Monica was revealed to be playable in the April 12, 2022 trailer focusing on new protagonist Shez, which reveals former protagonist Byleth will take a more antagonistic role in Three Hopes. While fans were not surprised to see a new protagonist after Shez was teased in earlier marketing, Monica’s appearance on the battlefield alongside Edelgard von Hresvelg and the other members of the Black Eagles is interesting to see.
Kronya: A Villain In Disguise
Monica’s appearance as a playable character in Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes is an indication there may be major story changes. In Three Houses, Monica von Ochs was a member of a minor noble house from the Adrestian Empire and a former student of Garreg Mach Monastery who had gone missing about a year before the events of the game.
Monica was seemingly rescued by Byleth and their students during one of the game’s early missions, and rejoined the Officers Academy as a non-playable character. However, it was later revealed that the real Monica was dead, and this doppelganger was actually Kronya, a member of the villainous organization “Those Who Slither in the Dark.” Using her Monica disguise, Kronya was able to successfully assassinate Byleth’s father Jeralt. However, she was later defeated by a furious Byleth and executed by a leader of “Those Who Slither in the Dark.” In a later side mission, added as part of Three Houses’ downloadable content, Byleth is tasked with informing Monica’s father, Baron von Ochs, of his daughter’s fate.
The Real Monica
It is currently unclear whether the playable Monica in Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes is real or Kronya in disguise. However, a current fan theory is that this is Monica rather than Kronya given her a different hairstyle and dress, as well as Monica lacking the villainous infiltrator’s signature smirk. Most notably, Monica is a mage who is seen wielding a wind tome, while Kronya is an Assassin who fights with her personal sword, Athame.
Another indication that this may be Monica is the changes Three Hopes has made to the story regarding Byleth. Byleth and their father Jeralt appear to not join the Garreg Mach Monastery faculty, with Byleth remaining a mercenary known as “the Ashen Demon.” Because her original target, Jeralt, is no longer present at Garreg Mach, it is possible that Kronya sees no need to infiltrate the monastery in her Monica disguise. However, neither trailer for Three Hopes has hinted how the original Monica may have been able to avoid being captured and eliminated like in Three Houses.
Monica Could Bring a New Crest to Three Hopes
Another notable feature about the playable Monica von Ochs that indicates she isn’t Kronya is that she is implied to possess the Crest of Macuil. In Fire Emblem: Three Houses, Macuil - also known as the “Wind Caller” - is one of the Four Saints of the Church of Seiros alongside Saint Cichol, Saint Cethleann, and Saint Indech. Macuil can be fought as an optional boss if the player chooses to lead the Golden Deer house; defeating him earns the player a sword that synchronizes with house leader Claude’s Crest of Riegan.
In-game lore in Fire Emblem: Three Houses notes that Macuil was unfriendly toward humans, and less willing than the other Saints to share his blood and Crest. If Monica bears this Crest, she will be the first playable character to do so, although players could purchase and equip them in Three Houses’ New Game+ using items called Dragon Signs. Monica is shown wielding a unique Tome called Wind Caller’s Genesis, implying a connection to Macuil, and Edelgard does sat in Three Houses dialogue that it was rumored a family in the Empire secretly held the Crest. Thus, Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes could see players learning more about Saint Macuil.
Hopefully more information about the mysterious Monica and her true identity will be released in further trailers for Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes. As Three Hopes will release on June 24, there is still plenty of time for fans to learn more about what to expect from this brand-new story.
Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes will release for the Nintendo Switch on June 24, 2022.
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