Why Heavensward's Story Is So AMAZING! [Spoiler Talk]

Well, after last video Mike wanted to go into a bit more detail with a full on SPOILER talk about the story, so here it is.
----------
Gear: preachgaming.c...
Twitter: @Preachgaming
Live Stream - twitch.tv/preachlfw
Website: preachgaming.com/
---------

[@blueblazer9991]

Lucia and Estinien as Aymeric's sword and shield is a beautiful analogy

[@boo5860]

So beautiful and so true !!

[@Spectacular_Insanity]

@@Salbeira Estinien didn't leave because of Aymeric, though. He left because he had found the strength to let go of his hatred and vengeance and finally learned to live for himself. He no longer wanted to be the Azure Dragoon, though none would have objected if he had remained in that position in perpetuity, peace or no peace.

[@Ower8x]

@@Spectacular_Insanity But symbolically he felt because his role as the dragoon the sword of ishgard and Aymeric is finished ...

[@paladinshark2448]

@@Ower8x which has way more weight to me when the player is the azure dragoon too. He acknowledged that the mantle is in the hands of someone not tainted by hatred and revenge, by a true hero to safeguard the peace. He leaves the responsibility of the title in your hands, and leaves to live as an elezen, not an avenger. Him returning to join the scions for good is in recognition that he’s found his new calling, he’s made peace with his past, and accepted that the world still needs a sword, it always will. Like Raiden in metal gear, he’s learned that he can and should do good to be like the azure dragoon he truly idolizes: the warrior. Best story in all ff history. Pure kino.

[@Nirual86]

@@paladinshark2448 even his role before joining the scions works, as he ends the legacy of hate that continued with nidhoggs eyes being recovered and repurposed to summon Shinryu at the end of Stormblood. Him calling upon Nidhogg in the ShB roleplay duty, showing how he now has a tie to Nidhoggs spirit in the same way a WoL Dragoon does with Midgardsomr.

[@TheSylvirr]

I think what kills me is that Aymeric doesn't realize how many people DO care about him, until Lord Edmont bluntly says 'I could not bear to lose another son' and Aymeric's brain breaks because he realizes just how much these not-friends *actually* mean to him.

[@Dashu16]

Not only did Aymeric have to take down his father, the game also made a point of him shooting the arrow at Estinien (essentially his brother) with killing intent for the greater good. After we save Estinein Aymeric apologized for taking the shot, you could tell he didn't regret it but it broke his heart to set out to kill his best friend

[@ranadips]

I just finished that quest yesterday and man, that conversation on the infirmary bed, you could see it, how much he hated to do it but he knew it had to be done. Estinien of course very much understood that, more than anyone else I would say.

[@RothAnim]

While I think you nailed the major story themes, there's one little twist I think you missed here. The final thing that convinces Hraesvelgar to help you is not Aymeric saying he was willing to murder his own father to further the cause of peace, but Midgardsomar's spirit showing up and revealing we plan to save Estinien, not murder him. We aren't bloodthirsty beasts looking to find an acceptable target in the name of peace, but instead trying to end the cycle of violence. He then calls out Hraesvelgar's attachment to Nidhogg's rage-ghost; does he really consider that murderous shade possessing Estinien to be his brother? I think of the ideal popularized by Martin Luther King Jr. "True peace is not merely the absence of tension; it is the presence of justice." Midgardsomar's intervention helps to convince Hraesvelgar that Aymeric and the Ishgardians seek the presence of justice, and not merely peace on their own terms.

[@godric8851]

My favorite part is Estinien being like an older brother to Alphinaud. I like when Estinien bluntly points out Alphi's faults and Alphi coming to terms with his naivete and inexperience. It's also nice that when Alisae shows up, that she feels like his brother also a different air around him, which was her not knowing but the story acknowledging his growth. At that point, it felt like it was Alisae's turn.

[@Galeforce017]

Only a little relevant, but a friend of mine who only knows bits and pieces of this game from afar was legitimately surprised when I told him Estinien wasn't Alphinaud's older brother.

[@berniemargolis4288]

I won't go into details because I don't want to spoil anything, but Estinien's first meeting with Alisae at the end of Shadowbringers is pretty hilarious.

