The Great Betrayal!

[Duelle]

Could be a Mystic Knight... They're associated a lot more with imbuing weapons with magic than Red Mage.

Begs to differ. >.>

Wanting someone dead because you find them annoying is a bad reason. You can easily shove a character to the sidelines without having to kill everyone for the sake of drama.

Except then the fans of said characters ask why they aren't used.

[Mahri]

Killing off characters is treading a fine line. It's really easy to alienate fans if you do it, and even if you're willing to take that risk, it has to be done with considerable finesse in order to uphold the quality of the writing and serve the overall narrative.

I'm gonna trot out the most obvious example ever (to a board about FF games): Aeris. This was a character death that was handled considerably well in narrative terms. Several things were established in advance of her demise: One, the hero was leaning on this character for emotional support, with other characters having been demonstrated as too recalcitrant (Tifa) or incapable for their own reasons (everyone else). Two, she was the only person who had an inkling of what precisely the real problem was that the heroes had ostensibly set out to resolve. Three, as a result of two, the villain perceived them as being the only true threat to their own goals. Her death kicked off the hero's breakdown that culminated in the revelation at the North Crater of just what precisely Cloud was and what he had been doing all along -- a story reveal that, if there can be said to be any real spoiler for Final Fantasy VII, was it. (But this isn't a spoiler to you because you've played FFVII, right guys? ......right?)

Anyway. That's food for thought on the kind of balancing act a writer should consider when killing off a character in a story of this genre. Different genres have different rules, of course. This is heroic fantasy/adventure. If you're writing horror or melodrama, the strategy is different, but there's still a strategy that competent writers stick to.

[KodiHivaer]

As I've said in another thread, Minfilia changes absolutely nothing in the story line and does nothing (Except whine about how louisoix isn't around to solve her problems) has no "real" purpose to the story except for being a useless plot device, I enjoy characters with development, which she has absolutely none at all.
In 1.0 she had more development, but it's as if M Night Shamylan took hold of the story and dumbed down the characters with even a smidgen of development and purpose to them.
She was actually a strong character that took initiative and even tested the player when they found out they had the echo.
Now she's just a bland, overused plot device (And boy do I hate the damsel in distress plot device as they tend to be worthless characters)
Minfilia does NOTHING to make me like her as a character at all, and that's what makes me dislike her, Yda and Papalymo have more life them, heck even Thancred!

[KodiHivaer]

I will just point out we still don't know why Ishgard alone is at war with the Dragons, there was a shield surrounding Ishard and the Ascians have a thing for that City-state.

On the other hand, Iceheart claims she is answering Hydaelin's call and sides with the Dragons.

All the while, Hydaelin has remained silent. Get ready for some nice revelations.

"Look to those who walked before, to lead those who walk after"

Iceheart probably misconstrued those words to think:

"The people before me did X so I should do X as well!"

[Mahri]

As I've said in another thread, Minfilia changes absolutely nothing in the story line and does nothing <snip>

I honestly have to agree with this. Minfilia is bland. We meet Thancred, and he's immediately established as a charismatic gentleman rogue. We meet Y'shtola, and we know we're dealing with a rich-spirited scholar. We meet Yda and Papalymo, and we know we have the archetypical pair of heroic foils. Likewise, the Grand Company leaders play to very recognizable archetypes while bringing a bit of flavor on their own to make you remember them.

Nothing so much, for Minfilia. She's a clear callback to Princess Hilda from FF2, but they stopped with the inspiration then and there, not taking any risks. They should have.

The 2.0 storyline, actually placing Thancred as the person in "distress", was a smart bit of writing, playing as it does with the conventions of heroic fantasy.

You see this guy and you have the immediate rapport you get when you watch a movie starring his character type -- instant win-over. We're conditioned to love that character, and even if you don't, you probably understand the appeal still. So, when he's kidnapped/possessed by Lahabrea, we've got a tasty baquet of drama and irony. You like him, so you want to help him. And here he is, the one you'd expect to swoop in and save the damsel, being the one in need of saving (and by the damsel, at that, should your character happen to be female!)

Minfilia is unimpressive in comparison to this. I truthfully can't think of how to salvage her. I know if I saw, say, Y'shtola stolen away in that trailer, I'd be all like, "HELL NO, YOU DIDN'T JUST TAKE MY LORECAT PAL" and be all pumped to run to the rescue. Instead it's Minfilia, and it's like, "oh, that's a thing that happens I guess".

[MilesSaintboroguh]

Minfilia is the figurehead/leader of the Scions. She's the brains of the group so naturally she isn't going to get her hands dirty. The city state leaders also do the same thing; stay behind in private to conjure up plans on what to do next, have the Grand Companies execute said plans, and instill hope in the people when times get rough. Whatever Square has planned for her, I'm sure they planned far ahead so they are not going to reveal everything at once. I also find it very odd this Minfilia hate is emerging now and not in any patch before it.

[Prototype909]

Minfilia is the figurehead/leader of the Scions. She's the brains of the group so naturally she isn't going to get her hands dirty. The city state leaders also do the same thing; stay behind in private to conjure up plans on what to do next, have the Grand Companies execute said plans, and instill hope in the people when times get rough. Whatever Square has planned for her, I'm sure they planned far ahead so they are not going to reveal everything at once. I also find it very odd this Minfilia hate is emerging now and not in any patch before it.

There's plenty of Minfillia hate if you look for it on this forum alone.

[Mahri]

Minfilia is the figurehead/leader of the Scions. <snip> I also find it very odd this Minfilia hate is emerging now and not in any patch before it.

It isn't hate, really. She could be a good character, but they just kinda squandered the opportunity. So really, it's disappointment. Feels like there may have even been more planned for her based on various early sketches in the art book, showing additional costumes and whatnot. They've got a very "Arabian Nights" vibe.

While I doubt that the devs ever actually planned for this, I'm imagining Minfilia completely replacing Thancred for all his stuff in the story, but with his attitude intact -- her theatrical dress style (both the final version and the harem-esque earlier designs) would lend itself well to a variety of dashing swashbuckler. Also, it would be fairly entertaining seeing a lady in that role.

There's ample evidence of the GC leaders getting mixed up things. Raubahn and Merlwyb, even if they don't get much by way of actual fight scenes, have extremely obvious bloody histories. Kan-E might as well be named "Galadriel".

Minfilia's only action scene is the one time she tried -- tried! -- throwing a punch at that one Ascian.

For chrissakes, lady, you were armed the entire time you were in Garlean captivity.

[Alexia89]

Begs to differ. >.>

That is a screenshot from the CGI sequence at the boot up of FFIII's remake. Does not depict gameplay- as red mage's have no such ability in that game
They CAN wield the Salamand Sword, which casts fire upon use.....

However

[Balipu]

I find Alisaie is much hotter than Milf-filia...

She has nice legs, but for me she looks way too much like Alphinaud. I mean only their ribbon distinguishes them.

Iceheart claims she is answering Hydaelin's call.

All the while, Hydaelin has remained silent.

Either Iceheart is lying, or Hydaelyn is pissed at us.

She's the brains of the group so naturally she isn't going to get her hands dirty.

Ahem, Alphinaud isn't a combat specialist either but still he moves out of his room and pretty much organises everything for the scions. Like the moving to Mor Dhona. Urianger is basically her secretary and still helps out during the escape from Livia. Cid, the mechanic? Fights alongside you in CM, mission controll in the Praetorium, Goes into Crystal Tower with you. Hell, even Tataru takes time to brew tea for the others and get extra money by mining.