How strong is the Warrior of Light?

[Dikatis]

Eitherway - I, personally, don't enjoy stories where the hero always wins. In my view having a Bane (defeated Batman) or a Doomsday (defeated Superman) is character building - sadly, the FFXIV writers dropped the ball there somewhat since, as noted, aside from some sulking and wounded pride we quickly forgot about our defeat.

I mean, what kind of development were you expecting from WoL? For them to have a full blown existential crisis because they got beat? They're the Warrior of Light. The one everyone looks up to. They can't afford to be down for long. Because if they're whining about how hopeless things are, everyone else will believe the same thing. It's in character for them to pick themselves up after a beating and go in for round 2. That's why the few moments where the veneer cracks and they let themselves be vulnerable are so impactful. Haurchefant's and Ysayle's sacrifices, the helplessness they feel when the Scions are called one by one to the first, the thought of turning into a Lightwarden that will devour their friends, the anguish when the Scions willingly risk non-existence to pave a path for WoL to reach Meteion's nest. Having them throw an angst fest or something over getting their butt kicked just feels painfully out of character.

The Dark Knight quests are all about the part of themselves that can't be a hero. The part of them that wants to run away and shirk responsibility, throw a tantrum when they're mistreated, to inflict vigilante justice on every person who has ever crossed them. They look this part of themselves in the eye and say, "No." They continue to soldier on and reassure others with a smile even when they're panicking and torn up inside. Until the end of the Stormblood DRK quests, they're convinced that they're an awful person and a harbinger of doom to friend and foe. Only after confronting their grief and guilt personified in Myste do they forgive themselves and finally accept that they're a good person, even if they deserve whatever reckoning comes to them down the line.

And well, WoL doesn't always win. They've been kidnapped, pinned, brought to the precipice of death, and had to be rescued by others time and again throughout the expansions. WoL actively shows signs of PTSD in Heavensward (indeed, they never accept food from a stranger again unless the food is prepared in front of them or other people are eating it too) and blame themselves for every life they end and every life they fail to save.

[Carin-Eri]

I mean, what kind of development were you expecting from WoL? For them to have a full blown existential crisis because they got beat? They're the Warrior of Light. The one everyone looks up to. They can't afford to be down for long. Because if they're whining about how hopeless things are, everyone else will believe the same thing. It's in character for them to pick themselves up after a beating and go in for round 2. That's why the few moments where the veneer cracks and they let themselves be vulnerable are so impactful. Haurchefant's and Ysayle's sacrifices, the helplessness they feel when the Scions are called one by one to the first, the thought of turning into a Lightwarden that will devour their friends, the anguish when the Scions willingly risk non-existence to pave a path for WoL to reach Meteion's nest. Having them throw an angst fest or something over getting their butt kicked just feels painfully out of character.

The Dark Knight quests are all about the part of themselves that can't be a hero. The part of them that wants to run away and shirk responsibility, throw a tantrum when they're mistreated, to inflict vigilante justice on every person who has ever crossed them. They look this part of themselves in the eye and say, "No." They continue to soldier on and reassure others with a smile even when they're panicking and torn up inside. Until the end of the Stormblood DRK quests, they're convinced that they're an awful person and a harbinger of doom to friend and foe. Only after confronting their grief and guilt personified in Myste do they forgive themselves and finally accept that they're a good person, even if they deserve whatever reckoning comes to them down the line.

And well, WoL doesn't always win. They've been kidnapped, pinned, brought to the precipice of death, and had to be rescued by others time and again throughout the expansions. WoL actively shows signs of PTSD in Heavensward (indeed, they never accept food from a stranger again unless the food is prepared in front of them or other people are eating it too) and blame themselves for every life they end and every life they fail to save.

Just a little bit more than what basically amounted to 'Ouchies! ..... oh well'.