I should point out that the Japanese writing team also had lots of fun in that solo duty: every dialogue option is a quote from a different Gundam series in the Japanese text.
@@EmperorPyladesIt's because the Gundam figures with "MG" are "Master Grade," which is why the description says the in-universe MG means "Master Garlond."
Valens was such a bastard. I loved that we got to see someone that was just egotistical and cruel as a villain. He wasn't complicated, he was just evil.
It showed Gaius was almost as bad though because he was sleeping with Livia who also was an adopted daughter(and she was the only one that didn't get "redeemed")
@Ladywizard I don't think he ever slept with her, at least I don't remember that part. I think she would have wanted though. It seems she was just a tic delusional and possessive of him and he didn't push back clear enough - which is also not right on his part.
Wait did the lore say that Gaius was sleeping with Livia? I'm sure I just remember him trying to control Livia cos she was obsessed with Gaius attention.
After the Diamond Weapon, you get the opportunity to inspect both the G-Savior Mark I (the Blue one), and the G-Savior Mark II (the Red one). The text under the Mark II seems to imply they brought in a specialist to build it, and there might have been a hint of "I CAN DO THAT TOO, GARLOND! YOU'RE NOT SPECIAL!"
It took several days is consoling and reassurances, but they did manage to convince the specialist to make his the same size as the Mark I and not "Twice as big as his, so it's more accurate!"
Often times in movies, evil characters eat apples. It's a biblical reference to the first sin. The thing with the milk is similar, but the milk stands more for purity and this evil man is devouring the purity of the land. (Symbolically and literally)
Story with Neal being Yula Darnus is an interesting story of misscomunication. Neal was always planed to be a girl, at some point in original 1.x plan was for her to do a Samus Aran-like reveal that she is female, but localization team never got a memo and made her male in english. Because of that Yula inpersonating her deceased brother was retconed into 2.x or somwhere there and an entire story of her loosing her own identity to playing her brother and later losing it even further to Dalamud was bolted on top. Came out quite an interesting if twisted, badly shown and convoluted story.
What impressed me the most is that they gave Valens all the evil traits and still he was believable. This was a cartoon villain played with a straight face, and it is horrifyingly well executed.
Cid's inclusion is also not just the Juxtaposition of Garlean defectors. Gaius was a father figure to Cid, and so that juxtaposes with Gaius's relationship with his adopted children, showing Gaius's regrets as a father. Also: Not only was it taken from Azys Lla, it's built from a mid-boss from Fractal Continuum Hard Mode. Also it wasn't Koji, we were in full Kate-chan country with localization in Shadowbringers.
Kate has done a commendable job of progressing the Koji-facation of XIV translation. She has worn the mantle of Pun-master & Crafter of satirical flavour text so damn well. Kudos to both of them for giving those of us in the English-speaking realms so many hidden literary treasures to spelunk for.
@@Phyrior Specifically in the Workshop manual. Something about making sure that you have the needed items for the workshop, because if you don't the mammets will "cry from feelings of inadequacy." direct quote: "Don't be the Warrior of Light who made a mammet cry." Single most effective line in a user guide to force me, a human being, to always ensure I'm not at a material deficit after setting up the Crime Time workshop recommendations from Overseas Casuals. Because I don't want to make the mammets cry. (It's also just a straight up well done user guide, from someone who writes user documentation as part of my job. Clear explanations, with a sprinkling of humor to keep it interesting.)
One thing that really makes that final diamond weapon scene is that Gaius breaks, even if it's only for a second or two, he breaks and shows exactly how much he's actually hurting inside. Despite everything he's done and everything he was responsible for, it made me feel sorry for him and what he lost.
Somebody else probably commented before, but the Diamond weapon didn't end up using Zenos' combat data, remarking that it wasn't useful because it didn't take orders. That's why the brother got fused into the core instead to serve as the combat data. It also explains the in-combat dialogue of the male voice saying it's gonna protect Allie.
Oh, another cool fact, the model for G-Gundam is actually used as a boss in one of the Azys-la dungeons (one of the fractal continuums i think). A really amazing re-use of assets!
Regarding the milk comment, there’s a great Now You See It video about milk in film that hits on similar notes Kyle mentions at 6:05. In a nutshell, we’re conditioned in film and media to associate milk with youth and innocence, so there’s something unsettling when a villain drinks milk.
Maybe im just f'd up in the head, but i didnt read that Milk scene as he was just working out. The implication of the kids watching him really played into 'this man is pure evil' as opposed to just 'regular' cartoon-evil. This man was not only unstable and over the top melodramatic, but truly evil on both personal and warcrimes levels in a way very few other ff14 villains even are.
15:12 Not Koji. Possibly Kate, but more likely another member of the team. Koji ceded the main localization duties to Kate a couple years ago. He largely works in lore and stuff, now, and spent a lot of time on XVI when that was in development.
It is fun to see how they made a unique mecha with its own kit, just for one duty, and then they made a whole photoshoot thing just for mecha fans. This game has been compared to a theme park a lot, and this is definitely one of the fun rides.
I remember watching a documentary about the production of the Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within movie and how one of the creators got his inspiration for the villain (James Woods' character) by non-stop listening to bands like Nine Inch Nails, Skinny Puppy, and Front Line Assembly. Valens gives me much similar vibes, what I wouldn't give to take a peek at Ishikawa's playlists....
By this point, all of the fun/weird localization stuff is on Kate's watch since Koji had mostly moved off to do FF16. e: the fact that the shot pulls out far away from Gaius as he ends Alphonse's suffering it such an excellent directorial decision.
They managed such a pained face from such a stoic man in the moments before that too. Not only great story moment but the animators did a fantastic job with what they have to work with.
Werlyt is my favorite non-MSQ content in the whole game, if not the whole MMO genre. The story, the fights, the Extreme versions of the fights, the music, the MOUNTS. All of it together makes it must-play content.