[@sr7olsniper]

More like Alphinaud was Estinien's little boy toy.

[@jtoathbreaker8136]

This is the point when Alphinaud became a tolerable character and by the end of ShB was one of my favorite scions.

[@Sherolox]

@@berniemargolis4288 I'm so glad you didn't actually spoiler it, since I was just recently thinking of how funny their meeting would be. I'm getting there. I'll probably be at that point in the next 2 weeks if I keep up with finishing the ShB Story.

[@RiogaRivera]

This dude is really good to talking about msq, it feels like a documentary.

[@DifunctedReble]

This serious side is good, but also his janky summary is better (find the Warframe vid of him explaining the story).

[@MarkusAndersen96]

He's also covering 6 year old content and needs to catch up with the story already...

[@megamage911]

@@MarkusAndersen96 Let him take his time and enjoy it. Besides, he's also playing other games and such.

[@MarkusAndersen96]

@@megamage911 yeaaah but he's a content creator making a 25 minutes video about a 6 year old expansion, when Endwalker just released. It's just bad timing for content, is all.

[@megamage911]

@@MarkusAndersen96 I don't think that really matters to him, he's just focused on documenting his own experience and journey, not on talking about what might be the most relevant to the current zeitgeist. Hell get to Endwalker when he gets there.

[@Haunsa1]

seeing mike enjoy a MMO story and watching it blow his mind always makes me laugh.

[@bondsmatthew]

That's the thing, he's always liked RPGs if you've watched him for a long time. The thing is with wow, the RPG has been sucked out of it and only left with the MMO so that's why it feels like that. Going to the Highlights channel(previously gamerdads) there are playthroughs of RE7, all the Mass Effect games, Subnautica, MGS, the Yakuza games, WItcher 3, Bioshock games, etc etc. When God of War came out Mike was super jealous that Ghost was the one to do the playthrough as he wanted to do it lol. Maybe his team could push him to play 2018 god of war before the new one comes out, that would be pretty hype Mike loves story based games but most people only know him as that wow raider guy sadly

[@blech71]

Preach has been yearning for this just as many of us that has endured playing an MMO lacking heavily…. well written story has always been something Preach has definitely enjoyed and I’m glad FF14 delivers that. A glimmer of hope coming away from the shitfest we all have endured for so long…. Funny thing is; it’s been there for a long time and we all just had not realized and given it a chance. Glad we all have now. What a ride!

[@darkrai6543]

Loved hearing this - very much would love to see more story talk from preach

[@alphadron4073]

Absolutely. That's a deep and highly personal analysis, I'd love to hear more of that. Especially with Shadowbringers.

[@nigelm5539]

One of the greatest misconceptions is that people think Preach isn't a story guy, when in fact he's a better critic than most when it comes to gameplay and story, as this video proves. People just assume Preach is purely a gameplay guy.

[@pure35]

Same - I love his insight into the story.

[@williamklett6660]

That campfire scene is one of the best scenes I remember from HW. Followed of course Hrealsvegr's tale.

[@noblewolf8232]

Yep, that was memorable.

[@Snorlax9]

All I want after HW3.0 is to walk that journey with Ysale, Estinien and Alphinauld agan but…

[@williamklett6660]

@@Snorlax9 Alphi annoys me, but yes I 100% agree. The reappearance of Harchufant and Ysale nearly broke me. I still tear up after seeing others discover that same moment for the multi-dozenth time.

[@Snorlax9]

Alphi annoyed me after ARR ending I woulda /spit on him if i could. HOWEVER, that campfire and picking sticks was one of the greatest ways to show character progression I have seen in every games and animes. This game is truely a masterpiece in story telling. Alphi has all my respect now btw.

[@williamklett6660]

@@Snorlax9 I think it was Alphi's whining 'Oh poor is me' after ARR that got me but yes by ShB he is redeemed. SB in many ways is all about Lyse growing up. Half way through I would gleefully murder Lyse, but by the end she tugged on the heart strings. The way FF makes you feel for or against characters is what makes the story and characters breathing and vital. Villains you love to hate. But, as with almost everything, FFXIV is all about growth and redemption.

