Yeah, this is my thought as well. She knows deep down that loyalty to a man like Barnabas is one-sided. But she can’t openly accept that because she can’t stand the thought of being abandoned, alone, and powerless again.
Yes I agree wholely. That's why she sleeps with all sorts of leaders. Filling herself with a sense of worth not given any otherwise. Or by sleeping with a nameless man. But gaining power of recognition and worth through womenizing men of power.
@@JurzGarz And the tragedy of this, is that it was a self-fulfilling prophecy, she ended up dying alone anyways from someone who didn't even understand his own being. The only person that cared to give a small eulogy was the one person that she dropped a statue on. It's so memorable and impactful that I am yearning for more content from CBU3 to continue exploring this, if only for more screen time for our Dominants.
Little of column A little of column B. She killed that guy for betraying his country. She wouldn't do that if she didn't really value loyalty. But how she is with Barnabas, she definitely doesn't want to be discarded. Seeing her with Hugo, she revels in her power/what keeps her from being discarded. So you're not wrong as well
You made me feel bad for a character that I haven’t even play the game for… that is the best “I was betrayed & turned crazy” story line ever written. Just wow. I almost cried when she lost Garuda.
her VA's delivery of the "Where is Garuda" line is so heartbreaking, she tells us just how much she has lost, its not just garuda, she has lost all hope and will to live, Garuda was far more than a source of magic for her, it was what kept her from being discarded again.
Wow now I finally understand what her story was about. The first time I was playing, I was so confused to what the Writers were trying to tell regarding her lost of Garuda and When she lost herself.
Cid left Waloed after he learned how psychotic Barnabas was. I think Cid gave Benedikta the opportunity to join and be a founding member of the Hideaway group. However, Benedikta likely loved the power she held as Waloed's head of intelligence and that position transformed a tragic girl into a power-hungry leader. The thought of choosing power over freedom baffled Cid as he remembered that Benedikta once desired freedom from oppression and sadness. Despite this, she was a good leader, and Waloed's agents, assassins, and spies respected and loved her as a leader. This was evident when her subordinates still care for her even though she lost her Eikon powers to Clive. Overall, Benedikta is irredeemable. The Waloed Bearers side quests reveal that Waloed's clergy were ordered by Barnabas to torture and brainwash Bearer children into slave soldiers. Many children died in torturous military training. Benedikta being aware of the violent abusive system and her looking down on Bearers makes her into a legit psychopath considering she once was an oppressed person in the past. I disliked how we never got moments of Cid telling Clive about why he left Waloed to create the Hideaway. Nevertheless, we got a scene of Cid knowing who Ultima was before his death. This, combined with the Waloed arc story, was enough reason to know why Cid left Waloed (Barnabas' psychotic faith in Ultima).
I think the mystery of Cid past as lord commander of Waloed, actually helps the tone of the story than if they had told much more. Though it makes me want a cid dlc.
Benedikta is a hurt person. I think she bears a striking similarity with Yennefer from the Witcher series. Given the world she grew up, I think that she - like Yennefer - was mistreated and felt left out. Was she ever happy before meeting Cid? Then Cid comes and gives her a chance. She discovers her powers, which make her powerful, important; such attributes can make you feel happy on the short term. If she'd never experienced joy before, that experience must have been over the top, like Yennefer. So, she would turn closer to the person we see in the game. Barnabas must have some small amount of empathy, to understand her emotional needs and use them to his advantage (and against Cid). And then, Cid leaves; her world crumbles again and she must have turned to Barnabas for support (like Anakin turned to Palpatine in Star Wars). Losing her powers to Clive must have been like returning to square one: vulnerable and - to her mind - unimportant. She, like Yennefer, is not going back there and totally dismisses any love or care she might have for her world. She truly is a victim of her time. The only people she knew in her life either mistreated her, or betrayed her. And given her abilities, this makes her disappointment all the worse.
Which Yennefer are you talking about? Book, series, games? Series Yennefer I can get behind, but book and game Yennefer is different from series Yennefer and from Benedicta.
When she askes " what have you done to me? What have you done?" It immediately made me remember a line from my favorite movie based of a book. The last unicorn. It lines up so well with when the wizard turns the unicorn human to protect her from the red bull. I was honestly hoped shed be around longer to see if she grew into her own strength as a human not a dominate. But she is my favorite character in ff16 for that reason
Benedikta is a great example of a character who reinforces the themes of a story despite having a minor role in it overall. The main themes of Final Fantasy XVI are servitude and dependency vs. liberty and self-determination. Benedikta has allowed herself to become a servant to Barnabas, who clearly doesn’t give a shit about her and just uses her as a tool. She has a clear desire to be loved and be meaningful, and Barnabas cruelly exploits that. When Benedikta loses her usefulness to him, it ruins her, because she knows he’ll cast her out and she’ll be alone and powerless again.
Beneditka is a tragedy here and it's scored this way. The music drives that home in this moment, as she cries desperately for the power she uses to protect herself. I think by the time she looses herself to Garuda, the player no longer really wants to kill her, but we have to.
Benedikta was vastly more interesting to me than either Hugo or Barnabas. To be honest though, I was a little disappointed that they discarded one of their most interesting characters so early on. While there was a lot to unpack with her character emotionally, it felt like she didn't exist for her own sake. I came away feeling like she existed for three main reasons: to flesh out Cid, to fuel Hugo's rage, and to make a statement about how much the world sucked. One of her last ever lines is, "Is this it, Cidolfus? Is this my punishment for not listening to you?" And that line really, combined with Cid later echoing that by asking, "Why? Why did you have to listen to HIM?" rubbed me the wrong way. It served to prop up the idea that she was this broken woman that Cid tried and failed to save because she just wouldn't let him... when in reality, the simple fact that she made bad choices because she was insecure was more than enough. It wasn't just Benedikta who felt beholden to others and like she needed to be attached to someone. The game appeared to reinforce that idea, as well, whether it was intentional or not. I wasn't hugely a fan of that.
Yep if you've played FFXIV you would see issues like that in their story too. I believe the writer for this game worked on XIV right before they got him for this one
she was too hard to write most likely, she's too smart for such a simple plot, they either had to make her dumb or have her take up a lot of spotlight, and they are japanese they can't have a female character take the spotlight (to be clear it's not a bad plot but It's a simple one)
Both Hugo and Barnabas were immensely interesting too though, just underdeveloped like many other characters. Hugo kupka for example is obviously a very smart man, as leader of dalmakia economics.
@@Bahamut998 Barnabas was genuinely interesting to me (not as interesting as Benedikta, but still interesting). I liked that he was positioned as a parallel to Clive --- someone who fought to the last for what he truly believed in. I absolutely would have loved to see more of him. Hugo, I couldn't get into. I thought he had potential, but I think his characterization was fumbled. The first time we see him, he seems like a very intelligent and calculating individual. And it's such a massive contrast to the raging maniac he actually becomes that it's hard to find his character all that compelling. Maybe if there had been more build-up, it would have made a difference. As it stands though, I'm inclined to say I wish they'd killed off Hugo first and let Benedikta stick around for a while. She had such a complex history with a number of the characters, and hardly any of it got explored.
To anyone who's played ff14, Benedikta's character feels like a callback to one of Stormblood's main antagonists Yotsuyu. both are tragic in their life, both were used and abused, both succumb to a level of madness.
(Spoiler warning for both games in case there's comment scrollers) . . . . . And both have an older man in their lives who, although they disagreed with their actions, were *devastated* when they died because their final moments were a cruel self-fulfilling prophecy. And both men had hoped to save them from their tragic lives, but due to a mix of internal and external factors surrounding both ladies... Never did.
That was deep, bro. Another thing to add is that Bernadetta only thought that she was worth something as long as she had Garuda. But she did have people who cared about her for her. Cid obviously still cared about her and would have been happy to let her join him if she just let go of her blind loyalty. Her men were loyal to her till the end, as even when she lost her power, they didn't abandon her. Lastly, Hugo really did love her as he truly mourned her death and raged, wanting to get vengeance for her.
Man, she deserved so much more. Instead of the bandits, barnabas could have, in an act of betrayal, primed her against her will to be slaughtered and fully absorbed by ifrit. She could then have survived the Garuda battle and be taken by Cid back to the Hideaway to recuperate, where she would find something to truly fight for there, before joining our side; perhaps even dying with Cid. It would have been the perfect conclusion to her arc, which now, while concluded, is slightly unsatisfying to me.
