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Thales
- "Lord Arundel" redirects here. For the character Thales impersonates, seeMinor characters/Fódlan characters § Lord Arundel.
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Thales (pronounced /ˈtɑlɪs/[key][4]; Japanese:タレスThales) is a character appearing inFire Emblem: Three Houses andFire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes. He is the leader ofthose who slither in the dark.
Biography
Pre-games
While Thales's past is unknown,Epimenides's comments during a flashback to theWar of Heroes indicate that he was already alive and in a position of leadership in the ancient Agarthans approximately 1100 years before the events of the main story. It is heavily implied inThree Houses and later confirmed inWarriors: Three Hopes that he began impersonatingLord Volkhard von Arundel ever since his demise in Imperial year 1174 to abuse his position in the Empire to further his group's agenda. After assuming Volkhard's identity, Thales tookEdelgard von Hresvelg and traveled to theAdrestian Empire from theHoly Kingdom of Faerghus, allied himself with DukeLudwig von Aegir, supported the abduction of Ionius IX's children and subjected them to horrific experimentation at the hands of his group to imbue them with two Crests in an attempt to create a powerful peerless emperor, with the goal of challenging theChildren of the Goddess's dominance over humanity and, ultimately, conquering all ofFódlan. The sole survivor of these experiments was Edelgard, who swore to destroy both Thales and his co-conspirators and theChurch of Seiros which she blamed for propagating the Crest-worship that led to the deaths of her siblings. To this end, Edelgard reluctantly agreed to work with Thales in order to make use of his group's resources to defeat the Church, intending to double-cross him after he outlived his usefulness.
Three Houses
In 1180, Thales, under Lord Arundel's identity, is briefly seen with Edelgard, in her Flame Emperor persona, discussing the events of theWestern Church's assassination attempt on Rhea and their mission to seizeSeiros's bones. While he is disappointed by the Western Church's failure, both he and Edelgard learn Seiros's alleged coffin hosted instead theSword of the Creator, and due toByleth's compatibility with theHero's Relic despite the weapon lacking a Crest Stone, Thales begins suspecting they could beSothis's reincarnation.[5] Afterwards, the meeting ends with Edelgard granting him command of theDeath Knight.
IfByleth is a member of theBlue Lions, "Lord Arundel" can be seen later having a brief conversation withDimitri shortly beforethe incident in Remire Village, in which he tells Dimitri he will be staying near Garreg Mach for a while.[6] This allows Thales to save a disguisedKronya as himself inChapter 9 fromByleth's attack after she assassinatedJeralt, stating he still requires her assistance before escaping both.
Afterwards, Thales and Kronya meet again in secret with the Flame Emperor in the outskirts of Garreg Mach, and orders Kronya to remain atSolon's side as she is required for an unspecified role, which she gladly accepts. The Flame Emperor then spites them both in disgust and calls Thales out forhis deeds in Duscur andEnbarr, warning them both that there will not be any salvation for his group. Thales ignores the Flame Emperor's warnings entirely and instead chooses to claim all of his work has been for Edelgard's sake. On the Blue Lions route, it is revealedDimitri eavesdrops on their conversation, which the Flame Emperor notices and attempts to dispell by throwing a dagger at his direction, an action Thales considers pointless as he believes there will be always be eavesdroppers roaming around them, before vanishing from the scene.
During the Battle of Garreg Mach on all routes other than Crimson Flower, "Lord Arundel" commands Adrestian reinforcements to relieve Edelgard after she is defeated in combat by Church forces. At one point of the battle, Thales as himself blasts a shot of dark magic at Byleth right after they successfully savedRhea—transformed into her Immaculate One form—from someDemonic Beasts, throwing them off a cliff and sending them to parts unknown.
On the Silver Snow/Verdant Wind routes, Thales is confronted in Shambhala's central room by Byleth and their chosen faction, thanks toHubert having left a letter to them post-mortem disclosing the location of those who slither in the dark's lair, where he is defeated. After this, Thales activates some panels on the room's floor, triggeringjavelins of light, which soon starts destroying Shambhala in one last attempt to obliterate the Agarthan's enemies. Upon seeing this, Rhea quickly transforms into The Immaculate One and manages to destroy some of the missiles while taking heavy damage, preventing the demise of Byleth and their army. Once the javelins stop falling, a shot shows Thales's lifeless body below some rubble, confirming his demise.
