Lysithea

"Aristocrats are fools—allowing their lives to be dictated by their Crests. Though...I suppose I am much the same in that regard..."

Lysithea is a playable character in Fire Emblem: Three Houses.

Lysithea is a student at the Officers Academy who is from the Leicester Alliance and is a member of the Golden Deer. She possesses both a minor Crest of Charon and a major Crest of Gloucester.

Early life
Lysithea is the eldest daughter and heir to House Ordelia. When she was 2 years old, her family suffered retribution from the Adrestian Empire for their role in House Hrym's revolt. She is a magical prodigy whose talents developed at an early age.

In retaliation for House Ordelia answering House Hrym's call for aid, the Empire gained temporary control over the family while the Alliance turned a blind eye to avoid confrontation. The Empire killed key members of House Ordelia and replaced them with Imperial officials. Some of those officials were mages of Those Who Slither in the Dark, who then imprisoned the Ordelia children and began conducting Crest experiments on them. Lysithea's parents were powerless to stop them and could only watch in horror as their children perished one by one. Lysithea alone survived the experiments and gained two Crests: a Minor Crest of Charon and a Major Crest of Gloucester. The mages were pleased at their success, but because the procedure of implanting two Crests had dramatically shortened Lysithea's lifespan, they lost interest and departed.

Due to her truncated life and the suffering her family had endured, Lysithea resolved to bring its affairs to an end. After completing her education and ensuring that her parents could live comfortably and in peace, she planned to eschew having children and dissolve House Ordelia.

Academy phase
Lysithea enrolls in Garreg Mach Monastery Officers Academy in Imperial Year 1180, and joins the Golden Deer. At 15 years old, she was the youngest student admitted.

War phase
If the Black Eagles or Blue Lions route was chosen and Lysithea has not been drafted into the player's army, she will appear alongside her allies from the Golden Deer during Chapter 17, "Blood of the Eagle and Lion" where she may be killed during the 3-way onslaught between the three houses. Claude will lament on her death if that happens, saying that she "burned too brightly, and faded too fast".

If Edelgard was sided with, if Lysithea has not previously been recruited, she can be seen in Chapter 14 "The Master Tactician" and be killed in the battle, but it is entirely possible to save her by simply triggering the arrival of the Alymryan navy (which is done so by reaching the walls of the castle, best done with a flyer), which gives a straight path to Claude and thusly the end of the battle.

Personality
Though considered a prodigy in magic, Lysithea is not conceited about her talent and is an exceptionally hard worker. As one of the youngest students enrolled at the Officers Academy, she dislikes being treated like a child. However, she exhibits childish traits, such as having a fear of ghosts and disliking bitter food.

Due to being experimented on by Those Who Slither in the Dark for the purpose of advancing Crest research, Lysithea resents her peerage, and in all of her endings, renounces it to live as a commoner and find peace after her convoluted life. Some of said endings have her finding a way to have the Crests removed, allowing her to live longer.

Growth Rates

 * 20%
 * 15%
 * 60%
 * 60%
 * 50%
 * 15%
 * 10%
 * 25%
 * 25%
 * }

Maximum Stats

 * 48
 * 30
 * 86
 * 82
 * 69
 * 40
 * 36
 * 41
 * 44
 * }

Learnt Magic

 * D
 * Miasma Δ
 * Heal
 * D+
 * Swarm Ζ
 * Nosferatu
 * C
 * Luna Λ
 * Seraphim
 * C+
 * B
 * Dark Spikes Τ
 * Warp
 * B+
 * A
 * Hades Ω
 * Abraxas
 * A+
 * }
 * B+
 * A
 * Hades Ω
 * Abraxas
 * A+
 * }
 * Hades Ω
 * Abraxas
 * A+
 * }
 * }
 * }
 * }

Overall
Lysithea is the quintessential Mage character, being gifted with proficiency in both Reason and Faith magic types alongside high growth rates in Magic and Dexterity, enabling her to dish out hefty amounts of magical damage at a consistent rate. However, to compensate for this, she also possesses some of the worst HP, Defense, and Resistance growths in the game, with her above-average Speed being her only saving grace in terms of avoiding enemy attacks. As such, it is ill-advised to leave Lysithea alone and/or exposed to threats lest she be taken down in a few hits. This can be remedied with the Gloucester crest weapon, which allows 1-4 range magic. When she reaches A+ in either magic type, it will give her a skill allowing an extra range, allowing for a 1-5 range magic.

