Quote Originally Posted by Avidria View Post
SNIP
It is sort of a fun question, isn't it? How does the game define "being a hero" and how do we slot into the equation as compared to other heroic figures, like Ardbert or G'raha--or Emet-Slech, though I know you choose not to define him as such.

Like Elladie said before about enjoying Emet-Selch while not necessarily being "pro-Ascian", I was thinking about what that means as far as the game as a whole goes.

The Amaurotines are almost universally gentle and thoughtful, while still managing to run a gamut of unique personalities. They're not the typical "lofty immortals" or "innocent children" achetypes we tend get when it comes to lost civilizations. They feel like "us" but with the bad bits sort of sanded off, for lack of a better term. (I don't think it's a design coincidence that they live in what appears to us to be a modern city either.)

So, when Emet talks about "a better way", I agree that he's not talking about stopping the Ardor in any way, shape, or form--except in removing the violent aspects. What if all of us could just--for example--go to sleep one day and wake up in what's fundamentally paradise? Part of the reason I'm not really pro-Ascian either is the sheer breadth and cruelty of their plan, but if you can remove that aspect then is it still "wrong"?

It's interesting, because we can see from Through His Eyes that while Emet-Selch can be viciously hateful, he also has a sense of empathy that I find difficult to match in another NPC (Nanamo, perhaps?). Hell, halfway through his invective-laden speech to us as we fail to contain the Light, he pauses and you can see him reach out in the way that would spell his own doom, offering us a place to turn "with dignity". I'm sure he meant that in good faith, too.

It's fascinating to think about what that empathy could be like without all the trauma he experienced. I think Emet-Selch might have the most "heroic" base personality of any other character in the game, were he not twisted by that suffering.