Meanwhile, in Azure Moon, under the guise of Lord Arundel, Thales leads the Adrestian invasion of theLeicester Alliance in the wake of their defeat atthe Battle at Gronder. The Alliance leaderClaude successfully petitions Dimitri for reinforcements, and the Kingdom crushes his troops in a pincer attack which mortally wounds him. Upon being questioned by Dimitri for his involvement in the Tragedy of Duscur, "Lord Arundel" refuses to answer Dimitri encourages him one last time to kill Edelgard before perishing.
On the Crimson Flower route, after the Empire conquers Leicester, "Lord Arundel" heads to Derdriu to collect the former Alliance's Heroes' Relics. Byleth may undertakean optional mission to rescue some of his subordinates from an experiment withDemonic Beasts gone awry; afterwards,Hubert speculates that this was an attempt to bully Edelgard's forces and display his power. After Edelgard double-crosses and kills his agentCleobulus at Arianrhod, Thales, under Volkhard's persona, confronts and subtly threatens her and Byleth, warning them that if they continue at the rate they are going, the Empire "may become another Arianrhod". His meaning is revealed when Hubert reports Arianrhod was disintegrated by pillars of light; Edelgard scapegoats the Church for its destruction as a result. "Volkhard" makes a final appearance shortly before the final battle for Fhirdiad, and makes a failed attempt to encourage Edelgard to expand her vision to conquering the entire world. While his fate after the war is never revealed, multiple endings confirm the Empire eventually makes their way into Shambhala and wages war against those who slither in the dark, rendering Thales's chances of survival slim.
Warriors: Three Hopes
In early 1180, in Enbarr's palace, Thales, under Volkhard's guise, is seen displeased to hear the news of Kronya's fortress being found and of Solon's outing in Garreg Mach, driving him to inform Cleobulus of the recent news to stay alert for any eventualities. Right after doing so, he receives the news Edelgard, with the support of theKnights of Seiros, is marching towards the Imperial Capital, and upon realizing her betrayal, attempts to escape by using his troops and Duke Aegir as a distraction. While successful, during his confrontation with Edelgard andShez, Thales is forced to drop his false identity before vanishing to parts unknown. Thales makes no storyline appearances on the Golden Wildfire route, and presumably remains at large.
On the Scarlet Blaze route, the Empire continues to search for Thales even as they do battle with the Church and Kingdom. Eventually, as Rhea makes an attempt to retake Garreg Mach from the Empire, Thales personally leads a contingent of those who slither in the dark to seize the monastery and wipe out Imperial and Church forces alike. Thales infiltrates the monastery and faces Rhea and theBlack Eagles in a three-way battle, with the Eagles emerging victorious. Thales and Rhea launch a final attack at each other that disintegrates the bridge they are standing upon. While no corpse is recovered, Thales is presumed dead, and without his leadership those who slither in the dark go to ground.
On the Azure Gleam route, Thales ambushes Kingdom and Imperial forces during the battle for Arianrhod and uses his magic to forcibly place Edelgard under his control. He installs Duke Aegir to act as the puppet ruler of the Empire, and the two drive Adrestia into chaos under their tyrannical rule. The Kingdom, Alliance, and Church form a military alliance to kill Thales and defeat the Empire. Dimitri and the Kingdom forces battle their way to Garreg Mach Monastery and overcome Agarthan forces, and Dimitri personally slays Thales in combat.
Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Role
Thales, both as himself and under the appearance of Volkhard von Arundel, is a non-playable character who appears intermittently during the story. He later becomes the boss ofChapter 20/21 on the Silver Snow/Verdant Wind routes andChapter 19 of the Azure Moon route, and acts as an ally of sorts to Edelgard in the Crimson Flower route.
Stats
Enemy - Silver Snow Chapter 20/Verdant Wind Chapter 21
- See also:
Stand Strong at Shambhala
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Enemy - Azure Moon Chapter 19
- See also:
Saving Derdriu
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Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes
Role
Thales, both as himself and under the appearance of Volkhard von Arundel, appears again as a non-playable character who appears intermittently during the story. He is fought near the beginning of the Scarlet Blaze route inThe Shadows of Adrestia and is fought as the final boss of the Azure Gleam route inThe End of Tragedy and is one of the two final bosses of the Scarlet Blaze route inA Path Forward.
