The Reason Zenos.

Heya folks!
I was always fascinated by villains since childhood. Fan of Robotnik and in the playtimes with friends I was always the villain role, as well on rp table sessions.
It's bugging me lately and I kind of broke when they announced Zenos for Dissidia.
I can understand the villains of the game so far, they all seem to have reason and a good stance... but Zenos. I failed to understand him. Completely.
I would have selected any other to be the face of evil to represent us, lastly him.
He seems just a spoiled crazy prince, only interested bout his hunt. It seems just the insanity role, but lacks my comprehension to be considered villain.
Most villains that I know (or like lots) are the ones that have power to command or strategics. They have an argument, the "why".
I don't see that on Zenos, his father had that posture. I just look at him as brute force of insanity... and don't personally think that alone would configure him as the face of a iconic villain.
I would rather selected ARR Gaius, Lahabrea or Estinienhogg.

What you guys think?
Why would Zenos deserve the title of Evil of the month?

Robotnik wasnt a villain, just an incel loser.

You aren't alone. A very many people were severely disappointed in Zenos for dissidea. Many thought Gaius would be a great fit (particularly with regards to the fact he would be the sort to refuse to serve cosmos or chaos, or their reincarnations and known for enemy mine situations) or nael (lots of fitting attacks that would mesh well with dissidia)

Plus those two villains are pretty iconic ff14 ones (hell, Nael WON in 1.0)

Zenos' lack of any sort of character or reasoning beyond being inexplicably strong and yandere extreme for the WOL is why so many dislike him. That and he should have stayed dead at the end of SB

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Originally Posted by Omymy

Robotnik wasnt a villain, just an incel loser.

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Oh, he was the first gamers contact along with Bowser! Cartoonish, but nutty and eggconic!

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Originally Posted by Recon1o6

You aren't alone. A very many people were severely disappointed in Zenos for dissidea. Many thought Gaius would be a great fit (particularly with regards to the fact he would be the sort to refuse to serve cosmos or chaos, or their reincarnations and known for enemy mine situations) or nael (lots of fitting attacks that would mesh well with dissidia)

Plus those two villains are pretty iconic ff14 ones (hell, Nael WON in 1.0)

Zenos' lack of any sort of character or reasoning beyond being inexplicably strong and yandere extreme for the WOL is why so many dislike him. That and he should have stayed dead at the end of SB

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Ohhh Nael would be awesome! How could I forget her!
Indeed I think Zenos being dead and his corpse used as a fancy clothes by the Ascian was more fit.

I never played any of the Dissidias. Aren't they just fighting games? Or are there some RPG, story arcs to each character?

I get that Zenos the villain is a bit lackluster, but Zenos the fighter is a solid choice for a roster spot. I'm not sure who else I would choose, or who even stands out to represent XIV. Gaius was the bad boy in ARR. We could say Thordan for HW, but it's honestly the raged psycho dragon that wins that one. Could use his Estinien form I suppose. That'd actually be pretty cool. Then you have Zenos in SB. Otherwise it's the one of the Ascians. But those B boys are also known to take on different vessels.

So yeah, I dunno. Zenos kind of wins by default. Could use Emet, but he turned out to be Hades who was already established in the FF universe well before XIV. That was my only disappointment with Emet. Should've just let him be his own baddy. Bringing in Hades elsewhere could have been another opportunity for a raid host, or some other plot in the future.

I wish we get sometime a back story of Zenos in the level of Emet, to anwer why he is strong, or his personality.
Emet without any of ShB would be just bad as zenos, but now it's a whole villain that we love.

It seems like no one sees the idea yet but Zenos is actually the perfect candidate as our "big bad" final boss guy. He has a lustful idea of living through brutality/combat/might that only the Warrior of Light is able to endure and even fight. He has willingly forsaken his country and title in a country just to grow stronger and hunt down the WoL. His entire purpose is to have the grandest fight on the very edge of creation and end itself. I don't want to go into spoilers even though it seems like I have but no one's giving him a chance to even come back yet. I can definitely see him becoming the end all be all of villains for the WoL to fight, between Hydaelyn and Zodiark themselves, us as Hydaelyn and Zenos as Zodiark.... or even worse, him destroying both and absorbing both of their entities.... Idk, I see his potential through going beyond just some singular goal of restoring a nation or fighting for some noble purpose.... Or even as simple as conquest. Something else to note is how deranged and obsessive final fantasy bosses are with obtaining power to be beyond the universe itself, (see any FF boss that was a person/thing and then becomes this mutant abomination thing).


To that end, I think he's the perfect choice to be in Dissidia. His will to feel the brink of death giving every ounce of his strength fighting with all of his power. Wanting to not hold back and to have a battle on the edge of eternity, just look at everything he says in Shinryu. He's the only character we have right now that even stands a chance of defeating WoL and who craves to unleash his full potential with only the most worthy opponent. I admit it's a lil cliche, but I like it.

Zenos ain't a bad pick for a spot in a fighting game roster... as a villain though, he is rather lackluster (so far).

His motivations are simple and to many unsympathetic. He doesn't carry or represent any nuanced or interesting moral philosophy or greater goal. His personality is also simple and if I really want to be harsh, I'd say he mostly resembles an anime fan that forgot to grew out of his emo chuuni years. The few facts we know about his past also doesn't add much interest to him... but I guess this might change later.

Basically: he stronk, we stronk, he bad, we good, he bored, we fight.

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Originally Posted by Valic

It seems like no one sees the idea yet but Zenos is actually the perfect candidate as our "big bad" final boss guy...

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Not everyone. I actually like Zenos. My attention span is like chameleon eyes, and during his cutscenes, it homes in just like when they spot their prey. I see Zenos for what he is, not for what I would like him to be. Even when he was first introduced, I saw him as a wrecking ball, and he delivered immediately in SB and on multiple occasions. When I think about it, nearly every time he is on screen, something/someone either gets destroyed, injured, or killed... or all three.

I still have to finish 5.1 MSQ, but I continue to have the impression that no one can contend with Zenos except the WoL, and no one can contend with the WoL except Zenos. And I am perfectly fine with that.

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Originally Posted by Brightmore

Oh, he was the first gamers contact along with Bowser! Cartoonish, but nutty and eggconic!

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Me 'ol mate Donkey Kong was the baddy, tossin' dem barrels at Mario before Bowser's day, I reckon.

And Dr. Wily was the robo genius before Robotnik. In fact, the third boss of Copied Factory reminds of a seriously pumped up Gutsman!

I don't mind Zenos being in Dissidia since I don't think that game had any Samurai in-game yet. Gaius would've been my preferred pick, but we already have two Gunblade users in that game already.

That said, I find Zenos to be a rather dull antagonist and I don't understand the praise he receives. He was amusing in Stormblood when he was chewing the scenery, but aside from that I can't say I enjoy his presence.