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ultrakatua · 5 years

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Final thoughts on Golden Deer

I say “final” but I’ll probably write more at some point to ease the pain lol

Anyway, I’m so glad I started with my very first choice, and so glad I picked this one in particular.

At E3 2018 I was like “oh cool, an archer house!”, but then I thought I’d start with Black Eagles instead because female lord, and then we got the student reveals on twitter and I thought my heart belonged to the Blue Lions... Until E3 2019 happened and my reptile brain went all “nope, Claude hot, we’ll take the archers actually”. Little did I know I’d end up loving all these mismatched kids so much and that Claude would be the bestest boy.

The game is really hard to compare to the other Fire Emblem, and the irony is that the parts that are the best are the less Fire Emblem-like... Part 1 is honestly probably the best experience I ever had in FE in terms of narration. Played 30 hours non-stop. Props to them for building the plot like a mystery and making the cast so likable, because while there’s objectively not much happening, it makes everything so captivating... The last half of part 1 up to the first 2-3 chapters of part 2 is just SO GOOD! Like a roller coaster of emotions! It’s a shame the rest fells more flat because it basically turns into your regular FE, but with 4 or 5 less chapters than it should. Still, the last part of Golden Deer fucked me up pretty badly with the Rhea’s revelations and I loved the ending, the cinematic was just so badass and I couldn’t help but think of the FE4 and FE5 final! The credits song made be bawl like a b*tch. Difficulty wise, yeah, hard is really easy... Or Claude is too OP, I’m not sure. Probably both. Anyway, Lunatic cannot come soon enough.

On Claude now, since he’s our boi and kinda the main character... Expectations were completely subverted and hot take, at that point I just want to fist fight everyone who still portrays him as a flirty, stupid, trollish, Niles-light guy. Like. Why. I, too, expected him to be like that based on the 10 second trailers, but man, play past the prologue and even the “flirty” part isn’t there anymore (seriously, why does everyone says he’s flirty??? Did I miss a memo or something???). The other day I read someone telling “lol obviously he’s not the patient kind” and I was like are you even reading the fucking dialogs? Did you miss the part where his whole fucking character is about how controlled and reflective he is?? Like I mean, he’s easy going and endearing in the group interactions, I get that, but outside of that, he’s just so... serious? So chill? It’s the dude who spends so many hours reading books in the library he becomes suspicious. Like seriously. I’m just going to assume this is how you see him when you don’t play GD, I guess, cause I also saw someone thinking not!GD Claude trusts and likes Byleth and lol, no man, he doesn’t. He doesn’t even trust you in his own goddamn route until like chapter 10.

Anyways, what I love with him as a character is that he’s very grounded, very reflective. He doesn’t belong anywhere so he wants to build a place so people would never feel that way, but to do so and to protect himself, he’s very shut-down behind his natural exterior kindness and compassion. People complain he’s not romantic, but there’s something very intimate in the way he only talks about certain subjects with Byleth, the way he is so serious in his most advanced supports, how he trusts entirely Byleth and only them, etc. The way he works is just very different from the other characters in that respect, which I think it was done on purpose because, after all, he was not raised with the same values and culture as them. That’s something they really conveyed well as a whole, especially in his dialogs about religion. I mean, reread the convo at the start of chapter 12 if you don’t think the Byleth relationship is very unique and dear to him:

I'll alway be on your side. You can't count on much in this world, but you can count on that

Of course the reading isn’t inherently romantic cause IS said “no homo”, but come on... It’s the same Claude who even in the very last chapter of the game is not sure his allies of like, 6 years, will follow him.

Spoilers on the S support because I know people complained about it, and as always I don’t get it

I mean, I sort of get it? They wanted a “I love you let’s get married!” ending but that would have been... so unlike him? And btw it seems like he doesn’t even say “I love you” in the Japanese version (he sure doesn’t in the French one), they added it in English so y’all wouldn’t be too salty, and yet...

I found the actual ending very true to his character and I’m glad IS didn’t went the usual sappy road because it would have been so out of character omg... tbh what I like in the Byleth-Claude dynamics is that they are on an equal ground, and even if they like each other, there’s still that utilitarian aspect to their relationship that make them great allies as well. They both rely on each other equally and there’s no fucking drama; just two people secluded their whole life who learn to trust each other. Having him expressing how he wants to share his ambitions with Byleth, giving her a ring, promising to come back, and actually doing it is a huge fucking deal. Remember this is the guy who ran away from his feelings his whole life, who’s always acted so selfish with others only to achieve his selfless goal. But this time, his goals are also Byleth’s, and together they can build a place where he doesn’t have to be alone anymore. And before we go down the “but Byleth doesn’t want to be a ruler!” road... Neither did Claude, guys. He never wanted that responsibility. He takes it because someone has to. They both do it for everyone’s sake, together. We stan a power couple.

