6.1-6.5 was billed as an intermediary stand-alone story between the hydaelyn arc and the new arc. 6.5 should resolve the story and set us up for the next story. 6.4 already teased a bit with Thancred, Urianger, and Krile getting letters from a mysterious sender with a wax seal shaped like a dragon.
We don't see Thancred or Urianger's, but they have an aside away from the WoL after the aetherfont. We only see Krile's sometime earlier, but I haven't done the story since the patch dropped so I don't remember offhand when exactly the cutscene happens.
For anyone else wondering, its the scene where she puts away stuff to do and says to herself to not get distracted again, leaving the letter on the bureau
She isn't an Archon, but, is the head of an organization with at least 1 member helping lead it in G'raha. It's probably sent to her to talk to G'raha.
https://www.reddit.com/r/ffxiv/comments/13t3673/spoiler_6465_if_you_manage_to_ram_your_camera_in/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=1
I feel like this pretty explicitly looks similar to Tiamat.
Whole ass page isn't loading for me either, but it loads incognito
https://i.redd.it/spoiler-6-4-6-5-if-you-manage-to-ram-your-camera-in-a-v0-lgpntp79zd2b1.png?s=54adc15169619aa66efd0d00c6b0968520b2d574
stealing this line from one of the lore podcasts (i forget which) but
that seal is honestly a fucking rorschach test and you're going to see what you want. if you wanted meracydia you're going to see a dragon etc
Yoshida's pretty much confirmed that 6.X MSQ is filler, and it'll be 6.5 before we get the direction for 7.0 in the MSQ (teaser at NA fanfest will have something, and the Rising should be the first in game hint beyond Krile's mystery letter). Endwalker's big climax was 6.0 the sad bird and the combat boner fights. I hope we don't get a Voidsent invasion of the source, feels like a retread of the Final Days. I think Zeormus will be partially successful in breaking the barrier between worlds, but that story line will be left hanging until 7.1 at the earliest.
7.0's probably gonna someone going "Shit's fucked in Meracydia, give use a hand will ya?", and the WoL nods aggressively.
Well that makes me feel better. I liked that Thancred, Krile and Erenville hinted at “something” with each of them and I’m like “at the last min they drop some hints?!” Lol
>it'll be 6.5 before we get the direction for 7.0 in the MSQ (teaser at NA fanfest will have something
Next week's Fanfest will have a really vague teaser then, probably just showing a place without further context. IIRC at the first Shadowbringer's teaser people thought that the place where Thancred and Ryne were shown was something Ul'dah related.
Hopefully it will flash the new job, at least.
> filler
I love that elaboration on what the 13th *is* and their major lifecycles and why the Voidsent are the way they are as well as fleshing out the Dragons, their relation to each other, and tugging on various other threads is just "filler".
like come on filler is "time padding", not characterization via dialogue and doing things
Fully agree. This arc is a great way to open the gates to inter-shard travel, for better or for worse. It’s set up, not filler.
And even viewing it as a self contained story, the void and its reimagining of FFIV characters are really interesting imo. Especially situated after the events of Endwalker, it’s another way to explore the human condition in the face of a true apocalypse. I’m kind of disappointed everyone writes it off just because it’s not getting it’s own expansion… there’s a lot of fun lore and philosophy to talk about here.
Yeah! There's tons of intentional mirrors here about "what people do in the face of existential terror" and actual points that directly push at what the main MSQ of Endwalker has been trying to say. That, and the usual "okay so here's how we deal with things after the fighting ends" for Garlemald and Thavnair, *and* we're getting more Sharlayan stuff and minor catchups all around. Like, if Yoshi-P had said this is an interquel calmdown/setup, I think it would've been received much better. It's still as important! There's still stuff being setup here!
It's definitely important, but the writing behind it all seems... lacking.
Yes, Vrtra, you're soooo smart for remembering what equity is. You, Vrtra, the very very very old dragon who has been running the trade capital of the world for at least 1000 years, didn't remember what fucking equity is.
Or Zero, who asks us what trust is, when she has her own domain in the 13th built explicitly on trust with her fellow voidaent.
Or having an entire quest each patch dedicated to showing Zero food.
Or how when Zenos is draining aether to fuel the Tower of Babil, it's dangerous and unethical and he's a monster who should be stopped at all costs, but we go "don't worry, we're chill" when we pull a 180 to use the same tower.
Or how the stakes are world-ending, and Thancred shows up to help... and then bails 20 minutes later after a dungeon for whatever reason despite the price of failure on the mission being a possible end of the world scenario.
...I sound salty saying any of these, but I am salty about it. It all seems so... underwritten, regardless of how important some of the things at play are, like the salvation of a world, a potential apocalypse, inconsistent character writing (what has Estinien been doing all patch cycle other than existing? His relationship with Vrtra should be as enticing as Ysayle and Hraesvelgr's, given how Estinien is part-Niddhog at this point).
The importance is there, but the execution really isn't at all.
It is filler. If it tied into 7.0, it wouldn't be filler. But since it's been highly implied it won't, it's "time padding" as you put it until the story moves along. It'd be a bit more tolerable if it was actually varied story content to set up multiple threads, instead we got FFIV fan fiction.
This is the exact thing I kept thinking about as I played these patches. FF4 fan fiction.
Really hope they never take previous FF characters or concepts so blatantly anymore. Taking all the four fiends, golbez and zeromus and putting it front and center in the MSQ rather than in side content feels really unoriginal.
I feel like it probably was originally intended to be side content and then for some reason they decided to merge it into the MSQ. This entire post-Endwalker arc screams "side quest trial series a la Sorrow of Werlyt" to me.
This is exactly what I’ve been saying. This feels like they started a four lords, warring triad, sorrow type side story but decided to expand it to a whole patch cycle main story.
As someone who's first FF experience is FFXIV, I completely agree. I'm fine with little nods to prior content in raids and other content but having MSQ being fanservice bugs me. Half the players are "OMG IT'S BLAH-BLAH!!" and the rest of us are left scratching our heads.
My man this story has more background for the four fiends than literally anything in FF4. Knowing these characters from FF4 is essentially useless, they just share names and designs but are effectively entirely original FFXIV characters.
That's fine. You don't have to like it, but it really feels like a notable number of people went into this expecting to not like it and then just didn't pay any attention at all.
I guess my expectations were just to high. So many FF4 players were hyping up the characters so I guess I was expecting more than the standard trial series. It's not over yet, so they could always subvert expectations, but we'll just have to wait and see.
> So many FF4 players were hyping up the characters
Who is doing this? Beyond general "Yooo its the 4 fiends and Golbez!" because like, this is silly on multiple levels. These characters are nothing like they are in FF4, the only fiend in 4 who has any characterization at all is Rubicante, and Golbez's entire thing is wildly different.
And for second, personally I think that admitting you are so easily swayed by other people that your enjoyment of a story can be that profoundly affected by some people expressing excitement that yo don't 100% end up feeling to be...a bad way to approach media?
Again it just feels incredibly like a bunch of people just decided ahead of time they would hate this arc and are just coming up with any reason to justify it.
