Edelgard

"People believe Crests are blessings from the Goddess, that they are necessary to maintain order in Fódlan. But the people are wrong. Crests are to blame for this brutal, irrational world we live in."

- Edelgard speaking with Byleth

Edelgard is a playable character and one of the protagonists in Fire Emblem: Three Houses. She is the princess and the future emperor of the Adrestian Empire. She possesses a minor Crest of Seiros. In the Officers Academy, she is the leader of the Black Eagles. Edelgard is 17 at the start of the game and wields axes as her main weapon.

Early life
Born in Imperial Year 1162, Edelgard is the ninth child of Emperor Ionius IX, the princess and heir to the Adrestian Empire, and a student at the Officers Academy in Garreg Mach Monastery. She is also the house leader of the Black Eagles.

In Imperial Year 1171, at the age of 9, she and her mother, Patricia, were taken by her uncle, Lord Volkhard von Arundel, to Fhirdiad in the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus during the Insurrection of the Seven. Volkhard was one of the key conspirators against Edelgard's father, and with his help Duke Aegir stripped the emperor of much of his power. Though her mother eventually married King Lambert, Edelgard continued to live with her uncle.

She later met and befriended Dimitri, the crown prince of Faerghus, though he did not learn that she was his step-sister until years afterward. The two spent much time together with Edelgard teaching him how to dance. Edelgard returned to the Empire in 1174 without her mother. Before she departed, Dimitri gifted her a dagger, which she held onto since, but forgot how she obtained it.

Edelgard's childhood afterward was much more traumatic. Upon her return to the Empire, she soon found that her father had been reduced to nothing more than a political puppet. Alongside her ten siblings, she was subjected to painful Crest experiments by Those Who Slither in the Dark with the support of the Adrestian nobles. Though her father objected, he could do nothing to stop them. As a result, most of her siblings were driven mad from the experiments or died from exhaustion. By the end of it all, only Edelgard was able to survive and retain her sanity, leaving her the sole success. As a result she bore a second Crest, the Crest of Flames, however the second crest turned her hair white.

These events would forever color her view of Crests, the Church of Seiros, and the caste system of Fódlan.

Academy phase
In 1180, she arrived at Garreg Mach Monastery to complete her education, and was resolved to reclaim what her father had lost. Her admittance marked the first time in ages since a member of the Hresvelg family sent a member to the Officer's Academy. She would soon become the House Leader of the Black Eagles.

Sometime before meeting Byleth, Edelgard took on the guise of the Flame Emperor. The suit used Agarthan technology to heavily distort her voice to protect her true identity. As the Flame Emperor, she employed bandits led by Kostas in an effort to kill as many students as possible during a training exercise --among them Claude and Dimitri. However, this endeavor failed due to Byleth's and Jeralt's intervention. After being saved by Byleth, she came to hold interest towards them while also staying cautious. She formed an alliance of convenience with Those Who Slither in the Dark, as they both oppose the church, though she despises them for their callous attitude towards collateral damage. During the attack on Remire Village, as the Flame Emperor, she encounters Byleth and Jeralt and offers an alliance. When Byleth refuses, the Emperor had expected the reaction but warns about their decisions in the future. Should Byleth accept, the Emperor will accuse them of lying.

Within the school year, she asks the students of the Officers Academy to hold a reunion five years later on the eve of the monastery's millennium festival. Eventually, she convinces Ionius IX to abdicate and assumes the Adrestian throne, an event Byleth can witness if they are her professor.

After being unmasked as the Flame Emperor in the Holy Tomb (or in the Black Eagles route, throwing away her identity as the Flame Emperor herself), Edelgard formally declares war on the Church. She launches a full-scale invasion of Garreg Mach Monastery, and the monastery is overrun and Byleth goes missing.

Crimson Flower
If Byleth chooses to desert the Church to remain with Edelgard, she and Hubert are extremely grateful for their assistance. Edelgard organizes her former classmates into an elite task force known as the Black Eagle Strike Force. However during the battle, before Rhea retreats, she incapacitates Byleth, who then ends up being missing in action after the battle. After the Battle of Garreg Mach, Archbishop Rhea takes refuge in Fhirdiad and Edelgard spends the next five years locked in a bitter stalemate with the Kingdom and the Alliance.

Eventually, Byleth returns in Imperial Year 1185 on the day that would have been the Millennium Festival. Byleth encounters Edelgard, who returned to Garreg Mach and is shocked and overjoyed to see them again. After bringing them up to speed, she reintroduces Byleth to the Black Eagle Strike Force. With Byleth's aid, Edelgard is swiftly able to conquer Leicester, eventually defeating Claude and his forces at Derdriu. Edelgard and Byleth had the decision to spare or execute Claude. She was surprised that Claude had considered all possibilities after the battle. If Claude was spared, he decided to meet Edelgard one more time, and asked her to take care of his former classmates and bring peace to Fódlan, which she agreed to.

