#i know she's the big bad of this expac but like. they should let us shadow priests side with her. just for fun

[jacobglaser]

Now, in the darkness, at the very heart of the world, the drums of war thunder once again. And Azeroth, at last, awakens. The Worldsoul, so long denied me, shall be mine.

→ World of Warcraft: The War Within

[anneapocalypse]

On Wuk Lamat, and Female Characters in FFXIV

The Thing with Wuk Lamat is you can tell me you think she had too much screentime; you can give me numbers on how many lines she had or how many scenes she's in relative to other characters or other expacs; you can prove to me "objectively" that she gets more focus than other main NPCs; you're simply not going to convince me that this is something I should be unhappy about. And not just because it's silly to think you can use numbers to prove a story is good or bad and make someone else go, "Wow, you're right, let me just throw away all the joy I experienced with this story and revise my opinion because you've scientifically proven to me that I'm wrong."

Because while I love Final Fantasy XIV and I have greatly enjoyed its story in so many ways, fundamentally one of my biggest beefs with this game has been how much female characters have been denied complex character arcs and growth and agency and interiority.

Minfilia gets treated as a sacrificial vessel who lives for everyone but herself and doesn't even get to have feelings about her own death because that entire arc is focused on a male character's angst about it instead. The game tells us in the Heavensward patches that Krile sees Minfilia as her best friend and then just forgets about that later and never follows up on what that loss must have meant to her. Ysayle is basically right about most of what she's fighting for but harboring a bit of self-delusion is apparently such a terrible sin that she has to pay for it with her life, while her male foil is deemed so worthy of salvation that there's a whole plot point about how important it is that we risk our lives and others' lives to save him. Y'shtola is a major character who's been around since the beginning, and the game keeps dropping maddeningly interesting things about her (apprenticed to a cranky old witch in a cave! saved her own life and the lives of her friends with an illegal and dangerous spell and it worked! reserved and undemonstrative yet regularly through her actions reveals herself to be deeply caring! disabled!) and then shows complete disinterest in following up on any of those things with the kind of depth and care shown to male characters with complex arcs like Urianger.

In general there is also a repeated thread of female characters being portrayed as weak or overly emotional: Minfilia is weak because she doesn't fight and needs to be eaten by a god in order to gain "a strength long sought." Krile is portrayed as not being able to pull her weight with the Scions (despite the fact that she actively keeps five of them from dying in Shadowbringers) and the only thing they could think of for her to do in Endwalker was be yet another vessel for Hydaelyn (hmm, that sounds familiar) and it's not until Dawntrail that she gets much actual character development in the main story and even that has to come alongside "Look, she can fight now so that means she's useful." (And I love Picto!Krile, I'm just saying, there's a pattern.) Alisaie, despite having very good reasons for needing to find her own path apart from her brother, is portrayed as having to prove herself when she returns, that she's "not the girl she once was," and "will not be a burden" (while Alphinaud is repeatedly given the benefit of the doubt and reassurance and affirmation from other characters even after he takes on responsibilities he isn't ready for and fucks up big time).

And if you follow me you know I adore Urianger, and I love Alphinaud and Thancred and Estinien too, so please don't misunderstand what I'm saying here! I'm not knocking those characters, or saying we shouldn't also love them. I just use them as a comparison to demonstrate how the female characters have been neglected.

Lyse has some of the stronger character development among the female Scions, and while she's still kind of portrayed as being too emotional and hotheaded in early Stormblood, I think it's actually explored in more depth in a way that I like; Lyse has good reasons for wanting to fight for her nation's freedom, but having been away from Ala Mhigo for several years now, she needs to understand the stakes for the people who've been there fighting for years, what they've lost and still have to lose. She grows as a person and rises to the challenge of leadership, and I'm even okay with the fact that she leaves the Scions afterward because it feels right for her to stay in Ala Mhigo, and at least she doesn't die.

And by all accounts she was, like Wuk Lamat, widely hated when her expansion came out.

Unironically I think the other female Scion with the strongest character arc is Tataru. She tries to take up a combat job, finds that it's not for her, and decides to focus on where her strengths are instead. In doing so, she both holds the Scions together as an organization in the absence of a leader by capably managing their finances, and also comes into her own as a businesswoman and makes international connections that benefit both the Scions and her personally. In contrast to Minfilia, she's not portrayed as weak because she doesn't fight, and is actually allowed to be an important character who's good for more than being sacrificed. Tataru is still distinctly in a supporting role for the player character, however, and her character arc happens as a side story that takes up a relatively small amount of screentime over several expansions, which I think is probably why she doesn't evoke such a negative reaction.

