Outset of a Power Struggle

Outset of a Power Struggle (Japanese: 争覇の幕開け Opening of a Power Struggle) is the twelfth chapter of Fire Emblem: Three Houses on the Black Eagles route if the player sided with Edelgard in the previous chapter, and it is the final chapter of Part I.

Outset of a Power Struggle Mural used to introduce the Lone Moon.

Previous chapter(s) Throne of Knowledge Next chapter(s) Beyond Escape

“	Like you, I have risen to meet my destiny. I cut this path, and I will see it through to the end. Following me is akin to pointing a sword at the goddess herself. One misstep, and we fall to our ruin.	”	— Edelgard

Plot

Main article: Outset of a Power Struggle/Script

Byleth, Edelgard, Hubert, and the rest of the Black Eagles arrive at an Imperial provisional camp. While Flayn deserts the group to return to Garreg Mach Monastery, the other Black Eagles swear renewed loyalty to Edelgard. Afterwards, Edelgard unloads her doubts and fears about her own actions in starting a war against the Church of Seiros on Byleth, and Byleth encourages her. Hubert and Edelgard explain that the main Imperial forces will meet up with them in two weeks' time for the invasion of Garreg Mach, that they have begun spreading Edelgard's manifesto exposing the Church's corruption, and that they have already purged some of the morally rotten Imperial nobles. Edelgard declares that the former Black Eagles will form an elite squad known as the Black Eagle Strike Force.

Hubert explains that the plan is to have the Black Eagle Strike Force hit the enemy's most elite forces while the main army surrounds the monastery and captures it. Byleth and Edelgard, accompanied by allied forces led by General Randolph, Edelgard's bodyguard Ladislava, and the Death Knight, overrun the monastery's defenses and severely wound Rhea. Enraged, she transforms into the Immaculate One and attacks Byleth. As narrated by Jeralt, Adrestia wins the Battle of Garreg Mach and forces the Knights of Seiros to surrender, and Rhea retreats to the Kingdom capital of Fhirdiad to plan her next move. The Empire then begins a full-scale war with Faerghus and Leicester.

Character data

Characters
New units
Edelgard Varies* HP Varies Inventory Varies Level Varies Automatically at the start of the chapter Hubert Varies* HP Varies Inventory Varies Level Varies Automatically at the start of the chapter
Available characters

Note: At the start of the chapter, Edelgard and Hubert will have Supreme Armored Co. and Vestra Sorcery Engineers automatically equipped to them respectively; if they have less than C authority, their authority will be set to C.

Item data

Items

Name Obtainment Method Supreme Armored Co. Automatically assigned to Edelgard* Vestra Sorcery Engineers Automatically assigned to Hubert* Blessed Bow Dropped by enemy Archer in The Battle of Garreg Mach

Marketplace data

Marketplace

Armory Item Shop Battalion Guild

	Name	Stock	Price
	Iron Sword	∞	520
	Steel Sword	∞	910
	Silver Sword	∞	1,410
	Brave Sword	Limited: 1	2,100
	Killing Edge	∞	1,470
	Training Sword	∞	260
	Levin Sword	Limited: 1	1,600
	Armorslayer	∞	1,450
	Iron Lance	∞	560
	Steel Lance	∞	910
	Silver Lance	∞	1,560
	Brave Lance	Limited: 1	2,220
	Killer Lance	∞	1,680
	Training Lance	∞	280
	Javelin	∞	700
	Short Spear	Limited: 1	1,600
	Horseslayer	∞	1,650
	Iron Axe	∞	600
	Steel Axe	∞	980
	Silver Axe	∞	1,740
	Brave Axe	Limited: 1	2,400
	Training Axe	∞	300
	Hand Axe	∞	750
	Short Axe	Limited: 1	1,750
	Hammer	∞	1,850
	Mace	∞	720
	Iron Bow	∞	560
	Steel Bow	∞	910
	Silver Bow	∞	1,560
	Brave Bow	Limited: 1	2,220
	Training Bow	∞	350
	Mini Bow	∞	680
	Iron Gauntlets	∞	480
	Steel Gauntlets	∞	640
	Silver Gauntlets	∞	1,290
	Training Gauntlets	∞	240

	Name	Stock	Price
	Leather Shield	∞	500
	Iron Shield	∞	1,000
	Steel Shield	∞	1,500
	Silver Shield	Limited: 1	2,000
	Vulnerary	∞	300
	Concoction	∞	600
	Elixir	∞	1,200
	Beginner Seal	∞	500
	Intermediate Seal	∞	1,000
	Advanced Seal	∞	2,000
	Master Seal	Limited: 5	3,000
	Torch	∞	600
	Antitoxin	∞	600
	Pure Water	∞	600
	Door Key	∞	300
	Chest Key	∞	300

	Name		Gambit	Level	Price
	Empire Heavy Soldiers		Line of Lances	B	2,000
	Empire Holy Magic Users		Blessing	B	2,000
	Empire Raiders		Absorption	B	2,000
	Imperial Guard		Blaze	B	2,000
	Empire Elite Wyvern Co.		Assembly	B	2,000
	Black Eagle Heavy Axes		Onslaught	A	2,500
	Black Eagle Cavalry		Linked Horses	A	2,500
	Black Eagle Pegasus Co.		Retribution	A	2,500

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• Note: The Battalion Guild will keep sellling any imperial battalion not bought previously; those with the "Seiros" moniker will no longer remain available for purchase.

Strategy

Main article: Outset of a Power Struggle/The Battle of Garreg Mach

For this chapter, you take up residence in a temporary camp with limited facilities. You can only give your allies gifts and lost items and visit the marketplace while you are here, whose armory, item shop and battalion guild has received an updated stock you might want to check out. Edelgard does not get to keep the Flame Emperor class or either of her unique skills when she rejoins you (although she gets a powerful new battalion). Finally, note that at the end of the chapter, all of your inventory items will be automatically fully repaired, so feel free to cut loose during the final battle.

Trivia

• The temporary base used during this chapter is a slightly tweaked version of the central room of the Conand Tower's map previously used in Chapter 5's main mission.
• As of this chapter, the player loses the ability to buy battalions affiliated with the Church of Seiros.
• From version 1.1.0. onwards, there exists dialogue in the game's files for a possible interaction with Jeritza during this chapter's exploration, which was cut for unknown reasons.
• Due to an oversight, if Edelgard and Hubert's authority is over C rank as of this chapter, they will lose all skill points gathered in it while retaining their current authority rank.

Etymology and other languages

Names, etymology, and in other regions
Language	Name	Definition, etymology, and notes
English	Outset of a Power Struggle	--
Japanese	争覇の幕開け	Opening of a Power Struggle; this parallels the Japanese name of To War, the corresponding chapter in the other routes.
Spanish	Lucha de poder en ciernes	A budding power struggle
French	Les débuts de la lutte pour le pouvoir	The beginning of a power struggle
German	Beginn eines Machtkampfs	Beginning of a Power Struggle
Italian	La scintilla di una lotta di potere	The spark of a power struggle
Korean	쟁패의 개막	The start of a power struggle
Simplified Chinese	踏上称霸之路	To start the path of hegemony
Traditional Chinese	踏上稱霸之路	To start the path of hegemony

Gallery

• 

  Byleth exploring the Imperial Army Provisional Camp.

• 

  Checking the character roster in the Imperial Army Provisional Camp.

References

← Throne of Knowledge •	Outset of a Power Struggle	• Beyond Escape →