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

[CrownySuccubus]

That's a good counter point, I guess I still really struggle with how they are trying to push Hermes as in any way virtuous, I really struggle with that line of reasoning especially as the game as often been a lot harsher on characters with much better arcs to explain why there are on a villainous path. I just don't understand how the writers want him to be seen given the character they actually wrote

Put simply, they were trying to make the Emet-Selch lightning strike twice.

From post-6.0 interviews, it seems that the writing team were completely gobsmacked by how Emet-Selch wound up as such a popular villain. I don't know what kind of antagonist they thought they were writing, but apparently they "accidentally" wrote one of the most compelling, sympathetic, charismatic and entertaining villains in all of videogames and had no idea exactly how they did it.

You can tell from their confusion that people didn't receive Hermes nearly as well. They directly asked "Why does everyone have so much sympathy for Emet-Selch and not Hermes?"

I think they feel that because Hermes' surface-level character is that of a confused, sensitive and emotional mess, that people would be more understanding of the lengths he went through. But they failed to realize two things: first, that Hermes is also portrayed going behind the backs of his fellow Ancients, abusing the resources of Elpis for his own ends, throwing a tantrum when criticized about his past actions, directly CHOOSING to abet the destruction of entire world, and then violate the minds and agency of everyone who tries to stop him, while ALSO allowing himself to escape direct consequences by disguising himself as one of the victims. All of this, to a LOT of players, effectively erases all sympathy that you could have for Hermes' fragile personality and mental state. He comes across more as a sociopathic manchild than a desperate cry for help.

The second thing they forgot is: Hermes f---ked over the fan-favorites, Emet-Selch, Venat and Hythlodeus. Trying to make Hermes a popular character by having him be the entire SOURCE of Emet-Selch's torment and emotional anguish wasn't so much of an "uphill battle" as it was trying to climb up a metal wall with no handholds and a titanium ceiling.

[jameseoakes]

Put simply, they were trying to make the Emet-Selch lightning strike twice.

From post-6.0 interviews, it seems that the writing team were completely gobsmacked by how Emet-Selch wound up as such a popular villain. I don't know what kind of antagonist they thought they were writing, but apparently they "accidentally" wrote one of the most compelling, sympathetic, charismatic and entertaining villains in all of videogames and had no idea exactly how they did it.

You can tell from their confusion that people didn't receive Hermes nearly as well. They directly asked "Why does everyone have so much sympathy for Emet-Selch and not Hermes?"

I think they feel that because Hermes' surface-level character is that of a confused, sensitive and emotional mess, that people would be more understanding of the lengths he went through. But they failed to realize two things: first, that Hermes is also portrayed going behind the backs of his fellow Ancients, abusing the resources of Elpis for his own ends, throwing a tantrum when criticized about his past actions, directly CHOOSING to abet the destruction of entire world, and then violate the minds and agency of everyone who tries to stop him, while ALSO allowing himself to escape direct consequences by disguising himself as one of the victims. All of this, to a LOT of players, effectively erases all sympathy that you could have for Hermes' fragile personality and mental state. He comes across more as a sociopathic manchild than a desperate cry for help.

The second thing they forgot is: Hermes f---ked over the fan-favorites, Emet-Selch, Venat and Hythlodeus. Trying to make Hermes a popular character by having him be the entire SOURCE of Emet-Selch's torment and emotional anguish wasn't so much of an "uphill battle" as it was trying to climb up a metal wall with no handholds and a titanium ceiling.

Yeah I just struggle to see how they thought Hermes would do that you do a great job going through the issues. I find Hermes to be a creepy slimy man, even not taking into account his direct actions in the amount of death he caused. I just really struggle with how the writers thought Hermes would be well received it just boggles my mind.