Quote Originally Posted by Theodric View Post
Nobody is saying that the Garleans have not done bad things. They're simply pointing out that a resolution to their plight is not so simple and for a long time their hands have been tied and forced by Ascian meddling.
But if every action taken by the people of Garlemald to better their lot has to be dismissed as unfeasible due to Ascian meddling, then the people of Garlemald no longer have any free will or recourse. Which would make usage of Black Rose just as much a product of Ascian scheming, rather than Garlemald theoretically trying to stop the Eorzean Alliance advance of their own will.

And it would mean there is nothing the Eorzean Alliance can do about making peace with Garlemald until the Ascians are removed from the situation, which the ruling government of Garlemald has explicitly prevented from happening (with Varis and Elidi-zenos squashing the rumours of Zenos being possessed by one). After all, any attempts to make peace would be sabotaged by Ascians, as you claim.

So once again, the solution is to stop the Ascians. Which Varis is unwilling or unable to do (well, he's certainly unable to do it now), and now Zenos has also expressed complete disinterest in doing so. The alleged Senate has had zero input on the situation throughout the story. Gaius could initiate a coup, but Zenos seems reluctant to let him take over, last we saw, and personally I do not trust Gaius's inconsistency in beliefs; he claimed in the Praetorium that the Strongest should rule, and Zenos is clearly stronger than Varis, so by his own logic Zenos is a suitable ruler for Garlemald. And as mentioned, I do not trust that Gaius will refrain from using Black Rose variants (or another Meteor) if he can be convinced that it would limit casualties to "undesirables".

One possible path forward is to somehow try to convince the population of Garlemald that they should rebel against the Ascians. But how this can be accomplished is uncertain, because apparently, according to you and Absimiliard, the population of Garlemald isn't going to believe anyone else, whether Eorzean Alliance or Doman Alliance.