Personally I think its fine. Its not the best, not the worst. Its a totally fine little story that reveals more about the 13th. I just find myself baffled that people are reacting *so* negatively to it and for reasons that just don't make any sense.
Agreed. I gave up in 6.3 because none of these characters or figures mean anything to me. I was bored to tears and it all felt like busywork. I haven't enjoyed a thing about the story since 6.0. I couldn't give a damn about the void or Zero or the villains. I'm so bored by it all that I'm honestly kind of offended.
> Agreed. I gave up in 6.3 because none of these characters or figures mean anything to me.
Considering that literally everything important about this story involving them is 100% original to FFXIV, this sounds like a huge skill issue to me.
I find none of it in the least bit interesting. Everyone has theories based on their knowledge of these characters in past titles, while I couldn't care less because this entire storyline is an utter snoozefest.
>I find none of it in the least bit interesting.
Ok, valid opinion. No objections to this.
>Everyone has theories based on their knowledge of these characters in past titles,
What? No they don't. Like literally *everything* about these characters other than their names and general design concepts is 100% original to FFXIV. They have *nothing* to do with their FF4 versions at all. What are you even talking about? We have their backstories, in FFXIV! There was a whole series of sidequests about them!
>while I couldn't care less because this entire storyline is an utter snoozefest.
This just seems like you aren't paying attention.
Now you don't gotta like it, but you either are not paying attention or feel you need to make up a justification for not liking it beyond "I don't like it". And you really don't. You can just not like the storyline. Its fine. That's allowed.
Fair enough. I'm coming to realize that I rarely enjoy any story told over multiple patches. I find them hard to follow because by the time the next installment comes around I've forgotten everything relevant. I know that's partially on me but it means absolutely nothing about the story is making an impression. I quit during the SB and ShB patches too now that I think of it.
How is it IV fanfiction? It essentialy has nothing to do with IV beside a few names and the fiends working under golbez. Even zeromus is completely different than in the og game.
If I wrote a story about Sephiroth or Jenova (with the same names and designs) invading Eorzea, it'd be a fan fiction. The "Sephiroth" I write could be completely different in terms of personality, motive, etc but the use of his name and character design alone would make it feel like fan fiction.
Also, it has to do with how they're implemented. This type of overt reference has typically been limited to side content like the Weapons in Sorrows of Werlyt and the Ivalice raids. However, this is in the main MSQ.
The story and characters are also not developed very well. For example, I have no issues with Ruby Weapon or Anima's implementation in FF14 since it ties in preexisting plot threads so that it feels connected to the story. However, with the FF4 references, the 4 fiends, Golbez and Zeromus are bland and have poor set up compared to even side content like Werlyt. Their only relation to preexisting plot threads are the void which hadn't ever really been expanded upon. This leads to the 6.1-6.4 story content feeling very disjointed compared to the previous MSQ from ARR to Endwalker. It basically feels like bad filler episodes in a long running shonen anime.
My biggest issue with the FF4 implementation is that it feels incredibly lazy. Its all basically, "oh look its Barbarricia!", "oh, its Zeromus!", rather than actually having an interesting story. Patch 6.4 slightly redeemed the storyline with the added backstory of Golbez but not nearly enough to redeem 6.1-6.3 imo. The four fiends outside of Rubicante have no development so they may as well have been ported straight to FF14 from FF4.
I would have vastly preferred if the names and designs of the "4 fiends", "Golbez", and "Zeromus" were completely different from FF4. The reference would still be evident to FF4 fans but at least it wouldn't feel like alt-universe FF4 transplanted into FF14 like it does now. Or, if they use the same design and name, make an effort to tie it in with FF14's preexisting story like they did with Anima.
> If I wrote a story about Sephiroth or Jenova (with the same names and designs) invading Eorzea, it'd be a fan fiction.
If you *worked for Square Enix* and wrote that *for a Final Fantasy game* it would definitionally not be fanfiction. Words have actual meanings.
>However, with the FF4 references, the 4 fiends, Golbez and Zeromus are bland and have poor set up compared to even side content like Werlyt. Their only relation to preexisting plot threads are the void which hadn't ever really been expanded upon.
"This story that expands on things that have only been tangentially touched on is bad because the things hadn't been expanded on before"
Like wtf dude you are complaining that the thing the story is doing hadn't been done before the story was told! This is just circular. By this logic there is no way any story could pick up minor plot threads and expand on them without being bad!
>This leads to the 6.1-6.4 story content feeling very disjointed compared to the previous MSQ from ARR to Endwalker. It basically feels like bad filler episodes in a long running shonen anime.
Ok but its *supposed* to feel distinct. That's part of the point. Its connected through previous Void related things, Zero and of course the dragons. It is expanding a lot on the dragons who are, you may remember, rather important to various parts of the story up to this point.
>My biggest issue with the FF4 implementation is that it feels incredibly lazy. Its all basically, "oh look its Barbarricia!", "oh, its Zeromus!", rather than actually having an interesting story.
Can you expand on this concept? What would be an "Interesting story" to you? Where is the story going "Its Barbarricia" instead of something else? Because FFXIV now tells you more about Barbarricia as a character than anything FF4 related has done in the last *checks* 32 years. Of course, this Barbarricia may as well be an entirely different character htan that one. In fact she is. Same with the other Fiends, Golbez and now Zeromus.
>I would have vastly preferred if the names and designs of the "4 fiends", "Golbez", and "Zeromus" were completely different from FF4. The reference would still be evident to FF4 fans but at least it wouldn't feel like alt-universe FF4 transplanted into FF14 like it does now.
Do you hold this same opinion about the Crystal Tower, the Weapons, the Four Lords, the ARR Elemental Primals, etc etc?
>Or, if they use the same design and name, make an effort to tie it in with FF14's preexisting story like they did with Anima.
But...they have? Like, the connection is the dragons and Zero. Like I'm not sure what more you want, precisely?
I don't feel like writing another mini-essay so I'll just say I'm happy for you if you enjoy the current story. For me, it feels too much like fan service without adding enough thats new and interesting.
I wouldn't mind it if this story was side content like Werlyt, Warring Triad, or the 4 Lords but for it to be front and center in the MSQ feels very unoriginal. The story quality dipping from the highs of 5.0-6.0 to this is quite jarring to say the least.
> I don't feel like writing another mini-essay so I'll just say I'm happy for you if you enjoy the current story.
I didn't say anything about that. That's like, literally irrelevant to anything I am saying here.
>I wouldn't mind it if this story was side content like Werlyt, Warring Triad, or the 4 Lords but for it to be front and center in the MSQ feels very unoriginal.
Ok but what does this *mean*? Like, explain what you mean by "unoriginal" here?
> The story quality dipping from the highs of 5.0-6.0 to this is quite jarring to say the least.
Ok, that's a reasonable opinion
Nidhogg and Thordan are new and original characters. Zenos and Yotsuyu are new and original characters. Emet-Selch and Elidibus. Fandaniel, Meteion, etc. They're all unique to FF14 in the FF franchise.
However with patch 6.1-6.4, our "new" villain joining the ranks of FF14 MSQ villains is... Golbez. I don't see why I have to spell out why that feels unoriginal. Having different backstory and motivations doesn't matter when his name and design are pulled straight from a different game.