I found Hugo more interesting to be honest. Other characters describe him as dumb but they're mistaken. His actions are the opposite of dumb: he's an effective villain, knows how to manipulate politicians to his advantage, he correctly predicts Clive and Cid's movements and weak points, and how to draw them out. He also runs an effective political/military organization that's steadily taking over Dhalmekia, and shows far more restraint with his subordinates than Harman's attitude of childishly killing any who disappoint her. Most importantly, he acts as a dark mirror to Clive's own vendetta, using the pain of his personal loss to justify his violent actions, and letting rage fuel him. After being bested by Clive, both Kupka and Harman find their self image completely shattered, as it was based entirely on their power over other people, their helplessness makes them revert to infantile tantrums until their Eikons completely take over. Obviously Benedikta is also a very interesting character, but calling Kupka dumb and uninteresting does a disservice to the game's writing. Also I wouldn't call Benedikta a deconstructed villain, rather a very well constructed one: her actions and motivations are villanous, and she has a tragic origin... pretty classic villainy. If anything, Kupka's earnest love for Harman, his justified rage against those who took his beloved away, make for a more thoroughly deconstructed villain: his methods are monstrous, but his driving motivation in the conflict at hand was love.
I think it’s the pros and cons of having such a focus on one character like ff16 does with Clive. I would love to see Hugo’s rise to power in Dhalmekia, or Barnabas’ slow decline to despair in a DLC
@@danielnoh1520with what little we get of Hugo,he honestly through most of his time in the game is just a huge bully that becomes almost helpless after losing both his eikon and his fists
I don't think he's exactly the most complex or loveable character but I still think he's a good character for what he is. What I love about Hugo though is just the level of vitriol Clive has for him. Watching Clive basically put his nobility aside to say "Fuck you Hugo, I'm gonna murder you", every time he's around is gold.
I don't think he's exactly the most complex or loveable character but I still think he's a good character for what he is. What I love about Hugo though is just the level of vitriol Clive has for him. Watching Clive basically put his nobility aside to say "Fuck you Hugo, I'm gonna murder you", every time he's around is gold.
He's ultimately a bully who lost his mind when the guy he thought was weaker than him turned out to not only not be as weak as he thought, but also disarmed him(cut off his hands). After that he just completely lost his mind and was just there to be that guy who just won't die
If only Cid could have buried her, maybe her body wouldn’t have been found and gruesomely used by Barnabutt to manipulate Kupka. It’s a great narrative set up tho, and it just sucks that Cid, in his inherent goodness, takes the ultimate fall for this oversight. 😢
Yeah its unfortunate she went so fast, but she had to go to set up kupkas stupid temper tantrum. Kupak was by far a weaker charecter, would have rather seen him go first, although that titan fight was amazing, so at least he has that going for him, lol.
While yes she could've used some more screen time her going berserk and subsequent death are what causes Clive to remember turning into Ifrit and eventually accepting the truth later on I can't really think of any other scenario that would've caused a similar chain of events.
I wish Benedikta had more screen time I enjoyed every time she showed up and she’s a sweet angel compared to Anabella who is hands down the worst character
6:04 I don't think that was a bearer, as he is using a crystal to refill the water. A bearer would have conjured it with his own aether. If anything, she looks down on bearers, based on how she berates Clive for his brand. Once you've done the side quests and gathered the lore littered throughout the world, you start seeing why bearers are regarded with such contempt, albeit misguided, and this lines up with Ultima's agenda as well, which she serves.
38:08 I think this line especially the "hurt you ANY MORE" might imply she is a survivor of sexual abuse, it would easily explain her meticulous use of sex and arousal to manipulate others, as many (not all) girls who go through this have been known to use sex and flirtation to thier advantage.
She was a great character. There's a lot we don't know about her. A few things are implied. Which I like. While she is evil I think she wasn't always the case or had some good but the world crushed her and changed her to the person we saw. That was my take. I felt some sympathy for her.
I argue FF16 is a story about Appreciation of Life more than Power, but I'll leave it to you to search for the reason why Appreciation of Life is the theme. Benedikta did not appreciate life for she began as belittled until she gained Garuda. She was given Garuda for her dedication and loyalty to the one who gave her this power. That's why she's so focused on loathing betrayal, for her appreciation is for the loyal. She betrayed Kupka, so she betrays her own way of life. This was the point of her downfall until she eventually finds Cid and Clive, severing her bond with Cid trying to get him back to her side. She loses her appreciation of life and so she regains her eikon, ready to extinguish everything cause she doesn't find anyone or anything deserving of her worth for life. Same thing with Clive... But I believe you're about to make the episode for him soon enough anyway
These videos are fantastic, so glad the algorithm pushed me your RE4 vids awhile back. Letting certain scenes play out uninterrupted after establishing the context really helps make these complex games and stories more digestible.
I think another tragedy of her character is her inability to recognize that Cid left the service of Barnabas for the same reason he saved her in the first place. She hates him for prioritizing the needs of the people above all else, but she would’ve never loved him if he wasn’t like that.
I Absolutely love this, and so happy to see a video about Benedikta. I thought she was such a wonderful complex character. I had a debate with a friend about whether or not she was a believable character. I was so confused why he didn't think her character breaking at the end was believable. He thought it was to sudden a change in her character, but I love that you pointed out her servitude toward Barnabas because that's foreshadowing why she breaks and makes it all the more believable. She truly is the most tragic villain in this game, and really the only one I felt bad for.
I Like Bene very much she is powerfull, human and very Tragic. The cid and bene Connection is like in rl when you lose someone but cant Save them and in the end only regrets remain
I really wished she survived her fight with Ifrit. Maybe she would have been saved if she did. I can only hope she finds peace and that Geruda’s next incarnation doesn’t make the same mistakes, assuming there are new dominants after the games ending. This is so far my favorite Final Fantasy.
I love your character analysis for every protagonists and antagonists in every ever game to understand their characteristics, goals and psychology. Please make more of these videos take care
Me: "Aw man, her back story is so tragic. Surely she'll join us on our endeavors and reconcile with Cid and--" Ifrit: *pound time on Benedikta* Me:👁💋👁 Brah...
"the writers have not attempted to make us hate her" Also the writers: *make us believe that Benidikta killed Torgal at the start of the second phase of her boss fight*
Give thots no quarter. She is not a tragedy, she’s a tragic comedy. Benedikta Harman’s pathos falls far flat when you put together that the moment she got a taste of power, she was just as willing to blindly flaunt it in service of more people that would only use her, WHICH SHE KNEW, and just as callously stepped on or over people just like her at her whim. She never once used her “talents” to “her” advantage. She never developed any. She had “uses”, and the MOMENT those uses were taken from her, she practically fell on her own sword. She’s just as pathetic as all the other villains, really. (which is something I like about the story) She died a broken, resentful, vindictive, harpy, and that’s just poetic. As appropriate as any death could be.
There is a fine line between tragedy and comedy. Tragedy is a story that speaks to the pitfalls of humanity and ends poorly for the main character. Comedy is a story that speaks to the pitfalls of humanity but is more lighthearted and ends with a redemption. Benedikta's story is completely a tragedy. She lived in fear, was used and abused, and once empowered, became the very same as those who originally held power over her. She was given opportunities to break the cycle and instead fed it. Not out of maliciousness. Instead, out of the same fear that she had grown up in. She is sad and pathetic, but she was the result of a messed up world that didn't appreciate life for what it was. The game's world prioritizes power over even life, and that results in a bleak world where something as obvious to us as life being precious is lost upon them. That is her tragedy, that she was unable to let go of the fear she had been rescued from before, instead binding herself with it and it resulted in her own destruction.
Honestly, the scariest part of Benedikta for me is an inverse between her writing and my own convictions. Both of us hold loyalty to an extremely degree, but the difference is how we react to our own power (if it's there or not) is I fear what I would become or would do with it; basically fear of even having it. Benedikta's fear is losing that power. There's also the fact our loyalties are tied to two very different things, plus she's fictional, so there's that (I guess).
I just realised watching this video that Benedikta and the intelligence unit were looking for the second eikon of fire. In other words they are looking for Clive or Mythos. Basically they got this order from Barnabas and thus ultima. Ultima at this point is literally looking for his vessel, knowing Clive is somewhere. It’s crazy how early on ultima is already hatching plans
I'd legit like to see you analyze some of the heroes this time around, since they have a lot more meat on the bones in terms of narrative compared to the likes of Leon Kennedy, Samus, and Link.
I don’t know about the other two but I do think link has had more character development in the new games than ever before. Usually though, you will have to look at the Japanese version properly translated to English unfortunately. The quested where actually written in first person in the Japanese edition which I thought was awesome.
In a way, I think it's good they made Benedikta like that, as well as Cid' as a lovable character. The final scene at 44:39 where Cid walks away, after reflecting, feels like Cid has that 999 mile stare, just 1 mile short of being completely detached from reality. As the story progresses and we can put together our own backstory for all the characters involved. We reflect back to thisscene and can start feeling what Cid would have felt, having done all he's done for her, and to her, for his own reasons and it gives weight to that scene. I don't feel unsatisfied with the way the story was laid out and it makes me want more screentime for all the right reasons.
cid is having a "shit happens" moment. to continue on this path, more people would have to die. but cid didn't even consider benedikta worth burying. he gave her respect, but not the affection she craved. and in the end it came back to bite him in the ass. if someone just showed benne some true affection everything would be fine. but then again, she's too prideful to appreciate it anyway.
