One of the most common criticisms of Dawntrail that I encounter is that it is two half-expansions or two half-stories crammed into a single expansion, and I think that criticism misses the point of what Dawntrail's story actually is.
Dawntrail's primary theme of legacy pervades the entirety of the expansion. We can think of legacy on both the micro level (the many personal relationships between parent and child figures in the narrative) as well as the macro level (a reckoning of cultural tradition). In this post, I want to focus mostly on the cultural aspect.
Some cultures actively embrace traditions that move them forward. The Pelupelu’s enterprising nature serves to advance their own society’s financial prosperity, as well as to connect the disparate peoples of Tural through trade (and later a travel agency). Certain cultures, such as the Hanuhanu, have lost sight of how certain traditions have sustained them. There are valid criticisms to be had of the way the Hanuhanu story was told, but there are realistic parallels to the loss of sustainable environmental practices in a modernizing world.
When it comes to death, we are first shown a culture that practices a healthy tradition. The Yok Huy carve their memory into stone, providing their dead a place to remain alongside them, while allowing the expression of grief through artistic outlet.
Alexandrians, like the Mamool Ja, observe traditions that are corrosive to any chance at societal progress. They do not know how to process death in a healthy capacity. They compartmentalize their grief, and project memories of the dead within as AI simulacra. These simulacra, the Endless, are not the real people they were when they were alive. This is true of Sphene, as we have come to differentiate the real Sphene from the Endless Sphene. Similarly, Endless Cahciua is not the person she was when she was alive. She is just a projection of data, and thus she cannot provide the comfort and solace to Erenville that he so desperately needs. This is the entire point of the story - this cultural practice is so toxic, the people that are subject to it cannot move forward in any healthy manner.
It is a tradition that must be abolished. From the moment the nature of the Endless is revealed, it is anathema to the party. Some of the scions are deeply appalled by it specifically because it is a contradiction to everything the party has learned throughout the last couple expansions. We shut down the Endless, and ultimately in 7.3 we restore the memories of the dead to the people of Alexandria, showing them how to embrace the pain and imperfections that are part of life, and their culture can finally progress.
In this way, Dawntrail is a single, unified story. It just happens to have disparate plot elements that move this story forward, in the same way that Stormblood is a unified story with disparate plot elements.
I will say, the fact that so much of the audience completely misses the point of Dawntrail is a testament to the fact it was not very well told - especially relative to other expansions, even the other black sheep Stormblood is told better. I would change so many aspects of the plot, characterization, and gameplay to produce a tighter narrative. I'm not here to state if Dawntrail is good or bad, however, I really just wanted to share this to hopefully get some folks thinking about it in a different light.
What do you make of Dawntrail's themes and story? What might you do differently if you were to rewrite it?
submitted by /u/thisisntmyplate
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Dawntrail's primary theme of legacy pervades the entirety of the expansion. We can think of legacy on both the micro level (the many personal relationships between parent and child figures in the narrative) as well as the macro level (a reckoning of cultural tradition). In this post, I want to focus mostly on the cultural aspect.
Some cultures actively embrace traditions that move them forward. The Pelupelu’s enterprising nature serves to advance their own society’s financial prosperity, as well as to connect the disparate peoples of Tural through trade (and later a travel agency). Certain cultures, such as the Hanuhanu, have lost sight of how certain traditions have sustained them. There are valid criticisms to be had of the way the Hanuhanu story was told, but there are realistic parallels to the loss of sustainable environmental practices in a modernizing world.
When it comes to death, we are first shown a culture that practices a healthy tradition. The Yok Huy carve their memory into stone, providing their dead a place to remain alongside them, while allowing the expression of grief through artistic outlet.
Alexandrians, like the Mamool Ja, observe traditions that are corrosive to any chance at societal progress. They do not know how to process death in a healthy capacity. They compartmentalize their grief, and project memories of the dead within as AI simulacra. These simulacra, the Endless, are not the real people they were when they were alive. This is true of Sphene, as we have come to differentiate the real Sphene from the Endless Sphene. Similarly, Endless Cahciua is not the person she was when she was alive. She is just a projection of data, and thus she cannot provide the comfort and solace to Erenville that he so desperately needs. This is the entire point of the story - this cultural practice is so toxic, the people that are subject to it cannot move forward in any healthy manner.
It is a tradition that must be abolished. From the moment the nature of the Endless is revealed, it is anathema to the party. Some of the scions are deeply appalled by it specifically because it is a contradiction to everything the party has learned throughout the last couple expansions. We shut down the Endless, and ultimately in 7.3 we restore the memories of the dead to the people of Alexandria, showing them how to embrace the pain and imperfections that are part of life, and their culture can finally progress.
In this way, Dawntrail is a single, unified story. It just happens to have disparate plot elements that move this story forward, in the same way that Stormblood is a unified story with disparate plot elements.
I will say, the fact that so much of the audience completely misses the point of Dawntrail is a testament to the fact it was not very well told - especially relative to other expansions, even the other black sheep Stormblood is told better. I would change so many aspects of the plot, characterization, and gameplay to produce a tighter narrative. I'm not here to state if Dawntrail is good or bad, however, I really just wanted to share this to hopefully get some folks thinking about it in a different light.
What do you make of Dawntrail's themes and story? What might you do differently if you were to rewrite it?
submitted by /u/thisisntmyplate
[link] [comments]
Continue reading...