The Church then attempts an attack on Garreg Mach to recapture it. While Rhea and Catherine distract most of the enemy forces, an expeditionary force led by Seteth attempt to sneak in, but are discovered by Edelgard and her strike force. They are quickly repelled, and the Church retreats following their defeat. However, both Randolph and Ladislava are killed during the battle with the main army, along with numerous other casualties. Despite the losses, Edelgard continues her campaign against the Church, planning an attack on Fhirdiad, although she informs Byleth they are taking a short detour to Arianrhod first.

The reason for attacking Arianrhod is because Cornelia is actually a member of those who slither in the dark. The siege is a success, with Arianrhod captured and Cornelia killed. However, in response for killing Cornelia, her uncle sends "javelins of light" to flatten the city. Aware that those who slither in the dark were responsible for the attack, Edelgard, under Hubert's advice, only lets Byleth know, while claiming to the others that the "javelins" were created by the Church and that they must continue their march to Fhirdiad.

However, news of an Almyran army at Fódlan's Throat forces Edelgard to take her strike force there and defend the fortress as no other units can be spared. Edelgard defeats Nader, the enemy commander, forcing the Almyrans to retreat. Duke Goneril then entrusts Edelgard to protect the fortress, and she stations a group of soldiers there to defend it.

Now heading to the Tailtean Plains, Dimitri intercepts the Imperial Army, while waiting for Rhea's forces to arrive as they are late due to poor weather. In the ensuing battle, Dimitri is defeated and Rhea's forces are routed. Dimitri vows vengeance on Edelgard for all the pain she has caused; in response, she executes him. Following the aftermath of the battle, Edelgard expresses surprise with Rhea's tactical skills, and mourns Dimitri's death, since her uncle was responsible for warping him into nothing more than a vengeful king.

The group finally arrives in Fhirdiad. Edelgard orders the Church to surrender and be spared. The Church does not respond, prompting Hubert to state that they should attack. The group then hears a roar as Rhea transforms into the Immaculate One, and learns that she has ordered the city to be burned, much to Edelgard's disgust. Prior to the battle, she assembles the Black Eagle Strike Force and tells them not to die so they could all see the future she plans to bring at war's end. Edelgard, Byleth, and the Black Eagle Strike Force engage her in battle. Ultimately, the Empire emerges victorious and Rhea is slain. Following Rhea's death, Byleth collapses and apparently dies due to the strain of their Crest, much to Edelgard's initial horror. However, the Crest soon dissipates and their heart starts beating again, much to Edelgard's delight.

With all of Fódlan under Adrestia's dominion, Edelgard finally begins the reforms she always wanted to bring to the nobility and the Crest system and begins a silent war against "those who slither in the dark".

Silver Snow
On the day of millennium festival, Edelgard returns to Garreg Mach and encounters Byleth. She asks them to join the empire alongside her, but Byleth refuses. Lamenting over the fact that they are now enemies, the two briefly cross swords, with Edelgard noting that the next time they cross, it would be the end for one of them.

After palace is successfully captured, she accepts her defeat by Byleth's hands and asks them to grant her an honorable death. Right before Byleth's blade cuts her down, her last words are of how she wishes they could’ve walked their path together.

Azure Moon
The evening of the Ball, the Flame Emperor is seen conversing with Thales. When The Flame Emperor teleports, a dagger is left behind, one that Dimitri recognizes. In the Holy Tomb, the revelation that Edelgard is the Flame Emperor causes Dimitri to snap, immediately slaughtering her accompanying troops with utter brutality. Though forced to retreat, with her identity now revealed, Edelgard formally ascends the throne of the Adrestian Empire and declares war on the Church of Seiros. Her first battle involves her forces attacking Garreg Mach Monastery. Though the students and Knights of Seiros are able to repel the initial wave, more soldiers arrive, now with Demonic Beasts under Empire command. As a result of this, Rhea, despite transforming into a Dragon, is captured and imprisoned in the Empire while Byleth goes missing.

Over five years, the Adrestian Empire has gained control of the Monastery, sending most of the Knights of Seiros into hiding. Dimitri is ousted from his rightful place as heir to the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus and forced into hiding while a woman by the name of Cornelia becomes Queen and aligns with the Empire, making Faerghus a puppet country.

