[Discussion] Ala Mhigo and it's hypocrisy...

It's not really misleading since it's all linked together. So far the Ala Mhigans have proven to be rather hypocritical and obsessed with reclaiming their homeland. This is, of course, understandable - but I'm hoping there will be more to it than them waltzing in and succeeding - whilst also conveniently being painted as the good guys. We've already seen how Ul'dah has become infested with Ala Mhigan refugees (causing many problems there) and if I'm not mistaken the Corpse Brigade is made up of former guards/soldiers from Ala Mhigo who have now turned to a life of crime.

On the flipside, the Garlean Empire has so far largely been portrayed in a morally grey or morally black light. So hopefully we'll see more 'good guys' among the Garleans and not just 'defectors' like Cid, either - but those still loyal to their homeland and seeking to aid their people/interests.

It'd definitely be a waste to consign the Garleans to the same role as that of the Ascians, and have them be little more than antagonists. The Ascians at least have the benefit of being an "alien" lifeform that are remotely situated relative to Eorzea and given that their very nature and worship of Zodiark sets them against the Eorzeans in an irreconcilable fashion. In Garlemald's case, although their ideology has them set against Eorzea, it is not an irreconcilable existential attribute of the empire. I am hoping some form of internal dissension later on will pave the way for more cordial relations between Garlemald and the Eorzean nations.

On Ala Mhigo:

At this point in time, it'd be difficult in the extreme for them to rebuild as they were. It's been some time since their homelands fell to the Garleans, and while many refugees will have tried to maintain their cultural identity and customs, it will have grown increasingly difficult. I wouldn't mind seeing Ala Mhigo restored and/or rebuilt/reconquered and so forth, but it opens up an interesting opportunity in that it can be shaped into just about anything. The resistance we've sympathized with at times may become the backbone of a restored Ala Mhigo, or perhaps its worst enemy. To pull an analogy from another franchise, think of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and the Bajorans. When Bajor was finally free, there was a provisional government that no one believed would last very long, as each resistance cell had different ideas on what to do. The same thing could feasibly happen with Ala Mhigo.

I remember someone jokingly say that the Ala Mhigans are/were kill happy.....and from what we've seen they kinda are

If they do revolt, all Garleans and Garlean sympathizers will be killed, especially if they're led by Ilberd (who killed Wilred, an Ala Mhigan resistance fighter that joined the braves).

In either case, reading their wiki it says that at least one prince made it out and is in hiding. So this mysterious prince can probably play a role once/when we go to Ala Mhigo

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Originally Posted by myahele

I remember someone jokingly say that the Ala Mhigans are/were kill happy.....and from what we've seen they kinda are

If they do revolt, all Garleans and Garlean sympathizers will be killed, especially if they're led by Ilberd (who killed Wilred, an Ala Mhigan resistance fighter that joined the braves).

In either case, reading their wiki it says that at least one prince made it out and is in hiding. So this mysterious prince can probably play a role once/when we go to Ala Mhigo

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The question now is, what condition is this prince in? Is he a child? Injured or ill in any way? More important, if he is young, will be able to really gather the refugees and organize them in any meaningful way? And where is he?

Hasn't it been at least 15 years since the fall of Ala Mhigo? I mean, it's a very short time but...Ala Mhigan children would not really remember their City-state and, if I remember right, they were a technological powerhouse and now they're...not. And I'm not sure we're seeing Ala Mhigans as heroes, hell, Ilberd; plus one of the early-ish quests has us stopping the youth (said dude included) from summoning a Rhalgr Primal, which would have led to a whole lot of tempering, destruction and general unpleasant-ness all around. Meanwhile we forget that Minfillia is also Ala Mhigan as are some refugees that are only trying to make a peaceful living, so...there's good and bad people along the refugees, we've always known that.

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Originally Posted by Vexander

The question now is, what condition is this prince in? Is he a child? Injured or ill in any way? More important, if he is young, will be able to really gather the refugees and organize them in any meaningful way? And where is he?

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Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think he was hidden in the mountains in one of the monk monastaries?

As far as I know Ala Mhigo fell ~ 20+ years prior to the game starting. So at the very least he'll be 20 years old assuming he was hidden as an infant. As we've seen with Nanamo, royalty hold alot of sentimental meaning/power behind it; a symbol of hope of what once was and can be again. Maybe they know that it was Gaius' machination that aided in the fall of Ala Mhigo

In either case, the Ala Mhigan resistance is a bigger thing than we thought. The 1st time we saw Gaius and co. in 2.0 an Ala Mhigan resistance spy was found and killed.

Though, I get the feeling that that refugees under Ilberd will be alot more viontent

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Originally Posted by myahele

As far as I know Ala Mhigo fell ~ 20+ years prior to the game starting. So at the very least he'll be 20 years old assuming he was hidden as an infant.

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So, Pipin Tarupin's age, approximately?

To be fair the Garlean empire is closer to the gestahlian empire from FF6 which was more stereotypically 'evil' for the most part but I'd say that was mainly due to the limited story telling potential so Garlemald is basically the gestahlian empire with more politics. I'm hoping we see more characters who are actually patriotic to garlemald who aren't just portrayed as the bad guys though.

I think it's a given because going there as apart of an expansion in the future is practically guaranteed at some stage and going there under a hostile context would be odd for an expansion setting, although not necessarily an allied one either.

I realize not many would remember this, but the Path companion from 1.0 is also part of the Ala mihgan resistance, whether that becomes significant is anyone's guess, but finding out what happened to them would be interesting.

Even a nonviolent resistance dies if people lose interest, the Ala Mihgans might see themselves as running out of time, before their own children turn against their wishes both in the conquered city and in exile at home.

Think about it, its been 20 years since they lost the city. 20 years of having to either integrate in Uldah society, ,join the resistance(which may or may not be doing well) ,hope the Elementals are on a good day (read: not for this. ) or live in the squalor of little ala mihgo, where they fight with the piestes for their latrines. If there is no interest in saving their culture, no one else is going to do it for them. That hatred, as much as it makes nuts like Illberd, is a major part of preserving their resistance to garlean rule.

Tldr: Some may see they are losing themselves, If they don't avenge their city, who will?