Is anyone else dying to get to Garlemald?

[Cilia]

---

Don't be too hard on yourself. This was the product of a long-smoldering disagreement and SE providing tinder with an expansion's story centered around the Empire being the villains antagonists turned it into a conflagration. I fully anticipated such a thing happening, and being totally honest was hopeful it would so the issue could be put to a decisive end. Instead we just ended up beating the same old trail because Zenos dismissed Imperial philosophy.

The difference between Eorzea and the Garlean Empire is that the Eorzeans don't try to forcefully impose their belief systems on the Empire. Eorzea was totally fine leaving the Empire to its own devices, even after the fall of Ala Mhigo, until the Empire tried to invade. That is where the conflict comes from. Our every battle against the Empire has been in self-defense - even Rhalgr's Beacon, unless you believe Zenos would not have answered the incident on Baelsar's Wall with blood and fire.

The ironic thing is that in trying to do good, the Empire has done nothing but made everything worse. The road to Hell is paved with good intentions, after all.

Zenos was unsympathetic for 99% of the story, but I admit I felt some twinge of sympathy for him in his final moments. I have my own psychological shortcoming that makes it difficult to make friends as well, and having moved around a lot never developed a deep bond or friendship with anyone. Still have that problem. Woulda saved him if I could.

Nobody's endorsing the dismantling of the Empire or the death of all its citizens. They just want to stop being threatened with invasions and genocide. That's all they really ask for.