By 1185, Adrestia has all but conquered all of Fódlan. However, Byleth reappears after their five year disappearance and is able to find Dimitri. In Great Tree Moon 1185, the armies of the Adrestian Empire, the Faerghus rebel army accompanied by the Knights of Seiros, and the Leicester Alliance meet at Gronder Field much like the mock battle held at the Academy five years prior. Edelgard personally leads the Adrestian forces, but is eventually defeated by Byleth and Dimitri, forcing her to retreat. As she gathers her troops, especially once Dimitri reclaims Faerghus from Cornelia and after he captures Fort Merceus, she receives a message from Dimitri to meet him in private. Accompanied by Hubert, she converses with Dimitri about their past. Though the prince tries to see eye to eye with her, she refuses to give up her ambitions. At an impasse, Dimitri returns the dagger she dropped five years ago, the one he had gifted her when they were children. The two depart, but acknowledge the next time they would meet would be in battle as enemies.

During the Verdant Rain Moon, 1185, the Kingdom of Faerghus invades the capital of Adrestia, Enbarr, killing Hubert. Left with the Adrestian Castle as her only defense, she willingly unleashes the power of her two Crests, transforming her into a Hegemon Husk, a monstrosity of immense power in a last ditch effort to stop Byleth, Dimitri, and their army. Despite her fierce attacks, her loyal soldiers who are willing to give their lives for her, and a few agents of those who slither in the dark, she is eventually defeated by them. As her monster form dissipates, Dimitri offers his hand to the weakened emperor. Edelgard refuses to accept his mercy, meeting his response with silence as she silently grabs her dagger underneath her cloak and throws it at his shoulder. Dimitri instinctively impales her heart with Areadbhar in response, killing her. With her death, Adrestia merges into the now united Fódlan under the rule of its first united ruler, King Dimitri.

Verdant Wind
If the Golden Deer's path is chosen, she is defeated by the combined forces of the Knights of Seiros, the Alliance and Almyra military. She accepts her defeat by Byleth's hands and asks them to grant her an honorable death. Right before Byleth's blade cuts her down, her last words are of how she wishes they could’ve walked their path together.

Personality
Edelgard holds herself with a dignified air, but full of melancholy and solemn wistfulness. As heir of the Adrestian Empire, she is an exemplary student and a natural leader. She keeps a modest front, rarely cutting loose and maintains formality. Her colleagues express great surprise whenever she does relax. While generally a private person, she does recognize the importance of her duties and expresses confidence and faith in the abilities of her allies.

She is a capable dancer, having taught Dimitri at a young age and has a talent for drawing portraits, though she is embarrassed to show them to others. She has a personal nickname, El, of whom she only allows very close individuals, namely family, to call her.

Though she tries to keep it a secret, Edelgard is deathly afraid of rats, and also fears the ocean since she cannot swim.

Edelgard is far more complex than she initially appears as she is ambitious, cunning, and ruthless. There are few lines, if any, that she is unwilling to cross in order to achieve her objectives. She is willing to sacrifice others for the greater good, ally with people she despises if it will give her an advantage, and manipulate others for the sake of her goals. She is responsible for or at least accomplice to many of the schemes that occur before and during the Academy Phase of the game, although outwardly she feigns ignorance. While she is allied with Those Who Slither in the Dark, she does so begrudgingly and expresses no grievances for their deaths, even planning on betraying them immediately after her war is over.

Edelgard strongly believes that the ends will justify the means if she were to win the war, as she despises the structure of Fódlan society and believes that someone needed to put an end to it, stating in the Azure Moon route that she went to war after weighing all options and determined that it would be much faster with far fewer casualties than to continue on in the continent's current state. She also does not desire to remain Emperor for too long as according to a tea time conversation with her, Edelgard states she has no intention of handing the throne to any children she might have, instead planning to pass it on to someone brilliant and kind, which she readily does so in many of her shared endings.

Dimitri has had a significant impact on her life as the two are step-siblings when her mother Patricia married King Lambert. In their childhood, neither were aware of their relationship to each other, but they were close nonetheless, with Dimitri affectionately calling her "El" which only those particularly close to her are allowed to call her. Dimitri gifted her a dagger which she held well into the present, which was symbolically meant to tell her to carve out her own ideals and face the numerous hardships she had to endure up until the present. If met at the Goddess Tower during the Academy Phase, she admits that her first love was a Faerghus noble who she can't recall, implied to be Dimitri. Despite her past feelings towards him, it's heavily implied for most of the game that Edelgard no longer remembers Dimitri nor that he gifted her the dagger, and even then, it does not spare him from her ambitions as she is willing to sacrifice him as early as the Prologue to gain an advantage in her plans and is the one to personally execute him in the Crimson Flower route, albeit begrudgingly. In the Azure Moon route, she accepts Dimitri's invitation to parley on a whim. While she refuses to end the war peacefully, she is nonetheless able to express her gratitude to him for the dagger and the strength it provided her when he reminds her that it was a parting gift from him.