But there is a pattern of the game's writing showing disinterest in the interior lives of female characters generally, and in making their growth the focus of a story.

So yeah, I'm going to be happy about Wuk Lamat! I'm going to enjoy and celebrate every moment of her character arc, of her personal growth, of watching her put the lessons she's learned into action. I'm going to love and treasure every moment when she gets to be silly, embarrassing, emotional, scared, grieving, confused, upset, seasick, impulsive, and still deemed worthy of growing into a hero and a leader. I will love her with all of my soul and you simply will not convince me that it wasn't worth the screentime after such a profound imbalance for basically the entirety of the game. We've never had a major female character get such a strong arc with this much love and attention put into it and that means more to me than I can truly say. The backlash to it is disheartening, as this kind of thing always is, but I'm not going to let it ruin the wonderful experience I had playing it and how much joy it continues to bring me.

And for those of you who don't want any of that for a female character, thank goodness you have Heavensward and Shadowbringers and Endwalker and no one can take those away from you.

(And if you follow me you know that I love Shadowbringers and Endwalker and have very fond memories of Heavensward despite some issues with it, so not only can I not take that from you, I am not trying to!)

Some of us have been real hungry for a character like this with an arc like this, so, I think, y'know, maybe we can have that. As a treat.

[hfbeasty]

omg the NPC asssskkkk .....!! can I ask..... Di??? or Hiet??? or Baal?? damn my heart. the one that inspires you most??

ASDFGHJK I’m gonna try all three because fuck it i love my ocs

1. Would they be recruitable?

Yep. Good luck with him.

2. Would they be a class specific character? (ie. Imperial Agent only. Republic character only)

He’s only available for Imp side characters.

3. When would you recruit them? Vanilla story? an Expac? Post KOTET?

I feel like he could fit in anywhere. He’s very simple, one goal and one minded person so where or when wouldn’t really have a big effect on his story or character.

4. Where would you recruit them from?

Anywhere but the Sith Academy. I imagine him meeting the player while already being in his thirties and very experienced yet still unpredictable.

5. What would their recruitment mission be?

Probably something you need to search extra manpower for. Di is that extra strenght.

6. What would be their original recruitment outfit?

Callous Conqueror armor without the mask (see picture). 

7. Would there be a character they don’t like? Would that cause you to choose sides?

Di doesn’t like anyone. If you chose too many options that don’t side with him this might have effects in the future. 

8. Are they romancable? Why/why not

Yes because I think he’d make for an interesting romance with him being goddamn dark sided and having to learn this weird thing called romance while also really wanting it. Also he’s Cathar so a romance with him is gonna be deep since you will be his lifemate. He’d both die and kill for you.

9. What would they say if you clicked on them?

“Don’t touch me.” “ *low growl…* “ “What are you looking at?” “My advice: Kill whatever’s troubling you.” “Did you hear the screams of that last guy? Hehehe..” “Just keep moving.” “Let’s move.”

10. Do they know any other in game characters? (ie. trained under Satele Shan during the civil war. Knew Talos before he went to Hoth)

No. He’s a hermit.

11. What weapon(s) would they have?

Cathar Honor Sword on his back and the Red Unstable Peacemaker Lightsaber on his hip. 

12. Are they better as a tank, healer or DPS?

Dps all the way trough. Good tank but sucks at healing. He’d rather tell you to get over it, that your wounds are proof of you being a warior, you shouldn’t hide them.

13. What gifts do they Love? Like? What would they say when you gave them a gift?

Love: Weapon. “Hey.. Thanks..” “That looks good.” “For me?” 

Like: Imperial and Military. “That’s nice.” “Alright.” “You got me this?”

14. What would they say if you sent them away/changed them out?

“Big mistake.” “ *angered growl* “ “Why must you keep me from battle.” “I will remember this.” “Fine.”

15. What do they say when they heal you? What do they say when they are attacking?

Heal: “Get. Up.” “Giving up is not an option.” “If you die I’ll kill you.” “That was dissapointing..”

Attack: “*deep chuckle*” “You think you can take me?!” “*violent growl*” “Get back here you coward!” “I’m gonna make you bleed…” “I’ll rip your troath out with my teeth.” “You’re gonna be dinner.” “When I remove your legs from your body you won’t be able to run!”