Given her skill levels, Lysithea will make the most use of the Monk class family (Monk, Mage, Priest, Warlock, Bishop, Gremory), as they complement well with her magical prowess. Her hidden proficiency with Swords gives her an extra option in certain magical weapons, namely the Levin Sword, along with easy access to the Myrmidon class family (Myrmidon, Mercenary, Thief, Swordmaster, Mortal Savant). However, the latter option is risky, as despite Lysithea possessing Speed growths fitting for the class family, her middling Strength and weakness for handling Swords means that it will require a bit of extra work.

Supports

 * Byleth (S-Support with male Byleth)
 * Edelgard
 * Claude
 * Linhardt
 * Felix
 * Sylvain
 * Annette
 * Lorenz
 * Raphael
 * Ignatz
 * Marianne
 * Hilda
 * Leonie
 * Hanneman
 * Catherine
 * Cyril

Possible Endings
Lysithea - Scholar of Misfortune
 * Lysithea returned home to help her parents restore their family land. Years later, when the end to their hard work was finally in sight, she relinquished House Ordelia's claim to nobility, ceding the territory to a nearby lord. Shortly thereafter, she and her family disappeared into obscurity.

Lysithea and Byleth (Crimson Flower route)
 * Almost immediately after Byleth and Lysithea had celebrated their engagement, the struggle against those who slither in the dark began in earnest. Together they fought tirelessly to bring the war to an end so that Fódlan could have lasting peace. Afterward, they left the Imperial army for Ordelia territory, where they were officially wed. After restoring their war-torn land, the couple vanished from the public eye, along with Count Ordelia and his wife. No records remain of their lives after that, but it is rumored that they retired to a peaceful life in Derdriu, making sweets.

Lysithea and Edelgard
 * 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.

Lysithea and Claude
 * Entrusting the future of Fódlan to his friends, Claude left for Almyra to reclaim his place as heir to the throne. When he became king, he asked Lysithea to be his queen with a heart full of love, and with the hope of fostering friendly diplomatic relations with Fódlan. Due to her shortened lifespan, Lysithea declined. Claude, unable to abandon his love for her, gave up the throne to go on a quest for a means to save her. Years later, he appeared suddenly before her, claiming to have found a cure. With her trust and love to guide him, he whisked her away, across the sea. It is unknown where they went.

Lysithea and Linhardt
 * Though Linhardt researched vigorously for a method by which to remove the Crests from Lysithea and save her life, the war ended before he could reach any conclusions. Lysithea, deciding that she should return home to her parents, thanked Linhardt and took her leave of Garreg Mach. Not to be deterred, Linhardt set his affairs in order, renounced his noble title, and followed Lysithea to Ordelia territory to continue his research. Years later, his efforts bore fruit, and Lysithea's Crests were successfully removed. With a new future ahead of her, Lysithea, too, renounced her noble claim, and the couple married as commoners. It is said they raised a very happy family.

Lysithea and Felix (Azure Moon route)
 * After becoming Duke Fraldarius, Felix married Lysithea, who assisted his efforts to restore both his territory and the Kingdom at large with countless insights. She became known for walking among the people, sharing with them her wisdom. After her death, Felix received a visit from a local artisan, who brought to him a cake and claimed that Lysithea had given him the recipe. Felix adored the flavor, enjoying that style of cake for the rest of his days. The people acquired a taste for it too, and Lysithea's treat became traditional in the north of Faerghus.

