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

[DevonEllwood]

But as part of the overall picture relentlessly pushing that framing of Venat on us? Yes, it was tiresome, and I wasn't much into the "oh, you scamp" tone when Emet noted how very deeply Venat had screwed him over in particular. I was glad, at least, he fairly brusquely flipped Hydaelyn off and rejected her "apology" to him altogether.

The way I saw that is that Hades was trying to tell the WoL what they needed to hear at the time and that's withholding his own judgement on Venat. His weird statement that included the title of his own theme just solidifies his attitude. He is justifiably angry and rejecting her "apology" was just the icing on the cake.

that being said, I am extremely glad that Yoshida doesn't want the characters to be reincarnated. I don't like the whole "spiritual successor" as it feels extremely cheap. If we are going to have characters like a previous character, then use the character.

And again, though I've finally understood Venat (thanks Brinne) I still hate the scions. I realized that other than Estinien, the scions are generally privileged, all come from sharlayan and I don't feel should represent humanity in the game. The twins even come from a rich family. Estinien literally walked in the shoes of his enemy and got to know him and shared his pain. The most important thing is we got to see that and we were there with him.G'raha Tia's story was only in writing and we don't even know how long he stayed in the calamity world before he was shipped off to the past. We don't see it, we are just told, this happens.

And since Fandaniel was brought up again recently...he's my second favorite character, or could have been if Hermes was just a bit different. I honestly thought the direction they were going for with him was him being against how society functions to make the people what they are. Someone who wanted the world to burn and change the status quo. I almost got that, and when I got to Elpis I thought it would still be the case, that he was just hiding his feelings. Then I saw him dangling fro ma tree branch and I almost said aloud "this is Fandaniel??". His angle about the treatment of life did not work for me. I find it especially ironic that we failed his question and he got as bad a death as Venat, while Hades and friend got a very dodgy explanation by Yoshida and they're both still there.

I still like Fandaniel though and he's been in some of the fumiest scenes in the game, which makes me ask, was the dinner scene supposed to be funny? Is Square Enix just good at making unintentionally funny scenes. I found Horsefart's death extremely goofy and I have seen multiple streamers laugh at cabbage kicking.

[Teraq]

And since Fandaniel was brought up again recently...he's my second favorite character, or could have been if Hermes was just a bit different. I honestly thought the direction they were going for with him was him being against how society functions to make the people what they are. Someone who wanted the world to burn and change the status quo. I almost got that, and when I got to Elpis I thought it would still be the case, that he was just hiding his feelings. Then I saw him dangling fro ma tree branch and I almost said aloud "this is Fandaniel??". His angle about the treatment of life did not work for me. I find it especially ironic that we failed his question and he got as bad a death as Venat, while Hades and friend got a very dodgy explanation by Yoshida and they're both still there.

I still like Fandaniel though and he's been in some of the fumiest scenes in the game, which makes me ask, was the dinner scene supposed to be funny? Is Square Enix just good at making unintentionally funny scenes. I found Horsefart's death extremely goofy and I have seen multiple streamers laugh at cabbage kicking.

Honestly Fandaniel brightened my day whenever he appeared ever since 5.3. I think I just enjoyed my mental picture of a Joker-like, watch-the-world-burn Ascian finally set loose and making absolutely ghastly creations like the goddamned towers made of flesh from a dismembered corpse... better than what his whole character actually turned out to be. The gross flesh walls, the horrifying mass zombification of Garlemald, the creepy and weirdly amusing dinner date as you are incapacitated... I loved it honestly, I thought he had a real horror vibe going on that we didn't have in other villains so far (along with the Final Days when they actually matter – I absolutely loved the scene where it starts low-key, and I love its "musical theme").

One way I can enjoy Hermes is if I project that Fandaniel onto him, very deep inside of him, stifled by the society and culture he lived in. Like you though, the "but what is the meaning of life and death" angle did not work me, and the whole animal rights thing, while IMO an actually justified question to raise for debate in Ancient society, just grated on me because of how much the game seemed to be taking his side at the expanse of Ancients as a whole (also, real talk: I am arachnophobic and will irrationally not tolerate any damned eight-legged fiend in my bedroom; I have a good friend who always goes "NOOOoooOOO WHY WOULD YOU KILL SUCH A NOBLE ANIMAL" and while I know she's semi-joking, it still kind of annoys me... Hermes just reminded me of that lol). I was just... tired of him really quick. I became more engrossed when he finally let the villain inside him shine, but then, you know. The plot happened. The time loop plot. The Kairos plot. Venat actually complying with the conditions of his insane test and the game apparently telling me this is the right thing to do because Ancients just kinda sorta totally sucked and she's a hero, and, honestly, just everything Venat. Damn it. You're hired, Danny.