16. What’s their idle chatter like? Do they talk a lot (when you arrive on each planet) or do they suddenly say something in some strange places?

He’ll usually say something before a battle. “Di what do you propose?” “He won’t talk if we rip out his tongue…”

Or in certain areas.

Rural: “Yegh diplomats. Let’s get out of here.”

Outside: “I used to hunt here closeby, quite tasty meat they got around here I must say.”

17. What letter’s would they send post vanillia class story/SOR/KOTFE

Me: *hasn’t finished any of the vanilla class stories*

Hi

I’m not gonna let you go

- Di’taqt

Attachment: A rather bloody heart of something (or someone) you may not want to know

KOTFE

You.

I could have known you weren’t dead. No one could possibly kill you. It drove me mad. Not being able to find who killed you. So I just murdered everyone that looked suspicious. Which was everybody I came along… How foolish I was. Should have known. No one is strong enough. You are the most powerful. Everyone else is weak. As am I, for you.

- Your warrior

18. If they are recruitable in vanillia story, where are they during KOTFE/TET? What are/were they doing?

I’m not entirely sure what’s happening during KOTET. But he’s probably wandering on his own again.

1. Would they be recruitable?

Don’t think so. She’d probably one of the more important NPC’s walking around that you can go to for advice. She’s a Jedi Master for certain. More like an advisor that will continue to be in the story (like in Dragon Age Inquisition) and on a special occasion will be able to be used as a companion.

2. Would they be a class specific character? (ie. Imperial Agent only. Republic character only)

I feel like she’d be with both Jedi classes at the start and be available for all classes during KOTET.

3. When would you recruit them? Vanilla story? an Expac? Post KOTET?

Start of Vanilla stories for Jedi Knight and Consular. You’d meet her somewhere at the beginning and she’d guide you trough your journey. And for all classes during KOTET. She’s very accepting so I feel like she’d get along with all classes

4. Where would you recruit them from?

 Jedi temple.

5. What would their recruitment mission be?

You’d get sent to speak with Jedi Master Frodynn for advice maybe? She’ll occasionaly give clues about where you should be heading now and also is willing to help train you. But she isn’t your official Master.

6. What would be their original recruitment outfit?

A flowy and very simple yet comfortable mix between a white dress and Jedi robes. She usually has her hands folded in the sleeves.

7. Would there be a character they don’t like? Would that cause you to choose sides?

Hiet doesn’t hold grudges, is very open minded, gives everyone a chance and believes there’s light in everyone. Doesn’t mean she won’t fuck u up if ur gonna do evil.

8. Are they romancable? Why/why not

Yes because I say so. Romancing her takes time and can of course only be achieved if you don’t care as much for the Jedi rules as she does. It would be a little mischievous and very secret.

9. What would they say if you clicked on them?

“Hello my dear.” “How are you?” “You are doing well.” “ *giggle* “ “I’m here for you.” “Friend.” “ *soft humming* “

10. Do they know any other in game characters? (ie. trained under Satele Shan during the civil war. Knew Talos before he went to Hoth)

She knows most of the more well known Jedi personally.

11. What weapon(s) would they have?

Seven white lightsabers floating around her.

12. Are they better as a tank, healer or DPS?

She’s a healer but can do an enormous amount of damage. Not a great tank.

13. What gifts do they Love? Like? What would they say when you gave them a gift?

She loves Cultural gifts. “Oh my..” “This is wonderful, thank you my friend.” “I will cherish this.” She likes Imperial gifts.  “For me?” “Why thank you.”

14. What would they say if you sent them away/changed them out?

“Untill next time.” “Be careful out there.” “I’ll be thinking of you.” “Remember what I thought you.” “Be kind.” “Farewell.”

15. What do they say when they heal you? What do they say when they are attacking?

Heal: “Now now, come here..” “All patched up.” “Ready for another adventure.”

Attack: “I apologize.” “I am sorry our paths had to cross like this.” “Take that!” “I will not let you come closer.”

16. What’s their idle chatter like? Do they talk a lot (when you arrive on each planet) or do they suddenly say something in some strange places?

She usually has something to say about the areas you travel to. Some information on it’s history. Sometimes she’ll giggle depending on the dialogie choices you make or she’ll say something or make a face when you choose a dark sided option.

