Thank you to whoever wrote the Pandaemonium story so far [SPOILERS]

[Teraq]

I don't know what's the likelihood that feedback here reaches the dev team, but I figure I'll throw the bottle out to the sea anyway.

Among my circle of friends disappointed in the MSQ since Endwalker started, everyone was pleasantly surprised with the raid storyline in 6.2. Expectations were rather… rock bottom, as most of us had given up on the writing and handling of the Ancients' characterisation by the story. A lot of friends had grown cynical and thought Lahabrea would be portrayed as a boring villain worthy of 6.0's strawmen Ancients. Personally, what I wanted out of the story after the 1st tier was a fair and dignified portrayal of Lahabrea as a world leader of the Ancients, with a… complicated family life. Those were my hopes after 5.0 and 5.3 had done such a great job humanizing the Ancients, Emet and Elidibus, though the latter felt rather incomplete and rushed to me compared to Emet, and 6.0… certainly did not help on that front, huh?

Well, I don't know who is writing Pandaemonium, but they get it.

Thank you so much.

It largely went how I expected it to, with Themis being Elidibus undercover, and Lahabrea cutting off a younger part of himself, which I had reasoned to be his id, and actually being a loving father in his own way. And Lahabrea's real name being Hephaistos, of course. Obvious enough, but I was afraid they'd go against it just to subvert expectations. It feels good to get predictions right and for the plot to live up to my expectations, after 6.0…

Both Erich and Lahabrea were handled with care and humanity. Lahabrea especially was pretty much perfect as a dignified gentleman and reasonable world leader who has to contend with his responsibilities but is still willing to listen. That little scene of him arguing with Elidibus (again, living up to my headcanon and expectations of him cooperating with Azem often – it just made sense to me that the appointed mediator would be working often with guy who is always out and about) was exactly the sort of thing I wanted. And I am, as ever, here for Lahabrea's Venat call out.

Also very much appreciated the option not to judge Lahabrea's character; because indeed, we know nothing about his Ancient human self. Good of them to include the super judgmental replies for the Minority Report pre-crime accusation enthusiasts, too, huh?

The one thing I didn't expect was, well, Athena – but as a villain fan I must confess I loved her. Sassy female Hojo. I want to see more of her already. I hope she's going to feature into the third tier somehow, with just as much talking back and corruption. I love that the plot affirmed Lahabrea as an upstanding man torn (quite literally) by love, repulsed by going against the laws of nature.

Empathy, human conflict, showing Convocation members that aren't Azem go out on a mission, the Ancients' devotion to the planet and their duty… showing that it was perfectly possible for them to broadcast their memories… (stares uncomfortably at 6.0's incredibly convoluted plot)… As an Ascian and Ancient fan, it was basically all I hoped for and didn't think I would ever get. In fact, it's rather interesting how little Pandaemonium has to do with 6.0, beyond, obviously, the technicalities of us being there. Who knew that making an Ancient side story I like simply needed not to feature The World's Saddest Edgelord and The Messiah anywhere but as brief mentions if at all? (Just kidding. I knew.)

Thank you for giving me back some faith into the writers and at least one thing to look forward to in Endwalker.

The shot of Erich literally cringing at watching his parents have soul sex was 10/10 kino btw.

Become what you must, writer.

[Atreides]

In before the usual culplits enter the topic and try to tell you how it was bad.

That being said I enjoyed it and look forward for the conclusion of Pandaemonium.

[aveyond-dreams]

I too greatly enjoyed the story of Pandaemonium this patch and I'm excited to see how it plays out. It subverted my expectations in all the right ways.

[PawPaw]

I am with you! My expectations were lying in the dirt because *widely gestures to all of EW* but I was really, pleasantly surprised at the direction the story has taken. I was also very appreciative of the dialogue options this time around as, whatever I might have felt about Lahabrea prior to this, whatever preconceptions I had from my memory, they were NOT of the man in front of me in the here and now. It made me stop and think more than once and that's something that I haven't done since ShB. Good shit!