That’s it my dudes, next stop is the other soft boy, aka Dimitri!

#fire emblem #fire emblem three houses #fe16 #fe3h #claude von riegan

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yaboylevi · 4 years

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What about this chapter did you not like? love your art btw ❤️

Thanks!

Sorry for the wait, I wanted to read the official chapter and wait for a bit to see if my feelings changed (spoiler: they didn't).

It would be way faster to list the few things I enjoyed but alas.

VERY negative opinions under the cut. Seriously, if you liked the chapter, don't read this, I don't want to spoil your fun or upset you. I didn't bother to write this in a respectful tone, it's not an analysis, it's just me venting. That being said, if you guys read this ignoring my warning and get upset, it'll be your fault and responsibility, yeah.

The Annie's father stuff was okay, though I hope it's gonna be explained why he was the only one in Liberio running against the flow of the screaming crowd.

Then we get Reiner being pathetic once again, I am so tired of this. What's his purpose in the story aside from killing people, being a nuisance and or dead weight to others and feeling sorry for himself? I would've appreciated if he had had some introspection on how his rushed plan was partially the cause for Porco's death and Falco's transformation (and all the other deaths bc Zeke would've never screamed in Shiganshina if Reiner hadn't pushed for another attack there). But anyway if he'd had introspection, it would've been about self-pity and NEVER growth because he seems unable to have that, so I would've disliked it anyway.

If I wasn't already rolling my eyes this hard at Reiner, then I would've started at Gabi. She's all over the place and I guess it's understandable since she is a kid and also deeply shocked and in pain. I understand it. But I don't like how Isayama made her go from despair, to murder instinct, to calm and collected in 2 pages. It's just ???? Then we have the Eren parallel and I groaned out loud. Whatever its meaning is. It's just forced.

One of the things I hated this chapter for and that I'm becoming so annoyed at in general lately, is that EVERYTHING parallels something that has already happened, and I don't understand if Isayama thinks he's being smart or if it has some deeper meaning like "oh see, history repeats itself!! wow!! a concept that is not being repeated ad nauseam in the series, not at all!! /s". I don't need it to be shoved into my face.

Idk. Also Reiner, of course, being safe in a house amongst titan territory...of...course...

Then the 104th scene. Ugh. Jean's delusion is so annoying. One moment he's rational, the other is like "muuuuu ereh is doing this for us!!! we couldn't do anything!!!", then he's rational again. Maybe if they had paid attention to Eren, and didn't only take into consideration stupid ideas that would've never worked for 4 years, maaaybe yeah, this wouldn't be happening. Who knows. I'm just tired of the 104th whining about their situation. I understand where they're coming from, their feelings, etc, I understand it's a crazy and emotional situation and all, but we already have SO MANY CHAPTERS about it, it's time to move on at least with the plot. It's just so pathetic and annoying. It makes me angry how he's basically trying to avoid responsibility or rationalize genocide like all the Eren goat stans in the fandom. I hate this mentality so much. "if they disappear, so will all the hatred! Do we really have to stop him?" JESUS CHRIST JEAN..............yikes

And then of course they (and Isayama) had to ruin chapter 108.

Then Jean also had the guts to say they should kill a kid so they can revive a commander, just bc he's too scared to take the reins of the situation. Again, I understand the struggle, it's the same as Hange afterall, it's just very, very ugly how he didn't even waver. Connie's been acting irrational, and he's been swept up by his anger for a while now, so I understand his development. Plus I find it more relatable to wanting to make a big sacrifice for someone you love, rather than someone you (think you) need. But Jean???? wtf. He doesn't even think back on the sin he was willing to commit, he isn't ashamed.

Armin as well doesn't even care that it's a kid they're talking about, he's only strategizing. And here's another annoying point: he's able to make these calculations now but when it comes to Eren his brain freezes and he becomes a delusional kid. Where were his brains when he had to think up of ways to negotiate with the world? Anyway, I get it, it's because Eren's his childhood friend and family. I am just so tired of seeing this again and again, and again. We've been stuck on this for over a year... Nothing has changed, they're just dejectedly going back and forth on their opinions and feelings. Really goes to show that Eren was the real heart of their group...

Connie flying away from the battlefield, effectively splitting again the povs we need to follow is...big yikes.

Parallel to Trost, parallel to Serumbowl. Yeah wow so interesting.

Nile dying so quick like that was also underwhelming. And it was unnecessarily cruel, imo, that as a titan he tried to kill children when as a person he was so sweet with kids (except with Eren, of course...).

The Gabi-Sasha parallel left me a bit confused. On the one hand, I don't like the killer being paralleled to the murdered. But on the other hand, I understand why that is [/inserts meta that i don't care about writing]. The Kaya-Gabi moments were also cute + Nicolo's little speech was nice, though a bit awkward, imo. I bitterly laughed at Gabi finally admitting that she mindlessly killed people just to be praised. At least she can better herself from now on! If only her cousin could take his self-pity and do something to change himself with it, but no, he just wants to change others or run away (and this is why i don't like reiner anymore).

