Ashnard has fallen, and now it is time to understand what it is he was after. Why is Ashnard the way he is, and what can he teach us not to do? For that, it's time to unpack his boss conversations, starting with the ones most players will see and then going along to the bonus ones.
Ike: …
Ashnard: Heh heh heh. I remember that stance well. So your father taught you swordplay, did he? How very happy that makes me.
Ike: Mad King Ashnard! I will cut you down with this blade and end your reign of terror!
Ashnard: You? Cut me down? Heee… Good. If you possess the strength to do so, then so be it. That process is the principle on which my ideal world operates.
Ike: What are you talking about?
Starting with good ol' Ike. I think one of the most valuable things this conversation tells us is that Ashnard states something he believes, and in one of the conversations most people are going to see, that's important. That at least establishes a baseline for the majority of players.
Ashnard: Heh heh… Heeee heeee heh… So you’re still alive, are you?
Ena: …
Ashnard: Do you really want to do this? Do you believe you can defeat me?
Ena: I… I was mistaken. You are truly mad… …Even so… I wanted to be near you. If I could have been near you, it would have been all right…
Ashnard: Did you think I would allow that? Whaaaa haa haa haaaaa!
Ena: King Ashnard of Daein. You will die at my hand!
Now we know that Ena is talking about Rajaion mostly, this conversation especially turns. Ena is staring the corruption of Rajaion in the face and declaring her hatred for Ashnard on that front.
Ashnard: A white dragon! To meet with you here… Wheeee haa haa haaaa! For me, there is no greater joy!
Nasir: King Daein… There is a reason I had to meet you.
Ashnard: And that is?
Nasir: I would have you tell me how to heal my warped and twisted laguz brothers. If you created them, you should know how to restore them.
Ashnard: That… That is what you want? Whaaa haaa haaa haaaaa! Fool! There never was such a cure!
Nasir: … What have you… done… It is… already… too late…
Ashnard: Tell me, dragon, were you our Worm? Heh heh heh. I see… So your goal is to stop the Goldoans from fighting. Tsk, tsk, tsk!
Nasir: We dragons are known for our wrath. Even spilling your blood today will not atone for what you have done!
Ashnard: Despise me! Loathe me! Whaaa haa haa haaaaaa! I will feast on your hatred! Let your hate build, dragon! Attack me with everything you have! I know your strength is not gone yet!
Again, now we know Nasir and Ena's goal, Nasir's reason for asking about the Ferals takes on a different perspective. Ashnard is also very interested in that world war to awaken the dark god, so provoking Goldoan people is something he's very happy to do and bring about the Chaos of doing so.
Ashnard: Oh, the king of hawks! Meeting your feathered carcass here today is… Fantastic! I am so pleased!
Tibarn: As am I. I want to rake my talons across your face so much, I can hardly control myself.
Ashnard: Waaaaa haaaa haaa! Heeee heee haaa! Perfect! PERFECT!!! That is what war is all about!
Tibarn: Come. Let’s get started.
In another life, these two would have to be held apart from one another to prevent them from turning the continent to ash.
Naesala: Just thinking about fighting you makes me want to forget the whole thing. Heck, it’s not like I’m getting paid… Say… Do you want to hire me?
Ashnard: What’s this? Do you wish to return to Daein’s loving embrace?
Naesala: I do… If you agree to make me very, very rich.
Ashnard: Enough of your lies, crow. Even now, your beady eyes look to find a chink in my armor.
Naesala: Ah… you found me out. All right, let’s proceed in earnest. No more tricks… Oh, look over there! Didn’t work, eh? Then die, madman! I won’t be doing you any favors if I let you live.
Naesala is done fighting for gold. Ashnard is a madman too far. But Naesala is among the weakest of the royals, and he is very much not in Ashnard's league. He does, however, double-attack Ashnard.
Ashnard: You’re the one they speak of in whispers… The lion king’s shadow. What are you doing so far from your body, shadow? Am I so terrible that your king hides in fear?
Giffca: Your strength, King of Daein, even with your medallion, is not sufficient. That is why I am here. If I fail to stop you today, then your next opponent will be our king. But first, this imposter will measure your fighting prowess.
Ashnard: What impudence! Are you prepared become a pile of bones for your king? You’ll make a fine snack!
That must feel like such an insult to Ashnard. Caineghis doesn't even consider him worth his time to go fang-to-sword with. Especially when he's so interested in fighting the strongest soldiers.
And those are the boss conversations that Ashnard can have with people who can damage him after the fact. But Ashnard has more to say, too, this time starting with the three we saw in the main playthrough.
Elincia: Ashnard!
Ashnard: What? You again, Princess Crimea? I told you, you are not the foe I seek.
Elincia: You may not think so… Yet my purpose here is to defeat you. In the name of my father, my mother, my lord uncle, and the countless citizens of Crimea… You murdered them all! And I will never forgive you that!
Ashnard: In the world I am creating, only those with power will be allowed to live. Hurry and die, weakling!
Ashnard has no respect for Elincia's strength of will- Elincia is a weak unit on the battlefield and such people do not have a place in Ashnard's world. Perhaps one day Elincia might prove him very wrong indeed...
Mist: As long as you’re alive, this war can not end. How many lives have you stolen with your selfishness?
Ashnard: You ask that of me? You? A girl? Pah! Trivial. You’re not worth the effort it would take to kill you.
Mist: Give me back my medallion! You aren’t supposed to have it!
Ashnard: Are you… Gawain’s daughter?
Mist: I am! And like my father and mother before me, I will protect the world from your madness!
