I am playing through the Stormblood MSQ as a Xaela,[still bad as a non-Xaela] and I’ve hit a point that feels like a massive narrative failure and a logical plot hole and kind of an insult to xaela players that enjoy RP or consistent story telling. Hein is actually villian.
Entitlement:
Like any royal villain, Hien assumes his goals (the Doman throne) are more important than the religious and cultural sovereignty of an entire ethnic group.
The "Draft" by Deception:
He isn't asking the Xaela for help; he is "gaming" their system so they have no choice but to follow the winner of the Naadam. That’s a form of political kidnapping.
Willingness to Sacrifice Others:
He’s willing to let Xaela blood be spilled to solve a Doman problem that the Domans themselves were too hesitant to fix.
I would argue that from a Xaela perspective, Hien's behavior is borderline villainous. He shares the same entitlement as the antagonists we've fought before—he believes his 'noble cause' justifies the exploitation and potential destruction of a culture he doesn't belong to. He isn't a liberator to the Steppe; he's a foreign interloper using us as a weapon.
The Garleans also believe they are 'liberating' people by bringing them under a "better" rule. Hien is doing the same thing—he’s deciding what the Xaela should care about (Doma’s freedom) without their input.
The Doma Side:
You are treated like an errand boy. You're doing "meaningless chores"—hauling crates, talking to NPCs who are skeptical or flat-out rude to you—just to convince them to care about their own freedom. The game forces you to "earn" the right to help them, even though they are the ones being oppressed.
The Steppe Side:
Hien waltzes into a land that has been sovereign for thousands of years and expects the Xaela to just drop everything and die for him. He doesn't have to do "chores" to convince them; he just plans to hijack their religion.
The "Disposable Army" Logic
It frames the Xaela as "lesser" characters than the Domans. The story treats Doman lives as complicated, requiring deep emotional convincing and political maneuvering. But it treats Xaela lives as a resource.
It essentially says "The Domans are too precious and scared to fight, so let’s go find some 'savage' warriors who love fighting anyway and trick them into doing the dirty work."
Why it breaks the "Warrior of Light" Experience//
As a Xaela, you’re stuck in the middle of this mess. You are:
Being ridiculed by the people you're trying to save in Doma.
Being used by Hien to exploit your own cousins and tribesmen on the Steppe.
Hien doesn't want an alliance; he wants a shield. He’s using your character’s strength and heritage[for xaela if it was acknowledged] to bypass the hard work of building a real Doman resistance.
The game makes me work to convince Domans to save themselves, but lets Hien skip the work and just 'draft' the Xaela through a loophole."
//continued in next post//
Continue reading...
Entitlement:
Like any royal villain, Hien assumes his goals (the Doman throne) are more important than the religious and cultural sovereignty of an entire ethnic group.
The "Draft" by Deception:
He isn't asking the Xaela for help; he is "gaming" their system so they have no choice but to follow the winner of the Naadam. That’s a form of political kidnapping.
Willingness to Sacrifice Others:
He’s willing to let Xaela blood be spilled to solve a Doman problem that the Domans themselves were too hesitant to fix.
I would argue that from a Xaela perspective, Hien's behavior is borderline villainous. He shares the same entitlement as the antagonists we've fought before—he believes his 'noble cause' justifies the exploitation and potential destruction of a culture he doesn't belong to. He isn't a liberator to the Steppe; he's a foreign interloper using us as a weapon.
The Garleans also believe they are 'liberating' people by bringing them under a "better" rule. Hien is doing the same thing—he’s deciding what the Xaela should care about (Doma’s freedom) without their input.
The Doma Side:
You are treated like an errand boy. You're doing "meaningless chores"—hauling crates, talking to NPCs who are skeptical or flat-out rude to you—just to convince them to care about their own freedom. The game forces you to "earn" the right to help them, even though they are the ones being oppressed.
The Steppe Side:
Hien waltzes into a land that has been sovereign for thousands of years and expects the Xaela to just drop everything and die for him. He doesn't have to do "chores" to convince them; he just plans to hijack their religion.
The "Disposable Army" Logic
It frames the Xaela as "lesser" characters than the Domans. The story treats Doman lives as complicated, requiring deep emotional convincing and political maneuvering. But it treats Xaela lives as a resource.
It essentially says "The Domans are too precious and scared to fight, so let’s go find some 'savage' warriors who love fighting anyway and trick them into doing the dirty work."
Why it breaks the "Warrior of Light" Experience//
As a Xaela, you’re stuck in the middle of this mess. You are:
Being ridiculed by the people you're trying to save in Doma.
Being used by Hien to exploit your own cousins and tribesmen on the Steppe.
Hien doesn't want an alliance; he wants a shield. He’s using your character’s strength and heritage[for xaela if it was acknowledged] to bypass the hard work of building a real Doman resistance.
The game makes me work to convince Domans to save themselves, but lets Hien skip the work and just 'draft' the Xaela through a loophole."
//continued in next post//
Continue reading...