Can we have an honest conversation about the Scions? Dawn Trail

[Gemina]

Nothing so far suggests that Erenville and her are being treated as anything but acquaintances. They seem sympathetic enough, sure but just because they are there and friendly doesn't mean the game "forces" some sort of mutual friendship that hasn't even been established yet.

Except the fact that this is what the writers have done with nearly every character who is not a Scion, correct? And the ironic thing about this is that whether the acquaintance is friendly or abrasive towards the WoL and their entourage, it's the Scions that force the friendship onto them. I rather enjoyed it when Gaia had a kind of "get bent" attitude. It was refreshing.

My main point however, is that there are actually fewer interactions that do not feel forced and give a sense that the friendship feels natural, and it's these characters that I wish the writers would flesh out a bit more. Ryne is a bit of an exception because she quite literally got an entire expansion, and lives on the First. But characters like Jullus, Unukalhai, and even Fran are bound to the Source and could easily have additional screen time in the MSQ, but they just kind of kick them to the curb and introduce more side characters who will inevitably also be kicked to the curb just when emotional attachments set in.

[Hysterior]

I would have liked to start fresh as well but I think that, because of the trust system, a whole new group would mean changing all the NPCs that can join you in a story dungeon...
Probably easier for them to keep the Scions at this point and just add a couple of extra characters.

[Astrus]

[...] From what we can see, only Krile and Thancred have any direct stake in Dawntrail, was it necessary to bring everyone else too? All the Scions being in Dawntrail is made even weirder by them stating after the "official disbanding" of the Scions of the Seventh Dawn that they should avoid all coming together for anything to keep up the pretense of the disbanding to the rest of the world, but suddenly it's fine for everyone to meet up and travel?

[...]

We already know there's going to be some (surface) tension in regards to the succession.
What if that division is just a front and the point is to show the world that the group formerly known as the Scions of the Seventh Dawn stopped getting along and are done?

I'm obviously reaching here but I'd prefer if they had some sort of plan other than "well we didn't do any official Scions business for a week, back to business as usual guys, they'll never figure us out now"

[TBerry]

I thought they made it clear that they disband on paper?

[Kaurhz]

Honestly,

I wouldn't be surprised if they meant done with them in the extent of done with them as a collective, and acting as such, e.g., not being referred to as Scions of the Seventh Dawn, rather than being done with the actual characters themselves.

Personally, I would like a new cast though I think.

[CNitsah]

From the artwork, looks like they're phasing out Y'shtola and the twins and focusing on Thancred, Urianger and Krile while introducing new characters. G'raha and Estinien are recent scions so I don't mind having them for a while longer but looks like they're taking a backseat as well.

To me that's the road FFXIV should take. Every new expansion, we get a few of the old character mixed with new ones, like HW and SB did. And we rotate between the old ones each expansion. Some hints seem to go that way for a DT (that's what they implied with their "can't go together on adventure" and with the artwork recently), but the trailer was basically "Look, they are ALL there".

[Atelier-Bagur]

If you look at the DT poster theres a severe lack of major Scions present and the fact that Yshtola and the twins and even Graha and Estenien are missing from it, may mean that theyll have a minor role. It seems only Krile, (whom weve yet to adventure with) Thancred and Urianger will be the only major relevant Scions in DT and Im all here for that.

[Jeeqbit]

I thought we were done with them. Here is the thing, one of the reasons I'm less excited about dawntrail is because I was seriously under the impression that they were going to phase out the scions and introduce a new cast. It was the perfect opportunity to do so. For example, the scions disband and go about their desires and they can even make the occasional cameo.

I agree it seemed like they were going to do it and then they just didn't.

What is clear to me now, and everyone else, is they will never move away from them. The trailer shows very clearly that they view the scions the same way as The Simpsons or Scooby-Doo characters. They are gonna run with these characters for 20 years and beyond. So we're just gonna have to adjust our perspective of this tbh.

Although there is precedent for a company changing their mind about characters eventually. They did finally change the Pokemon characters after many, many years to freshen things up in the early 2000s and then again just recently.

Like, is it just me or wouldn't the story be much more exciting if we took the trip to the new world with just Erenville and that hrothgal and the trailers showed mysterious new characters we will meet along the way? That would be so much better...

I agree. The good news is that the poster does not include:
Alphinaud, Alisaie, G'raha, Y'shtola or Estinien.

It does include many new characters:
Female Hrothgar, Male Miqo'te, Erenville, a Female Hyur and two Mamool Ja.

[Turtledeluxe]

If you look at the DT poster theres a severe lack of major Scions present and the fact that Yshtola and the twins and even Graha and Estenien are missing from it, may mean that theyll have a minor role. It seems only Krile, (whom weve yet to adventure with) Thancred and Urianger will be the only major relevant Scions in DT and Im all here for that.

Urianger is literally not doing anything in the trailer. Don't get your hopes up.

In fact, the second half of the trailer is extremely boring and basic when you don't let hype dictate what you're observing. Once Picto gets revealed especially it feels like they literally ran out of ideas. It scares me tbh

[Ath192]

I agree it seemed like they were going to do it and then they just didn't.

What is clear to me now, and everyone else, is they will never move away from them. The trailer shows very clearly that they view the scions the same way as The Simpsons or Scooby-Doo characters. They are gonna run with these characters for 20 years and beyond. So we're just gonna have to adjust our perspective of this tbh.

Although there is precedent for a company changing their mind about characters eventually. They did finally change the Pokemon characters after many, many years to freshen things up in the early 2000s and then again just recently.

I agree. The good news is that the poster does not include:
Alphinaud, Alisaie, G'raha, Y'shtola or Estinien.

It does include many new characters:
Female Hrothgar, Male Miqo'te, Erenville, a Female Hyur and two Mamool Ja.

Yeah at least there's hope. Most of the annoying members aren't in the poster thank goodness. The game has a good story but I think it rides on its themes and villains, not its main cast. For example the main cast of FFXVI was much, much more likeable in every regard and I wouldn't mind having those for 20 years... But the scions are mostly just there and don't give any lasting impressions beyond their main gimmick or for some people their looks.