I didn't think I could fit my thoughts on Edelgard into my previous blog post without it getting even longer than it already was, so I decided to make a new one! 
I think it goes without saying that everything beyond this point in this post will contain heavy spoilers
As previously touched on in my other blog post, Edelgard's character arc was one of the most interesting and unique parts about playing three houses this year. It's not often that we play a 60 hour RPG sided with the supposed villain of the story and while you don't have to side with Edelgard, I think it helped drive the story in a more interesting direction comparatively with the other routes (though it being the shortest of the 4 possible routes certainly hampers the experience a bit.)
Edelgard's character revels in the moral grey, her every action driven by a single-minded pursuit for a world where all people are equal regardless of their name, crest(something bestowed upon them by the goddess) or lineage. Where the Emporer is not chosen through their bloodline but rather their contributions to the world at large. This idea of a meritocracy is certainly not a new or revolutionary concept but when considered in the context of the feudalist country in which the story takes place it sets up a rather unique conflict between the Church and the Adrestian Empire. However, because she would do anything to achieve this dream, Edelgard killed many innocent lives along the way and sided with an evil capable of destroying entire cities (as is done to Arianrhod because of Edelgard's defiance), it's difficult to argue that many lives would not have died by the end of her story had it not been for Edelgard and her dream. So we are left always asking, through the use of our own moral compasses, if what we did was the right thing or if there was a better way. And no two people will end up at the same conclusion. Edelgard's actions and the context of the world in which she lives gives a perfect playground for discussion about the ethics of war and the lines we must never or can cross, it's the ability discuss and disagree on her actions that make El so interesting to me and while I ultimately thought her decisions were the right ones I never considered them the most agreeable. Furthermore, when this is taken in with her backstory of abuse as a test subject to create a human capable of bearing two crests and all of her lost siblings in the process, as well as her now shortened lifespan (which also explains why she is so hasty), it's hard not to see where she's coming from. Edelgard wants a world where no one must experience the pain and suffering that she has and is extremely selfless in that respect, her concern has been and always will be the condition of her people. Through her A supports with character's like Caspar and Dorothea we get see a side to her where she values the person they are far more than their lineage (especially in Caspar's case in which it relates to him becoming a military general.) So when Edelgard does slaughter the lives of innocents, even then I found myself understanding of it if it meant a better world. I got caught up in her dream.
This isn't to say Edelgard isn't without her flaws, she can be extremely impatient about acting in war and often times is rash and callous. But it is through the efforts of her teacher that she never forgets her humanity, unlike in the other routes where without the guiding hand she falls deeper and deeper into depravity much like Dmitri. Villains are at their best in my eyes when they're still human and we can understand them. Ardyn needed a DLC and a book to achieve the same effect in FF XV.
That's about it though, Edelgard was a really compelling character to me throughout my playtime and I can definitely understand why many hate her guts, but, I can never bring myself to feel the same. I've always felt that Edelgard's dream was the brightest of the three lords and her strong approach made it feel all the more realisable.
I think it goes without saying that everything beyond this point in this post will contain heavy spoilers
As previously touched on in my other blog post, Edelgard's character arc was one of the most interesting and unique parts about playing three houses this year. It's not often that we play a 60 hour RPG sided with the supposed villain of the story and while you don't have to side with Edelgard, I think it helped drive the story in a more interesting direction comparatively with the other routes (though it being the shortest of the 4 possible routes certainly hampers the experience a bit.)
Edelgard's character revels in the moral grey, her every action driven by a single-minded pursuit for a world where all people are equal regardless of their name, crest(something bestowed upon them by the goddess) or lineage. Where the Emporer is not chosen through their bloodline but rather their contributions to the world at large. This idea of a meritocracy is certainly not a new or revolutionary concept but when considered in the context of the feudalist country in which the story takes place it sets up a rather unique conflict between the Church and the Adrestian Empire. However, because she would do anything to achieve this dream, Edelgard killed many innocent lives along the way and sided with an evil capable of destroying entire cities (as is done to Arianrhod because of Edelgard's defiance), it's difficult to argue that many lives would not have died by the end of her story had it not been for Edelgard and her dream. So we are left always asking, through the use of our own moral compasses, if what we did was the right thing or if there was a better way. And no two people will end up at the same conclusion. Edelgard's actions and the context of the world in which she lives gives a perfect playground for discussion about the ethics of war and the lines we must never or can cross, it's the ability discuss and disagree on her actions that make El so interesting to me and while I ultimately thought her decisions were the right ones I never considered them the most agreeable. Furthermore, when this is taken in with her backstory of abuse as a test subject to create a human capable of bearing two crests and all of her lost siblings in the process, as well as her now shortened lifespan (which also explains why she is so hasty), it's hard not to see where she's coming from. Edelgard wants a world where no one must experience the pain and suffering that she has and is extremely selfless in that respect, her concern has been and always will be the condition of her people. Through her A supports with character's like Caspar and Dorothea we get see a side to her where she values the person they are far more than their lineage (especially in Caspar's case in which it relates to him becoming a military general.) So when Edelgard does slaughter the lives of innocents, even then I found myself understanding of it if it meant a better world. I got caught up in her dream.
This isn't to say Edelgard isn't without her flaws, she can be extremely impatient about acting in war and often times is rash and callous. But it is through the efforts of her teacher that she never forgets her humanity, unlike in the other routes where without the guiding hand she falls deeper and deeper into depravity much like Dmitri. Villains are at their best in my eyes when they're still human and we can understand them. Ardyn needed a DLC and a book to achieve the same effect in FF XV.
That's about it though, Edelgard was a really compelling character to me throughout my playtime and I can definitely understand why many hate her guts, but, I can never bring myself to feel the same. I've always felt that Edelgard's dream was the brightest of the three lords and her strong approach made it feel all the more realisable.