Stats
Enemy - Scarlet Blaze Chapter 3
- See also:
The Shadows of Adrestia
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Enemy - Scarlet Blaze Chapter 17
- See also:
A Path Forward
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- Once Thales is defeated, he will temporarily leave the map, but will return at full HP later in the battle
Fire Emblem Heroes
Role
While Thales does not make a proper appearance inHeroes, he is mentioned by Kronya in her character status screen and in her level-up quotes.
Personality
Thales is a calculating, cruel and arrogant person willing to commit all kinds of atrocities and experiments in order to expand his group's control over Fódlan, and when pushed to the brink, he is willing to sacrifice his minions, his lair and himself just so he can destroy those he loathes the most. Thales's relationship with his soldiers is based purely on usefulness; sparingKronya from Byleth in Part I only because he still requires her assistance, either insulting a deadCornelia in Azure Moon due to her failure at keeping the Faerghus Dukedom out ofDimitri's reach, or lamenting her death in Crimson Flower at the hands ofEdelgard's army due to his co-worker having deliberately sacrificed a very useful pawn. Like all on-screen Agarthans, he considers himself to be a member of Fódlan's master race and the surface-dwelling humans to be nothing but lowly animals, who only care about pleasing and followingtheir goddess's teachings. In spite of this, Thales is greatly resentful towards them, believing the Children of the Goddess and, by proxy, those allied with them, have denied what he believes is his kin's right of ruling Fódlan and living in the surface world.
While presenting himself under the identity of Volkhard von Arundel, Thales acts as an affable yet cruel and arrogant man who will do whatever it takes to ensure the dominance of "those who slither in the dark" over humanity. He views both Edelgard and Dimitri as expendable pawns, and actively encourages them to kill each other, and also shows delight over the idea of Rhea being vanquished for being "a false beast of a goddess".
Quotes
Battle quotes
| “ | You're nothing but animals performing tricks in the hopes of pleasing the goddess. You will never see the sunlight again! | ” | — Thales, as a boss inSilver Snow Chapter 20/Verdant Wind Chapter 21. |
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| “ | So you have shown yourself, Fell Star. Or, should I say...Sothis? I will spill every drop of blood in your body to fulfill the longstanding goal of the Agarthans! | ” | — Thales, as a boss fightingByleth, inSilver Snow Chapter 20/Verdant Wind Chapter 21. |
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| “ | Thales: Ha. It is laughable that base animals such as you would bare fangs at the likes of us. Claude: I may be a base animal, but I have strong allies. Do you think you can beat Teach and theSword of the Creator? Thales: The Sword of the Creator... The blade given toNemesis. Who do you really think is superior? Claude: There's a big difference between the living and the dead. The fate of the future lies in the hands of the living! | ” | — Thales, as a boss fightingClaude, inVerdant Wind Chapter 21. |
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| “ | Your eyes, hair, ears, and blood... We remember it all. We remember how you ruined us. How you stole our light and condemned us to eternal darkness! Now, suffer the wrath of the Agarthans! | ” | — Thales, as a boss fightingSeteth orFlayn, inSilver Snow Chapter 20/Verdant Wind Chapter 21. |
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| “ | Nothing bites so hard as a cornered rat, eh? | ” | — Thales as Lord Arundel, as the boss ofAzure Moon Chapter 19. |
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| “ | Your very presence has foiled our plans, yet again... | ” | — Thales as Lord Arundel, fightingByleth inAzure Moon Chapter 19. |
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| “ | Lord Arundel: You would raise a weapon against your uncle? You've grown into a savage of a man, just like your father. Dimitri: You are rather calm for one in your position. Or did you forget that this is a battlefield? Perhaps this is no time for words, Uncle. There willbe time for that after we have settled things here. | ” | — Thales as Lord Arundel, fightingDimitri inAzure Moon Chapter 19. |
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Critical quotes
| “ | Do not stand in my way! | ” | — Thales |
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| “ | A waste of life. | ” | — Thales |
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| “ | Behold my revenge. | ” | — Thales |
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| “ | You cannot stop me... | ” | — Thales |