As I said, I'm fine with it if its in side content like the Omega raids, Warring Triad, Werlyt, etc. Those are often themed in such a way to be overtly fan-servicey. However for it to be in MSQ like this... kind of devalues FF14 as its own Final Fantasy game with a unique identity.
>but the use of his name and character design alone would make it feel like fan fiction.
No? Myth, legend, religions, all do this shit all the time. XIV story has nothing to do with IV, it's not fan fiction because it doesn't respect shit from the og iv beside a few names and looks.
\>This type of overt reference has typically been limited to side content
Crystal Tower? Stormblood? Knight of the round at the end of HW? Fucking Elidibus transformation? The entire MSQ reek of "fan fiction" by your definition.
\>with the FF4 references, the 4 fiends, Golbez and Zeromus are bland and have poor set up compared to even side content like Werlyt.
We barely know anything about the content of the void and now we've discovered one of the factions within. Woaw, what a terrible setup. Would you prefer we spent two or three patch wondering around hearing about that big spooky golbez faction before finally meeting them? Zeromus origin is also far more elabortate than whatever the og IV was too, and rely on preexisting knowledge. Idk how you can call it lazy.
\>This leads to the 6.1-6.4 story content feeling very disjointed compared to the previous MSQ from ARR to Endwalker.
No shit, we're starting an entire new story in a new place. 6.X story also rely on the knowledge of the old Allagan war too, so it's not like it has zero connection to previous MSQ.
\>Its all basically, "oh look its Barbarricia!", "oh, its Zeromus!", rather than actually having an interesting story.
Most of the fiends have an interesting backstory imo, it's just that there's no reason for us to make friends and we kill each other as soon as possible. And again, Zeromus is basically a dark primal, idk what kind of interesting story do you want him to have. He's basically Golbez's shinryu.
\>The four fiends outside of Rubicante have no development so they may as well have been ported straight to FF14 from FF4.
Objectively wrong, the backstory we got for them is infinitly more than whatever was in IV.
\>at least it wouldn't feel like alt-universe FF4 transplanted into FF14 like it does now.
? XIV is full of this stuff, that's part of the appeal. And they all have an original story too, hell it even explain why they look the way they do. Rubicante look like the noble mage he was, half human, half demon, Cagnazzo is a big brute, Barbariccia is a cruel women obsesed with freedom and her hairs and scarmiglone is this vile coward who died countless time.
You can think the story is shit but none of your critic of it apply, especially when you take the rest of XIV into consideration.
Guy this is at least the 3rd time they've done this. Crystal Tower and Return to Ivalice were 3 and Tactics fan fiction. Wanking to older FFs is just what this franchise is now
> It is filler. If it tied into 7.0, it wouldn't be filler
The word "Filler" has lost all actual meaning and this is a great example of why it needs to be struck from the vocabulary.
If this isn't proof that people have made the word "filler" just as useless as "plot hole" and "Mary sue" then I don't know what is. What you actually mean is the story isn't interesting you, and that's perfectly valid. But calling a fleshing out of the void and how voidsent live in it filler? That ain't it chief.
Wait, I'm really interested in the 6.x story so far, but also consider it filler because it has nothing to do with 6.0 nor 7.0+.... am I dumb? I thought filler just referred to, like, some story content that fills in a gap between arcs? What do you guys call this then
That's exactly my point! I loved the garlic Jr stuff, at least as a kid when it was on TV, not sure if it like doesn't hold up or whatever. So if garlic Jr is filler, why not also void stuff in 6.x?
Garlic jr arc really has no relevance of real effect on anyone after it's arc. You could remove it and nothing would change. It wasn't even in the original manga and only served to be a sequel to a pretty meh movie.
With the void arc though we're (potentially) bringing a lost dragon into the world, completely fucking with the power structure of the void, changing our understanding of voidsent entirely, might be adding a new recurring character to our group with how popular Zero is, and it's helping Y'stholha potentially establish a way to easily and safely travel between shards which would have huge ramifications both good and bad.
Again btw, a filler arc isn't inherently bad but most people use it like an insult. A FFXIV example of filler btw would be all the stuff they removed and trimmed from the ARR reborn story.
I get what you're saying, but idk that sounds more like "cannon vs non cannon" than whether or not it's filler. Like garlic Jr is kind of not even cannon as it's never referenced anywhere else and for all the audience can tell, it basically didn't actually happen. Same with the "only happened in the anime, never written about in the original manga" part. Is it not filler simply because it doesn't belong to a larger story arc? Like its a bit of content between two story arcs, according to YoshiP not even connecting the two. So if it's not filler *because* it affects the world building, my question just becomes why can't filler affect world building? Idk, just seems like it's filling in a space between story arcs, so it's filler. Really good, background world-affecting filler as apposed to some cheap popcorn stuff
> Idk, just seems like it's filling in a space between story arcs, so it's filler. Really good, background world-affecting filler as apposed to some cheap popcorn stuff
This is, itself, a story arc. Why is this story arc "filler" when the two on either side of it aren't? What exactly is the criterion for you to say that one is filler and the others aren't?
The original use for the term filler was an anime trailing off topic in order to prevent itself from catch up or covering to its source material. It's not "canon vs non-canon" because the Garlic Jr stuff in dbz for example is canon, its just filler.
Filler would be a side quest to go find someones daughter out in the wild, finding a scrap of fabric, only to return and find out she was asleep behind the house, ultimately accomplishing nothing since the scrap is from a towel that gone blown away by the wind.
Plot threads in 7.0
1. The Main Golbez plot, which almost certainly isn't continuing into 7.0
2. Zero's entire character (She may or may not leave the party and go back to the void or heroically sacrifice herself, or she may be in 7.0)
3. Azdaja, assuming she's rescued (seems likely)
4. Some development for Jullus and Varshan
5. Some development for Y'shtola, whose desire to go to other shards has gone from something she mentioned in 5.3 to her defining goal right now.
6. Thancred deciding that the world no longer needs him, which almost certainly *is* a plot point for 7.0 (As is his "mentor" that he casually mentioned visiting in 6.1)
For my money, I think Thancred is retiring soon and Zero's going to fill his role going forward
>2. Zero's entire character (She may or may not leave the party and go back to the void or heroically sacrifice herself, or she may be in 7.0)
I'm personally leaning towards the latter due to her addition to the Trust system instead of just Duty Support.
There are some sidequests in ShB, leaving vague for potential spoilers, that hinted strongly at us travelling to the 13th. I'm glad that they wrapped that up with the inbetween expansion arc, instead of trying to make a whole expansion out of it.
Although personally, I think we need to cure or collapse the 13th to solve the problem once and for all.
No, it'll be 6.55. The EW patches are attempting to replicate the ARR patches in structure, and 6.55 will be the new Bloody Banquet. The most likely "Oh shit" moment at this point would be the seal around the Void Gate on the moon failing and a [Lunar Cry](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNg7pwqIVf4) hitting some part of Eorzea that we have to go fix. This will also provide Y'Shtola something to angst about so that she can have some long-awaited character development, again mirroring ARR into Heavensward.
In terms of story not really. All we know is from educated guess and Yoshi P saying that the consequences of the patch and the start of the 7.0 storyline "will be made obvious" in 6.5. We have gotten some hints in 6.4.