At 39:02 is what fundamentally seperates Benedikta and Jill as 2 different kind of person, and 2 different kind of outcomes; is how they decide to respond to the unfairness that has been dealt to them in their earlier lives
It's also kind of weird to just classify Dion as "enemy dominant". The entire point of Dion, I think, is to show that there can be truly upstanding and unequivocally *good* people on the wrong side in bad situations. Of *course* Dion will look silly when viewed as a villain, because he never was one to begin with, but a hero in the wrong place at the wrong time, and probably the second most powerful character in the game, second only to Clive (MAAAAAAAYBE Barnabas)
I agree that if this were any other Final Fantasy, Dion would most probably be the hero of the story. But I wouldn’t go so far as to call him a complete goody-two-shoes. He was, after all, totally willing to kill his own brother to neutralize Anabella’s claim on Sanbreque.
I love these videos because I tend to overlook story and characters in games, movies, and books. So videos like these are my favorite and makes me love the games I haven’t even thought of playing or even games I have played!! Keep up the great work! Btw if you read this, how do you make these videos and figure out how to make these connections? Even with TotK which I finished and enjoyed the story and gameplay thoroughly, I couldn’t have made the same connections you had.
I was sooo disappointed she died so early, i thought she would be that antagonist we fight several times during the adventure, like in older ffs. She deserved more screentime really
If you played the game the second time you’ll start to see where Ultima shows up throughout. During the potential “rape” scene as you call it, it was never anything but Ultima trying to break her so he can further grow Mythos. So you’re wrong on that. The writers know exactly what they were doing. Edit: Also wrong on Kupka being Rocks for brain. I would argue the biggest L's the protagonist took in the game was by Kupka when he destroyed the Hideout and the massacre of Rosaria capital. He simply underestimated Clive during his fight, as just about every villain did in the game.
I don't get any negative reviews for the game. Are there things I wish were a little different as far as some gameplay? Sure. But this is a true return to form for FF. When the credits rolled I truly felt like I went on the journey with Clive and his companions.
Great vid. But I disagree on the point about Benedikta holding loyalty above all else. I think she holds security above all else, and her loyalty is ultimately with the choices she believes will provide her the most insurance. With Barnabas and the power of Garuda, Benedikta has a permanent spot at the table for a powerful King who, ostensibly, wants to kingdom build. Someone like Benedikta will always be valued, held in regard, and will ultimately be safe in society, which is what Benedikta lacked in her tragic past and ultimately molded her. Cid, on the other hand, does not offer such security, as Cid strives for a world where Benedikta does not have a higher place and she loses security among a more free and equitable society. Benedikta's conflict, marked by her "I can't do this anymore" breakdown really highlights this. She speaks of loyalty, but knows deep down that loyalty really has nothing to do with it. Calling Cid disloyal was low hanging fruit. It was the easiest argument for her to deny Cid's vision for the world and she knew there was irony behind it-a truly loyal decision would be to join the person who saved her and wanted to do the same for others. Ultimately, in losing Garuda, Benedikta lost everything: power, security, and hope. Being loyal to Barnabas no longer mattered because it really didn't matter much in the first place. Without Garuda, Benedikta was nothing and saw the cruelty of her new world as punishment for not making the right choice for herself. And for Benedikta, a world without security was to return to her past. And her last ditch hope for security was to simply destroy the world before the world could destroy her.
seems to me like a Japanese workplace/society kinda thing, where loyalty to authority figures is seen as a value, even to one's own detriment I reckon in an American narrative-type RPG, a player might've been given a chance to do a speech check to make her see how far down she's gone, or something... (ps, not that I prefer the American approach, and I genuinely appreciate what FF16's writers have done here, personally knowing well how it feels like to be in that kind of an environment myself and how thoroughly it grinds people down)
The disrespect for Dion and did you not see that Kupka is really smart and not just another big and brainless character? The description of the dominants in the intro was poorly executed...
we literally know how cid saved benna.....its shown literally later in the game. You even go over the scene....also youre crying about them going too far during that scene but its ok to show hundreds of soldiers die on a battle field? ok simp
I’m sorry but no, Hugo is much more interesting than benedikta, we also see him repeatedly make intelligent decisions he’s not stupid he’s just filled with rage, and he and bahamut have the two best boss fights in the game, and how personal things get between him and Clive, we barely know anything about benedikta by the end of the game, we know everything about kupka, it’s also worth noting that your perception of her being loyal is flawed. Benedikta’s core character trait was that she always was looking out for herself, she never really loved kupka, and as cid pointed out she never really believed in barnenas’s dream, she did what she could to maneuver herself into a position of power, she had no true loyalties
I will say that, for however much I like Benedikta, I am growing very tired of the "Bad Woman dress sexy, is slutty. Good Woman dress conservative, is chaste" dichotemy that SO MANY properties go over. The sheery frequency of it is frustrating and cringey. I was unfomfortable with it while playing FF16 and I am unfomfortable with it now. Which is a shame because Benedikta is *really* interesting by herself. My enjoyment of her is hurt not by the writing for her but by the *lack* of writing elsewhere
All of the enemy Dominants were over the top and entertaining to watch. Benedikta: Crazy bitch dommy mommy. She rages and drops F bombs when you fight her ("FUCKING DOG!") and I absolutely love it. Kupka: Simp and raging manchild (Though I'd be pissed too if my girl's head was delivered to me in a box) I laughed my ass off when he's swinging his severed arms around and shouting "I'LL KILLYOU! ILL KILLYOU!" to Clive. Dion: Gay representation in media done right. His Eikon fight was also epic AF! Barnabas: Edgelord. His Shakespearean dialogue cracks me up 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
so the guy in the beginning that fills the cup is not a bearer or at least shouldnt be. They used a crystal to fill the cup. Bearers would not need a crystal to fill the cup with water. I thought this was obvious....
How much screen/story time does Benedicta get before dying? Like....maybe 10 minutes? I feel like they tried to prop up main characters/villains as iconic roles way to quickly. She died before I actually cared about her. They barely touched on her back story with Cid, and her current love affair with the titan dude. It just wasnt enough to get me to care.
The wishing he’d just been a nobody and someone random is one of the reasons why my favorite Zelda protagonist is rhe hero of the wind. Toon Link aka the hero of the wind is not the gods chosen hero. He’s just some random 10 year old who’s been named the equivalent of Muhammad (similar to how this is one of the most popular names on the planet because many people name their sons after the profit Muhammad in Hyrule many name their sons “Link” in various times of the game after various versions of the gods chosen hero in hopes their son will be chosen by the gods and/or just out of respect). And, not so randomly, his sister is kidnapped by Ganondorf who’s been kidnapping all young girls with ears similar to Zelda, who’s in hiding, so he can acquire the triforce of wisdom. Ganondorf and Zelda both have their pieces of the triforce that were given to them by the gods. Link, the hero of time, has previously traveled back to his own timeline leaving this timeline without the soul of the gods chosen hero to reincarnate into a new chosen hero for the gods. So Link, the hero of the winds, is just some guy. And he doesn’t have the triforce of courage, but he’s not gonna let them get away with kidnapping his sister. He literally drags up pieces of the broken triforce of courage from the bottom of the ocean and puts it back together then surpasses the test the gods had to earn his spot as the hero without being chosen. Then the gods are like “fuck it, I guess you’re our hero now.” And just accept it and let him take care of business. That’s why he’s the best link, he’s just some guy.
Despite everyone saying they wished Benedikta stayed longer in the story, I think it's absolutely fitting that she died so early. It really outlines the place of humanity in Ultima's new world, as the most human and relatable villains are ruined first with Benedikta. Then the naïve and manipulatable Kupka, and finally the devout but misguided Barnabas. Alongside Clive, Benedikta is very much a story of innocence lost and how someone with honest and heartfelt intentions can be twisted and disfigured. Like Cid said, he didn't know who she was anymore, she was unrecognizable to what she was before.
Benedikta gave me vibes to Azula from the Avatar: The Last Airbender series. Though she used to hide it well, she’s so afraid of failure for fear of being discarded.
And how fitting it is that she was defeated by a former prince of a kingdom that associates with fire element. Who got all of his privileges stripped away by one of his parent who hate his guts and favor his more gifted younger sibling.
I really wished there had been a chance for her to be redeemed and to join with Cid's crew and help Clive. I really liked her character. She was the only enemy I felt sorry for. She obviously had some terrible things happen to her.
This is why I'm a fan of the "characters suddenly become aware of the plot" subtype of fanfiction. When a fic writer truly understands the characters, it can result in fascinating heel-face turns and drastic shifts to complex character dynamics. When the writer doesn't understand the characters, however, Sturgeon's Law. Edit: more specifically, how differently would each of the Dominants act if they all became aware of Ultima's end goal the moment Clive absorbed Benedikta's powers?
