Fire Emblem: Three Houses, the highly anticipated entry into the long-running series, is launching tomorrow! Fans of the series are waiting with bated breath to play as Byleth, a young professor at a military academy that the majority of the game's cast attend as students. The game features a time skip whereby all of the students undergo major appearance changes on a scale that's unprecedented in the series, growing from young students to seasoned combatants. With all the post-time skip portraits available, why not take a look at who's made the most of their post-grad years? Here are five of the best timeskip glow-ups in Fire Emblem: Three Houses, in no particular order.
1. Ignatz Victor
Here we have the classic evolution from Awkward Nerd to Hot Nerd. It's not just the drastic improvement in hairstyle - though that counts for a lot - it's the very subtle changes he's made that tie the whole look together. From the better fitting glasses, the green cloak that complements his hair and skin tone, to the ornate golden clasp, he's learned how to maximize his particular Soft Academic Aesthetic, and he's doing it well. Watch out, Byleth - he's coming in hard to steal that Hot Professor position.
2. Bernadetta von Varley
Bernadetta didn't just start brushing her hair, she learned how to accessorize. The dangly earrings and the hair clasp are adventurous additions for someone who started out as a shy shut-in - and, to be honest, that's really the crux of her glow-up. Upgrades in fashion sense aside, the most notable changes are to her demeanor itself: she's not hunched over anymore, her unsure frown is gone, and overall you just get the sense that she's less insecure. She still doesn't seem outgoing, by any means, but she looks more confident and sure of herself - and that's really the best glow-up anyone can ask for.
3. Caspar von Bergliez
Fans of Caspar are sure to be glad he's finally learned how to work with his hair, not against it. His pre-time skip looks like he's using an unholy amount of gel to try and smooth down his naturally spiky hair - which results in him looking like he's wearing the haunch of a badly taxidermied cat as a helmet. Post-graduation, Caspar switches to a light layer of pomade to guide the natural rebelliousness of his hair, achieving an almost effortlessly dashing look.
4. Marianne von Edmund
We are so proud of Marianne. Everyone should be proud of Marianne - she finally got some fucking sleep! It doesn't matter that her hair and general aesthetic hasn't changed much - just look at her face. The bags under her eyes? Gone. Her skin? Glowing. Her smile? Subtle but radiant. Our wigs? In. ORBIT.
5. Lorenz Hermann Gloucester
And here it is, the glow-up that inspired an entire reddit thread of apologies to Lorenz. Before the time skip, he was the fantasy world equivalent of that over-serious guy in high school who wore trilby hats (mistaking them for fedoras), ill-fitting waistcoats and a necktie to school every day despite not knowing how to do a proper tie knot. Post-grad, it seems he's learned how to accentuate the elegance of his delicate features, elevating his look to the point where the whole internet is sorry for meme-ing on him.
Special Mention: Dorothea Arnold
Dorothea gets a special mention because, well, her change in appearance isn't so much a glow-up as just improvement upon perfection. Because of her penchant for glamorous clothes and accessories, she didn't need much help in the fashion department to begin with. Indeed, it doesn't look like much changes other than the hat, but the subtle details add a lot. From the more confident, even tilt of her brow to the more prominent, handsome curve of her jaw, she goes from a hard-working girl with a sunny outlook to a refined woman who can crush you under her heel. It's a good thing she's one of the bisexual supports available because we can already tell she's going to be a fan-favorite romance.
Didn't see your favorite character? Go check out their post-time skip portraits here! Or, you can wait until you get your hands on the game tomorrow. Just remember: be careful who you call ugly in military school.