Ashnard: Heh heh… Hwah hah hah hah… Wheeee haaa haaa haaaaaarrr! Perhaps I’ll kill you after all! If you are their child, you get special privileges! Show me your might!
Again, Ashnard just talks right past his opponent. He doesn't care about what Mist has to say about the medallion or his war, only that Mist is Gawain's daughter and may have inherited his battlefield skills.
Ashnard: Annoying little insect. Whose path is it that you think to block?
Jill: …My father died because of you. He tried so hard… to prove he was a loyal citizen of Daein. And you never recognized his efforts. Not even once.
Ashnard: Are you complaining to me? Come back some other time. I’m busy.
Jill: Answer me! My father was General Shiharam! Why did he have to die?
Ashnard: Eh? Who are you talking about? The name is unfamiliar… I don’t think we ever had such a general.
Jill: What?
Ashnard: This is a waste of time. Leave my sight at once.
Jill: …Ashnard… Ashnard!! ASHNARD!! I… will never forgive you! NEVER!!!
Ashnard not even bothering to keep track of his failures. If his soldiers were worth remembering, they'd still be alive and in his service. I think hearing this out of her King would have shocked even pre-development Jill into rethinking herself.
Ashnard: Who are you, dog?
Haar: You don’t seem to recall my name… I’m a man who was once a part of your army, if just barely.
Ashnard: You’re some nobody who turned traitor and joined the Crimeans? I’ve no interest in you. Begone.
Haar: I’ll leave as quickly as I’m able. Right after I’ve taken your head!
I find it interesting that Haar gets so many quotes with endgame bosses- moreso in Radiant Dawn, but clearly that started here. He's characterised as having some zingers, but mostly just being sick of authority figures being such bad people. As I assume most people are.
Ashnard: Is that you, Tauroneo? As I thought… You betrayed me after all.
Tauroneo: …
Ashnard: In my father’s time, there was a man who was one of the Four Steadfast Riders. That man grew old and useless, and retired from the front lines. How does his story end, you ask? Come, let us write it together.
Tauroneo: Oh, my king… In all of Daein’s history, perhaps no other ruler has used the talents at his command to the degree you have… But all the same, no other king has chosen a path so incredibly stupid.
Ashnard: Heh heh heh… Will history judge me to be just or evil? We will not know until all of this is finished.
Tauroneo: …Now that I’ve confronted you and traded words with you, I have come to a decision. Throughout Daein, I, Tauroneo, will be known as the king killer. Come! Let me earn my name!
Tauroneo, though, that's a man Ashnard recognises. If only to mourn the fact that Tauroneo put his lance down and chose a new path in life. Family? Morality? No, if you're not using your strength, you're useless.
Ashnard: That is not the extent of your might, beast tribe warrior! I will not allow you to die while the great power within you still slumbers. Release your rage! Release your hate! Show me the fury you keep inside!
Ashnard: Hawks of Phoenicis! How strong are you that Begnion should fear you so? I trust I may expect good things from our battle.
His quotes with the laguz tribes. Again, he's all about their strength in combat, unleashing the laguz's rage and locking swords with it. So how about someone who doesn't fight at all?
"Might take ownership". What a line.
Well, maybe not the guy who did that, but definitely done on his orders. Imagine if Ashnard just walked into Begnion and did whatever he pleased?
But Reyson already knows. What was he expecting from this conversation?
Again, conjecture.
What's Ashnard plan for afterwards?
Ashnard doesn't believe in the whole "immediate death of everyone" theory of the dark god.
Meanwhile, our current society is... well, it's got its flaws.
The whole "if you're born a noble, you're a noble, if you're born a slave, you're a slave" thing? What a bunch of junk.
Not like we can control where we're born, why should we let it govern our life?
Just let the people born without live in misery because of their poor luck?
Hell no! The people who can do the jobs of the nobles should be allowed to have that chance, especially if the nobles are a pathetic lot that can't do it themselves!
That's Ashnard's goal. Awaken the dark god, destroy the weak, and now the strong can take over.
It doesn't matter what you are in Ashnard's ideal world.
The mighty stand at the top of the pack. You know. Peaceful. (Apparently, JP Ashnard talks about 公平というも, "fairness", which is a lot more consistent.)
Sounds like it.
No, that's not right... uh... actually, he has a point...
Well, with 28 HP and 5 Def, that second option looks pretty likely.
Way better than the first option, though.
So we have a bit of an idea of what kind of man Ashnard is: he's a social darwinist of the highest order, who believes that even the gods should be subject to the rule of might makes right. He thinks only the people who are physically strong have a place in the world, and bases his decisions on that, even at the expense of his people. He's a piece of work, all right, and taking him to task was the right call.
Now then, let's take a long diversion into Fire Emblem Three Houses.
Meet Edelgard von Hresvelg. One often finds her compared to Ashnard when discussing societal philosophies, and the comparison isn't a million miles away.
She wants to burn down the current social order and start anew with a society that focuses on the merits of individuals, where the able rise to power and the weak nobles fall.
That's about where the similarities end, though. One hears "meritocracy" and thinks of "social darwinism", and those thoughts are simply not correlated at all.
Edelgard does not desire the deaths of the weak, but she wishes for the weak to become strong, to find their talents and work to them rather than being forced to take the position their society has chosen for them.
Indeed, she will offer the have nots the tools they need to achieve the status of the haves. Anyone can lead, after all. In our society, we claim the people who study can become the politicians of the future. Why is it that a society that actually does so is considered the same as Ashnard's?
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