Me too. Would’ve been sick for her character to have a redemption arc and have her bitterness tempered by the Hideaway’s values. Maybe give Jill another woman to talk to instead of just Clive lol. I really thought there was more room for growth than the game gave her.
Deep down she knew it was wrong, but her desperation not to be abandoned is taking over her, that she doesn't know what's right or wrong, she may be strong, but weak inside..
6:10 Bearers don’t use crystals, so that was probably just a serf. I think her reaction here is more of a “Look what I can do that you need to use a crystal for, despite the history of how my people have been treated, you’ll allow me to make this gesture or I will kill you with the contempt that I have for your historical disdain of people like me.” Or something like that.
20:53 This. Clive and Jill is the “Good End” version of Cid and Benedikta. Many of their events mirror each others. The fact that Clive adopts a certain title with Jill at his side is poetry. Love the vid man! Algorithm read my mind because I think Benne is easily one of the best complex characters in the game.
when she has Joshua and Jote captured, she tries to torture Jote to force Joshua to talk, but Jote just takes it while asking Joshua/Lord Margrace to stay silent. Benedikta then stops and just tells her guards to be gentle with them . At first i thought she said "be gentle" as a sarcastic way of speaking , but she really meant it as Joshua and Jote leaves almost unscathed afterwards. Seems like she does really have a soft spot for loyal and unselfish characters , contrasted with how she cut down the sellout during the cutscene in the forest.
Honestly I think Clive still works this way, the chosen one status is more of a noose around his neck he doesn't even know about than anything else for most of his life. Taking Benedikta's power is the first time he's anything more than a man, and that deeply informs his character through to the end.
Not to mention the guy feels powerless and unworthy due to not being unable to awaken Phoenix. Later sold as a slave and live as an ordinary person aka suffering like Benedikta for about 13 years. Yes, this man is Mythos, but he also knows what it feels like to be a nobody.
I also believe she could've benefitted from more screentime, but watching this just furthered how much I loved the character. The VA absolutely smashed it, and I'm glad a video like this about her exists. Thank you
I felt so bad for Benedikta, her end is sad, since she died alone and with no one around that cared for her like a abandon stray in a ditch, when we first see her she just give off this stronger than anyone attitude, and see how's she is so confident in her power, heck when we fight her she is just so much more powerful than us, but as we get save and help by torgal, we are able to get the upper hand on her and beat her, and when we do we see her true self she tried to hide for so long that she felt weak and powerless without cid or garuda and she just breaks both mentally and emotionally, heck she only clung to Barabas because of his power and she didn't want to every feel weak and powerless like she felt before she Cid save her and before she awoken to her dominant, she truly was the definition of a tragic villain, and was very well written.
Agree. And then Barnabas goes and has her head removed and sent to Kupka to enarge him and force him to hunt down Cid and Clive. Barnabas didn't care for her at all. She was just a means to an end for him. The way Cid quickly walks away from her body shows how upset he was when she died. Cid was the only person that ever really cared about her.
I witnessed Benedikta as a person of immense value, someone deserving of salvation, and it deeply saddened me to witness her untimely demise. However, the profound anguish I experienced intensified upon discovering that her severed head resided within the confines of a box. Ultimately, it became evident that she was not the guiding shepherd, but rather a vulnerable and misguided sheep.
I liked the line "How did you even survive?" after her defeat from Clive. As though she rationalized all she did as the only way to survive herself, and can't fathom someone else as mistreated as she had been, getting through by taking a different path.
Kinda not a fan of how you went out of your way to oversimplify some of the later game characters. Especially Dion; to say he's "just a goody two-shoes pretty boy" is a pretty insane thing to say considering the kind of arc he goes through as a character, which is very clearly written to reflect Jamie Lannister from Game of Thrones. Hell, they even call him "Kinslayer", while he's dealing with his inner struggle between keeping his oath to his country/emperor, and doing what's right and just in spite of that oath. Kupka being "dumb as rocks" isn't all to his character, either. Sure, he is dumb as rocks, but he's also one of the wealthiest, most influential, and most powerful singular men in the world. It's the game's way of making a point about how the world is not meritocratic; and that incredible amounts of power, political and otherwise, don't make one immune to being manipulated and used, or making dumb decisions. Calling Barnabas "pathetic" is also a weird choice. He's very clearly not pathetic, the game makes a point to show us he's one of the most powerful Dominants, and even when he's not in Odin's form, his swordsmanship skills border on superhuman. He literally kicks Clive's ass in a 1-on-1 sword duel with no Eikons being used. He's not pathetic; he's terrifying. An instrument of Ultima, he exists to exert Ultima's will and dominance over the people of Valisthea. He's not a particularly complex villain, but he's certainly compelling, just based on the sheer weight and power of his presence alone. Don't get me wrong, I also think Benedikta is a great character, underutilized, possibly the best of all the Dominant antagonists. But you don't need to go out of your way to downplay the other villains just to make that point.
I also object to the idea of calling Dion a villain to begin with. I'd argue that Dion spends more time as a good guy than not--just that he got punked by Ultima the same way Clive did in the prologue.
Bingo He cared very little for her and don't think she truly loved him in return, Her final coherent thoughts were of Cid and the hope he once gave her before it all came crumbling down. She wanted to achieve the dream Barnabas had but with Cid by HER side more than anything, desperately pleading with him in vain When that failed she attempted to try and cut out the one person in her life she genuinely cared for to prove her loyalty for the "Greater Good". Truly a tragic character.
@@Bergamont45 I don't think she had a clue as to what Barnabas's method to the goal was. He said he'd unite the dominants but he probably didn't mention he'd turn everyone into a zombie
@@terrancecloverfield6791It could be both. Benna's commitment to loyalty might stem FROM her fear of abandonment. Her life of powerlessness probably left her with self-worth issues, and she feels like she owes everything to the people who lifted her out of that situation. At the same time, she's terrified of losing what she now has, and doesn't want to be discarded (especially after Cid already left her). She even tries to earn Clive's loyalty the same way Barnabas and Cid won hers: by offering safety and comfort. _"If it is the hearth you long for, you'll find more than enough warmth under my wings."_ She found her self-worth through the comforting lifestyle she was given, so surely this Branded (someone who was just as powerless as she was) would as well, right?
![Cody Johnson - I'm Gonna Love You (with Carrie Underwood) [Official Music Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/yy9PuYMU29g/mqdefault.jpg)
Feel more like she's terrified of being discarded than she is standing on principle of loyalty.
It feels like her obsession with loyalty is a proxy for her abandonment and self-worth issues.
Yeah, this is my thought as well. She knows deep down that loyalty to a man like Barnabas is one-sided. But she can’t openly accept that because she can’t stand the thought of being abandoned, alone, and powerless again.
Yes I agree wholely. That's why she sleeps with all sorts of leaders. Filling herself with a sense of worth not given any otherwise. Or by sleeping with a nameless man. But gaining power of recognition and worth through womenizing men of power.
@@JurzGarz And the tragedy of this, is that it was a self-fulfilling prophecy, she ended up dying alone anyways from someone who didn't even understand his own being. The only person that cared to give a small eulogy was the one person that she dropped a statue on. It's so memorable and impactful that I am yearning for more content from CBU3 to continue exploring this, if only for more screen time for our Dominants.
Little of column A little of column B. She killed that guy for betraying his country. She wouldn't do that if she didn't really value loyalty. But how she is with Barnabas, she definitely doesn't want to be discarded. Seeing her with Hugo, she revels in her power/what keeps her from being discarded. So you're not wrong as well
You made me feel bad for a character that I haven’t even play the game for… that is the best “I was betrayed & turned crazy” story line ever written. Just wow. I almost cried when she lost Garuda.
her VA's delivery of the "Where is Garuda" line is so heartbreaking, she tells us just how much she has lost, its not just garuda, she has lost all hope and will to live, Garuda was far more than a source of magic for her, it was what kept her from being discarded again.
Wow now I finally understand what her story was about. The first time I was playing, I was so confused to what the Writers were trying to tell regarding her lost of Garuda and When she lost herself.
Her voice actress is amazing, so convincing and real. Especially the screaming at the end.
Cid left Waloed after he learned how psychotic Barnabas was. I think Cid gave Benedikta the opportunity to join and be a founding member of the Hideaway group. However, Benedikta likely loved the power she held as Waloed's head of intelligence and that position transformed a tragic girl into a power-hungry leader. The thought of choosing power over freedom baffled Cid as he remembered that Benedikta once desired freedom from oppression and sadness. Despite this, she was a good leader, and Waloed's agents, assassins, and spies respected and loved her as a leader. This was evident when her subordinates still care for her even though she lost her Eikon powers to Clive. Overall, Benedikta is irredeemable. The Waloed Bearers side quests reveal that Waloed's clergy were ordered by Barnabas to torture and brainwash Bearer children into slave soldiers. Many children died in torturous military training. Benedikta being aware of the violent abusive system and her looking down on Bearers makes her into a legit psychopath considering she once was an oppressed person in the past.
