FE4 and the Politics of Vengeance

One surface weakness of FE4 (Seisen no Keifu) is that it appears to promote a black-and-white morality.  We have young and beautiful people fighting against a pack of ugly, obscenely corrupt nobles and generals. We have heroes whose specialness manifests in truly "special" ways, making them demigods among men.  We have an Antichrist figure in Julius and a Savior in his counterpart, Celice the Child of Light.  It looks kind of ham-fisted in places even compared to other early FE games... and especially compared with its shades-of-gray successor Thracia 776.

Well, that's kind of true... especially the parade of ugly nobles who need to be offed.  But there's a fair amount going on under the surface in FE4 in terms of morality, especially when the themes of family and vengeance come into play.  Which is, after all, most of the time.

You have to be careful when placing labels on good and evil, Celice.  Never waste your anger on individuals.  Always focus it on the evil within all of us.  (Levin, Ch 7)

( Honor thy mother and father, Vengeance is mine, etc. )