Revelations from Patch 5.5 (Part 1)

[Fenral]

I personally like the Sheryl and Ranka dynamic that G'raha and Alisaie have fallen into. They're starting to rely on each other more than on their mutual crush, and it's a pretty big deal for both of them. Alisaie's always been the type to do things on her own, and G'raha's fallback solution is always: "I'll just kill myself and stop being a burden."

[KizuyaKatogami]

I mean, while some players may not like his conduct, no one in the narrative has any issues with him, no more so than poking fun at his expense, like Thancred's "conquests" Alph's inability to not be in charge or Alisase's act first, think later mentality.

I mean, of course no one in the narrative has any issues with him. He’s literally written to be a “perfect cute adorable character”. Why would they write for the npcs to hate him lol. Players are the ones who matter and if a lot of them are agreeing on him being way to overwhelming and annoying then there’s a problem. He’s being written almost as a Mary Sue, someone who can do no wrong, especially in the eyes of the community, which makes sense given he’s their new haurchefant who they flounder over.

[KizuyaKatogami]

Or Alisaie, or Aymeric and probably many more since quite a few NPCs seems to really love us.
I really like Graha and I give him these moments but I also hope that he gets a bit less starstruck over the time. Just like I really like Alisaie but got very annoyed with her constant jealousy on the first.

Not who you’re talking to but i also dislike those characters for pretty much the same reasons. Alisaie annoyed me to no end on the First with her constant outbursts and Aymeric just never sat well with me. It honestly wouldn’t be so bad if we at least had a dialogue option to shut them down so we never have to see it again but unfortunately we don’t so we just have to endure it.

[Rannie]

Wow I would have never thought of G'raha as a Mary Sue seeing as how the PC has more Characteristics of the Quintessential Mary Sue pretty much on damn near the same par as Rey from the Star Wars Trilogy Sequels....

[Theodric]

I think Kesey makes a fair point. G'raha abandoned the people in the alternate timeline and parted ways with those on the First just so he could spend time with the Warrior of Darkness and go off on an adventure. Which is really strange, since we already had no shortage of companions who could fulfill that role if and when we had some breathing room in the story. Remember Skalla? When Alphinaud and Arenvald went off on an adventure together? That was fun!

I can't help but find the timing of Arenvald's return odd, though. The same character who went on an adventure last just so happens to be on the chopping block. He's either going to die or be out of commission due to injuries for a while. How convenient, eh?

Intentionally or not, G'raha just comes off as a creepy narcissist who, much like Zenos, obsesses over the Warrior of Darkness. Some people are fine with that, others aren't - including myself. It remains to be seen if he's brought to heel.

Haurchefant was outright creepy in the Japanese version of the game. In the English version, he's toned down - but it's still clear that to some degree, his decision to sacrifice himself for the Warrior of Darkness was brought about due to his crush rather than purely noble factors. Furthermore, the friendship that existed between them lasted...a few weeks or months given how tight the game's timeline happens to be.

Alisae has what is meant to be an innocent crush on the Warrior of Darkness. I guess that's fine, so long as it isn't returned given that she's underage.

Aymeric...gradually morphed into Haurchefant 2.0, no doubt to appease his fans somewhat. I'm indifferent to him, personally. The Warrior of Darkness did save Ishgard, though I don't care much for hero worship myself.

[Fenral]

G'raha abandoned the people in the alternate timeline and parted ways with those on the First just so he could spend time with the Warrior of Darkness and go off on an adventure.

Not the first time people have tried to hold this against G'raha, and I'm sorry, but that's just factually incorrect. An Unpromised Tomorrow

If you need in-game sources, I recommend rereading the journal entries from the Twinning, and the cutscenes from "By the Time You Hear This." They asked him. Rather, the latter implies he wasn't really left much of a choice in the matter.

