It's been a few days since the drop of the Cindered Shadows DLC for Fire Emblem: Three Houses, and so far it seems that most fans have been enjoying all the new content the fourth wave of the game's expansion pass has to offer. From new characters, battles, locations, and even a brand new house, there's plenty of never-before-seen features to explore. But one new addition that no one could've anticipated in this latest release was the reveal of the identity of Byleth's mom.
[SPOILERS BELOW FOR FIRE EMBLEM: THREE HOUSES AND THE CINDERED SHADOWS DLC.]
The true identity of Byleth's mom was first referenced in the main game's Silver Snow route, during a pivotal scene when Setheth and Byleth demand Rhea for more information about Byleth's unique upbringing. Rhea admits that she created Byleth's mother using magic as a potential vessel to receive the progenitor god Sothis' spirit, in a desperate hope to revive Rhea's own mother. Unfortunately, while Rhea was secretly preparing her to receive the spirit by keeping her safe, Byleth's mother met and eventually fell in love with Jeralt. At the time, Byleth's mother was a nun at the monastery and Jeralt was one of the strongest and most respected Knights of Seiros.
Rhea soon discovered that her latest vessel could not house the spirit of Sothis, but Jeralt and Byleth's mother were happily in love and soon married and conceived a child. But when Byleth was born without a heartbeat, her mother begged Rhea to save her. As her mother was already in a weakened state, Rhea removed her Crest of Flames and implanted it into Byleth. The removal killed Byleth's mother, which incited Jeralt to flee the Church and began his distrust of Rhea.
The Cindered Shadows DLC adds some more information to this heartbreaking tale. Firstly, and most importantly, we now know Byleth's mother's name: Sitri.
Thanks to the new DLC, players can now explore a new area, Abyss. One new character to talk to is Aelfric, a Cardinal who serves as the main source of information on Byleth's mother. Byleth can speak to him to find out more about their deceased parent. From listening to Aelfric, players can hear about how Sitri was a quiet and studious young girl, who could be found singing and reading on the daily. She was also incredibly weak, which prevented her from venturing beyond the monastery.
Jeralt and Sitri connected over the former's adventurous stories of life beyond Garreg Mach, a life that the latter had never experienced. Aelfric also comments on the two's drastically different personalities. Upon finding out that the two married, it's revealed that the Cardinal was obsessed with Sitri, implying that he might have fancied her as well.
Fire Emblem: Three Houses is currently available for the Nintendo Switch. The Cindered Shadows DLC is currently available as part of the game's paid DLC content.
Source: Inverse