God hard same. It goes so hard and just musically embodies what it was like to be in Gaius' presence during conquest. The revolver spinning ratchet sound effect in the opening bars? UNF.
I cry so hard at the ending of this story every time I've played it. Gaius talking with Alfonse one last time, that final cutscene especially, it just hits me in the place that misses my own dad and the others that were special in my life but are no longer here. ShB gave us so much rewarding and emotional storytelling.
When this trial series came out I didn't play it immediately. As an FFVII fan (where the weapons are from) I was a bit scared as they are super bosses in it that game that took me literal YEARS to defeat (pre internet days mind you). I finally did it all in one go over a weekend when the last part came out and it is because I couldn't stop. I was already expecting awesome fights but they they were able to pair the weapons with this emotionally charged, sad, at times very disturbing but also heartwarming story is just astonishing. Definitely my favorite trial series and it is one of the best side (totally not side) content ever not only in 14 but in videogames in general.
ITS A GUNDAM!!!! Also loved that the G-warrior was such a great reference to the series, especially during the intro to Diamond weapon, literally pulled from Gundam Stardust Memories with Dendrobium
Villains drinking milk is actually a well established cinematic message. It represents a very no-no concept that you can't talk about on RUclips, with the violating of something pure. Milk is something associated with purity, innocence and childhood, and it's not something for grown adult. By drinking what is typicallymeant for childrenin frontofsaid, he violates them symbolically, with the undertones implying it might even be more than symbolism. Some examples of this trope can be found in Clockwork Orange and Inglorious Bastards, both of which I personally love as examples of villains.
In American culture(at least my part of the country), drinking milk as an adult is perfectly normal tho. So it’s kind of the opposite. I mean, yes, kids drink it. Milk is good to build strong bones etc. but adults do too in this case, it’s valens’ overly intense fixation on the milk and how it’s artisanal, as he’s clearly torturing kids, which makes it uncomfortable. Villain doing a casual normal thing while being evil.
6:22 To answer your question, according to information I found on Britannica from 2020, 73% of the Japanese population is lactose intolerant, compared to 36% in the United States and 8% in the United Kingdom. On a separate note... Ruby Weapon caused some PTSD for people who did the second Coils when they were current.
22:00 The same reaction Garret had for Golden Gaius is what people who played since 2.0 had when Nael showed up! Her fight was the end of the block of the fist savage raid block in 14 history, and to say that the team was inexperienced was putting it mildly. The fight was HARD and super janky, so most people who done still have intense flashbacks to the times! This whole series really pulls on your 14 nostalgia strings.
Every once and a while, the team sneaks in something that will be immediate and visceral PTSD for 1.0 veterans. The Ruby Weapon phase change was one of those. Cool and a thing for the average game enjoyer. But those who know? *Know*.
Oh defo. When I did it on drop day, it was such a trip. Myself and the other healer were having flashbacks to 1.0, four members were like "NOT NAEL", and the two sweet babs who joined in Shadowbringers were utterly confused why the rest of the party was losing their collective minds.
"You best start believing in Gundam stories, Miss Tina... you're in one!" - Yoshi P maybe I forgot you guys had not done a Werlyt video yet and I am so glad to see it get the video it deserves (just like the MSQ push it deserves.) Shadowbringers really was an era of "Required Reading" side content. They took this opporunity to flesh out or bring to conclusion things, and you can almost feel the pre-endwalker energy here that we're gonna close out this book.
The Nael confusion is the result of the English translation team. Nael was always supposed to be female. The Japanese text was always careful not to refer to Nael as any gender, so they could have a big Metroid/Samus reveal during the Coils. But the US translation team screwed up and kept referring to Nael as "he", so they had to write up the whole sister of Nael thing to cover.
"The Black Wolf Stalks Again" (Emerald Weapon phase 2) is also one of the most badass bits of music in the game, the fact that it is tied to Gaius makes him even more of a badass. I feel like the whole crew was in some sort of transcendent flow state with this content. I feel like it was one of the best bits to go unmentioned , but would top a wall of boss music should you decide to do one.
Imagine playing a game where nothing is just phoned in and everything fits together and enhances the overall narrative... And its not even required content! Thanks for the great video, as always!
I mentioned this during streams but not sure if it was ever noticed. FF14 doesn't throw the NPCs into limbo outside "stories" like other games. During holiday events you can find characters from these side series participating in the celebrations scattered around the venue once you complete the series/progress past certain MSQ points Sometimes its explicit, like through a message/letter NPC or them standing around, and other times implicit where they're just in the background. Gaius showed up for one of the previous hatchingtide holidays dressed up in a chicken suit to spend time with Allie. It gave a bit of taste what their post Werylt life was like. I think the 4 lords often show up frequently as well (cause they're bored). They're usually dressed in color coded animal costumes and they lurk around the edges of fates or are interactable NPCs. I believe Suzaku would stalk you from behind a tree during one of the heavensturn fates, and byakko or genbu would watch the tiger based one from the road near the fate, and comment on the tiger's appearance If you like this sort of living world follow up I'd recommend keeping an eye out during events for them.
God I loved this side story!! The first time I ever cried in FFXIV was Gaius and Alphonse goodbye scene. Ughh so fantastic! Plus we got FF gundams in this haha
And Love you shall Find is still my absolute favorite FFXIV song to date. The Sorrow of Werlyt is probably mt favorite story in the game. The scene with Gaius and Alfonse still gets me choked up
All alliance raids/8 men raids and trials side questlines SHOULD be voiced. But Werlyt, Werlyt deserves it more than any i can think of. It would be beautiful
Meanwhile i can only think of that event cutscene some time after the finale of werlyt where you get a short follow-up on alie and gaius.... with the latter clad from head to toe in a chicken costume.