[@zombies8cody]

A really cool point in the story that I had hoped you would have hit on was when Hraesvelgr explained: if Niddhogg is so powerful and can wipe out all of Ishgard with his army of dragons, why doesn't he just do so? And there is a perfectly understandable reason: Niddhogg will live an eternity compared to mortals and he is so filled with a wrathful vengeance, he just wishes to extend the misery he inflicts on the Ishgardians for as much and as long as possible. (*edit* Please see the reply to this post by Ower8x for correction to the following part) I also would have liked to hear your thoughts on the story of Tiamat's self-imprisonment, and how the conflict between Ishgard and Dravania was a reflection of an even older betrayal of the dragons by mortals in the Allagans. Lots of really good world-building, and I like that Midgardsormr was such a great ally/tool for the WoL in dealing with his children. We were able to win him over in post-ARR and although he is less involved than some of the other characters, he is no less pivotal in guiding the WoL through Heavensward. Great work, Preach. I look forward to more videos likes this and can't wait to hear your thoughts on more of the story.

[@Ower8x]

one correction, there was no betrayal by the Allagans ... there was no peaceful accord between the Dragons of Meracydia and the Allagan Empire, that was just a straightforward invasion with the aim of conquest

[@lunasilvermoon2283]

Another correction to make is that you don't exactly win Midgardsormr over in post-ARR. He recognizes you as being one of Hydaelyn's chosen but it isn't until after the encounter with Tiamat when he recognizes you as Hydaelyn's champion and THAT is when you won him over and rewards you by lending you his wings.

[@Nirual86]

@@lunasilvermoon2283 yeah, at the end of ARR he specifically removed Hydaelyns Blessing from us, challenging us to prove ourselves without her help. Heavensward is all about us earning that power back, from his perspective anyway.

[@PetarBladeStrok]

My favorite part of HW is definitely Haucherfant & Ysayle appearing in 3.3. It f-ing broke me to tears. I bawled since Haucherfant was always there for us when most weren't. BTW. Estinien's family was murdered by dragons, as stated by Aymeric. His anger was also justified.

[@BritishTeaFGC]

Just like how Nidhogg's sister was murdered for no reason thus his anger was justified too. Both Estenien and Nidhogg believe that they were the one in the right.

[@PetarBladeStrok]

@@BritishTeaFGC of course it was. I just stated the fact about Estinien since Preach seems to have missed it.

[@TankSenior]

@@PetarBladeStrok He was/is probably aware, just didn't happen to mention it in the video.

[@alphadron4073]

That's bascially the tragedy of the Dragonsong War as a whole. At the moment of us entering it, there is no party that's truly wrong. Nidhogg is justified in his rage against Ishgard, Ishgardians are fully justified in their burning hatred to those that were oppressing them for many, *many* generations, Estinine is justified by having his family slaughtered by Nidhogg personally, Hraesvelgr is justified in helping Nidhogg by the same reasons his brother is... even Thordan, trying to finally end this pointless war, has a justification. It's not their motives we judge, but their means and ends. And that's great. Estinien's story gathers a little more shape if the player has done the Dragoon storyline for Realm Reborn. It delves deeper into the pits of his hatred and why he says he's in full control of Nidhogg's rage coursing through him.

[@Snorlax9]

Imo both Niddhigg and Estinien are justified to do what they were doing, and thats what make the story so powerful coz i kept asking myself “How tf am i gonna solve this problem”, and yet we did it! That 2 appeared in the cutscene still tears me up today. Fantastic story.

[@kirkalmeida]

There's so much subtlety in the story, the fact that they didn't just killed their sister but ripped out her eyes paints a picture on a being with limitless potential left blind and broken on the floor We really do much on sight that focusing so much on eyes hits some primal fear within us.

[@blubblubwhat]

how we exploit nature.. like open mining destroying hole forest, ore hillarys pet project fraking poisoning our groundwater.

[@foxypoxi]

I loved count Edmont of house Fortemps Amazing father figure both to 3 (yes, 3) of his sons but also Aymeric. Narrator of HW and hell of a man, past his prime but being a bulwark for new generation to lean on and head in right direction. Always.

[@AlleluiaElizabeth]

He basically adopts both Aymeric and the WoL and it’s great.

[@Luna_and_Solara]

Please Mike, talk about whatever you feel like :D this kinda vid is great for those of us that have forgotten or are looking for a different perspective.

