We Fall Unto the End | Shadowbringers FFXIV

[@Geallach83]

Ardbert's retort at the end is a call back to Emet's story in the Qitana Ravel. Emet: It is our history... Our story... Ardbert: This is our future... Our story...

[@DayleDiamond]

Also a callback to FFX and FFX-2, both had protagonists who made similar statements.

[@vaidenkelsier7757]

@@DayleDiamond Was just gonna mention that lol

[@OmegaEnvych]

NGL, I didn't noticed that callback at the beginning, but now I heard it again, it was so good.

[@etowngftddummy]

In Pyromancer's video for this he played the Qitana Ravel clip first then showed the Ardbert line. It was pretty nice.

[@Tazrael]

Ardbert: This world has no need for heroes. Emet: My world will have no need for heroes.

[@ninjafoxgamesgeekery]

"Let expanse contract, eon become instant. Champions from beyond the rift, heed my call!" Somewhere, beyond the rift: "Holy crap, instant duty pop for DPS!"

[@Deuzen_FIN]

Exarch posted a Cross-World Party Finder, and it filled instantly.

[@christianf.5553]

@@Deuzen_FIN So... You're saying that Garrett is G'raha? 😜

[@victoriahunter4684]

That was me two days ago

[@elixwhitetail]

"Let expanse contract, eon become instant. Champions from beyond the rift, heed my call!" Wanna know something neat? Count the words. SE likes being clever this way now and then. FFXI's intro video begins with, "It all began with a stone, or so the legend says..."

[@Norbert_Sattler]

Or it might turn out like: "eons become instant" You are #28 Average Time: 40 minutes

[@Maria_Erias]

I think one thing you're missing with the reveal of Emet-Selch's true name isn't that it's a Final Fantasy reference, but that it is a straight-up mythological reference. Hades was the god of the underworld, the caretaker of departed souls. This is exactly what Emet-Selch was, the caretaker and steward of all of his people, dead or absorbed into Zodiark, and he was working to bring them back from, figuratively, the underworld.

[@cnkclark]

The Ancients called the aetherial sea the Underworld and Hades had a particular affinity/talent for it and its souls. He was literally known as the Master of the Underworld pre-Sundering.

[@clangauss4155]

I see the "Remember Us" as a moment of lucidity. He went off the deep end with rage, digging his hole deeper and deeper. He deemed us unworthy to continue his legacy, but the moment he is defeated he is proven wrong. You ARE worthy, but it's too late for him to change his mind. That smirk is him acknowledging that we are worthy, at least, to bear the memories he has clung to for a thousand lifetimes. That which is most important to him. Finally, he trusts us.

[@seekittycat]

Emet always moved the goalpost (if you defeat this dungeon then I'll see you as worthy, oh wait nope I found you wanting anyways). He just can't accept the current world no matter how many test he does. The fact that he does offer test in the first place I think shows his conflicting desires. He can't give up on his people, he doesn't really want to murder entire worlds. The first time we met Emet he was pissed how he was waken from slumber. I think he knew in the end only death will stop him and finally let him rest.

[@WillKazeOh]

I got a fairly different take from that line: I saw it as his facade breaking as he knows his end is near. He has been doing very theatrical villain actions, like he really wanted to show eveyone he was the bad guy and why. He could have decided to not bother with such a grand enchantment as Amaurot, without inviting the WoL to his own lair, without kidnapping the Exarch... and yet he did all those things. He wanted the WoL to come to him, prove their strength, yes, but also "Remember that they once lived". Becoming the record keeper to whom he may entrust his people's history and legacy. To me, he allied himself with us for his grand scheme, but through his personnal conversations with WoL, he grew to reiginite his hope, and was prepared for his demise... but knew that the only way for WoL to give their all to be the hero he looked for was for them to face a true villain. And so, he played this role until the moment he was truly beaten, before revealing he was putting on a facade and retiring to the aether.

[@tehzerp]

​@@WillKazeOh I think he was genuinely trying to end us or turn us into whatever we were going to become Lightwarden supreme? I also have additional theories can't talk about yet.

[@99range92def]

And the burden was lifted off his shoulders shows to use by his new straight posture.

[@prinstyrio0]

​@@WillKazeOh I felt this too, that added with the fact I think it's very clear he knows who's soul yours belong to which is the reason he's willing to negotiate with you and keeps giving you chances. Knowing the person the soul belonged to, he had high expectations, but also wanted those expectations to come true so badly. Though I do believe he was struggling with himself, the part of him that wanted you to prevail and a different part of him that was shackled by duty to his people. It's like he was split into 2 personalities, both equally delusional in treating you like you were his dear friend and the other unable to stop what he's been trying to for so many thousands of years. It definitely broke him, and he kept testing you to the point you might free him, but he couldn't just give up and let you, cause the part of him so dutiful to his people was too strong, so why he puts up such a hard fight, putting his all out instead of making it easy, and at the end when you win it's like lifting a huge boulder. He was defeated and dying, he was freed from the burden, and all he could do was to hope you could atleast remember them.

