Post-release character popularity poll

[eclipse]

23 minutes ago, Anacybele said:

Blue Lions, Sylvain no question. I always like the womanizer guy. lol They're typically so funny and charming even if they might be a scoundrel sometimes like Sain, or in Sylvain's case, even if he actually cheats. That did cause him to lose a few points for me, but I still think he's great. lol

Sylvain explains himself, at least.  Makes him far more interesting IMO.

Planned on going Golden Deer first, but Black Eagles went on a recruitment drive and won me over.  Favorite of their house is Petra, and I went out of my way to recruit her (and will do so again when I go through the game a third time).  Blue Lions has a surprising number of units that I like, but I had to go with Ashe.  Went with Marianne for Golden Deer since she brings out the best in Lorenz, and that's a tall order.  For Other I went with Gatekeeper, who my first Byleth married (in my headcanon).  But yeah, that guy's great.

Overall favorite is actually a close tie between Ashe and Sylvain. . .well, the latter more for being a general nuke, but still.

[Karimlan]

7 minutes ago, eclipse said:

For Other I went with Gatekeeper, who my first Byleth married (in my headcanon). 

So, no news is good news? XD

Favorite BE: a tie between Hubert & Dorothea

Favorite BL: Dedue

Favorite GD: a tie between Lysithea and Claude

Favorite Misc: Seteth

[Wuzzy]

Started with Blue Lions

Favorite from BE is Petra (other faves are Linhardt and Bernadetta) just because she has a 2 really nice designs (student/war designs are 10/10) and her supports show her as kind of quirky which took me off guard. Also I'm so glad they didn't make her Rinkah 2.0 since I thought they were going to go that route when I first saw Petra's design.

BL would have to Sylvain, Felix is a close second (also like the entire BL house as well). He's a womanizer but is kind of an unorthodox one based on his supports, also shows more than his womanizing side which is great.

GD for me is surprisingly Hilda (Claude is a close 2nd, I also like Raphael and Marianne as well), because I thought I wouldn't like her. Great VA honestly, and she lowkey has a similar personality to mine (would rather not do work but, if I have to I will). 

For Church/other units, it's easily Seteth because he shows that he isn't a 1-note stern character. 

Basically I think I like every unit in the game except like Cyril and Gilbert honestly lol

[NegativeExponents-]

 1. Golden Deer

2.a Easily Dorothea

2.b Least favorite: Didn't like Edelgard pre-release and opinions have only gotten worse since then. Hopefully she'll grow on me when I get to her route otherwise Black Eagles will be an unbearable ride.

3.a Felix by default since he's only one I've spent anytime with.

3.b Least Favorite: Sylvain. Does this man have any redeeming qualities? The flirts in general are some of my least favorites with Inigo being the only one I legitimately like but Sylvain seems to have none of that charm and is looking like the worst of his archetype so far.

4.a This was tough. It was between Claude, Lorenz, and Marianne but ultimately I chose Claude. It's hard not to like him more when he spends a considerably longer amount of time in the spotlight compared to the other two since he's the lord.

4.b Lysithea. She rocks as a unit and her backstory is pretty good but goddamn is she infuriating at times with her kid shtick. I don't know how anyone can overlook the brat's tantrums. Still like her but her faults definitely stop her from being anywhere near a favorite.

Ignatz:

Lysithea: STOP TREATING ME LIKE A CHILD!!

5.a Manuela has stolen my heart. Cyril and Shamir are good too though.

5.b least favorite: Honestly don't think I have one yet but Flayn has not made the greatest impression mostly because of how seemingly precious her blood is but no explanation (well at least at the point in the story I'm at) as to what makes her blood more precious than someone like Rhea or Seteth. Oh, I'm still bitter about Alois and Gilbert too but as characters they don't seem too bad.

Comments: I'm sad to see Lorenz having so little votes. I really thought he was one the best characters overall but I guess his looks and initial impression probably make people steer away from him.

[Kiran_]

I went Blue Lions first, and man it was hard to choose a favorite from that house, but I went with Dimitri, because I reallllly loved him and his character arc.

