Emet-Selch *Major Spoilers*

[Tsaranoga]

too long i guess...

I personally think Zenos is great, because he doesn't have excuses, plans or reasons exept to have a good time and really, what's wrong with that? If you are going to be evil might as well go all the way. Of course such a person doesn't care for good/evil so it's pretty pointless meantioning it.
People say they are "one-dimensional" but really not every villain has to have problems knowing even themselves, not everyone has something bad happen to them (sob story) sometimes you just do it because you can and fuck anyone who has a problem with it. If the "hero" wasn't your average story "hero" they could admit they like to fight too. Save people? Just an added bonus.
I'm just so tired of them always having to go on in some speech how they did this for that and because of this and yadayadayadayada... Can we fight now? It's not so bad occasionally but every time? Give it a rest.

[Edax]

If you are going to be evil might as well go all the way.

That sounds like a writer giving up.

[Tsaranoga]

And really, now that we are talking about the sob stories, tell me why not a single one of the TENS OF THOUSANDS of garlean troops are ever mentioned anywhere? Most of them were taken against their will, sent to subjugate a foreing land they don't know or care about. Why doesn't anyone say you should not kill them?
"Do as you are ordered or your family gets killed". Heh.
I was really looking forward to going to garlemald where, you enter a city or village and they see you and they all quite literally soil themselves as the worst monster in the world, worse than all the primals has come for you. Grab your wife and children and RUN FOR YOUR LIFE.

[Edax]

And really, now that we are talking about the sob stories, tell me why not a single one of the TENS OF THOUSANDS of garlean troops are ever mentioned anywhere?

You had Grynewaht.

Most of them were taken against their will, sent to subjugate a foreing land they don't know or care about. Why doesn't anyone say you should not kill them?
"Do as you are ordered or your family gets killed". Heh.

Because conscription has existed since nations have existed and people understand invaders must be repelled.

[Vyrerus]

my personal problem with zenos isn't that he is what he is, its that he in fact remained completly static and has simply overstayed his welcome. Its not about being the guy that "hunts for sport" , its that after 1,5 expansions thats still ALL he really does.

If Zenos after his comeback had not just accepted his defeat, but actually tried to overcome us by adopting any kind of "new philosophy", be that actually training, some soul searching to sniff out his actual weak points, or even getting freaking allies i would have been fine with that, even some "i will throw myself into the wilderness naked" type of challenging himself i could have lived with, because while that would still mean "get stronger, kick more ass" at least it would show he is willing to actually challenge his own shortcomings, which given the position he's in simply is necessary to make any growth as a character possible. Yet in practice his very next plan was "merging with the magical dragon god failed, lets merge with/enslave the supreme god of all thats evil, than i will be the strongest guy ever."

its cool the guy has goals, but if his very literal goal is "being the strongest ever to kick the one guys ass that actually comes out to be a challenge" thats fun for a single patch, two if being generous, surely not for 2 expansions in a row with no clear end in sight.

I wouldn't say he has overstayed his welcome. He's now in the same position as Nidhogg's eyes were, post saving Estinien. A loose end that will likely carry us into 6.0 in some way or another. They also seem to be enriching his arc as a character by layering on Emet-selch engineered memories or something inside of him. I'm fairly interested to see how that plays out.

For me, the only thing I don't like all that much about Zenos is his facial appearance and hair. That, and his inconsistency with actually killing people. Like, he killed Hien's father, but not on screen. He could have killed the WoL, Lyse, and Y'shtola at Rhalgr's Reach, but he didn't. Of course, maybe they were trying to show the extent of his depression, but the major major problem with him in Stormblood is the execution of his portrayal.

[MirronTulaxia]

Honestly the guy overstayed his welcome from inception for me. He's just not a style of villain I find interesting at all. And being built as final boss/main villain of XIV's main story arc is just weird.

[AnonymousBard]

I thought it was pretty obvious why the story is the way that it is. Have most of you not been introduced to morally grey storytelling? Its bittersweet and I've thoroughly enjoyed it this expansion. The point is exactly what everyone is arguing about. Nah, Emet was just a madman. No youre wrong, Emet had reasons. etc...

Both sides are right and both sides are wrong. Its war, its supposed to be sad.

Emet was was watching His world unravel into shards and the souls he knew and loved be split into fragments. Suffering and being ground down more and more with each death in a strange environment. The expansion did a good job with trying to tell us as players, "Now step into his shoes. What would you do?". Like someone else said, its almost the perfect setup of a JRPG. In his eyes, the people he sees dont even realize the suffering of their own soul. He probably imagines that once things go back to normal for him and his friends, these "fragments" wont even realize theyre missing. Wont have anything to complain about if they dont even exist.

Then theres us, we just simply see someone trying to wipe out worlds and end the existence of our friends, and were trying our hardest to stop him.

Then it all climaxes. Almost simultaneously both the WoL and Emet realize the view from the other side. I could almost see it if it was a movie. They would both lock eyes, sigh, maybe give a chuckle. "Guess only one of us gets to walk away huh?".

Side bar: Bittersweet storytelling has been becoming ever more popular. I enjoy it in small amounts, but man it gets exhausting when every form of media starts going to that. I have to suffer the reality of every day life enough as is. Cant I have more stories where the good guy actually gets to win for a chance and actually have a happy ending? Not knocking FFXIV, they do it pretty good. Just gets depressing in large quantities...

[Dawn_FF14]

I wish we didn't have to kill Emet-Selch. There are still many questions unanswered. I don't think Elidibus would be as forthcoming as Emet-Selch, not mentioning he really hates and wants to kill WoL at this point.

As far as Zenos, I don't know where to put this guy. Which side is he on? Recapping the cut scenes since the WoL met him, he has killed the Garlean soldiers, officers, generals, crown prince and emperor. He only beat up our friends and allies to unconsciousness, when they tried to kill him over and over again. He effectively, maybe not purposely, stopped Black Rose from destroying the Source. I can guess that Elidibus wants to manipulate him to support the rejoining to become more powerful. But we know Zenos would want the WoL to grow powerful along with him too. Is Elidibus shooting himself in the foot this time?

I'm looking forward to what the writers are planning for Elidibus and Zenos.

[Morningstar1337]

I wish we didn't have to kill Emet-Selch. There are still many questions unanswered. I don't think Elidibus would be as forthcoming as Emet-Selch, not mentioning he really hates and wants to kill WoL at this point.

"Elidibus" and "forthcoming" never belonged together in the same sentence. Even before we defied his claims from 2.1 that we would "be of one mind" if we knew the truth.