[@Davothar]

One of the more subtle touch that got me was Emet's posture at the end. Throughout Shadowbringers he had a hunch, as if he bore a great weight wherever he went. This was most pronounced during Hythlo's conversation. Then when his task was finally ended with his death, he faced the WoL with a straight posture. His work was done. He had no burdens left to bear. His time was up. He was free.

[@raipe94]

As much as I personally also agree with this idea, I'm like 99% sure it's a game engine thing. In the cutscene, where Emet-Selch talks to the previous mayor of Eulmore, we can see Emet-Selch in his Ascian robe, and he isn't slouching, the same as before he fades away. Again, I personally do like the idea that a figurative weight has been lifted, but it's most likely just a character skeleton thing.

[@RothAnim]

@@raipe94 That's the beauty of it, it can be both! As an animator, I've added a handful of gags that were never intended in writing or storyboarding, but worked great in the moment. Some were on purpose, some happy little accidents to fix an error. It's quite possible that they noted that the model for him in the Ascian robes didn't slouch, and instead of creating a custom model for him, they figured it would fit the story better if he didn't. Writing is rarely an idea fully formed before it gets produced, especially with collaborative media.

[@siyrean]

@@raipe94 to further agree with this, when Elidibus first possesses Zenos, he too is just generic Ascian model and not nearly tall enough to be in Zeno’s body under his robes.

[@alcrestoncross9900]

The Axe of Light hits harder once you realize that earlier Ardbert was praying desperately for his axe to hit its mark.

[@Anharie]

Oh God, I'd never made that connection.

[@seekittycat]

The twins: Thought we miss our grandfather so much and want to see him we can't summon him it'll be bad for the planet 😔😢. Garret: /gathering crystals to summon Emet Primal in the background 👀

[@Churee]

I count that guitar riff when Ardbert hands you the axe one of the best gaming moments ever created. Just pure "FUCK YEAH".

[@WarMonkeyPlays]

I think it's #1 for me. My "fuck yeah" was an audible yell. I don't think I've been more hyped going into a boss fight.

[@jdent8561]

That and the next 60 seconds are so definitely belong in "top 10 anime moments of all time"

[@Khalmidgar]

gives me chills every time

[@gateauxq4604]

Every time I see it I still yell LESSGOOOOOOO

[@astralbuddha]

Gaming moments? Story telling moments in all of existence, time, and space.

[@oninekoX3]

*taking a sip from soda can while watching* "You got a gremlin quoting Emet" *gets goosebumps and slowly sets down can as they show the trailer with Emet's voice* I... never put that together...

[@LastExpellian]

The bit of the Hades battle that has lived rent-free in my head for years now is right near the end after the ATM button mash. One of his lines, shouted in desperation against you is "That Light split the world! And every Life upon it!" He is pleading with you to see it his way, how the light of Hydaelyn ruined everything he loved, and now is overpowering even him.

[@FessyDKnight]

Shadowbringers for me was proof that I wasn't completely dead inside. I haven't felt choked up about anything in so long that when it did happen, I was like, "oh, so I can still feel something."

[@howdomaddie]

chekov's ardbert going off is one of the best moments of this expansion, and it's wild that it gets BETTER

[@Mythda]

watching their reactions to the .3 chapter is going to be a hell of a thing. i can't watch their streams often, but i sure as heck want to see that whole patch.

[@MsSjofn]

G'raha summoning party members for you always delights me in part because of some of the glams that wind up showing up for that fight. My favorite is when there's someone in a bikini or something, I like to assume they were relaxing somewhere at the beach, then suddenly whoops, time to fight a giant powerful being for the fate of two worlds.

[@TheoVorster]

In regards the White Auracite shards breaking, but the WoL still being able to perma-kill Emet-Selch, it's important to remember from all the way back in the 2.x patches, that while the White Auracite is a super essential part of the process of killing an Ascian, the White Auracite in of itself isn't what deals the killing blow for destroying an Ascian, that aspect goes to the Blade of Light. Basically the White Auracite acts as the container/shackles/prison of the Ascian's soul (to prevent the Ascian's soul from escaping to the Rift/purple Ascian space pocket-dimension) while enough aether/energy is built up (i.e. the Blade(s) of Light) in order to be able to destroy the Ascian soul. With Lahabrea the Eye of Nidhogg basically acted as the substitute for the White Auracite and instead of destroying his soul, Thordan consumed/ate Lahabrea's soul instead. In the case Emet-Selch, he basically got staked like a vampire and the White Auracite shards kept him in place long enough (and likely absorbed enough of his aether) that by the time the final shard was broken, Emet-Selch didn't have any time to be able to escape to the Rift/purple Ascian space pocket-dimension (and/or possibly was also too weakened to be able to escape) and thus couldn't avoid the killing blow of the Blade (or Axe in this instance) of Light. Also in regards to making a "Meanwhile in Garlemald" video, the guys may want to hold off on making one until the end of the 5.1 MSQ.

[@HermeneuticallySealed]

Oh hey! I see you everywhere with season 2 of Vinland Saga! You obviously have great taste being here too.

[@jjc101]

I read it as Hades wasn't even thinking of retreating when we skewered him. Once the auracite shattered he came at us full force and was intent on destroying us completely then and there.

