Fire Emblem: Three Houses forces players to choose between three groups at the start of the game: the Black Eagles, the Blue Lions, and the Golden Deer. This mechanic alone has got fans arguing over the best houses and the best characters, but it seems that the game itself can settle this controversy.

Three Houses includes a variety of online features, such as a mechanic that tells players where other fans have died. One curious inclusion is that Three Houses will also tell you what other players are doing, both on a day-to-day basis, as well as overall. Anyone logging in this week will probably come across this screenshot:

“Most deployed” means most-used in battle. You’ll note that the entire list is composed of Black Eagle members, which suggests that most people are picking that house. This also reinforces something I’ve noticed on social media: Seemingly everyone loves Edelgard. The jokes, references, and fan art of the Adestian princess are nonstop. No wonder she’s the most deployed character, even as the game allows you to recruit characters from other houses.

AN ACTUAL TEA PARTY W EDELGARD pic.twitter.com/dT5aYtvzfo — SIREN (@ladylawga) July 28, 2019

Whoever made Edelgard exist in Fire Emblem, please give the person a fucking raise because she's the most perfect girl ever created ❤️ pic.twitter.com/GNcDClAh2f — ☕️『Krowe』@FireEmblem Black Eagles (@DelsinKrowe) July 29, 2019

A quick f!Byleth and Edelgard and just that. pic.twitter.com/fZugEEKazQ — sieka@Commissions Closed (@piiroinardesco) July 31, 2019

Apparently Edelgard is the only lord that responds positively when you try to talk ab cats MEN AIN'T SHIT pic.twitter.com/vf62mfqttV — Hell Cat (@HellTabby) July 29, 2019

Don’t give him too much credit, Edelgard pic.twitter.com/JhMHWiMPKN — JACK Amiibo Gazebo (@__jackary) July 29, 2019

Gomenasai, my name is Edelgard-Sama.

I’m a 17 year old Adrestian Otaku (Anime fan for you gaijins). I draw Anime and Manga on my tablet, and spend my days perfecting my art and playing superior Japanese games.

I train with my Katana every day, this superior weapon can cut cl pic.twitter.com/TRGyL60CrJ — ned (@makeinuencore) July 29, 2019

Thinking about how short Edelgard is pic.twitter.com/TZH00k4qd2 — Øscar @ 第18弾 9/26発売 (@theprinceofiris) July 30, 2019

Me: I chose Claude and the Golden Deer because I really liked Claude’s personality!



People I know: WELL I CHOSE EDELGARD BECAUSE I WANT HER TO CHOP ME IN HALF WITH HER AXE AND THEN STEP ON ME. — Lyric (@LyricOfWisdom) July 29, 2019

Edelgard: hey professor I've committed a war crime



Me: pic.twitter.com/szY5bwd6tx — Ginny Woo PAXWest (@ginnywoes) July 31, 2019

I’m throwing shade at edelgard but I absolutely love her pic.twitter.com/rKXsKSKR9r — Courtney (@Fawnduu) July 31, 2019

When you play Fire Emblem and see that the most used units online are Edelgard and Dorothea pic.twitter.com/uV7C7l2MY5 — Cosmonaut Marcus (@CinnamonGhoul) July 30, 2019

(It should be noted, Edelgard is often a required deployment if you pick her house, but that doesn’t account for the fandom explosion, which is voluntary.)

Fans will tell you that they’ve picked Edelgard because they like her philosophy and attitude, and because she can become a killing machine. But, for my money, the last tweet in the round-up above gets at why this is happening: Players like Edelgard’s design. Much of the fandom in Fire Emblem now revolves around shipping and romance, and it seems as if most people are falling for Edelgard. Picking between the houses and the discussion around that is often really about who players find the most attractive and endearing, not who has the upper hand in battle.

I for one chose the Blue Lions, but seeing all the fandom around Edelgard has made me rethink my choices. Well, there’s always new game plus.