The Eye-Rolling Laziness of the Crystal Tower Arc Ending [SPOILERS]

[Fatestorm]

Thank you all for your comments.

Pretty much the entire Crystal Tower storyline ended up with everything returned to exactly the same state it was in before the storyline began. All characters introduced during the storyline were gone by the end of it, and all characters preexisting before the storyline were still around after it was over. No lasting changes to setting, plot, or characters. All fluff.

This is an exceptional point, in my opinion. It feels like nothing meaningful transpired in terms of the plot and the characters. From a critical perspective: all 'new' characters were done away with, all 'old' characters were still there in pretty much the same situation. The Crystal Tower is pretty much exactly in the same state as if you'd done nothing to it at all. Thematically, it is a disappointing reversal to go from from the early eagerness to discover the secrets of a lost civilization to the ending resignation--tempered by however much bombast--that this project is beyond us, we should give up on it. G'raha Tia--whatever character he might have had, became a deus ex machina for the sake of the plot (the argument could be made that Unei and Doga were that already); and he adopts a very alienating attitude of paternalistic, holier-than-thou condescension when he seals the tower--which, even if we were to go along with SE's 'story' here, seems to contradict in its essence the fond desire that his Allagan ancestor wished to effect.

In the end, as a character, I've made no new friends, made no real 'progress' (things are only the same as they started), and I'm not sure why I went through the whole effort with the Tower at all. That's not a good way to tell a story. That's not how I felt at the end of the Praetorium. S-E can do better, and we should demand that they do their best with this game's plot, because it's very meaningful to us all.

[TurnBased]

There are two things with lasting changes that I can see.

1. The NOAH organization was set up
2. Nero's character development from villain to possible anti-hero

[Chiramu]

The ending to the CT saga was a good ending. Also G'raha had to leave everything he had behind in the current world and set himself to sleep for the hundreds of years just so that the Allag blood did not disappear. It took 400 hundred years last time, if he did not lock the Tower then the blood would be lost again.

[silentwindfr]

genetic memory that talk to you? without forget allag was know for them magicotechnology....they even have create a moon, clone, robot.... who know what they was able to do too.

about the fact he don't have give acces to the knowledge of the tower, it's quite normal, if you give the fire to a kids he will burn himself, if you give it to an adult he will use it for cock stuff or such. knowledge can be dangerous in the wrong hand.

someone have said, the story have come back to the point it was before the story. actually no, it's more a to be continued. maybe later we will have the crystal tower one more time open for us. i feel we will see at one point our friend back because it's needed.

[Fenral]

It occurred to me, like some lost ancient memory, that G'raha is based more than a little on Desch from Final Fantasy III. While the writers could still very well leave things in the vague, unfinished, and narratively convenient state that they are in, Desch ultimately found a life beyond his once-forgotten duty. Though they've obviously taken many liberties up until now, if they care for the source material at all it shouldn't be too long before we see a bit more beyond this current, highly dissatisfying "ending" they've left us with.

I for one would like him to come back, if only because we seem to be running rather short on new allies these days, and the Tower itself seems like just the tool we need for that certain issue that surely won't leave us alone in the expansion. If we must smite the souls of gods for the world itself to survive, should we really be leaving that ideally-situated giant aetherial conductor to sleep through the end of the world?

[EdwinLi]

---

It was mentioned already that Eorzea does not have the technology to master the Crystal Tower.

Any attempt to use it with current technology in Eorzea will result in the same Calamity that destroyed the Allagan Empire.

He sealed it away into a Sleep state so he can awaken during a time when Eorzea has the Technology to properly control the Crystal Tower. While it is the hope for a better world left by the surviving Allagans it can only succeed in their wish if the world have the proper technology to use it.

[LunaHoshino]

This is an exceptional point, in my opinion. It feels like nothing meaningful transpired in terms of the plot and the characters. From a critical perspective: all 'new' characters were done away with, all 'old' characters were still there in pretty much the same situation. The Crystal Tower is pretty much exactly in the same state as if you'd done nothing to it at all.

There's a reason for this: the Crystal Tower storyline is not part of the Main Scenario. It's a side-story raid for those who want to do it, but completing it is not necessary to progress in the story. Because of this, it cannot affect the main plot in any significant way. Doing anything other than putting the Crystal Tower back to sleep would have a major impact on the storyline-- how could you explain the fact that this treasure trove of technology isn't being used in our fight against the Primals/Ascians/Empire? There's no way to explain the Crystal Tower showing up in the main story in the future without forcing people to complete the CT quests, which SE clearly does not want to do. It's meant to be optional, and they want to keep it optional.

[Kiroh]

The ending to the CT saga was a good ending. Also G'raha had to leave everything he had behind in the current world and set himself to sleep for the hundreds of years just so that the Allag blood did not disappear. It took 400 hundred years last time, if he did not lock the Tower then the blood would be lost again.

I'm sorry, I have to correct this. The Allagan Empire reached it's zenith during the Third Astral Era, which passed some 1500+ years before the current storyline.

[RaideDuku]

1. Our characters can see events in the past. It's magic, buddy. Just one that runs in a bloodline. Worked for Assassin's Creed.

2. I'm sure the five races in their current mindframe would -totally- use a nearly infinite power source for totally peaceful and benevolent reasons </sarcasm>. I think the thought is that "Yeah...how about we wait til the world gets its shite together and quit ripping each other apart before we let them play with technology/magic powerful enough that was used to use a frikkin sealed -Bahamut- as a power converter."

[BreathlessTao]

Of all the things that happened... I'm just sad that we'd gotten a nice NPC in G'raha, and he just had to be taken away at pretty much the snap of fingers. Not sure where I am with the whole personality/mindset change, but... yeah. If my character had a diary, he'd write something like "I'll keep banging on those doors until they open up and I can see him again."

I really just hope if that happens, SE won't have him corrupted/tainted/mad in yet another 'plot twist'.