Building a better Alphinaud

[TaleraRistain]

choosing to exclude Gaius from its narrative in Endwalker

Did you miss him in the cutscene in Ala Mhigo telling us it would be a majorly bad idea to come with us because he was persona non grata for being accused of killing the Emperor?

leave the Leveilleur family to set up a samey republican provisional government as has been done many times in the past

Yeah, you didn't do the role quest.

[aveyond-dreams]

Do you see why I considered that writing to not make full use of existing characters and why it was disrespectful to those of us who are fans of the Empire?

[Sarkany]

What did you want Fourchenault to do? The entire royal family is dead except for Zenos. Zenos has been exiled, doesn't want to rule, and would clearly be horrible at it. Gaius refuses to set foot in the country because half the population wants him dead because they think he killed Varis (which means he can't effectively govern them, because he doesn't have the military strength to force them to obey). The only Garlean candidate I can see for an actual monarch at that point is Vergilia van Corculum, who at least still has the Third Legion, and she really doesn't seem like she wants to be empress. "Well, you used to have a Senate, right? Let's have the surviving members run things while you decide how to put a government together" seems reasonable enough.

[aveyond-dreams]

What did you want Fourchenault to do? The entire royal family is dead except for Zenos. Zenos has been exiled, doesn't want to rule, and would clearly be horrible at it. Gaius refuses to set foot in the country because half the population wants him dead because they think he killed Varis (which means he can't effectively govern them, because he doesn't have the military strength to force them to obey). The only Garlean candidate I can see for an actual monarch at that point is Vergilia van Corculum, who at least still has the Third Legion, and she really doesn't seem like she wants to be empress. "Well, you used to have a Senate, right? Let's have the surviving members run things while you decide how to put a government together" seems reasonable enough.

There's this wonderful idea of having the writers not kill off the entire royal family or come up with bad reasons to exclude characters from the story, as well as making use of existing characters with leadership qualities that could potentially ascend the throne.

[Zanarkand-Ronso]

I wasn't aware that White hair makes everyone look the same.
So a Human, 4 elves, and a catgirl, all look the same because of White hair. lol. Nevermind the differences in hairstyles, body structure and attire. But ok.
Im not so quick to discard my faith in this game because of a couple of blunders. Until the game becomes 100% unenjoyable, I will keep playing, 6.2 looks and sounds exciting, cant wait.

[Sarkany]

What existing characters with leadership qualities do you think they should have used instead? Who should Fourchenault have put on the throne?

[aveyond-dreams]

What existing characters with leadership qualities do you think they should have used instead? Who should Fourchenault have put on the throne?

Willingness to break bread with and make peace with other parties while still maintaining a firm stance as to what is most beneficial for one's people. The intriguing aspect of having to take risks and controversial actions in order to act in the nation's benefit. That sort of thing. A well developed Larsa, and Ashe, etc. In FFXIV's case I think the most competent surviving leader would be Gaius, and I could easily picture a scenario in which he takes the throne.

[tokinokanatae]

So you're just totally going to ignore my post in favor of beating the dead political horse again, huh? Don't you get tired of C&Ping the same post ad nauseam?

[Zanarkand-Ronso]

What existing characters with leadership qualities do you think they should have used instead? Who should Fourchenault have put on the throne?

Jullius, since they are making him "look" like he's in charge, just make him new Empror so he has a Happy-ish ending in all of this.
Maxima, just because hes handsome and looks cool, plus he was an advisor, so just make him Emperor....just cause
Make Lucia leave Ishgard all of a sudden because she misses home and hates to see it in the state its in. And cause RA-RA Feminism

I jest, but at the same time.....rofl

Willingness to break bread with and make peace with other parties while still maintaining a firm stance as to what is most beneficial for one's people. The intriguing aspect of having to take risks and controversial actions in order to act in the nation's benefit. That sort of thing. A well developed Larsa, and Ashe, etc. In FFXIV's case I think the most competent surviving leader would be Gaius, and I could easily picture a scenario in which he takes the throne.

I knew you'd still say Gauis even after its been established he kind of cant return. Not yet at least.
And...who is to say he won't suddenly make Garlamald into something you hate since he effectively defected and left?
Also...the Eorzea Alliance tried to do that already, nobody wanted to listen and justified their expansion and killing. And then just flipped it and said "Well you killed and expanded to"

[Sarkany]

For the discussion on who Fourchenault should have decided would be in charge of the remaining Garleans: I can see Gaius trying, under the right circumstances, but given the same canon that got us to that point (if you want to write your own AU, that's great, but I don't think it's terribly useful for this discussion) I think that'd only be delaying the inevitable. He doesn't have the people's backing, that's why he canonically refused to go back; I don't imagine that would get better if the Sharlayan Forum put him on the throne. The Garleans themselves chose the Senate members at some point; no one ever wanted Gaius to actually be running the country. Even the people who don't hate him for "killing Varis" would look at that and assume he was a puppet for the Alliance or Sharlayan. We don't know if he has the military's backing, which he needs to deal with the fact that a good chunk of his new subjects want him dead, but I wouldn't want to bet on it in his position. The people involved in this also need to persuade Vergilia that Gaius, who was the same rank as her until he lost the Eorzea campaign spectacularly, killed the previous emperor, and fled the country, is now the emperor and she has to follow his orders. She has the actual legion here. He doesn't. He's going to be dead in a month, and then they're back in the same position with more angry people.

(Barring, of course, the Alliance sending in their own armed forces and essentially turning it into an actual puppet government. I can see Gaius managing to hold the throne with a lot of outside support. But if the goal is to remove outside influence on the Garleans, I don't think that would be an improvement.)