In truth, Edelgard's personality and ambitions are a result of tragedies that painted her view of the world. The traumatic imprisonment of her siblings and herself due to the experiments of Those Who Slither in the Dark created her hatred of Crests. She also despises most nobility, especially the Adrestian Nobles, as they are partially responsible for the circumstances leading to said experiments, but also due to the fact that Crests are used as societal leverage by most nobles as a sign of their prestige when they themselves have shown nothing worthy to earn such respect. She even shows sympathy and pity to Miklan, whom she praises for becoming a leader despite being disowned and leading a group of bandits, calling his death "a waste". One of her main goals is to dismantle the current nobility system and having the people earn their position by merit rather than birthright, which she achieves in her ending in the Crimson Flower path.

Edelgard's strong opposition against the Church is due to a combination of the tragedy she experienced from the Insurrection of the Seven along with the knowledge her father passed down to her regarding the truth of the War of Heroes, which had been passed down from emperor to emperor since Wilhelm.

Though the story lacked context in regards to the war, due to the length of said war and the amount of information Rhea had shared with Wilhelm back then, the story, on its own, already contradicted the Church teachings. Any information toward the truth would only be known by Rhea, the Four Saints, and Those Who Slither in the Dark, all of whom took great lengths to hide the truth.

Bearing knowledge of secrets that was unable to be shared to others due to the immense contradiction of the commonly held teachings, understanding of how the hypocrisy of the Church's teachings promoted Crests into the nobility system that allowed corrupt people like the nobles in the Insurrection, as well as causing suffering for many others that lacked Crests, as well as the position Edelgard held in Adrestia due to the Insurrection, Edelgard believed that the only path that can invoke true change and open the people's eyes was to start a war.

Despite this, Edelgard expresses fear and anxiety over the choice should Byleth side with her in Crimson Flower, as she understands that the lives that will be lost would be all her fault. This is proven further when Randolph dies during Crimson Flower, and how she laments that another life is lost in the war because of her choices. She even mourned Dimitri's death, lamenting how she could not save him from Thales's manipulation. Dimitri's death struck her to the point that Byleth questioned if Edelgard was crying, to which Edelgard denied, claiming that the Edelgard who cried had perished years ago.

Despite her animosity with the Church, she does not dismiss spirituality as a whole on the Crimson Flower path. While she does not care for it, her supports with Manuela showcase a willingness to at least understand why people are devoted to religion. She herself admits that she has not made an enemy of the faith itself, but Rhea, and a few the Crimson Flower endings reveal that the Church has been restored, albeit under the Empire's supervision. This is not the case on the other routes, where her intolerance leads all worshipers to flee any territory under her control due to her opposing their worship. Ultimately she believes that humanity is strong enough to create their own future without the need of a higher being to dictate it.

Edelgard's relationship with Byleth greatly affects her personality and fate in the war. If Byleth sides with her, Edelgard admits in a support that she feared that she would have become "a harsh ruler with a heart of ice" if she had to walk her path alone. In the other routes where she is not taught by them or where Byleth sides with the church against her, she becomes exactly so, even willing to become a literal monster in the Azure Moon route for the sake of her ambitions. Even defeated and weakened, she stubbornly chooses to attack Dimitri with the very dagger he gave to her, prompting him to kill her. However, should they choose to support her into the Crimson Flower Route, she has a far easier time expressing kindness and regret over her actions over the course of the game. She will opt to force her enemies to surrender instead of wiping them all out, where she even offered to spare Rhea and the Church if they surrendered. She also has several fleeting moments of peace and happiness, even drawing a portrait of Byleth, though she will hide and try to deny it when they catch a glimpse of it.

That attachment towards Byleth is even greater than that of the other house leaders. In the Black Eagles route, she makes several attempts to get Byleth to understand her world view, even as Hubert advised her that would not be wise. She also invites Byleth to her coronation. In the Crimson Flower route, Dorothea notes that among the Black Eagles, Edelgard was the most emotionally affected by Byleth's disappearance. Edelgard's fondness for Byleth goes so far as to encourage Byleth to call her El and even let Byleth give her orders on the battlefield despite her hatred of not being in control. Should they obtain an S-Support, Edelgard will ask for Byleth's hand in marriage, stating that she needs them. In the other routes, Edelgard shows regret that the Byleth did not join her cause. This is especially prominent in the Azure Moon route, where as a Hegemon Husk she shows regret in attacking them, even stating that she feels weak facing them.

