Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave introduces a villain so thoroughly awful that he almost redeems the tired trope he inhabits. The game’s second act, the War Arc, takes the familiar formula of a shadowy mastermind and pushes it past reasonable into cartoonish excess. The result is a sequence that proves that, done right, even the most overused plot device can still land.
The Setup
Act 1 of Fortune’s Weave is a slow burn of gift-giving and companion bonding. Then the Strife Obelisk arrives, and the story accelerates with startling force. The action picks up several months after the Heroic Games, a pomp-filled event that sets the stage for everything that follows. Raksha, the green-haired schemer hiding behind a wooden mask, has awakened her father, Emperor Dagda, from a 500-year slumber.
Dagda’s Reign of Terror
Dagda is not a subtle villain. He makes Edelgard from Three Houses seem like a saint by comparison. His first act upon returning is to murder his own son, Solel, in cold blood. He then declares a “war of annihilation” on Saramis, the southern region of the continent that happens to be home to a significant portion of the game’s people of color. He orders the beloved arena of Dagsion torn down and replaced with his “cauldron,” a device that consumes souls.
The city quickly descends into chaos. Imperial troops beat up ordinary citizens, steal their food and money, and hand it over to the emperor. The capital becomes a hellish place, with soldiers routinely abusing the populace in service of their cruel ruler.
The Comparison to a Familiar Figure
Dagda shares more than a few traits with a certain contemporary political figure. He is openly racist, quick to declare war, driven by greed and self-interest, surrounded by a small army of scheming-yet-inept offspring, and capable of endless cruelty. The resemblance is unmistakable.
The Cauldron and Its Victims
Dagda’s plan is simple and brutal. He orders every citizen of Dagsion, all one million of them, thrown into his cauldron. The process turns their bodies and souls into a slurry known as flamma. He drinks these soul slurries by the bowlful to restore his strength, or simply when he’s feeling a bit cranky — which is always.
“Remind you of anyone? I couldn’t possibly comment.”
The Fall of the Tyrant
Dagda’s reign is short-lived. His rise is sudden, and his fall is just as swift. Drunk on the souls of a million murdered subjects, he transforms into a mighty dragon and waits atop the highest peak in Dagsion. He is impervious to any attacks — that is, until Eshmel descends like a bolt from the blue and kicks Dagda straight in the dick. With his shield broken, the player’s party is free to whale on him until he finally, finally goes down. The victory feels terrific.
Then a new evil rises to take his place, which feels less terrific.
Why It Works
Dagda is vividly, unreservedly evil. The battles in this section are noticeably longer and more challenging. Each win against his forces feels all the more gratifying because of it. Even if he is not the game’s ultimate villain, this soul-guzzling old bastard has certainly left his mark on the memory.
| Stage | Event |
|---|---|
| Act 1 | Gift-giving and friend maintenance |
| Act 2 | War Arc begins |
| Heroic Games | Pomp and circumstance |
| Dagda’s return | Murder of Solel, war declaration |
| Cauldron operation | Flamma production, soul drinking |
| Dagda’s fall | Dragon transformation, defeat by Eshmel |
A Brief Stay
In the grand scheme of Fortune’s Weave, especially if you play more than one Act 1 route, Dagda is not around for all that long. But his presence is unforgettable. The sheer excess of his cruelty makes him stand out.
The Verdict
Dagda’s fall comes as suddenly as his rise. The sequence is satisfying precisely because it is so unhinged. The comparison to a real-life figure of contempt is not a flaw — it is the point. The game delivers a villain who is genuinely terrifying without ever losing the fun of his absurdity.
Fortune’s Weave takes a tired trope and gives it teeth. The result is a memorable arc that stands out even in a game full of memorable moments.
See the video the story is built around at Polygon.
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