The pity is, it’s not THAT far off the path. It’s just a side rom. I always ask if people need map completion when I run it, just in case. At least the trust system means people can solo it and explore if they want.
Like, I can't do most trials because they're essentially mechanics-heavy extended fights, and i've got arthritis and fibromyalgia in my hands and fingers, and severe memory issues from a medical procedure, so anything extended length like that is basically a no-go. I skip out on most trial series, but that's why I love watching y'all run these, and ESPECIALLY making these videos like today's because they go so in-depth on why these series are so important. I've been around for almost every non-extreme trials night and it's been just awesome to listen and feel and absorb what's going on.
[hugs from a fellow medically-compromised individual] Agreed! There is so much content that i just don't run while it's current, b/c my keyboard & mouse setup is heavily specialized by necessity, plus situational awareness can (embarrassingly) be a particular challenge for me. Being able to vicariously experience these questlines & battles (especially while in the company of the comfy community the GG boys have grown) really provides a satisfying way for me to access this content. It's kinda nice to know i'm not the only one who has gotten enjoyment from these streams and videos for similar reasons. Cheers!
Ngl the Weapons, the experiments, the melted dad…. Really reminds me of the Nibelheim flashbacks in FF7, when the pod exploded and the humanoid inside writhing in pain…
The Weapons questline is, to this day, my absolute favorite storyline in 14 (aside from MSQ). It ruined me and doing this questline and 5.3 in the same weekend was... emotionally destroying.
Emerald Weapon came out in 5.4. Imagine what a treat it was after all the MSQ wrap up in 5.3 that we could still get major hyped about stuff tangential to ARR.
Koji was working on 16 at this point in time, so this was Kate's doing, not Koji's. Also, it never fails to surprise me that Cid is also kinda Gaius' surrogate child, what with that big beard of his.
One of my favorite bits of FF referencing actually comes from this. Like, I doubt y'all have escaped the "The weapons are from FF7" folk, and I don't mean to reiterate that, but Sapphire in particular is amusing to me. In 7, Sapphire Weapon is the only Weapon without a boss fight. It gets killed off in a cutscene. In a way, you could say that it being a solo duty and not a proper trial is a reference to that, but also the fact that its Oversoul is linked to Van Hydra harkens back to that considering he was kinda set up for a proper boss fight in the Aetherochemical Research dungeon only to be taken out in a cutscene.
I remember picking up this quest randomly without realizing what it was. I saw Gaius was involved and I decided to keep going. Then Ruby weapon happened and big fat tacos and I was like ...O.O...then I was hooked for hours running through all the craziness. Still one of my fav quest lines in FFXIV...and there are many.
I can't wait to see them do another optional lvl 90 quest that ties with this too, its another good ending to the series (part of the Tataru's sidequest).
Ahh the FFVII weapon questline. Ultima, Saphire, Emerald, Ruby, Diamond, Jade (We dont speak of Jade) and Omega (Differnt Omega from the one we see used in XIV so far) are my fav monsters in all of FF so seeing them appear in this game was just amazing. Making the G-Warrior the repurposed Remains of Proto-Ultima combined with the Ultima Warrior? Cids, remark on how it would of been nice had we not caused so much damage, i loved it all. They just intertwined so much of the WoL's past and i was saying irl when the G-Warrior fight was going: "Hey Gaius? I was so jelly of you when you got to pilot Ultima.... Now its my turn at last!" XD Side tip: When you hit 90 and finish MSQ, Do Tatarus quest line.... every streamer misses it because its side content and theres still patch content to go, but for story you need to do Tatarus quest :D
Livia was ALSO Gaius' adopted child who was one twin child of family friends... and for whatever reason he didn't adopt Lucia. When NOT being adopted was probably for the best, considering how messed up everyone he adopted was.
Livia and Lucia were separated comparatively early in life and didn't really have all that much of a bond. And Lucia was sent off to Ishgard at about the same time or even before Livia joined the 14th.
For me this is exactly what you should expect from optional content. It calls back to stuff in the MSQ and it is high quality, but the overall story of the game in no way hinges on it. Coils of Bahamut, Warring Triad, Alexander, Void Ark, Four Lord, Omega, Eden, and Shadowbringer's role quests all come up later, this never does and I find it hard to imagine a reason for it to ever come up again. Endwalker also has some optional content that should be part of the MSQ.
M'Naago: We Ala Mhigans have not forgotten it was *you* who led the invasion of our homeland. The blood of our fallen loved ones is on your hands! Kyle!Gaius: ...kay.
I think I have commented multiple times on your streams (sorry for the spoilers) in the past about this. Glad in the end you enjoyed it as much as I did. I honestly I didn't even remember the "villain", the story was so much about Gaius that - yea - kudos to SE, Valens was just the perfect side character to make Gaius shine even more.
This questline is in such a weird place. On the one hand I'm glad that it's not part of the MSQ. subjecting someone with a questlike in a mandatory manner this is borderline evil. On the other hand, it really gives the perfect closure to Gaius' story. I still remember how Jeathe reacted to everything that was going on. This is what I really love about the way this game tells their stories: something will resonate differently with someone. Much like how Seto's reunion with Ardbert in 5.3 really hits you in the feels if you're a pet owner, this questline can stir a lot of emotions if you happen to be a parent.
Gaius and Estinien is the buddy cop sub plot the world didn't know it needed. As a guy who grew up in Vermont, I would like to propose a caveat that milk is a small red flag, not the nail in the coffin of outed supervillainy. When Cid says "Thats the cruellest thing I have ever heard" I think thats when it really, *really* hits you, the extent of Gaius's pain. The word "monster" gets overused in the age of video game culture, but "monstrous" still carries all the weight it deserves. The brilliance of Gaius is that he wasn't ever really wrong. He was a military commander working on the "weak men lead to bad times, bad times lead to strong men, strong men lead to great times" philosophy, which is one of those fundamental truths of humanity. Compared to Valens, Gaius is just another good guy walking the road to hell.
