Claude/Byleth
| Pairing | |
|---|---|
| Pairing: | Claude/Byleth |
| Alternative name(s): | Claudeleth |
| Gender category: | Non-binary |
| Fandom: | Fire Emblem: Three Houses |
| Canonical?: | Player determinant |
| Prevalence: | Popular |
| Archives: | |
| Other: | |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Claude/Byleth is a popular pairing between Claude von Riegan and Byleth Eisner in Fire Emblem: Three Houses.
Canon
Claude is the leader of the Golden Deer House. Byleth first meets him when they and their father Jeralt rescue him, Edelgard, and Dimitri from a pack of bandits attacking them. From the outset, Claude comes across as incredibly friendly and eager to get to know Byleth. However, Byleth will note that while Claude's smile is striking, it doesn't reach his eyes.
If Byleth chooses the Golden Deer house, Claude becomes even more fascinated with them, due to Byleth's mysterious origins and incredible abilities. The two will share several scenes in which Claude bends Byleth's ear about the mysteries of Fodlan and the many secrets the Church of Seiros is hiding from the public, with Byleth becoming just as curious. Claude is happy when he sees Byleth smile for the first time, even saying it helps him relax further.
During the Garreg Mach ball cutscene in chapter 9, Claude will invite Byleth to dance with him regardless of their gender.
Over the course of the Academy phase, the pair will form a close bond, with Claude expressing genuine affection towards Byleth shortly after the Empire declares war on the Church. When Byleth returns after the five-year timeskip, Claude is waiting patiently for them, happy to see them again as he never gave up on them coming back. During the war, the two grow even closer as Claude reveals his dreams for a unified Fodlan and Byleth is there to give him that little push into making those dreams a reality.
If the player chooses to marry Claude, he admits that at first he wanted to use their abilities to his own advantage, but ended up falling in love with them. [1]
If the player chose the Black Eagles, the player can choose to spare Claude after beating him in battle. In the Blue Lions route, he calls the player and Dimitri for aid. In both cases, the player asks Claude to join their side, but he declines, leaving Fodlan forever. Byleth looks disappointed, but understands. In Silver Snow, Claude disappears without a trace during the off-screen showdown at Gronder.
Warriors: Three Hopes
In the Warriors: Three Hopes spinoff game, Byleth is an antagonist who can potentially be recruited to the player's side, and if the player is successful, Claude will tell them that "part of me was calling out to you the whole time." In the Scarlet Blaze path, if Byleth was not recruited, they can be seen talking to Claude about his plans to betray the Empire, for which Claude will credit Byleth.
Fandom
While not quite the juggernaut pairing Dimileth and Female Byleth/Edelgard are, Claudeleth is still extremely popular. Fans were immediately taken with Claude the moment he was revealed in the trailer, due to his appearance and overall personality.
Fans have also noted the stark difference in Byleth's dynamic with Claude compared to those with Edelgard and Dimitri. Because Claude is the most well-adjusted of the three main house leaders, there is no focus on the leader retaining or regaining humanity but instead on a partnership. Some even compare them to a standard shounen anime, especially during the final battle there Claude gives a speech about friendship just before he and Byleth charge at the final boss, weapons drawn. This animated cutscene ends with the pair shaking hands, welcoming Fodlan's new beginning.
However, fanworks are not lacking in emotional themes. Claude confides in Byleth more than he does anyone else, and Byleth's presence helps him show his real self more and more as time goes on. The player learns of his tough past and the prejudice he faced as a mixed-raced child, including death threats and outright assassination attempts. This allows shippers to delve more into Claude's vulnerable side, with Byleth there as a shoulder to lean on.
Byleth's origins and mysterious past are also rife for development. While Verdant Wind explains Rhea's motives and why Byleth housed the consciousness and the power of the goddess, the final boss's army attacks the monastery before she can explain Byleth's creation further. She is implied to die soon after the end of the route, leaving an opening for Claude and Byleth to dig deeper while the latter comes to terms with their emotions and the nature of their existence.
Many fanworks are set post-Verdant Wind to allow for more growth and development of things Claude only implies about himself in the game proper, mainly his Almyran heritage and his claim to the throne.
The interactions between Claude and Byleth in Warriors: Three Hopes delighted Claudeleth fans, especially the way Scarlet Blaze subtly alluded to Three Houses and how Byleth's presence in Claude's life changed it for the better. [2]
Bisexual Claude Controversy
Despite Claude's flirty interactions with both Byleths, it was revealed that he could only marry the female version. Fan reactions ranged from disappointment to outrage; while disappointment was usually expressed in a civil manner, the latter group would lob passive-aggressive anger bombs at Nintendo and potshots at the canon bisexual options.[3] [4] [5] [6] [7]
The outrage eventually led to backlash.
Despite this, the m!Byleth/Claude content is roughly one third the amount of its heterosexual counterpart.
Common tropes in fan work
- Kidfic/pregnancy fic
- Smut
- Ruling Couple - Claude and Byleth focus on uniting Almyra and Fodlan
- Battle Couple - This is based on their paired ending, in which Claude returns to Fodlan with an army just as Byleth and her own are getting ready to dispose of the remaining Agarthans
- Pining
- Slow Burn
- Racism and Prejudice - As a half-Almyran half-Fodlan child, Claude dealt with racist bullying
- Hurt/Comfort
- Claude changing back to his given name, Khalid, after reclaiming the throne
Fan Works
Fanfiction
F!Byleth/Claude
- Warmth by eisneRiegan
- Finds It's Mark by AkisMusicBox [NSFW]
- Tea is for Teacher by Recipe
M!Byleth/Claude
- Hope Springs Eternal by BriMac0518
- In From the Cold by midoriverte
Fanart
Female!Byleth/Claude
Male!Byleth/Claude
- Kinktober Day 6: Nipple play [NSFW]
- Just 2 kings feeding their dozens of wyverns
- "You didn't really think I'd given up on you coming back did you?"
Fanvids
- Comic Dub Fire Emblem Three Houses:The Night of the Ball
- Fire Emblem 3H : Claude x Byleth AMV - Somewhere only we know {SPOILERS}
- Fire Emblem Three Houses - Male Byleth and Claude (S Rank Support)
Archives & Fannish Links
- My Unit | Byleth/Claude von Riegan tag on AO3
References
- ^ Claude/Byleth S support: "Please... I hope you'll accept this. When I first saw you wield the Sword of the Creator, I wanted to use your power to my advantage. I wanted to use you to make my dream of a new world come true. But before long, I realized what I really wanted was to see that new world... with you by my side."
- ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5Jkv0TBgb8
- ^ Claude is Bisexual (Fire Emblem Three Houses)
- ^ claude dm me
- ^ Oh Santa!
- ^ the fire emblem devs when...
- ^ Reasons why FE Heroes is better than FE Three Houses