Character disconnect and disappointing Player Agency in Dawntrail's MSQ [Spoilers]

[dezzmont]

Huh, are you sure we are her mentor? Or did you mistype 'Cheerleading Slave' ? This 'mentor figure' is being used by Dawntrail defenders alot

Are we Alphinauld's cheerleading slave in Heavensward? That story is basically us literally doing everything he or Aymeric says and using his solution for literally every problem. It doesn't even have the moments were Wuk Lamat explicitly asks us for advice on how to proceed, which very much DO exist (ex: Its a lot of the trading questline, for example).

Are we gunna pretend that XIV was ever anything but the side characters basically acting as gentle tour guides through a linear story? Did you actually expect branching paths where you could fight to ensure Wuk Lamat doesn't get on the throne, or the WoL to break down what is clearly a good (even if you find her annoying, its hard to argue Wuk Lamat is a morally bad person) person who needs encouragement?

Like what are you actually expecting? If you think Wuk Lamat is annoying, that is valid (again, she has... way too much voiced screentime, its actually a bit absurd). But arguing the story construction sidelines us to being someone's beatstick and problem solver is actively stupid because that is what every expansion has been besides Endwalker. We do what Minfilia/Alphinauld/Aymeric/Hein/The Exarch says the plan is because they are the guys and gals with the plan, inspire some NPCs around us when they have doubts about their plans, impress some major characters with our power and resolve, beat the bad guys up, serve up the next expansion. Dawntrail gave us a different rationale for doing it, but its the same thing we always do, to the point its literally a running joke in the game our neck muscles are super strong because we just agree with people around us all the time.