Honorable mentions in the Blue Lions go to Felix, Sylvain, Mercedes and Ashe. NO, I didn't just mention basically half the class. I also didn't dislike anyone on this route.

Right now I'm on Golden Deer, and I have to say Hilda has won me over. She is SO funny to me, and I didn't expect to like her at all, but I really do. Lysithea and Claude are a close second/third. Lorenz and Leonie however I don't like so far, because their personalities are grating, but I'm hoping they grow up.

On Black Eagles, right now it's Dorothea and Petra. I didn't expect to like Dorothea, but man every support from her just feels SO realistic and thought out and I'm maybe falling for her. Haven't played the route, so I can only comment on them (and Caspar/Linhardt who I love together, but not very much individually). 

On other, I picked Jeralt, because his general dislike of the Church makes me automatically like him. And my least favorite by far is Rhea, followed by Seteth (who I actively dislike even more on my second play through, because he's so annoying). 

[Garlyle]

First House:  Golden Deer - and I'd go back to them, they seem to be the cool kids nowadays.

Favourite BE is Petra, no-brainer decision. I wanted to recruit her in first recruit, and she still didn't disappoint.

Favourite BL is Dedue, because he's such a good character. I would say he's the 2nd best retainer in Fire Emblem, right behind Finn of course. As units, I had a lot of fun with Ingrid and Annette.

Favourite GD, this is actually a tough one. I'm going to vote for Raphael, because I think behind his simple character he's actually a very nice and caring guy, and also always positive. We need his positive energy. But I love most of GD, so it's difficult to pick here.

Favourite misc, I'm going with Flayn. She has some of the funniest support conversations. Sorry Catherine.

[Dark Holy Elf]

Started with Black Eagles although I watched Blue Lions simultaneously as my wife played that, so they're kinda both my first route.

BE: Edelgard is a super-compelling and interesting character, one of my faves. Honourable mentions to Hubert, Dorothea, and Petra.

BL: Dimitri has a great character arc and is the emotional heart of his story. Honourable mention to Sylvain, who went from me wanting to strangle him to being a character I find fascinating.

GD: Still working on this one, for now Lysithea has the edge on Claude but either could end up finishing first at the rate things are going.

Others: Honestly the staff members don't really grab me nearly as much. Agreed that Seteth is definitely one of the better ones, though I ended up tossing Rhea a vote for dancing the line of creepy antagonist without being just evil/crazy like many FE characters of her trope are.

[Crysta]

Haven't really gotten to know the BEs yet but I'll remedy that eventually.

Pre-timeskip I liked Dimitri the best in his route, but he took a tumble afterwards and I ultimately went with Felix, who I began to like more after the timeskip. Dedue and Ashe are also standouts for me.

It goes Claude > Hilda > Lorenz > everyone but Lysithea > Lysithea for me on GD. Not sure I'm fond of easily agitated teenage girls tbh.

[Anacybele]

1 hour ago, eclipse said:

Sylvain explains himself, at least.  Makes him far more interesting IMO.

Ah, cool to know! Also forgot to mention that Sylvain is also a TANK! On a horse too because he joins as a cavalier when you recruit him. 😄

[Skell_]

Did BL and honestly the campaign is incredibly strong from a character and plot standpoint. It never really gets stuck in the mud about the church or crests so the plot keeps chugging along in a more down to earth way. The only other class that competes are the Golden Deer because of how likable they are. I only really liked Bernadetta because of the memes but don't even like her much as a character. On the other hand... MY BOY RAPH'S C SUPPORT WITH FLAYN IS COZY AF.

[Sentinel07]

I started with Black Eagles, though that was mostly just I figured they'd be an easy starting point as opposed to any special feelings.

Favorite BE is Bernadetta. Her backstory just kind of made me like her more than I did before. Plus, Erica Mendez. That's huge points right there. 😄

Least favorite BE would be Dorothea. Don't hate her but not a fan of her attitude. Her type of personality just doesn't resonate with me.

