Y'shtola is a Mary Sue.

[Raven2014]

Eh, how about that's exactly what makes her unique?

I actually getting pretty tired at the over-the-top personalized story. We have like what? About 2-3 dozens or so NPC, and they all like have the same templates. Even if their story is good, it's akin to if you eating from the same meal for months you'll get tired of it even if it's 5-stars gourmet. At that point even regular fast food would feel refreshing. Case in point: the "class quests" are so repetitive that I can almost tell how of them play out: tell me your soap story, tell me your past, your indentity crisis and I'll give you some encouragement, rise and repeat.


Y'shtola is a refreshing change. Here is a woman who had already know her lot, she has conviction and know her purpose whatever what comes. She already know who she is, and does not need some superficial indentity crisis for grow. Call her plain if you want, but in a sea of "special", being a normie is what make her unique.

Hell, I hope in the new story arch moving forward we'll get less of these soap box personal story that's pretty much dime in a dozen in the game at this point. I wouldn't mind getting a some NPC more similar to Y'shtola.

[SeiyaSoiya]

Honestly, if the title replaced "Mary Sue" with "flat character" or something similar I probably would've never responded as it seems to be more accurate of your criticism. My whole thing is if you're going to criticize a character, do it right and use the correct term.

lyse is a flat character
venat, moenbryda and yshtola are mary sues to different degrees

[weebtext]

lyse is a flat character
venat, moenbryda and yshtola are mary sues to different degrees

How can Moenbryda be a mary sue if she died and stayed dead within one patch?

[SeiyaSoiya]

How can Moenbryda be a mary sue if she died and stayed dead within one patch?

the original fanfic from where the term "Mary Sue" comes has this such lieutenant mary sue, who was the youngest lt. to board the enterprise because of her exceptional skills, ultimately die in a sacrifice to save everyone.
it's part of the package of being a mary sue

[SenorPatty]

Completely agree with you, hell even Zenos is a prettier woman than Y'shtola could ever hope to be.

So what you're saying is...sometimes, it takes a real man to be the best girl.

I approve.

[Izar_Chillen]

lyse is a flat character
venat, moenbryda and yshtola are mary sues to different degrees

How on earth is Venat a Mary Sue??

Her kind come with the inherent gift of creation and super powerful magics . Emet Selch is by far one of the most powerful and skilled of his kind Venat is at heart a flawed empathetic motherly woman whom has different beliefs to her kin ( the live free traveller)

If she was a mary sue , she would have kicked Zodiarks ass on her own with help from no man , type story trope . Skilled in everyway but better than her peers is what a Mary Sue is, a Mcgyver with boobs.

[Shironeko_Narunyan]

There are so many better designed female characters that the fact Y'shtola is the postergirl for this game is straight up criminal.

If you put Y'shtola up against a character with Venat's face and classic long fantasy hair in any other outfit that isn't the robe the ancients wear, there would be no contest as to who would be more popular. Lyse, while a grating character for various reasons also looked quite decent once she got her red dress. Yugiri has always looked great as well, etc.

People like her. She's different enough looking from a stereotypical human or other generic race, while still appealing. YOU don't have to like her, it's enough that others do, and there's a pretty large Y'shtola fan base.

That being said, the Elpis arc has shown that other companions can be fun, too, and the scions are probably gonna step back now and make room for a new cast of characters, while being in the background, more like the faction leaders. At least I'd guess that's gonna happen, but we'll see.

Only just replying here to say that neither is Y'shtola a Mary Sue, nor G'raha Tia a Gary Stu. Neither of both are a) perfect OR b) self-inserts by the authors. And it is utterly irrelevant whether you like them or not, these are character type definitions, not private, FC-internal slang.

[Allegor]

Y'shtola is fine, if only a little on the bland side, but that isn't bad per se. I did like how at the end of EW even she broke her composed poker face, it showed she's capable of expressing concern, and then showed embarrassment about writing a book. Those are little moments that make her feel less robotic without breaking character.

What annoys me though is she's used as the exposition character - pausing the tension of the moment to explain what's going on, instead of letting the audience connect the dots by themselves. Like, say, when G'raha "betrayed" us at Mt Gulg, was her "theorizing" his plan really necessary, when 2 quests later we get an Echo flashback to confirm it anyways? imo it killed the mood, and she did it again with the Ea. "you have the crystal, but must not use it" yeah, whatever, see you in a few minutes.

[Shironeko_Narunyan]

lyse is a flat character
venat, moenbryda and yshtola are mary sues to different degrees

Lyse had plenty of development.
Moenbryda had little time to go anywhere.
Y'shtola is what's called an "iconic character". Indie Jones, Sherlock Holmes and others fall into that category. They're defined and not changing much over the course of time.

Seriously, people, learn your tropes before you throw terms around you don't understand.
Maybe read some actual books.

[Izar_Chillen]

Im surprised Yugiri isn't more loved . She is one of the more popular races amongst players and she has that tough and mysterious sexiness about her.

She had a masked appearance leading up to Stormblood making the reveal a nice plot moment when she was with Tataru, and when we share those moments together on the beach on Yanxia , whether it was just simply great VA direction or the dialogue combined she sounds like she actually loves you or is at the point of past deep respect into the very fond of, territory .



Yugiri is best girl , and I'd put a ring on that finger in a heart beat