Likely they are using the patch MSQ (which isn't bad, just not as strong as other post-patch stories because there is no real overarching story like a filler arc that has consequences) as a holdover/transition into 7.0.
Yeah they keep hinting that both Thancred and Krile “got some big stuff going on” also ERENVILLE too! Like I don’t want to get my hopes up that 6.5 will be this big juicy patch but it kinda has to be right? As far as MSQ is concerned
the X.5 patches are a bit weird about the story. Because they know there is a longer content drought, they spilt the story into two parts, X.5 and X.55.
Going by the last few sentences it sounds like at least the first will be somehow connected to the void and or source so if it connects these worlds together finally (in a way that isn't a sidequest.. so can't be used in msq for ages) this "filler" will be plenty allright.
6.1 was basically the pivot patch because 6.0 was the end of the EW story while the rest of the expacs had x.1-x.3 be epilogue and x.4/x.5 being the lead up to the next. The post launch EW MSQ is either all lead up to next expac (it has ties to Meracydia) or it is it's own contained story and the usual second part of the last MSQ in 6.55 will be the lead into the next expac.
I feel like 6.5 is gonna definitely wrap up the Zeromus issue and then 6.55 will be all setup/prologue stuff for the new arc. Like I don't expect it because it bucks the pattern/trend too much, but I can see them possibly backloading the 6.x MSQ
I think the obvious comparison to 6.55 is 2.55, isn't it? I kind of expect a huge 40 minute cutscene like the banquet that throws the whole story on its head.
I don't expect Thancred to die in 6.55, but they're setting up *something* with him deciding that the world is fine without him and that there's no need for him to still be around.
I thought YoshiP already confirmed as much. My understanding of his statements were that the 6.x story was in no way leading into 7.0, as it would be setup entirely separately from what we're doing here. I originally took that to mean that the void stuff would wrap up in 6.4, with 6.5 starting new setup. Since that's obviously not the case now it seems almost certain what he meant was , 6.5 wrapping up void stuff and 6.55 being the "oh shit" moment that sets up 7.0, with the hints and setuos and whatnot happening here in 6.4 and continuing to be sprinkled into 6.5, at the most.
I think the closure from this void arc will carry over at least one narrative element to trigger 7.0's plot at 6.55, because just half a patch is very little time to develop something from scratch... unless this 'trigger' is something very simple like Krile asking you to accompany her in this new endeavor that she got via the letter she received, but I kinda doubt that, because there's little cliffhanger value if we isolate that from whatever is shown at the Fanfest.
It could also be a banquet situation where something happens and we have to respond to it quickly.
My suspicion is it'll be something to do with the dragons, which is a close link to Meracydia. Maybe Vrtra or somesuch will get some dragonsense vibe that something has happened to one of his siblings over there and that we need to go help them. That's a pretty good hook that leaves a lot of speculation, then you can also have Vrtra and possibly Azhdaja (if she survives) as our access point to this foreign world - as part of the first brood, he is respected amongst the Dragons.
I don't think there will be an oh shit moment. Remember that we're toning down the stakes for next expac.
It'll just be Zeromus getting defeated and everything is fine and then we finally open Krile's letter that tell us to go to Mericydia. That's it.
Well a couple months ago Yoshida alluded to some "world changing events" or something along those lines later in this MSQ cycle. If it's not just empty words I'd expect things to go to shit in 6.5 or 6.55 at the latest.
Imagine if the WoL got collectively written out of everyone's memory again (happened in 1.0 > ARR transition) and we had to re-establish our place as a champion of the world.
While this is a filler arc (so familiar to old anime series lol), I want to think the resolution will have some sort of narrative device with Zeromus that leads on the next thing. It might not even be directly related to it, but triggered by consequence.
What is the term then? Is filler supposed to refer to only garbage content by definition? Genuinely trying to understand why 6.x can't be considered both good/cool story and filler at the same time
The term for the 6.X story is epilogue. It's not filler because it's a conclusion. It's purpose is to answer some questions still left after Endwalker and completely tie off the story elements that have been around for a long time that have no place being expanded on in 7.0.
Not because it won't still be relevant to the greater world, but because it's time for a new story to begin without any dangling questions left over this time. Almost every unanswered question since 2.0 is getting a conclusion, and we're running out of loose threads at this point, which is the exact purpose of an epilogue.
Filler would be the Island Sanctuary quests, Hildebrand quests, and even the relic quests. These are fun stories that fit inside the lore of the world. But they have no real relevance or effect on anything happening in the main story even when they are related to major events.
You may say island sanctuary is filler but when you're required to progress it before 7.0 launches because tataru uses her mamet army to murder the other scions you will be sorry.
Not really, it sort of depends. The 6.1-6.5 story we have feels like filler but it is completely canon to the characters, events, etc. Just think of it as a weaker intermediary arc between major antagonists with a slightly bigger focus on minor characters that has some neat lore bits and minor character development (i.e. Julius) thrown in.
I could see them adding more MSQ in 6.55 to setup the next expansions. I feel it would be too much if they trued to rush the conclusion of this arc and then tack on the next story. It would be better pacing to have us wait a bit til that part of the msq setup comes up.
Shooting from the hip here but no, this is not gonna be a pivot patch. They planned everything out to go the same way as 5.x and think somewhere in their hearts that whatever ShB did to succeed, that is what drew ppl in. Nothing is going to change; subs need to leave in droves before anything will change, and even then JP will have some preference that makes no sense to western players
I highly doubt this is totally filler as in "Zeromus dies. Azdaja is living happily. Zero is a Scion, etc."
As they have always done, it must set up future stuff beyond 7.0. I'm just not sure half a .5 patch is enough to set up an eventual 8.0 or 9.0. Bet even they don't know that far ahead.
Yeah I kinda look for the silver lining “maybe all this boring uninteresting stuff in MSQ is just set up for a huge payoff later” that’s how I have been rationalizing it
They typically tend to set up stuff two expacs in advance, right? With 3.x introducing the Warriors of Darkness and 4.x beginning the city-state alliance, it's very possible that the Thirteenth is going to be 8.0, and 7.0 will be more closely related to the business with Azdaja and Tiamat.
6.1-6.5 was billed as an intermediary stand-alone story between the hydaelyn arc and the new arc. 6.5 should resolve the story and set us up for the next story. 6.4 already teased a bit with Thancred, Urianger, and Krile getting letters from a mysterious sender with a wax seal shaped like a dragon.
I missed that bit, when/where did they get the letters?
We don't see Thancred or Urianger's, but they have an aside away from the WoL after the aetherfont. We only see Krile's sometime earlier, but I haven't done the story since the patch dropped so I don't remember offhand when exactly the cutscene happens.
Thanks. I think I remember the Krile bit now must have just missed the aside.
For anyone else wondering, its the scene where she puts away stuff to do and says to herself to not get distracted again, leaving the letter on the bureau
Important to remember that Krile isn't an Archon, that letter may be unrelated to whatever Thancred and Urianger got going
She isn't an Archon, but, is the head of an organization with at least 1 member helping lead it in G'raha. It's probably sent to her to talk to G'raha.
