DRK as Warrior of Light - What is your reasoning

[TinyRedLeaf]

What a coincidence that this thread pops up just after I finished my Drk50 quest.

The DRK quest to 50 made me really want to watch Fight Club.

I'm not surprised.

Tyler Durden is to the "everyman" what Fray is to the Warrior of Light: the Ubermensch shorn of the social morals that hold him back from achieving his full potential.

So I've been thinking about the DRK being the WoL and it seems a bit contradictory... I still struggle a bit with reconciling the fact that we draw power from the abyss while we are the WoL. So I was curious as to how others saw that fact and what their conclusions are.

I also think that the abyss that Sidurgu refers to is not the same as the Void from where the Ascians come from, so that helps. It's more of a metaphorical thing, almost in the Nietzschean sense.

As Cilia explained, the "darkside" is not evil per se, nor is the Void itself. It's the pain, suffering and resentment that the WoL has suppressed within himself, in a heroic act of self-sacrifice. It's also a reference to the WoL's repressed desire to be free from the burden of being the people's champion — an unspoken wish to be rid of obligations to others, and focus instead on his own goals.

These are deep-seated emotions that have been bottled up inside for so long, that once they find an outlet, they explode with ferocious force. That, at least, is how I interpret the "darkside" in the context of FFXIV.

In a way, the "darkside" is similar to the "inner beast" that warriors tap for their powers. It's all about channelling the WoL's less genteel emotions.

I don't RP or anything, but I like my characters to be consistent with in-game lore, so I'm looking forward to any insight you might provide.

Now that I've finally unlocked Drk50, I can easily see why the Drk30 to 50 storyline has been so popular with many players. I also wouldn't be surprised if it's in fact S-E's response to feedback that the WoL is too much of a goody two-shoes. So, from a lore perspective, the Dark Knight is definitely a godsend to role-players who long to take on the persona of a "flawed" hero.

From a broader perspective, the Dark Knight's quest line is probably the closest one in tone to the overall Heavensward story, where major characters like Ysayle, Estinien and Alphinaud have had to grapple with their inner demons. Being a dark knight, then, also allows the WoL to live out his own demons.

I don't think it's a coincidence, for example, that there's a growing awareness among other characters, of just how much the WoL is taken for granted. It's become an inside joke of sorts that the WoL would stoically shoulder any responsibilty, no matter how menial or onerous. Well, by role-playing as a dark knight, you don't have to be a Gary Stu or Mary Sue any more! You have a valid, in-game reason to go Fight Club on any person who pisses you off!

Eorzeans have more reasons now to fear soap!