Endwalker Main Scenario Commentary & Feedback

[Puksi]

Parting thoughts on prior post:

Pretty sure as soon as the dialogue turned to another variation of "won't anyone think of the murderers" I rolled my eyes and tuned out, but I do remember that bit. I took it as less of a "character development" for Arenvald and more another push by the writers to ignore the weight of the Crania Lupi's deeds, though. One minute they are "terrorizing" as Lyse once described, the next they're to be "equals" to their victims?

As they were beating Wercrata half to death, the Skulls practically used Quintus' logic to boot: "We'd have it good if you just let yourselves be conquered!" The threat of Lakshmi only became a thing in the first place because the Skulls murdered the Qalyana broodmother's daughter, Anamika. Under Fordola's command, they murdered a child. Raganfrid keeps saying he forgives none of it, but he certainly does go on and on how tough it must be to beat and kill civilians in order to secure a place with Garlemald.

Blaming families for the choices of relatives is one thing. The Skulls themselves, though, made their own choices, and should face realistic consequences for them. But the writers really did use the classic "I was just following orders" "no matter how depraved" to push sympathy for a Skull whose father turned into a Blasphemy from guilt.

The quest chain in Ala Ghiri with Baut was way more believable than all this.

Arenvald's dream was adventures like we had in Skalla. There's no reason why he needs to put those dreams away in a fantasy world where physics only apply at weirdly selective times.

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Again, I'm not arguing E-S's atrocities. What I'm still trying to understand is the logic of the writers in dismissing them all to call the "megalomaniacal madman" a hero instead, and call said atrocities some kind of noble "burden". Even if that poster's take was the narrative's intent, like you said it still doesn't work, and placing a mass-murdering dictator in such high regard certainly is a bold take on the writers' part.

For the past three expansions now, the onus has been increasingly placed on characters who have suffered harm to forgive and/or forget, rather than on the ones who harmed them to regret their deeds. I don't know why the writers choose to prioritize this, but it feels pretty awful as a player.