Oh and one small detail. He gets into his armor all sweaty from excercise(with help from those kids watching him...), without shower. Imagine that smell...
I had problems with the Sapphire solo duty in the past. I had a laggy old potato unit that was affecting my fps and therefore the clear. Eventually, when I got a new system, I was able to overcome this hurdle, allowing me to complete the rest of this series.
Regarding the Ghosts of the Children, they were in each patch you can go to Ternclif. After Saffire, the Milisadira child finds the Ricon one and they leave together. Then Rex joins them in a game of hide and seek. And finally at the end, All the kids are playing tag, but stop to watch Gaius and Allie, saying their goodbyes again. It's not just the last patch that's touching, each patch just adds with their little interactions that the majority of people don't stop to look for..
I remember not being too excited about this quest when I first picked them up because I don't really like FF7 all that much and I was scared it would just be like Ivalice and the story would be more of a "LOOK! is a reference!" but then the ruby weapon transition happened and *oh boy.* Easily one of my favorite stories in the whole game.
In a world of complex sympathetic antagonists, sometimes you need a straight up villain. I did this questline well after completing the MSQ and I was so surprised about all of it having never seen other coverage of it. Definitely peak FFXIV distilled into a single storyline.
Just like Kyle, I loved Regula van Hydrus. He was honorable to a fault - just like Gaius - and despite being very pro-Garlean and pro-Emporor, he doesn't hesitate for a single second when it comes to putting aside an entire conflict and teaming up with his enemy for a greater cause, knowing full well that his regiment would be at a tremendous disadvantage - saving a child and going out like a boss. You can hate the cause, but you have to respect his unbending honor.
You probably already know the full story of Nael and why i happened narratively but I will still share so you know: back in 1.0 when they introduced Nael, Nael was designed as a man. But the localization team misinterpreted the character as a woman. So there is a bit of a mismatch between both languages, which Koji had to find a way around, and that's how they came up with Eula and with a whole story to explain how Nael was initially a man but not anymore :P Also fun stuff: The Weapons are of course a node to FF7, but they went the extra mile with Sapphire. I don't want to spoil FF7, but Sapphire is also handled VERY differently from the others in FF7.
I really wish the raids' and trials stories were voiced, can you imagine Omega voiced, with the squabbling between Nero and Cid, or friggin Bahamut... Heck, Cid's memories in the early part of Bojna... Also someone once told me something very disturbing, Livia is one of Gaius' childs, replaying Castrum and seeing some of her lines... And the localisation team's fun with quests and fates name is just delicious
So, to me milk is such an everyday normal thing that having Valens be a big milk drinker (hah!) amplifies the disturbing factor. Like, it makes his character even more unsettling to pair him with something to ordinary.
The best side content that I wish was voice casted after the fact. Love more Gaius backstory and its a roller coaster of emotions - apparently it's heavily inspired by the UC Gundam stories and I can see Yoshida's love for them.
I should point out that the Japanese writing team also had lots of fun in that solo duty: every dialogue option is a quote from a different Gundam series in the Japanese text.
Please tell me that in the Japanese the housing item is still an 'MG'
@@EmperorPylades Yeah, it's called MG G-Warrior (which is the other way round from the English name).
@@EmperorPyladesIt's because the Gundam figures with "MG" are "Master Grade," which is why the description says the in-universe MG means "Master Garlond."
@@Bardic_Knowledge in JP it's "Meister" Grade
@@Yuki_ZakuII Ah, thank you. I didn't know because I'd only seen the factoid once while browsing TV Tropes. Always good to know more.
Valens was such a bastard. I loved that we got to see someone that was just egotistical and cruel as a villain. He wasn't complicated, he was just evil.
And not just evil, the sort of evil one should expect under Gaius's might makes right morality.
Gaius had to confront that and it was great.
It showed Gaius was almost as bad though because he was sleeping with Livia who also was an adopted daughter(and she was the only one that didn't get "redeemed")
@Ladywizard I don't think he ever slept with her, at least I don't remember that part. I think she would have wanted though. It seems she was just a tic delusional and possessive of him and he didn't push back clear enough - which is also not right on his part.
Wait did the lore say that Gaius was sleeping with Livia? I'm sure I just remember him trying to control Livia cos she was obsessed with Gaius attention.
@@Ladywizard I remember seeing a long argument where someone clarified that Japanese Gaius refers specifically to his office.
After the Diamond Weapon, you get the opportunity to inspect both the G-Savior Mark I (the Blue one), and the G-Savior Mark II (the Red one). The text under the Mark II seems to imply they brought in a specialist to build it, and there might have been a hint of "I CAN DO THAT TOO, GARLOND! YOU'RE NOT SPECIAL!"
Oh of course he painted it red! lol
I mean the color scheme alone gives it away. XD
It took several days is consoling and reassurances, but they did manage to convince the specialist to make his the same size as the Mark I and not "Twice as big as his, so it's more accurate!"
Yup, 100% Nero lol.
Often times in movies, evil characters eat apples. It's a biblical reference to the first sin. The thing with the milk is similar, but the milk stands more for purity and this evil man is devouring the purity of the land. (Symbolically and literally)
Story with Neal being Yula Darnus is an interesting story of misscomunication. Neal was always planed to be a girl, at some point in original 1.x plan was for her to do a Samus Aran-like reveal that she is female, but localization team never got a memo and made her male in english. Because of that Yula inpersonating her deceased brother was retconed into 2.x or somwhere there and an entire story of her loosing her own identity to playing her brother and later losing it even further to Dalamud was bolted on top. Came out quite an interesting if twisted, badly shown and convoluted story.
