"Battle fever comes over the Heaven's Ward!"

[Kallera]

Something I was thinking about while trying to clear Thordan EX.

At the thordan fights, this little phrase comes up every now and then, usually when the knights kill someone(feel free to correct me)

But storywise, you are alone.

If storywise you are alone, odds are you are not killed multiple times(since just the one would do)

So what are they doing to you that causes their battle fever?

I guess my question can be best summed up as "in a battle where you are alone in the story but in a group in game, what is the equivalent of a party member dying?"

[Fenral]

The sound of one hand clapping.

[LineageRazor]

I've never interpreted the story "canon" to imply that you are alone. It's YOU, THE WARRIOR OF LIGHT and all your little helpers. Most of the time, the dialogue leading up to the fight explicitly suggests that you gather allies before tackling the challenge (though there are some puzzling exceptions like the Nabriales fight, where the situation makes it unlikely that you have time to round up your crew).

Anyway, you're a leader, not a loner. You bring together the people to get things done. And when your helpers die, the Heaven's Ward's blood boils with righteousness!

[CyrilLucifer]

I've never interpreted the story "canon" to imply that you are alone.

It must, I find it hard to believe that SE is inconsistent whenever they feel like it with exceptions here and there when it serves their narrative. As you mentioned with Nabriales, but you were also caught alone with Ysayle in the Ravana quest. They thought of an excuse with Ifrit, but it was an extremely flimsy one (lol, there's a path they don't know about, use it to escape whenever you feel like). The OP actually has a really interesting point here, because why would you have helpers in the ARF? Think of how the events unfold to get there. You're separated from your friends, roaming around with extremely hostile Allagan tech and Garleans all around you. Then you ride on Midgardsormr to the ARF.

There's no way anyone can canonically be there other than you, the Garleans, Thordan and his entourage, and the Ascians.

Regarding the later part -

I'd argue that the Warrior of Light is not a leader at all. There was a a relatively big debate on this in another thread, but we're there to follow, to protect, not to guide. Hence why we were so lost at the start of Heavensward without the Scions, looking for a purpose.

[Kaiser-Ace]

Actually, if we assume our allies are also scions (Which would make since story wise as out allies are all player characters) that when all hell broke lose before the Nebralius fight that allies came running to our aid. (Small room in a small building means SOMEONE was bound to have heard that explosion)

As for Ravana, he actually tells us that he will wait until we are prepared. So we easily had time to tap the Scion linkshell and go "Guys, I need back up in The Dravanian Forelands asap. Meet at the Gnath Stronghold." and every one port/ride over there in a short amount of time.

Remember also, that story wise teleportation is instantaneous. So porting to Anex Trine's Aetherite + a short ride (And even shorter flight) could have got 7 others there in minutes.

[CyrilLucifer]

snip

All of those seem like you're stretching justification to me. All of them - especially Nabriales. That portal is supposed to be closing - even waiting 30 seconds would have been to much.

The second one makes no mention of bringing others or the Gnath letting others come through their lands unmolested. You're in the depths of the Hive, I'm pretty sure you can't just come there when the WoL calls you. Furthermore, why would the Gnath allow you to call your friends for aid?

So for the last one? What was the point of everything before that, then, and how did they get they to the ARF? Even assuming our "helpers" aren't bound by the same rules we are in having to Attune to the currents, they had to have gone on our super secret, almost unique little flying machine. So they'd be flying over one by one, or two by two, if they can teleport your chocobo with them (which is another one of those stretching it bits). Way to take your time when your friends are all fighting and, as far as you know, dying on your behalf, WoL. That's almost comical, actually. (Keep in mind, things like Kirin and the Magitek didn't fly until 3.1, so we can't really consider them).

[Morningstar1337]

Way to take your time when your friends are all fighting and, as far as you know, dying on your behalf, WoL. That's almost comical, actually.

It is rather funny, actually. I could imagine the Nabriales fight going like this:

Random Adventurer: Hey, I need help fending off this Treant.
Random Adventurer 2: Sod that. The Anticedent's been kidnapped!
Random Adventurer: The Antecedent's kidnapped? (drops weapons) then what are ye waiting fer!? (both leave the Treant to continue it's rampage)

And as for Ravana...

Random Adventure in the Sea of Clouds: Minfilia, where are you.
Linkshell-using Scion: Hey there's a primal summoning in the Forelands.
Adventurer: We're storm the Forelands!
(an hour later)
Adventurer: (storms the Loth with 6 other people) LEROY JENKINS!

much later, as Thordian becomes pope-primal

Adventurer (Back at the Sea of Clouds): Guys the unthinkable's happened. Thordian's became a primal. We need to get to Azys Lla ASAP
Adventurer 2: But how do we there? There's a barrier around there genius:
(The group notices a herd of Sanuwa)
Adventuer: I got a plan
(Meanwhile, on his way to Ishgard, Briardien sences an essence similar to Hildibrand's above Alabathia's Spine)

[Berethos]

The second one makes no mention of bringing others or the Gnath letting others come through their lands unmolested. You're in the depths of the Hive, I'm pretty sure you can't just come there when the WoL calls you. Furthermore, why would the Gnath allow you to call your friends for aid?

The Ravana one actually has an out - Ysale mentions (I think as you're headed into the room with Ravana before she tries to fight him) that she can hear running water nearby and that it could serve as a means of a quick escape should things go south (and I believe she also mentions if the need to gather allies is there).

It's the same thing with the Ifrit quest...there's an NPC that mentions that there's a passage out through a watery cave system nearby if you need to escape and/or get allies, and I believe also mentions that they can't all flee as they would be chased and cut down if they tried.

[Dalvy]

I have always assumed that WoL is with allies during major boss fights, with the exception being Nabriales since you probably didn't have time to gather mercs. It's supported by npcs telling you to gather allies first in several instances. So, I would find it hard to believe we fought the Ascian prime & Thordan alone.

[RomildaRayne]

If you take the Midlander Hyur Warrior/Dragoon to be the canon "main Warrior of Light", then, yes, he does fight in a group with a Miqo'te Female Bard, Elezen Male Black Mage, Lalafell Female White Mage, and Roegadyn Male Paladin.