[@TheoVorster]

@@jjc101 oh I am sure the mindset of Emet-Selch/Hades was something like that as well, but I think we can confidently say the White Auracite still played an essential role in preventing Emet-Selch’s soul from automatically escaping into the Rift/purple Ascian-space, regardless of whether he was consciously considering retreat or not.

[@renmage2311]

One visual touch that people like to point out: after you defeat Emet and he's asking you to remember them, you'll see that he's standing up straight for the first time. In slaying him, you've proven yourself worthy as steward of the Star and lifted the weight off his shoulders.

[@ArakDBlade]

​@blueicefrostyy627this is my take. He was caught in an impossible choice of continuing to murder countless people or to abandon those who relied on him. In killing him we made the choice for him and he could go to his rest knowing he gave his all for his people and the new lives of the Star had finally proven their ability. It wasn't his ideal outcome but it was good enough.

[@ArakDBlade]

@blueicefrostyy627 true. Maybe more accurate of me to say we forced him into a do or die stand and that drove him to make his final choice and double down.

[@KharaChmiel]

PSA: Please avoid spoilers in the chat section, please. We don't want to have to redact your comments because we love all of you in the community! Please avoid "telling" the hosts to remember certain aspects of what happened in-game for later. Avoid all of the little things, like inserting quotes and such from patch content or Endwalker. Remember that inferences can be made from the words that you speak! Thank you all for doing your best!

[@inoob26]

I love how the edits made both Garette and Kyle's WoL standing before Emette

[@decoinferno]

Bit sad not to see mention of the match cuts of our Heroes returning to the Crystarium, and Ardbert returning to his friends. One of my favourite scenes.

[@kisaragireion]

Yeah. That short scene was a roller coaster of emotion and it hit me hard. First you see the typical heroes’ welcome that you, as WoL are quite familiar with Then, thanks to a certain hrothgar’s wide, masculine body, you can see Ardbert. He is smiling, clean shaven, and no bloodstains on his axe. He is free from his guilt on screwing his world over He only wanted to do what’s right, but he messed it up. Now, he finally gets the heroes’ welcome he deserved .. or so I thought! Camera pans through the banners and the crowd shifts to his friends welcoming him back Gets me teary eyed every time. A well earned rest thousand times over. And now he lives within you

[@fairlyenjoyable]

They might touch on that in another video. They did say they still had a lot to unpack!

[@venabre]

The thing that makes the Ardbert scene for me is the music. This is it. This moment. Everything that happened has led to this. This is Shadowbringers.

[@HandlesAreStupid2025]

Ardbert handing the axe and the main theme hitting is truly one of the greatest video gaming experiences of my life. Entire body lit up.

[@Kasaaz]

It's amazing how much more you can appreciate a story and the work involve when you actually trust the storyteller. When you can just take it all in as Garrett is saying, instead of worrying, "Okay, but how are they going to screw this up?"

[@ArakDBlade]

So will they ever live down the fact its Dying Gasp and not Dying Grasp? 🤣 You guys are great, keep it up.

[@proy3]

I thought it was Dying Grasp for like a year before someone pointed it out to me.

[@ArakDBlade]

​@@proy3my brain tries to call it that sometimes as well if I'm being honest...

[@Shockt0pus]

I think I saw it as dying grasp before but gasp makes more sense, something about this game makes people want to add the letter R to words, I've seen so many people call hydatos hydratos

[@irregularrogue2090]

@@Shockt0pus I thought Camp Bluefog was called Camp Bluefrog for the longest time.

[@jjfrank]

There are people who play this game for 8 straight years and still call them tomb stones instead of tomestones

[@AutumnSteven]

I actually became more sympathetic to Emet from the lines he speaks during the Dying Gasp. A little sad that Kyle was trying so hard to be negative about the ancient’s culture and Emet’s lines. After the line you guys pointed out “damn your wretched blessing” he also says “That Light split the world, and every life upon it!” And also “Our tragedy must never again come to pass!” He’s consumed with darkness but he’s still being true to his purpose to do what he thinks will save his people. Also, to me, his final lines are about accepting his loss and that his people’s time is over. With hope that we will at least remember them and carry that legacy forward.

[@ygnizemcenia6059]

Indeed, you can feel his hatred for our blessing not because it brought his master low but what it did to his people.

[@ericbright1742]

He had reached the villainous breakdown. We were proving him wrong, and he is _screaming_ his defiance at us, at everything we represent. He starts to crush the arena, and the safe zone our Light has carved out, just to destroy us. He refuses to let this be his world's end, even if it means his own.

[@acgearsandarms1343]

@@IsilmeTuruphant Disagree only with the children part. We actually are the size of their children to their limited perception as shades. I doubt the actual Ancients would see us as children.

[@OddManeuver]

I think around this point when Ascians shades were explaining why they summoned Zodiark at the end of 5.0, I stopped seeing him as a villian and more as just a broken tool of a even more broken race.

