Quote Originally Posted by OdinelStarrei View Post
I always think about this. I started as a Zenos hater, "Who is this guy who just wiped Rhalgr's and walks away like an edgelord, WTF?" and ended the story as a Zenos enjoyer. At the end of SB, this guy is just in it for the thrill. Politics, don't care. Morals, don't care. Long term plans, don't care. Garlemald, don't care. Eorzea, don't care. Just fights. And you know what? I respect it. I respect that Zenos commits to the bit, and is absolutely unrepentant about it. Then he comes back and I'm like, "Okay, are you going to change now that you've escaped death? " NOPE. Consistent even after death.

What is Zenos doing? Either finding out a way to fight us, or preparing the stage for us TO fight later. I was absolutely on board with this idiot. Zenos is a GAMEPLAY FIRST ENJOYER, just like me. And I was given the option to say, "You know what? Yeah, we're sorta kindred spirits. I only feel alive when the chips are down and the stakes are high and the fire's hot, I understand what you're talking about." And then FOUR YEARS LATER, say "Hey, yeah, we have to fight, but in truth, I've been waiting to kick your ass. Not for the world, but FOR ME! RAAAAAA"

I can't bring myself to hate the dude.
Zenos worked for me because like you said, he was unrepentant about his goals. His goal never changed, even if his means did, and there was an odd subtlety to that. That by meeting you, Zenos became a little more human.

There wasn't any dancing around it or 'my father made me this way!'. Zenos was Zenos, and that just... worked.

More than that, we got breaks from him. Other stories, other characters, other events got their time without him. He was used sparingly, like a spice. Enough to flavor, not enough to overpower. Gingerbread, honey, garlic.

Wuk Lamat's like eating a bowl of sugar. People say they like sugar, but feed them a bowl and most people won't be happy. There's too much of her, too much sugar, and she drowns out the other elements in the narrative.