The battlefield friendships and castle courtships of Fire Emblem: Three Houses are what make the action so tense and the stories so deliciously engaging. For a medieval fantasy that involves no small amount of chaos and destruction, the game manages to pepper in some of the most memorable and lovely characters moments in the series so far.
And so to not spoil too many of these charming moments, this list will keep to the general story scenes before the storylines branch off from each other after the time-skip.
8 The Moonlit Rendezvous
Once you’ve met and befriended the students and faculty of Garreg Mach, and to round out the academy’s semester, the academy’s annual ball is held. After a slick cinematic of the house leaders dancing, Byleth escapes to the Goddess Tower, where your chosen romantic entanglement will appear by chance.
Dorothea had sent Byleth a letter, or Linhardt had waited in hope for a chance to research Byleth’s crest. Whatever the reason, you’re treated to a fully-voiced meet-cute with your favourite that whets Byleth’s appetite and foreshadows future romances.
7 The Post-Skip Reunion
After the climactic castle siege, Byleth is lost into the ether and returns years later to Garreg Mach to find the continent of Fódlan at war. One by one your friends and students return, no longer the people they were. They’ve grown into their own and, for better or worse, decided to join Byleth.
Young Cyril and Lysithea are now fully grown, and the house leaders have now become leaders of kingdoms. Each character returns with a new, personally styled look and seeing how they’ve changed in the intermediary is exciting and sweet.
6 The Caring NPCs
Though Three houses’ main cast could leave no one wanting for more handsome heroes or powerful women, but if you do take some time to chat to the various guards and townspeople around Garreg Mach, you’ll find that they can be surprisingly charming and unique.
Such as after the dramatic scene where Byleth’s father dies, the townspeople are shocked and either give their condolences, get broken up about it or reminisce on old memories. Even the high-spirited gatekeeper will have a sombre disposition that you can’t help but feel sympathy for.
5 Dimitri And Marianne’s Supports
In their B support, Marriane says “It’s as if there’s finally someone who understands how I truly feel.” And it’s true. Unlike any of their other support lines, the ones between Dimitri and Marianne are unique in that they discuss their shared feelings of survivor’s guilt.
Instead of telling each other to cheer up, they encourage each other to continue fighting so that they don’t lose each other. And if they end up together, they enjoy a happy reign as king and queen of Fódlan.
4 Flayn And Seteth’s Supports
In their early support stories, there’s friction between Seteth’s overprotective attitude and the sheltered, curious Flayn. Flayn tries to break free to make friends, try new things and gain some independence for herself.
But this causes great anxiety in poor Seteth, and the truth is revealed: he is overbearing because he previously lost his wife and fears losing Flayn too. But thankfully, their story culminates in an adorable heart-to-heart where both finally understand each other and agree to allow for some compromise between them.
3 Manuela Finding Love
Throughout the story, amid the mysterious disappearances of students and treating the wounded soldiers, Manuela spends her time dating. Many of her support stories include this and the fact that she seems to be incredibly unlucky in love.
Though she is a surprisingly capable healer and teacher, not to mention a world-class singer, Manuela won’t find love unless you pair her with Byleth or another unit like Lorenz or Dorothea. But if you do pair her with someone, it’s a treat to see her struggles pay off, and that it helps her succeed with her dreams of starting her own school.
2 Rhea’s Support Scenes
Unlike any other character in the game, Rhea can only befriend (or romance) a single character, Byleth, and even then, it’s very easy to miss the tight time-periods to do it. As leader of the church of Seiros, she must remain distant and deified by the church’s followers, which is something that causes issues later in the story.
However, if you do manage to get closer to her, you can better understand her multifaceted, and sometimes misguided, choices while Byleth provides her some comfort and friendship not otherwise given.
1 The S Support Scenes
After forty plus hours, you'll no doubt have a favourite unit. Maybe because of their great personality or their stunning hair, you’ll have someone that you think Byleth should bestow their late mother’s betrothal ring to.
Regardless of your path, the game ends with this scene of your Byleth proposing and with their own personal acceptance scene. Even the scheming Hubert and stoic Dedue give a genuine and sweet declaration of their love, so whoever you choose, you’ll no doubt be warmed to the cockles of your heart.