[@siyrean]

Or perhaps *very pointed stare*

[@TheIvoryDingo]

Something I personally think is interesting to note about the scene where Zenos kills Varis that I only realised on a recent NG+ run I did: It is the first time we see Zenos absolutely FURIOUS to the point you can hear it in his voice. Sure, he's had moments during Stormblood where he got irked at his subordinates messing up, but I didn't really read any of those moments as him being angry. And considering that Varis was willing to use Black Rose or "a coward's weapon" as Zenos called it that would pretty much completely undermine any of Zenos' attempts to engage in a satisfying battle/hunt... I am not surprised that Zenos got angry there.

[@kpxtreame]

Varis was the person who set Zenos's life on this path, was the person who controlled his life path for basically all his life until his first death. Even if he dosent understand the emotion, it was deep inside him that killing Varis would liberate him

[@ericbright1742]

Someone described that entire scene as "The Battle of the Chads," and watching Varis pull the Katana out of his own gut and *snapping it,* with one hand, I'm inclined to agree.

[@Kassilphe]

For me the "crown" on Hades model looks more like a yoke - a manifestation of the weight he carried for millenia and the effort he put int bringing his brethren back. An honor and a very heavy burden in one.

[@aceartemis7]

I think about what Hades stands for in Greek Mythology. He was... King of the _____.

[@midnightmiqo]

That guitar riff moment was the height of nerd chill moments. The choreography of music and visuals is just getting better and better and we are definitely reaching this strange blur of great narrative driven games that make you feel like you're playing in your own movie. On a separate note moving into the future, I WISH I had a reference for this comment, I only know it because Mr. Happy has said it a couple of times, all Crossover content is considered to NOT be canon to the story. Normally this applies to crossover events like FF15 or DragonQuest, or Yokai Watch. However, Nier is the only alliance raid to be considered a crossover raid and so the whole Alliance Raid is not canon. While other alliance raids do heavily reference/inspired by other games (Ivalice especially), none of them were billed as crossovers, Nier was. So it's a thing to consider, especially when you get in the thick of it.

[@katarh]

If I remember correctly, that was a request from Ishikawa (the writer) to Souken and the sound team. They argue a lot about the timing of sounds, but that particular one was a request to "make the emotion punch you in the gut" in so many words. Silence, then guitar riff.

[@DayleDiamond]

Thank you for sharing your journey with all of us!

[@omegagilgamesh]

"And then we get the best damn scene, the emotional touch, I've ever seen in an RPG." "So far!" He's not wrong.

[@clangauss4155]

FFXIV gets good. People say it all the time, but it's hard from the outside to fathom what people mean. This is usually what we are thinking about when say it.

[@TheDeliciousMystery]

This has always been a special boss fight to me because i wasnt going "hoo rah lets nuke the boss for loot!" like most mmos. I felt bad and didn't really want to fight him because you could understand his motivations even if you dont agree with them. It left me feeling like maybe all of this was half ascian plot and half "its been 10,000 years, its just me and elidibus left, please prove enough of the person i knew is there in you to validate your existence and show someone else can take my place should the final days occur again". Like he just wanted the excuse to finally stop and pass the baton on as much as try and cause a rejoining. But you finish the fight and its not some "rraagggh how can this be? i am the big dick raid bosssss!" like most mmos. Its "i can't fail here, if i do what happens to the BILLIONS of people who put their hopes and dreams on my shoulders" and thats not the big power fantasy victory lap feel when you take him down. Ultimately the big pay off is we basically become his replacement. The last sane person connected to amourot that knows of it, the final days and all the sacrifices made to stop it. With Hades gone its up to us to remember because theres really nobody else left who can.

[@TheNibblet99]

I always thought the music was about you and Ardbert Ardbert being the warrior of darkness, you being the warrior of light. Two tones of the shadows of the same Amaurothian soul who was shattered to form you both.

[@zayzay6509]

I also think this!

[@CrashB111]

There's enough duos in Shadowbringers, that the lyrics to the theme can apply to like 5 or 6 different pairings of characters. And all of them are equally valid interpretations.

[@Coralskipper]

The music que when Ardbert gives you his axe is my single favorite music que in any video game. It's just so perfect.

[@chysamere]

Every time you see Emet walking he's slouched over, carrying the weight of an entire race, of all those expectations he places on himself. Then finally, at the end, after it's over, he entrusts you to "remember" him and carry on their legacy. Then, only then. does he stand up straight.

[@morningstarcollective4671]

I think the song has many meanings, applies to many duos (all of them with the wol). And even exclusively with Emet and WoL, Emet is both darkness and light in one. He serves Zodiark, but the light was *his* weapon. The broken corrupting light. And us, the WoL, brought darkness. Very ying yang, light in darkness darkness in light.

[@Anarch1088]

Personally, for me it was Ardbert(WoD) and the WoL. Two shards of the same soul with their own individal personas who served as both WoD and WoL. The duality of being. No villian is without his Light, no hero his Darkness.

[@chiekokurokumo]

"two toned echoes tumbling through time"... if taken literally can mean a whole other parallelism that most people don't seem to have gotten. A parallelism made more clear in 5.3 IMO.

[@renemuller7383]

wouldnt be the first nor the last time that the team is playing 4D-chess with the lyrics.

[@Spookybluelights]

To this day, the needle drop when Ardbert gives you the axe sends chills down my spine.

