And I know, FWIW, that it seems like i generally downplay Dimitri as some kinda Did Nothing Wrong dude. Which is absurd - he has a whole character arc that is all about how absolutely brutal and Wrong he was. Â
But in terms of Edelgard versus Dimitri? Aside from the Flame Emperor reveal which is a Holy Shit What the Hell, Hero? moment for both of them?
Dimitri is always portrayed as the victim. Dimitriâs country is always the one being invaded whether Rhea is there or not. Dimitri is always dying at Gronder Field, aside from the one route where Player insert is there,Â
But wait! He wants revenge! Therefore bad! Â
Heâs still also on the defensive. Heâs still the king of a country that is actively being invaded by an aggressive Empire. A country that had centuries to develop its own culture and values.
But Edelgard never declared war on Faerghus! Only the Church! Therefore if only heâd handed over RheaâŚ
Except that Edelgard has Rhea ž of the time, and she still attacks. It isnât solely about The Church so much as who has control over Fodlan, and Dimitriâs in the way and will not bugger off to another region like Claude, who doesnât count because heâs, per Edelgard, a foreigner.
And that doesnât explain why Edelgard tried to kill both he and Claude in the very first chapter.
But the citizens WANTED to be part of the Empire! Dimitri was already being ousted and had lost his power!!
Yep. Sure. Because peasants and commoners are such a huge focus. We get their opinions alllll throughout the game, and not just some awkward proxy âIâm doing it for YOU, canât you SEE that?!â
And again - sovereign nation with shared cultural values that had spent centuries living independently. The idea that the people of Faerghus, a monarchy that culturally valued knighthood and chivalry, wanted to boot their true-born king for the new Bisexual Slaying Queen is.. not very logical.
But if only Dimitri had surrendered, he wouldnât have had to die! His kingdom wouldnât have had to pile up corpses!!
âŚ.Read that again, folks.
And what do you think Edelgard would have done, had Dimitri surrendered? Given her âOnly one ruler, and everyone else must be purgedâ mindset?
This isnât some Red versus Blue both sides bad. Individuals? Sure, whatever. But Edelgard is always the aggressor. She always planned to go to war with her neighbors. You can say it was justified, you can attempt to pin it on the evil mole men, but Dimitri is never the one picking a fight for lols.  He, like Rhea and Claude, are reactive to a hostile neighbor. It is not an equal power dynamic