Black & White
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“
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Don't worry, Corrin. I won't allow this treachery to go unpunished. Hoshido may be our enemy, but to murder its royals while they are unarmed...I won't have us win the war this way. We will win with honor or die trying. Come, Brother/Sister. Let us go set free our sworn enemy.
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”
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— Xander deciding to punish Zola's treachery instead of helping him win the war dishonorably
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Black & White (Japanese: 黒白の王子 Princes of Black and White) is the eighteenth chapter of the Conquest campaign in Fire Emblem Fates. In this chapter, a routine visit by Corrin and his/her army turns interesting when it is learned Hoshidan royalty is also in the area, and then turns sour when an impostor pretending to be Izana takes the Hoshidan royals captive; Corrin's army chooses to take on Zola's band rather than win the war in a dishonorable way.
Plot
- Main article: Black & White/Script
Having arrived in Izumo, Corrin notes the beauty of the place, after which Azura reveals Izumo to be known as the kingdom of the gods, which has remained neutral and peaceful even as outside kingdoms quarrel; Corrin suggests they take advantage of Izumo's neutrality and rest in the area for awhile, noting the army's exhaustion after their travels and battles, to which Azura suggests that they could also gather useful information in the area. Azura reveals that the Hoshidan capital is heavily guarded and that the army currently doesn't have any good options for getting there safely, and that someone in Izumo could know something that would help.
We cut to inside a castle, where Izana eccentrically welcomes Corrin and his/her army, and introduces himself after Corrin asks him to; in introducing himself, Izana states himself to be the an Archduke, first heir to the divine bloodline, descendant of the gods, keeper of prophecies, and winner of best hair six times running. Corrin, Leo, Camilla, and Xander are surprised at Izana's eccentricity, while Elise seeks to befriend Izana, after which Izana tells Elise she's his new favorite, revealing he already knows Elise's name in the process; after Izana states that he already knows the names of the entire Nohrian royal family, he reveals he's hosting a banquet, and reveals he's also invited the Hoshidan royal family. Corrin, Sakura, and Hinoka give shocked reactions, while Takumi barely reacts and Ryoma quietly expresses his surprise; as Corrin tries to find words, Xander tells Corrin that the Hoshidan royals are dangerous and stop at nothing to steal him/her away again, to which Ryoma asks Xander not to forget who stole Corrin away first. As Xander and Ryoma continue their argument, Izana steps in and warns both of them about Izumo's neutrality pact that prohibits fighting of any kind within their borders and even crown princes would be severely punished for breaking the pact; Xander and Ryoma agree to put their blades away but continue to exchange words and threaten to fistfight, prompting Izana to step in again.
As Xander and Corrin discuss the situation at hand, Ryoma enters the room wishing to speak to Corrin, after which Ryoma and Xander start exchanging words again; Corrin notices the exchange of words and notices Xander and Ryoma are similar in a number of ways, something Xander and Ryoma attempt to rebuke. After some quiet, a Nohrian soldier calls in troops to seize Ryoma; we see Izana and two Nohrian soldiers arrive on the scene, prompting shocked reactions from Corrin and Xander, before Izana orders Ryoma captured. A moment later, Xander demands Izana stop his attack at once and brings up Izumo's neutrality pact, to which Izana states that the best part of what's going on is that he's not actually Izana, proceeding to shapeshift; Zola, the impostor who was pretending to be Izana, states that it's a good thing he can be himself again and that it was hard to keep the Izana ruse with the Hoshidan royals around. Xander asks Zola where the real Izana is and what he's done with him, to which Zola states that Izana's been locked away for quite awhile and will share his cell with the Hoshidan royals before death awaits them all; Xander ask Zola if he really means to kill the Hoshidan royals, to which Zola confirms and states that Garon will be proud of him, then reveals that he went into action when he heard the Hoshidan royals were to attend a banquet in Izumo. Xander notes Zola's actions as despicable, to which Zola states that they'll be able to capture Hoshido once and for all and states that Garon should give him a new title; stating that he's about to kill Izana and the Hoshidan royals before doing so, Zola teleports away from the scene, prompting Corrin to ask Xander for ideas. Xander states that Zola's treachery will not go unpunished--Hoshido may be their enemy, but he will not win the war by killing their royals while they're unarmed, and that they will either win the war with honor or die trying; as Xander calls the army into action to free the Hoshidan royals, Corrin states that he/she noticed that he and Ryoma are a lot alike and that if they weren't in the middle of a war, they could have been great friends, after which Xander asks Corrin keep his/her ideas to himself/herself before calling the troops into action. Preparations take place at this point; the battle begins once preparations are complete.