(-???-)<bzzzt> ...has come to carry out our plan. This will be my last recording.
(-???-)With the tower activated and the temporal displacement apparatus online, all that remains is to throw the switch. And pray.
(-???-)I'm sorry, I truly am. I wish there was another way.
(-???-)But you are our best chance of success. Our only hope. Your gift will allow you to become one with the tower and survive the journey through time and space. Were our technology as advanced as that of the Allagans, perhaps we could've gone with you.
(-???-)Alas, it was not to be. But when you are finally reunited, all of the hardship, all of the sacrifice will've been worth it, I'm sure.
(-???-)Just promise me you'll spare a thought for those you leave behind. And we'll be thinking of you, too, for as long as this world lasts, though I fear it will not be for much longer.
(-???-)This is Biggs, third of his name, eighteenth president of Garlond Ironworks, signing off. May the Twelve be at your side, G'raha Tia. <bzzzt>

It's fine to dislike who you dislike, but don't spread misinformation to try and justify your own biases. It's not productive. We deal in facts here, with a side of educated guesswork.

[Theodric]

-snip-

You're free to read into it as you like, as I am. Putting aside the simple fact that I feel that the whole alternate timeline plot device was incredibly contrived to begin with, G'raha could have easily returned to watch over the inhabitants of the alternate timeline just as he could have stayed to watch over the inhabitants of the First. He could've sated his thirst for adventure in either case. It's odd to me that he apparently needs to do it with the Warrior of Darkness in particular, seemingly at any cost.

Personally I'm inclined to believe that he was going to die at the end of 5.3 but the writers were scared of the potential backlash and instead kept him around. They did say they had two endings planned, after all.

I also may be misinterpreting your intent, but did you not also recently state that you were going to avoid weighing in on G'raha related discussions? More specifically, here:

Yes, please. With a big label: "Fenral do not interact." I'm making things worse and I feel bad about it.

Now, I'm not saying that you should resort to that. Though if you do have a problem, specifically, with me on an individual basis then you're more than welcome to make a character on Cerberus sometime and get in touch so that we can potentially smooth things out. Or, I suppose, we could simply agree to disagree on our personal interpretations of subjective plot elements/character motivations.

[WhiteArchmage]

I think Kesey makes a fair point. G'raha abandoned the people in the alternate timeline and parted ways with those on the First just so he could spend time with the Warrior of Darkness and go off on an adventure. Which is really strange, since we already had no shortage of companions who could fulfill that role if and when we had some breathing room in the story. Remember Skalla? When Alphinaud and Arenvald went off on an adventure together? That was fun!

I can't help but find the timing of Arenvald's return odd, though. The same character who went on an adventure last just so happens to be on the chopping block. He's either going to die or be out of commission due to injuries for a while. How convenient, eh?

Intentionally or not, G'raha just comes off as a creepy narcissist who, much like Zenos, obsesses over the Warrior of Darkness. Some people are fine with that, others aren't - including myself. It remains to be seen if he's brought to heel.

I... didn't see him as abandoning them... at all. The whole point is he was the only person who could control the Crystal Tower, and the CT was the centerpiece of their plan. By leaving his timeline he was saving the past (and they only thought theoretically that it would create an alternate timeline, they legitimately didn't know) as a last-ditch attempt to avert a Calamity; and the plan involved his DEATH, even the original plan. As for leaving the people of the First: he was dying anyway, and while he was ready to die on the First, that whole plotline was about finding a way to return the SCIONS home, and G'raha's survival was purely theoretical. It was either die on the First, or take a gamble that his past and future selves would merge instead of create a time paradox and blink themselves out of existence, or one overtake the other.

I don't see him as a creepy narcissist AT ALL. In fact, with Krile mentioning how many of his plans, even back in Sharlayan, had him sacrifice himself in one way or another, it's the most opposite of narcissist one can get. The boy just has Chronic Hero Syndrome and Hero Worships actual Heroes, that's about it.

[Kesey]

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.

[KizuyaKatogami]

Wow I would have never thought of G'raha as a Mary Sue seeing as how the PC has more Characteristics of the Quintessential Mary Sue pretty much on damn near the same par as Rey from the Star Wars Trilogy Sequels....

I agree, but Graha is right up there with the Pc honestly. The amount of plot armor and plot holes created to keep him around and relevant are astronomical.He’s starting to give yshtola a run for her money.