Political Ideology and Storytelling Within FFXIV

[Xirean]

I think how readily the First put aside their differences and came together to pull themselves back from the brink is (a big) part of what made me love that world so much more than the Source. Like, yeah, maybe it is unrealistic, but I find myself overwhelmingly agreeing with Iscah that

To be fair, it's a lot easier to set aside differences and work together when you're being ravaged by literal monsters that turn other people into literal monsters. Especially when someone finally shows up who can just delete that problem.

[Arzalis]

I disagree there's no political commentary in ShB, though I admit it's a lot more subtle and largely not the focus of the story. There's some when it comes to Emet for sure, which is more story-adjacent, but that's about as close as it gets.

People don't care about race in the First, whereas there's a ton of racism on the Source. Yes, it's because the First is facing a literal world-ending apocalypse so they value every life, but it still creates a contrast to the source and comments on it.

[Lauront]

I hope we never turn another nation into a "republic" again. I want to see more monarchies and kingdoms. Republics just don't give enough of a fantasy feel. Not every monarch is some incompetent lunatic, you have people like Hien too.

The political storylines were only really handled somewhat well in the ARR patches with the Ul'dah situation. The audience might be inclined to want to help the Ala Mhigan refugees but Nanamo is confronted with the fact that Ul'dahn citizens who were made refugees due to the calamity have to come first. Further tensions arise when she favors the newly arrived Domans over the Ala Mhigans. Also the Syndicate stuff. Sadly those storylines were thrown in the garbage come Heavensward. The politics after that have been very childish, with dragons and Ishgardians just magically forgetting their thousand year war with each just like that. The other resistance groups that had different visions for a new government were never brought up again. We don't get to see post-occupation resentment towards those perceived to have been collaborators. Hien is never called out for flooding Doma castle. Centuries of war with the beast tribes are magically forgotten overnight. Limsa was stripped of the culture that made it interesting in the first place. Gaius became American Shogun of Werlyt and was forgiven just like that, with zero people hating him. Also Garlemald was thrown away offscreen.


If you mean "political messaging in FFXIV" then, I guess I'm not a fan of the democracy wank. Out of the 5 nations the WoL helps establish a new government in, 4 of them became democracies (Ishgard gets a House of Commons. Ala Mhigo, Eulmore, and Bozja become democratic republics), and the story bent over backwards to demonize monarchy and glorify democracy. And we also have Charlemand's custom delievery questline, where he is a high ranking stogy noble who - within just a few quests - leaps to wanting every Ishgardian citizen to be equal? What? Going by this pattern, Lord Nerva (if he survived) won't become Emperor of Garlemald and it will just become yet another democratic republic (though in lore it started out as a republic, but I digress). Out of the other 2 nations that had alternative governments, Limsa was stripped of its unique political system of pirates and racing, leaving just Gridania and their prophets who interpret the will of the Elementals.

^This. With that said, I don't really care for moral or political messaging in such a game, but its formula is a bit one note.

[Lauront]

Just wait until we put an end to the Sharlayan Forum.
Republics don't really give a high fantasy feel for sure. But I think they definitely give a final fantasy feel.

What I want to see, is not necessarily kingdoms, but I want to see a "bad Republic".
I want them to show how flawed the Amaurotine "Republic" was, and what/who triggered the Sound.
I hope Venat and Fandaniel will help shed some light on that.

Amaurot is never really confirmed to be a republic. Its system of governance is largely an unknown barring that the other city-states enjoyed autonomy and that the Convocation provided guidance on steering the star. Nor do I see why that city has to be the one to undergo such a treatment, when they already have room to do that with Sharlayan, which has become dominated by the Bibliotec faction - likely as a result of a particular interpretation of Thaliak and Nymeia's teachings. Frankly, though, I'd like to see the protagonists be the ones who cause the blunder this time by misconstruing Sharlayan's plans and intentions. That interests me more than some hackneyed crypto-dystopia plotline for either it or Amaurot.

[KizuyaKatogami]

Just wait until we put an end to the Sharlayan Forum.
Republics don't really give a high fantasy feel for sure. But I think they definitely give a final fantasy feel.

What I want to see, is not necessarily kingdoms, but I want to see a "bad Republic".
I want them to show how flawed the Amaurotine "Republic" was, and what/who triggered the Sound.
I hope Venat and Fandaniel will help shed some light on that.

Tbh i can’t wait to see the forum just absolutely demolish the scions and show that they just don’t care about them. We’ve seen too many factions just give in to the scions, it’s nice to have a change of pace where someone doesn’t just give them what they want. Fourchenault is a chad.

[Xirean]

Tbh i can’t wait to see the forum just absolutely demolish the scions and show that they just don’t care about them. We’ve seen too many factions just give in to the scions, it’s nice to have a change of pace where someone doesn’t just give them what they want. Fourchenault is a chad.

You bring up a fair point, however I still REALLY want to punch him in the face.

[Likethewind]

Lolorito was right about refugees

[Ayche]

Then again, you can have many new nations make an attempt of parliamentary republics and then collapse due to instability. Maybe due to outside influence, maybe due to a natural disaster maybe. Nation building is hard and unpredictable process.

[Kikoten]

I have a feeling after Endwalker concludes the Ascian/Hydaelin/Zodiark story in 6.0, we're going to move on to the more political side of things. The thing in Ul'dah was only put on a back burner in Heavensward, I think the story might revisit that at some point. If something happens to Nanamo that actually removes her from the seat, things will get really weird, and we'll probably see the three nations end up fighting each other for some reason...?

No. I prefer that time travel be re-introduced, and we get to see eons of history in The Source. I'm particularly interested in Allag. We get enough of their scraps, I'd love to see Allag as they were before.

[Poporito_Popoto]

Tbh i can’t wait to see the forum just absolutely demolish the scions and show that they just don’t care about them. We’ve seen too many factions just give in to the scions, it’s nice to have a change of pace where someone doesn’t just give them what they want. Fourchenault is a chad.

He's probably secretly hoping/helping the Scions (especially the twins) will bring down the Forum's old order.