Favorite BL would be between Dimitri for his redemption arc and Annette for probably being the closest this game has to an "ordinary girl".

Least favorite BL would be Sylvain. Again, don't hate but some things about him rub me the wrong way. I dislike when he tries to play the victim because he was born with a crest. Dude, your crest didn't make you a shameless womanizer. That's on your own immaturity. I'm not a fan of how judgemental and non-committal he tends to get.

Golden Deer is harder because I feel like they're more solid overall. No characters I hate or even dislike. I suppose Claude and Lysithea if I had to pick but they're all a wonderful bunch.

[Rezzy]

I picked Blue Lions first.  Ashe is my favorite, with Annette a close second.

I'm less than halfway through Black Eagles and haven't done Golden Deer, yet, so my opinion of them might change.

It's funny how popular Seteth has become.  I wonder if that's mostly from memes.

It also looks like Edelgard has really plummeted in popularity since launch.

[Yexin]

1) Blue Lions

2) Dorothea

3) Dimitri

4) Marianne

5) Rhea

 

Blue Lions were the ones i expected to love the most, and they didn't let me down

[UNLEASH IT]

43 minutes ago, Rezzy said:

I picked Blue Lions first.  Ashe is my favorite, with Annette a close second.

I'm less than halfway through Black Eagles and haven't done Golden Deer, yet, so my opinion of them might change.

It's funny how popular Seteth has become.  I wonder if that's mostly from memes.

It also looks like Edelgard has really plummeted in popularity since launch.

Don't know why people are surprised at this. Seteth is basically the Lord of the Church path and has most of the dialogue

[Rezzy]

7 minutes ago, UNLEASH IT said:

Don't know why people are surprised at this. Seteth is basically the Lord of the Church path and has most of the dialogue

Maybe I'll understand once I play that path, he was pretty tertiary in Blue Lions.

[Holder of the Heel]

Black Eagles first because just based on initial impressions it contained the most students I was interested in, both exclusives, Linhardt, and the hikikomri Bernie that was begging for an S-Support and I didn't want to wait to recruit her.

Have to generally stick with Bernie as the best for Black Eagle, but admittedly whenever her supports weren't adorable/funny they were eye-roll inducing and repetitious. If I had to give up her spot it would be for Hubert. His design, VA performance, and the fusion of a selfless servant with ruthless, manipulator makes for an iconic character.

Favorite Blue Lions is Dimitri and my overall favorite. His story stands out in another league for me and hit me where it counts. And even before things got heavy, his overly polite and restrained nature has a knightly charm that I find appealing. Second place would go to Felix. His bad attitude can be grating, but the concept behind his anger at the idea of chivalry, what the Kingdom is all about, raises interesting questions about the dead, honor, glory that go well with his House's story. Dedue's connection to Dimitri's past, selflessness, and willingness to follow ANY order (so long as it doesn't involve just calling His Highness by his name lol...) also add to it and so despite not being interesting on an interactive level, he's worth mentioning.

Favorite Golden Deer I suppose is Claude, as uninteresting and typical as picking the lord again may sound. Otherwise I'd say Marianne. Her supports can be repetitious and rather empty but some of the things she says I can empathize with and so long as we're not dealing with horses I'd probably be at peace around someone like her.

Favorite misc is easily Seteth. Having a level headed adult in the mix of ridiculous, drama-intensive students is very much appreciated, even if he wasn't used nearly as much as those crazy kids.

 

Honorable mentions to Lorentz, Sylvain, Dorothea, Hilda, and Raphael being better than I expected.

Everyone else... mostly meh.

Edited August 22, 2019 by Holder of the Heel

[Faustino]

1. First house I chose: Black Eagles

2. Favorite Black Eagles character:  Either Hubert or Dorothea

3. Favorite Blue Lions character: Ingrid

4. Favorite Golden Deer character: Raphael

5. Favorite Miscellaneous character: I'm gonna have to go with Jeralt

Kinda hard to decide who my overall favorite character in the game is so I'm just gonna leave it at that.

