Where are the Hildibrand Trials? :(

[Enkidoh]

The thing is though, which most players don't realize, is exactly why Hildibrand was originally created in the first place - in 1.0 when he first appeared he was added as part of the quests to unlock the Inn Rooms, and then became a comic relief character intended to inject a little lightheartedness into a setting that was becoming increasingly dark and depressing (what with Dalamud looming overhead like the Sword of Damocles). This is why he wasn't immediately brought back in ARR, SE at the time felt he was no longer needed - Inn Rooms were unlocked early in the main scenario by default and the story didn't have quite such a pressing "we're all going to die if this giant space rock isn't stopped" situation hanging over it.

But players being what they are, requested his return and SE complied. However, as the story and setting of ARR by that stage was considerably lighter than the game was at the end of 1.0 when he first appeared, they needed some way to make him work. Unfortunately, he became a vehicle for sticking in fanservice trials (like FFV's Gilgamesh and FFVI's Ultros and Typhon) with virtually zero explanation or reason for those fights to be there (not that I hate fanservice battles, I loved the Gilgamesh fights, I just felt it could have been implemented in a better way than lumped in as part of the Hildibrand questline), and his character and storyline descending more and more into utter farce. He was still hilarious, but the increasingly ridiculous situations he was finding himself in just made the whole thing go from the cerebral comedy of Blackadder to cheap Looney Tunes-esque slapstick, to his detriment.

Luckily by the end of his ARR questline, things improved and the situation started to become a lot more serious and interesting, which gave hope that SE were restoring the 'comic relief but with dignity' style of comedy his 1.0 appearance had, instead of the farcical rubberfaced buffoonery that he had throughout ARR. So far his early appearances in Heavensward continue to give me that hope.

Also where the "Seven Hell" is Greg? He already said back in Season 1 it was not the last we seen of him.

Am I the only one who actually hates this meme? All throughout the FF series Gilgamesh has never once been called that even by fans - until now. What made Hildibrand's silly misnaming so special it has to be now used as a shorthand name for Gilgamesh? (I'm not attacking you Edwin, I'm just curious as to why everyone keeps calling Gil that).

But I guess that's enough of me being a sourpuss for one day.