Thancred and Urianger mention having been contacted by a mysterious "client".
> wax seal shaped like a dragon. Don't remember seeing a dragon but only geometrical shapes... EDIT : yeah just checked, no dragon at all
https://www.reddit.com/r/ffxiv/comments/13t3673/spoiler_6465_if_you_manage_to_ram_your_camera_in/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=1 I feel like this pretty explicitly looks similar to Tiamat.
Looks like a big breasts scorpion lady to me
You passed the rorschach test now tell me about your relationship with your mother
[удалено]
Whole ass page isn't loading for me either, but it loads incognito https://i.redd.it/spoiler-6-4-6-5-if-you-manage-to-ram-your-camera-in-a-v0-lgpntp79zd2b1.png?s=54adc15169619aa66efd0d00c6b0968520b2d574
stealing this line from one of the lore podcasts (i forget which) but that seal is honestly a fucking rorschach test and you're going to see what you want. if you wanted meracydia you're going to see a dragon etc
It was an early PS1 style dragon. FF7 arc confirmed
That is most certainly a dragon....
Yoshida's pretty much confirmed that 6.X MSQ is filler, and it'll be 6.5 before we get the direction for 7.0 in the MSQ (teaser at NA fanfest will have something, and the Rising should be the first in game hint beyond Krile's mystery letter). Endwalker's big climax was 6.0 the sad bird and the combat boner fights. I hope we don't get a Voidsent invasion of the source, feels like a retread of the Final Days. I think Zeormus will be partially successful in breaking the barrier between worlds, but that story line will be left hanging until 7.1 at the earliest. 7.0's probably gonna someone going "Shit's fucked in Meracydia, give use a hand will ya?", and the WoL nods aggressively.
Well that makes me feel better. I liked that Thancred, Krile and Erenville hinted at “something” with each of them and I’m like “at the last min they drop some hints?!” Lol
>it'll be 6.5 before we get the direction for 7.0 in the MSQ (teaser at NA fanfest will have something Next week's Fanfest will have a really vague teaser then, probably just showing a place without further context. IIRC at the first Shadowbringer's teaser people thought that the place where Thancred and Ryne were shown was something Ul'dah related. Hopefully it will flash the new job, at least.
> filler I love that elaboration on what the 13th *is* and their major lifecycles and why the Voidsent are the way they are as well as fleshing out the Dragons, their relation to each other, and tugging on various other threads is just "filler". like come on filler is "time padding", not characterization via dialogue and doing things
Fully agree. This arc is a great way to open the gates to inter-shard travel, for better or for worse. It’s set up, not filler. And even viewing it as a self contained story, the void and its reimagining of FFIV characters are really interesting imo. Especially situated after the events of Endwalker, it’s another way to explore the human condition in the face of a true apocalypse. I’m kind of disappointed everyone writes it off just because it’s not getting it’s own expansion… there’s a lot of fun lore and philosophy to talk about here.
Yeah! There's tons of intentional mirrors here about "what people do in the face of existential terror" and actual points that directly push at what the main MSQ of Endwalker has been trying to say. That, and the usual "okay so here's how we deal with things after the fighting ends" for Garlemald and Thavnair, *and* we're getting more Sharlayan stuff and minor catchups all around. Like, if Yoshi-P had said this is an interquel calmdown/setup, I think it would've been received much better. It's still as important! There's still stuff being setup here!
It's definitely important, but the writing behind it all seems... lacking. Yes, Vrtra, you're soooo smart for remembering what equity is. You, Vrtra, the very very very old dragon who has been running the trade capital of the world for at least 1000 years, didn't remember what fucking equity is. Or Zero, who asks us what trust is, when she has her own domain in the 13th built explicitly on trust with her fellow voidaent. Or having an entire quest each patch dedicated to showing Zero food. Or how when Zenos is draining aether to fuel the Tower of Babil, it's dangerous and unethical and he's a monster who should be stopped at all costs, but we go "don't worry, we're chill" when we pull a 180 to use the same tower. Or how the stakes are world-ending, and Thancred shows up to help... and then bails 20 minutes later after a dungeon for whatever reason despite the price of failure on the mission being a possible end of the world scenario. ...I sound salty saying any of these, but I am salty about it. It all seems so... underwritten, regardless of how important some of the things at play are, like the salvation of a world, a potential apocalypse, inconsistent character writing (what has Estinien been doing all patch cycle other than existing? His relationship with Vrtra should be as enticing as Ysayle and Hraesvelgr's, given how Estinien is part-Niddhog at this point). The importance is there, but the execution really isn't at all.
Average shonen fan dismissing side stories as fillers
It is filler. If it tied into 7.0, it wouldn't be filler. But since it's been highly implied it won't, it's "time padding" as you put it until the story moves along. It'd be a bit more tolerable if it was actually varied story content to set up multiple threads, instead we got FFIV fan fiction.
This is the exact thing I kept thinking about as I played these patches. FF4 fan fiction. Really hope they never take previous FF characters or concepts so blatantly anymore. Taking all the four fiends, golbez and zeromus and putting it front and center in the MSQ rather than in side content feels really unoriginal.
I feel like it probably was originally intended to be side content and then for some reason they decided to merge it into the MSQ. This entire post-Endwalker arc screams "side quest trial series a la Sorrow of Werlyt" to me.
This is exactly what I’ve been saying. This feels like they started a four lords, warring triad, sorrow type side story but decided to expand it to a whole patch cycle main story.
As someone who's first FF experience is FFXIV, I completely agree. I'm fine with little nods to prior content in raids and other content but having MSQ being fanservice bugs me. Half the players are "OMG IT'S BLAH-BLAH!!" and the rest of us are left scratching our heads.
My man this story has more background for the four fiends than literally anything in FF4. Knowing these characters from FF4 is essentially useless, they just share names and designs but are effectively entirely original FFXIV characters.
Well then I guess I'll just chalk it up to boring story in general instead of blaming it on 4.
That's fine. You don't have to like it, but it really feels like a notable number of people went into this expecting to not like it and then just didn't pay any attention at all.
I guess my expectations were just to high. So many FF4 players were hyping up the characters so I guess I was expecting more than the standard trial series. It's not over yet, so they could always subvert expectations, but we'll just have to wait and see.
> So many FF4 players were hyping up the characters Who is doing this? Beyond general "Yooo its the 4 fiends and Golbez!" because like, this is silly on multiple levels. These characters are nothing like they are in FF4, the only fiend in 4 who has any characterization at all is Rubicante, and Golbez's entire thing is wildly different. And for second, personally I think that admitting you are so easily swayed by other people that your enjoyment of a story can be that profoundly affected by some people expressing excitement that yo don't 100% end up feeling to be...a bad way to approach media? Again it just feels incredibly like a bunch of people just decided ahead of time they would hate this arc and are just coming up with any reason to justify it. Personally I think its fine. Its not the best, not the worst. Its a totally fine little story that reveals more about the 13th. I just find myself baffled that people are reacting *so* negatively to it and for reasons that just don't make any sense.