[@violetbliss4399]

I think a showcase of their writing strength is that my characters are different than yours, even tho I agree they are very key to the plot (perhaps more). For me it was Ysayle's story, Haurchefant's story, the Fortemps family story etc... so many little stories that wove into the big whole. It definitely rates highly in terms of game stories, especially as a complete package.

[@petriew2018]

the individual stories help deepen the larger narrative. instead of simply being told who's good and who's bad, you have at least one person putting a face on the different facets of what's going on.

[@clindsell6111]

they reference haurchefant throughout the rest of the game. thats how important he was.

[@jessicajones641]

I love the armor/sword/shield analogy! Totally agree! You explain perfectly why Aymeric was my favorite character in Heavensward. I also felt that his character (non-dragon) was the most tragic. That scene where Aymeric fires an arrow at Estinien...that slight hesitation was perfect. You can see him waver, but only for a second. This is someone who is willing to lose it all to right a wrong.

[@GrayveStone]

Wow, I never realized how much lore depth there was here. I've always loved the story, but it's amazing to see this analysis. Thanks for this, this is the sort of insight I love to learn!

[@DonaldTurner]

Mike, you continue to evolve as a content creator. this is a magnificent critique. Who would have thought, a kid playing a mmo, dabbles with streaming and video production, would evolve into in essence, an insightful, thoughtful, literary critic! We should all be clear, FF14 is an RPG first, MMO 2nd, almost a playable graphic novel. Big kudos, brother

[@reinaldomizutani8867]

Preach, your interpretation put so many beautiful colors into the painting i had in my head about he dragonsong war. Thanks man, really apreciate it!

[@thenutty135]

I never thought I’d see the day preach gave a story breakdown for an mmo…

[@LordVallens]

I love lore breakdowns of FFXIV, but Preach....has done this in a way that is so much more enjoyable than any other channel out there. Thank you for this video, I can see myself rewatching this many times over the years.

[@jcabe]

I loved how you broke everything down. It was a refreshing and unique take of HW

[@VanceTwitch]

I love that this breakdown paints the picture so clearly of why everything happening was so important, and doesn't fall into the trap of "A beloved side character died, the expansion is amazing!". The Ser Aymeric story really is the central point of Heavensward, and what makes it so great. Wonderful round up Preach, I'd love to see more content like this!

[@bmo1878]

See I read Aymeric very differently when I first met him. I see someone who wants to help but who is constrained by his level of authority. I see him as someone who is fighting to do what he thinks is good within a system that is very set in it's ways.

[@MooseCastle]

That's how he's written. No idea where Preach got the idea that he's standoffish or a douche when you first met him. From the very beginning Aymeric is very clearly a bro and does basically everything in his power to help you.

[@jacobb5484]

@@MooseCastle mostly from the old 2.0 voice actors probably.

[@AlleluiaElizabeth]

I didn’t trust Aymeric at first, but even then I never thought he came off as douchey. lol He made it clear he wanted to help more.

[@seekittycat]

I just love hearing this sort of talk it always brings details I didn't notice before. I feel we all watch the same story but get something different out of it and it's wonderful.

[@cassiusbright1062]

Regarding Aymeric being "douchey" when you first meet him, you missed the point of that first scene with him. The whole point of your first meeting with Aymeric is that by the end of that scene you should realize Aymeric IS on your side but he's there as an ambassador of Ishgard, not just to represent himself. With all his power as Lord Commander of the Temple knights, he still has to answer to the Archbishop and the High Houses, who had it been any of them coming in person aside from Edmont, the Scions never would have had that original trade deal with Ishgard which got their foot in the door to actually get in the city proper in 3.0. Remember Alphinaud nearly completely screwed up the negotiations in that scene and it was only the fact that Aymeric agrees with the Scion's goals that he didn't just tell you to go screw yourself. It also lays the groundwork for Alphinaud's later character development, as this is the first point where Alphinaud finally realizes that his blind optimism isn't as good of a negotiating tool as he originally thought and he needs to start being more practical.

[@Sherolox]

The part with Alphi almost screwing things over makes me realize how incredibly sensitive matters of politics and negotiations can be. A few false words said out of anger or frustration can set you back years in your relation.