I disliked how we never got moments of Cid telling Clive about why he left Waloed to create the Hideaway. Nevertheless, we got a scene of Cid knowing who Ultima was before his death. This, combined with the Waloed arc story, was enough reason to know why Cid left Waloed (Barnabas' psychotic faith in Ultima).
more than love, power and power hungry she was scared of being powerless again (after you know .. being used as a slave it's quite understandable)
I think the mystery of Cid past as lord commander of Waloed, actually helps the tone of the story than if they had told much more. Though it makes me want a cid dlc.
Benedikta is a hurt person. I think she bears a striking similarity with Yennefer from the Witcher series. Given the world she grew up, I think that she - like Yennefer - was mistreated and felt left out. Was she ever happy before meeting Cid? Then Cid comes and gives her a chance. She discovers her powers, which make her powerful, important; such attributes can make you feel happy on the short term. If she'd never experienced joy before, that experience must have been over the top, like Yennefer. So, she would turn closer to the person we see in the game. Barnabas must have some small amount of empathy, to understand her emotional needs and use them to his advantage (and against Cid). And then, Cid leaves; her world crumbles again and she must have turned to Barnabas for support (like Anakin turned to Palpatine in Star Wars). Losing her powers to Clive must have been like returning to square one: vulnerable and - to her mind - unimportant. She, like Yennefer, is not going back there and totally dismisses any love or care she might have for her world.
She truly is a victim of her time. The only people she knew in her life either mistreated her, or betrayed her. And given her abilities, this makes her disappointment all the worse.
Hurt people, hurt people.
Which Yennefer are you talking about? Book, series, games? Series Yennefer I can get behind, but book and game Yennefer is different from series Yennefer and from Benedicta.
@@Blazingbeard Series Yennefer
Likening her character’s malleability to Anakin is pretty spot on!
When she askes " what have you done to me? What have you done?" It immediately made me remember a line from my favorite movie based of a book. The last unicorn. It lines up so well with when the wizard turns the unicorn human to protect her from the red bull. I was honestly hoped shed be around longer to see if she grew into her own strength as a human not a dominate. But she is my favorite character in ff16 for that reason
Benedikta is a great example of a character who reinforces the themes of a story despite having a minor role in it overall. The main themes of Final Fantasy XVI are servitude and dependency vs. liberty and self-determination. Benedikta has allowed herself to become a servant to Barnabas, who clearly doesn’t give a shit about her and just uses her as a tool. She has a clear desire to be loved and be meaningful, and Barnabas cruelly exploits that. When Benedikta loses her usefulness to him, it ruins her, because she knows he’ll cast her out and she’ll be alone and powerless again.
Just as Barnabus has given himself to his god…and both…potentially in vain.
Such cool parallels in this story.
Beneditka is a tragedy here and it's scored this way. The music drives that home in this moment, as she cries desperately for the power she uses to protect herself. I think by the time she looses herself to Garuda, the player no longer really wants to kill her, but we have to.
Benedikta was vastly more interesting to me than either Hugo or Barnabas. To be honest though, I was a little disappointed that they discarded one of their most interesting characters so early on. While there was a lot to unpack with her character emotionally, it felt like she didn't exist for her own sake. I came away feeling like she existed for three main reasons: to flesh out Cid, to fuel Hugo's rage, and to make a statement about how much the world sucked.
One of her last ever lines is, "Is this it, Cidolfus? Is this my punishment for not listening to you?" And that line really, combined with Cid later echoing that by asking, "Why? Why did you have to listen to HIM?" rubbed me the wrong way. It served to prop up the idea that she was this broken woman that Cid tried and failed to save because she just wouldn't let him... when in reality, the simple fact that she made bad choices because she was insecure was more than enough. It wasn't just Benedikta who felt beholden to others and like she needed to be attached to someone. The game appeared to reinforce that idea, as well, whether it was intentional or not. I wasn't hugely a fan of that.
Yep if you've played FFXIV you would see issues like that in their story too. I believe the writer for this game worked on XIV right before they got him for this one
she was too hard to write most likely, she's too smart for such a simple plot, they either had to make her dumb or have her take up a lot of spotlight, and they are japanese they can't have a female character take the spotlight (to be clear it's not a bad plot but It's a simple one)
Both Hugo and Barnabas were immensely interesting too though, just underdeveloped like many other characters. Hugo kupka for example is obviously a very smart man, as leader of dalmakia economics.
@@Bahamut998 Barnabas was genuinely interesting to me (not as interesting as Benedikta, but still interesting). I liked that he was positioned as a parallel to Clive --- someone who fought to the last for what he truly believed in. I absolutely would have loved to see more of him.
Hugo, I couldn't get into. I thought he had potential, but I think his characterization was fumbled. The first time we see him, he seems like a very intelligent and calculating individual. And it's such a massive contrast to the raging maniac he actually becomes that it's hard to find his character all that compelling. Maybe if there had been more build-up, it would have made a difference. As it stands though, I'm inclined to say I wish they'd killed off Hugo first and let Benedikta stick around for a while. She had such a complex history with a number of the characters, and hardly any of it got explored.
To anyone who's played ff14, Benedikta's character feels like a callback to one of Stormblood's main antagonists Yotsuyu. both are tragic in their life, both were used and abused, both succumb to a level of madness.
(Spoiler warning for both games in case there's comment scrollers)
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And both have an older man in their lives who, although they disagreed with their actions, were *devastated* when they died because their final moments were a cruel self-fulfilling prophecy.
And both men had hoped to save them from their tragic lives, but due to a mix of internal and external factors surrounding both ladies... Never did.
That was deep, bro. Another thing to add is that Bernadetta only thought that she was worth something as long as she had Garuda. But she did have people who cared about her for her. Cid obviously still cared about her and would have been happy to let her join him if she just let go of her blind loyalty. Her men were loyal to her till the end, as even when she lost her power, they didn't abandon her. Lastly, Hugo really did love her as he truly mourned her death and raged, wanting to get vengeance for her.
Agreed
Man, she deserved so much more. Instead of the bandits, barnabas could have, in an act of betrayal, primed her against her will to be slaughtered and fully absorbed by ifrit. She could then have survived the Garuda battle and be taken by Cid back to the Hideaway to recuperate, where she would find something to truly fight for there, before joining our side; perhaps even dying with Cid. It would have been the perfect conclusion to her arc, which now, while concluded, is slightly unsatisfying to me.
I found Hugo more interesting to be honest. Other characters describe him as dumb but they're mistaken. His actions are the opposite of dumb: he's an effective villain, knows how to manipulate politicians to his advantage, he correctly predicts Clive and Cid's movements and weak points, and how to draw them out. He also runs an effective political/military organization that's steadily taking over Dhalmekia, and shows far more restraint with his subordinates than Harman's attitude of childishly killing any who disappoint her. Most importantly, he acts as a dark mirror to Clive's own vendetta, using the pain of his personal loss to justify his violent actions, and letting rage fuel him. After being bested by Clive, both Kupka and Harman find their self image completely shattered, as it was based entirely on their power over other people, their helplessness makes them revert to infantile tantrums until their Eikons completely take over. Obviously Benedikta is also a very interesting character, but calling Kupka dumb and uninteresting does a disservice to the game's writing. Also I wouldn't call Benedikta a deconstructed villain, rather a very well constructed one: her actions and motivations are villanous, and she has a tragic origin... pretty classic villainy. If anything, Kupka's earnest love for Harman, his justified rage against those who took his beloved away, make for a more thoroughly deconstructed villain: his methods are monstrous, but his driving motivation in the conflict at hand was love.
I think it’s the pros and cons of having such a focus on one character like ff16 does with Clive. I would love to see Hugo’s rise to power in Dhalmekia, or Barnabas’ slow decline to despair in a DLC
@@danielnoh1520with what little we get of Hugo,he honestly through most of his time in the game is just a huge bully that becomes almost helpless after losing both his eikon and his fists
I don't think he's exactly the most complex or loveable character but I still think he's a good character for what he is.
What I love about Hugo though is just the level of vitriol Clive has for him. Watching Clive basically put his nobility aside to say "Fuck you Hugo, I'm gonna murder you", every time he's around is gold.
I don't think he's exactly the most complex or loveable character but I still think he's a good character for what he is.
What I love about Hugo though is just the level of vitriol Clive has for him. Watching Clive basically put his nobility aside to say "Fuck you Hugo, I'm gonna murder you", every time he's around is gold.
