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It is worth saying again; a fun thread for an Edelgard and Marianne support chain would be Edelgard hearing about Marianne’s talent dealing with animals and deciding that an emperor should not be afraid of rats so she seeks Marianne out for advice.
Edelgard is too proud to admit she needs the help, so she tells Marianne that she is acting on behalf of someone else who is too embarrassed for this information to be public (not entirely a lie).
Marianne is doubtful if she can be helpful, because her self-esteem is Like That, and suddenly Edelgard is Concerned (in her somewhat overbearing way) about Marianne’s depression because Edelgard has heard Marianne is great with animals so her lack of confidence is worrisome
Which can be the fun interplay in the supports; they help each other deal with their trauma. Marianne with Edelgard’s fears, and Edelgard with Marianne’s depression; the proud humbling themselves and the humble becoming proud of themselves.
This can also lend to Marianne’s remarks about Edelgard just before the skip, since the reveal that It Was Edelgard Afraid of Rats All Along would be saved for the post-skip A support.
Edelgard giving Marianne confidence while hiding her own vulnerabilities can explain Marianne’s idealized vision of Edelgard, and also be really sweet because the player can think “Oh, she does not know how much she has actually helped Edelgard yet...” and get teary eyed.
Like, Marianne’s question to herself, if she can be as strong as Edelgard, is already answered. Marianne is strong, Edelgard sought her out for it, Marianne just does not know it yet (which is her character arc in general, but it is a great arc so why not play more into it).
Then the A support can happen with Edelgard admiring how far Marianne has come, but Marianne puts herself down next to Edelgard’s seeming ‘invincibility,’ so Edelgard reveals that she was the person afraid of rats all along and Marianne finally sees Edelgard’s vulnerability.
I am just saying; we have a very confident character afraid of an animal due to deep-seated trauma and a character who is great at handling animals who could use a confidence boost due to her own traumas; how did the writers miss putting these obvious pieces together?
I cannot shut up about the missed opportunity here, it is a tragedy in and of itself.
