A Part, and yet Apart

[JeniLinsky]

I've been playing the 2.* MSQ, trying to get an alternate character to the point she can access Ishgard. A couple of things have struck me as I played through it.

1) Alphinaud is a prick. He muscles his way into the structure of the Scions, takes over Minfilia's role as communicant to the movers and shakers of Eorzea, and treats the Warrior of Light as his own, personal errand girl. He feels no apparent shame at evesdropping outside Minfilia's door, or bursting through said door when someone says something interesting. He puts together a private army, answerable to no one, and then loses control over it (and who didn't see that coming? (Well, okay; I didn't... I expected him to betray us all, and turn out to be the villain behind the scenes of everything)). If I could toss one person off the high bridge in Highbridge, it would be Alphinaud. If I could toss two people off, Illbred (Ilberd) would join him on his journey to the bottom.

2) Of the primary Scions with whom we interact, the inner circle are apparently all Sharlayans, save only Minfilia (who has the snooty accent, but not the tatoos) and us. (Unless your personal headcannon backstory has you from Sharlayan, in which case, never mind). This creates a sort of distancing effect, where we, the Warrior of Light, is treated as a dumb weapon, not smart enough to understand the complicated talk of the grownups. I've grown to hate them all.

3) In the lead up to the instanced fight on Ishgard's bridge, behind the Gates of Judgement, there's a meeting of the inner circle of the Scions, including us. The group decides as a whole to get involved in the Ishgard-Dravania war. Then Minfilia turns to us, and says, "It's a dangerous road, but I hope you'll walk it with us to the end."

Wait... what? Wasn't I just right here, helping decide that we were going to do this? And isn't "we" in this case mostly me making with the sticking the weapons into dragons? Why would she need to reconfirm my participation? Unless, of course, she really sees us as an outsider. A Scion in name, but not in fact. A weapon with an inconvenient mind of her own.

4) Although we recruit Alphinaud's private little army, no one offers us a uniform, or even a pot of ultramarine dye.

The Scions use us, but they don't include us.

[CyrilLucifer]

Well, since you said alt, I assume you've done Heavensward already. But in case others haven't, here's my spoiler warning.

I, too, was uncomfortable and annoyed with Alphinaud's rather arrogant actions in 2.X. He was really starting to grate me. I think I finally forgave him by the time Ravana rolled around and Estinien was making jokes about he worried like a maid about you. I also appreciated him trying to learn the more physical jobs, like gathering firewood.

The whole "use but don't include" does seem to be a bit of a plot point. It's mentioned specifically by Thordan that you are everyone's tool. Also, note that when Minfilia leaves at the end of those particular 2.55 events, she saves you not because you are a friend or a fellow scion, but because, and this is a direct quote: you are hope. I wouldn't be surprised if the idea that you are simply everyone's weapon/tool was expanded on at a later point. Beyond the whole DRK quest set, that is, which already shows the WoL's reaction to it, rather than the Scions'.

That being said, Minfilia and you do seem to hold your private meetings together, discussing the Echo and its implications when no one else is around. She considers you emotional support, as well. I'd say your relationship with Minfilia was developing well, but I definitely agree that I didn't really feel it as deeply with everyone else before Heavensward, which put more emphasis on your relationship with your companions.

[JeniLinsky]

Yes; C'mell has gotten through all current MSQ stuff. It's funny... when I was doing the 2.* stuff at C'mell, it seemed to come in dribs and drabs, with long pauses between. Doing them on my alt, however, has me thinking, "Gee whiz, batman! Doesn't this ever end?!"

[Kaiser-Ace]

Alphinode was always annoyingly pretentious (Glade Eistenian busted his reinfliting bubble in 3.0 because I certainly would of if given the choice)

As far as Minfilia, I think subbtle changes may be between Male/Female dialog (or maybe it's just me) but Minfilia seems to Lean on the MC alot starting in 2.2 after the first encounter with Elidibus in 2.1. So she at least sees us as a cofidant if not a friend.

Thancred seems to back you up alot after you save him because we saved his ass big time.

And Y'shtola seems to have grown a sense of awe towards us as of 3.0's conclusion.

Yda being the Ditz she is and Papalymo putting up with her all the time seems to make them alot more relaxed and friendly.

And Uriange (as a legacy player at least) seems to almost KNOW we're the same WoL from Cartenou.

Also, as a DRG, I loved the "We Got This Bro" vibe Eistenian has in certain CSs.

[Cilia]

Just to rebut:

1. Alphinaud isn't really a prick IMO. He's hungry for glory and proud, but he has the best intentions at heart (though you know what they say about good intentions). While he does kind of force his way into the narrative, it's after the Garlean raid and most of the Scions are being held captive or at a loss as to what to do - and Alphinaud steps up to the plate to pull everyone together and keep the mission alive. The problem is that, aside from his pride, he never really steps down; after Minfilia and co. are rescued he continues to play the diplomat, to the point he is almost the de facto leader of the Scions with his Crystal Braves. Well, pride before the fall...

2. Correct; most of the Scions are Sharlayan. This goes back to 1.x, where Minfilia led the Path of the Twelve and Louisoix the Circle of Knowing; the former was mostly native Eorzeans, while the latter was a group of Sharlayan mavericks who came to Eorzea to try and prepare people for the Calamity. In the aftermath of the Calamity and Louisoix's "death," the two groups merged into the Scions of the Seventh Dawn we know today. Given there were far fewer prominent NPCs that were members of the Path of the Twelve, well... it's not surprising most of the Scions hail from Sharlayan.

They do all treat you like a dumb weapon though, something your shadow points out following the climactic confrontation of the DRK 50 quest. (Well, more like everyone treats you like that, but...) Lots of characters point this out; while he might be a total dirtbag, Ilberd is correct when he says that others are just using you as a tool. That hits a bit close to home, especially if you've done the DRK 50 quest.

