I get that the role quests were supposed to be lighthearted but the finale kind of crossed the line for me into being offensive. Which is sad because there was a lot to enjoy in all of these quests.
Apyaahi could have been a much more interesting character. They had me on her side when we talked about her motivations in Thanalan, "As for me, I only want one thing: freedom! My village prospered amid nature unrestrained, while those in it were bound by the rules of society. Our roles were determined at birth... none were allowed to follow their hearts! Obedience meant a life without hardship, yes, but I couldn't suffer the tasks I was burdened with. In defiance of those stifling customs, I went into the forest to hunt, and returned to my village with a prey mightier than any that had been caught before. For this, I was rewarded with exile. Yet my banishment was a blessing in disguise, for it helped me realize I could survive─ I could thrive─ unbound by rules! I also understood that many like-minded souls yet suffered under the subjugation of state. I resolved to become an example they could follow ─ to build the passage that would guide them to freedom!"
Apyaahi was right when she said, "And as I traveled the world, I noticed the same thing everywhere I went. That the many were bound by the few. In Gridania, citizens are discouraged from joining hands with their neighbors. In Ul'dah, merchants craft laws to exert their control over others. Even in Limsa Lominsa, once lawless pirates are made to bow to the state! Need I say more? The countless Ishgardians who were tricked into sacrificing themselves when their church fanned the flames of war. The people of the east, whose entire lives are determined by outdated customs and mores."
But instead of developing her ideas further, the writers reduced her to a foolish character meant to be ridiculed—turning her passion for freedom into a joke. It comes across as mockery of anyone who seeks to challenge societal oppression.
What makes this worse is how they handled the Warrior of Light. My character has stood up for "beast" tribes, fought corrupt governments, and opposed tyranny over and over throughout multiple expansion. Yet in this quest, our only dialogue options were “You don’t deserve to be free” and “I was never going to side with you.” It feels forced and out of character. I didn't want to say either.
The story’s tonal inconsistency doesn’t help either. It can’t decide if it wants to be zany slapstick or meaningful commentary, and the clash undermines both.
Finally, this reflects a trend in recent quests: turning the Warrior of Light into a tool of the state or a mercenary. Are we adventurers and champions of the downtrodden, or just enforcers for those in power? The lack of dialogue options that let us empathize with characters like Apyaahi is what I find most offensive. It robs the story of depth and undermines the very ideals our character is supposed to represent.
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Apyaahi could have been a much more interesting character. They had me on her side when we talked about her motivations in Thanalan, "As for me, I only want one thing: freedom! My village prospered amid nature unrestrained, while those in it were bound by the rules of society. Our roles were determined at birth... none were allowed to follow their hearts! Obedience meant a life without hardship, yes, but I couldn't suffer the tasks I was burdened with. In defiance of those stifling customs, I went into the forest to hunt, and returned to my village with a prey mightier than any that had been caught before. For this, I was rewarded with exile. Yet my banishment was a blessing in disguise, for it helped me realize I could survive─ I could thrive─ unbound by rules! I also understood that many like-minded souls yet suffered under the subjugation of state. I resolved to become an example they could follow ─ to build the passage that would guide them to freedom!"
Apyaahi was right when she said, "And as I traveled the world, I noticed the same thing everywhere I went. That the many were bound by the few. In Gridania, citizens are discouraged from joining hands with their neighbors. In Ul'dah, merchants craft laws to exert their control over others. Even in Limsa Lominsa, once lawless pirates are made to bow to the state! Need I say more? The countless Ishgardians who were tricked into sacrificing themselves when their church fanned the flames of war. The people of the east, whose entire lives are determined by outdated customs and mores."
But instead of developing her ideas further, the writers reduced her to a foolish character meant to be ridiculed—turning her passion for freedom into a joke. It comes across as mockery of anyone who seeks to challenge societal oppression.
What makes this worse is how they handled the Warrior of Light. My character has stood up for "beast" tribes, fought corrupt governments, and opposed tyranny over and over throughout multiple expansion. Yet in this quest, our only dialogue options were “You don’t deserve to be free” and “I was never going to side with you.” It feels forced and out of character. I didn't want to say either.
The story’s tonal inconsistency doesn’t help either. It can’t decide if it wants to be zany slapstick or meaningful commentary, and the clash undermines both.
Finally, this reflects a trend in recent quests: turning the Warrior of Light into a tool of the state or a mercenary. Are we adventurers and champions of the downtrodden, or just enforcers for those in power? The lack of dialogue options that let us empathize with characters like Apyaahi is what I find most offensive. It robs the story of depth and undermines the very ideals our character is supposed to represent.
Continue reading...