Thankfully there's My Queen Aisara. Look at her, trading eggs and breast meat of Elpis birds for bicolor gemstones in plain view of her unhinged vegan ornithologist boss and still not having ended up dead in a ditch yet. Absolutely based. She's obviously the one bringing the exotic meat of animals that don't officially exist to boomer barbecues in Amaurot.

What I personally find strange is to use a close loop and advocate for a hope message at the same time. For me a close loop has a fatalistic connotation by nature because whatever you do, fate will no be changed.

Hope isn't for you if you're an Ancient, sorry! That's just how it is. Dynamis! Better luck next time.

I don't have high hopes for Pandaemonium.

I really should take this advice. Right before EW came out, I had tried some "lower your expectations by writing out the worst predictions you can think of" therapy with a friend. It almost worked, but then the plot threw Crystal Tower Babbydibus at me and gave me an Unsundered zone, all of which just revealed themselves to be fanservice gone horribly wrong.

He doesn't have to bash her in the presence of the WoL, but he sure as Hell doesn't have to do the opposite either. It especially didn't make sense given it was sandwiched between his comments about the burden he had to bear and not suffering to live by her magic. Not to mention him saying his ideals were inviolate.

I felt exactly the same: like he was saying one thing then the other.

Also, the path for Endwalker redemption as far as I'm concerned absolutely has to feature some good Venat bashing. Preferably by Elidibus because I'm awfully and terribly biased, but I'll take Emet, Alphinaud, the Ghost of The Bread and my own WoL too.

Yes, Emet fussing about Hermes and offering him a seat on the highest governance in the world because he felt really bad for him is pretty dumb. But then again, literally every single thing he did in Shadowbringers in terms of reaching out to us was also pretty dumb, and led directly to his own demise. As Ishikawa said, his kindness is his downfall - pretty consistently, it turns out.

It also makes Elidibus's approach, of abstaining from drawing memories, seem pretty logical, since it allowed him to focus solely on completion of his task, and prevent sentimentality or nostalgia from interrupting it.

For this reason, I would have loved to see a post-SoS Emet/Elidibus confrontation. Or really, more Emet/Elidibus at all, given how opposite they were in their personalities yet still respected each other as colleagues – but still, after 12,000 years, they've also probably had enough of each other a little bit too.

I can't lie, one of the best moments in recent MSQ for me was in 5.2 when Alphinaud metaphorically extended a hand by repeating Emet's last words that made us all cry – and how Elidibus reacted to that. Ice cold. The absolute mad lad. I almost stood up and clapped.

[Rulakir]

that being said, I am extremely glad that Yoshida doesn't want the characters to be reincarnated. I don't like the whole "spiritual successor" as it feels extremely cheap. If we are going to have characters like a previous character, then use the character.

I don't know how reincarnation would even work within the WoL's lifespan. What point is there in 5 years from now coming across a 5-year old Emet & Hythlodaeus? It also means whenever the WoL dies they'll be in their 40s and everyone will just remain separated. Reincarnation only works as something at the end of a series and even then I don't know that FFXIV would do it because in their eyes the WoL would be surrounded by their Scion BFFs, not Azem's BFFs.

What I could see them doing is having Emet as a spiritual companion/guide similar to Ardbert if we visit another shard, especially one where he's created an empire.

And again, though I've finally understood Venat (thanks Brinne) I still hate the scions. I realized that other than Estinien, the scions are generally privileged, all come from sharlayan and I don't feel should represent humanity in the game.

Agreed. I think EW put an unflattering spotlight on the Scions where their homogeneity and privilege were on full display. It's odd, but I feel like EW caused me to dislike them where I didn't particularly have negative feelings towards them (except Urianger) previously. It wasn't helped by Alisaie becoming Alphinaud 2.0 in Garlemald, Krile becoming Minfilia 2.0, the Scions not being more critical of Venat, etc. Not to mention the sheer amount of plot armor where they've now gone through multiple wars and universal threats without notable losses, yet this is the group that is supposed to exemplify overcoming suffering and despair when they're invincible. I know it's subjective, but for me it was only believable coming from Estinien and G'raha. I'm especially over Alphinaud's idealism and if Alisaie is going to start echoing that I will go insane. Please give me a realist party with Estinien and Fordola.