If you could kill off one of the scions...

[Anlerian]

Except that's Tataru's role. And she's pretty good at it. And while she wouldn't be able to defeat a ladybug in combat, she gets plenty of points for trying.

Exactly, the fact she attempted to learn to fight, or even when she attempted to be a Miner, both attempts are 100% more than Minfilia has done. I'm a fairly new player myself, and rushed through all of the story fairly quickly... and recently, and I don't remember even one single major plot point she affected, other than telling us what the Echo was back when I was level 1-3?

Edit: And "General Office Administration" could've been done by one of the nameless guys that wander the halls of your various headquarters, so no, she isn't needed to be in the story as a "Secretary Class" (I assume her main weapon is a Pen.).

[Yuyuka3]

Exactly, the fact she attempted to learn to fight, or even when she attempted to be a Miner, both attempts are 100% more than Minfilia has done.

For me, that's worse than Minfilia. Why? Because we always have to haul her ass out of the danger she puts herself in. At least Min doesn't provoke the danger she's put in, besides being, well, the leader, and thus a primary target for anyone and everyone who wants to harm the scions. Besides, sorry to disappoint you, but I absolutely hate Tataru. She's annoying with her high-pitched voise and mannerisms, and while she, as you said, tries to be of use, she's so bad at it that it causes more trouble than it's worth.
At least her newest attempt, Weaver, doesn't involve getting outside and putting herself in danger. Maybe that will do the trick. Doesn't make her any less annoying, though.

Still, even though I hate her (and dislike Alphinaud, too, for that matter, even though he got a few points on the plus side in my book), I wouldn't nescessarily kill them. Mmmmh, maybe if I can get a certain Elezen back for it...

About Minfilia. I'm in the camp that says she might not be the most useful character in terms of fighting power, but in-universe she's very important. It was pointed out time and time again, she is organizing everything and if you look at any organization, be it an NGO or even some military, you always have non-combatants running it. Please note that she's the one who gets all the information.
And no, Alphinaud doesn't do it better. In HW, we just meandered through the plot, lacking leadership. If he were so good at leading, it wouldn't have felt like stumbling from A to B without a real plan...
But I guess some people just don't want to see it.

In this particular instance, the scholar isn't strictly necessary. Give us an "aetherometer," show us how it works, and show us where to take readings and the scholar becomes unnecessary. The scholar is more a convenience of storytelling and programming, since we can just take his word for the aether readings instead of designing an interface we can view and we can't verbally react to Wilred's body. We obviously had nothing else to do as we were tasked with the bodyguard detail, so "we were too busy" is no excuse. She makes us do literally everything else of importance outside R&D; I see no reason why we could not do this task on our own.

Weren't we under attack while the scholar did his work? If I remember right, he needed time to do those measurements, and while he did it, we got attacked. So, no, we couldn't have done it alone if we had been constantly interrupted.


But my real gripe with the Scions lies somewhere else. I feel like that sometimes, nobody thinks the WoL could actually do something else than fighting. For example, everytime they work on machinery. Cid and his crew are primary offenders here.
Maybe it's just me. Maybe being an academic and very curious in rl makes me overreact here. But, seriously, would it really be too much to give me the feeling they at least acknowledge I'm a bit more than their primary wercking ball and completely capable to learn and understand one or two things they are doing?
Otherwise, I like the Scions, minus the ones mentioned above.

... unless the Warrior of Light is just too dumb to use an aetherometer. But I doubt that, considering ACN and its Jobs, as well as MCH, require no small amount of intellect, and even if you never touch them the trainers won't turn you away for being stupid.

I think you can extend that to all mage jobs^^
In fiction, magic always involves understanding and knowledge, and this game is no exception.

[dinnertime]

I don't remember even one single major plot point she affected, other than telling us what the Echo was back when I was level 1-3?

Assuming you're talking about Minfilia over here, it exists.
Ironically, it's both the times she was kidnapped. The first time is that she doesn't want to answer Livia's answers, and doesn't want to say where you were during your absence in the Waking Sands, as she doesn't want you harmed. She also plead to spare our departed Slyph friend, and the other members of the scions and surrenders herself, but in the end it was all futile.

And the second time, she tries to not let Tupsimati (Lousioux's staff, and a very powerful one) fall from the hands of the Ascian, Nabriales. As she was powerless, she was easily restrained, but you were just in time before something really bad happens to her. An Ascian wanting that staff pretty much means alot.

Also, those alone pretty much makes Minfilia a person who wants to protect her companions, and Eorzea, which speaks much about the scions' goal.
She's also doing a fine job, even with little strength she has, she manages and is also part of the intelligence of the scions.

[Frederick22]

snip

No, that makes her into our princess peach LOL

[dinnertime]

No, that makes her into our princess peach LOL

The difference between Princess Peach and Minfilia is that Princess Peach gets kidnapped for countless times, while Minfilia has only been kidnapped twice.
The only thing have in common is being pretty.

[Frederick22]

The difference between Princess Peach and Minfilia is that Princess Peach gets kidnapped for countless times, while Minfilia has only been kidnapped twice.
The only thing have in common is being pretty.

twice = countless times ^^

[dinnertime]

twice = countless times ^^

I googled, copy-pasted the definition of countless for you.

count·less:
too many to be counted; very many.

Tell me, what do people commonly use to count and how many is twice exactly--wait, I know...

twice:
two times; on two occasions.

You can count to two with your fingers alone, just sayin'.

[Frederick22]

snip.

Is not just how many times we rescue her, is also what happened after we rescue. As I remember well once we rescue her, she did nothing, behind our back while we killed garleans.
With Nabriales was even the same thing, she even was on the floor saing " thank you " , tipical of a kidnnaped princess xD

[dinnertime]

Snip.

It's because she's not capable of fighting, you can't exactly force someone who can't fight to fight Garlean soldiers, who are trained. She may be somewhat of the typical kidnapped princess trope (not really, since she's been only kidnapped twice, and her job is not glamorous at all), but you were comparing her to Princess Peach.
Minfilia has done far more that is relevant than Princess Peach ever will.

[MicahZerrshia]

Look at it this way (and this is coming from a former manager).

When you are out there getting your hands dirty you begrudge your boss because you do not think they are doing anything worthwhile and are getting paid to just sit around, they are a jerk, they are boring, they take things too seriously and do nothing but bark orders.

But as a boss you sit in your office, spend your day doing paperwork to make sure everything is organized, shipments are on time, customers get what they want within reasonable time, complaints are dealt with, you are communicating with others at hq to be sure everything is running smooth, upkeeping your store, you keep the books balanced, you make sure everyone is doing their tasks, dealing with whiney little snits who think they know better than you when they are not even capable of running a register, the list goes on and on. Yes you do the boring stuff that NEEDS to be done.

Your employees think you are boring and worthless but in reality if you weren't doing the tedious work of oiling the cogs and making sure they were running smooth the whole thing would collapse.