What Zero Could've Been

[Kes13a]

OP rest easy. I am sure she wont eat hamburgers

so not sure why you are already complaining about someone we basically just met, but its not a surprise since you hate everything FFxiv and just want it YOUR personal version of "better"

[Vahlnir]

OP rest easy. I am sure she wont eat hamburgers

so not sure why you are already complaining about someone we basically just met, but its not a surprise since you hate everything FFxiv and just want it YOUR personal version of "better"

Meanwhile as Graha sits across the table from Zero: "I procured a delicious burger for you. Eat it. EAT IT! *heavy breathing*"

[Lustre]

One thing I will say is while I liked Zero in comparison to a lot of my feelings on the main cast, I found the circumstances surrounding her being purified by the crystal to be extremely convenient and contrived, much like 6.0 and 6.1 in general. I also think that the whole "ingratiating her into Eorzean society" is highly unrealistic and seems to be going... a little too well. You'd think someone who's been in the void for hundreds of years, fighting demons for survival, siphoning their lifeforce wouldn't all of a sudden be strolling around Radz at Han like a generic tourist.... but then again this is XIV so not sure what I expected there.

I like her style, and I think she provides some much needed grit into the scions, even if it does border on "13 year old emo darkness" vibes sometimes. Wouldn't surprise me if the hat is constantly down to hide the fact she's listening to Hawthorne Heights in earphones lol

As for her image, I have no real opinion. Just looks how you'd expect a reaper to look. I will say I would've preferred her with longer/long hair though. Classically feminine traits and imagery are not a sign of "weakness" and so I don't know why this game constantly tries to make the feminine masculine when it comes to portrayals of a character's strength.

[SentioftheHoukai]

"Its ok to be insane and want to torture/murder your nations people if I find you attractive and think you are interesting" - man what a take this is.

The entire GCBTW's worship of Venat/Hydaelyn, in a nutshell. "Look past the Sundering, she's got nice cheeks, and ice-pick feet, and have I extolled the virtues of her Godly t*ts?! Please step on me, my Mommy Goddess! I don't care who you've killed, or what you've done!"

Not entirely sure of the worth and/or audience of this little attempt at proselytizing, to be completely honest. This fandom isn't exactly in a position to be shaming another for liking a character for their physical attributes above all others, including their committed atrocities.

Edit: Since this is my first post here in this thread, I'll mention my thoughts on Zero. I don't think I can say I like her per se, not yet. I've settled on ambivalence, for now. I'll have to wait and see where they take her, characterization wise. As for her appearance, I honestly guess I just don't really care all that much. I have precious little preferences on female appearances, and she's fine. I can't really think of any true way to "improve" on her look. Mayhaps that'll change in the future, who knows?

P.S.S. - I WANT HER HAT

[SannaR]

One thing I will say is while I liked Zero in comparison to a lot of my feelings on the main cast, I found the circumstances surrounding her being purified by the crystal to be extremely convenient and contrived, much like 6.0 and 6.1 in general. I also think that the whole "ingratiating her into Eorzean society" is highly unrealistic and seems to be going... a little too well. You'd think someone who's been in the void for hundreds of years, fighting demons for survival, siphoning their lifeforce wouldn't all of a sudden be strolling around Radz at Han like a generic tourist.... but then again this is XIV so not sure what I expected there.

I like her style, and I think she provides some much needed grit into the scions, even if it does border on "13 year old emo darkness" vibes sometimes. Wouldn't surprise me if the hat is constantly down to hide the fact she's listening to Hawthorne Heights in earphones lol

As for her image, I have no real opinion. Just looks how you'd expect a reaper to look. I will say I would've preferred her with longer/long hair though. Classically feminine traits and imagery are not a sign of "weakness" and so I don't know why this game constantly tries to make the feminine masculine when it comes to portrayals of a character's strength.

We don't know how long she was forced into being Zenos's avatar since you know the game plays fairly loose with how much time has passed. But could you imagine what it must have been like to be living in a world where it literally is an eat or be eaten only to end up being tied to a dude who's main thought and obsession was a said friend? It's not that she doesn't know how to behave like we do on the source as she made it come off as though there was a little bit of peace before the memorians started to become corrupted. So how to eat and everything else was forgotten. Even the meaning of what friendship is. Also she showed us around her domain so why would she not want to know about Vrtra's? She clearly has memories about what the 13th looked like 10,000 years ago so as I said I don't know why she wouldn't have had leftover fragments of "normal" life.

You're correct that women who look like Amy Adams in Enchanted or even a Jessica Rabbit type shouldn't inherently be seen as the character being weak. Society and various media however has for decades at least in the West (more likely NA than European) have dictatedthat if a woman looks that way or is demure should be instantly be read or seen as the classical fairy tale princess trope. Ie your Snow Whites, Auroras, or Buttercup during the fire swamp section before Humperdink shows up in the Princess Bride. Also it's how women have been told they should look and behave for a few decades if not a few millenia. That they should behave like the June Cleavers, or a Stepford Wife.

