Awfully weak story... or is it? [WARNING:SPOILERS]

[ashikenshin]

I want to be part of the empire. I wish this game was released with a empire faction. I would have joined that in a heartbeat, don't care if it loses in the end.

[BlueMage]

I want to be part of the empire. I wish this game was released with a empire faction. I would have joined that in a heartbeat, don't care if it loses in the end.

Better to fight and lose for a cause and leader you believe in, than win and ensure the status-quot rule of a bunch of dictator-nobles in the city states.

[yukikaze_yanagi]

Better to fight and lose for a cause and leader you believe in, than win and ensure the status-quot rule of a bunch of dictator-nobles in the city states.

A dictator vs another dictator, but one you BELIEVE IN ! Cool. You have a bit of confusion in your head.

[BlueMage]

A dictator vs another dictator, but one you BELIEVE IN ! Cool. You have a bit of confusion in your head.

Its always better to fight for the leader you choose than the leader you don't - but I guess that's CrAzY tAlK!

[yukikaze_yanagi]

Its always better to fight for the leader you choose than the leader you don't - but I guess that's CrAzY tAlK!

No. It's crazy beliveing in a dictator to begin with.
Side note: the admiral use the iron fist not because it's a tyrant per se, but because it's the only way to organize a bunch of cut throats who until yesterday did all the fuck they wanted without any control. Limsa it's a cove of pirates, don't forget it. The maelstrom it's there to give them order.

The dark mothercrystal is Zodiark.

This is stated where ? In turn 5 ? If so, i have still to clear it.

[BlueMage]

No. It's crazy beliveing in a dictator to begin with.
Side note: the admiral use the iron fist not becaus it's a tyrant per se, but because it's the only way to organize a bunch of cut throats who until yesterday did all the fuck they wantede wanted without any control. Limsa it's a cove of pirates, don't forget it. The maelstrom it's there to give them order.

Yet you're the one who believes in a dictator: the admiral.

I'm just pointing out that Gaius uses the same justification as Admiral: establishing order.

[yukikaze_yanagi]

Yet you're the one who believes in a dictator: the admiral.

I'm just pointing out that Gaius uses the same justification as Admiral: establishing order.

Ok, good. What's your point then ? I clearly stated in my very first post Gaius is not "evil" but on a different fence. It's not a monodimentional villain, he have a good side like a bad side. Still, we are on different sides, and such we are enemies.

since i'm italian, i'll make an hystorical reference: Mussolini. It did lots of good things: reclaim swamps, giving jobs, , food, building structures. Still, he was a crueless men, who negated every opposition by the force, he endorsed the racial laws of Hitles, he indoctrinated (like the garleans) the new generations to believe the fascism was good and invincible. Since he made good thing too, then this negate all the bad he did ?

[Kayokane]

Yet you're the one who believes in a dictator: the admiral.

a dictator who got her position by winning a boat race, and can easily lose it in the next :3

'Til sea swallows all!

[Kallera]

Yet you're the one who believes in a dictator: the admiral.

I'm just pointing out that Gaius uses the same justification as Admiral: establishing order.

Merlwyb isn't threatening the homes, culture and livelihoods of the players. If you're looking for pure utopias of immaculate ideals, you're not going to find one on Hydaelyn, and most utopias don't stand under scrutiny anyway.

So, yes, there are poor people, there are criminals, there are bastards and thieves. That's no excuse to destroy everything we hold dear, and that's what the empire represents to Eorzea: an outsider forcing the destruction of peoples' lives into a culture of conformity.

To use an American perspective, imagine a person running for the presidency, promising to eliminate unemployment, hunger, fix the roads and make it a stronger country, but to do all that, he must do away with the constitution and bill of rights.I'm not saying its impossible, but the circumstances would have to be nigh post-apocalyptic, and even then hope of restoration may still see him lose.

Hope is a plague to a man like Gaius, he is a min-maxer at heart who doesn't see people, he sees tools, and calls them defective or not. I couldn't respect a god with such an outlook, what chance does Gaius have?

[Alberel]

This is stated where ? In turn 5 ? If so, i have still to clear it.

It's not actually stated anywhere. Like I said, most of it is implied. Lahabrea reveals Zodiark to be the Ascian god and then your character suddenly sees a dark crystal much like Hydaelyn (whom we know IS a god)... the scene structure just heavily implies that crystal to be Zodiark, especially given that the Ascians are directly opposed to Hydaelyn.

Most of the lore in FFXIV is told through subtleties and inferences; it's the best way to explore lore in my opinion but it also means you have to connect the dots yourself most of the time.