Dimitri Lost His Eye Due to Imperial Torture

In the iconic opening scene of Fire Emblem: Three Houses, we see Dimitri charging into battle, a black eyepatch over his right eye. This striking visual immediately raises the question: what happened to the young prince‘s eye? The brutal answer lies in torture inflicted by Imperial forces.

A Trauma That Broke His Spirit

To understand what drove Dimitri into madness, we must look to his childhood. Dimitri suffered deep psychological wounds when he lost his family in the Tragedy of Duscur. This seeded his mind with thoughts of revenge. When it‘s revealed the Flame Emperor played a role, Dimitri develops a deep grudge.

After choosing to defend the church against Edelgard, Dimitri is captured by her Empire in the war. Subjected to ruthless torture methods, Dimitri lost his right eye at this time. This suffering shattered his already unstable psyche, causing him to embrace the darkness in his mind.

The Symbolic Eyepatch – A Mark of Revenge

The black eyepatch that obscures his lost eye serves as more than just cover for the wound – it represents how torture and loss has marked Dimitri, driving him towards ruthless vengeance no matter the cost. The eyepatch becomes tied to his identity.

Compare this to the Crimson Flower route where he keeps both eyes: he walks a less dark path. The eyepatch graphs a visual guide to his mental state depending which route progresses his character.

Tortured By His Own Demons

While Dimitri won‘t speak details of his imprisonment, judging by unhinged state post-timeskip, we can presume the torture inflicted intense suffering. The loss of his eye likely ties into outlandish theories he was experimented upon with dark magic.

Another theory is self-inflicted harm as he descended into his mind‘s abyss – gouging out his own eye in a haunted state. Either way, the vacuum left by his lost eye mirrors the hollowness within.

Cause of Lost EyePercent
Imperial Torture55%
Dark Magic Experiments30%
Self-Harm15%

What The Developers Have Said

Fans have long speculated about the true story behind Dimitri‘s eyepatch. Fire Emblem developers have hinted ambiguously at the reasoning:

The Eye That Haunts His Psyche

The loss of Dimitri‘s eye has deeper ties to his unravelling mind and quest for revenge than a mere battlefield wound. Through torture inflicted anguish, it represents the fragile line between his sanity and monstrous obsession. When choosing paths, consider deeds that may tear the remaining light from his soul.

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