Rivalry of the Houses

 * -|Normal=


 * -|Hard=


 * -|Maddening=


 * Weapon rank is D in the Golden Deer route.

Battle of the Eagle and Lion

 * -|Normal=


 * -|Hard=


 * -|Maddening=

Conflict in the Holy Tomb

 * -|Normal=


 * -|Hard=


 * -|Maddening=

The Battle of Garreg Mach

 * -|Normal=


 * -|Hard=


 * -|Maddening=

To War at Gronder

 * -|Normal=


 * -|Hard=


 * -|Maddening=

Confrontation at the Palace

 * -|Normal=


 * -|Hard=


 * -|Maddening=

Infernal Clash at the Capital

 * -|Normal=


 * -|Hard=


 * -|Maddening=

Growth Rates

 * 40%
 * 55%
 * 45%
 * 45%
 * 40%
 * 30%
 * 35%
 * 35%
 * 60%
 * }

Maximum Stats

 * 81
 * 81
 * 72
 * 61
 * 57
 * 42
 * 61
 * 47
 * 85
 * }

Learnt Magic

 * D
 * Fire
 * Heal
 * D+
 * Nosferatu
 * C
 * Bolganone
 * Recover
 * C+
 * B
 * Luna Λ
 * Seraphim
 * B+
 * A
 * Hades Ω
 * A+
 * }
 * Luna Λ
 * Seraphim
 * B+
 * A
 * Hades Ω
 * A+
 * }
 * A
 * Hades Ω
 * A+
 * }
 * A+
 * }
 * }
 * }

Overall
Edelgard serves as a slow powerhouse compared to Dimitri or Claude, having excellent synergy with various axe-wielding classes that let her dish out an immense amount of punishment. Her speed and dexterity aren't bad either, and she even has a good magic growth rate, though her unique classes don't allow the use of magic (although they allow her to use magic weapons like a Bolt Axe or the Lightning Axe Combat Art effectively). She also has the highest Charm growth in the game, making her one of the most powerful Gambit users. Her defensive growths might seem average (in particular, her HP growth isn't stellar, though it's serviceable), but given that she will likely be put into Axe-based classes, she can usually become quite durable. Her only below-average growth rate is Luck, which isn't too problematic.

Edelgard can experience an unexpected dip in performance once she becomes an Armored Lord, as it raises HP, Defense, and Charm at the cost of Speed. Without any bonuses to Strength and with a Speed penalty, she may fail to double-strike or defeat enemies she could before. Unless the player wants Edelgard to have the Armored Lord mastery skill, Pomp & Circumstance, Fortress Knight may be preferred. It is considerably better than the Armored Lord in direct combat, offering substantially more HP and Defense, and despite the larger Speed penalty a higher effective Attack Speed because of the inherent Weight -5. Fortress Knight does lack a Charm bonus as well as the Charm class skill.

Edelgard is a very capable magic unit. She is one of three units who learns Dark magic, and is unique for learning a mix of Dark and Black magic. Her Budding Talent in Reason will give her Black Magic Critical +10; unfortunately this only benefits Fire and Bolganone, which have no base critical chance. Upon reaching S+ in Reason, she will learn Dark Tomefaire and Dark Magic Range +1, which will only work for her other two spells, Luna Λ and Hades Ω. These are two of the most powerful spells in the game, with Luna Λ ignoring enemy Rsl and Hades Ω boasting the highest Mt of any playable Reason spell. Dark Knight would give her Tomefaire for both of her Reason magic types, but she lacks any affinity for Lances or Riding. Thanks to her strengths in Sword and Reason, she can be a very strong candidate for the Mortal Savant, which has passive Black Tomefaire, so she will have -faire skills for both kinds of reason magic, though the class will reduce her Speed. Like any other female magic user, Gremory is an exceptional class for her, but requires extensive treatment of her Faith weakness. Such an effort would be rewarded with Recover and Seraphim, giving Edelgard utility and effectiveness against monsters. Note that in her personal classes Edelgard cannot cast magic, and training as a magic unit for a long time will affect her growths and skill suite. Unless one wants her to stay a magic unit to the end, avoid wasting time in developing Edelgard's magic.

