When I was watching one of FFXIV fanfests, I saw a woman. She had a very interesting job in the FFXIV department: she was creating NPC outfits. Why is this job important? Because in the story even minor details (like clothing) are used to convey a certain idea or create a background for a character without telling about it directly. Why are Gaius reborn, Severa, and Valdeaulin dressed like they are? To show a player that even if they are going through troublesome times and not shy about violence (tattered coats and weapons on their backs), they are civilised people, which were pulled out of their civil background and forced to do what they are doing (dress pants and some kind of Chelsea boots).
Faces are far more important than boots. In human culture, certain facial features have specific meanings depending on cultural stereotypes (blond hair, red hair, narrow nose bridge, wide nose bridge, full lips, thin lips, etc.). Even making colours of a face less or more contrasting creates a difference in their personality (the more contrasting the colours are, the more straight lines in features are present, the more determined a person looks). When a new NPC is created, all of the above is taken into consideration. Also, that's why RPGs (MMORPGs included) have character creation tools with features different from regular cute or handsome face parts, so a player could make a character with a certain background to express a certain idea. (Face reading doesn't work with the real people, of course, but plays a very important part in storytelling.)
If you look at the "old" Thancred, what facial features do we see? Regular cheekbones, a prominent chin (often associated with determination), a wider tip of the nose compared to the narrow bridge (indicating his low birth, because narrow noses with a high nose bridge are considered more aristocratic and attractive), full lips (they are often associated with hedonism), tanned skin, bright high-contrast eyes, and darker eyebrows forming almost a straight line (once again, these features help to emphasise his energy and determination). Considering all the above, what person do we see here? Someone who is not afraid of the sun, who leads an active life and enjoys the pleasures life offers. He is of a questionable background (probably from the lowest of the low), but is attractive (roguish charm), and rose from the bottom due to the strength of his character. It pretty much corresponds with Thancred's story, right?