The Griffin

[Theodric]

Yeah, I'm hoping there's more to the next expansion than just slaying Garleans at every turn. I'd like to believe that there will be more Ivalice style intrigue as the plot moves forward but the game seems to shy away from ever taking the leaps required to achieve that. A prominent example is Nanamo's apparent demise. It was reversed and then aside from Teledji being killed pretty much everybody else ended up being perfectly fine. Other than Minfilia...who likely would have run off and helped Hydaelyn no matter the circumstances. Even Raubahn who lost an arm can still fight perfectly well - so we miss out on seeing him humbled and forced to adjust to his condition. Y'shtola is 'blind' but can pretty much see perfectly (and apparently is killing herself slowly but so slowly that it's unlike to result in her demise anytime soon). Thancred can't use magic but...has no problem leaping through the air and blocking a sword or axe with a dagger on three separate occasions.

I don't want the Garleans to be portrayed as weak. Or so cruel that they're hard to sympathise with. Regula seems like a pretty decent guy - there's an honour to him similar to Gaius and his loyalty to his people, homeland and Emperor is quite refreshing when the other Garleans we've seen so far have mostly been defectors. I also hope that they don't just introduce sympathetic Garleans purely to kill them off - like they just did with the Warriors of Darkness. I'm cautiously optimistic that the Ala Mhigans will be painted in a pretty terrible light given how extreme their methods are but that means little if the plot just has the Garleans resort to even more dubious methods.

With that said...I'd prefer this 'Griffin' to be Ilberd rather than Gaius. Let Gaius rest in peace or if he does return then don't tarnish him further by having him consort with an Ascian yet again when it brought about his destruction last time. Plus if he turns against Elidibus then it's just regurgitating the Archbishop's plot point.