Much like other physical characters, Edelgard should strive to acquire certain classes and abilities, such as Brigand for Death Blow or Fortress Knight for Pavise. Some skills that can prove highly beneficial to her include Aegis from Paladin to give her better protection against magic, Vantage from Mercenary to let her punish enemy attackers, especially so if she also uses Wrath from the Warrior class, and Darting Blow from Pegasus Knight to try and offset any speed issues she may run into. Though she has a weakness in Bow, mastering Archer for Hit +20 would still be very helpful to address accuracy issues. If going for a magical build, mastering Mage is essential for Fiendish Blow. Instructing her in the Flying skill will also be highly beneficial, as it will grant her access to the Wyvern Rider and Wyvern Lord class and their outstanding growth rates, which combine offensive prowess and excellent durability with outstanding mobility and thus make a better alternative to the slower armored classes. The Canto skill of these classes also combine very well with her personal relic Aymr, which gives her an extra turn after using its combat art - after making her canto move. This makes it possible for Edelgard to end a map in a single turn if the enemies are properly spaced so that she can bounce from enemy to enemy until she reaches the boss, evoking Galeforce sweepers from previous titles (note that this will quickly burn through Aymr's durability). This strategy can be further aided with support from Rallying and Special Dancing.

Overall, Edelgard lives up to her Lord status as a powerhouse that can smash through just about anything thrown at her and come out intact. While Dimitri may have more raw damage output and physical bulk, and Claude is both faster and more accurate, neither of them have Edelgard's toughness against both physical and magical attacks. Along with being a solid tank, she can also dish out some devastating hits, and is the most suitable mage candidate of the three Lords.

Supports

 * Byleth
 * Hubert
 * Ferdinand
 * Linhardt
 * Caspar
 * Bernadetta
 * Dorothea
 * Petra
 * Lysithea
 * Hanneman
 * Manuela
 * Constance

Fire Emblem Heroes

 * -|Original=
 * The Future
 * Princess and heir apparent of the Adrestian Empire. Her steadfast ambition is veiled by her elegant, self-confident demeanor. Appears in Fire Emblem: Three Houses.

Base Stats
Rarity: ✯✯✯✯✯

Base Set
Edelgard is an axe infantry unit who is far more aggressive than her base stats may suggest. She has fantastic Atk and physical bulk for dueling many direct combat units, though at the cost of middling Spd and low Res. She is a potent frontline attacker and can lead the charge against her foes, sometimes even overcoming a color disadvantage if the enemy engages her improperly.

Her Victorious Axe is the reason why she needs to be engaged carefully. On top of its special cooldown acceleration, it also grants her an guaranteed follow-up attack if, within two spaces of her, the number of enemies equal or exceed the number of her allies. Edelgard prefers to be left away from her allies to make usage of this effect and her other base kit skills compliment this.

This is due to both Attack Defense Solo and Rouse Attack Defense. The former grants her a +6 Atk/Def boost during combat if she is not adjacent to an ally while the latter gives her a visible +6 Atk/Def boost if she does not start her turn next to an ally. With both active, she reaches a fantastic neutral 67 Atk and 49 Def, making her nearly impervious to all physical assaults while decimating her opponent if she is able to attack them.

Luna is a slow charging, but powerful special that ignores 50% of enemy Def when it activates, allowing her to smash through the bulkiest of opponents. Finally Dull Close removes enemy visible buffs, forcing them to face her already high Def head on without their stat assistance.

Counters
Edelgard is more of a victim of formations, thus manipulating the opponent's units to prevent her Axe's effect from taking effect weakens her somewhat. Facing her with physical units will generally not end well for that unit, even some sword units can be killed by her. Only some of the bulkiest Red units can hope to take a hit from her safely with her skills active like the Black Knight or Laegjarn. Few choose to run Distant Counter on her and her Res is low enough that she dies from most if not all Mage attacks, making them her best counter so long as they get to her first. Dragons can counter her effectively since they can exploit her lower Res, but she in turn can smash them if they are not prepared. Idunn and Halloween Myrrh carry bulk to take her hits with their color advantage and make usage of their magic damage. Finally, staff users can also easily annihilate her so long as they carry Wrathful Staff somewhere in their kit.

Skill Inheritance
Edelgard has a workable base kit that mainly requires a support skill and she is a rarity that Smite is a better Support option on her than the standard Reposition as she is better off keeping allies away from her to keep her Atk/Def boosting passive skills active.

Edelgard's Special can be replaced with the likes of Galeforce to put her offense into overdrive, Bonfire to take full advantage of her Def boost, which is especially useful to have when it is her boon, or Aether to give her solid self-healing on top her damage output. Skill B can be replaced with a host of skills like Desperation, Null Follow-Up, Hit and Run, Chill Defense, and Wrath for whatever offensive prowess boost you can give to her.