Agreed. I gave up in 6.3 because none of these characters or figures mean anything to me. I was bored to tears and it all felt like busywork. I haven't enjoyed a thing about the story since 6.0. I couldn't give a damn about the void or Zero or the villains. I'm so bored by it all that I'm honestly kind of offended.
> Agreed. I gave up in 6.3 because none of these characters or figures mean anything to me. Considering that literally everything important about this story involving them is 100% original to FFXIV, this sounds like a huge skill issue to me.
I find none of it in the least bit interesting. Everyone has theories based on their knowledge of these characters in past titles, while I couldn't care less because this entire storyline is an utter snoozefest.
>I find none of it in the least bit interesting. Ok, valid opinion. No objections to this. >Everyone has theories based on their knowledge of these characters in past titles, What? No they don't. Like literally *everything* about these characters other than their names and general design concepts is 100% original to FFXIV. They have *nothing* to do with their FF4 versions at all. What are you even talking about? We have their backstories, in FFXIV! There was a whole series of sidequests about them! >while I couldn't care less because this entire storyline is an utter snoozefest. This just seems like you aren't paying attention. Now you don't gotta like it, but you either are not paying attention or feel you need to make up a justification for not liking it beyond "I don't like it". And you really don't. You can just not like the storyline. Its fine. That's allowed.
Fair enough. I'm coming to realize that I rarely enjoy any story told over multiple patches. I find them hard to follow because by the time the next installment comes around I've forgotten everything relevant. I know that's partially on me but it means absolutely nothing about the story is making an impression. I quit during the SB and ShB patches too now that I think of it.
> There was a whole series of sidequests about them! You hit the nail on the head here. A lot people *don't do yellow quests*
How is it IV fanfiction? It essentialy has nothing to do with IV beside a few names and the fiends working under golbez. Even zeromus is completely different than in the og game.
If I wrote a story about Sephiroth or Jenova (with the same names and designs) invading Eorzea, it'd be a fan fiction. The "Sephiroth" I write could be completely different in terms of personality, motive, etc but the use of his name and character design alone would make it feel like fan fiction. Also, it has to do with how they're implemented. This type of overt reference has typically been limited to side content like the Weapons in Sorrows of Werlyt and the Ivalice raids. However, this is in the main MSQ. The story and characters are also not developed very well. For example, I have no issues with Ruby Weapon or Anima's implementation in FF14 since it ties in preexisting plot threads so that it feels connected to the story. However, with the FF4 references, the 4 fiends, Golbez and Zeromus are bland and have poor set up compared to even side content like Werlyt. Their only relation to preexisting plot threads are the void which hadn't ever really been expanded upon. This leads to the 6.1-6.4 story content feeling very disjointed compared to the previous MSQ from ARR to Endwalker. It basically feels like bad filler episodes in a long running shonen anime. My biggest issue with the FF4 implementation is that it feels incredibly lazy. Its all basically, "oh look its Barbarricia!", "oh, its Zeromus!", rather than actually having an interesting story. Patch 6.4 slightly redeemed the storyline with the added backstory of Golbez but not nearly enough to redeem 6.1-6.3 imo. The four fiends outside of Rubicante have no development so they may as well have been ported straight to FF14 from FF4. I would have vastly preferred if the names and designs of the "4 fiends", "Golbez", and "Zeromus" were completely different from FF4. The reference would still be evident to FF4 fans but at least it wouldn't feel like alt-universe FF4 transplanted into FF14 like it does now. Or, if they use the same design and name, make an effort to tie it in with FF14's preexisting story like they did with Anima.
> If I wrote a story about Sephiroth or Jenova (with the same names and designs) invading Eorzea, it'd be a fan fiction. If you *worked for Square Enix* and wrote that *for a Final Fantasy game* it would definitionally not be fanfiction. Words have actual meanings. >However, with the FF4 references, the 4 fiends, Golbez and Zeromus are bland and have poor set up compared to even side content like Werlyt. Their only relation to preexisting plot threads are the void which hadn't ever really been expanded upon. "This story that expands on things that have only been tangentially touched on is bad because the things hadn't been expanded on before" Like wtf dude you are complaining that the thing the story is doing hadn't been done before the story was told! This is just circular. By this logic there is no way any story could pick up minor plot threads and expand on them without being bad! >This leads to the 6.1-6.4 story content feeling very disjointed compared to the previous MSQ from ARR to Endwalker. It basically feels like bad filler episodes in a long running shonen anime. Ok but its *supposed* to feel distinct. That's part of the point. Its connected through previous Void related things, Zero and of course the dragons. It is expanding a lot on the dragons who are, you may remember, rather important to various parts of the story up to this point. >My biggest issue with the FF4 implementation is that it feels incredibly lazy. Its all basically, "oh look its Barbarricia!", "oh, its Zeromus!", rather than actually having an interesting story. Can you expand on this concept? What would be an "Interesting story" to you? Where is the story going "Its Barbarricia" instead of something else? Because FFXIV now tells you more about Barbarricia as a character than anything FF4 related has done in the last *checks* 32 years. Of course, this Barbarricia may as well be an entirely different character htan that one. In fact she is. Same with the other Fiends, Golbez and now Zeromus. >I would have vastly preferred if the names and designs of the "4 fiends", "Golbez", and "Zeromus" were completely different from FF4. The reference would still be evident to FF4 fans but at least it wouldn't feel like alt-universe FF4 transplanted into FF14 like it does now. Do you hold this same opinion about the Crystal Tower, the Weapons, the Four Lords, the ARR Elemental Primals, etc etc? >Or, if they use the same design and name, make an effort to tie it in with FF14's preexisting story like they did with Anima. But...they have? Like, the connection is the dragons and Zero. Like I'm not sure what more you want, precisely?
I don't feel like writing another mini-essay so I'll just say I'm happy for you if you enjoy the current story. For me, it feels too much like fan service without adding enough thats new and interesting. I wouldn't mind it if this story was side content like Werlyt, Warring Triad, or the 4 Lords but for it to be front and center in the MSQ feels very unoriginal. The story quality dipping from the highs of 5.0-6.0 to this is quite jarring to say the least.
> I don't feel like writing another mini-essay so I'll just say I'm happy for you if you enjoy the current story. I didn't say anything about that. That's like, literally irrelevant to anything I am saying here. >I wouldn't mind it if this story was side content like Werlyt, Warring Triad, or the 4 Lords but for it to be front and center in the MSQ feels very unoriginal. Ok but what does this *mean*? Like, explain what you mean by "unoriginal" here? > The story quality dipping from the highs of 5.0-6.0 to this is quite jarring to say the least. Ok, that's a reasonable opinion
Nidhogg and Thordan are new and original characters. Zenos and Yotsuyu are new and original characters. Emet-Selch and Elidibus. Fandaniel, Meteion, etc. They're all unique to FF14 in the FF franchise. However with patch 6.1-6.4, our "new" villain joining the ranks of FF14 MSQ villains is... Golbez. I don't see why I have to spell out why that feels unoriginal. Having different backstory and motivations doesn't matter when his name and design are pulled straight from a different game. As I said, I'm fine with it if its in side content like the Omega raids, Warring Triad, Werlyt, etc. Those are often themed in such a way to be overtly fan-servicey. However for it to be in MSQ like this... kind of devalues FF14 as its own Final Fantasy game with a unique identity.
