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haunted-xander · 3 months

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I think one of the (several) reason for why Shadowbringers is so good is because the narrative is more about the individual characters than it is the Greater Conflict.

Like, the Greater Conflict is definitely there, obviously, it's what keeps the story going, but the focus is always on the people, much more so than the other expacs. HW and STB also have some level of character focus ofc, but it's very selective and even then the focus is based on them in the specific context of the current conflict.

But in SHB, the story bends around the characters' narratives, rather than the other way around. The story forms to put them in situations that challenges their flaws and limitations, by forcing them to confront it and actually deal with it. Even just at the very beginning, you see the twins being dealt a terrible hand that very neatly clashes against their faults.

Alisaie is confronted with a situation that she can and could never do anything about. She has no means to help the patients (at the time at least). The only way for her to help them is by eradicating the source of the affliction itself: the Light. But the Light isn't just some Big Bad she can kill and be done with. Even when all the lightwardens are down the Light is still there, it's just more manageable. Alisaie learns to not only see the bigger picture, but to care for it for her own reasons. For all that she has participated in Big Operations, it has always been because that's what others were doing, what others cared for to be done. She feels for the people of Doma and Ala Mhigo, but she didn't set out to liberate their homelands because she has any personal investment in it. But other people do, and she cares about what other people- be they strangers or friends- care about.

Caring about other peoples feelings and opinions isn't a flaw by itself of course, but doing things without any sense of personal purpose, is. This is what SHB helps her fix and confront, because it is personal now, she does it because she cares.

Alphinaud is forced into a situation where diplomacy and negotiations does and would never work. He can't talk himself into Eulemore, and he sure as hell can't convince Vauthry or the free citizens to let go of their life of ignorant luxury. The problem here also isn't as straightforward as a corrupt ruler, because even after Vauthry is revealed for the bastard he is, it takes considerable effort and convincing to get them to get off their asses and get to work. It's one thing to change the minds of people who wanted the same outcome just in a different way (like Ishgard- they rejected unity with the dragons, but they still wanted an end to the war), but it's another thing entirely to convince people that another way of life is even worth it.

And this is what SHB teaches Alphinaud, that words and deeds can achieve much, but that there is much more to diplomacy than appealing to their wants and/or sensibilities to convince them of an alternative outcome. His development may not be as immediately noticable as some of the others (largely bc he had a lot of it already from HW), but it is still very much there.

Urianger's development had already been build up and sort-of started already, but we don't really get to see it until it near explodes in his face after we kill Vauthry. Even after he swore off secrecy, he's forced to confront his morals when the Exarch bids his assistance. Urianger has always been looking at the greater picture, to the point he'd almost lose himself in it if it wasn't for the overwhelming guilt he feels. He works with the Exarch, because he knows he's the only one capable of it, and he hates the very fact that he is. When the climax of the plan is about to be executed, he is pained to the point that even he can't mask it anymore. He has betrayed their trust once more and once more it will result in the death of a friend.

But it doesn't, and that's what's needed for him to confront himself. As terrible and unexpected as the circumstances around it was, it did show him that there are other ways. There is no one way to solve a problem, the first choice doesn't need to be the only one. And he would find those other ones of he had just talked to the others.

The pay-off doesn't quite come until EW, where we see him actively make the choice to go against his first instinct of acquiesing to the Loporrits' plans, and instead chooses to consult us, but that scene wouldn't have made sense or even happened had it not been for his development in SHB.

Now, Y'shtola is a bit of an odd one because while she does get her due focus, she doesn't quite get the same amount of development as the others. Rather, it shows how she thrives when not held back by others interests and (often somewhat needless) bounderies. Her intelligence and charisma have the chance to shine, her independence and confidence now rewarded rather than punished. In ARR, she is constantly annoyed by the Maelstroms way of dealing with things, and how no one bothers to actually listen to her. Her advice and reprimands are almost entirely ignored until the problem blows up in their faces and they have no choice but to concede that she was right.

Being independent and confident aren't flaws by themselves, but her sometimes aggressive approaches to telling others off does her few favors. In SHB, she has the Night's Blessed who actually heed her word and respect her, they listen to her and actually take what she says- be it advise or reprimand- to heart.

She does also, however, have to deal with Thancred who, much like the Maelstrom, ignores her reprimands and doesn't listen to her. The difference here is that her bluntness actually serves a purpose. In ARR, her bluntness lacks tact and meaning, simply a result of frustration. The Maelstrom won't listen to someone who doesn't come up with fleshed-out arguments and solutions, but Y'shtola doesn't bother giving them any until she knows they'll listen. But with Thancred, she does give him the solution. It's just that the solution is him. His words, to be precise, and his acceptance. And he needs to be reminded of that, and she does. It doesn't automatically solve anything, but that's simply how it is with complicated situations like that.

