What Zero Could've Been

[aveyond-dreams]

My apologies, but it appears the full post I had written up got accidentally deleted when I misclicked. As the thread has already been created, I will instead provide the underlying ideas I was trying to bring out. These are just some thoughts that came into mind about Zero and to some extent Vrtra.

[RukoBoshi]

The kind of woman you are mentioning in your screenshot is not really what i would expect from someone coming from the void.
I think it's a bit soon to talk about what she could have been, when we are at the very beginning of her arc.
Especially considering she show interest in concept like friendship.

[aveyond-dreams]

The kind of woman you are mentioning in your screenshot is not really what i would expect from someone coming from the void.
I think it's a bit soon to talk about what she could have been, when we are at the very beginning of her arc.
Especially considering she show interest in concept like friendship.

Have you never met a female demoness type character in video games. Succubi, and other sort of temptress like ones? Demons often have more to them besides the violence they're associated with, though I suppose instead FFXIV opted to make them quirky like SMT or Persona ones.

Having a character who can both look and act that sort of part would be quite refreshing, especially since Y'shtola in no way fills such a role despite the reputation she gained after the "little sun" stunt from Stormblood. She's way too bland to be treating men like that.

"Beginning of her arc" far be it from me to expect the start of a story to be bit more gripping, the friendship angle is just not what I expect to have fed to me especially so bluntly. That's some care bears or kingdom hearts type of storytelling, there has to be more going on. There are ways to make compelling heroines without going for such childish stories, but it's been ages since a female protagonist has been allowed to have a decent arc since the days of Ysayle.

Zero is awesome just the way she is. The game already has plenty of endearing "we can do anything with the power of friendship" characters. I very much enjoyed her straight to the point attitude and it makes perfect sense for a character who has spent eons in a world where the only rule is kill or be killed. I assume she'll open up more as time goes on but I hope they don't stray too far from how she is now.

I just wish the sort of attitude and dynamic she brings could've gone to a male cast member instead. FFXIV women are oftentimes too "strong" without a sufficient arc leading up to that level of empowerment or confidence while the men are either jokes or hung up on a set of emotions like Vrtra is, and it's not doing anyone any favors.

[Boblawblah]

She's way too bland to be treating men like that.

I'm not sure I understand. Mocking a man trying to flirt with her takes a certain non-blandness in a female character?

[aveyond-dreams]

I'm not sure I understand. Mocking a man trying to flirt with her takes a certain non-blandness in a female character?

Let me put it into perspective. Someone who is conventionally attractive and has a high degree of charisma/interesting attitude, like these characters:





Can get away with that sort of behavior. This character:



Cannot.

There's succubus in FFXIV, but Zero doesn't seem to be inspired by such character trait. The plot goes more in a direction of "former human" than full on demon with Zero as of now.
I do believe that there is more to her than just being violent and wanting to feed on aether, but aside from the friendship talk we had with her, we don't have much to go on to guess what she will be like.

There are.



A seductive demoness would've been a lot more unique in the context of FFXIV instead of another stoic sort of woman, as if the immortal Y'shtola wasn't enough.

[Valkyrie_Lenneth]

Let me put it into perspective. Someone who is conventionally attractive and has a high degree of charisma/interesting attitude, like these characters:





Can get away with that sort of behavior. This character:



Cannot.

Clearly you and I have very different ideas of what is and is not attractive.

And how the heck do you think yotsuyu has charisma.....

She rules through fear and punishment, not charisma...

[Nuki]

I'm not sure I understand. Mocking a man trying to flirt with her takes a certain non-blandness in a female character?

same here, tells you everything about the op

gives me "men drawing women" vibes

[RukoBoshi]

Have you never met a female demoness type character in video games. Succubi, and other sort of temptress like ones? Demons often have more to them besides the violence they're associated with, though I suppose instead FFXIV opted to make them quirky like SMT or Persona ones.

Having a character who can both look and act that sort of part would be quite refreshing, especially since Y'shtola in no way fills such a role despite the reputation she gained after the "little sun" stunt from Stormblood. She's way too bland to be treating men like that.

"Beginning of her arc" far be it from me to expect the start of a story to be bit more gripping, the friendship angle is just not what I expect to have fed to me especially so bluntly. That's some care bears or kingdom hearts type of storytelling, there has to be more going on.

I didn't expect the friendship angle coming from a voidsent either, but she is the one who brought friend talk on the table not I. I only state what facts we have regarding the direction they can take her character.
And since wanting to know what is a friend is the first thing she ask us and get mention again near the end of the patch, i think that will be comprised in her narrative arc.

There's succubus in FFXIV, but Zero doesn't seem to be inspired by such character trait. The plot goes more in a direction of "former human" than full on demon with Zero as of now.
I do believe that there is more to her than just being violent and wanting to feed on aether, but aside from the friendship talk we had with her, we don't have much to go on to guess what she will be like.

[CidHeiral]

I just wish the sort of attitude and dynamic she brings could've gone to a male cast member instead. FFXIV women are oftentimes too "strong" without a sufficient arc leading up to that level of empowerment or confidence while the men are either jokes or hung up on a set of emotions like Vrtra is, and it's not doing anyone any favors.

Female characters need story arcs to explain why they're not all dainty princesses? What?

[aveyond-dreams]

Female characters need story arcs to explain why they're not all dainty princesses? What?

Yes. They should have on-screen development that leads up to the strength they find instead of just starting out all cool and powerful. The lack of these arcs doesn't make for a compelling story, it's just putting a Mary Sue in front of my face and expecting me to like her based off how cool she looks. That isn't what stories should be doing.