What impressed me the most is that they gave Valens all the evil traits and still he was believable. This was a cartoon villain played with a straight face, and it is horrifyingly well executed.
I feel like fiction can't compete anymore with real life when it comes to comically evil people.
At this point, real life is a caricature and we can rip any popular figure that easily comes to mind as a comically cartoonish villain.
Cid's inclusion is also not just the Juxtaposition of Garlean defectors.
Gaius was a father figure to Cid, and so that juxtaposes with Gaius's relationship with his adopted children, showing Gaius's regrets as a father.
Also: Not only was it taken from Azys Lla, it's built from a mid-boss from Fractal Continuum Hard Mode.
Also it wasn't Koji, we were in full Kate-chan country with localization in Shadowbringers.
Kate has done a commendable job of progressing the Koji-facation of XIV translation. She has worn the mantle of Pun-master & Crafter of satirical flavour text so damn well. Kudos to both of them for giving those of us in the English-speaking realms so many hidden literary treasures to spelunk for.
@@Final.Family Her finest work is in the user guide for island sanctuary. Only time I've ever laughed while RTFM!
@@katarh Oh? Is there a particular nugget or line?
@@Phyrior Specifically in the Workshop manual. Something about making sure that you have the needed items for the workshop, because if you don't the mammets will "cry from feelings of inadequacy." direct quote: "Don't be the Warrior of Light who made a mammet cry."
Single most effective line in a user guide to force me, a human being, to always ensure I'm not at a material deficit after setting up the Crime Time workshop recommendations from Overseas Casuals. Because I don't want to make the mammets cry.
(It's also just a straight up well done user guide, from someone who writes user documentation as part of my job. Clear explanations, with a sprinkling of humor to keep it interesting.)
FF community: "We need Valens voice acted!"
SE: "Hey Garrett..."
I was hoping for Preach but Garrett is way up there on the list too!
Preach went in for the Valens voice
One thing that really makes that final diamond weapon scene is that Gaius breaks, even if it's only for a second or two, he breaks and shows exactly how much he's actually hurting inside. Despite everything he's done and everything he was responsible for, it made me feel sorry for him and what he lost.
Somebody else probably commented before, but the Diamond weapon didn't end up using Zenos' combat data, remarking that it wasn't useful because it didn't take orders. That's why the brother got fused into the core instead to serve as the combat data. It also explains the in-combat dialogue of the male voice saying it's gonna protect Allie.
Oh, another cool fact, the model for G-Gundam is actually used as a boss in one of the Azys-la dungeons (one of the fractal continuums i think). A really amazing re-use of assets!
First time I played this, all I could think was “How did they NOT voice act this?!” And I’m super glad that others share my opinion!
Seriously! That would have been the cherry on top.
Regarding the milk comment, there’s a great Now You See It video about milk in film that hits on similar notes Kyle mentions at 6:05. In a nutshell, we’re conditioned in film and media to associate milk with youth and innocence, so there’s something unsettling when a villain drinks milk.
OH! We're doin a GUNDAM!😃
Oh, we're doin a Gundam....😨
like I've said before, this sidequest could have been a separate full game on its own and it would have been amazing.
This, Bozja and a little sprinkle of ivalice
Maybe im just f'd up in the head, but i didnt read that Milk scene as he was just working out. The implication of the kids watching him really played into 'this man is pure evil' as opposed to just 'regular' cartoon-evil.
This man was not only unstable and over the top melodramatic, but truly evil on both personal and warcrimes levels in a way very few other ff14 villains even are.
15:12 Not Koji. Possibly Kate, but more likely another member of the team. Koji ceded the main localization duties to Kate a couple years ago. He largely works in lore and stuff, now, and spent a lot of time on XVI when that was in development.
It is fun to see how they made a unique mecha with its own kit, just for one duty, and then they made a whole photoshoot thing just for mecha fans. This game has been compared to a theme park a lot, and this is definitely one of the fun rides.
I remember watching a documentary about the production of the Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within movie and how one of the creators got his inspiration for the villain (James Woods' character) by non-stop listening to bands like Nine Inch Nails, Skinny Puppy, and Front Line Assembly. Valens gives me much similar vibes, what I wouldn't give to take a peek at Ishikawa's playlists....
By this point, all of the fun/weird localization stuff is on Kate's watch since Koji had mostly moved off to do FF16.
e: the fact that the shot pulls out far away from Gaius as he ends Alphonse's suffering it such an excellent directorial decision.
They managed such a pained face from such a stoic man in the moments before that too. Not only great story moment but the animators did a fantastic job with what they have to work with.
Gaius’ story was basically the light side Sith Warrior campaign and I love it.
Werlyt is my favorite non-MSQ content in the whole game, if not the whole MMO genre. The story, the fights, the Extreme versions of the fights, the music, the MOUNTS. All of it together makes it must-play content.
The Black Wolf Stalks Again (Emerald Weapon) is one my favorite tracks in the entire game.
God hard same. It goes so hard and just musically embodies what it was like to be in Gaius' presence during conquest. The revolver spinning ratchet sound effect in the opening bars? UNF.
I cry so hard at the ending of this story every time I've played it. Gaius talking with Alfonse one last time, that final cutscene especially, it just hits me in the place that misses my own dad and the others that were special in my life but are no longer here. ShB gave us so much rewarding and emotional storytelling.
When this trial series came out I didn't play it immediately. As an FFVII fan (where the weapons are from) I was a bit scared as they are super bosses in it that game that took me literal YEARS to defeat (pre internet days mind you).
I finally did it all in one go over a weekend when the last part came out and it is because I couldn't stop. I was already expecting awesome fights but they they were able to pair the weapons with this emotionally charged, sad, at times very disturbing but also heartwarming story is just astonishing.