[@PowerfulSkeleton]

Very solid analysis.

[@8man_]

I've always felt that Hraesvelgr's smackdown on Lady Iceheart was brilliant. Ysayle is like many of us now, who look back at the truth of historical injustices and build our own rage and indignance based on sympathy for martyrs and those who history decides to throw by the wayside. With that present grief from looking back though we forget that these people lived, too. That Hraesvelgr is around to tell Ysayle that she is nothing like Shiva is a privilege that we in the real world don't get. It's amazingly refreshing to have a story tell us that no, the martyr you grieve for and worship wasn't how you envisioned them to be, you may use them as a symbol of injustice and as a motive for vengeance, but in life they were a kind soul who wanted peace, which is sometimes the reason why they were taken so cruelly in the first place. The icon you've twisted them into will never be the real them; only those who knew them in life will understand who they truly were, and primals are a great way to get this point across. They're made of the emotions and ideals of the summoner, and thus even with godly powers are just as fallible as mortals. The same could be said about the summoning of Thordan. As a primal he and his convocation are just warriors seeking an end to a war and desire moral purity, which is in incredible contrast to the cowardly king and his fickle disciples who staged an ambush and destroyed years of peace for power. Great analysis, Mike, I'm glad you've brought this brilliant story back to the forefront of people's minds following your playthrough. I hope you'll enjoy the other expansions in similar ways. Cheers.

[@Wickertop]

I really love this take - it's absolutely correct in so many ways, but Aymeric's arc is one not often-talked about when the praise for Heavensward is being laid out by the community. Everyone talks about Haurchefant, The Warrior of Darkness, Nidhogg, and Ysayle, but so few people seem to click with Aymeric's journey being just as important. I'm very excited to see what your takes are going forward :D I hope you enjoy it! ♥

[@heartlacies]

I loved everything about this video, beautifully said. There’s a reason why I love Heavensward so much, I actually love it as much as Shadowbringers. Can’t wait until you (eventually) get there.

[@malta071]

Yea man. Fact that you have to read what dragons are saying is so cool, so smart. Same goes for SHB. If certain ascian was not as cool as he was, I would say that HW is the best story in 14. Definitely best song in 14 tho, Dragonsong is the shit!

[@Sprakenheit]

Just goes to show the level of detail they had in the storytelling when almost every scene Preach mentions he says "this is crucial". This is also why players love and praise the story so much because you are very rewarded for paying attention to it.

[@DisappointedBuddha]

Considering how in-depth Mike's analysis of the story is, it's no wonder he said MMO stories don't do it for him.

[@megamage911]

But it's good to see that FFXIV has proven that an MMO story CAN be this engaging.

[@balanceofjudgement4282]

Really like these breakdowns of your thoughts. For me, personally, I saw Hraesvelgar being convinced because of a 'perfect storm'. Alphinaud came in with a good point regarding Ysaile, then Emeric came with the meat of the argument. Lastly, Midgardsormr, who was impressed by the potential of man due to watching the WoL came with a clutch argument as well. It might be a small thing, but to me one of the memorable parts of that whole cutscene was how respectful Midgardsormr was to his child. Just how you made the points about genius writing in presenting Hraesvelgar, those 2-3 lines from Midgardsormr told us a lot about him as well. Overall, really nice breakdown. Am glad you are enjoying it. Hope to see more of this type of content. o/

[@elvininfante307]

Wow Mike this was really well said. Personally this was a new perspective I had overlooked. Of course this isn’t spoilers for people like me who played it years ago and have watched it countless times, but it is like hearing the tale be told for the first time …..in a way. Thanks for this and hope you continue to enjoy the game.

[@muhansen2138]

good content yet again from mike, but this is really on whole another level for me, love how he recaped the story in this way!

[@Plasmacat1]

Heavensward story and characters made me a walking advertisement for this game. It's so simple but so good and culminated in one of the hypest final bosses of any game ever, the musical score, the lines said by Nidhog, everything is just chef kiss*.

