with Byleth after his/her father is killed.
In that scene, it is only a few days after Jeralt dies, and Byleth is in his room. Edelgard comes in and basically tells Byleth to get over it and get back out there. A lot has happened to Edelgard, but she seems so uncaring about Byleth’s loss that it is aggravating to watch.
4 Love: Supportive Of Others
Although she can be insensitive in some social situations, in others that insensitivity can be a good push for someone. Since she went through the same horrible thing Lysithea went through, she is very supportive of her. In their support conversations, Edelgard wants to help Lysithea through her issues.
She also pushes the other students that need it, like Linhardt. She wants them all to succeed, and it shows throughout her support conversations.
3 Can’t Stand: She Refuses To Change
Watching Dimitri, the guy that promised time and again to destroy Edelgard, reach out his hand to pick Edelgard up is one of the most touching moments in the game. Watching Edelgard throw a knife in his shoulder is one of the most heart-wrenching. It showed the difference between the two. Dimitri was willing to change, but Edelgard was not.
Edelgard only thought fighting and killing would achieve peace, whereas Dimitri learned that only through kind gestures can peace be created. It doesn’t mean Edelgard is a bad person; it’s just frustrating that Edelgard can’t be saved in the other routes because she refuses to back down.
2 Love: Her Leadership
She is a better leader than the other two house leaders. Claude is intelligent and cunning, but not very down to earth. He depends on schemes that are high risk, high reward. Meanwhile, Dimitri is an unhinged killing machine. Edelgard is calm and collected, and she uses tried and true military tactics to fight the enemy.
She brings a mix of straightforward and cunning attacks; she doesn’t just focus on one or the other like Claude and Dimitri. She also gave a great speech during her declaration of war against the church.
1 Can’t Stand: She Doesn’t Trust Anyone
If Byleth chooses to join her, she doesn’t believe it and asks again if s/he is sure. With her classmates, she also has a hard time believing them. She doesn’t tell the others (except Hubert) much of anything when it comes to her plans.
Also, she starts a war instead of talking things out. For some reason, she doesn’t trust that change can happen unless she fights for it. This could very well be the truth, but she doesn’t even try. Instead, she gives her support to people who have harassed Fódlan for years and starts a war.
