The WOL and Mass Murder

[Alleo]

Yes we have a high body count which is kinda unavoidable if your going into war and have enemies that truly never give up and its either killed or be killed. On top of that we dont even know if we always kill our enemies since the "death animation" is the same if we kill stuff or knock them out. And on top of that we should never forget that this is still a game. We dont run the dungeons x amount of time in the real story. We kill these things once and not y times.

The only deaths we are accountable for are the ones in quests and cutscenes. All the other animals or humans are kinda just there for gameplay. And can anyone even tell us one truly innocent person that we killed in the quests? (And no I dont count criminals for that because they are often those that attack us first and would kill us too)

On top of that the short stories do tell that the canon WoL does a lot of good other stuff beside the main quest and we are also always trying to bring harmony to the people since we do bring the beast man together so that they at least wont summon primals. So on top of fighting wars and having to kill there we also kinda use a lot of our time to increase understanding between the different races and we are more than willing to help out random people even after we saved Eorzea countless of times.

I know that some might want a more darker WoL but until now we are shown as quite the good character with a bit of a body count for it but honestly you wont be able to save the world without killing something and the WoL is willing to wear that burden on their shoulders because they want to bring the people a better future.

So to answer the question: No I dont see the WoL as a mass murderer and honestly I cant see any reasonable reason that anyone would turn on us after all the things we did..

[Shurrikhan]

I mean, the DRK story touches on this for a bit...

Plus, at this point the average person wouldn't be afraid of the WoL, because we're still basically someone's loaded gun. If we started actively doing things for our sakes rather than someone else's, then maybe there could be an issue.

Historically speaking, people and nations have tended to be afraid of any uniquely powerful weapon, no matter who carries it (outside of their own faction). We're more alike to someone's armed warhead, but with infinite uses...

That said, I do think the majority of people not likely to underestimate us do also consider us as one of them, or at least two close an ally to ever see violent confrontation or retaliation from the WoL, and that this will continue even after all the wars have been won or avoided.

[FallenArisen0990]

That would be one hell of a manipulation, since apparently killing the Sultana didn't even cause the public's faith in us to waver. I can't even for the life of me imagine a situation where a Garlean of all people could drum up that sort of propaganda.

No, the only ones to know about that event, were the ones in that very room. The public had no clue about this "attempt" as word was spread that she was bedridden because of an illness.

[ErryK]

I just want a storyline where I can be an Onee-chan.

That's never gonna happen because if the WoL is fighting evil almost every expansion, would the WoL really have time for a family?

[Ilenya]

No, the only ones to know about that event, were the ones in that very room. The public had no clue about this "attempt" as word was spread that she was bedridden because of an illness.

You can talk to NPCs around the map after that who comment on things regardless. People who know the story still don't believe it just because of who you are.

[BillyKaplan]

That's never gonna happen because if the WoL is fighting evil almost every expansion, would the WoL really have time for a family?

A family that slays together, stays together. I've adopted Alisaie and Alphy, donno about the rest of you

[Khanscott]

Khorne cares not from where the blood flows, only that it does.

[Singularity]

That's never gonna happen because if the WoL is fighting evil almost every expansion, would the WoL really have time for a family?

Well, the WoL (as far as we know) presumably didn't simply flit into the world as a fully grown adult. They should in theory have parents/siblings/relatives/childhood friends somewhere. I strongly doubt the game will ever cover that in-story though and it's left to each player to imagine their own character's background as they wish.

[Alacran]

The best hope for this unneeded false edge is when we go to Garlemald. Once we get there the citizenry will only know what their Empire has told them about us. We have killed their Champions

Nael van Darnus, Rhitahtyn Sas Arvina, Nero tol Scaeva, Livia sas Junius, Gaius van Baelsar, Regula van Hydrus, and now even Zenos yae Galvus

... To say nothing of how we coerced

Cid nan Garlond

and bent his genius to our will to turn against his beloved homeland. There will be plenty of opportunity to paint us as monsters so frighting that we wind up fighting innocent Garlean commoners that think we are there to carve a bloody swath to the Emperors door step, pillaging, ransacking and butchering all in our path.

[ErryK]

Well, the WoL (as far as we know) presumably didn't simply flit into the world as a fully grown adult. They should in theory have parents/siblings/relatives/childhood friends somewhere. I strongly doubt the game will ever cover that in-story though and it's left to each player to imagine their own character's background as they wish.

Be that as it may, it has nothing to do with what SE's ulterior motive with the WoL is, because in the end, we don't write the story ourselves, only the backstory.