Time skips help make any video game story amp up the intensity, drama, and excitement. Fire Emblem has done that with Mystery of the Emblem, Genealogy of the Holy War, Awakening, and recently, Three Houses. When the trailer for the time skip was shown, specifically at E3, fans were in awe at how the main lords looked five years later, with Dimitri being the most shocking as he was seen wearing an eye patch and telling his army to kill every last one of them.
Three Houses' time skip shows that things are getting serious and the choices storywise you make really do matter. This will include some serious and not-so-serious spoilers, so be wary of going in if you have not played all of Three Houses. Here is everything you need to know about the time skip in Fire Emblem: Three Houses.
10 This Time, Not Everyone Will Be Spared
As the time skip heads straight into war after five years of Byleth being in a sleeping state, things have changed for the better and worse. You will reunite with one of the house leaders in the ruined Garreg Mach Monastery with a smile, or with disdain. Alongside that, the characters in the specific house will also reunite in battle (or in the monastery if Crimson Flower becomes the route).
Don't expect the time skip to be like Fire Emblem Fates: Revelations where almost everyone survives. If you don't have characters from other houses recruited, they will be killed off when fighting against them.
9 One Route Is A Bit Shorter
Crimson Flower takes an incredibly interesting approach to differentiate itself from other routes. We see a perspective of Edelgard that justifies her reasons for wanting to make Fódlan free from a system of nobility and disregard the use of crests.
However, the route has been criticized for being shorter compared to the other routes and there are little-to-no cutscenes, just CG art for when a specific moment happens. By having three less chapters, be sure to grind as much as you can to deal with the final chapter, especially on Maddening.
8 More Paralogues Will Be Added
Some characters have paralogues pre-time skip, while others unlock theirs if they are recruited before the time skip. For example, Petra and Bernadetta's paralogue can only be completed in the time skip. Marianne's paralogue is also available if she is recruited or you picked the Golden Deer house. Sometimes you will have to get students outside of your chosen house to get the paralogue, like Mercedes and Caspar, who will face the Death Knight, and Linhardt with Leonie, who are looking for a treasured weapon.
For the first time in Fire Emblem games, the results in clearing a specific paralogue will determine the fate of that character. This is only in the Blue Lions house, but more on that later. Clearing the time skip paralogues are really worth it as you can get strong weapons, grind for more levels, and see special dialogue from whose paralogue you're playing.
7 Sothis Will Be Gone, Except When...
Due to merging with Sothis to get out of the void from the pre-time skip, she can only be heard when Byleth awakens five years later, but that will be the last of her unless you decided to take her hand in marriage. As you are able to gain support points from her from dialogue choices, Intelligent Systems sneaked their way in.
Before going onto the final battle in either route, an option for S-ranking will have Sothis appear with "???" and her faded image. It is rather strange to go for someone who basically lives inside your head, but more power to you since she is an interesting character.
6 If You Don't Recruit The Ashen Wolves Beforehand, It's Too Late
DLC is not necessarily needed for the complete Three Houses experience, but if you really love this game, then it is a must-buy to gain another story called Cindered Shadows, recruit the Ashen Wolves after beating the extra story, and unlock supports with them and in-game characters. By the time you get to the second chapter, you will be able to head into the Abyss and recruit them immediately. Even if they will not have any relevance in the main story, they still have unique dialogue of what occurs in the chapter you are in depending on the route.
If you desire extra units to train up and use later on in the time skip, be sure to recruit them before the twelfth chapter. If you do not recruit them, they will not appear in the time skip and their fates will be unknown.
5 It's Where A-Rank Supports Are Unlocked
Three Houses takes a different approach to how supports are unlocked. Similarly to Echoes: Shadows of Valentia, supports take time to be available. C and B-rank supports are quick to get out of the way with the help of gift-giving, lost items, or tea parties. A-rank supports are only obtainable during the time skip, giving characters closure on the events they went through and being one step closer to get an S-rank on who you choose to marry.
Dimitri's support to A-rank for those he can interact with especially takes time as he is not able to support anyone or take anything during his dark and stubborn state. But as long as you have taken many meals with him and another support partner and taught him during the pre-time skip, he will come around once you reach the chapter his support is available again.
4 Dedue Might Not Appear In The Time Skip
Dedue's role is very crucial in Azure Moon, as he is not only exclusive to that route, but in the pre-time skip, he has a paralogue, called War for the Weak, that will have consequences if not done. By simply not doing it, Dedue will sacrifice himself to spare Dimitri from being executed.
If you have invested into Dedue, then it is essential to complete his paralogue to spare the defensive tank's life. During his absence, Gilbert will take over with decent stats, but whenever Dedue comes back, Gilbert can act as a defensive adjutant for someone who is squishy.
3 You Can Recruit Certain Students After The Time Skip
Fret not if you missed some characters once the time skip rolls over. Depending on the routes you picked, except for Silver Snow, you will get a chance to have a character to add to your team. Due to story scenarios, the characters Lysithea, Lorenz, and Ashe can be recruited even if you had not gained supports or had no intention of getting them. However, they must be defeated by Byleth in battle, since any other unit will result in them dying.
By playing Black Eagle, you will be able to recruit Lysithea. Just by defeating her, she will have a unique dialogue and ask to join you by sparing her. The same goes for Lorenz and Ashe in Blue Lions and Golden Deer respectively. As long as Byleth is the one who takes them out, you will gain an extra unit to use as adjutants.
2 Verdant Wind And Silver Snow Are Nearly Identical
It can be hard to figure out which house to start with, but if you do not want to experience déjà vu, be sure not to play Verdant Wind and Silver Snow back to back. One of the game's major drawbacks is how eerily similar Claude and Rhea's routes are. Given, it does not play entirely the same, as the routes have different final maps and cutscenes. But for what is similar, it can be disappointing depending on which route you have chosen first.
They share one map that has to do with Those Who Slither in the Dark and a cutscene that occurs after clearing the said map. Verdant Wind has more exposition regarding Fódlan's history, while Silver Snow focuses more on Rhea. Whatever route you would prefer to take on first, just be sure not to do both consecutively.
1 Not Every Student Will Appear
If you want a happier ending in Three Houses, do your best to recruit every student possible, unless Hilda, Hubert, or Dedue are not available on certain routes. If some students do not have a required support rank or not have reached a level in the weapon, stat, or movement, they will eventually face their demise in the chapter Blood of the Eagle and Lion in Azure Moon, Verdant Wind, and Silver Snow (offscreen).
Not counting DLC, the only character that does not appear in the time skip, unless recruited or in the respective house, is Marianne.