Is Manderville Canon?

[Kayetiln]

Title covers the question!

[Hezzlocks]

Godbert Manderville owns the Gold Saucer, and he even makes a guest appearance in the main story quest, with Nanamo seeking his guidance on an important subject.

So, YES!

[Kemiko]

Wait, where did this come from? Are there sidequests that aren't canon?

[Kayetiln]

I misworded, damn me! I mean is the adventures of Hildebrand Manderville canon?

[m3eansean]

Hildebrand is love, Hildebrand is life. The questlines are an absolute requirement in the game.

[kidalutz]

Yes yes they are so basically stay on Hildys mother good side if you know whats good for us or Hydaelen will be needing a new WoL.

[Anonymoose]

You'll notice that even Godbert himself behaves differently if you compare the MSQ to the sidequests, so I maintain my original headcanon that there is a "Manderville Bubble" around those. Basically, if it's true within the game world, it's still true within the bubble. The bubble might reveal history or facts that we don't know. On the other hand, we can't ever be sure that anything that happens inside the bubble can transfer back out of it - as even the world lore writers and translators see those quests and are like, "Oh, man, this definitely doesn't make sense." lol.

The core answer becomes: If you want to be a lore purist, there's probably a one way bubble, but every individual player is free to decide for themselves just how canon to consider Hildibrand, but it only applies to them. (Kinda like the blank check to create your own timeline even though you can't change the SEQUENCE of events, just the time between them.)

[Bright-Flower]

You'll notice that even Godbert himself behaves differently if you compare the MSQ to the sidequests, so I maintain my original headcanon that there is a "Manderville Bubble" around those. Basically, if it's true within the game world, it's still true within the bubble. The bubble might reveal history or facts that we don't know. On the other hand, we can't ever be sure that anything that happens inside the bubble can transfer back out of it - as even the world lore writers and translators see those quests and are like, "Oh, man, this definitely doesn't make sense." lol.

The core answer becomes: If you want to be a lore purist, there's probably a one way bubble, but every individual player is free to decide for themselves just how canon to consider Hildibrand, but it only applies to them. (Kinda like the blank check to create your own timeline even though you can't change the SEQUENCE of events, just the time between them.)

Mild SHB spoilers.

I feel like a bit of Mancervilla slipped out when that one viera in the greatwood was popping around like a cartoon character when you meet her.

[LineageRazor]

It is my interpretation that the events of Hildebrand are canon - but are being filtered to us as viewers through a "silly" lens. E.g., there really is a Hildebrand, he really has an assistant named Nashu, he really does solve mysteries, and may very well be something of a bumbler. The truly crazy stuff we see, though? It is embellishment. It's much like how the Wandering Minstrel tells exaggerated tales of our encounters with various trials and raids, except without any NPC explicitly as the storyteller.

So, in broad strokes, you can consider the events of Hildebrand to have actually happened, but the more crazy aspects have likely been made up or exaggerated. So how crazy is "too crazy"? That varies. And I often change my mind, for that matter.

Note, that's just my own personal interpretation. It's what works for me. You are, of course, welcome to accept every detail as gospel, or dismiss the whole thing as too ludicrous to consider, or anything in between!

[shoobiedoobie]

It is my interpretation that the events of Hildebrand are canon - but are being filtered to us as viewers through a "silly" lens. E.g., there really is a Hildebrand, he really has an assistant named Nashu, he really does solve mysteries, and may very well be something of a bumbler. The truly crazy stuff we see, though? It is embellishment. It's much like how the Wandering Minstrel tells exaggerated tales of our encounters with various trials and raids, except without any NPC explicitly as the storyteller.

So, in broad strokes, you can consider the events of Hildebrand to have actually happened, but the more crazy aspects have likely been made up or exaggerated. So how crazy is "too crazy"? That varies. And I often change my mind, for that matter.

Note, that's just my own personal interpretation. It's what works for me. You are, of course, welcome to accept every detail as gospel, or dismiss the whole thing as too ludicrous to consider, or anything in between!

I actually really like this take on it. Its a pretty solid point of view.