[Humanoid]

I went with Golden Deer, not out of any personal preference since I was fairly neutral about the houses. I didn't really research characters or anything pre-launch, so any opinions formed were purely superficial. I'm doing a parallel playthrough with my sister, so we simply discussed who to go with when we first started the game, I decided to not do Blood Eagle (or Church) simply based on most other people starting with them. Out of the two remaining choices, my sister picked Golden Deer so that was that. I have a suspicion the choice was based on the presence of the kebab in the Golden Deer classroom in FEH. Still pre-timeskip (chapter 11) so all the following opinions should be taken with that context.

My favourite Black Eagles character is Petra, without a shadow of a doubt. She was my first BE recruit, and is a permanent member of my A-team. Indeed I think she may be the strongest character I have aside from Catherine. That she's the prettiest of all the students also helps. 😉 The only two other BE members who have seen use are Linhardt and Dorothea, neither of which I feel too strongly about since I've only had them for about a chapter, mostly they act as a supplementary Physic user. Ferdinand and Caspar are the only two students I've failed to recruit thus far, and that's including all BL students.

Similarly, my favourite Blue Lions character is Ingrid. She was my first external recruit from any house, and also my first flier, and as such has been invaluable. She's a little less effective than Petra owing to her lower strength not giving her reliable one-round kills, but as trade-offs go, being almost impervious to magic isn't a bad one. In terms of character, I'm not a fan of girly girls, so Ingrid is right up my alley in this regard. I've recruited all the other Blue Lions, but the only one who sees use is Felix, but again, I've only had him for one chapter and while he's certainly effective, he's not been particularly notable. Mercedes on the other hand *is* notable, if only for causing me physical pain whenever she speaks.

Picking my favourite Golden Deer character is harder - indeed it's the only category where I had to think about it. None of them have particularly shone in this playthrough - both Petra and Ingrid are better than any of my starting students, Lysethia aside due to her unique qualities. All four guys got stat-screwed pretty badly to start, though Claude has repaired himself via the Wyvern Rider promotion and Ignatz is recovering with some good recent levels. Raphael is viable only because of the Wyvern Rider promotion but is still somewhat substandard, and Lorenz is irredeemably screwed, only good as a dancer.

Of the girls, Lysethia as mentioned is unstoppable, but I really dread talking to her. Marianne is also exhausting to interact with, for opposite reasons, though fully competent in battle. Leonie is a good mounted wall but her damage output is on the low side without critting, though to be fair she's probably contributed half the crits I've performed so far in this campaign. While I generally quite like tomboys, she has an unfortunate tendency to fly off the handle, and her obsession with dear dad makes things a bit uncomfortable. Hilda was an unfortunate victim of my early experimenting with armoured classes and I've only just made her a Wyvern Rider last night, so a proper evaluation is pending. She surprised me by not having as horrible a personality as her archetype might lead me to expect, but that probably comes off as damning with faint praise. Her hair is also a summation of everything that I don't like. So, after much deliberation, I have given the award to ...no one. (If the poll forces me to pick an option, I'll go Claude I suppose)

Finally, of all the other characters, the clear winner is Thunder Catherine. My best unit bar none, and it's not even close. She's also beautiful, fun, assertive and has just the right amount of masculinity. Excellent drinking buddy if the monastery had a bar. My only real complaint is that I'm not the biggest fan of her armour. I will very likely be S-supporting her this run. Second is Seteth, who is unfortunate in that his late recruitment means I've only been able to use him as a guest unit in his paralogue. Comes off as the only sane man in the whole monastery, but doesn't stonewall you. Plus, y'know, flying unit. Of the others, Shamir is gorgeous but *is* a stone wall (but at least hosts the fishing tournament I guess), Alois is fun in small doses, and Hanneman is surprisingly sprightly and could scrub up rather well if so inclined. Rhea is a character I can't separate from her position, Flayn feels a bit too needy, and I can't support Manuela's use of the five-second rule.

