Possibly the biggest change in Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes is the introduction of Shez, a new protagonist replacing previous player character Byleth. Shez, a mercenary who has an antagonistic relationship with Byleth, will choose to side with either Edelgard and the Black Eagles, Dimitri and the Blue Lions, or Claude and the Golden Deer in three separate story paths. Each path will feature different playable characters with unique classes, skills, and weapons.

RELATED: Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes Player Character Shez Will Have a Unique Class

Three Hopes: Felix Draws Inspiration From His Father

A recent trailer shared on Nintendo’s Twitter account revealed the new designs of all eight characters from the Blue Lions house, who hail from the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus, and are led by the charismatic but troubled Prince Dimitri. Fans were quick to notice a unique detail about the redesign of one character in particular: Felix Hugo Fraldarius, a prickly swordsman from one of the Kingdom’s most prominent noble houses.

Felix is the youngest son of House Fraldarius, and bearer of its Major Crest. He is a childhood friend of Dimitri, but their relationship becomes strained after Felix’s older brother, Glenn, is killed in battle defending the prince. In Fire Emblem: Three Houses, Felix quickly became known for his high speed, strength, and critical rate, making him a popular choice for players to recruit. Felix returns in Three Hopes again, performing his signature speedy sword moves and fancy footwork.

However, one thing has changed about Felix: His outfit. In the Blue Lions trailer, Felix is shown wearing a fur-trimmed pale blue cloak similar — or possibly identical — to the one worn by his father, Rodrigue Achille Fraldarius. Rodrigue is an advisor to Dimitri and one of the most respected nobles in the Kingdom of Faerghus. In Three Houses, he appears as an important non-player character on the Blue Lions route, and an enemy on all other routes.

What Could This Mean For Rodrigue?

Rodrigue is killed in battle late in every route in Fire Emblem: Three Houses. He is either defeated as an enemy, or sacrifices himself to save Dimitri. This leaves Felix conflicted, as he had a poor relationship with his father and was not able to reconcile with him before Rodrigue’s death. Felix disliked Rodrigue because he constantly felt compared to his dead older brother, Glenn, and hated the ideals of chivalry and self-sacrifice that his father represented. Fans were hoping to see Rodrigue made playable in Three Hopes, alongside new characters such as the mysterious Monica.

However, Felix deliberately choosing to dress like his father potentially signifies a different fate for Rodrigue — one in which he dies much earlier. Felix may have chosen to dress this way to honor his fallen father. It is unlikely that Felix, who openly mocks his father, would choose to dress like him without some change in their strained relationship. A clip of Felix in battle also shows that he lacks the Aegis Shield, the Heroes’ Relic of House Fraldarius, making it possible that Rodrigue died before he could pass it on to his son.

A New Role for Felix

In a previous trailer, fans noticed a shot of a hand, initially thought to be Rodrigue’s, shown reaching out for Dimitri. Now, the hand is instead speculated to belong to Felix. This could indicate that Dimitri and Felix get along better in Three Hopes, and are possibly able to mend the antagonistic relationship seen in Three Houses. It is also possible that Felix may serve as an advisor to Dimitri, alongside the prince’s retainer Dedue.

With just over a month until release, fans are hoping to see trailers revealing the new designs of characters from the Black Eagles, Golden Deer, and Church of Seiros. However, with later trailers likely focusing on these groups, it is possible fans may not learn more about Felix’s design or Rodrigue’s fate until the game launches in June.

Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes releases on June 24, 2022, for the Nintendo Switch.

MORE: Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes’ Character List Could Dwarf Its Predecessors