Thread: Revelations from Patch 5.5 (Part 1)

Originally Posted by WhiteArchmage

snip.

I hear what you're saying. I do believe that G'raha deserved a second chance at a life beyond his sacrifice as Crystal Exarch. At the end of 5.3 the tone he took as he narrated the ending is his true self--the combination of the G'raha from side quests and his life as Crystal Exarch. That is who we should be adventuring with.

5.4 had him quickly move into a different type of character and, narratively speaking, it is jarring because he isn't well written anymore (when we constantly have to refer to him like someone else in fiction or anime his character isn't strong enough to carry narrative anymore). Every action he's contributed to the story were easy out plot holes--Allagen blood? Seriously we needed his Allagen blood? What was wrong with the previous plot device of scanning the WOL's soul and matching it with someone who lived in Allagen society? G'raha was pointless here and took away player agency. Then the googly eyes at people who are famous because of their association with the WOL--doesn't fit his Crystal Exarch personality of the 5.3 epilogue. He would have said something more along lines of "Excuse me, I am beside myself because up until now you were just someone in a history book. But I am glad to meet you." Instead he acted like a creep. And again the community is going to forgive a man who has lived over a hundred years, led a nation, and helped save an entire world because it's endearing when we all know that he knows it's inappropriate to act like this!

Again, the scene in the cave. The Crystal Exarch knows if he just wants to talk to WOL alone, he can just ask. But since this is a new character out of the blue, he takes the stalker approach and confronts the player character in an enclosed space. And if the above issues weren't enough, we now have a huge violation of the personal space and respect for the WOL and all the evidence that keeps being painted to justify his actions (because all he really wants is to adventure with the WOL) shows how much this moment in all regards is about G'raha and G'raha alone. Anyone who works in a profession that deals with minors knows when they are told of situation that is anyway similar to this, it has to be reported to the state and proper authorities because the literal next step is either physical or sexual abuse. Furthermore, they've also forced people who have lived similar situations to relive the trauma of that in a light hearted video game.

My last point, which honestly is insult to injury, is the fact that the G'raha narrating the end of 5.3 is a G'raha who has seen the end of 6.0. Granted he doesn't slip any major details, but he can only be foreboding if he has seen the gravity of the ending. So he is living till at least the end of 6.0 and if we don't speak up now G'raha will sour the player base and ruin the story.