What's the symbolism behind flower, moon, wind and snow (and Verdant while we're at it)

[Jotari]

So the colour parts of the route names make a good deal of sense. They're colour coded to the houses and even the church is white, hence silver. Verdant Wind kind of breaks that trend though, with the house being the Golden Deer and Verdant being a type of green. But what is the meaning in the other words?

Crimson Flower, I guess refers to Edelgard? Maybe because she plans to have Fodlan blossom into a new age? Or maybe it's straight up referencing all the blood she's willing to spill on the land. Her final art as Emperor is called Wilting Flower for what it's worth.

Silver Snow? Well snow is peaceful and covers up everything, bit like the church.

Verdant Wind is probably the easiest (even though it breaks the colour pattern), winds blow from all over the world and Claude seeks to stretch out beyond Fodlan. Verdant would be a reference to how bountiful this would be. Although Golden Wind would work just as well as it would lead to more trade opportunists (maybe they didn't because JoJo got to Golden Wind first).

Azure Moon?  I have no idea. Maybe Dimitri is a werewolf.

What's your speculation on the route names? Is there any meaning to them at all or are they merely cool titles?

Edited February 1, 2020 by Jotari

[Dark Kain]

The route names are direct reference to the japanese title: 風花雪月 - Fuuka Setsugetsu

It's a reference to a chinese poem that represents the beauty of nature and of the four seasons, that became ingrained in japanese culture (you can usually find it translated as "Four beautiful seasons").

The Snow/Moon/Wind/Flower are the "seasonal beauties" that represents the four seasons.
This ties thematically to all the worldbuilding during the Acadamy Phase of the game, all those intros that describe how the people of Fodlan live in every month of the calendar.

Edited January 20, 2020 by Dark Kain

[Dandy Druid]

Is this thread intended with spoilers in mind? Because saying my theories on the subject will involve it.

I'm trying to remember a comment from Reddit from someone claiming they had a Chinese mother (because this is also a proverb in Chinese).

Flower, Moon, Wind, Snow has many meanings. First, it's a reflection of the seasons, which is the most well known interpretation. But it's also a phrase about love, and it's not the most positive meaning. The term is used to describe a love affair that's debaucherous or empty. How young people move on from one relationship to the next without much thought. Their partners change like the seasons do. It also represents how love blooms, blossoms, begins to fade, and eventually dies, which describes that life cycle of a failed relationship.

Spoiler

This can be related to Dimitri's and Edelgard's love story. They had a childhood romance, sorta, but then those feelings faded and ended in the death of the other.

It also relates to the time of the game. Student life is supposed to be fun and lighthearted, but becomes much more serious and somber after the timeskip. Overall, this phrase reflects the tone of the game as well as the most important relationship in it (imo).

The colors coordinate to their house colors (white being the Church's), except for Golden Deer. It's probably Verdant because

Spoiler

Claude is Almyran. What's the color of the armor of the Almyran soldiers. GREEN! Verdant Wind refers to how Claude was kind of blown into Fodlan from Almyra, the place where a Verdant Wind would originate.

 

[Jotari]

1 hour ago, Dark Kain said:

The route names are direct reference to the japanese title: 風花雪月 - Fuuka Setsugetsu

It's a reference to a chinese poem that represents the beauty of nature and of the four seasons, that became ingrained in japanese culture (you can usually find it translated as "Four beautiful seasons").

The Snow/Moon/Wind/Flower are the "seasonal beauties" that represents the four seasons.
This ties thematically to all the worldbuilding during the Acadamy Phase of the game, all those intros that describe how the people of Fodlan live in every month of the calendar.

Huh. Well that...far less speculative than I was expecting the first response to be. Still I'm sure there's some reason each part is tied to each particular route.

Edited January 20, 2020 by Jotari

[Shanty Pete's 1st Mate]

Maybe it's "Azure Moon" because we associate the Moon with nighttime. Dimitri's experience during the timeskip can be considered "five years of night", only reaching the dawn when he lets go of his desire for revenge.

[Timlugia]

Silver Snow is likely named due to lack of lords on player side, since snow has no color of it's own. So Byleth will create a new world by their own hands

Quote

"Byleth defeated those who slither in the dark and put down the crazed Immaculate One. In the aftermath of the loss of Fódlan's great leading figures, he/she ascended the throne as the first leader of the United Kingdom of Fódlan. In his/her heart lived the indelible hope that their efforts would one day yield an era in which the people knew true peace and the horrors of war were a hazy memory of the past."

 

[Sentinel07]

On 1/20/2020 at 3:53 AM, Dandy Druid said:

Is this thread intended with spoilers in mind? Because saying my theories on the subject will involve it.

I'm trying to remember a comment from Reddit from someone claiming they had a Chinese mother (because this is also a proverb in Chinese).

Flower, Moon, Wind, Snow has many meanings. First, it's a reflection of the seasons, which is the most well known interpretation. But it's also a phrase about love, and it's not the most positive meaning. The term is used to describe a love affair that's debaucherous or empty. How young people move on from one relationship to the next without much thought. Their partners change like the seasons do. It also represents how love blooms, blossoms, begins to fade, and eventually dies, which describes that life cycle of a failed relationship.

  Hide contents

This can be related to Dimitri's and Edelgard's love story. They had a childhood romance, sorta, but then those feelings faded and ended in the death of the other.

It also relates to the time of the game. Student life is supposed to be fun and lighthearted, but becomes much more serious and somber after the timeskip. Overall, this phrase reflects the tone of the game as well as the most important relationship in it (imo).

The colors coordinate to their house colors (white being the Church's), except for Golden Deer. It's probably Verdant because

  Hide contents

Claude is Almyran. What's the color of the armor of the Almyran soldiers. GREEN! Verdant Wind refers to how Claude was kind of blown into Fodlan from Almyra, the place where a Verdant Wind would originate.

 

Gotta say, I'm glad you mentioned that about Verdant Wind because that name really confused me for the longest time with it being the only one where the color didn't match the house it was following.

[Dandy Druid]

5 hours ago, Sentinel07 said:

Gotta say, I'm glad you mentioned that about Verdant Wind because that name really confused me for the longest time with it being the only one where the color didn't match the house it was following.

It's the only explanation that makes sense to me. It's something very easy to miss imo because

Spoiler

We only see the Almyrans twice on a playthrough. Once for Hilda's paralogue and the other for the Fort Merc chapter.

 

[Fraven Pooth]

So, I'm confused about CF and AM as far as seasons:

Silver Snow - Winter. (obv)

Verdant Wind - Spring. (green, e.g. "vernal")

Crimson Flower - Summer?? Fall? Summer seems more likely since it's a flower.

Azure Moon - Fall?? Can't be winter. The term "blue moon" doesn't help as far as determining a season.

[Hauke]

5 hours ago, AyraXLex said:

So, I'm confused about CF and AM as far as seasons:

Silver Snow - Winter. (obv)

Verdant Wind - Spring. (green, e.g. "vernal")

Crimson Flower - Summer?? Fall? Summer seems more likely since it's a flower.

Azure Moon - Fall?? Can't be winter. The term "blue moon" doesn't help as far as determining a season.

Snow: Winter
Flowers: Spring
Wind: Summer
Moon: Fall

That's how it's in the Asian saying.