Revenge of the Weapons (5.2 and Onwards)

[Enkidoh]

Their tactics when dealing with conquered territories is actually a pretty age old one and is most likely a tactic that has played out in all places of the world (Including our own City States of Eorzea). It essentially breaks down to this - Citizenry of a conquered nation can fall into two camps broadly: Those that are in league with the conquerors, and those that reject the conquerors. For a conquering nation to ensure stability overtime and bring that territory into the fold (which is what Garlemald is seeking to do), they will have to rout any and all objectors while rewarding and uplifting supporters with the long term goal of replacing the resisting population with the supporting population. Garlemald seemed to be doing this in the case of Ala Mhigo, as well as Doma. People who fell in line behind the empire were rewarded broadly (if not left alone). Objectors to the new Garlemald rule were persecuted and treated terribly. This of course created a schism in Ala Mhigo, as people hated the supporters and saw them as traitors. But as the story points out - those supporters of the Garlemald empire did so because they viewed the mad king as so much god awfully worse and did not see any real leader to take his place. For them, The empire was a good thing and would bring stability to their nation. If it meant giving up a few traditions and practices, that was worth the price.

While I dont think the story does the best job at explaining this, the empire isnt super black and white where theyre nothing but evil slavers to all but the garlemald people. Even the reasoning behind Garlemalds expanse was predicated on (or atleast to the public it was) eradicating a practice which destabilizes the environment. It's literally an argument against WMDs as that is what a primal akin to. In any case, what theyre doing isnt anything new, nor are they an exception. the Garlemald people were victims of this same system, so its no suprise they would use it too. And our own citi states are no innocent actors. Theyre self interested actors. We may disagree with Garlemalds views, but those are ideological. Uldah, Limsa, and Gridania also have sketchy history of doing some pretty inhumane crap. Varis even points this out, and it isnt to much a stretch that Eorzea is defending itself from Garlemald out of self interest and preservation and not so much some greater need for the moral good.

TLDR - Its all a bit sketch. Garlemald is not a great empire, but we the player shouldnt be sitting here and being like "Oh theyre pure evil and were oh so good." The conflict is more about a difference in view point rather than morality.

Except what ever moral high-ground the Empire had went completely out the window when it was revealed their whole ideology was built as a lie - Zenos even lampshaded the Empire's hypocrisy about the Primals outright. It was pretty clear even early on that there was more to the Empire's zealous "kill all Primals" directive when they were antagonizing the beastmen who were summoning, and of course, surprise surprise, it turns out they were founded by the very forces teaching the beastmen to summon in the first place! Accordingly every other strong moral arguement they might have had disappeared into the smoke it was.

You are right though that the Garlean people were victims in a way - Emet set up the Empire as 'Solus' specifically for the sole reason to create a Calamity after all, as that was his MO: find a put-upon, oppressed people, possess some lowly but still well-placed individual close to said government, provide miraculous answers to the nation's problems, and then build up the nation carefully as a powerhouse, then proceed to go forth and conquer their neighbours, hammering them under the jackboot into a mighty yet oppressive empire. Then stoke unrest in said povinces, resulting in resistance and further bloodshed, thus allowing the perfect chaotic situtation to eventually result in a Calamity. He cared nothing for the nations he created and abandoned to their fate, they were just tools to be used in the Ascians' greater plan of allowing Zodiark's rebirth. He did this with Garlemald. He did it with the Allag. He was beginning to do so with Eulmore on the First. And "an assorted half-dozen other nations with Imperial ambitions besides", as he so gleefully admitted to the player and the Scions.

So although there is a lot of Garleans who are not evil warmongers, such as the Populares (who genuiely wish for peace), the Empire itself is still nothing but an Ascian tool that has always been fated to fall, it's creator designed it specifically to be so. Black Rose was specifically designed to further this goal (no surprises that in

the original timeline, it all blew up in the Empire's face when Black Rose wiped the Empire itself out as well!.)

And even SE mentioned it from the very beginning of FFXIV's history, 1.0's backstory blurb that used to be on the FFXIV website and in it's manual outright stated that the Empire was beligerent,for not other reason that they were the designated antagonists. Anyone familar with past FF games should have really expected no different.

[Theodric]

And even SE mentioned it from the very beginning of FFXIV's history, 1.0's backstory blurb that used to be on the FFXIV website and in it's manual outright stated that the Empire was beligerent,for not other reason that they were the designated antagonists. Anyone familar with past FF games should have really expected no different.

A lot of things have changed since the days of 1.0, though I think the more correct element would be to say that anyone familiar with past Final Fantasy games should expect intriguing antagonists with depth and complex morality. Final Fantasy XII and Final Fantasy Tactics have it in spades, especially given that Archades in FF12 was presented as a very complex and nuanced take on the typical 'Empire' trope. It wasn't destroyed at the end of the game or even dismantled, so hopefully FFXIV takes some cues on that front. Final Fantasy VII had elements of depth to Shinra (Rufus and Reeve), with the former being such a popular character he was given an expanded role in Advent Children. Final Fantasy VIII had Seifer. Final Fantasy IX had Beatrix and Kuja - both of whom did terrible things but had a change of heart/were granted mercy.

A lot of people playing this game also care nothing - or very little - for Eorzea itself. I'm very much in that boat, finding the likes of Sharlayan, Hingashi and Garlemald to be far more engaging due to having actual struggles that can't just be resolved instantly thanks to the Warrior of Light as a convenient plot device.

Furthermore, the lead writers are in record in official Q&A sessions as stating that the antagonists have their own reasons for doing things and much of the moral conflict is ideological. Garlemald has also turned out to be very popular, so no doubt the writing moving forward will take that into account as well.