[@Kritigri]

11:58 Oh you GUYS the fucking EDIT with you standing SIDE BY SIDE OHHH STOP IT I'M GONNA CRY

[@Final.Family]

YES !!! i don't know if it's Garrett or Kyle or Nahuel who creates these split-screen edits, but they are SUCH a phenomenal touch to these videos. i'm so glad to see someone pointing it out; thank you!

[@Final.Family]

(Adding a personal side-note: when my daughter & i went thru this scene together, and had the dialogue choice to say "I challenge you, Emet-Selch", we both ended up saying "WE challenge you, Emet-Selch!". It made my heart well up on top of all the nerd-chills. Greatest gaming moment of my life.)

[@sirf4ce]

Kyle at the end: We had a full course meal and we are both satisfied. But always remember...I had to drag you to the table. 🤣🤣🤣

[@ClearanceSaleThor]

"Just as long as those heroes can't zoom out further than they should" made me laugh harder than it should have.

[@Advon]

Always great to see your retrospectives. Y'all continually point out things I've forgotten and missed. Anyways, this may have been brought up to y'all before, but the ability to see ground markers and such has been firmly ensconced in "Headcanon your own explanation" territory. If I'm remembering this correctly, after Shadowbringers launched, the devs got asked about the trust system, namely how the Scions can react to the battle indicators without the echo. The devs answered this very, very carefully, specifying they were talking about npcs, and then gave some options such as veteran fighters being able to predict the movements of their enemies. But they intentionally did not tie the question to how *we* see those markers, indirectly leaving it up to us to decide for our characters how we're able to predict what our opponents are doing.

[@uwu-cx2yc]

Val may be wearing his favorite gift sweater but he looks so elegant badass when he glares at Emet :D

[@rext.b.4436]

Talking about the mention of Graha wondering if the age he came from still exists somehow, look up the Tales of X where the X is a different thing for every expansion. It’s a collection of short stories that give more lore for each expansion, especially for side characters. There was one from ARR iirc where pirate leader lady confronts her past. And there’s one from Shadowbringers where Graha’s question is answered fully! Check it out!

[@Tazrael]

I'm so happy you two picked the second option in the axe scene. I've seen so many others go with the first because they think that the second one is a voice of worry or fear, but that smirk on the WoL's face makes it so clear it's a "You coming too?"

[@siyrean]

Call back to the No hero fights alone line and I love it.

[@cnkclark]

Yes, absolutely, picking that second option was my WoL fully acknowledging Ardbert with a gentle tease to say "We're in this together and this is your moment as much as mine."

[@tinybee7780]

Can't wait to see the updated Wall of Dungeons. The dungeons in both the base and patch contents ShB are great. I used to have the space skybox in Amaurot as my wallpaper for a long time, until EW of course. 11:26 Definitely a blink and you'll miss it moment. So much happened during this since it's hard to process things especially if it's the first time watching it. For me, the first time I missed the Wol syncing with Ardbert - The timing of our WoL speaking with Ardbert's voice is probably the closest we will have to the Wol having a speaking line. 20:40 Such a nice detail showing him in the end standing in front of us with a straight posture, as if a huge burden has been lifted. The little smile at the end was such a cool farewell.

[@valkyriebait136]

This is the video I've waited a year for. And it was worth every step of the journey.

[@HealingBlight]

Ardbert's connection to the WoL was indicated all the way back when Seto, Ardbert's mount, recognises your soul looking the same as his. Also what's great fun about these videos is all the moments someone says something and you begin to chuckle because "THEY HAVE NO IDEA".

[@KamiSlayer86]

Lol imagine just finishing 5.0 and even thinking about Endwalker. Still got a hell of a journey before that.

[@richardwallis9374]

Saying “Remember us” plays into what his role has always been. To guard and entrust the legacy of his people. And when the option for them to live again by his hand was no longer there, he wants them to live on the only way they now can, in the memory of someone who he deep down respects and knows will travel the breadth of the world telling stories to those who will listen.

[@desdenova1]

"I am stifled by this vessel of flesh!" Same, Hades... same...

[@raven_tempest]

The beauty of Emet as a villain is that never had a chance to overstay, from start to finish he was an amazing villain. This makes him one of the greatest.

[@SventFulgur]

I know Kyle would love the extra context in the short stories on the Lodestone give! 🤩

[@DifunctedReble]

I wonder if the guys' trauma of WoW novels will diminish enough to read those.

[@SventFulgur]

@@DifunctedReble I understand that might cause some reservations but they're all single page short stories and they're free to access for everyone so it really is much better than hunting down various novels that add additional costs to investing into the story

[@Marekthejester]

Emet is such an amazing antagonist because while you cannot condone his action, you can still relate to his motive. Imagine watching all those you love, your friends, your family, sacrifice themselves to ward off the apocalypse, then watch the survivor sacrifice themselves again to counter was the first sacrifice created. What if you could bring them all back ? What if you could bring back the old world ? How far would you go for that if there was even the slightest possibility of it happening ?

[@Someone-dv7hw]

12:00 ah yes, blink and you miss it, I love that you edited your characters together there, can't have been too easy but I really appreciate it

[@skaldi8347]

I really love how the two of you were referring to Ardbert as a "round in the chamber" through all your Shadowbringer videos, and it ends with you literally firing his axe/energy as the final blow on Emet!