Speaking of Thancred, his narrative is probably the most important of all for SHB. He's always been shown as a capable, but ultimately self-destructive man who genuinely does not know how to deal with himself in a healthy manner. Theoretically speaking he knows, he recognizes that he is self-destructive, but he still has no idea how to actually fix it. It's been shown as early as ARR when it results in him getting possessed, but it's not really made a point of until it almost ruins his relationship with Ryne. Up until now he could just ignore his problems, but with Ryne he can't because now The Problem(s) aren't just his anymore. Anything that would hurt him now would also hurt her, meaning that if he wants to continue doing the one thing he actually cares about (protecting his loved ones) then he needs to get his shit together.

But Thancred doesn't know how to. And for all that his friends try and try to help him, he doesn't know how to. He's paralyzed. Thancred is so deep into his self-destructive habits that it takes the threat of both his and the person(s) he loves the most in the worlds deaths to get him into action. He doesn't know if it's Minfilia or Ryne who will return, and I'm not sure he expected to survive Ran'jit. He only has this chance, and if he wants to die without (as many) regrets he has to do something now.

And he does. He does and what it is he does is tell Ryne that whatever happens, it has to be her own choice. That he will accept any outcome, that he will still care about her no matter what, that as long as she lives or dies as she wants to, that he still loves her. He still loves her. And it works, because that's what he's needed to do all this time, to be able to just tell her that she matters. That he cares.

He tells her to live her own life, and he learns to live his own too.

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haunted-xander · 7 months

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I think Ryne would have a kinda skewed sense of what's normal. Like, she may technically know what's "normal" for most people, but what's normal for her is way different. She's raised by two men who are both Weird, only one of which can even pretend to be normal (and like hell Thancred bothered with that while on the run with Ryne lol)

Ryne thinks that talking circles round pixies is common knowledge from her many stays in Il Mheg. It is not. She also thinks knowing how to and being able to stomach skinning and gutting animals for food is normal. It's certainly more common, but unless you're a hunter it absolutely does not come as easily. Being able to walk and run around quietly is something she technically knows is unusual, but since her company has mainly consisted of a professional spy and a man who barely leaves home she tends to forget that most people can't do that.

I can't come up with anymore atm but. Ryne should get to be just a little weird(er) I think

#i also think this would make interactions with gaia funnier #bc for all of gaias Baggage she is more or less a normal teenager #who has normal reactions to things (mostly)#ryne & gaia go camping a bit and ryne finds and hunts down like a boar #and gaia watches in horror as ryne just guts it right there bc ryne forgot most ppl dont like to see that process #(and then she repeatedly apologizes for her oversight and promises not to do it in front of her again)#(gaia didnt care THAT much but appreciates the thought anyway)#anyway. my little baby girl i love her and want her the best always #ryne waters #thancred waters #urianger augurelt #< just mentioned (sorta)#final fantasy #final fantasy 14 #final fantasy xiv #ff14 #ffxiv #xander rambles #xander being insane about ryne #not the typical deep ranting BUT IT COUNTS

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haunted-xander · 11 months

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Oracle of Light

+ the sketch bc I liked it

#ryne #ryne waters #minfilia warde #shadowbringers #final fantasy #final fantasy 14 #final fantasy xiv #ff14 #ffxiv #art #my art #xanders art #xanders haunting art #digital art #fan art #xander being insane about ryne

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haunted-xander · 7 months

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I think about that scene in the Ocular where Ryne suggests she fuse with Minfilia properly so so much. It manages to very clearly demonstrate exactly what is wrong with her & Thancred's current dynamic.

First of all: Minfilia. The ghost of Minfilia is constantly haunting them both, it's the root of Thancred's grief and reticence as he doesn't want to lose her again, but nor does he want to lose Ryne. And for Ryne, she's the source of the constant objectification she's been subjected to her entire life, proof of her worthlessness as an individual person. The scene has the existance of Minfilia be the main point of tension, being that this whole plan will decide once and for all if she comes back or not.

And secondly: The complete lack of communication and, as a result, massive misunderstandings. Thancred says everything but the things he should, never telling Ryne anything regarding how he actually views or feels about her, be it in regards to Minfilia, or as her own individual person. And Ryne in turn assumes so much about how Thancred DOES view and feel about her, believing without a doubt that he wishes she was gone just so Minfilia could return.

This scene is the first and only place were Ryne actually confronts him about this, directly telling him 'I know you haven't told me anything because you thought it best for me'. She also says she thought it the best at first too, meaning that the sentiment she repeats throughout shb of 'I wish he'd just say he hates me' is a (relatively) more recent thing. What she has wrong, however, is that she actually doesn't know Thancred's true feelings like she claims. And when she says she does, Thancred immediately tells her 'No. No you do not', all while never actually saying anything to indicate what he actually feels (his ability to avoid voicing is feelings is almost impressive at this point. Also very depressing).

And the cherry on top is that the one who actually manage to grasp and voice the truth in this interaction is fucking Emet-Selch. Mr. I-dont-even-consider-you-alive is the one who is open about the feelings involved. Emet-fucking-Selch. Thancred gets so pissed off about it, too(tbf he gets pissed off at everything Emet does but, ya know).

