Love for the female characters

[Gemina]

Given how the Empire has acted, they don't seem care about other customs, laws, demographics, political influences. As I said, Ala Mhigo was controlled by the same leader and both cultures were alien to the Empire. By showing the people of Ala Mhigo there was no hope under the Empire through citizenship, they assured that the Empire could not hold that country forever, which is extremely bad administration. By putting show the people of Doma that there was no hope under the Empire by appointing Yotsuyu as Viceroy, they assured that the Empire could not hold that country forever, which is extremely bad administration. If Yotsuyu is just trying to kill everyone anyway, then what's the point of customs and law?

That's Zenos' doing. He doesn't represent the empire as a whole. He is powerful, feared, and heir to the throne. No one inside the empire is going to challenge him if they think his methods are futile. Except Varis, but he likely saw the opportunities with appointing a domestic ruler over Doma so let it slide. Inserting Yotsuyu almost worked. Before we come along, Domans were hopeless and had no desire to fight for their freedom. A big mistake the empire/Yotsuyu made was not making sure Hien was dead. So long as he lives, so does the will of Doma. So you are correct that the Empire would not be able to hold onto Doma indefinitely, but it wasn't by appointing Yotsuyu per se. Would a Garlean viceroy have made sure to follow through with Doma's complete fall? Possibly. It's really tough to say.

[Beckett]

Alisaie's popularity has skyrocketed since Stormblood. For many, she's now the favorite main story character.
Yotsuyu has gotten tons of fanart. Far more than characters like Hien.
I feel like I can't go a week without seeing a "Bring back Hilda!" post.

Personally, I like Alphinaud, but I've seen at least as many posts complaining about him as I've seen complaints about Minfilia.
It may be popular to take jabs at certain characters, but generally I think FFXIV does a great job of giving us good and interesting characters, female and male both.

[Anselmet]

Excuse me op, but you forgot about best girl Alisaie. Y'shtola cant even hold candle against her. Fight me forums.

[Vahlnir]

Excuse me op, but you forgot about best girl Alisaie. Y'shtola cant even hold candle against her. Fight me forums.

She has probably had the most character development out of everyone but...eh. I think my problem is that I can't really find a character that I absolutely love. In WoW there is/was a lot of memorable characters that actually have/had some depth. It wasn't hard to say "I love that man/woman, they're so cool!" I just don't see that level of depth in FF XIV. Think the main problem is that WoW's characters tend to have a metric crap ton of backstory and lore behind just about everyone. FF XIV doesn't have anywhere near as much to go off of yet. In all fairness the game could probably be considered young. Gosetsu is, at least to me, the most interesting character this game has currently that isn't our enemy. I like him, I really do. But like everyone else it's hard to become invested. I have a strong preference for strong female characters (either physically or mentally, both is a huge plus) and have an actual personality, and I'm sorta just...waiting for the ideal character to show.

[purgatori]

She has probably had the most character development out of everyone but...eh. I think my problem is that I can't really find a character that I absolutely love. In WoW there is/was a lot of memorable characters that actually have/had some depth. It wasn't hard to say "I love that man/woman, they're so cool!" I just don't see that level of depth in FF XIV. Think the main problem is that WoW's characters tend to have a metric crap ton of backstory and lore behind just about everyone. FF XIV doesn't have anywhere near as much to go off of yet. In all fairness the game could probably be considered young. Gosetsu is, at least to me, the most interesting character this game has currently that isn't our enemy. I like him, I really do. But like everyone else it's hard to become invested. I have a strong preference for strong female characters (either physically or mentally, both is a huge plus) and have an actual personality, and I'm sorta just...waiting for the ideal character to show.

The unfortunate thing is that some of the side characters in the game get more development than the main cast, simply because the main cast is (usually) just orbiting around the WoL while she/he saves the world for the umpteenth time (if that makes it sound like I dislike the MSQ, nothing could be farther from the truth, but I do think it's an accurate reflection of the status quo). What I'd love to see is some kind of system related to Trusts that let you develop greater affinity with prominent characters by doing quests/activities with/for them in return for battle boosts and, crucially, more insight into their motivations, backstories, etc. etc. Something like SWtOR's companion system would be amazing for FFXIV.

I don't think that has a snowball's chance of ever happening, though.

[Iscah]

...or at least we are very capable of exhibiting the behavior of savages. What else would you call it when the WoL goes ham on the Heavensward guard and bathing him/herself in blood?

I'm pretty sure we were forced to fight these guys to prevent them from destroying the world as we know it. Can't recall the "bathing in blood" bit either.

Rielle (WAAAAAH HUG HER PROTECT HER)
Merlwyb (ARMORER QUESTS NEED I SAY MORE)

Spoiler for DRK quests:

I know she's cute and all, but she literally ordered Sidurgu to execute her own mother. Justified or not, she's not some sweet little angel.

Also Merlwyb in the armorer quest annoyed me. Testing armour by shooting actual people who are wearing it?!?! That just seems all sorts of reckless, and possibly not what metal armour is actually going to protect you against. It doesn't make her seem cool, it makes her seem like a terrible leader who is willing to risk people's lives for the sake of a demonstration.

If the Empire never valued Yotsuyu, they never would have given the position of Viceroy to a "barbarian". She had direct command over Imperial forces so it goes beyond the Empire just using her for a primal.