[@travisproo87]

That thank you to Garrett at the end almost made me man-cry. HOW DARE YOU CATCH ME OFF GUARD LIKE THAT

[@donovanmarks1865]

I recently rewatched the King Thordan fight, and a comment that was made at the time just had a different meaning to me. When he eats Lahabrea, "that's good have a consequence in the future" I think the consequence is almost immediate. I think that's why he gets a glimpse of your soul's form at the end of the fight. The ascians can recognize your soul, and he gained that recognition from eating Lahabrea.

[@chicchicboom]

"... just as long as none of those heroes can zoom out farther than they should." I just about spewed my beer. bwahahahah! oh my GOD. you guys are the best. you shake that proverbial sprout finger at those dudes.

[@diamondmagus]

One minor detail that I like, as explained by another, is the Warrior of Light undergoes their merging with Ardbert in the same way the Source merges with one of the Shards during a Rejoining: pump them full of an aspected aether (Light, in this case), put them under immense stress, and then once cracks have been created, the missing piece flows into the original. While not perfect (in this analogy, you'd have to fill Ardbert with Light, not the WoL), its a nice symbolic representation showing how the WoL rejoins with their counterpart. Then a kickass music rift kicks in, the WoL speaks, and its time to finish it.

[@GimmeTOKYO]

Holy fuck that mention about Forte just sent me down the depths of the seven hells and ascended me up to the pinnacle of the seven heavens. Holy. Shit.

[@TheGeekShow]

Just throwing this out there but it's more probable that the theme tune is referring to the WoL and Ardbert. "One brings shadow, one brings light, Two-toned echoes tumbling through time" A big part of the song seems to refer to the plight of The First ... "The road that we walk Is lost in the flood Here proud angels bathe in Their wages of blood At this, the world's end, do we cast off tomorrow" And the song also refers to what happened to Ardbert and his friends ... "Authors of our fates Orchestrate our fall from grace Poorest players on the stage Our defiance drives us straight to the edge" The final verse is probably about Ardberts choice at the end, when he decides to "rejoin" ... "One brings shadow, one brings light One more chapter we've yet to write Want for nothing, nothing denied Wand'ring ended, futures aligned One brings shadow, one brings light One brings shadow, one brings light You are the light" With that action he returns to being a Warrior of Light.

[@TheUbberman]

One of the most Perfectly executed ending segment out of any game I've played. And I don't say this lightly, but the sheer attention to detail, the build-up, the execution... the music! Every piece added up to something truly Special.

[@Breakfastlizurt]

the truth behind the phase change is a bit more literal: for how powerful Ascians (Paragons especially) are, their powers are ultimately limited by the body they inhabit. he states in the fight that he’s stiffled by his vessel of flesh, and promptly stabs himself through the heart (killing the fleshy vessel that was limiting him).

[@Breakfastlizurt]

(also there’s some really great supplementary lore material for ShB that’s free to read on the Lodestone called “Tales from the Shadow”. some of it helps flesh out some of the background stuff in 5.0, but there are a couple stories best left until y’all reach the .5 patch or so)

[@Yvanne]

Everyone must read the last second the video, its hilarious and just puts into perspective how much god damn content there is in this game. lol

[@Final.Family]

haha, i read all that with the biggest grin on my face. So much great content in the game, AND so much great content from the GG guys and their support crew. It's been fantastic to see a story we love, being covered with the insight and care that GG has poured into it. (thanks for bringing our attention to that blurb they snuck in, Yvanne!)

[@Avaene]

These analysis videos continue to be a highlight of my week.

[@melissas4874]

To me the warrior of light/darkness is just to show you are a warrior - period. What you need to do as that chosen warrior may change depending on circumstances and you can't assume light is the best and dark is all bad or all Ascian. I think even Urianger touches on that when he tells you that darkness and light are just umbral/astral or static/dynamic forces. In other words, don't fixate on light/dark as much and don't assume that bringing light to something is the "right" answer. There is a balance.

[@ViewTube_Dan]

The crystals Thancred shot into Hades were supposed to draw out Aether in order to weaken him.

[@OmegaEnvych]

What I absolutely love from FFXIV as a Time-Travel story - it's that the only person who did proper Time Travel by his own will, doesn't know how it supposed to work fully. Let's be clear - G'raha is as confused as everyone else to how this thing should've worked. We are literally threading unknown waters in terms of magic and technology and trying to figure out how things could work and making new discoveries in world's magic and science. And this Summoning spell was invented and perfected by G'raha, not discovered from some archives - he did it with trial and error over the span of many years and it took him at least 5 attempts to cast the spell correctly and even that required him to make a beacon and put it to the First (somehow, I don't know how) I love this part of detail, because in so many Fantasy stories any form of magic like that is either commonplace or it's an old knowledge that some ancient wizard made hundreds of years ago, or so. Not an actual achievement of a person that stands right here in front of you. Shadowbringers makes sure that you know - Summoning spell was no small feat and yet G'raha managed to figure it out in span of years of trial and error and he achieved something that even Ancients were not able to do. I love this approach because it shows that world still has its own secrets that people have to figure out and possibilities to realise. It just sets up that "anything can happen" in this story, in the meaning that there is place for unexpected discoveries and adventures that player never has thought about before.