Edited August 22, 2019 by Humanoid

[Nanima]

I picked Blue Lions first and never once regretted it. Those guys are my babies and I'll treasure them forever.

I do like other characters from other houses though, so here are my highlights fir each of them:

Dorothea: First off, I just love her design. She is super pretty and really looks like someone who is/used to be an opera star. Then there is her personality: While I am usually not that fond of golddigger types (Charlotte is over the top enough for me to enjoy her), Dorothea really makes me feel for her. She honestly fears not making it on her own in the long run and that if she doesn't find a soulmate she'll be left in the dust with nothing but her perishable looks. That's a really tragic way of viewing herself and her life (considering one of her dislikes is herself). Especially when she is such a loveable person otherwise, often looking out for others and always aiming to bond with them emotionally. (While not afraid to call out shitty behaviour) I had my eyes on her from tue beginning, but I love how sympathetic she turned out to be.

Felix: I do admit to liking the tsundere archetype more than most people, so Felix already appealed to me for that reason. However, he is a lot more than that. The fact that he is understandably alienated from Dimitri after witnessing the others violent tendencies and vocally calls him out on it is really good. Seriously, I love Dimitri, but I hate it when some fans just put him on a "boo boo can do nothing wrong" kind of pedestal. Felix can tell what's gonna happen at some point and is in the right, even if his sense of betrayal makes him lash out more harshly than necessary at times. I also really love how he is a "Navarre archetype" that's not simply an edgy loner, but actually really vulnerable to the fact that most of the people around him idealise this concept of self-sacrifice as the ultimate virtue. He just really doesn't want to lose anyone else, while all his friends and family seem to be looking for the most ideal way to die and implicitly expect him to do the same. And it grates him so much, he'd rather just push them away entirely. Ironically, he just cares too much.

Then he throws himself into his swordtraining, because it's the one thing he feels he has left for himself and most of the endings where he ends up a mercenary give off the vibe that he's just doing the only thing he can think of. Byleth can even mention how he reminds them of themself in the past: Someone who goes from battlefield to battlefield without a real thought as to why they are doing that or for what exactly. During tea parties and it supports, it becomes clear how he also loves things like cats, dancing, the opera, children etc. yet he hyperfocuses on this one thing to the exclusion of all else. I haven't seen his S-support with Byleth, but the common theme for his supports seem to be about teaching him to let others close again. I don't know, but I am a sucker for this guy, if you couldn't tell.

Hilda: I haven't finished her route yet, but I really like this girl. She is deliberately lazy because she fears not living up to other's expectations if she tries. She is actually very powerful and smart, yet doesn't quite believe it. Claude does though, and I really like their interactions. Overall, I didn't expect to like her as much as I do now.

[Anathaco]

26 minutes ago, Nanima said:

Felix: I do admit to liking the tsundere archetype more than most people, so Felix already appealed to me for that reason. However, he is a lot more than that. The fact that he is understandably alienated from Dimitri after witnessing the others violent tendencies and vocally calls him out on it is really good. Seriously, I love Dimitri, but I hate it when some fans just put him on a "boo boo can do nothing wrong" kind of pedestal. Felix can tell what's gonna happen at some point and is in the right, even if his sense of betrayal makes him lash out more harshly than necessary at times. I also really love how he is a "Navarre archetype" that's not simply an edgy loner, but actually really vulnerable to the fact that most of the people around him idealise this concept of self-sacrifice as the ultimate virtue. He just really doesn't want to lose anyone else, while all his friends and family seem to be looking for the most ideal way to die and implicitly expect him to do the same. And it grates him so much, he'd rather just push them away entirely. Ironically, he just cares too much.

Then he throws himself into his swordtraining, because it's the one thing he feels he has left for himself and most of the endings where he ends up a mercenary give off the vibe that he's just doing the only thing he can think of. Byleth can even mention how he reminds them of themself in the past: Someone who goes from battlefield to battlefield without a real thought as to why they are doing that or for what exactly. During tea parties and it supports, it becomes clear how he also loves things like cats, dancing, the opera, children etc. yet he hyperfocuses on this one thing to the exclusion of all else. I haven't seen his S-support with Byleth, but the common theme for his supports seem to be about teaching him to let others close again. I don't know, but I am a sucker for this guy, if you couldn't tell.