Definitely my favorite trial series and it is one of the best side (totally not side) content ever not only in 14 but in videogames in general.
ITS A GUNDAM!!!! Also loved that the G-warrior was such a great reference to the series, especially during the intro to Diamond weapon, literally pulled from Gundam Stardust Memories with Dendrobium
Villains drinking milk is actually a well established cinematic message. It represents a very no-no concept that you can't talk about on RUclips, with the violating of something pure. Milk is something associated with purity, innocence and childhood, and it's not something for grown adult. By drinking what is typicallymeant for childrenin frontofsaid, he violates them symbolically, with the undertones implying it might even be more than symbolism.
Some examples of this trope can be found in Clockwork Orange and Inglorious Bastards, both of which I personally love as examples of villains.
In American culture(at least my part of the country), drinking milk as an adult is perfectly normal tho. So it’s kind of the opposite. I mean, yes, kids drink it. Milk is good to build strong bones etc. but adults do too in this case, it’s valens’ overly intense fixation on the milk and how it’s artisanal, as he’s clearly torturing kids, which makes it uncomfortable. Villain doing a casual normal thing while being evil.
6:22 To answer your question, according to information I found on Britannica from 2020, 73% of the Japanese population is lactose intolerant, compared to 36% in the United States and 8% in the United Kingdom.
On a separate note... Ruby Weapon caused some PTSD for people who did the second Coils when they were current.
I very nearly threw my computer out a window when I saw that little twist.
22:00 The same reaction Garret had for Golden Gaius is what people who played since 2.0 had when Nael showed up!
Her fight was the end of the block of the fist savage raid block in 14 history, and to say that the team was inexperienced was putting it mildly. The fight was HARD and super janky, so most people who done still have intense flashbacks to the times! This whole series really pulls on your 14 nostalgia strings.
I am the milkman. My milk is delicious.
Every once and a while, the team sneaks in something that will be immediate and visceral PTSD for 1.0 veterans. The Ruby Weapon phase change was one of those. Cool and a thing for the average game enjoyer. But those who know? *Know*.
Add to that a flashback to FF7, from the overall design, and the names.
I've seen PTSD reactions from T9 when she emerged.
Oh defo. When I did it on drop day, it was such a trip. Myself and the other healer were having flashbacks to 1.0, four members were like "NOT NAEL", and the two sweet babs who joined in Shadowbringers were utterly confused why the rest of the party was losing their collective minds.
"You best start believing in Gundam stories, Miss Tina... you're in one!" - Yoshi P maybe
I forgot you guys had not done a Werlyt video yet and I am so glad to see it get the video it deserves (just like the MSQ push it deserves.)
Shadowbringers really was an era of "Required Reading" side content. They took this opporunity to flesh out or bring to conclusion things, and you can almost feel the pre-endwalker energy here that we're gonna close out this book.
The Nael confusion is the result of the English translation team. Nael was always supposed to be female. The Japanese text was always careful not to refer to Nael as any gender, so they could have a big Metroid/Samus reveal during the Coils. But the US translation team screwed up and kept referring to Nael as "he", so they had to write up the whole sister of Nael thing to cover.
"The Black Wolf Stalks Again" (Emerald Weapon phase 2) is also one of the most badass bits of music in the game, the fact that it is tied to Gaius makes him even more of a badass. I feel like the whole crew was in some sort of transcendent flow state with this content. I feel like it was one of the best bits to go unmentioned , but would top a wall of boss music should you decide to do one.
Imagine playing a game where nothing is just phoned in and everything fits together and enhances the overall narrative... And its not even required content! Thanks for the great video, as always!
I mentioned this during streams but not sure if it was ever noticed. FF14 doesn't throw the NPCs into limbo outside "stories" like other games. During holiday events you can find characters from these side series participating in the celebrations scattered around the venue once you complete the series/progress past certain MSQ points
Sometimes its explicit, like through a message/letter NPC or them standing around, and other times implicit where they're just in the background.
Gaius showed up for one of the previous hatchingtide holidays dressed up in a chicken suit to spend time with Allie. It gave a bit of taste what their post Werylt life was like.
I think the 4 lords often show up frequently as well (cause they're bored). They're usually dressed in color coded animal costumes and they lurk around the edges of fates or are interactable NPCs. I believe Suzaku would stalk you from behind a tree during one of the heavensturn fates, and byakko or genbu would watch the tiger based one from the road near the fate, and comment on the tiger's appearance
If you like this sort of living world follow up I'd recommend keeping an eye out during events for them.
God I loved this side story!! The first time I ever cried in FFXIV was Gaius and Alphonse goodbye scene. Ughh so fantastic! Plus we got FF gundams in this haha
First time I did this storyline I was completely unaware of the content thinking it's just another boss rush. Man was I wrong.
"Gaius is a pretty decent guy" when he's not trying to conquer the world for a corrupted empire.
And Love you shall Find is still my absolute favorite FFXIV song to date. The Sorrow of Werlyt is probably mt favorite story in the game. The scene with Gaius and Alfonse still gets me choked up
All alliance raids/8 men raids and trials side questlines SHOULD be voiced.
But Werlyt, Werlyt deserves it more than any i can think of. It would be beautiful
See? If we had full Garlemald oriented expansion before EW, this could be part of MSQ, it could be voiceacted.
Meanwhile i can only think of that event cutscene some time after the finale of werlyt where you get a short follow-up on alie and gaius.... with the latter clad from head to toe in a chicken costume.
05:00 -- Oh god, the MESSED UP part of Sastasha is REALLY messed up, but hardly anyone goes there because it's off in the optional rooms.
The pity is, it’s not THAT far off the path. It’s just a side rom. I always ask if people need map completion when I run it, just in case. At least the trust system means people can solo it and explore if they want.