Once the battle ends, Corrin commands Zola to release the prisoners, to which Zola states that he/she should be thanking him for capturing Nohr's enemies; Leo states that such treachery may be Garon's way but it's not the way for this generation of Nohrian royals. Leo then proceeds to call Zola a mockery and a disgrace, states that he's sickened to think people like him are tainting Nohr's grand legacy, and that Zola's trickery in capturing the Hoshidan royals is a coward's game. Zola attempts to plead for his life with Leo, to which Leo asks Zola to make peace with his fate and that he might find forgiveness on the other side, then kills Zola for his crimes against humanity. Corrin questions Leo's method, Leo states that he killed Zola because Corrin wouldn't do it and that he would have told Garon that they helped the Hoshidan royals and that they'd all be in grave danger and that someone like him must be cut down for the good of everyone; Leo suggests that, if they accepted Zola as an ally, they'd only be betrayed later and be ratted out to Garon or Iago, after which Corrin states that he/she agrees, but doesn't like it and that Leo would have made a rather frightening enemy.
We cut to a feast, where the real Izana eccentrically calls for a toast, prompting Leo, Camilla and Xander to again be disgusted by this eccentricity, while Elise states that she got to befriend two Izanas in one day; after some quiet, Corrin tells Ryoma that he/she is glad that he's safe, after which Takumi, Leo, Camilla and Hinoka start arguing, prompting Ryoma to call for quiet and states that the Hoshidan royals would have done the same thing had the situation been reversed. Corrin states that he/she is glad that everyone can share a meal together even if it's for the only time, after which Sakura states that she's glad Corrin's happy, prompting Elise into a skirmish with Sakura; Azura states that, in a way, that the current situation is somewhat heartwarming and that everyone's like one big family, albeit somewhat dysfunctional, to which Corrin states that he/she was thinking the same thing, prompting more heartwarming exchange between the two.
Summary
After halting Kotaro's plans, Corrin stops in the neutral land of Izumo to rest. There, an unexpected reunion takes place.
Chapter data
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Victory: Defeat Zola and the two boss Generals
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Player
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Partner
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Other
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Enemy
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Third
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Defeat: Corrin dies*, the player's army is routed*, or 20 turns pass
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14
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{{{partner}}}
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4
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27+6
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{{{third}}}
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Victory: Defeat Zola and the two boss Generals
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Player
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Partner
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Other
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Enemy
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Third
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Defeat: Corrin dies*, the player's army is routed*, or 20 turns pass
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14
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{{{partner}}}
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4
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34+8
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{{{third}}}
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Victory: Defeat Zola and the two boss Generals
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Player
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Partner
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Other
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Enemy
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Third
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Defeat: Corrin dies*, the player's army is routed*, or 20 turns pass
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14
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{{{partner}}}
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4
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39+8
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{{{third}}}
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This chapter's map is 25 columns by 24 rows.
Character data
Note: The returning characters list does not include any characters recruitable in paralogues or xenologues, as the player may not have taken on any available paralogue chapters yet. The list also does not include any bonus units, as they are recruitable at the player's discretion.
Item data
There are no Dragon Veins in this chapter.
Enemy data
Reinforcements
- After engaging combat with the boss Generals*, or a Paladin surrounding a Bow Knight*
- After engaging combat with the Zola*, or after engaging combat with the Hero or Sorcerer pair*
NPC data
Boss data
- Main article: Zola
General (Front), Normal General (Front), Hard/Lunatic General (Rear), Normal General (Rear), Hard/Lunatic
Strategy
This section details unofficial strategies that may help with completion of the chapter. This may not work for everybody.
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This is a fairly straightforward chapter. The enemies aren't overly aggressive and the reinforcements are few in number and fairly predictable in spawn location (they come from the stairs). The 20 turn limit may seem worrying, but as long as you maintain a brisk pace you should find it rather forgiving. The biggest problem is the relative abundance of Wary Fighter Generals who are impossible to double, so make sure you bring strong magic and buy the Armorslayer and Hammer from the armory if you haven't already. Your first order of business is to use a physical tank to clear out the Heroes in the northwest and a magical tank to clear out the Sorcerers in the northeast. Once that's done, your units can regroup, pick off the Maids, and deal with Zola and his two pairs of goons. From here, make your way down the west corridor, watching out for reinforcement Generals and Paladins. You don't actually need to engage the enemies in the southeast corridor unless you really want the experience points. Kill the paired Generals and the map is yours.
Trivia
- Azura makes a comment near chapter's end about all of the Hoshidan and Nohrian royalty put together looking like a big happy family in this moment. Given that both sets of the core four royal siblings are step-cousins to each other (their stepmothers are sisters), combined with how Corrin and Azura's cousin relationship fit into the picture, the scene in question could actually be viewed as a single family get-together, and take on a different meaning to a player who knows just how these relationships fit together.
- This chapter reuses the map from Birthright Chapter 9.
- This is one of only two chapters in the Conquest route where the Nohrian faction is fought, the other being Conquest Chapter 26.
- Leo references the events of Birthright, where Corrin accepts Zola as an ally, only later to be betrayed by him and Corrin also references Birthright, where he/she states that Leo would have been made a frightening enemy.
Etymology and other languages
This section has been marked as a stub. Please help improve the page by adding information.
Names, etymology, and in other regions
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Language
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Name
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Definition, etymology, and notes
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English
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Black & White
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French
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Noir et blanc
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Black & white
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Gallery
This section has been marked as a stub. Please help improve the page by adding information.
References