[@ShermTank7272]

The big curtain reveal of "Just a little further... and you will see the end of a world" had my jaw dropped. I'm so glad I ran this with Trusts the first time, because the sheer scope of the environment had me in awe for several minutes. And the Shadowbringers "needle drop" moment with Ardbert in the finale was the icing on the cake. Yoshi P, Ishikawa, Soken, Koji, and every single staff member listed in the credits should stand up and take a bow; their talent and hard work shone brightly in this expansion.

[@ericbright1742]

The fact that you can make out Vylbrand, and the coastline of Ul'dah, because _everything above water is on fire..._ I felt a pang of sorrow, watching this world I have come to love *burn.*

[@chrisdiekrasse4420]

all I want to say: THANKS FOR SHARING THESE EXPERIENCES WITH US 💕💕💕 and please, please take YOUR time. Don´t rush....

[@TyrMcDohl]

I feel like the gremlin scene of the trailer is an allegory to the story's end. WOL is struggling with his light, meanwhile, the villain is taunting him

[@Koibito247]

So friggin wholesome at the end you guys ❤❤❤ I’ve been watching you guys since just before this channel became GG and it’s always been a delight to just chill on your streams and watch these analysis/recap videos. Thanks again and look forward to the side content & patch content to come

[@dokdias]

The thumbnail made me cracked up more than I should.

[@larcgrumbles9529]

Even when they use assets or visual references to enemies from older final fantasy games, they're pretty good about making them fit entirely within XIV's universe, so I've never really understood folks pointing the references out and leaving it at that. That's kinda Final Fantasy's thing, all the characters, locations, and stories change every game, but the recurring cast are its monsters, items and spells.

[@lucasyukio8537]

it's being so exciting to see this journey through your eyes guys, grats on the great job!

[@ogrimbothesour2976]

yeah sorry to burst your bellweather (kek) , that fat bird thing is a fairly often occouring incarnation of the chimera in ff as a whole , and is often used to represent and subvert the fears of the smallfolk

[@VashimuXIV]

The morning of Ardbert and our Warrior of Light becoming one is the most hype thing ever.

[@throwaway5656]

you two have the best take so far with the ffxiv !! i love you're approaching this game with genuine curiosity and utmost care, and you didn't rush your playthrough. I really appreciate all of these.

[@patrickkershaw4885]

I personally think Y'shtola was wrong and that the description Ryne gave was more accurate. When Emet explains the rejoinings he talks about cracking the aetheric shell on the source via a "calamity" which allows it to absorb one of the reflections. That is essentially what happened with the WoL and Ardbert, you cracked your soul via absorbing light wardens (a calamity) and this allowed you to rejoin with Ardbert. Our being fixed at the end had nothing to do with our "light" or Emet's "darkness" it was that we completed the rejoining.

[@siyrean]

but you also expelled a large portion of light, via axe, which was then neutralized by Emets darkness.

[@alphie836]

I remember reading an interview somewhere about the Gremlin - they had to obfuscate who the quote came from in the trailer so it didn't spoil it. It lets them use important quotes without giving up the story bit attached to it.

[@IronSalamander8]

Love seeing your journey and thoughts on the game as you get closer and closer to the current stuff. I can't wait to no longer worry about spoilers when you guys get into/through Endwalker. Some of your observations and thoughts are so good that I want to comment on them, but don't want to spoil! Great video as always.

[@KharaChmiel]

I wish more people followed your example, honestly lol.

[@TheRedKnaveLP]

The turbo ultra chicken is a final fantasy X... No I can't lie to you like that, it's a unique model. Love the mega chimken, worship it.

[@ArakDBlade]

Mad because Mega Chimken

[@serisothikos]

The degree of speculation here is right on par with what folks were doing after 5.0 ended. Amazing stuff. A huge amount of the lore is revealed in Shadowbringers and digesting it carefully carries such a payoff.

[@crimsonpotemkin]

They started establishing it way sooner than with Hythlodeus. In the very beginning of shadowbringers, when Ardbert first appears he says that he had almost entirely faded away and was in a sleep like haze, but then returned to consciousness in your room. Then later on when you were absorbing all the Light and were on the verge of cracking, he "touched" you and became less transparent (as in became more glowy and visible), whilst your light overflow lessened. They have several little touches like this that seem strange at first, but make total sense in hindsight.

[@aetral8864]

Another cool aspect is that his axe is bloody throughout the entire expac, but when he merges with you and you defeat Emet, his axe is clean, showing his full redemption.

[@amymcwilliams24601]

Emet's smile at the end of "Remember us" makes me cry every time. #TeamEmet I don't mind at all that you're taking some time before getting into EW - I needed that time, playing it as it came out, to let the patches spool out and just breathe and take it in. But yes, EW will be good too, whenever you get there. :) Thanks for the multiple videos - I've enjoyed them all!

