Is it weird that I like Zenos as a villain?

[MetalSnakeXI1]

When I mentioned him being my second favorite villain in XIV right behind Gaius(Both really are some of my favorite villains in the FF series),people seemed to raise an eyebrow and wonder why.

I mean it's ok if you don't like the character,I just didn't know it's an oddity to like him tho.

It's just me tho but personally I love the build up to his encounter,how he immediately establishes his presence and might the moment you encounter him for the first time in Rhalgar's Reach.And while sure Square could've composed a different theme,I love how they used the White Raven's(Nael Van Darnus) theme for him personally.

And my god his voice actor did such an amazing job with how much HAM he puts into the voice especially in the scene before the battle with Shinryu

Again that's just me and my weird taste and people probably have justifiable reasons not to like the character,I just felt like I was one of the very few minority who did when I first mentioned him

[Vahlnir]

I think he's a decent villain, but his voice should have been much deeper imo.

[MetalSnakeXI1]

I think he's a decent villain, but his voice should have been much deeper imo.

I think it was fine for his age since he seemed late 20s to mid 30s from my perspective.

I haven't heard how his voiced fared in Japanese and other languages(assuming there are more than English and Japanese dubs)

[Vahlnir]

I think it was fine for his age since he seemed late 20s to mid 30s from my perspective.

I haven't heard how his voiced fared in Japanese and other languages(assuming there are more than English and Japanese dubs)

His JP voice is only slightly deeper but definitely similar. Admittedly, I like the JP voice more because he doesn't sound like a sniveling imperial brat.

[Berteaux_Braumegain]

I enjoyed the ham and how he embodies all of the stereotypical edgelord tropes (katanas, teleporting behind you, etc.).

He was pretty funny, but in an enjoyable way rather than a "Haha this is terrible" way. The build up to his fight was neat, too. Ala Mhigo isn't my favorite dungeon, but it's up there.

[Soge01]

I liked him! I was dig characters like him who just trounce the main protagonist and co and puts them in their place. I actually wish to know more about Zenos and if a gunblader job class were ever established in FFXIV, I'd hope to his gear will be added to the game as glamour so I could dress up like him. Heck, I'd go so far as to make a character as close as I can get to his appearance if all that happened.

[Berteaux_Braumegain]

I liked him! I was dig characters like him who just trounce the main protagonist and co and puts them in their place. I actually wish to know more about Zenos and if a gunblader job class were ever established in FFXIV, I'd hope to his gear will be added to the game as glamour so I could dress up like him. Heck, I'd go so far as to make a character as close as I can get to his appearance if all that happened.

I want all of the named Garleans to have their armor available as gearsets.

[MetalSnakeXI1]

I liked him! I was dig characters like him who just trounce the main protagonist and co and puts them in their place. I actually wish to know more about Zenos and if a gunblader job class were ever established in FFXIV, I'd hope to his gear will be added to the game as glamour so I could dress up like him. Heck, I'd go so far as to make a character as close as I can get to his appearance if all that happened.

Wish they would add Garleans as a playable race.....problem is Garleans can't use magic normally

[Edax]

I liked him! I was dig characters like him who just trounce the main protagonist and co and puts them in their place. I actually wish to know more about Zenos and if a gunblader job class were ever established in FFXIV, I'd hope to his gear will be added to the game as glamour so I could dress up like him. Heck, I'd go so far as to make a character as close as I can get to his appearance if all that happened.

I thought that was dumb. Even Captain Madison from Sastasha can trounce the player if they fought him mono e mono. The game from the very start has conditioned us to fight bosses with a party, so having to fight a tough boss one on one establishes nothing.


And it's a stereotypical anime villain setup. "I'm so powerful, I don't have to care." Or "Your 1000 years too early to face me!" No reason for why he's powerful, no backstory for why he's so sadistic, no reason why he's got the loyalty of so many disloyal ashats. I can't even say he's two dimensional. Just another insane person that's been given power in the world because we needed a bad guy to do bad things.
"He's the most diplomatic man I've ever met! Promote him to Ambassador at once!" - Probably Zenos


Lady Iceheart made a better villain because she was three dimensional. She had motivations, beliefs and could be reasoned with. She wasn't all about power or destroying the world. Some may even debate if she was a villain. That's the mark of better writing.

[Berteaux_Braumegain]

I thought that was dumb. Even Captain Madison from Sastasha can trounce the player if they fought him mono e mono. The game from the very start has conditioned us to fight bosses with a party, so having to fight a tough boss one on one establishes nothing.


And it's a stereotypical anime villain setup. "I'm so powerful, I don't have to care." Or "Your 1000 years too early to face me!" No reason for why he's powerful, no backstory for why he's so sadistic, no reason why he's got the loyalty of so many disloyal ashats. I can't even say he's two dimensional. Just another insane person that's been given power in the world because we needed a bad guy to do bad things.
"He's the most diplomatic man I've ever met! Promote him to Ambassador at once!" - Probably Zenos


Lady Iceheart made a better villain because she was three dimensional. She had motivations, beliefs and could be reasoned with. She wasn't all about power or destroying the world. Some may even debate if she was a villain. That's the mark of better writing.

We're given a reason why he's powerful, though. It's the Resonant. Remember how Fordola could auto-predict attacks coming her way by virtue of her magic eye? Same reason Zenos is basically untouchable until the level gap closes. That's why Yugiri trying to assassinate him failed.

It's not really ever said one way or another, but I'd be inclined to believe that Zenos has the Resonant active 100% of the time whenever he's out and about with his helmet on.