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I included the next turn, how they take out my hero. those moves always happen to me. D8 I get mage-pwn'd then taken out next unit turn. crying Because it can't all happen just one turn. (Okay, it can, but it rarely does for me. D8 )

This week's Best/Worst is Boss theme.

Ooh, that's tough...

Nominees for best: To Challenge Ashnard (FE9), Against the Dark Knight (FE9), Battle of Pride (FE10), Stalking Menace (FE10), Everything Into the Dark (FE7), Campaign of Fire (FE7), and... I know there are other great FE boss themes out there, even from games I haven't played yet. I've listened to them and had them shared with me on other occasions. But I can't think of them right now!

First out's probably Everything into the Dark. I wanted to mention it because even though I like the other ones better, I still like that one a lot, as it's more quiet and ominous, like a distant, horrible storm coming your way. Though I really hate how it stops right at the end before gong back to the beginning. I wish the loop was cleaner. I'm usually not fighting Nergal for that long a time, but still.
Next... It hurts me to say it, but Against the Dark Knight. I love this theme and it suits a one on one duel between a titan of a man and our main hero who has come a long way, with those intense combinations of percussion, brass and strings that make such an oppressive, wonderful effect together. And you can even hear a minor version of His Father's Son in there! I don't think I've ever gotten to say it, but I love Yuka Tsujiyoko's use of leitmotif in some of the FE games, and all of the variations of themes for different events that come from it. And it also has resonating bells! But I dock points for a lack of dynamics and it being a little samey throughout. Though it's still a great song.
Next goes Campaign of Fire. I really like this song, and I think it really leaves an impression on you, perhaps even more than the Fire Dragon would have otherwise. I know that this song is what really made the fight for me. And OH GOD, I love that intro. It feel so big and grand and dangerous, Like the Fire Dragon is rearing back and opening his terrible maw and unleashing flames, which burn and flicker as described by the rest of the song. Quite the descriptive song, which always gains points in my book. And the building volume is great too. The only thing is, I don't think the rest of the song really holds up to the intro as well, which makes me dock points. I still love the song, though, and it stands on its own.
Next I'll take off Stalking Menace. I really like Radiant Dawn's use of percussion in it's music. Nearly every song has an excellent percussion section with many different instruments, many have memorable beats and tempos, and that's why stalking menace is so cool. I don't think there's any other song in the series quite like it in that regard. With its' tempo changes and those rising and falling strings, and those bursts of brass, how can you not feel the tension at hand? I love it! I'll take it off because, well... I like Battle of Pride more. Even though it doesn't have the tempo and beat that Stalking Menace has, I remember it a lot more, and it leaves more of an impression on me. Oh Jarod, you and Ludveck are sorely missed.
And now I feel bad! I think Battle of Pride goes down along with Stalking Menace. Because where it doesn't have the tempo and tenseness that Stalking Menace has, it makes up for it with its intense percussion bits that I just adore, and find myself moving to whenever I listen to it. I think the two songs compliment each other well, and are good for two different situations. Both lucky to get such excellent music.
So in conclusion....

Best: To Challenge Ashnard from Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance. Call me biased, as I do love Ashnard as a villain and PoR as one of my favorite games, but I love this song. Never heard the intro to this piece? Well, that means you've never played PoR on Hard mode, where the entire song plays once Ashnard springs back from the dead stronger than ever and attacks you with all of his power, and even a different, more monstrous mug! That's a final boss theme well used! And even without that, it's an enormous sounding song, with a thundering introduction, intense tempo changes, quiet and loud moments, slow and fast moments and different feelings! Oh man, when the instruments die down and the chorus gets quiet, I get chills. And those cymbals, and the percussion in general! This song feels like Ashnard is bringing the heavens down on you, and combines lots of great qualities that the aforementioned songs have. And I love it!

Worst: I forgot that Return of the Demon King even existed until I looked at Mel's post and re-listened to it. Not good for a final boss theme at all. It isn't my least favorite boss theme in the series, as the rising and falling organ bits and slower, quieter parts net it some points, but it is just so anti-climactic. Oh Formortiis, you never leave a lasting impact on anyone.
WORST OH GOD MEDEUTH FROM FE1. I forgot about that one too, and for good reason. This song is a ton of nothing. At least Return of the Demon King has some decent parts and doesn't assault your eardrums. I... I think the song broke.

I'm not much of a big fan of FE battle themes, because they take place in a ten second interval, they can get repetitive, but nonetheless, I soldier on.

Best: Boss Battle FE5 has easily the most audiogasmic brass available in any SNES game out there, and you really need to listen to the brass in FE5 to truly appreciate this game's soundtrack. I think the Boss Battle sets a perfect example of how fantastic the brass in FE5 is.

Worst: FE1!Mediuth I LOVED the FE3 rendition of it, but this is one of the rare cases where I want to rip out my ear drums when I hear this 8bit piece, the repetitive shrill descending lick just doesn't do any good at all, as does the arbitrary increase in volume later on in the track. If I could describe this piece, half of it is equivalent to me first picking up the flute twelve years ago, and the second half of the piece being an essential musical score keyboard mash.

Best: I would have to say To challenge Ashnard is the winner. Ashnard is just my favorite villain for many reasons that I won't post here because I'll get carried away talking. When I was younger and PoR was new this was the song that played in my head whenever my mom found out I got a detention.


I also wanna say my second my second favorite is Unstoppable Destiny It's pretty similar to Against the Black Knight but I prefer this one.

My third favorite is Zephiel's battle theme. It's quite epic. Battle for Whose Sake

Worst: When you fight Fomortiis. it's not very good.

Plot = Story, in which we already did plot awhile ago?

Oh well.

Best: FE4 by a landslide, 100%.

Worst: FE3!B2, y'all should read my LP, Marth apparently lost all capability to think for himself and it's basically about him asking a barrage of questions, with a Dark Orb'd Hardin somewhere in there and a dragon who abruptly gets 3 turn'd. (1 turn if you Again Staff cheese the final, anti-climatic boss fight)
Oh, and Garnef magically comes back to life for some reason or another, way to make every bit of progress in FE3B1 for null!

Plot and Story are technically different things, but I don't know if the difference is relevant in here. One is the series of events in chronological order, and the other includes how the events are told in order to evoke emotion and drama and so on from them. I think story is the former, but I might be wrong.

Either way, I didn't get to vote on best plot. I would have voted Path of Radiance for best so hard that it would count for two votes but not really.

Best: FE9.

Worst: FE10.

Not gonna elaborate. We'd be here forever.