Like, I can't do most trials because they're essentially mechanics-heavy extended fights, and i've got arthritis and fibromyalgia in my hands and fingers, and severe memory issues from a medical procedure, so anything extended length like that is basically a no-go. I skip out on most trial series, but that's why I love watching y'all run these, and ESPECIALLY making these videos like today's because they go so in-depth on why these series are so important. I've been around for almost every non-extreme trials night and it's been just awesome to listen and feel and absorb what's going on.
[hugs from a fellow medically-compromised individual] Agreed! There is so much content that i just don't run while it's current, b/c my keyboard & mouse setup is heavily specialized by necessity, plus situational awareness can (embarrassingly) be a particular challenge for me. Being able to vicariously experience these questlines & battles (especially while in the company of the comfy community the GG boys have grown) really provides a satisfying way for me to access this content. It's kinda nice to know i'm not the only one who has gotten enjoyment from these streams and videos for similar reasons. Cheers!
Ngl the Weapons, the experiments, the melted dad…. Really reminds me of the Nibelheim flashbacks in FF7, when the pod exploded and the humanoid inside writhing in pain…
I say it every time but Gaius and Estinien’s Bogus Journey is one of my favorite parts of Shadowbringers.
10:04 15:20 Big fat tacos are indeed still big.
G-Warrior: Do The Thing!
The Weapons questline is, to this day, my absolute favorite storyline in 14 (aside from MSQ). It ruined me and doing this questline and 5.3 in the same weekend was... emotionally destroying.
I really like how when praetorium got the rework, they used some of phase 2 of emerald for inspiration on the redone gaius fight
sorrow of werlyt was the first time this game made me cry, it was incredible
what, you don't cry like every time you turn on the game? :P
@@KharaChmiel (i know this is a joke but) im really not a crier, especially when it comes to games so ffxiv is notable for me
@@spadesart yeah makes sense haha.
FFXIV uses the WHOLE buffalo
This is such a great use of that phrase. It really does.
Emerald Weapon came out in 5.4. Imagine what a treat it was after all the MSQ wrap up in 5.3 that we could still get major hyped about stuff tangential to ARR.
Koji was working on 16 at this point in time, so this was Kate's doing, not Koji's. Also, it never fails to surprise me that Cid is also kinda Gaius' surrogate child, what with that big beard of his.
One of my favorite bits of FF referencing actually comes from this. Like, I doubt y'all have escaped the "The weapons are from FF7" folk, and I don't mean to reiterate that, but Sapphire in particular is amusing to me. In 7, Sapphire Weapon is the only Weapon without a boss fight. It gets killed off in a cutscene. In a way, you could say that it being a solo duty and not a proper trial is a reference to that, but also the fact that its Oversoul is linked to Van Hydra harkens back to that considering he was kinda set up for a proper boss fight in the Aetherochemical Research dungeon only to be taken out in a cutscene.
Wonder if Cid got the G-Warrior template from Omni, one of the B-Rank Elite Marks in Azys Lla. It'd have been a great place to start from.
I believe it's specifically the boss from The Fractal Continuum hard, The Ultima Warrior.
@@LukeGarou Ooh, I'd forgotten about that one! That'd be even better.
I didn't have I'd cry over a video you guys posted on my bingo card this week, but here we are. Great video.
I remember picking up this quest randomly without realizing what it was. I saw Gaius was involved and I decided to keep going. Then Ruby weapon happened and big fat tacos and I was like ...O.O...then I was hooked for hours running through all the craziness. Still one of my fav quest lines in FFXIV...and there are many.
So glad you made a separate story vid about this series. Werlyt is some of the best side content in the game story wise
loved the end advertisment for "the black wolf" \o/
The best trial series in the game and should be mandatory.
I can't wait to see them do another optional lvl 90 quest that ties with this too, its another good ending to the series (part of the Tataru's sidequest).
A Werlyt Video?
A Surprise to be sure, but a Welcome one.
Absolutely would recommend this questline! It was one that REALLY stuck with me.
Ahh the FFVII weapon questline. Ultima, Saphire, Emerald, Ruby, Diamond, Jade (We dont speak of Jade) and Omega (Differnt Omega from the one we see used in XIV so far) are my fav monsters in all of FF so seeing them appear in this game was just amazing.
Making the G-Warrior the repurposed Remains of Proto-Ultima combined with the Ultima Warrior? Cids, remark on how it would of been nice had we not caused so much damage, i loved it all.
They just intertwined so much of the WoL's past and i was saying irl when the G-Warrior fight was going: "Hey Gaius? I was so jelly of you when you got to pilot Ultima.... Now its my turn at last!" XD
Side tip: When you hit 90 and finish MSQ, Do Tatarus quest line.... every streamer misses it because its side content and theres still patch content to go, but for story you need to do Tatarus quest :D
Livia was ALSO Gaius' adopted child who was one twin child of family friends... and for whatever reason he didn't adopt Lucia. When NOT being adopted was probably for the best, considering how messed up everyone he adopted was.
Livia and Lucia were separated comparatively early in life and didn't really have all that much of a bond. And Lucia was sent off to Ishgard at about the same time or even before Livia joined the 14th.
Garrett's face popping up in the corner is sending me XD
For me this is exactly what you should expect from optional content. It calls back to stuff in the MSQ and it is high quality, but the overall story of the game in no way hinges on it. Coils of Bahamut, Warring Triad, Alexander, Void Ark, Four Lord, Omega, Eden, and Shadowbringer's role quests all come up later, this never does and I find it hard to imagine a reason for it to ever come up again.
Endwalker also has some optional content that should be part of the MSQ.
M'Naago: We Ala Mhigans have not forgotten it was *you* who led the invasion of our homeland. The blood of our fallen loved ones is on your hands!
Kyle!Gaius: ...kay.
I think I have commented multiple times on your streams (sorry for the spoilers) in the past about this. Glad in the end you enjoyed it as much as I did.