This. This basically sums up all my thoughts on Felix and why I love him so much. I also like how he has his own sense of chivalry and justice, which I think is as strong, if not stronger, than some of the other Blue Lions. Like, he doesn't get his relic unless you save all the villagers in his paralogue. And I think his ideas of grieving contrast nicely with how Dimitri grieves, making their interactions really entertaining for me. Anyway, I just wanted to point this out.

Despite all that, he is still not my favourite Blue Lion. That has to go to Ashe. I love how optimistic, naive and childlike he is, and it acts as such a great foil to the generally more mature Blue Lions cast, particularly in supports like Ingrid's, Felix's and Dedue's. I don't know why Ashe grew on me so much. Maybe it was because of how quickly Ashe's vision of the world and his family was shattered, in Chapter 3, when he had to fight (and kill, I'm sorry, I wanted to see what would happen) his father. Maybe it was watching him bounce back from that over the course of a couple months in the monastery, but how he still kept Lonato in his thoughts even up until the end of the game. Maybe it was his wholesome interactions with the rest of the cast that allowed them to grow and develop while his generally static nature gave mute testament to the strength of his convictions and beliefs. Or maybe it was the fact that Ashe got massively RNG blessed. Either way, I had to rant a little about how much I love this character, so sorry if you actually read through all this.

For BE, my favourite was probably Linhardt. Nothing super wholesome here, other than the fact that I wish I could get away with being that lazy. I just enjoyed seeing his interactions with the rest of the cast, and his Byleth support in particular revealed a side to him that I wasn't expecting to see. I was originally going to marry Ingrid, but his B and A supports convinced me to jump ship (pun intended), as they revealed a surprising amount of depth and thoughtfulness in his character that made for a charming and sweet support chain.

For GD, I picked Raphael. His genuine enthusiasm was a refreshing breath of air whenever I ran into him in the monastery (other than the time where he was curled up on the ground in hunger, I gave him some food in gifts, he stood up to accept it, ate it, and then went right back to the ground. That was a little exasperating).

And for other, I picked Cyril. Yeah. That's right. His support and paired ending with Ashe was surprisingly sweet, and, while his incessant whining about Rhea gets annoying, I can at least understand why he's like that. And plus, when he stops talking about Lady Rhea, he's kind of endearing.

(I should probably point out that I've only played BL so far, so this may change, particularly the houses I haven't played yet)

[Ertrick36]

My votes:

• First House: Black Eagles - I just had it in my mind to just go "down the list" essentially, as I liked the sound of all of the houses fairly evenly.
• Favorite Black Eagles Member: Edelgard - While I do like each of the Black Eagles members, this one was fairly easy because I don't really think anyone in the house has as much depth as Edelgard does.  Don't get me wrong, I think some like Ferdinand are actually well written, and others appeal to me for other reasons.  But there's just so much to Edelgard, I just feel naturally inclined to like her the most.
• Favorite Blue Lions Member: Sylvain - Haven't gotten to BL time-skip, so I can't say if this is a proper, full opinion; it might change.  But I must say Sylvain's been a roller coaster for me.  I went from liking his appearance to hating his apparent singular personality trait to liking the cut of his jib.  The writers put a lot more thought into his big flirt personality than I expected, and I commend them for that.
• Favorite Golden Deer Member: Claude - What can I say, the guy's charming.  I do like other members of the Golden Deer house, but Claude's the main guy who urges me to choose them.
• Favorite Other Character: Rhea - I like how the other characters are done as well, but what really threw me for a loop is how Fódlan's resident pope isn't just your typical "loving maiden who is all forgiving".  In fact, she's very quick to cast judgment upon those who oppose the church.  And I really appreciate that, and I appreciate the resident "motherly maiden" figure actually having a goddamn role in the story beyond dying for dramatic effect for once.  She represents what I really like about this game's story - an element that is truly grey; someone who may not have the best answer, and may even be considered as villainous to some, but has legitimate justification for her actions and genuinely seems to be trying to do the right thing.  Same with Edelgard, actually.

