What's the point with that quite lackluster story in Endwalker?

[RoroCookies]

Even though the game tries to paint dark and light as morally grey I still felt like they push the dark bad.
I was so disappointed at the end of Shadowbringer where we just defeat Emet with light. :/

[CrownySuccubus]

My understanding from Shadowbringers is that Darkness represents exuberance and mutation while Light represents stillness and stagnation. They stated that this the reason why Voidsent and other creatures of darkness look "grotesque" while creatures of light like the Sin Eaters look more "divine" or "majestic". (Although, there were definitely some FUGLY Sin Eaters like Tesleen and some hot Voidsent like Cloud of Darkness.)

But yes, psychologically, Hydaelyn being easier on the eyes definitely contributes to people stanning her no matter what.

[KizuyaKatogami]

One of the big gripes i will always have with the story is despite how much they preach about light and dark not always equating to good or bad is that they never ever have us use darkness during the msq. It has consistently been light light light. Why even make it a point of dark not always being bad if you aren’t going to have any of the main protagonists use it?

[CrownySuccubus]

One of the big gripes i will always have with the story is despite how much they preach about light and dark not always equating to good or bad is that they never ever have us use darkness during the msq. It has consistently been light light light. Why even make it a point of dark not always being bad if you aren’t going to have any of the main protagonists use it?

To be honest, I really did think it was weird that they specifically made the ShB intro demonstrate that nothing worked against Sin Eaters besides Dark Knight power, but then that never comes up in the game. Like, I get it -- they can't lock out everybody except that one class, but it still would have been cool if Warrior of Darkness became more than a title.

[Lauront]

My understanding from Shadowbringers is that Darkness represents exuberance and mutation while Light represents stillness and stagnation.

Indeed, they basically cover it during the tank role quests and later in the post-5.0 MSQ stuff involving Beq Lugg, whereby the tank role quest involves taking down individuals transformed into voidsent style beings through stimulating their aether in an astral direction. While there is a lore basis for his appearance, particularly with primals (and Eden Cloud of Darkness is a good example), there's more scope for choice in the matter.

[TaleraRistain]

Despite ShB showing that excess light can be bad and foes can come in the form of angelic beings, I still felt that Zodiark was undermined by having a 'demonic' appearance especially as we don't have much (if any) experience with dark beings who look monstrous but are good. Hydaelyn, by comparison, being a beautiful angel even if it fit the lore just felt like more visual manipulation compared to Zodiark looking like a Lovecraftian horror.

I just felt their looks fit with their elemental aspects. As you said, we just had an expansion that put up a giant neon sign of "Looks can be deceiving". It's also possible part of his look is because Elidibus isn't there.

I also think back to Yoshi-P's comments before EW along the lines that things weren't as black and white as we thought. And I felt there was a lot of grey in Endwalker and with Emet in Shadowbringers. There's no great evil setting out to hurt people just to hurt or be cruel. There's flawed humans taking actions they think will help or fix things.

[Nilroreo]

I find it interesting that after all this, Hydaelyn is still credited with the creation of Warriors of light prior to the 7th umbral era. Shadowbringers already proposed a more compelling alternative origin for them by establishing a symbiotic relationship between them and Zodiark. But with the exception of us and maybe Ardbert and his goons, their existence as champions of Hydaelyn is incompatible with her motives as we currently understand them.

Just imagine living on one of the fallen shards prior to its rejoining, and suddenly being granted a divine gift by a disembodied voice who inspires you to become a hero, without ever having learned that your world was fated to crumble, as determined by the very same god who granted you this gift in the first place. Where's the logic in creating champions when their worlds were nothing but stones to be cleared from her path?

I'm interested in the current story direction, but I think I'm going to be genuinely annoyed if it ends up being setup for 7.x taking place in a different shard after they've been relentlessly teasing us with bits of information about Ilsabard and Meracydia.

Same. I'd rather they just leave other shards alone going forward. Don't want the potential death of yet another world on my hands. With that said, If we absolutely must travel to one, here's hoping they use it as an opportunity to incorporate Xenogears lore, as it was originally pitched as a story for FF7 which means it kinda counts. Would give them an excuse to dust off that G-Warrior combat system they used like once and never again.

[OhNooo]

Despite ShB showing that excess light can be bad and foes can come in the form of angelic beings, I still felt that Zodiark was undermined by having a 'demonic' appearance especially as we don't have much (if any) experience with dark beings who look monstrous but are good. Hydaelyn, by comparison, being a beautiful angel even if it fit the lore just felt like more visual manipulation compared to Zodiark looking like a Lovecraftian horror.

If they wanted to subvert expectations, they could have made Zodiark look angelic and Hydaelyn look demonic.
ETA: that would definitely bring home the point that looks can be deceiving

[Rulakir]

If they wanted to subvert expectations, they could have made Zodiark look angelic and Hydaelyn look demonic.
ETA: that would definitely bring home the point that looks can be deceiving

I thought Zodiark might be darkly beautiful, like some kind of gothic prince (which instead is sort of in Pandemonium :P). I figured he was the will of the star that was seeking salvation, surely his appearance would reflect that. I also stupidly thought the box art for EW was based on the layperson's interpretation of Hydaelyn and Zodiark based on stories only to find out later that Yoshi-P took great pains to copy their appearances in game.

[Skyborne]

I thought Zodiark might be darkly beautiful, like some kind of gothic prince (which instead is sort of in Pandemonium :P). I figured he was the will of the star that was seeking salvation, surely his appearance would reflect that. I also stupidly thought the box art for EW was based on the layperson's interpretation of Hydaelyn and Zodiark based on stories only to find out later that Yoshi-P took great pains to copy their appearances in game.

I kind of figured they would resemble the 'elementals on steroids' like in the statues or their depictions on the wall murals, but I suppose that was just symbolic...

Also, daily reminder of this Convocation stone image from ShB

Notice anything? The writers either:
A. biased Endwalker to be in favor of a certain mother dearest's perspective and failed to acknowledge it like they did with ShB, and doubled down on it
or
B. completely retconned the ancient/convocation's motives in Endwalker and didn't acknowledge it

Big doubt they will say anything about it at this point and seem done with it. But I'm not! I will sit here and take a Nidhogg nap.