[@toky0line]

Fencer here, what Alisaie did would be best described as fleché, a fast, running attack

[@lukeretallack54]

Fantastic video as always gents, I was there for the live stream and loved every minute. One bit of feedback though - the Trial was "The Dying Gasp" not "Grasp". (Apologies if this has already been pointed out, but I ain't reading through every other comment.) ;)

[@seekittycat]

Ardbert: You have my axe. Soken: And my guitar 🎸 When the music just hits 🎵🤘

[@ChrisMorray]

Just because you brought it up Garett: "boring shirtless giant somehow ruins Arthas" is the best description of the jailer I've seen so far. And to think all his fans (all 3 of them) all go "Well he didn't have time to develop in one expansion!" when Emet Selch just casually strolls in, hunched over, cackling like a maniac, tells his grandson to go nuke some people in his glorious war, somehow ending up as one of the coolest endings of a character, all in 1 expansion, not counting patches (though he did appear during Stormblood patches, but I digress because the Jailer got some minor build-up beforehand and then had several more patches to go)... It's such a stark contrast in writing that, even if they're just some masks which aren't even that visually impressive, they somehow gain that weight from the long build-up it took to reach there. And I'll just say, without spoiling anything: Hades Extreme is going to blow you away. It's a long fight, but you will be surprised by how they went the extra mile in that one.

[@Kasilyn_S]

I always believed that the 3 original ascians were tempered by Zodiark And that just as fighting hades spent all our light and restored balance in us the WoL, it allowed Hades to get 'untempered' by zodiark, and that's why he changed his mind at the end

[@Thekingofthenerdz]

Hell YES!. best way to wake up is to see this video. glad to see you finished ShB

[@itr_cloud]

I love these retrospects and theories. You guys are fun to watch~!

[@benkent862]

Parsonally I always took the 'Remember Us' line as Emet accepting his loss and that his people will vanish, he doesnt however want their struggles sacrifices and triumphs to be forgotten by history, so many have already forgotten....

[@danielaxc2900]

Ryne had the most dramatic "faint" I guess of all the other scions. Like there was a finality to the way she went down so I thought this was her death sequence. I was surprised when she was fine with everyone else after the battle.

[@chrisbaldwin8570]

It's Dying GASP not GRASP. It's the last breath of the hope of an entire race, the final goodbye. A last, Dying Gasp.

[@nastycrimeboi5085]

WE FAAAAALLLL UNTO THE EEEEEEEND!!!! And so did Garrett! Looks like he really became one with this expansion and became... The Warrior of Darkness! Jokes aside, this dungeon and the end of 5.0 just kick things up several notches and it just elevates the entire expansion to a fantastic level and it's been great to see you both rejoice from it! But however long your journey may go on... "Remember. Remember us. Remember....that we once lived."

[@rori354]

13:48 - Oh man, that made me chuckle

[@sonicroze]

I have never had so much to say and so little I can express. Welcome, once again, to Shadowbringers.

[@grygaming5519]

Oh boy, cannot wait til you guys get to 5.3 and revisit this...please revisit this. To use the meal analogy. ARR is the hors d'oeuvre Heavensward is the appetizer Stormsblood is the salad Shadowbringers as you said is main course Endwalker would be that dessert that makes the whole meal memorable.

[@Yvanne]

What's 1.0? The drinks? Lmao Good in moderation But you wanna forget it if you have too much... XD

[@smilerat8070]

@@Yvanne the last restaurant that made you look for another one.

[@Churee]

For me Endwalker was the second main course AND the dessert at once.

[@Reshapable]

Outside the previous FF summon reference, it's also more generally understandable that Hades is the keeper of the dead, more than a little applicable to Emet-Selch's situation. That landed for me WAY more than the old summon thing. Hell I don't even think I remembered the summon bit for like a week or two after lol. EDIT: Which btw is also the point of the other masks

[@ArakDBlade]

Not to mention the "gate to hell" imagery the door to the Amurot dungeon provides

[@seekittycat]

For real I can't believe the first thing they thought of was Disney's Hades I cracked up 😂. Hades means "Unseen one" and is probably the most "just" of the gods. He's the one with the laws and paperwork. Unlike the other gods who murder for no apparent reason he's very consistent and understandable. He only gets pissed when his laws are broken and he feels things are unfair. At the same time his absolute stickler to his laws can makes him cruel, cold, and unyielding. Doesn't matter to him what's happening in your mortal lives and begging doesn't do anything it is what it is.

[@Reshapable]

@Colin Deal Not quite. The void is another shard world like the first that fully fell to its imbalance and has no relation to death (don't correct this, it's not wrong and what might be said is spoilers). The "underworld" in 14 is not the same as the lifestream per se but it is related to it. Anima... is a conversation for elsewhere in regards to 14, but Emet's staff certainly is not referencing it. That figure is definitely representative of Zodiark (and we should refrain from speaking as to how reflective it is in this video). Think of the cave murals. Depictions need not trace an entity's true figure to be representative of them.

[@cassiusvictus7838]

He is Hades. The lord and keeper of the dead, in this case, the sacrificed Ascians. He has taken responsibility for all those that died and made it his mission to bring them back to life. Thus his devotion to his cause and his single minded fervor.