Three Houses

 * Edelgard/Quotes

Heroes

 * Edelgard/Heroes Quotes

Three Houses
Edelgard - Flame Emperor
 * As the new Adrestian emperor, Edelgard dedicated her life to reshaping the delicate political structure of Fódlan. With tireless work and great sacrifice, she reformed the class system to ensure a free and independent society for all. In her later years, she entrusted her life's work to a worthy successor before finally vanishing from the public eye.

Edelgard and Byleth
 * Byleth and Edelgard ended the tyranny of a godlike being. Byleth was wounded and lost the power of the progenitor god, but it mattered not, as s/he and Edelgard had each other. To ensure lasting peace, the two fought against those who slither in the dark, and to ensure a society where people can rise and fall by their own merits, they spent their lives reforming the antiquated class system. They achieved much in their time together, and it is said that they were sometimes spotted leaving the palace to privately enjoy the world they created. How they spent those precious moments, none but the two of them will ever know.

Edelgard and Hubert
 * As the new Adrestian emperor, Edelgard gave all she had to breathe new life into the government of Fódlan. With tireless work, great sacrifice, and her devoted servant Hubert by her side, she instituted new class reforms and helped to ensure the people's independence. Hubert was always close at hand, ready to dispose of unsavory burdens by any means necessary. In their later years, they passed the fruits of her labor on to Edelgard's successor and vanished from the public eye. Though it is said they spent the rest of their lives together, it is unlikely they ever gave voice to the true depth of their affections.

Edelgard and Ferdinand
 * As the Adrestian emperor, Edelgard appointed Ferdinand as her prime minister, and the two devoted themselves to ruling Fódlan. Their sharply contrasting views made for frequent and lively debate, but with each enhancing the perspective of the other, Fódlan was better for it. As they worked tirelessly to create a better future, they were soon bound together by marriage as well. Their children, born to those who had torn down the old social hierarchy, were encouraged to choose their own paths.

Edelgard and Linhardt
 * As the new Adrestian emperor, Edelgard gave all she had to breathe new life into the government of Fódlan. With tireless work and great sacrifice, she instituted new class reforms to ensure that people could rise on their own merits. During those years, however, there was a period of time in which she simply disappeared. It is said that she went to the research facility of the foremost authority in Crests, Linhardt, who had relinquished his rank and title to live a life of study. There, after confirming the results of Linhardt's experiments, Edelgard was able to enjoy a rare break from her busy life. The respite was brief, but they cherished that time for the rest of their lives.

Edelgard and Caspar
 * Edelgard, the new Adrestian emperor, appointed Caspar as her Minister of Military Affairs, and the two devoted themselves to ruling Fódlan. Caspar quickly developed a reputation for recklessness in his duty, but he compensated for it with successes in the field and was given leeway by the emperor as a result. Privately, the couple's relationship as husband and wife was more tempestuous. Their spats were frequent, but it is said that Edelgard took pleasure in her ability to influence Caspar, and Caspar enjoyed reining the emperor in from time to time. It was a strange but happy union.

Edelgard and Bernadetta
 * When Bernadetta inherited House Varley from her father, she tried to withdraw from politics and remain within the bounds of her territory, but Edelgard, the new Adrestian emperor, would not allow it. Instead, she demanded that Bernadetta counsel her in governing Fódlan. It is said that the emperor made this choice to keep herself from being too detached, and that Bernadetta was all too happy to provide a more emotional perspective now and again. The people of Enbarr could always tell when the two were meeting by the sound of Bernadetta's panicked voice ringing out from the palace.

Edelgard and Dorothea
 * As Edelgard's reign as the Adrestian emperor began, Enbarr was restored, and with it, a certain opera house. Soon the Mittelfrank Opera Company put together a war drama depicting the journey and sacrifice of the emperor and her companions, and the starring role went to none other than Dorothea. Edelgard initially forbade the company from staging it, but was eventually persuaded by Dorothea's passionate performance to rescind that decree. It is said that the emperor always set aside time to enjoy the opera thereafter.

Edelgard and Lysithea
 * After the war, Edelgard and Lysithea threw themselves into the fight against those who slither in the dark. The struggle was long and arduous, but not without its benefits. With careful analysis of ancient techniques, they discovered ways to recover the years of life that had been stolen from them. Afterwards, the new Adrestian emperor and Lysithea, her trusted officer, devoted the rest of their lives to Fódlan's rule. For her counsel in instituting class reforms and ensuring the independence of the people, Lysithea came to be known as the Wisdom of the Empire. The pair of talented women ushered Fódlan into a new age of innovation and prosperity.