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| “ | Do not oppose me! | ” | — As Lord Arundel |
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| “ | I control your fate! | ” | — As Lord Arundel |
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| “ | Perish! | ” | — As Lord Arundel |
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| “ | Time to take your leave! | ” | — As Lord Arundel |
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Defeat quotes
| “ | Do our hopes end here... | ” | — Thales's defeat quote as Lord Arundel inAzure Moon Chapter 19. |
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Choose Your Legends placement history
| Round | Placement | Character | Votes |
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| CYL 4 (2020) | 426 | Thales Three Houses (War arc) | 277 |
| 720 | Lord Arundel Three Houses (Academy arc) | 38 |
| CYL 5 (2021) | 461 (+35) | Thales Three Houses (War arc) | 159 (−118) |
| 779 (+59) | Lord Arundel Three Houses (Academy arc) | 18 (−20) |
| CYL 6 (2022) | 402 (−61) | Thales Three Houses (War arc) | 199 (+40) |
| 773 (−8) | Lord Arundel Three Houses (Academy arc) | 22 (+4) |
| CYL 7 (2023) | 401 (−1) | Thales Three Houses (War arc) | 133 (−66) |
| 835 (+62) | Lord Arundel Three Houses (Academy arc) | 5 (−17) |
| CYL 8 (2024) | 608 (+207) | Thales Three Houses (War arc) | 64 (−69) |
| 838 (+3) | Lord Arundel Three Houses (Academy arc) | 13 (+8) |
| CYL 9 (2025) | 508 (−100) | Thales Three Houses (War arc) | 76 (+12) |
| 847 (+9) | Lord Arundel Three Houses (Academy arc) | 12 (−1) |
| CYL 10 (2026) | 587 (+79) | Thales Three Houses (War arc) | 40 (−36) |
| 844 (−3) | Lord Arundel Three Houses (Academy arc) | 9 (−3) |
| Total results | This character has 14 entries across all Choose Your Legends polls. | 1,065 |
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Trivia
- The sprite used by Thales's signature class,Agastya, is also used for Solon'sDark Bishop class.
- There isan unused sword inThree Houses's data whose description suggest it was meant to be Thales'spersonal weapon prior to getting scrapped. It is available inWarriors: Three Hopes as a New Game+ reward retaining its description, although Thales himself never wields it.
Etymology and other languages
| Names, etymology, and in other regions | ||
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| Language | Name | Definition, etymology, and notes |
| English | Thales | FromThales of Miletus, a Greek philosopher, mathematician, and astronomer. He is historically recognized as one of the first philosophers to break away from using mythology to explain the nature of the world. He is considered to be one of theSeven Sages of Greece. |
| Japanese | タレス | Thales |
| Spanish | Thales | As above. |
| French | Thales | As above. |
| German | Thales | As above. |
| Italian | Thales | As above. |
| Portuguese | Thales | Used inHeroes. |
| Korean | 탈레스 | Thales |
| Simplified Chinese | 塔烈斯 | Thales |
| Traditional Chinese | 塔烈斯 | Thales |
Gallery
| Sprite Gallery | ||
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Portraits
- High-quality portrait artwork of Thales fromThree Houses.
- Portrait of Thales posing asLord Arundel inThree Houses.
- Portrait of Thales posing as Lord Arundel inWarriors: Three Hopes.
Concept artwork
- Concept artwork of Thales fromThree Houses.
Heroes artwork
- Thales in artwork ofShez: Dual Sword Master.
- Thales in artwork of Shez: Sharpest Blades.
External links
References
- ↑"Epimenides: I know Thales has his methods, but they don't sit well with me." —Epimenides duringCycles of Nostalgia, which is primarily set during theWar of Heroes (approximately 1100 years before the events of the game),Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes
- ↑Thales - Personal Information, fedatamine.com,Retrieved: July 4, 2020
- ↑3.03.1Credits
- ↑Solon in Chapter 10
- ↑"Flame Emperor: Even without the Crest Stone, the sword glowed red. The professor's Crest is compatible. There is no mistaking it.
Lord Arundel: Absurd. Using a Relic without its Crest Stone should be impossible... The King of Liberation's bloodline should not even... Hmm." — Edelgard and Thales in Chapter 4,Fire Emblem: Three Houses - ↑"Dimitri: I see. So you'll be staying here for some time, then. Honestly, I'm surprised. I've heard it's been a few years since you last donated to the church.
Lord Arundel: That was merely because of the financial situation of my territory. I assure you, it has nothing to do with my dedication to the church." — Dimitri and "Lord Arundel" in Chapter 8,Fire Emblem: Three Houses
| This article is part ofProject Characters, a project focused on writing articles for every character present in theFire Emblem series. |
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