[SentioftheHoukai]

We don't know how long she was forced into being Zenos's avatar since you know the game plays fairly loose with how much time has passed. But could you imagine what it must have been like to be living in a world where it literally is an eat or be eaten only to end up being tied to a dude who's main thought and obsession was a said friend? It's not that she doesn't know how to behave like we do on the source as she made it come off as though there was a little bit of peace before the memorians started to become corrupted. So how to eat and everything else was forgotten. Even the meaning of what friendship is. Also she showed us around her domain so why would she not want to know about Vrtra's? She clearly has memories about what the 13th looked like 10,000 years ago so as I said I don't know why she wouldn't have had leftover fragments of "normal" life.

You're correct that women who look like Amy Adams in Enchanted or even a Jessica Rabbit type shouldn't inherently be seen as the character being weak. Society and various media however has for decades at least in the West (more likely NA than European) who looks thar way or is demure should be instantly be read or seen as the classical fairy tale princess trope. Ie your Snow Whites, Auroras, or Buttercup during the fire swamp section before Humperdink shows up in the Princess Bride. Also it's how women have been told they should look and behave for a few decades if not a few millenia. That they should behave like the June Cleavers, or a Stepford Wife.

I don't know about you, but I love classically princess-looking women who can yet kick major amounts of ass in all their finery. What I don't understand is why they have to move away from "classical femininity" looks just to be strong and exceed and surpass the expectations men have set upon them. Would it not send more of a message to take the looks of classical femininity, kick ass in those looks and make it their own? To evolve beyond what society has grown to expect of women possessing those looks and free more dated looks from the shackles laid upon them?

As for Zenos and Zero's "relationship", it really came off as a cheap and lazy way to make Zenos look even worse than he already was amongst the fandom. Especially with how some treated his body-jacking scene. Probable enslavement as drama is such a trite, lazy plot point that denigrates the character involved. It also makes the player character look more "heroic" for saving Zero from her plight, and in turn she "rewards" us for it with her assistance against the denizens of the 13th shard. It's disrespectful to her as a character, it's tired and really needs to stop being so venerated. It also clashes thematically with the WoL's demon/summoner relationship. If Square is going to put so much effort into making the pact between Zenos and Zero look so sinister and abusive, why did they fail to inject any such nuance into our relationship with our Voidsent? Why is ours just magickally consensual? Are we supposed to believe this Voidsent in particular is happy to be shackled to a mortal's will? Was it just to make us look more heroic than Zenos, or dissuade those still clamoring for him to return? Because if so, it falls flatly on its face. We're still a demon summoner who lets our little Voidsent pal eat souls for power.

[RukoBoshi]

As for Zenos and Zero's "relationship", it really came off as a cheap and lazy way to make Zenos look even worse than he already was amongst the fandom. Especially with how some treated his body-jacking scene. Probable enslavement as drama is such a trite, lazy plot point that denigrates the character involved. It's tired and really needs to stop being so venerated.

That's not how i took it personally. Showing that Zenos used her and didn't have a proper relationship with her, prevent us from doubting her intentions and the veracity of what she says to us. Essentially they shut down the idea that she could be out to avenge her "master".
This is also why she is such a straightforward character, because she won't lie if she doesn't have to. And a character like that is perfect to dump exposition on us.

[TheMightyMollusk]

It's entirely in character for Zenos to use people who are useful to him and then discard them when their usefulness is over. I didn't think his treatment of Zero any different from his treatment of Fordola, or Aulus, or Fandaniel, or anyone else around him.

[Valkyrie_Lenneth]

The entire GCBTW's worship of Venat/Hydaelyn, in a nutshell. "Look past the Sundering, she's got nice cheeks, and ice-pick feet, and have I extolled the virtues of her Godly t*ts?! Please step on me, my Mommy Goddess! I don't care who you've killed, or what you've done!"

Not entirely sure of the worth and/or audience of this little attempt at proselytizing, to be completely honest. This fandom isn't exactly in a position to be shaming another for liking a character for their physical attributes above all others, including their committed atrocities.

Edit: Since this is my first post here in this thread, I'll mention my thoughts on Zero. I don't think I can say I like her per se, not yet. I've settled on ambivalence, for now. I'll have to wait and see where they take her, characterization wise. As for her appearance, I honestly guess I just don't really care all that much. I have precious little preferences on female appearances, and she's fine. I can't really think of any true way to "improve" on her look. Mayhaps that'll change in the future, who knows?

P.S.S. - I WANT HER HAT

I dont think I've ever see anyone claim they like Venat for the reasons you just stated lol, well, other than the people who don't like Venat making up reasons why people like her.

I just like her because she's entertaining. Like Y'shtola. Hmmm...

I like women with snarky/fun personalities. Within reason of course, constant snark gets old, but Y'shtola isn't constantly snarky.

Fordola is also an interesting character once she grows up a bit.

[Vahlnir]

It's entirely in character for Zenos to use people who are useful to him and then discard them when their usefulness is over. I didn't think his treatment of Zero any different from his treatment of Fordola, or Aulus, or Fandaniel, or anyone else around him.

With Fandaniel it was more of a strenuous partnership. They both got something out of their deal. They were using each other. Otherwise yeah, he has a record a mile long of people he used for personal gain and discarded after.