And then he storms out and Ryne, who isn't looking at anyone let alone Thancred, doesn't really see his full reaction to Emet's words and therefore still hasn't quite grasped what Thancred is actually feeling, the poor girl.

#surprise surprise its another waters family post. very shocking i know/s #*shaking thancred violently* TALK TO HER #u know u fucked up when ur mortal enemy has to speak your feelings for u #im gonna chew them both like dog toys #ryne waters #thancred waters #do i tag emet #eh sure #emet-selch #final fantasy #final fantasy 14 #final fantasy xiv #ff14 #xander rambles #oh i said id make a ryne ramble tag didnt it #um.#xander being insane about ryne #yeah sure #ffxiv

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haunted-xander · 7 months

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Thinking about how Thancred and Ryne's respective behaviours affect their dynamic and each other's behaviour in regards to said dynamic and how neither of them is actually directly caused by the circumstances, just exacerbated.

Thancred is reticent and guarded as a product of his enviourment and all his training and work as a spy, where vulnerability is a weakness and is like to get you and your loved ones hurt or killed. He's never had an opportunity or need to be open and vulnerable with people, as everyone he was close to either didn't need it as badly (like Minfilia, who had F'lhaminn as her primary source of emotional support, and could already see just how much Thancred cared for her even if he couldn't actually show it properly) or worked close with him and knew that this was necessary (like the Circle/Scions).

Ryne values everyones thoughts and feelings over her own because she was raised by Ran'jit, who viewed her more as an object of his repeated losses and grief of those he couldn't protect before her. She's more a memento than a person, and so she's been told her entire life that her feelings and opinions don't matter in the slightest. She never got the chance to learn they mattered either, because she spend the last 3 years almost entirely alone with Thancred who never indicated either way.

And when these two are put against each other they end up feeding the root problems. Thancred's emotional distance makes Ryne assume he doesn't care about her and by extention, her thoughts and feelings. Ryne's over-valuing of his words make him even more reluctant to speak up because he doesn't want to sway her any given way, which is exactly what would happen because she values his feelings so much.

It's an endless and terrible cycle that neither are really able to break out of on their own. It's not really either one's fault but it still falls to them to deal with it. They can't break it themselves but they also can't have it broken by anyone else either. They have to both be confronted about it and realize that this is never going to work. Thancred needs to learn he can't just keep saying "not today" and Ryne needs to learn that regardless of her view of herself she can't let other's feelings decide her life for her. Vulnerability isn't a weakness nor is self-destructive sympathy a strength.

#the moment they actually break the cycle both is and isnt by their own merits #ryne still values others feelings above her own but shes discarded ran'jit's in favor of her friend's #and her basically telling him to fuck off and let her live is her first step towards realizing her value as her own person #and it in turn snaps thancred out of his hesitation and makes him realize that he really cant afford to put it off anymore #if he doesnt tell her to go and follow her heart now he'll never get the chance to #and even tho he ofc doesnt tell her all he feels immediately he does tell her the most important thing #that he values HER life as her own. that he wants her to do wat SHE wants to. not as the oracle or minfilia reborn but as herself #it doesnt take a third person to make them break the cycle #but it does take extrenuous circumstances to snap the sense into them #thancred waters #ryne waters #final fantasy #final fantasy 14 #final fantasy xiv #ff14 #ffxiv #xander rambles #xander being insane about ryne

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haunted-xander · 6 months

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Gaia doesn't even know Ryne's past. Even in the first two sections of Eden (before she loses all her remaining memories) she only really vaugely knows about the whole Oracle situation (That Ryne is the Oracle of Light, used to be called Minfilia, and was isolated somewhere in Eulmore). But like, she didn't know about the situation with Ran'jit, nor the way her relationship was with Thancred at first, having only seen them interact after they've already gotten into a healthier dynamic.

And after Mitron takes her memories she doesn't even remember that! iirc she never got those memories back either, so she kinda knows basically nothing about Ryne outside of the direct stuff she experienced in the Eden story.

I imagine Ryne would tell her at least the basic stuff(like her imprisonment in Eulmore & the Oracle stuff), especially since it would probably be a bit disconcerting for Gaia to have Ryne know so much about her yet know basically nothing about Ryne in turn. We already see Ryne telling Gaia about Thancred & Urianger when her memories first start disappearing, so I imagine she'd continue with that once the situation with Mitron is resolved. She has a good bit to explain, but explain it she will.

#i can imagine gaia being surprised to find out about ryne & thancreds rough start #even if she did have her memories of when thancred & urianger where there #there wasnt really anything to indicated theres been any tension or negativity between them #granted its not like she was paying much attention to thancred & urianger to begin with #she was mostly focused on ryne #gaia #ryne waters #rynegaia #gaiaryne #final fantasy #final fantasy 14 #final fantasy xiv #ff14 #ffxiv #xander rambles #xander being insane about ryne #technically this is more about gaia but. it counts

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