What's the point with that quite lackluster story in Endwalker?

[Rulakir]

They're both very powerful primals (Zodiark all the more so), but a supreme deity and all-powerful being she is not. And this is from characters who ought to know better and yet no one calls them out on it.

Disappointing, but not surprising. The Scions have always been varying levels of zealots towards Hydaelyn. Even after discovering they were primals, Y'shtola insisted Zodiark was the more dangerous of the two. These are the same people who glossed over the fact that Hydaelyn told Minfilia to kill herself and then abandoned her in the aetherial sea until she offered herself up as a vessel. (The actual quote from Minfilia is, "There, adrift and alone, Her voice silent once more, I prayed...")

[Theodric]

And the thing is how in FFXIV manipulators have always been seen as the most evil beings, from the syndicate in Ul'dah to Thordan to Varis to Vauthry and Emet-Selch, even when they have good intention (Thordan for example).

It seems to me like Hydaelyn's character, if it were allowed to write itself, would want to be evil... something that we want to kill to free humanity of scheming gods. But it's not allowed to. Ergo so many people giving her the weird look.

I wouldn't personally consider Lolorito, Thordan, Varis, Vauthry or Emet-Selch to be 'evil'.

What is 'good' and 'evil' is a matter of perspective, as acknowledged by Yoshi-P himself:

The current state of global affairs is incredibly complex and simple two-dimensional theories of good/bad from ancient times can no longer quantify this world we live in. As such, a large factor [that contributed to the selection of these themes] is that I thought I could cultivate new values and a new sense of realisation within myself by changing perspective and carefully considering the other party’s arguments in regard to a given event. Half of the time these things are born from one’s intuition and flashes of inspiration. I guessed as much but it really is hard to explain.

Source: https://www.impulsegamer.com/naoki-y...vs-lore-story/

The problem is, we have an established goal and clear reasoning behind the actions of the likes of Varis, Lolorito and Emet-Selch. We're not left wondering who or what they actually care about and when they do partake of shadier actions, the game doesn't seek to obscure that fact.

Yet not only is Hydaelyn conveniently immune to all the downsides that ordinarily come with being a Primal, she actively and repeatedly lies about the circumstances surrounding the Sundering, downplays the role that Zodiark played in keeping the people of Etheirys safe and chose to wipe out her own race and civilisation.

Elsewhere, the game highlights that non-consensual acts, even when there is a 'good reason' are unpleasant for the target. When Mitron sought to force Gaia to become Lohgrif or when the Rejoinings were successful...the consequences were acknowledged.

Equally, the same can be said of the Sundering. It wasn't a consensual act. Venat's followers were the minority within the Ancient world. She admits herself that there was no kindness or justice in the act - and yet there are still some, unfortunately, seeking to pretend as if the Sundering is some big, heroic thing that was all sunshine and rainbows.

Personally I only take issue with the insistence by some that everybody has to like and agree with Venat's actions. In actuality, nobody is obligated to - and I also think it's acceptable for people to consider the writing surrounding Venat to be dubious because it leans on far too many weirdly contrived scenarios and plot devices. What's interesting to me is that some of the same people praising her endlessly insisted in the lead up to Endwalker that it would be 'silly' if Hydaelyn turned out to be secretly evil. That's fair, but if such a view is held then I don't see why it's a problem for others to find 'time travel' and 'the power of friendship' to be equally stale tropes.

[ReynTime]

I don't disagree with the rest of your comments about the crappy last third of Endwalker, Theodric. But Yoshida talks a lot of talks in live letters and interviews that contradicts what he has his team do with the game. This isn't the first time either.

He can talk about gray area of evil x good all he wants, the fact is in Endwalker despite having reasons to question Venat/Hydaelin's "fairness" the game forces us to treat her as this benevolent motherly beacon of hope, and that will always skew the reception in favor of the black and white conclusions the plot gives.

I don't like it either. It makes me have no hope at all they can deliver any sub-plot as grounded as the city-states questlines from 1.0, internal struggles and crisis of city-states or anything trying to be as mature as Matsuno's writing. Unless the lead writing takes a dramatic shift they're clearly happy with the Naruto Shippuuden tier depth they got going. Underestimating the viewer's intelligence.

[OhNooo]

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Off topic but everytime I see one of your posts I subconsciously read it in Teledji Adeledji's voice lmao

[ApolloGenX]

At the end of the day, Venat destroyed the world as it was and shredded people's souls.

I really don't see how we can see her as anything except horrific. You can make up excuses, but she unilaterally imposed that for her "vision" of saving the world.

I think she's a megalomaniac at the best... and quite possibly worse. Sure there are "plot things" for why she didn't get more help or pursue other avenues- but come on.

[ApolloGenX]

When you find out how and why Hydaelyn sundered the world:

Hydaelyn: I may have been bad.... I may have destroyed the world and its people...... but it was for your GOOD!

[Pyro2hell3]

Honestly I don't think Hydaelyn ever got to make an actual plan. At first it was probably "oh no the worlds ending I'll buy time by throwing duct tape on it!" then it started need more and more duct tape until 99.9% of her time was spent putting on more duct tape then the "plan" became whatever nonsense she came up when not applying duct tape

[myahele]

I wonder how much aether it takes Hydaelyn just to communicate briefly from the Aetherial Sea? She constantly talks about being to weak, but then she claims to have kept enough on reserve just to fight test WoL (as if all their trials were not proof enough) and then there's the Mother Crystal which we find out is just an accumulation of aether that build up over thousands of years. Was she just that averse in using those sources?

[ApolloGenX]

I wonder how much aether it takes Hydaelyn just to communicate briefly from the Aetherial Sea? She constantly talks about being to weak, but then she claims to have kept enough on reserve just to fight test WoL (as if all their trials were not proof enough) and then there's the Mother Crystal which we find out is just an accumulation of aether that build up over thousands of years. Was she just that averse in using those sources?

Hydaelyn is the 90s Fox X-men series Jean Grey of the story. Sometimes powerful... but sometimes she just passes out a lot....and I guess sometimes she destroys worlds.... whatever (She says her power is in flux..... nice loophole, there) . I guess that is why she got evicted from her job as will of the star by a giant rock.

[KizuyaKatogami]

I wonder how much aether it takes Hydaelyn just to communicate briefly from the Aetherial Sea? She constantly talks about being to weak, but then she claims to have kept enough on reserve just to fight test WoL (as if all their trials were not proof enough) and then there's the Mother Crystal which we find out is just an accumulation of aether that build up over thousands of years. Was she just that averse in using those sources?

This is what i was wondering as well. Not only that though but it’s so interesting that supposedly, she too is sundered etc, however she’s able to keep her perfect goddess figure, meanwhile Zodiark is all malformed, broken horns missing limbs etc. I don’t get it at all.TI guess if she looked even more scary people would be less inclined to see her as benevolent and a goddess, and we obviously cant have that now can we? ;p