I honestly I didn't even remember the "villain", the story was so much about Gaius that - yea - kudos to SE, Valens was just the perfect side character to make Gaius shine even more.
Regula got fckn ROBBED. Dude was pretty cool. Gets iced basically off screen.
Off screen? I thought it was in HW trials
@@daasnahk5058 It's a flashback you get when you echo off him bleeding out. Practically off screen.
This questline is in such a weird place. On the one hand I'm glad that it's not part of the MSQ. subjecting someone with a questlike in a mandatory manner this is borderline evil. On the other hand, it really gives the perfect closure to Gaius' story. I still remember how Jeathe reacted to everything that was going on.
This is what I really love about the way this game tells their stories: something will resonate differently with someone. Much like how Seto's reunion with Ardbert in 5.3 really hits you in the feels if you're a pet owner, this questline can stir a lot of emotions if you happen to be a parent.
"Extendo-fingers guymelef robot"
*turns head* ... My god I don't hear references to Escaflowne often.
Sorrow of Werlyt destroyed me. Such great story telling.
Pop goes Valens :D
What a treat to wake up to! I'd forgotten you two hadn't done this video yet.
I completed what my Lodestone record calls "Garlemald's Machinations." It's good.
"What's with the milk?"
Hans Landa, Inglorious Basterds.
Gaius and Estinien is the buddy cop sub plot the world didn't know it needed. As a guy who grew up in Vermont, I would like to propose a caveat that milk is a small red flag, not the nail in the coffin of outed supervillainy.
When Cid says "Thats the cruellest thing I have ever heard" I think thats when it really, *really* hits you, the extent of Gaius's pain.
The word "monster" gets overused in the age of video game culture, but "monstrous" still carries all the weight it deserves. The brilliance of Gaius is that he wasn't ever really wrong. He was a military commander working on the "weak men lead to bad times, bad times lead to strong men, strong men lead to great times" philosophy, which is one of those fundamental truths of humanity. Compared to Valens, Gaius is just another good guy walking the road to hell.
Oh and one small detail. He gets into his armor all sweaty from excercise(with help from those kids watching him...), without shower. Imagine that smell...
Oh my, I was waiting for this one. I thought they forgot about this one.
I had problems with the Sapphire solo duty in the past. I had a laggy old potato unit that was affecting my fps and therefore the clear. Eventually, when I got a new system, I was able to overcome this hurdle, allowing me to complete the rest of this series.
nice touch ending the video with that song :D haunting and sad
Man, I have been waiting for this video for MONTHS. Thanks for such a great recap of a MANDATORY side story ❤
I agree with you, Werlyt is definitely "Required Reading" even though it's technically optional.
Regarding the Ghosts of the Children, they were in each patch you can go to Ternclif. After Saffire, the Milisadira child finds the Ricon one and they leave together. Then Rex joins them in a game of hide and seek. And finally at the end, All the kids are playing tag, but stop to watch Gaius and Allie, saying their goodbyes again. It's not just the last patch that's touching, each patch just adds with their little interactions that the majority of people don't stop to look for..
I remember not being too excited about this quest when I first picked them up because I don't really like FF7 all that much and I was scared it would just be like Ivalice and the story would be more of a "LOOK! is a reference!" but then the ruby weapon transition happened and *oh boy.* Easily one of my favorite stories in the whole game.
In a world of complex sympathetic antagonists, sometimes you need a straight up villain. I did this questline well after completing the MSQ and I was so surprised about all of it having never seen other coverage of it. Definitely peak FFXIV distilled into a single storyline.
Excellent!
Goonael is just the melted pilot like the dad
Oh yeah, its finally time for BIG FAT TACOS! 😂
Just like Kyle, I loved Regula van Hydrus. He was honorable to a fault - just like Gaius - and despite being very pro-Garlean and pro-Emporor, he doesn't hesitate for a single second when it comes to putting aside an entire conflict and teaming up with his enemy for a greater cause, knowing full well that his regiment would be at a tremendous disadvantage - saving a child and going out like a boss. You can hate the cause, but you have to respect his unbending honor.
When we were farming the Sharknado fate for our levendary weapons back in the day, we knew what we were in for in the future 😂
You probably already know the full story of Nael and why i happened narratively but I will still share so you know:
back in 1.0 when they introduced Nael, Nael was designed as a man. But the localization team misinterpreted the character as a woman. So there is a bit of a mismatch between both languages, which Koji had to find a way around, and that's how they came up with Eula and with a whole story to explain how Nael was initially a man but not anymore :P
Also fun stuff: The Weapons are of course a node to FF7, but they went the extra mile with Sapphire. I don't want to spoil FF7, but Sapphire is also handled VERY differently from the others in FF7.
As for Valens, I said it before and I'll say it again:
I could not think of a more fitting end for such a W E A S E L.
I really wish the raids' and trials stories were voiced, can you imagine Omega voiced, with the squabbling between Nero and Cid, or friggin Bahamut... Heck, Cid's memories in the early part of Bojna...
Also someone once told me something very disturbing, Livia is one of Gaius' childs, replaying Castrum and seeing some of her lines...
And the localisation team's fun with quests and fates name is just delicious
So, to me milk is such an everyday normal thing that having Valens be a big milk drinker (hah!) amplifies the disturbing factor. Like, it makes his character even more unsettling to pair him with something to ordinary.
This is why I had a difficult time with the Garlemald MSQ in Endwalker.
Ala Migo, Doma, Eorzea, Werlyt
The scions are better ppl than me.
The best side content that I wish was voice casted after the fact. Love more Gaius backstory and its a roller coaster of emotions - apparently it's heavily inspired by the UC Gundam stories and I can see Yoshida's love for them.
👏BURN 👏OUT👏THE👏BAD👏