He's ultimately a bully who lost his mind when the guy he thought was weaker than him turned out to not only not be as weak as he thought, but also disarmed him(cut off his hands).
After that he just completely lost his mind and was just there to be that guy who just won't die
If only Cid could have buried her, maybe her body wouldn’t have been found and gruesomely used by Barnabutt to manipulate Kupka.
It’s a great narrative set up tho, and it just sucks that Cid, in his inherent goodness, takes the ultimate fall for this oversight. 😢
I expected her to die but not so early, I really wish we could've known more about her. She was a cool character and seemed complex
Yeah its unfortunate she went so fast, but she had to go to set up kupkas stupid temper tantrum. Kupak was by far a weaker charecter, would have rather seen him go first, although that titan fight was amazing, so at least he has that going for him, lol.
@@Cman04092you could have made kupka more interesting without Killin benedikta tbh
While yes she could've used some more screen time her going berserk and subsequent death are what causes Clive to remember turning into Ifrit and eventually accepting the truth later on I can't really think of any other scenario that would've caused a similar chain of events.
Yes she’s basically the perfect character to make the story move forward
I wish Benedikta had more screen time I enjoyed every time she showed up and she’s a sweet angel compared to Anabella who is hands down the worst character
32:14 This would have been the perfect moment to cut to a mid-battle clip of that 720° hammer-throw. He is a champion indeed.
6:04 I don't think that was a bearer, as he is using a crystal to refill the water. A bearer would have conjured it with his own aether. If anything, she looks down on bearers, based on how she berates Clive for his brand. Once you've done the side quests and gathered the lore littered throughout the world, you start seeing why bearers are regarded with such contempt, albeit misguided, and this lines up with Ultima's agenda as well, which she serves.
Bearers could kill everyone else if they United and fought back
Leave it to FF16 to adequately address the atrocities and perverted justification of slavery that we in the US continuously try to run away from.
38:08 I think this line especially the "hurt you ANY MORE" might imply she is a survivor of sexual abuse, it would easily explain her meticulous use of sex and arousal to manipulate others, as many (not all) girls who go through this have been known to use sex and flirtation to thier advantage.
She was a great character. There's a lot we don't know about her. A few things are implied. Which I like. While she is evil I think she wasn't always the case or had some good but the world crushed her and changed her to the person we saw. That was my take. I felt some sympathy for her.
I argue FF16 is a story about Appreciation of Life more than Power, but I'll leave it to you to search for the reason why Appreciation of Life is the theme. Benedikta did not appreciate life for she began as belittled until she gained Garuda. She was given Garuda for her dedication and loyalty to the one who gave her this power. That's why she's so focused on loathing betrayal, for her appreciation is for the loyal. She betrayed Kupka, so she betrays her own way of life. This was the point of her downfall until she eventually finds Cid and Clive, severing her bond with Cid trying to get him back to her side. She loses her appreciation of life and so she regains her eikon, ready to extinguish everything cause she doesn't find anyone or anything deserving of her worth for life.
Same thing with Clive... But I believe you're about to make the episode for him soon enough anyway
The videos keep rolling. I am looking forward to more from you, Brett.
These videos are fantastic, so glad the algorithm pushed me your RE4 vids awhile back. Letting certain scenes play out uninterrupted after establishing the context really helps make these complex games and stories more digestible.
I think another tragedy of her character is her inability to recognize that Cid left the service of Barnabas for the same reason he saved her in the first place. She hates him for prioritizing the needs of the people above all else, but she would’ve never loved him if he wasn’t like that.
The Cid breakdown is going to be INCREDIBLE
i would loveee to see that video deconstructing “sexy evil woman” roll in video games. i feel like i never see people actually acknowledging it.
Loyalty is a lovely thing, but sadly it can be tragic too.
Wrong she does do something evil: throwing Torgal across the arena
I Absolutely love this, and so happy to see a video about Benedikta. I thought she was such a wonderful complex character. I had a debate with a friend about whether or not she was a believable character. I was so confused why he didn't think her character breaking at the end was believable. He thought it was to sudden a change in her character, but I love that you pointed out her servitude toward Barnabas because that's foreshadowing why she breaks and makes it all the more believable. She truly is the most tragic villain in this game, and really the only one I felt bad for.
I Like Bene very much she is powerfull, human and very Tragic. The cid and bene Connection is like in rl when you lose someone but cant Save them and in the end only regrets remain
She's the best villain in the game
but this game doesn't care about having amazing antagonists so they kill her off way too early, fucking hell
This was so well presented. Benedikta is an amazing character, and this video essay really hits on such complex points on her story!
We need DLC for the other dominants man
I really wished she survived her fight with Ifrit. Maybe she would have been saved if she did. I can only hope she finds peace and that Geruda’s next incarnation doesn’t make the same mistakes, assuming there are new dominants after the games ending.
This is so far my favorite Final Fantasy.
I love your character analysis for every protagonists and antagonists in every ever game to understand their characteristics, goals and psychology. Please make more of these videos take care
Me: "Aw man, her back story is so tragic. Surely she'll join us on our endeavors and reconcile with Cid and--"
Ifrit: *pound time on Benedikta*
Me:👁💋👁 Brah...
"the writers have not attempted to make us hate her"
Also the writers: *make us believe that Benidikta killed Torgal at the start of the second phase of her boss fight*
She's so gorgeous. God I just love her.
Give thots no quarter.
She is not a tragedy, she’s a tragic comedy.
Benedikta Harman’s pathos falls far flat when you put together that the moment she got a taste of power, she was just as willing to blindly flaunt it in service of more people that would only use her, WHICH SHE KNEW, and just as callously stepped on or over people just like her at her whim.
She never once used her “talents” to “her” advantage. She never developed any. She had “uses”, and the MOMENT those uses were taken from her, she practically fell on her own sword.
She’s just as pathetic as all the other villains, really. (which is something I like about the story)
She died a broken, resentful, vindictive, harpy, and that’s just poetic.
As appropriate as any death could be.
There is a fine line between tragedy and comedy. Tragedy is a story that speaks to the pitfalls of humanity and ends poorly for the main character. Comedy is a story that speaks to the pitfalls of humanity but is more lighthearted and ends with a redemption. Benedikta's story is completely a tragedy. She lived in fear, was used and abused, and once empowered, became the very same as those who originally held power over her. She was given opportunities to break the cycle and instead fed it. Not out of maliciousness. Instead, out of the same fear that she had grown up in. She is sad and pathetic, but she was the result of a messed up world that didn't appreciate life for what it was. The game's world prioritizes power over even life, and that results in a bleak world where something as obvious to us as life being precious is lost upon them. That is her tragedy, that she was unable to let go of the fear she had been rescued from before, instead binding herself with it and it resulted in her own destruction.
Honestly, the scariest part of Benedikta for me is an inverse between her writing and my own convictions. Both of us hold loyalty to an extremely degree, but the difference is how we react to our own power (if it's there or not) is I fear what I would become or would do with it; basically fear of even having it. Benedikta's fear is losing that power.
There's also the fact our loyalties are tied to two very different things, plus she's fictional, so there's that (I guess).
I just realised watching this video that Benedikta and the intelligence unit were looking for the second eikon of fire. In other words they are looking for Clive or Mythos. Basically they got this order from Barnabas and thus ultima. Ultima at this point is literally looking for his vessel, knowing Clive is somewhere. It’s crazy how early on ultima is already hatching plans
I'd legit like to see you analyze some of the heroes this time around, since they have a lot more meat on the bones in terms of narrative compared to the likes of Leon Kennedy, Samus, and Link.
I don’t know about the other two but I do think link has had more character development in the new games than ever before. Usually though, you will have to look at the Japanese version properly translated to English unfortunately. The quested where actually written in first person in the Japanese edition which I thought was awesome.
In a way, I think it's good they made Benedikta like that, as well as Cid' as a lovable character. The final scene at 44:39 where Cid walks away, after reflecting, feels like Cid has that 999 mile stare, just 1 mile short of being completely detached from reality. As the story progresses and we can put together our own backstory for all the characters involved. We reflect back to thisscene and can start feeling what Cid would have felt, having done all he's done for her, and to her, for his own reasons and it gives weight to that scene.
I don't feel unsatisfied with the way the story was laid out and it makes me want more screentime for all the right reasons.
cid is having a "shit happens" moment. to continue on this path, more people would have to die. but cid didn't even consider benedikta worth burying. he gave her respect, but not the affection she craved. and in the end it came back to bite him in the ass. if someone just showed benne some true affection everything would be fine. but then again, she's too prideful to appreciate it anyway.
Me when a bad bitch like Benedikta tells me to do something: 🫡
At 39:02 is what fundamentally seperates Benedikta and Jill as 2 different kind of person, and 2 different kind of outcomes; is how they decide to respond to the unfairness that has been dealt to them in their earlier lives
I don’t really get how you seen Dion as a goody two shoes? I really don’t understand that.
