The Warrior of Light: Plot Device, Mary Sue or A legitamate charatcer

[TinyRedLeaf]

I wanted to discuss the role of the Warrior of Light in the grand scheme of things and if you think they are a well rounded character or a plot device.

The TL;DR version of Anonymoose's reply is that it's entirely up to you, the player, to decide if the WoL is just a tool or a person in his or her own right.

It's difficult to describe the WoL as a "well-rounded character" when the game doesn't give the character that many opportunities to make moral choices. Simply put, FFXIV isn't that kind of game.

But that doesn't prevent you from rationalising the choices the WoL was forced to make, and to adapt them to your role-playing ideas. I know I have, and I haven't had the same angst over the controversial ending of patch 2.55 as many other players apparently had.

I think it would be more useful, to consider how the WoL relates to the overarching themes of the story. The story, to me, is about ideology and belief, and how things can easily go awry when they are taken to extremes. Within this context, everyone is trying to find an "answer", a way out of the "cycle none can break".

The answer, unfortunately, is elusive. More importantly, no one can claim with any certainty that his or her "answer" is definitely right. In the end, it boils down to faith.

I like to think of the WoL as an empty slate upon which this contest of ideas is played out. In the absence of certainty, he or she acts purely out of faith in the people who guide and direct him. Faith includes doubt or, rather, the ability to forge ahead in spite of doubt. How you choose to role-play that doubt would go a long way towards making your WoL more "real" to you.

I hope that made sense.

[Ashkendor]

I like to think of the WoL as an empty slate upon which this contest of ideas is played out. In the absence of certainty, he or she acts purely out of faith in the people who guide and direct him. Faith includes doubt or, rather, the ability to forge ahead in spite of doubt. How you choose to role-play that doubt would go a long way towards making your WoL more "real" to you.

I actually rather like the "blank slate" way that the WoL is portrayed. It does force you to fit the narrative, but it leaves a lot of the detail up to you. I don't roleplay per se, but I do have some loose headcanons for my character. Some days he'd rather hawk his wares in the markets or go dig up some rare collectible and spend the day BS'ing with Rowena, but he understands that there's things only he can do (as well as things that are expected of him even if other people could do them) and they don't necessarily happen according to his itinerary. There's maybe some well-hidden begrudgement or disappointment behind that stoic nod (especially in the case of the more menial tasks), but he consoles himself by doing whatever he likes when there's no impending Apocalypse (or petty fetch quest) to take care of. Basically, I enjoy multiple facets of the game and that's reflected with how I view my character's IC motivations. :3

Nothing especially important to do? I can totally see him leaving a note in the FC house: Going fishing on the Thaliak River for a few days. Please don't burn the house down while I'm gone, because we just redecorated and Momma Dhalmel (a nickname given to a Duskwight White Mage who is one of the FC officers) will quite possibly kill you all. I'll have a lot of paperwork to do if she does that.

I guess I just like to view my character as being as well-rounded as the number of jobs I have leveled up would indicate. :3