I don't think it was "the Empire" that valued her, just Zenos that was impressed with her. (See her chapter of Tales From the Storm.)

"When Ala Mhigo was under the command of Gaius van Baelsar, he appointed Fordola and other Ala Mhigans born from digitaries as honorary citizens of the empire by serving in the Garlean militant group known as the Cania Lupi." - https://finalfantasy.fandom.com/wiki/Fordola_rem_Lupis

While not technically a full citizen, Fordola was more of a citizen of the Empire then Yotsuyu whom was not even born under Imperial rule or even granted honorary citizenship. Even in the wiki, Fordola is listed as a Garlean citizen, while Yotsuyu is not.
https://finalfantasy.fandom.com/wiki...rlean_citizens

The wiki is fan-written though, and I haven't used it for lore reference myself but I've seen people saying it's inaccurate. It would be dependent on people's interpretation of the plot, and not all information is guaranteed to be on there. (eg. Did Fordola get added to the list of Garlean citizens by someone who was only thinking about her? Was Yotsuyu on the list at some point but removed by someone who disagreed?)

I feel like I can't go a week without seeing a "Bring back Hilda!" post.

More people need to play the Lv60-70 MCH quests then. She hasn't left the story at all, she just changed tracks.

[Edax]

I'm pretty sure we were forced to fight these guys to prevent them from destroying the world as we know it. Can't recall the "bathing in blood" bit either.

I don't think it was "the Empire" that valued her, just Zenos that was impressed with her. (See her chapter of Tales From the Storm.)

The wiki is fan-written though, and I haven't used it for lore reference myself but I've seen people saying it's inaccurate. It would be dependent on people's interpretation of the plot, and not all information is guaranteed to be on there. (eg. Did Fordola get added to the list of Garlean citizens by someone who was only thinking about her? Was Yotsuyu on the list at some point but removed by someone who disagreed?)

If the "Empire" didn't value her and only Zenos, then nobody in the Empire would have followed her orders. In fact she'd probably would have been quickly assassinated since her very existence as Viceroy flew in the face of what the Imperials believed. The Empire is clearly willing to assassinate it's own given what's happened in 4.4. The will of the Empire and the will of Zenos cannot contradict too much or else the two would be in conflict. Few people throw away their ideology for the sake of nepotism.

As for the wiki, I have no idea what it's history is.

[Gemina]

I'm pretty sure we were forced to fight these guys to prevent them from destroying the world as we know it. Can't recall the "bathing in blood" bit either.

They're all dead. Sure, the bathing in blood might be a bit imaginative but there's still twelve of them. Do you think they all dropped from internal injuries? How else do you imagine things ending for 12 elite guard as determined to win as you are? And forced is subjective depending on your own version of the WoL. You might have felt that way, but unlike a typical primal slaying, I was happy to savagely give each and every one of them a steel justice.

[Kazhim]

Did we play the same game?

Yes, and i still maintain that Minfillia and Lyse are the worst caracter of the game, i dont think it is a question of male of female, Van balsear was also veryyyyyyyyyyyy badddddddddddd wrote.
Problem, Balsaer dead so no one care,
But have to see the two other that we speak about.

Sorry, but Minfilia was useless at all plan, she does nothing, give order, do not research, do not take frontline, we dont even know why she do all this , she is here stand and wait we kill the primordial for her.

ANd pretty same for Lyse, which worst, because she is useless, she is written like a dumb american girl turist speaking when we dont ask her mind, dont respect the other npc we can meet, she has no knowledge on anything, she is crying every time "why why why" and when she take the head of the rebellion, this is a joke, a really big joke, a wise man would never name her at head of the rebellion. I will list you the caracter who did something
Your hero (dungeon, big boss and so on)
Raubhan and Pippin Leading tactic
Lousoix childs diplomatic and planification decision.
Gosetsu , died for his lord, and journey accross the world for him.
The shinobi woman (i dont have her name) who lead his people to Eorzea and was pretty activ in the issues of ARR HW
and an infinite liste of very secondary caracter male or female, who did something.

This is note hate, we complain about to make those two caracter so important in the story, with a so bad writting (and cloth too) like they look two idiot blond.

When do we see Lyse act? Punch Fordola, and?
And that all, she did nothing rest of the time , she spoke spoke spoke, to who would like to hear her. Really i even skip her scene.

I meant Fordola got more deserve to be a leader for rebellion, and also she was a really strong willed woman. I really regret than she was only an opponent, and didnt become more important, but i like her , her way of thinking, her bravery, her way to assumer her mistake.

The question is not male or female, but more the writing, no luck for those two, they are girl, blond, and share same default, i dont know who write them, but he deserve some slaps. Also there is several other caracter bad wrote, but as they dont have major role, we forget them.

at end of SB, i m sorry, but seeing The new leader of Isghard (forgot his name too) who fought dragon, put an end to a big war, destroyed the monoteism rule, and so on, see this guy behind her like if he was just a random npc, this is really unfair, Ok he didnt free Ala Migo, but he got more deserve than this useless Lyse will never have as ruler.

[Kacho_Nacho]

I really have a soft spot for Tataru and have enjoyed every interaction with her in the story.