Big hopes that they will resolve it in a way that doesn't completely shit the bed that they've made here. Because you know, they like to do that.

[Atelier-Bagur]

I too greatly enjoyed the story of Pandaemonium this patch and I'm excited to see how it plays out. It subverted my expectations in all the right ways.

.....ok who are you and what did you do to aveyond-dreams.

[AwesomeJr44]

I think that the story itself is good, just a little rushed in some aspects. I like where it went, it's just shame that it didn't take its time on certain aspects. (Hegemone, a keyward (you know, kinda a big deal), doesn't even get a single cutscene for example)

.....ok who are you and what did you do to aveyond-dreams.

When there's something positive to say, we're gonna be positive. It's just not always like that.

[Brinne]

I might post more thoughts later, but for now I'll also say I loved Pandaemonium and can't stop thinking about it, and in general was really impressed by the characterization and also the fun interweaving of the imagery and the themes, even beyond assuaging some of my issues with the original 6.0.

The poison/parasite/infection imagery and metaphor as related to a family struggling with abusive dynamics and how it can seep into even well-meaning peoples' behavior and their thoughts! The codependence element! The reliance upon the players' general assumptions about the Ancients and Lahabrea specifically as hubris-ridden, arrogant, bad people--only for the structure to be built around pulling that rug out from under you for the exact oppposite reveal. The song, and realizing in hindsight it's characterizing Athena and her point of view! Athena herself is fascinating and fun! Themis continuing to be the sweetest and the best! It's all so good, and surprisingly sophisticated for my usual expectations for the way storytelling is handled in this game!

So, similarly to how I felt after playing the Omega quests, I'll echo: thank you, writers!

also athena is my wife, give me back my locket, teraq

[Lauront]

As a fan of the ancients, and Lahabrea, I was happy with it as well...

...including how they characterised the dynamic between the seat of Elidibus and the other seats, and the extent to which Lahabrea would go to in order to remain devoted to his duty, after being hardened and wisened by bitter experience, and Themis's initial chastisement of how he handled matters in that instance, and then gradual understanding of it. I do see early traces of what would later come to define him later as Elidibus. I enjoyed the characterisation of Lahabrea, being a man with a very singular and strong will, but also very quick to admit and correct error where necessary - and his occasional grumbles with the seat of Azem being down more to a divergence in perspectives than any deepseated loathing. The subtle cues showing the similarities between father and son were a nice added touch, and I liked how it moved towards a reconciliation between the two when Lahabrea felt he could finally be honest to Eric about it. I enjoyed both Hegemone (a bit more from her would've been appreciated but as she's recovering it may come later) and Agdistis, and later, the revelation of the origins of the Ascian Prime form, being rooted in ancient practices. Hesperos will forever remain my best boy keyward, though.

It was good to also get some perspective on how the ancients viewed certain acts which they saw as taking research too far/running against cultural taboos (I also happened to do the SGE quest at long last at the same time, which featured a somewhat similar antagonist to Athena/a certain other lady who thought her people had to change by force), and it does show they could push the boundaries in their thinking quite far when motivated to, so I'd be keen to see what creative solutions they would come up with in the face of being unable to directly manipulate dynamis easily.

Also, how could I choose any option but this:



So I am tentatively pleased, and hope they do not drop the ball with the conclusion of the instance in 8-9 months... the instance landing in the Aetherial Sea has me somewhat dosed up on hopium. Let's hope it doesn't end up being a betrayal of the trust Themis has put in the WoL.

[Vahlnir]

When there's something positive to say, we're gonna be positive. It's just not always like that.

Yup. I'm still salty over the crap show that was 6.1, but I will still give credit where it is due when they deserve it. And I feel they deserve it in a few ways, and that includes the new raid. I can honestly say I don't have much bad to say about this patch. The Hrothgar hair situation should be better, but that's about all I have to say negatively.

[Seraphor]

Only thing I didn't like about this raid tier was Hegemone.
What's her story? Who is she and why does she only get a bit part?
Bit of a let down of a fight and of a character.