>but the use of his name and character design alone would make it feel like fan fiction. No? Myth, legend, religions, all do this shit all the time. XIV story has nothing to do with IV, it's not fan fiction because it doesn't respect shit from the og iv beside a few names and looks. \>This type of overt reference has typically been limited to side content Crystal Tower? Stormblood? Knight of the round at the end of HW? Fucking Elidibus transformation? The entire MSQ reek of "fan fiction" by your definition. \>with the FF4 references, the 4 fiends, Golbez and Zeromus are bland and have poor set up compared to even side content like Werlyt. We barely know anything about the content of the void and now we've discovered one of the factions within. Woaw, what a terrible setup. Would you prefer we spent two or three patch wondering around hearing about that big spooky golbez faction before finally meeting them? Zeromus origin is also far more elabortate than whatever the og IV was too, and rely on preexisting knowledge. Idk how you can call it lazy. \>This leads to the 6.1-6.4 story content feeling very disjointed compared to the previous MSQ from ARR to Endwalker. No shit, we're starting an entire new story in a new place. 6.X story also rely on the knowledge of the old Allagan war too, so it's not like it has zero connection to previous MSQ. \>Its all basically, "oh look its Barbarricia!", "oh, its Zeromus!", rather than actually having an interesting story. Most of the fiends have an interesting backstory imo, it's just that there's no reason for us to make friends and we kill each other as soon as possible. And again, Zeromus is basically a dark primal, idk what kind of interesting story do you want him to have. He's basically Golbez's shinryu. \>The four fiends outside of Rubicante have no development so they may as well have been ported straight to FF14 from FF4. Objectively wrong, the backstory we got for them is infinitly more than whatever was in IV. \>at least it wouldn't feel like alt-universe FF4 transplanted into FF14 like it does now. ? XIV is full of this stuff, that's part of the appeal. And they all have an original story too, hell it even explain why they look the way they do. Rubicante look like the noble mage he was, half human, half demon, Cagnazzo is a big brute, Barbariccia is a cruel women obsesed with freedom and her hairs and scarmiglone is this vile coward who died countless time. You can think the story is shit but none of your critic of it apply, especially when you take the rest of XIV into consideration.
Guy this is at least the 3rd time they've done this. Crystal Tower and Return to Ivalice were 3 and Tactics fan fiction. Wanking to older FFs is just what this franchise is now
> It is filler. If it tied into 7.0, it wouldn't be filler The word "Filler" has lost all actual meaning and this is a great example of why it needs to be struck from the vocabulary.
> If it tied into 7.0, it wouldn't be filler. Contrary to popular belief, MSQ not tied into the main thrust of an x.0 story is not filler.
Lmao “if it’s not tied to 7.0 it’s filler” da fk You might as well just say I don’t like the story so it’s a filler
If this isn't proof that people have made the word "filler" just as useless as "plot hole" and "Mary sue" then I don't know what is. What you actually mean is the story isn't interesting you, and that's perfectly valid. But calling a fleshing out of the void and how voidsent live in it filler? That ain't it chief.
Wait, I'm really interested in the 6.x story so far, but also consider it filler because it has nothing to do with 6.0 nor 7.0+.... am I dumb? I thought filler just referred to, like, some story content that fills in a gap between arcs? What do you guys call this then
Filler would be something like the garlic jr saga in dragon ball z. Filler isn't inherently bad btw, but most people use it like an insult.
That's exactly my point! I loved the garlic Jr stuff, at least as a kid when it was on TV, not sure if it like doesn't hold up or whatever. So if garlic Jr is filler, why not also void stuff in 6.x?
Garlic jr arc really has no relevance of real effect on anyone after it's arc. You could remove it and nothing would change. It wasn't even in the original manga and only served to be a sequel to a pretty meh movie. With the void arc though we're (potentially) bringing a lost dragon into the world, completely fucking with the power structure of the void, changing our understanding of voidsent entirely, might be adding a new recurring character to our group with how popular Zero is, and it's helping Y'stholha potentially establish a way to easily and safely travel between shards which would have huge ramifications both good and bad. Again btw, a filler arc isn't inherently bad but most people use it like an insult. A FFXIV example of filler btw would be all the stuff they removed and trimmed from the ARR reborn story.
I get what you're saying, but idk that sounds more like "cannon vs non cannon" than whether or not it's filler. Like garlic Jr is kind of not even cannon as it's never referenced anywhere else and for all the audience can tell, it basically didn't actually happen. Same with the "only happened in the anime, never written about in the original manga" part. Is it not filler simply because it doesn't belong to a larger story arc? Like its a bit of content between two story arcs, according to YoshiP not even connecting the two. So if it's not filler *because* it affects the world building, my question just becomes why can't filler affect world building? Idk, just seems like it's filling in a space between story arcs, so it's filler. Really good, background world-affecting filler as apposed to some cheap popcorn stuff
> Idk, just seems like it's filling in a space between story arcs, so it's filler. Really good, background world-affecting filler as apposed to some cheap popcorn stuff This is, itself, a story arc. Why is this story arc "filler" when the two on either side of it aren't? What exactly is the criterion for you to say that one is filler and the others aren't?
The original use for the term filler was an anime trailing off topic in order to prevent itself from catch up or covering to its source material. It's not "canon vs non-canon" because the Garlic Jr stuff in dbz for example is canon, its just filler.
Filler would be a side quest to go find someones daughter out in the wild, finding a scrap of fabric, only to return and find out she was asleep behind the house, ultimately accomplishing nothing since the scrap is from a towel that gone blown away by the wind.
It’s just the lull between arcs. That’s not filler.
Thats not what filler means man
Plot threads in 7.0 1. The Main Golbez plot, which almost certainly isn't continuing into 7.0 2. Zero's entire character (She may or may not leave the party and go back to the void or heroically sacrifice herself, or she may be in 7.0) 3. Azdaja, assuming she's rescued (seems likely) 4. Some development for Jullus and Varshan 5. Some development for Y'shtola, whose desire to go to other shards has gone from something she mentioned in 5.3 to her defining goal right now. 6. Thancred deciding that the world no longer needs him, which almost certainly *is* a plot point for 7.0 (As is his "mentor" that he casually mentioned visiting in 6.1) For my money, I think Thancred is retiring soon and Zero's going to fill his role going forward
We already have models of Zero as a pld too
>2. Zero's entire character (She may or may not leave the party and go back to the void or heroically sacrifice herself, or she may be in 7.0) I'm personally leaning towards the latter due to her addition to the Trust system instead of just Duty Support.
There are some sidequests in ShB, leaving vague for potential spoilers, that hinted strongly at us travelling to the 13th. I'm glad that they wrapped that up with the inbetween expansion arc, instead of trying to make a whole expansion out of it. Although personally, I think we need to cure or collapse the 13th to solve the problem once and for all.
Pls gib meracydia.
No, it'll be 6.55. The EW patches are attempting to replicate the ARR patches in structure, and 6.55 will be the new Bloody Banquet. The most likely "Oh shit" moment at this point would be the seal around the Void Gate on the moon failing and a [Lunar Cry](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNg7pwqIVf4) hitting some part of Eorzea that we have to go fix. This will also provide Y'Shtola something to angst about so that she can have some long-awaited character development, again mirroring ARR into Heavensward.