2 hours ago, Anathaco said:

(other than the time where he was curled up on the ground in hunger, I gave him some food in gifts, he stood up to accept it, ate it, and then went right back to the ground. That was a little exasperating)

Gameplay-story segregation really is a wonderful thing sometimes.

[Spectrum]

First House: Black Eagles
Favorite Black Eagle: Edelgard 
Favorite Blue Lion: Sylvain
Favorite Golden Deer: I like both Lysithea and Hilda, but I went for Lysithea.
Favorite Miscellaneous: Gatekeeper (Thank you for putting this as an option lol)

[Verve]

1. First House: Black Eagles - As a person whose previous favorite lord was Micaiah, I thought Edelgard was going to be the most interesting lord going in, and I still believe so. Claude was so very tempting though.
2. Favorite Black Eagle: Petra - I was extremely excited for her before launch due to her design, supposed myrmidon archetype and Faye Mata VA, but I was also worried that they would play way too much into the "foreigner who not speak language good" trope and relegate her to a comic relief character. Thankfully it's relatively subdued in her supports, and instead she has a wide variety of conversations that paint her to be an interesting character; from curious student under Linhardt and Ashe, to capable mentor for Ferdinand and Caspar, from earnest and unassuming with Ignatz, to cheeky and playful with Claude, to straight up badass with Hubert. She always strives to connect with others and to emphasize their similarities. I find that she is generally not the central focus of her supports and really lets her conversational partner grow or shine. That being said, she herself admittedly doesn't have the most character growth, but I think it's fine since given her backstory and her wisdom, the bulk of that growth must have happened before we come into the picture. At the end of the day, I still find her the most interesting character in 3H in conjunction with best aesthetics (post time skip design whew) and amazing gameplay performance, so fairly simple vote for me.
   
   Honorable mentions: Edelgard, Dorothea, Caspar, Ferdinand — I do like Black Eagles a lot
3. Favorite Blue Lion: Felix - People above already explained it better than I can. Great character. I normally hate the tsundere archetype, with the only previous exception being Kurisu in Steins;Gate, but Felix has also given it a breath of fresh air for me. Felix x Dorothea A+ support gives me life.
   
   Honorable mention: Annette is the best girl in BL, no need to change my mind
4. Favorite Golden Deer: Claude - He's a hella good looking, funny, charming guy. No one else in GD really holds a candle to be frank.
   
   Honorable mention: Leonie, given that you delete her Byleth support from existence.
    
5. Favorite Other: Shamir - She also caught my eye pre-launch. Stoic and cool as a cucumber, fair enough in my books. Honestly most of the other characters I've found decent but not super compelling; but I do want to give a shoutout to Manuela for her absolutely incredible voice acting from Veronica Taylor.

[nyainou]

The fact that Gatekeeper is so popular... (yes I voted for him too)

I REALLY hope he's a DLC character. Unlikely but there's no way Nintendy isn't taking notice of his odd popularity. I just feel so loved and warm whenever I hear "Greetings, Professor!" 

If Gatekeeper wasn't on the list I would've voted Flayn for sure. I've seen some complaints about her but I find Flayn incredibly charming. She's very sweet and I love how she talks. 

Mercedes is close second favorite BL character. I admit she's a bit plain and I can see why she isn't as popular as the others, but I admire how caring and slightly air-headed she is. 

Even though she's a Lord, I'm still surprised at Edelgard's popularity. I haven't finished either BE yet (hit P2 for church route) so I guess I'm still waiting for her to have even one redeeming quality. Also surprised at Leonie's ranking. Her wanting to bang your dad is so unbearably major cringe that she's easily my least favorite GD character, and could be my least favorite 3H character if Edelgard and Sylvain didn't exist.

[AbsoluteZer0Nova]

Speaking of polls I'll leave this here.