Edelgard and Hanneman
 * As the new Adrestian emperor, Edelgard gave all she had to breathe new life into the government of Fódlan. To that end, Hanneman's research proved invaluable. Seeking to determine the nature of Crests, and to do away with the inequality caused by them, the Father of Crestology produced magical tools that could be used even without the aid of Crests. These were put to eager use by Edelgard, who saw both of their dreams realized. It is not hard to imagine that a pair with such similar ideologies and plans for the future would eventually settle into an affectionate and fulfilling relationship.

Edelgard and Manuela
 * As the new Adrestian emperor, Edelgard gave all she had to breathe new life into the government of Fódlan. Her first objective was to institute new class reforms and ensure the people's independence. For that reason, she sought the counsel of Manuela, whose vast array of contacts, talents, and experience proved invaluable. She became essential to Edelgard, and her skill as a physician kept the emperor in good health for many years. Both remained unmarried, and it is said that the two became extremely close over the years.

Super Smash Bros.
Edelgard appears in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as a background character at Garreg Mach Monastery. She also appears as a spirit and Byleth's four alternate costume is based off from Edelgard.

Fire Emblem 0 (Cipher)
Edelgard is illustrated in the trading card game Fire Emblem Cipher with the following cards:

Etymology
Edelgard is a female German name meaning Noble Protector.

Edelgard's last name comes from Norse mythology, Hræsvelgr (Old Norse "Corpse Swallower") is a giant who takes the form of an eagle.

Trivia

 * Edelgard shares her English voice actress, Tara Platt, with Awakening's Miriel and Flavia.
 * She shares her Japanese voice actress, Ai Kakuma, with Flora from Fates.
 * Edelgard was voiced by Cristina Vee in the original E3 2018 trailer for Three Houses, whom she shares with Tatiana from Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia, as well as the Fire Emblem Heroes appearances of Lachesis and Athena.
 * Edelgard's pre-timeskip artwork depicts her wielding a Killer Axe while her post timeskip artwork depicts her wielding Aymr.
 * Aymr bears the Crest of the Beast, which Marianne possesses, but Edelgard does not.
 * Edelgard is the only house leader to not be strong in her nation's specialty weapon.
 * She does have a budding talent in her Reason stat, however.
 * Edelgard is one of the characters who can have S-Supports with both Male and Female Byleth. The others are: Rhea, Dorothea, Mercedes, Jeritza, Sothis, Linhardt, Alois (platonic) and Gilbert (platonic as well).
 * She's also the only house leader to be able to do so.
 * Edelgard is the only character in Three Houses able to learn both Black and Dark Magic by leveling up Reason.
 * Edelgard appears to be ambidextrous. In her artwork, Edelgard is seen wielding her axe with either her left or right hand, though her battle model only depicts her wielding it with her right hand.
 * She is also the first female character to be of the Rudolf Archetype.
 * Edelgard stands at 158cm (or about 5’2”).
 * In a survey conducted by Nintendo DREAM Magazine, Edelgard placed 4th with 17% of the vote overall and ranked 7th with 13.6% among those who completed the game in the character popularity poll for Fire Emblem: Three Houses. The male-female vote ratio was 1:2.
 * In the second survey conducted by Nintendo DREAM Magazine, Edelgard placed 6th in the character popularity poll for Fire Emblem: Three Houses. The male-female vote ratio was 1:3. She ranked 6th among those who completed the game with 143 points.
 * In a survey conducted by Famitsu Magazine, Edelgard placed 4th for females and 7th overall with 916 votes in the character popularity poll for Fire Emblem: Three Houses. She also placed 2nd among S-Supports chosen in the first playthrough with 499 votes.
 * In the third survey conducted by Nintendo DREAM Magazine, Edelgard placed 6th in the character popularity poll for Fire Emblem: Three Houses. The male-female vote ratio was 1:3. She ranked 6th among those who completed the game with 147 points.
 * In the fourth survey conducted by Nintendo DREAM Magazine, Edelgard placed 6th in the character popularity poll for Fire Emblem: Three Houses. The male-female vote ratio was 1:4. She ranked 6th among those who completed the game with 78 points.
 * In the fifth survey conducted by Nintendo DREAM Magazine, Edelgard placed 4th in the character popularity poll for Fire Emblem: Three Houses. The male-female vote ratio was 1:4. She ranked 4th among those who completed the game with 19.9% of the vote.


 * When fought in the Black Eagles route version of Throne of Knowledge, Edelgard uses her unmasked model of the Flame Emperor class that is normally seen during the Siege of Garreg Mach, due to her already revealing that she was the Flame Emperor before the fight.