17. What letter’s would they send post vanillia class story/SOR/KOTFE

She doesn’t sent letters so it most likely will be a holocall in which she tells you she’s worried and that you should return safely to her.

18. If they are recruitable in vanillia story, where are they during KOTFE/TET? What are/were they doing?

I can’t say for sure as I’m not aware of what’s happening during KOTET, but she’ll most likely be helping the good guys and help the hurt.

1. Would they be recruitable?

Yep.

2. Would they be a class specific character? (ie. Imperial Agent only. Republic character only)

I think all classes would fit. She doesn’t get allong with most Force Sensitive ones though and will leave if you’ve chosen too many dark sided options.

3. When would you recruit them? Vanilla story? an Expac? Post KOTET?

Somewhere in the middle of the Vanilla story.

4. Where would you recruit them from?

Not a planet, but a ship in deep space. 

5. What would their recruitment mission be?

A Bounty Hunter has been causing trouble. Catch her. Instead you realize Baal was framed and together take the ones down that wanted to catch Baal. She joins you after you offer her a free ride and she sticks around for a while. Still very lonesome tho. 

6. What would be their original recruitment outfit?

RD-07A Vendetta armor set. 

7. Would there be a character they don’t like? Would that cause you to choose sides?

She’s very wary of Mandalorians, Imperials and force sensitive people. Also if you side with her family she’s gone forever.

8. Are they romancable? Why/why not

Yes she needs some loving.. I think it would be interesting trying to get the big bad lonely bounty hunter to trust you enough. You may even get some flowers.

9. What would they say if you clicked on them?

“Hmpf..” “What?” “I’m here.” “I don’t have anything to say right now.” “Y’know I appreciated the silent moments between us..” “… Take the hint.” “Hm?” “Stay on guard.” 

10. Do they know any other in game characters? (ie. trained under Satele Shan during the civil war. Knew Talos before he went to Hoth)

She knows all about Mandalorians and some may recognize her. 

11. What weapon(s) would they have?

Mischief and Anarchy pistol set and a sniper rifle.

12. Are they better as a tank, healer or DPS?

She’s a great tank and damage dealer and okay at healing.

13. What gifts do they Love? Like? What would they say when you gave them a gift?

Love: Weapon. “Thank… You…” “This is pretty cool.” “You shouldn’t have.. But I’m still taking it.”

Like: Luxury. “Oh, I don’t have anything for you though.” “Thanks.” “Haven’t seen this in a while.”

14. What would they say if you sent them away/changed them out?

“Bye.” “See ya.” “Don’t make me have to come back and save your ass.” “Stay out of trouble.” “Forget my name.” “I’ll go get some rest then.”

15. What do they say when they heal you? What do they say when they are attacking?

Heal: “Get up.” “The fight’s not over yet.” “Heal up.” 

Attack: “Got one.” “Get out while you can.” “Fool.” “This is nothing.” “Score says I’m hitting more than you.” “Another one for the tally.” 

16. What’s their idle chatter like? Do they talk a lot (when you arrive on each planet) or do they suddenly say something in some strange places?

She really doesn’t say much to be honest. Her dialogue exists more out of ‘hmm’s and dissapointed looks. 

17. What letter’s would they send post vanillia class story/SOR/KOTFE

She also doesn’t sent much letters. They’re more like text messages. ‘you ok?’ ‘text me when you get there.’ ‘look at this picture of a nexu i found. its funny.’

18. If they are recruitable in vanillia story, where are they during KOTFE/TET? What are/were they doing?

She’s most likely back to solo bountyhunting and got hired by Teeg to help fight Arcann.

[astroellipse]

hhhhhhhghghhh i hate heavensward man i don’t wanna do the vault :(

I’m already tearing up this is so stupid!!! One of the main reasons I’m replaying is to try and figure out why people think HW is good but! It’s even worse the second time around! WHY would Aymeric do something so reckless? He doesn’t even make a contingency plan! It’s ridiculous! Goddammit man. And the foreshadowing. Fucking Haurchefant. I’ve only grown more attached to him this time around, especially because I’ve made a point to talk to every NPC for extra dialogue. He says, right now before The Vault, “My arm will not falter; my shield will not break. I promise you: we shall prevail!” He’s half right. And half literally wrong... the direct reference to his broken shield... this is evil. This is just so so bad. I’m going to sob like a baby a second time when he dies again. I love this dude.

