Thread: 3.5/4.0 Speculation & Discussion (Spoilers)

It's also implied, but never stated, that the Garlean race as a whole does all it does to compensate for being disadvantaged on a genetic level compared to the other races of Hydaelyn. They didn't become technologically advanced for the sake of Evil™, they did it because they had to. They make the best airships because travel is a lot more complicated for them without being able to hop between Aetherytes. Their mechs are so advanced because they can't make golems, arcanima, etc. Even their advanced weaponry exists to make up for their inability to use even the simplest attack magic.

Originally Posted by Fenral

It's also implied, but never stated, that the Garlean race as a whole does all it does to compensate for being disadvantaged on a genetic level compared to the other races of Hydaelyn. They didn't become technologically advanced for the sake of Evil™, they did it because they had to. They make the best airships because travel is a lot more complicated for them without being able to hop between Aetherytes. Their mechs are so advanced because they can't make golems, arcanima, etc. Even their advanced weaponry exists to make up for their inability to use even the simplest attack magic.

While it's true that their inablility to use Aether has been an extreme disadvantage, it doesn't really justify their aggressive conquest, oppression and the atrocities they commited. They aren't evil because of Magitech. They are reckless with the use of it and consider applications which can be considered pretty evil but the Magitech itself isn't evil. However forcing women to work as 'comfort women' for Garlean soldiers is a very hard thing to try and justify.

The biggest issue is the fact that several of the worst atrocities have been allowed or even sanctioned by people with authority. There is no question that the Garleans as a nation have done some very bad things and that is one of the reason we are going to end up fighting them. However this doesn't mean that such behaviour is all there is to the Garlean people and that many Garlean's wouldn't be horrified by such stories. Do remember there are factions within Garlean politics.