Ardbert's Party vs the Scions Analysis

[Graeham]

No it is bad scene. Because the Yshlotta sacrifice the bubbleman to the Void to look just because is curious lol. And then player are upset when the Ascian want to sacrifice all the humans in all the worlds to bring back dead friends. Is the double standard writing.

It also is bad writing. Funny scene has no place in drama story like the game of the thrones. It make them look like the silly student rather than the warrior. Next they will dress the Gaius as the chicken and Ayayameric as the elephant for the silly joke it will not stop. Is embarrassing. It take away from rugged traditional masculine portrail of cast in the western games. Writer should replace her with the Garlemald girl in the green dress for diversity in cast.

[EaraGrace]

You really, really don't seem to get that covid isn't the worst thing that's ever happened to some people. I'm reminded of a quote, "Some of you aren't used to every year being the worst year of your life and it shows."

"Forge ahead" is absolutely a platitude as well as a lame motto.

I think you’re mistaking opinion for fact.

[SannaR]

What a pity that unlike Estinien’s traumatic backstory, hers was never even hinted at in-game aside from the business with her grandfather. This however does not excuse her recent pivot in Endwalker that now has her constantly telling the WoL to take care of themselves. It is not an effective use for a character that isn’t really built up for that sort of thing.

This does nothing to address the fact that for a lot of us vets it did in fact happen 8 years ago and given how little time we spent with her, forgive us if we aren’t exactly all that attached to her or her relationship with Urianger. The time bubble happening in this game is a whole issue itself but I’d rather not go into it at length here.

Thancred’s negative characteristics made him feel like a real and fleshed out character as opposed to one that no longer has much of a reason to be around anymore, as echoed by a significant sector of the playerbase. Reread my original post to see my explanation as to why his behaviour was inappropriate for a supposed father figure in Endwalker’s MSQ. As it stands now he is the top pick for many when it comes to what character should be retired first.

This is one of many examples throughout Season 1’s storyline of her sacrifices being annulled. Please re-read the OP to see why this isn’t an effective way of storytelling.

You mean just like how everyone is to take into account the side story about Zenos that's in a separate book that's not yet been published in other languages in order to fully understand him? As Iscah and myself have said its not about how her death affected you as a player but those within the story. You and others might not have grown attached to her for the short time we knew her. But others like myself did and it didn't even take that scene in Labyrinthos to be reminded of how much she meant to others. Just doing a few side quests that hint at her as that nice Roegaden lady who used to play with the children.

You can be angry about something and not explode into a rage at some cute little bunnies that don't deserve it. Let alone wouldn't and couldn't understand as to why he or anyone would care about the shards. It would be like getting mad at the fact Gully Dwarves are unable to count higher then like five and thus don't get how there's a difference between five and fifty. I did read your Op I just don't agree with it. How does her injury annul a sacrifice? We knew soon after her injury that she wasn't dead. It wasn't like the deal with Nanamo at the end of ARR. That if you were playing the game when that part first came out us the players had months between the bloody banquet and how things unfolded after that once the story picked that storyline back up to not know that she didn't really die.

Even her quick save from the 2nd use of Flow isn't as cheapened as some of you feel that it is. Did you know that when she used it that Emet was capable of pulling souls out of the life stream? Or that he only did it to really solidify that he'd actually help you and not stop you from defeating the Lightwardends? Instead of being a heartless and cruel jerk and going "I could save her, but why would I?" or having it come at some kind of price. If anything Y'shtola getting sidelined twice is more of the writers not knowing what to do with her while also not knowing how to be able to have others at the time more in the spotlight. Either to show some character growth or that the group can figure things out without having one of the two academic powerhouses in play.

[Payadopa]

The... spectacle? Casting the nixie spell, you mean?

That's actually probably the most character-ish thing she's done in a while. I can totally relate to the embarrassment I would feel if I had to recite something I'd made up as a seven-year-old but as an adult in front of other adults. The key thing isn't the spell itself but the discomfort she has before reciting it.

I agree. The summoning and the scene where a lot of books fell on her made her way more relatable as a character because she showed some other emotions than stoicism and snark.

[DPZ2]

You really, really don't seem to get that covid isn't the worst thing that's ever happened to some people. I'm reminded of a quote, "Some of you aren't used to every year being the worst year of your life and it shows."

You seem a bit lost trying to relate to an anecdote about the similarities in Endwalker as discussed among a set of players who also happen to have some experience in an ICU where people are dying.

The effect of Covid19 on health workers has been ignored time and time again. It is being ignored here as well.