Shadis saving these ungrateful kids was pretty cool.

I felt bad for Yelena, I want to see more of her (and maybe Mikasa+Louise), but instead, we have Jean vs Floch angst and I'm already sleeping, because I care so little about both of them.

Isayama painting Jean as a cool leader is just embarrassing when moments before he was pathetically whining and trying to kill a child (to which there was no setup, especially comparing it to the setup for Connie's plot thread. The last we saw of Jean with a kid was him wondering if he hesitated in killing the Cart because of Falco 15 chapters ago...and that was a compelling doubt but I guess he hadn't hesitated at the time, after all lol). The pages dedicated to the killing of the titans were boring, occupying space for nothing imo. Glossing over them would've sufficed, there could've just been the Pixis stuff, and it would've been fine. Which, btw, made me laugh a little in retrospect, because Armin is once again involved in the death of a Commander. Oh well.

I also didn't like that mini-flashback with Eren&Pixis. I guess Isayama wants to ruin every single nice moment Eren had with other people, because Eren is soooo so so bad now uwu, for no good reason, and it's only his fault right? people were nice to him and look at how he repaid them uwu. Big yikes for me.

I expected more from that Louise panel because it made me go [EYES EMOJI], but I guess I'll have to wait.

It's also unbelievable that NO ONE IN THE WHOLE STORY has thought of stopping Floch, when last time they arrested him, so technically why would they even leave him running around NOW? It's beyond me. Do they have a brain?

As for the basement conversation with Gabi, I hope that "I won't give up on Falco" panel + Armin looking at Gabi thoughtfully will start a "We can't give up on Eren" mindset for the 104th, but I doubt it's gonna be handled in a non-pathetic way, considering how's been done as of late.

Gabi screaming to talk to Eren was also very embarrassing from a reader pov (well, my pov). Because she was RIGHT THERE when EMA talked last time, and she should know that would most likely not work (I guess she's talking out of desperation but still...ppl be like "yeah!! they should talk to ErEn!1 why didn't they think of it!?!?!" and I mean it's probably gonna come down to that if the final audio is of any indication...I just find the presentation of this concept awkward and forced).

I really disliked most of Gabi's part, even though she's a character I have learned to enjoy. I guess what shined through in this chapter is exactly what I don't like about how Isayama uses Gabi's character: it seems like she's just there as a fast-paced mini representation of the story themes, so she's just an instrument to the story. Sometimes I feel like she's a real character, sometimes I feel she's just a tool for the story and the themes.

Armin's reaction to hearing about Annie is...I don't know. aruani has been one of my first ships and I used to be obsessed, but this is just awkward and forced, just like the previous aruani scene that made me angry at Armin. I don't even understand if Armin's shocked, scared or happy. All of these don't make sense to me, because I have no clue what he even expects from her.

Annie's release from the crystal happened in an unexpected way which i appreciated, though I would've liked it more if she had decided to get out on her own. But it depends on if she was stuck in there or if she was still willingly escaping from reality. If she was stuck, I will love this a lot more, because basically Eren set her free.

Also, Eren's radio podcast was longer I guess ("Eren said he would undo all the hardening"), and I wonder why we couldn't hear it all. Sigh.

In general, the "theme thread" of the chapter (adults & kids) felt really pushed in our face. I appreciate when things are a bit more subtle, this just came off as...boring, because every scene made me go "well, of fucking course this scene would end like this...". The only tense moment was the Connie part, let's be real.

And yeah, my perception may be also partially because I am so tired of no Eren pov and "eren is the evil, evil villain" rhetoric, so maybe I will appreciate this chapter more once we get his pov at the end of the story (bc i have no illusions left that this won't happen anytime before the finishing line). For now, I'm just frustrated because I didn't care about ANY of the things that went down in this chapter. Like, okay, let's move on, ffs.

Everything felt forced and contrived, like, Isayama must know that nobody cares about this stuff that much and everyone would prefer to see literally anything else amongst Eren, Historia, Levi&Hange, the Colossals. Hell, imagine if this chapter didn't have Annie at the end. That was the only thing that made this chapter barely worth the read for me. I hope the next one will at least follow Connie and Annie, if I can't get any of the other things that interest me.

#salt and character hate I'm so sorry hhhh #don't read if you get v upset @ ppl's opinions #and if you enjoyed the chapter #really #if you liked the chapter don't read this #if you read this and come cry in my ask box or replies I'll block you #if you read this and feel the need to rant on your blog (or your discord chat lol) about me you're just a loser bc I warned you #dl #shingeki asks #Anonymous

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