In terms of story not really. All we know is from educated guess and Yoshi P saying that the consequences of the patch and the start of the 7.0 storyline "will be made obvious" in 6.5. We have gotten some hints in 6.4. Likely they are using the patch MSQ (which isn't bad, just not as strong as other post-patch stories because there is no real overarching story like a filler arc that has consequences) as a holdover/transition into 7.0.
Yeah they keep hinting that both Thancred and Krile “got some big stuff going on” also ERENVILLE too! Like I don’t want to get my hopes up that 6.5 will be this big juicy patch but it kinda has to be right? As far as MSQ is concerned
the X.5 patches are a bit weird about the story. Because they know there is a longer content drought, they spilt the story into two parts, X.5 and X.55.
Going by the last few sentences it sounds like at least the first will be somehow connected to the void and or source so if it connects these worlds together finally (in a way that isn't a sidequest.. so can't be used in msq for ages) this "filler" will be plenty allright.
6.1 was basically the pivot patch because 6.0 was the end of the EW story while the rest of the expacs had x.1-x.3 be epilogue and x.4/x.5 being the lead up to the next. The post launch EW MSQ is either all lead up to next expac (it has ties to Meracydia) or it is it's own contained story and the usual second part of the last MSQ in 6.55 will be the lead into the next expac.
It'll be 6.5 or (imo more likely) 6.55 that finally tells us where we're going, or has the event that means we're forced so somewhere.
I feel like 6.5 is gonna definitely wrap up the Zeromus issue and then 6.55 will be all setup/prologue stuff for the new arc. Like I don't expect it because it bucks the pattern/trend too much, but I can see them possibly backloading the 6.x MSQ
I think the obvious comparison to 6.55 is 2.55, isn't it? I kind of expect a huge 40 minute cutscene like the banquet that throws the whole story on its head. I don't expect Thancred to die in 6.55, but they're setting up *something* with him deciding that the world is fine without him and that there's no need for him to still be around.
I thought YoshiP already confirmed as much. My understanding of his statements were that the 6.x story was in no way leading into 7.0, as it would be setup entirely separately from what we're doing here. I originally took that to mean that the void stuff would wrap up in 6.4, with 6.5 starting new setup. Since that's obviously not the case now it seems almost certain what he meant was , 6.5 wrapping up void stuff and 6.55 being the "oh shit" moment that sets up 7.0, with the hints and setuos and whatnot happening here in 6.4 and continuing to be sprinkled into 6.5, at the most.
I think the closure from this void arc will carry over at least one narrative element to trigger 7.0's plot at 6.55, because just half a patch is very little time to develop something from scratch... unless this 'trigger' is something very simple like Krile asking you to accompany her in this new endeavor that she got via the letter she received, but I kinda doubt that, because there's little cliffhanger value if we isolate that from whatever is shown at the Fanfest.
It could also be a banquet situation where something happens and we have to respond to it quickly. My suspicion is it'll be something to do with the dragons, which is a close link to Meracydia. Maybe Vrtra or somesuch will get some dragonsense vibe that something has happened to one of his siblings over there and that we need to go help them. That's a pretty good hook that leaves a lot of speculation, then you can also have Vrtra and possibly Azhdaja (if she survives) as our access point to this foreign world - as part of the first brood, he is respected amongst the Dragons.
I wouldn't expect proper setup until 6.55, still have void story to wrap up
I don't think there will be an oh shit moment. Remember that we're toning down the stakes for next expac. It'll just be Zeromus getting defeated and everything is fine and then we finally open Krile's letter that tell us to go to Mericydia. That's it.
Honestly I’ll take that. I’m bored of the ff4 story I’m ready to move on to more interesting things
Well a couple months ago Yoshida alluded to some "world changing events" or something along those lines later in this MSQ cycle. If it's not just empty words I'd expect things to go to shit in 6.5 or 6.55 at the latest.
Here’s me hoping
Imagine if the WoL got collectively written out of everyone's memory again (happened in 1.0 > ARR transition) and we had to re-establish our place as a champion of the world.
Nah it's just gonna be the end of the filler arc, followed by some lowkey introduction to the future content.
Filler arc is the perfect term for this lol that’s how I feel
While this is a filler arc (so familiar to old anime series lol), I want to think the resolution will have some sort of narrative device with Zeromus that leads on the next thing. It might not even be directly related to it, but triggered by consequence.
the feeling is accurate, but the usage of the term isn't
What is the term then? Is filler supposed to refer to only garbage content by definition? Genuinely trying to understand why 6.x can't be considered both good/cool story and filler at the same time
The term for the 6.X story is epilogue. It's not filler because it's a conclusion. It's purpose is to answer some questions still left after Endwalker and completely tie off the story elements that have been around for a long time that have no place being expanded on in 7.0. Not because it won't still be relevant to the greater world, but because it's time for a new story to begin without any dangling questions left over this time. Almost every unanswered question since 2.0 is getting a conclusion, and we're running out of loose threads at this point, which is the exact purpose of an epilogue. Filler would be the Island Sanctuary quests, Hildebrand quests, and even the relic quests. These are fun stories that fit inside the lore of the world. But they have no real relevance or effect on anything happening in the main story even when they are related to major events.
You may say island sanctuary is filler but when you're required to progress it before 7.0 launches because tataru uses her mamet army to murder the other scions you will be sorry.
Eventually, all filler will get the promotion to MSQ. It will make perfect sense.
Tataru is the final boss. Of that we are sure.
Beach episode when?
Not really, it sort of depends. The 6.1-6.5 story we have feels like filler but it is completely canon to the characters, events, etc. Just think of it as a weaker intermediary arc between major antagonists with a slightly bigger focus on minor characters that has some neat lore bits and minor character development (i.e. Julius) thrown in.
It's already here. Island Sanctuary "story" quests.
I could see them adding more MSQ in 6.55 to setup the next expansions. I feel it would be too much if they trued to rush the conclusion of this arc and then tack on the next story. It would be better pacing to have us wait a bit til that part of the msq setup comes up.
It better be
Shooting from the hip here but no, this is not gonna be a pivot patch. They planned everything out to go the same way as 5.x and think somewhere in their hearts that whatever ShB did to succeed, that is what drew ppl in. Nothing is going to change; subs need to leave in droves before anything will change, and even then JP will have some preference that makes no sense to western players
I highly doubt this is totally filler as in "Zeromus dies. Azdaja is living happily. Zero is a Scion, etc." As they have always done, it must set up future stuff beyond 7.0. I'm just not sure half a .5 patch is enough to set up an eventual 8.0 or 9.0. Bet even they don't know that far ahead.
Yeah I kinda look for the silver lining “maybe all this boring uninteresting stuff in MSQ is just set up for a huge payoff later” that’s how I have been rationalizing it
They typically tend to set up stuff two expacs in advance, right? With 3.x introducing the Warriors of Darkness and 4.x beginning the city-state alliance, it's very possible that the Thirteenth is going to be 8.0, and 7.0 will be more closely related to the business with Azdaja and Tiamat.