Hint: Don't use quotes spoken by a television character in "Supernatural" (or Fairly OddParents, depending on who is doing the attribution) as if it was God's Wisdom. I am reminded of that famous quote "Do you know what lies on the other side of this fog? ...... More fog"

[Mikey_R]

I think the key question to ask is why such an event is even taking place in the main story at all. How was this event supposed to grow her character? It would have been a better use of screen time to see her display something in the way of emotional vulnerability or opening up about her feelings on Runar, even if no other characters are there to witness it. A monologue to herself away from prying eyes where she could express the things she's buried deep inside herself. Possibly even cry, or reflect on the cost that her journey has truly taken on her so far.

Not the Nixie spell.

It wasn't mean to grow her character now, it was meant to be a glimpse into her past.

Also, Y'Shtola doesn't show emotions, that is one of her traits. She is all about learning everything, the exception being with Runar, where it is shown she does let her guard down. However, this is then going to be used as a driving force for her to find a way back to the First and you can guarantee the portal they find in 6.1 is going to be of particular interest to her. She wants to know how the portal was formed and how it works so that she could potentially replicate it herself, not only for the expanded knowledge, but it is also a chance for her to reunite with Runar. Her determination to know more even overpowers her embarrassment which goes to show just how much she wants to learn more about this portal.

Her emotions are not on full display at all times, however, her actions certainly show what emotions she is feeling behind her stern nature.

[aveyond-dreams]

I do not believe that trying to compete in this thread regarding who had the worse time during Covid or other similarly harrowing situations is a productive direction for this discussion. The simple fact of the matter is that in this story that spoke at length about the ordeals one needs to pass to grow resilient enough to overcome despair, the Scions are quite privileged and suffered little to no losses when compared to Ardbert's group and many of the game's side characters.

In the context of the story and setting real life aside, the message falls flat in the way that it is delivered. Again, look back to Lamitt. She sacrificed everything for the greater good and was still shunned by her own people for it. Alphinaud in comparison had no such consequences for his "rebellion" of sorts because his mother was there every step of the way supporting him and his father eventually relented as well. This may be good for "feels" but it really isn't the kind of resolution I was expecting, as his father had the capacity to be a far more compelling antagonistic figure.

If I have to ask myself whose story I am more interested in following, hers or his, I'm choosing Lamitt's. Another Final Fantasy character who was quite the mama's boy was Hope from FFXIII - and the loss of his mother coupled with his estranged relationship with his father at the very least gave him a more thrilling character arc that incorporated revenge and the need to grow stronger in a more effective manner than Alphinaud's writing. I will never understand the aversion some players seem to have for higher tension and stakes in the main story.

If you want a game where nothing bad happens, there are plenty of other options to choose from outside the Final Fantasy series. Final Fantasy games should provide some level of emotional ups and downs that are grounded by permanent consequences instead of handwaving away problems for the main party like we saw happen in Endwalker. Up until recently, I would have gladly recommended FFXIV to adults my age but after Endwalker I struggle to find a good reason to do so, because the game increasingly appears to disregard the age of its playerbase from both a gameplay and story perspective by continually wearing down both aspects.

[Carin-Eri]

It wasn't mean to grow her character now, it was meant to be a glimpse into her past.

Also, Y'Shtola doesn't show emotions, that is one of her traits. She is all about learning everything, the exception being with Runar, where it is shown she does let her guard down. However, this is then going to be used as a driving force for her to find a way back to the First and you can guarantee the portal they find in 6.1 is going to be of particular interest to her. She wants to know how the portal was formed and how it works so that she could potentially replicate it herself, not only for the expanded knowledge, but it is also a chance for her to reunite with Runar. Her determination to know more even overpowers her embarrassment which goes to show just how much she wants to learn more about this portal.

Her emotions are not on full display at all times, however, her actions certainly show what emotions she is feeling behind her stern nature.

She may let her guard down with Runar, but it really isn't clear whether her motivation to return to the First is to see Runar or to prove that she can complete what some think is impossible.

[Moebious]

Would be nice if we could replace some/most of the Scions with some new different characters.

I would also echo the desire to have Gaius along the journey, would not only make for more interesting dialogue between characters but would also have a once complete opposite of worldviews to our own along the way.
Or to see something akin to HW, with Ysayle and Estinien again, their interactions between differing lived worlds or perspectives. We did have some of that as well in Shb as well, with Emet voicing his side, so would be interesting to explore such a field again. Especially if new characters would be of opposing views yet be part of said new team, even if most unlikely of allies too.

[Misplaced_Marbles]

Also, Y'Shtola doesn't show emotions, that is one of her traits. She is all about learning everything, the exception being with Runar, where it is shown she does let her guard down.

Frankly, all i saw from her when Runar showed something more than respect was a woman who is dazed and confused at receiving honest affection. Then she "retreats to her shell" to avoid dealing with it, instead of giving the usual mocking retort. I'm sure some armchair psychologist could write a few paragraphs about that.