“ | You're free to try... but you won't get away from me that easily. I'll carve out your monstrous heart and put an end to the beast dwelling within. Your destruction is everything I've ever fought for! | „ |
~ Epimenides, speaking through Shez, to Byleth as they attempt to escape from him. |
“ | Ah, but you are mistaken. I am not Arval. My name is Epimenides, an ordinary man who vowed to kill the beast which set the earth ablaze. Do you not comprehend my purpose? I must save this world and its true people! That is why I chose to pass my consciousness down through the ages. And you... You are the vessel for that consciousness. | „ |
~ Epimenides revealing his identity and goals to Shez, Edelgard, Dimitri, and Claude. |
Epimenides, also known as Arval is one of the two overarching antagonists (alongside Nemesis) within the Fódlan Saga of Nintendo's Fire Emblem franchise.
He is the overarching antagonist of the 2022 tactical hack-&-slash video game Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes, the spin-off sequel to the 2019 video game Fire Emblem: Three Houses.
He is a mysterious and enigmatic being who resides inside the mind of a mercenary named Shez. He's later revealed to be one of the leaders of Those Who Slither in the Dark, the main antagonistic faction of the Fodlan series and the arch-nemesis of Sothis.
He is voiced by Mutsumi Tamura in Japanese and Melissa Hutchison in English, the latter of which also voice Merlina.
Biography[]
Backstory[]
Epimenides was a male human Agarthan Lord, possibly of similar rank to Thales, who wished to destroy Sothis and save his people. He created the "progenitor god" Arval to pass down his consciousness. With the power of the false progenitor god, he was powerful enough to decimate the armies of Saint Seiros single-handedly, going up against Cethleann, Cichol, and even Seiros herself and forcing them all to retreat, ending the battle in a draw as his own forces had already pulled back. In their next battle, Seiros transformed into her dragon form, the Immaculate One, and fired a full power blast at him, which he met with his own might. He was presumed destroyed after the battle, however he survived through Arval and eventually chose the protagonist Shez to be Arval's (and his own) vessel hundreds of years later.
Reveal and Banishing Shez and the Three Leaders[]
Arval rescues Shez from getting killed by the "Ashen Demon" Byleth and speaks to Shez inside their head. However, they do not have memories of anything before they met Shez, even though they knew how their powers work.
In the chapters "The Hour of Vengeance" and "Into the Chasm", which are only available if Byleth was recruited, Epimenides becomes one with Arval and possesses Shez's body to kill Byleth. However, before Epimenides can strike the killing blow at the Ashen Demon, Shez resists him and urges Byleth to flee. Epimenides quickly reasserts control over Shez's body and resumes his pursuit of the Ashen Demon.
Later, Epimenides finds Byleth and once again attempts to kill them before he is stopped by Shez's party. Epimenides warps himself and Byleth away several times in the hopes of avoiding the "foolish distractions", but in the end, he gets defeated and captured.
However, Epimenides quickly escapes, sacrifices Solon and banishes Shez, Edelgard, Dimitri, and Claude to Zahras. He then explains his story and goals to the four before he teleports away.
Epimenides then creates phantoms of Shez, the three lords, and their allies to destroy Shez and the three lords, but the four defeats all of the phantoms. As Epmenides sees Shez coming to attack him, he tries to attack first, but Shez avoids all his attacks. As Epimenides attempts to block Shez's relatitory attack, he angrily demands Shez why they continue to resist him, to which Shez responds that it is because it is their choice to make the tomorrow they are fighting for before finally cutting Epimenides down. Arval briefly resurfaces and tells Shez that he is proud of how strong they have become, and how they have grown more than he has ever thought possible, yet he's never felt more alone. As Arval/Epimenides fades away, Shez then uses their second sword to free themselves and the three lords from Zahras, allowing them to return to their world and continue the war.
Other Media[]
Fire Emblem Heroes[]
Epimenides, under the alias Arval, is a playable character on the gacha mobile game Fire Emblem Heroes.
Personality[]
Epimenides is a cold, ruthless, cruel and calculating figure, in direct contrast to Arval's more sassy attitude, though they both possess a calm and collected demeanour. He is focused completely on his mission to kill Sothis, and cares deeply for his people, the Agarthans. During the War of Heroes, as seen through Arval's paralogue, he did not seem to hold Thales in much high esteem in regards to his leadership, considering his methods to be distasteful. Unlike Arval, who expresses no anger towards Shez if they recruit Byleth, Epimenides calls Shez a failure if they refuse to fulfill his duty as his vessel by killing Sothis' host. However, despite this, how much Epimenides cares for or values them is ambiguous; Byleth later mentions to Shez that Epimenides seemed to go out of his way to make sure that Shez's body was unharmed while he controlled it.
Quotes[]
“ | It's over. Oh, how I've waited for this day... The day that I kill you! | „ |
~ Epimenides, possessing Shez, attempting to kill Byleth. |
“ | Forgive me for this, Solon. But without your sacrifice, this world can never be made clean. O great Zahras, weil of night fluttering in the abyss! By the laws of creation, throw wide your infernal gates and swallow my foes! | „ |
~ Epimenides opening the gates to Zahras after sacrificing Solon. |
“ | Epimenides: Ah, there you are. My partner in destiny. Shez: You're not Arval. And even if you were, I'd fight you all the same. |
„ |
~ Shez VS Epimenides. |
“ | Epimenides: BEGONE WITH YOU!!! The cycle of this world...must be protected! (Epimenides attacks with his magic, but Shez avoids them all and attacks Epimenides) You fool... Why must you resist me so?! Shez: You know my reason! The tomorrow we're fighting for... THE CHOICE IS OURS TO MAKE!!! (Shez defeats Epimenides) Arval: It's incredible...just how strong you've become. Shez: Arval... Arval: You have grown more than I ever thought possible. And yet... I've never felt...more alone... |
„ |
~ Arval/Epimenides' last fight with Shez, before he is killed by them. |
Gallery[]
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