Death unto Dawn page up

[KaerisKlyne]

There really haven't been many, if any, main character deaths since Heavensward, we're kind of overdue for it lest stakes and tension be seriously undermined if it hasn't already.

Not a single Scion death would bring any meaningful amount of emotion to the end of this story that couldn't be brought by having moments with them on screen. There is no such thing as "being overdue" for a character death. The writers are skilled and have delivered an incredible narrative that included impactful deaths where they meant the most and were necessary to move character growth along.

[Veloran]

Not a single Scion death would bring any meaningful amount of emotion to the end of this story that couldn't be brought by having moments with them on screen. There is no such thing as "being overdue" for a character death. The writers are skilled and have delivered an incredible narrative that included impactful deaths where they meant the most and were necessary to move character growth along.

Except one of the main themes of the story is loss and learning to let go. It's disingenuous to make that a major factor of the narrative only to have everyone close to the main character survive everything all the time no matter the odds or how bad the situation is.
Would Thancred's arc in ShB work if Minfilia was still alive inside Ryne and could just speak through her whenever she wanted? Would anyone really care a fraction as much about Haurchefant if he was still just sitting in Camp Dragonhead making cameos during holiday events? You shouldn't just kill characters left right and center, but when it's narratively appropriate characters absolutely SHOULD die.

[Erendis]

Would anyone really care a fraction as much about Haurchefant if he was still just sitting in Camp Dragonhead making cameos during holiday events?

I cared about Haurchefant a great deal and that's why his death had a huge impact on me. On the other hand I did not have enough time to get attached to Moenbryda so her death did nothing to me.

[Lauront]

Except one of the main themes of the story is loss and learning to let go. It's disingenuous to make that a major factor of the narrative only to have everyone close to the main character survive everything all the time no matter the odds or how bad the situation is.
Would Thancred's arc in ShB work if Minfilia was still alive inside Ryne and could just speak through her whenever she wanted? Would anyone really care a fraction as much about Haurchefant if he was still just sitting in Camp Dragonhead making cameos during holiday events? You shouldn't just kill characters left right and center, but when it's narratively appropriate characters absolutely SHOULD die.

Agreed. We're up against some powerful opponents. Have been in SHB too but it only resulted in a very few, minor character deaths that had next to zero impact for me.

Whatever reasons some might offer for never killing off a character, death can force change in the setting, and it's interesting to write around and is a good reminder of the fact that there is genuine danger in the setting. If, at the point where the entire world is engulfed in an apocalypse, no one of note dies, it simply removes any element of danger or risk. No matter how "skilled" the writers are.

I also find this notion of "deserving" a finale a bit peculiar but then I find the entire concept of payoff to stem from a sense of entitlement. Doesn't mean you can't dislike an ending - I might well not like what they have planned, but not having any deaths just to protect certain people's feelings is not something that I consider should be an imperative for them when they write.

You've had SB and SHB now with no major character deaths outside of antagonists, so I don't see the issue with a couple in 6.0. It is an apocalypse, make it feel like one.

I cared about Haurchefant a great deal and that's why his death had a huge impact on me. On the other hand I did not have enough time to get attached to Moenbryda so her death did nothing to me.

All the more reason why simply killing off a couple of minor characters as part of a quota isn't really going to hit the mark. For example, even if they offed Lyse, I doubt many people would care since she hasn't got much of a presence.

[StriderShinryu]

Except one of the main themes of the story is loss and learning to let go. It's disingenuous to make that a major factor of the narrative only to have everyone close to the main character survive everything all the time no matter the odds or how bad the situation is.
Would Thancred's arc in ShB work if Minfilia was still alive inside Ryne and could just speak through her whenever she wanted? Would anyone really care a fraction as much about Haurchefant if he was still just sitting in Camp Dragonhead making cameos during holiday events? You shouldn't just kill characters left right and center, but when it's narratively appropriate characters absolutely SHOULD die.

Absolutely. Though I will say I never really did care for Haurchefant at all at least in part because the writing tried too damn hard to make you like him and make him feel important to you in some way. The way the game forced you to interact with him in the way they did actually turned me off of liking him.

Anyway, yes, death isn't necessarily the be all and end all of storytelling. It's more that it's sort of the final cost and a form of ultimate consequence for the choices made by the WoL and others. The biggest issue with death in FF14, though, is that they have decided to play so fast and loose with it with way too many cases of characters "dying" but then coming back for one reason or another. I wouldn't personally feel that death is a necessity in the storyline if the writers themselves would stop bringing it up and using the potential of it as motivation/punishment. It's like when you're out with your friend and they keep talking about how amazing this new dessert restaurant is but they never say where it is or what it's called. You wouldn't care at all about the amazing desserts at this awesome new restaurant if your friend didn't keep bringing it up.

[Lauront]

Absolutely. Though I will say I never really did care for Haurchefant at all at least in part because the writing tried too damn hard to make you like him and make him feel important to you in some way. The way the game forced you to interact with him in the way they did actually turned me off of liking him.

Anyway, yes, death isn't necessarily the be all and end all of storytelling. It's more that it's sort of the final cost and a form of ultimate consequence for the choices made by the WoL and others. The biggest issue with death in FF14, though, is that they have decided to play so fast and loose with it with way too many cases of characters "dying" but then coming back for one reason or another. I wouldn't personally feel that death is a necessity in the storyline if the writers themselves would stop bringing it up and using the potential of it as motivation/punishment. It's like when you're out with your friend and they keep talking about how amazing this new dessert restaurant is but they never say where it is or what it's called. You wouldn't care at all about the amazing desserts at this awesome new restaurant if your friend didn't keep bringing it up.

I agree, and I also think the amount of baiting where it's expected there's not going to be any follow-through - and then there isn't - doesn't help, either.