Character Death in the MSQ

[RedLolly]

What's funny is I noticed a few years ago that there are a few plot points I keep putting into my own works and realized that someone would absolutely consider it a "trope" of mine despite it simply being a thing I like exploring in fiction. Considering FFXIV has had the same few people overseeing it since at least 2.0, seeing similar ideas and stylistic choices is just that, the creative team's style.

Anyway. At this point, killing off a main Scion is pretty impossible. As self-sacrificing as G'raha is as a character, and the fact he keeps throwing himself in danger to save us, AND the fact he's had what? 4 fake-out deaths in the plot, he's one of the most popular characters. He has a ton of merch. He brings in players. We like using him in content. (Shoot, his English VA is a massive Hollywood actor now who got his break during ShB, but even HE adores the character so much that he wants to keep on as his voice as much as possible.) Killing G'raha off would damage the game.

That's why we get characters like Moenbryda or Geode. We get a minor character we get to explore a bit and get attached too that can still have some emotional impact and ripples in the plot. The writing behind that Geode section was such a massive shift and improvement in writing emotional beats in DT that I hate to say it, his sacrifice kind of saved the plot a bit for me. They made me care again. But if it had been G'raha? I'd probably log off and never come back, because he's my favorite.

[StormChase]

What's funny is I noticed a few years ago that there are a few plot points I keep putting into my own works and realized that someone would absolutely consider it a "trope" of mine despite it simply being a thing I like exploring in fiction. Considering FFXIV has had the same few people overseeing it since at least 2.0, seeing similar ideas and stylistic choices is just that, the creative team's style.

Anyway. At this point, killing off a main Scion is pretty impossible. As self-sacrificing as G'raha is as a character, and the fact he keeps throwing himself in danger to save us, AND the fact he's had what? 4 fake-out deaths in the plot, he's one of the most popular characters. He has a ton of merch. He brings in players. We like using him in content. (Shoot, his English VA is a massive Hollywood actor now who got his break during ShB, but even HE adores the character so much that he wants to keep on as his voice as much as possible.) Killing G'raha off would damage the game.

That's why we get characters like Moenbryda or Geode. We get a minor character we get to explore a bit and get attached too that can still have some emotional impact and ripples in the plot. The writing behind that Geode section was such a massive shift and improvement in writing emotional beats in DT that I hate to say it, his sacrifice kind of saved the plot a bit for me. They made me care again. But if it had been G'raha? I'd probably log off and never come back, because he's my favorite.

They shouldn't kill off main characters for the sake of it. The Crystal Exarch living on as G'raha Tia was a better conclusion than him dying and staying dead. I just think the deaths can be a little too predictable sometimes. Not Final Fantasy, but I remember Stranger Things facing similar criticisms about them introducing a new character each season who's made to die so they can play it safe with the main cast.