Lysithea and Felix (Other routes)
 * After the war, Felix abandoned his noble title and chose to make a living with his sword. He traveled the land, seeking battle as if he had a death wish, but his violent path came to an end when he happened upon Lysithea, who had been living in a small house in the middle of nowhere with her parents. Seeing her—condemned to live a shortened life, but smiling and making the most of every day with her family—convinced Felix that life was precious. He gave up his sword to join her, and the two spent their lives baking sweets. Lysithea's recipe became known far and wide, and the treat became a tradition for the people of that region.

Lysithea and Lorenz
 * As the new head of House Gloucester, Lorenz first worked to restore his own territory, and then expanded his vision to include reforms for all Fódlan. At the height of his storied political career, he announced his marriage to Lysithea. Though the only daughter of the former Count Ordelia had already renounced all claim to nobility, the people happily accepted their union. She rarely appeared in public, due to health concerns, but it is said that a great many policies credited to Lorenz were actually her ideas.

Lysithea and Ignatz
 * Lysithea returned home to help her parents restore their family land. Years later, when the end to their hard work was finally in sight, she relinquished House Ordelia's claim to nobility, and the family retreated from the public eye. In her new life as a commoner, she had a chance reunion with Ignatz, who had persuaded his family to allow him to travel the world as an artist. Lysithea became enchanted by his determination, and by the landscapes and portraits he painted of all he had seen in his travels. She offered the remainder of her short life in support of his work. It is said that Ignatz's most famous piece, Portrait of a Goddess, used Lysithea's face as a reference.

Lysithea and Raphael
 * Raphael returned to his hometown to serve his liege lord as a knight, and spent his spare time helping out at the inn that his family had opened during his time away. Due to his grandfather's age, he was compelled before long to give up knighthood and manage the inn full-time. Soon after that, the inn began to be frequented by Lysithea and her family, who has renounced all claim to nobility and begun a life as commoners. Lysithea found a kindred spirit in Raphael's sister, Maya, and before long, found herself helping around the place too. Eventually she was put in charge of the kitchen, where it is said she spend the rest of her days happily baking.

Lysithea and Hanneman
 * After the war, Lysithea returned to her parents in Ordelia territory. She was joined by Hanneman, and together the two worked to research a method by which to extend her lifespan. Some years later, their efforts bore fruit, and they devised a procedure to remove her Crests. Afterward, Lysithea renounced her noble claim and continued to assist Hanneman with his research. When he passed, she took up his mantle, and by the great discoveries she made, came to be called the Golden Child of Crestology.

Lysithea and Cyril
 * Lysithea returned home to help her parents restore their family land. Years later, when their work was at an end, she journeyed to Garreg Mach to inform the church of her decision to relinquish House Ordelia's claim to nobility. There she encountered Cyril, who had since graduated from the Officers Academy and joined the Knights of Seiros. During their reunion, Cyril confessed his love to Lysithea and asked her to marry him. She declined, at first, due to her shortened lifespan, but in the face of Cyril's insistence, she chose to spend what days she had remaining together with him. Where they went is unknown, but it is said that, for however long it lasted, they were happy.

Etymology
In Greek mythology, Lysithea was the daughter of Evenus and mother of Helenus by Zeus. Lysithea is also the name of one of Jupiter's moons.

Cordelia is a feminine given name, popularly associated with Latin word "cordis", meaning "heart". It was born by the tragic heroine of Shakespeare's King Lear. In the play, the character is unwilling to profess her love to her father, stating "Love, and be silent".

Trivia

 * Lysithea possesses two Crests: a minor Crest of Charon, and a major Crest of Gloucester. This makes her the only known individual to possess two Crests rather than one.
 * Catherine also possesses a Crest of Charon, while Lorenz also possesses a minor Crest of Gloucester.
 * Despite being from the Leicester Alliance, Lysithea's Crest of Charon shares its name with a location in the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus. This is the inverse of Ingrid.