Summary: The conclusion to the phenomenal Eden raid series. Loghrif and Mitron. Gaia and Ryne.
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ASCIAN PRIME: “Impurities must be purged.” YOU’RE an impurity, you monster.
WHAT
A FIGHT! I adored how it tied so closely to the core theme of memory.
Showing the memories Gaia treasures and how empty she seems without
them, as well as using those memories as the heart of the mechanics.
Deeply loved how they literally drew on memories of the raid’s prior
bosses for abilities.
Also, memory plots hit me especially hard. (Donna Noble = best Doctor Who companion.)
-Outside, Gaia is unconscious. Separated, but unconscious.
-Awww, Gaia’s holding onto the ice necklace. She was being tsundere about it, all “it’s not really my thing, I left it back in the crystarium.” We see how much you treasure Ryne.
-Now we see Gaia floating in a void. Nearby, the fading spirit of Mitron.
GAIA: “This is what you wanted. There’s no need to be quite so upset…. You’ve been released from Eden, free to be reborn. Perhaps one day, fate will bring us together again, in another life.”
That’s a good way to look at it. And I like that Mitron gets this new chance. Their pre-Ryne relationship was the real deal.
GAIA: “Until we meet again, Artemis.” Mitron’s original name.
-Another raid tier ending with someone walking through a void, Gaia now instead of Alpha. I don’t mind. It’s an effective image that fits both times.
-After a while, she pulls out the ice necklace and stares. It triggers memories of Ryne.
Pleeease game, stick the landing. Make this romance undisputable canon.
-She starts to hear Ryne calling to her. Ryne breaks through the void, busts in. They reach to each other.
-SHE AWAKES AND THE EMPTY IS EMPTY NO MORE!
It’s a glorious, lush place of LIFE! Eden is now an overgrown tree, an Ascian prison no longer. All the aether it absorbed to trap him has returned to the surrounding land.
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Where I Belong
-Gaia has her memories back. The memories as Gaia in this life, not Loghrif.
-Back in Mord Souq, some details have been found about Gaia’s upbringing in Eulmore… but she doesn’t care. Prefers not to know. I believe her and how much she wants to move forward.
GAIA:
“For me, the name Gaia symbolizes hope. And though each of our lives
may be but a drop in the great river of time, hope springs eternal.”
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-This was awesome. My favorite raid tier, beating out
Omega. The story and characters and growing relationship was a delight,
and seeing the reimagining of so many past fights was creative af.
My
big disappointment is that the nature of Ryne’s relationship with Gaia
was left still a bit unclear. There were hints at a romance, like one
possible kiss cutaway, the official Twitter strongly hinting at it, the
rainbow crystal – but nothing overt.
I don’t need them full-on
making out, and I get that XIV specifically avoids romantic storylines
for most of its characters, but I wanted this badly. I wanted something
overt badly rather than another instance where I’m wondering if I’m just
seeing things that aren’t there. Do better, game.
My best
reading of the canon is that Gaia and Ryne ARE romantically involved,
but it’s not to such a degree that I can comfortably say anyone who
thinks they’re just friends is misreading it.
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Random Stuff Around Eorzea
-A cool character design:
-The greatest mount ever:
-Vivi Hero:
-The colorful Mr. Piccolo:
-Some great player names I’ve seen recently:
Bread Sama
Fluffy Acid
Sad Chokobo
Rules Lawyer
Grandpa Medico
Choobie Patootie
Fluffy Saph
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Next time: I think next I’ll continue with the Emerald Weapon content before returning to the main story quest.
