The Sword or the Knee/Script

Valm Castle
Excellus: H-he lost? But how...? How could the Conqueror be conquered?! He's insurmountable! Incontestable! Invincible! ...But then that means... Oh my... Good-bye, then! Do see to it that-

Walhart enters

Walhart: Going somewhere, tactician?

Excellus: M-master! I... I was just coming to make sure you were all right. Are you hurt?

Walhart: Rally our forces in the capital. We will put an end to this here.

Excellus: At once, my master. Only... Have you considered, perhaps, waiting just one day? I do have the dynasts and their men on the way. With them to help us, we-

Walhart: Have you seen the battlefield? No, I suppose not. Take your head from wherever it's lodged, and peer out into the daylight, snake. I'm sure your mighty intellect will quickly understand what's happened. Though if you had half the mettle of that Ylissean tactician, you'd already know...

(Dynast panorama)

Excellus: M-Master, I don't-

Valmese: The dynasts, sir! From the southlands! They are making siege to the capital!

Excellus: But that's...that's impossible. We had an agreement! Just like I had with... Oh dear... The southern dynasts... Did they find out about Yen'fay?

(Scene cut)

Say'ri: This...boggles the mind...

Chrom: Do you recognize them?

Say'ri: Aye, sir. They're from the southlands... States that betrayed us for the empire. ...Or so I thought.

Flavia: Well, their allegiance seems clear enough now.

Say'ri: I can hardly believe it... Theirs are the lands my brother commanded. Finally, now, they come to answer the call?

Flavia: Finally is right. It's taken a lot of hard work to get here, Say'ri. A lot of sacrifice. From you, from Basilio, from your brother. Don't forget this moment.

Say'ri: Aye, my lady. Aye.

Chrom: Now, let us finish what we began. To the capital, friends!

Opening
Excellus: Th-they... There must be several hundred thousandoldiers out there! Would they dare...?! Is it... Is it possible... Is it possible it was Yen'fay they feared all along, and not me?!

Walhart: Without him to back it up, your threat was only the grand shadow of a tiny spider.

Excellus: Tiny spider, is it? Well this spider has woven other webs in secret you could not even-

Walhart: You mean how you blackmailed Yen'fay to keep his loyalty? Or perhaps your correspondence with the Plegian woman...Aversa, was it? Yes, I know you have designs on the Fire Emblem... You have no secrets from me, worm.

Excellus: B-b-b-but... I... I don't... If you...knew all of that...w-why...

Walhart: Why haven't I killed you? ...I've asked myself the same thing, several times... But you're no threat to me. And I admit, you have your uses. Besides, I'm not one for court jesters, but you do...amuse me.

Excellus: Amuse you? I AMUSE you, like I'm a jester?! Are you AMUSED now? With a million swords at your door, come for your head?! You've lost! Lost, and you are going to DIE! All of you, ALL OF YOU! But not me! I want no part of this suicide!

Walhart: ...Why Excellus, did you just volunteer to lead my personal guard against the rebels?

Excellus: ...What?! No, that's-

Walhart: Unless you'd rather fight me. Right here. RIGHT NOW.

Excellus: Mercy! Mercy! F-forgive me, my master! A moment's madness only - it will not return!

Walhart: Then it's settled: we have our new captain of the guard. Congratulations, Captain. You'll be right at my side until the fray is upon us.

Walhart leaves

Excellus: *Pant, pant, pant, pant*

Cervantes: Do give our guests a warm welcome, snake. Perhaps offer them some of your tea? Hah hah... My equal... Pah!

Excellus: ...They forget who I am. I could have fried them both where they stood with my magic! We will crush these rebels... We MUST crush these rebels... Or maybe...if Walhart is sufficiently injuried...I might "amuse" him with a spell... Nya ha, either way, this spider crawls out alive! Eee hee hee hee!

Battle Begins
Chrom: I see Walhart, still seated in his throne room. It doesn't seem like he's thinking about escape.

Avatar: And his soldiers... They look ready to die before they'd surrender. Once must admire their loyalty, at least.

Chrom: He does inspire that in people. It's part of what makes him so dangerous.

Avatar: He inspires that in SOME people.

Chrom: Yes, in some. But not me.

During Battle
Soldier: Rally every last man! We make our stand with Emperor Walhart!

Engaging Cervantes
Cervantes: Let's have it then, rebellious scum! Like a flimsy belt around the waist of defeat, you shall buckle here! (with any unit)

Cervantes: I...am finished... Nngh... But I have no regrets... I die in the shadow of...greatness...(upon defeat)

With Say'ri
Excellus: ...You. ...YOU! You and Yen'fay cost me EVERYTHING!

Say'ri: I only pray my brother is watching... Yen'fay, guide my hand!

Other Quotes
Excellus: You think I'm afraid? Of YOU?! Come, then. COME AT ME! (with other unit)

Excellus: Eee hee hee... Eee hee... Heeeeeeeauuugh... (upon defeat)

With Chrom
Chrom: Walhart!

Walhart: Prince...

Chrom: Will you surrender?

Walhart: Don't waste my time with questions you know the answers to, boy.

Chrom: It did not have to be this way... You believe in mankind's strength... So did my sister. You believe that we are masters of our destinies... So do I. You could have joined us.

Walhart: ME, JOIN YOU?! Does a pegasus join with the flea on its back? A dragon, with a cow it eats?! You forget your place, BOY. I am the Conqueror! I will unite the world!

Chrom: No! ...I will. And not by forcing all the people to choose the sword or the knee. Peace will only come by stoking people's hearts...not their fear.

Walhart: You think that's what you've done? What your sister did before you? No, she shouted some nonsense and leapt off a rock! Such weakness!

Chrom: Wrong. Not weakness - strength. That one act lives on, and WILL live on, longer than all your conquests...

Walhart: And longer than you will... Come then, flea, and die for your peace!

Chrom: Emm, I tried...

Other Quotes
Walhart: You would challenge the Conqueror himself?! (with other unit)

Walhart: Nngh... Do you see? Often the sword...is the only way... My conquest...ends here... (upon defeat)

After Battle
Frederick: Milord! Walhart's soldiers have agreed to cease hostilities.

Chrom: Finally... Then pull our men back immediately. ...It's strange, Frederick... Walhart and my sister were complete opposites. One gave her life to stop a war. The other took lives to create one. And yet they both inspired those around them; both walked a path to end all war. Both lived, and died, trying to unite the people.

Lucina: Yes, Father, but as they say, the method is the message. Your father suffered from beliefs similar to Walhart, and his legacy is plain to see...

Chrom: Mmm...these are matters too weighty for this moment. There will be plenty of time for reflection now that the war is done.

(Scene cut)

Say'ri: Sir Chrom, a thousand thanks from every Valmese couldn't repay what you did for us. But I recovered Vert, the Gemstone that was stolen from Chon'sin as a trophy.

Chrom: You're giving it to me?

Say'ri: Of course, sir. It seems the fell dragon will soon threaten us all. I would feel safer knowing the Gemstone was in your hands.

Chrom: Then so it will be. Thank you, Say'ri.

(Scene cut)

Chrom: Are we packed and saddled? Our business in Valm is finished, but we have another task ahead. One perhaps even more dire than we faced here... To Ylisstol!