—Epimenides, to Arval
Epimenides is the overarching antagonist of Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes. He is the creator of Arval.
Quick Answers
What role does Epimenides play in Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes?
What is the significance of Arval in relation to Epimenides?
How did Epimenides meet his end in the War of Heroes?
What was Epimenides' main goal in Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes?
What were Epimenides' abilities as a mage and scientist in Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes?
Profile[]
Epimenides was an Agarthan who swore to kill Sothis, "the beast which set the earth ablaze" and save his people. He was a master mage and scientist as well as a high-ranking commander of the Agarthans in the War of Heroes against the Nabateans, who sought the secret art of rehousing souls, creating Arval to carry his soul and consciousness, only to eventually lose them. He later fell in battle against Seiros.
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Arval helped pass down the consciousness and soul of Epimenides throughout many ages, with Shez being the newest body housing them. Their true purpose is to guide Shez and keep them alive until such time that they may take revenge on Sothis, who at this point in time lives on within Byleth.
In all story routes, if Byleth has been recruited, Epimenides will become one with Arval and take over Shez's body before attempting to kill Byleth and by extension Sothis. After being thwarted by Shez's allies, Epimenides attempts to do away with his enemies by sacrificing Solon in order to banish Edelgard, Dimitri, Claude, and Shez to Zahras. In the process, Epimenides separates from Shez, and thus they no longer hear Arval in their mind.
Epimenides attempts to destroy both Shez and the royals by unleashing phantoms mimicking themselves and their allies upon them, but this plan too is thwarted, and Shez ultimately kills Epimenides, freeing them from Zahras.
Though Epimenides is Agarthan, it is unclear if his plan ever aligned with the faction that would become Those Who Slither in the Dark. Figures like Solon and Kronya are baffled when confronted by Shez, unaware of who they are, and they have no apparent knowledge of Arval or Epimenides. Myson, however, recognizes the power of Epimenides in Azure Gleam. Regardless, where Those Who Slither in the Dark seek to destroy the Church of Seiros and cause discord across the continent, the sole goal of Epimenides is bringing an end to Sothis specifically.
Personality[]
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Epimenides is a cold, ruthless, cruel and calculating figure, in direct contrast to Arval's more sassy attitude, though they both possess a calm and collected demeanour. He is focused completely on his mission to kill Sothis, and cares deeply for his people, the Agarthans. During the War of Heroes, as seen through Arval's paralogue, he did not seem to hold Thales in much high esteem in regards to his leadership, considering his methods to be distasteful and/or immoral, though his methods arguably aren't that much better. Despite this, he still somewhat mourned having to slay Solon, who uses similar methods to Thales, to unleash Zahras, being more remorseful than Solon himself when he did the same to Kronya.
Epimenides also exhibits a degree of altruism towards his allies, as he volunteered to fight Seiros's army by himself to buy time for Nemesis and his own subordinates to escape, stating he will protect them "in his own way". He valued Nemesis as a useful ally, despite considering him a "worthless beast" and also expressed pity toward the soldiers of Seiros's army, claiming they "had no concept of the truth, nor the thing they were truly fighting for", in contrast to other Agarthans who vitriolically chastise the "children of the beast"; showing a more nuanced, if still nihilistic outlook than most of his peers.
Unlike Arval, who expresses no anger towards Shez if they recruit Byleth, Epimenides calls Shez a failure if they refuse to fulfill their duty as his vessel by killing Sothis' host. However, despite this, Epimenides did appear to care somewhat for Shez despite not outwardly stating it; Byleth later mentions to Shez that Epimenides seemed to go out of his way to make sure that Shez's body was unharmed while he controlled it.
Overall, while Epimenides is still unambiguously evil, he is more complex than his peers, and can even be considered sympathetic, with his sinister, yet intriguing blend of nihilism and consequentialism.In-Game[]
Warriors: Three Hopes[]
Base Stats[]
Into the Chasm[]
| Starting Class | Crest | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Avesta | - | ||||||||
| Level | HP | Str | Mag | Dex | Spd | Lck | Def | Res | Cha |
| 29 | 10063 | 20 | 59 | 26 | 24 | 18 | 21 | 47 | 21 |
| Magic | Combat Arts | Abilities | Starting Items | ||||||
| - | - |  Seal Strength Seal Magic Crestological Wisdom Tome Buster Lv 6 Unsealable Magic |  HrottiHrotti | ||||||
| Starting Class | Crest | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avesta | - | ||||||||
| Level | HP | Str | Mag | Dex | Spd | Lck | Def | Res | Cha |
| 47 | 12076 | 27 | 83 | 36 | 34 | 24 | 29 | 66 | 29 |
| Magic | Combat Arts | Abilities | Starting Items | ||||||
| - | - | Seal StrengthSeal MagicCrestological WisdomTome Buster Lv 6Unsealable Magic | Hrotti+15Hrotti | ||||||
| Starting Class | Crest | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avesta | - | ||||||||
| Level | HP | Str | Mag | Dex | Spd | Lck | Def | Res | Cha |
| 95 | 17448 | 46 | 149 | 62 | 59 | 40 | 48 | 116 | 48 |
| Magic | Combat Arts | Abilities | Starting Items | ||||||
| - | - | Seal StrengthSeal MagicCrestological WisdomTome Buster Lv 6Unsealable Magic | Hrotti+65Hrotti | ||||||
- Note: Despite not possessing a crest, Epimenides does not take damage from Heroes' Relics without a crest due to Crestological Wisdom.
Etymology[]
Epimenides was said to be a Greek prophet from Knossos or Phaistos. He is said to gain prophecy powers after sleeping in a cave sacred to Zeus for 57 years and is mentioned to reveal prophecies in Sparta on military matters.
Trivia[]
- Epimenides is the only male character able to use the female only gremory class if the player chooses female Shez, as his paralogue treats him as being Arval.
Gallery[]