Yes this is me procrastinating. I’m not sure if there’s another time after this when he’s loaded into the overworld. He and that moment in The Vault are perhaps the best part of this stupid expac. Genuinely feels like SB took a bunch of the core ideas but gave them actual depth and made them Good. Or at least Better. At least it all made sense for the most part. And had a villain I had literally any interest in. I do not care about the Heavens Ward. Ok I care about Zephirin but that’s just because I do continue to want his head on a pike. But the rest of them? And Thordan? Completely uninterested. They really should have expanded on Ishgard’s religion more, earlier, maybe instead of some of the silly bullshit we go through on our journey with Estinien and Ysayle. Like, they set it up later, which lets me see what they were trying to do now, but when I played the first time I didn’t understand that Thordan was trying to use his peoples’ faith to turn himself into a primal until I was crossing blades with him.

I just. This sucks. After seeing how good the story can be this undeniably is bad. They should have leaned into the WoL being a tool, because they absolutely are for this entire expac. The reason I love Haurchefant so much is because he actually gives a damn about the WoL as his friend, and not just a capable fighter. That entire journey before could have been so good if the story had at least attempted to create/expand some sort of emotional connection between the WoL and Estinien/Alphinaud, maybe Ysayle though for how quickly she becomes irrelevant it wouldn’t have mattered much. They had the foundation there! They put that seed of doubt in your mind, and then never do anything with it. I swear, they don’t touch on it much in the later expacs either. I’ve talked about this though, how there isn’t really anywhere for that thread to go without serious story implications if the answer is anything other than “I choose to do this, serving as a tool is my will.”

My personal answer, for both of my WoLs, is “I enjoy this.” Much more fun to play around with in my head, that secret selfishness. Both of them could care less about the fate of the star, as long as they’re still around to fight bigger and badder enemies, currently to destroy Zenos and hopefully Zodiark and Hydaelyn along with him. Granted Doran does share a will with Secret, so it’s really just her that wants this. Made ShB really fun, when she was struggling with actually starting to care about the world and her friends, since they... at least sort of appeared to care for her, as a person and not just a weapon. Will also be fun with Doran, who struggles with distinguishing himself from Secret, even as a shard of her, willing himself to care for those around him, to take more than just a passing interest in the world. Although with some knowledge from Secret, he’s seeing some stuff from a different perspective. The big one, currently, is Aymeric’s ridiculous plot here. Where Secret blamed solely herself for Haurchefant’s death, Doran also sees that it was Aymeric’s recklessness that got them into the situation in the first place. He is also, I think, a bit more prepared to accept his death as what Haurchefant wanted, which would give Secret some measure of peace.

Since I know I’ll look back on these eventually anyways, I’ll explain shortly. Secret Dusk is my primary WoL. Doran Stokes is one of seven souls joined to her from a past Rejoining, in addition to Ardbert’s and of course her own soul originating in the Source. Secret has been doing a hell of a lot of reflecting in between action (me writing about her and reading through old quest logs, and doing dark knight stuff), and... sort of unconsciously started to relive things. The world recreated within herself, from the beginning of her journey though a little different, for one of her shards to experience. And Doran, being the first to be rejoined to her, was the lucky winner.

He is, of course, deeply attached to Secret, and is delighted to be able to interact with this world as she did, even if he’s having some separate experiences. He retains some knowledge from Secret, with just enough missing for things to still be dramatic to him. Both Secret and Doran exemplify things I like to imagine of Azem, Secret being primarily their analytical and accommodating nature, and Doran being a carefree traveler. Both are reckless in equal measure, willingly or no, though Doran leans into this a bit more. He keeps up with 3 classes, all DPS: Bard, Red Mage, and Dragoon. All have the capacity to make him fly off the edge of arenas which I think is funny. All have a penchant for wandering.

Bard is his, I suppose, canon class, or at least his most favored one. Dragoon he picked up simply because he started in Gridania and it was there, and kept up with it in HW because when in Rome and all that. And Red Mage is there because he wanted to try his hand at magic, though... I think I’ve realized that I just don’t like playing casters. At least not in solo play. Way too squishy. Love playing DRG in a dungeon and the tank overpulls and dies and suddenly *I* have the aggro, so I pop arm’s length and bloodbath and AoE my heart out while praying the healer can keep up. Feels even better on the off-chance it works!

That was not a short explanation at all. Oh well. Guess I’ll go shower so I can prepare myself to sob about fictional men.