It's also kind of weird to just classify Dion as "enemy dominant".
The entire point of Dion, I think, is to show that there can be truly upstanding and unequivocally *good* people on the wrong side in bad situations. Of *course* Dion will look silly when viewed as a villain, because he never was one to begin with, but a hero in the wrong place at the wrong time, and probably the second most powerful character in the game, second only to Clive (MAAAAAAAYBE Barnabas)
Her story is heartbreaking.
I agree that if this were any other Final Fantasy, Dion would most probably be the hero of the story. But I wouldn’t go so far as to call him a complete goody-two-shoes. He was, after all, totally willing to kill his own brother to neutralize Anabella’s claim on Sanbreque.
while i do like benedikta i think you are too dismissive of the other characters especially Dion.
At the beginning, they wanted me to think she's hot. They succeeded lol.
I just beat this game! I love it! Can you make a video for Barnabas? His backstory is very interesting.
Bro I love these videos
:)
Epic thankyou I was hoping you would go into details about the characters of FF16 can’t wait to see more :D
Request for your next video- Torgal: Deconstruction of the goodest boi.
Why you should pet him at least 100 times before the end of the game.
Benedikta deserved so much better in this game, I was hoping to see a redemption arc.
I hope you do a video about Clive I would like to see your analysis on him
I love these videos because I tend to overlook story and characters in games, movies, and books. So videos like these are my favorite and makes me love the games I haven’t even thought of playing or even games I have played!! Keep up the great work!
Btw if you read this, how do you make these videos and figure out how to make these connections? Even with TotK which I finished and enjoyed the story and gameplay thoroughly, I couldn’t have made the same connections you had.
I was sooo disappointed she died so early, i thought she would be that antagonist we fight several times during the adventure, like in older ffs. She deserved more screentime really
She deserved better
If you played the game the second time you’ll start to see where Ultima shows up throughout. During the potential “rape” scene as you call it, it was never anything but Ultima trying to break her so he can further grow Mythos. So you’re wrong on that. The writers know exactly what they were doing.
Edit: Also wrong on Kupka being Rocks for brain. I would argue the biggest L's the protagonist took in the game was by Kupka when he destroyed the Hideout and the massacre of Rosaria capital. He simply underestimated Clive during his fight, as just about every villain did in the game.
They never bothered to look at Clive’s will gauge 😂
I don't get any negative reviews for the game. Are there things I wish were a little different as far as some gameplay? Sure. But this is a true return to form for FF. When the credits rolled I truly felt like I went on the journey with Clive and his companions.
Agreed
Great vid. But I disagree on the point about Benedikta holding loyalty above all else. I think she holds security above all else, and her loyalty is ultimately with the choices she believes will provide her the most insurance. With Barnabas and the power of Garuda, Benedikta has a permanent spot at the table for a powerful King who, ostensibly, wants to kingdom build. Someone like Benedikta will always be valued, held in regard, and will ultimately be safe in society, which is what Benedikta lacked in her tragic past and ultimately molded her. Cid, on the other hand, does not offer such security, as Cid strives for a world where Benedikta does not have a higher place and she loses security among a more free and equitable society. Benedikta's conflict, marked by her "I can't do this anymore" breakdown really highlights this. She speaks of loyalty, but knows deep down that loyalty really has nothing to do with it. Calling Cid disloyal was low hanging fruit. It was the easiest argument for her to deny Cid's vision for the world and she knew there was irony behind it-a truly loyal decision would be to join the person who saved her and wanted to do the same for others. Ultimately, in losing Garuda, Benedikta lost everything: power, security, and hope. Being loyal to Barnabas no longer mattered because it really didn't matter much in the first place. Without Garuda, Benedikta was nothing and saw the cruelty of her new world as punishment for not making the right choice for herself. And for Benedikta, a world without security was to return to her past. And her last ditch hope for security was to simply destroy the world before the world could destroy her.
seems to me like a Japanese workplace/society kinda thing, where loyalty to authority figures is seen as a value, even to one's own detriment
I reckon in an American narrative-type RPG, a player might've been given a chance to do a speech check to make her see how far down she's gone, or something...
(ps, not that I prefer the American approach, and I genuinely appreciate what FF16's writers have done here, personally knowing well how it feels like to be in that kind of an environment myself and how thoroughly it grinds people down)
I really, really enjoyed this content. Looking forward to more in the FF16 realm. ❤
Sostantly a evil version of casca (yes is more complex I know)
32:14 "And also Torgal, that wolf is a champion"
You should cover Sephieoth next.
The disrespect for Dion and did you not see that Kupka is really smart and not just another big and brainless character? The description of the dominants in the intro was poorly executed...
People do love broken birds
the Japanese REAllY seam to love them
MORE FF16 PLEASE THESE ARE AMAZING
we literally know how cid saved benna.....its shown literally later in the game. You even go over the scene....also youre crying about them going too far during that scene but its ok to show hundreds of soldiers die on a battle field? ok simp
I’m sorry but no, Hugo is much more interesting than benedikta, we also see him repeatedly make intelligent decisions he’s not stupid he’s just filled with rage, and he and bahamut have the two best boss fights in the game, and how personal things get between him and Clive, we barely know anything about benedikta by the end of the game, we know everything about kupka, it’s also worth noting that your perception of her being loyal is flawed. Benedikta’s core character trait was that she always was looking out for herself, she never really loved kupka, and as cid pointed out she never really believed in barnenas’s dream, she did what she could to maneuver herself into a position of power, she had no true loyalties
I will say that, for however much I like Benedikta, I am growing very tired of the "Bad Woman dress sexy, is slutty. Good Woman dress conservative, is chaste" dichotemy that SO MANY properties go over. The sheery frequency of it is frustrating and cringey. I was unfomfortable with it while playing FF16 and I am unfomfortable with it now.
Which is a shame because Benedikta is *really* interesting by herself. My enjoyment of her is hurt not by the writing for her but by the *lack* of writing elsewhere
All of the enemy Dominants were over the top and entertaining to watch.
Benedikta: Crazy bitch dommy mommy. She rages and drops F bombs when you fight her ("FUCKING DOG!") and I absolutely love it.
Kupka: Simp and raging manchild (Though I'd be pissed too if my girl's head was delivered to me in a box) I laughed my ass off when he's swinging his severed arms around and shouting "I'LL KILLYOU! ILL KILLYOU!" to Clive.
Dion: Gay representation in media done right. His Eikon fight was also epic AF!
Barnabas: Edgelord. His Shakespearean dialogue cracks me up 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
SpongeBob approves of this
She's final fantasy's sniper wolf
And a fantastic body too.
so the guy in the beginning that fills the cup is not a bearer or at least shouldnt be. They used a crystal to fill the cup. Bearers would not need a crystal to fill the cup with water. I thought this was obvious....
How much screen/story time does Benedicta get before dying? Like....maybe 10 minutes? I feel like they tried to prop up main characters/villains as iconic roles way to quickly. She died before I actually cared about her. They barely touched on her back story with Cid, and her current love affair with the titan dude. It just wasnt enough to get me to care.
I can fix her.
The wishing he’d just been a nobody and someone random is one of the reasons why my favorite Zelda protagonist is rhe hero of the wind.
Toon Link aka the hero of the wind is not the gods chosen hero. He’s just some random 10 year old who’s been named the equivalent of Muhammad (similar to how this is one of the most popular names on the planet because many people name their sons after the profit Muhammad in Hyrule many name their sons “Link” in various times of the game after various versions of the gods chosen hero in hopes their son will be chosen by the gods and/or just out of respect).
And, not so randomly, his sister is kidnapped by Ganondorf who’s been kidnapping all young girls with ears similar to Zelda, who’s in hiding, so he can acquire the triforce of wisdom.
Ganondorf and Zelda both have their pieces of the triforce that were given to them by the gods.
Link, the hero of time, has previously traveled back to his own timeline leaving this timeline without the soul of the gods chosen hero to reincarnate into a new chosen hero for the gods.
So Link, the hero of the winds, is just some guy. And he doesn’t have the triforce of courage, but he’s not gonna let them get away with kidnapping his sister. He literally drags up pieces of the broken triforce of courage from the bottom of the ocean and puts it back together then surpasses the test the gods had to earn his spot as the hero without being chosen. Then the gods are like “fuck it, I guess you’re our hero now.” And just accept it and let him take care of business.
That’s why he’s the best link, he’s just some guy.
The girl had literally 10 minutes of screen time. She was a caricature of a villain... C'mon now.