3. Yeah, they include you in the discussion, but I figured they were letting you back out if you so chose. They don't want you to feel obligated, I don't think, though we of course are because we're that kind of hero. And, of course, being the singular most skilled combatant we are going to be doing the lion's share of the fighting. If we do nothing we will indirectly be responsible for the razing of Ishgard; if we help out, we're just someone's tool to be used and disposed of when we're no longer convenient to use. Ah, the dilemma of playing the hero...

4. Yeah, I totes wanted a Crystal Braves uniform too. Those things must be super-expensive or cost a lot to dry clean, or something.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: we aren't the real protagonist of XIV. That role shifts around and is carried by various people. We're just muscle, a tool to make sure things others want to happen comes to pass. We're not really an outsider to the Scions, at least not after the conclusion of 2.0 but we are not part of the inner circle beyond our use as an unstoppable force to point at threats.

... man, playing DRK really makes you see the ugly truths you'd rather avert your eyes from.

[Yaichiro]

Alphinaud acknowledged his misgivings and that he was getting ahead of himself at the end of ARR and post Heavensward. Unlike other scions you're the warrior of light an ancient legend existed to thwart enemies and save people so in an essence you're the hope and perhaps the tool for them that will be used to save them. If you're interested about that you might want to play dark knight quests until level 50 quest which shed some light on your true feeling of becoming the warrior of light and people attitude towards you.

What is really interesting is what king Thordan said in the last quest of Heavensward questioning your existence and the power you hold. My theory on this is that you're actually the manifestation of what the Ascians trying to summon or worship but in its premature form and that's why you're being totally passive only to rise as a damned god of destruction.

[PogueX]

Alphinaud views the warrior of light as his own hitman. Whose goal is to create a united Eorzean under a dictatorship. I like how he tries to convince the alliance to save Ishgard from Vishap only to be shot down by Merlwyb that the companies responsibilities are to their own nations, then the alliance, then everything else. Then, soon after that he gets mad at Aerymic for Ishgards neutral policy knowing full well that Aerymic has no say in their policies.


i actually thought that Alphinaud would be the scion traitor but it turned out to be someone else, cause when your trying to create Eorzean under one banner to me that sounds like a Garlean Empire conspiracy,

I also remember Minfilla mentioning that Alphinaud is a scion in training still! So in other words, a guy who isn't even an official scion has usurp all authority and is using the scions for his own personal goals

Thats Evil....that's almost Chaotic Evil!

[Kaiser-Ace]

Alphinaud views the warrior of light as his own hitman. Whose goal is to create a united Eorzean under a dictatorship. I like how he tries to convince the alliance to save Ishgard from Vishap only to be shot down by Merlwyb that the companies responsibilities are to their own nations, then the alliance, then everything else. Then, soon after that he gets mad at Aerymic for Ishgards neutral policy knowing full well that Aerymic has no say in their policies.


i actually thought that Alphinaud would be the scion traitor but it turned out to be someone else, cause when your trying to create Eorzean under one banner to me that sounds like a Garlean Empire conspiracy,

I also remember Minfilla mentioning that Alphinaud is a scion in training still! So in other words, a guy who isn't even an official scion has usurp all authority and is using the scions for his own personal goals

Thats Evil....that's almost Chaotic Evil!

It's lawful evil at worst actually. Kefka, Sephiroth, and Kuja were Chaotic Evil and wanted to destroy and conquer simply for the sake of it. Lawful Evil was Caius Ballad and even FF14's own Gaius van Baelsar who know what they were doing was wrong but deeped "The End Goal" to be worth the atrocities.

Alphinaud until half way into 3.0 wouldn't even fit on the spectrum because it's too Naive, Childish, and Idealistic to see even part of the situation let alone all of it. (Until Alphinaud walks in, Minfilia was doing an extremely good job at maintaining international Neutrality till he F-ed it up with the Crystal Braves.) Honestly the only good decision he made was convincing Minfilia to move the HQ to Mor Dohna, and that was as much us and Urainge talking her into it as Alphinaud going "Well she wont listen to me, time to call HER mother to talk some since into her" which is as childish of an action as it is in writing. Though locating F'lahamine was undoubtedly a good thing for Minfilia (And an answer to a long wonder question for 1.0 Ul'dahens like me) it was still a dick move of Alphinaud to use he mother as a bargaining chip to take advantage of Minfilia.

Ya know, the more I think of this, the more I realise he's my least favorite Scion as well. Tataru need to hurry up and find Thancred and Minfilia so I can see my Ul'dah peeps again.

[Heavensword]

You think MSQ in pre-HW content is bad, it gets worse after you unlock Ishgard. Whole story can be summarized as such:

NPC-in-distress: B-B-B-But, there's Primals...
Alphy: Primals? Did you just say, "Primals"? No problem! I can handle it! *dog whistle*
*Your character runs over*
Alphy: Alright, slave-I mean, er, "friend"! There's a new Primal, you know what to do... *grins and unlocks Duty Finder*
You:...
You: *SIGH* FINE! I'll be back in 10 mins.... *whimper and queue for DF*

[MilesSaintboroguh]

Alphinaud is a Wide-Eyed Idealist; he has the heart and is doing the right thing, but as others said, he is too inexperienced and sheltered to really know how things work and he figured what he had at the time of 2.X was enough. Remember the meeting in 2.5 where he throws a fit over the leaders refusing to aid Ishgard? His ego and foolishness was getting the better of him and he thought the city states were being petty because of how Ishgard snubbed everyone in the past.


Alphinaud is basically the typical JRPG hero who thinks doing the right thing and inspiring everyone to help the cause is the way to do things and it took a big fat slice of humble pie to bring him down to reality.