Thread: Dawntrail, Endwalkers, and the Death of 2.0

Originally Posted by koko-on-da-forumz

This is not really true.

Contrary to what people seem to believe (maybe because of Endwalker's marketing and presentation), there was never a "10 year long saga". There is very little common thread through any expansion, save for Endwalker being a direct sequel to Shadowbringers. Really, the only common themes have been "mysterious Ascians exist" (they've gone on record saying that they completely rewrote the lore for these guys to make ShB work), and "Garlemald", who presents in very different ways in each expansion.

Dawntrail's story is atrocious, but it's not their first time writing an original story. Just first time with this writer at the helm.

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You're reading a lot that I didn't write in my post. I said they used foundations pre-stablished prior to Yoshida taking the helm, not that they were continuing a fleshed out story. 1.0 had its story very unfinished, and nobody at the staff really knew where it was heading, making 2.0 onwards essentially retcons, yes. But my point is Yoshida and co. didn't create Eorzea and its city-states. A lot of what they did still connected to lore created in 1.0. They worked around and on top of the little that was preserved from it. Little or not, the fact remains they borrowed someone else's concepts then toyed with it, rathre than make literally something from scratch.

Venat is a thing because Hydaelin was a thing, because the Hear... Feel... Think... calling was a thing. Ul'dahn, Gridanian and Lominsan lore in 2.0~5.3 is very much founded in what was already in 1.0. That didn't change much. Ala Mhigo and the entirety of Stormblood only happened because Ala Mhigo under Garlean domain and the fervor of resistants who wanted to rally Eorzea and the path of the twelve was a thing in 1.0. Etc.
Literally the entirety of the MSQ from 2.0 to 4.55 couldn't happen if it wasn't for what was already being built in 1.0 lore.

Even the Ascians, even though they're portrayed very differently, only exist because 1.0 lore said so.