I loved every dominant fight (except shiva but that's the 1st one) and when she got spun by the Targo? Beautiful
Thought for the longest time she was Clive’s mom lol
Dion is a English cigarette
Despite everyone saying they wished Benedikta stayed longer in the story, I think it's absolutely fitting that she died so early. It really outlines the place of humanity in Ultima's new world, as the most human and relatable villains are ruined first with Benedikta. Then the naïve and manipulatable Kupka, and finally the devout but misguided Barnabas. Alongside Clive, Benedikta is very much a story of innocence lost and how someone with honest and heartfelt intentions can be twisted and disfigured. Like Cid said, he didn't know who she was anymore, she was unrecognizable to what she was before.
When Cid said "If there's no shame, then why do you feel so sorry for yourself?", her reaction told me that he hit the nail on the head.
She's gonna need several Phoenix Downs for that emotional damage.
@@bluesrikenot even Ifrit can burn that hot
Benedikta gave me vibes to Azula from the Avatar: The Last Airbender series. Though she used to hide it well, she’s so afraid of failure for fear of being discarded.
And how fitting it is that she was defeated by a former prince of a kingdom that associates with fire element. Who got all of his privileges stripped away by one of his parent who hate his guts and favor his more gifted younger sibling.
I really wished there had been a chance for her to be redeemed and to join with Cid's crew and help Clive. I really liked her character. She was the only enemy I felt sorry for. She obviously had some terrible things happen to her.
This is why I'm a fan of the "characters suddenly become aware of the plot" subtype of fanfiction. When a fic writer truly understands the characters, it can result in fascinating heel-face turns and drastic shifts to complex character dynamics. When the writer doesn't understand the characters, however, Sturgeon's Law. Edit: more specifically, how differently would each of the Dominants act if they all became aware of Ultima's end goal the moment Clive absorbed Benedikta's powers?
Me too. Would’ve been sick for her character to have a redemption arc and have her bitterness tempered by the Hideaway’s values. Maybe give Jill another woman to talk to instead of just Clive lol. I really thought there was more room for growth than the game gave her.
If only the game ratings isn't M, it'll be sunshine and rainbow, and they'll already give her a redemption arc and join our party.
Deep down she knew it was wrong, but her desperation not to be abandoned is taking over her, that she doesn't know what's right or wrong, she may be strong, but weak inside..
redemption arcs for minor villains is played out.
6:10 Bearers don’t use crystals, so that was probably just a serf. I think her reaction here is more of a “Look what I can do that you need to use a crystal for, despite the history of how my people have been treated, you’ll allow me to make this gesture or I will kill you with the contempt that I have for your historical disdain of people like me.” Or something like that.
I thought that to
Agree with this. She was just showing them how powerful a dominant is just like a kid. She is showing others what she can do that they can't.
Not a serf. These are men of the rock, Dahlmakia private army and elite guards
20:53 This. Clive and Jill is the “Good End” version of Cid and Benedikta.
Many of their events mirror each others. The fact that Clive adopts a certain title with Jill at his side is poetry.
Love the vid man! Algorithm read my mind because I think Benne is easily one of the best complex characters in the game.
Even the elements make sense. Lightning and Wind, Ice and Fire.
Liked what you said about the story is poetic, fo sho
when she has Joshua and Jote captured, she tries to torture Jote to force Joshua to talk, but Jote just takes it while asking Joshua/Lord Margrace to stay silent. Benedikta then stops and just tells her guards to be gentle with them . At first i thought she said "be gentle" as a sarcastic way of speaking , but she really meant it as Joshua and Jote leaves almost unscathed afterwards. Seems like she does really have a soft spot for loyal and unselfish characters , contrasted with how she cut down the sellout during the cutscene in the forest.
Honestly I think Clive still works this way, the chosen one status is more of a noose around his neck he doesn't even know about than anything else for most of his life. Taking Benedikta's power is the first time he's anything more than a man, and that deeply informs his character through to the end.
Not to mention the guy feels powerless and unworthy due to not being unable to awaken Phoenix. Later sold as a slave and live as an ordinary person aka suffering like Benedikta for about 13 years. Yes, this man is Mythos, but he also knows what it feels like to be a nobody.
@mayday2237 Clive yes?
@@salviarifdah2730
Yes indeed
I also believe she could've benefitted from more screentime, but watching this just furthered how much I loved the character. The VA absolutely smashed it, and I'm glad a video like this about her exists. Thank you
I looked her up- her name is Nina Yndis. I agree, she totally knocked it outta the park.
I felt so bad for Benedikta, her end is sad, since she died alone and with no one around that cared for her like a abandon stray in a ditch, when we first see her she just give off this stronger than anyone attitude, and see how's she is so confident in her power, heck when we fight her she is just so much more powerful than us, but as we get save and help by torgal, we are able to get the upper hand on her and beat her, and when we do we see her true self she tried to hide for so long that she felt weak and powerless without cid or garuda and she just breaks both mentally and emotionally, heck she only clung to Barabas because of his power and she didn't want to every feel weak and powerless like she felt before she Cid save her and before she awoken to her dominant, she truly was the definition of a tragic villain, and was very well written.
Agree. And then Barnabas goes and has her head removed and sent to Kupka to enarge him and force him to hunt down Cid and Clive. Barnabas didn't care for her at all. She was just a means to an end for him. The way Cid quickly walks away from her body shows how upset he was when she died. Cid was the only person that ever really cared about her.
@@MjollTheLioness-o4y so true he saw her as a tool
@@MjollTheLioness-o4yyeah, f barnabas*
I witnessed Benedikta as a person of immense value, someone deserving of salvation, and it deeply saddened me to witness her untimely demise. However, the profound anguish I experienced intensified upon discovering that her severed head resided within the confines of a box. Ultimately, it became evident that she was not the guiding shepherd, but rather a vulnerable and misguided sheep.
I liked the line "How did you even survive?" after her defeat from Clive. As though she rationalized all she did as the only way to survive herself, and can't fathom someone else as mistreated as she had been, getting through by taking a different path.
Kinda not a fan of how you went out of your way to oversimplify some of the later game characters. Especially Dion; to say he's "just a goody two-shoes pretty boy" is a pretty insane thing to say considering the kind of arc he goes through as a character, which is very clearly written to reflect Jamie Lannister from Game of Thrones. Hell, they even call him "Kinslayer", while he's dealing with his inner struggle between keeping his oath to his country/emperor, and doing what's right and just in spite of that oath.
Kupka being "dumb as rocks" isn't all to his character, either. Sure, he is dumb as rocks, but he's also one of the wealthiest, most influential, and most powerful singular men in the world. It's the game's way of making a point about how the world is not meritocratic; and that incredible amounts of power, political and otherwise, don't make one immune to being manipulated and used, or making dumb decisions.
Calling Barnabas "pathetic" is also a weird choice. He's very clearly not pathetic, the game makes a point to show us he's one of the most powerful Dominants, and even when he's not in Odin's form, his swordsmanship skills border on superhuman. He literally kicks Clive's ass in a 1-on-1 sword duel with no Eikons being used. He's not pathetic; he's terrifying. An instrument of Ultima, he exists to exert Ultima's will and dominance over the people of Valisthea. He's not a particularly complex villain, but he's certainly compelling, just based on the sheer weight and power of his presence alone.
Don't get me wrong, I also think Benedikta is a great character, underutilized, possibly the best of all the Dominant antagonists. But you don't need to go out of your way to downplay the other villains just to make that point.
I also object to the idea of calling Dion a villain to begin with. I'd argue that Dion spends more time as a good guy than not--just that he got punked by Ultima the same way Clive did in the prologue.
22:21 Benedikta was so hellbent on being loyal it blinded her to how insane Barnabas was and to the fact Cid had good reason to leave Waleod.
Bingo
He cared very little for her and don't think she truly loved him in return,
Her final coherent thoughts were of Cid and the hope he once gave her before it all came crumbling down.
She wanted to achieve the dream Barnabas had but with Cid by HER side more than anything, desperately pleading with him in vain
When that failed she attempted to try and cut out the one person in her life she genuinely cared for to prove her loyalty for the "Greater Good".
Truly a tragic character.
@@Bergamont45 I don't think she had a clue as to what Barnabas's method to the goal was. He said he'd unite the dominants but he probably didn't mention he'd turn everyone into a zombie
I don't know if I'm convinced it was loyalty, or the fear of being abandonment. Are those the same ideas?
@@terrancecloverfield6791It could be both. Benna's commitment to loyalty might stem FROM her fear of abandonment. Her life of powerlessness probably left her with self-worth issues, and she feels like she owes everything to the people who lifted her out of that situation. At the same time, she's terrified of losing what she now has, and doesn't want to be discarded (especially after Cid already left her).
She even tries to earn Clive's loyalty the same way Barnabas and Cid won hers: by offering safety and comfort. _"If it is the hearth you long for, you'll find more than enough warmth under my wings."_ She found her self-worth through the comforting lifestyle she was given, so surely this Branded (someone who was just as powerless as she was) would as well, right?
@@DegraTrip This, the fact she's still questioning why Cid left leads me to believe Cid hasn't completely filled her in on Barnabas schemes.