[@Joe-it2dh]

In the beginning of Aymeric's story he is completely bound by duty and his orders, that is why he is so uptight and stoic combined with his general distrust of everyone. When he is first introduced his orders are "tell them no, our doors are closed." To him you're a nobody and regardless he MUST tell you no, albeit against his own wishes. It was actually Haurchefont constantly singing your praises to Aymeric that makes him give you a chance and he changes his thinking about you. As you said yourself the man has 2 friends, he doesn't trust lightly and his position was precarious until his father was truly dealt with. Atleast that was what I got from his story arc.

[@xScottDarkx]

You've come a long way. Glad you people finally understand why everyone was shouting to play their game!

[@Azari_D]

Duuude, I absolutely loved this video. I played through the story myself and read everything, but this got into some subtle stuff that I didn't notice at all along the way, and pulled threads together that I didn't realize were connected. Thank you very much, and I hope you do this for the other xpacs too if you have the time.

[@emiach]

Hey Preach I was absolutely floored by this in-depth lore review. I’d love to see more of this from you.

[@brettrichards4048]

I love this breakdown, it is such a great aspect to this story. I think one of the best part is how well it ties everything in with other characters. Alphinaud having to mature as the story beats him down and then builds him back up. I think one key thing you missed is Haurchefant and his connection to Sir Aymeric. While they may not be as close, the key part is that they're both bastards but unlike Sir Aymeric, Haurchefant had an actual caring relationship with his father and this openness and warmth that I think Sir Aymeric wishes he could have had and could have been. It's that warmth and kindness that Aymeric definitely has but at that point in the story he's had to hide and conceal due to his position and lineage.

[@ItilayItshay]

Oh my god, that Killer Clowns from Outer Space shirt brings back memories of when I saw that movie waaaaay too young and have been scarred ever since. lol

[@josephxp96]

Wait till Mike finishes 5.0 and 5.3, Shadowbringers may be his #1 favorite.

[@josiahclarke3535]

I found the whole of HW was better but the last 30% or so of ShB was amazing.

[@TheSilverwing999]

Endwalker might be his favorite tbh

[@SteveMan92]

At first I was blown away at how much you were invested and broke down the story, as I've never seen you do this in a video before. But then I remember you mostly covered WoW before, so you never really had a chance to be excited by story...

[@sandyhayden-bristow1382]

Loved your insight sir. One of the greatest factors of the game's storyline/lore is that there are so many dimensions to it. Our own individual perceptions of the character interactions is so unique and yet, none are truly wrong. Perception is usually based on one's own experiences and, to a degree, our own bias. There is a prismatic quality to the story and it is very difficult to accomplish and these fine writers bring it to us flawlessly. Please continue sharing your thoughts and views; it is wonderful to see you enjoying it so much!

[@NickaLah]

I'm almost done with EW, and I can't wait to see what Mike thinks in the end... the game goes from an amazing story in HW, to tackling really heavy subjects in EW and in a way that is not often done this well in any type of media, not just video games. It's not done in a cheesy Hollywood type of way, and it is helping me grapple with serious real life anxieties I have, mostly about losing loved ones and what that even means afterwards.

[@danmarshall4812]

Great video - cheers Mike, looking forward to following your streams of Stormblood and beyond :)

[@JPrescottQ]

As veteran FFXIV player (and long time Preach fan) this was fantastic. I definitely want to hear more. So many FFXIV content creators and fans tend to focus on the big set piece moments rather than discuss the narrative. The nuts and bolts of what makes for a good story. So good to hear Mike talk about themes and character motivations. I am really impressed by his insight and I am very curious what Mike will think about SB considering its reputation in certain circles of the FF fandom.

[@foxypoxi]

Stormblood hits deeper than HW but gets over heads of majority of young generation, since they have never been enslaved, nor otherwise lost freedom. Being born in and growing up for over 10 years in occupied, enslaved country ...to me SB is a master piece. If only for presenting the various facets of coping with loss of freedom and non judgemental tone to it.

[@OseronPhaer]

Man, these videos...they're something. As a bit of context, I have never played WoW. It never connected with me. The end result is that I've never been meaningfully exposed to content creators from that game. So, watching Preach's videos on FFXIV has been really fun, honestly. It's so refreshing seeing the outside perspective and feeling the, sort of, justification for loving this game so much. To see that other people like Preach and Pyromancer and all the others are coming to our game and falling in love with it just like the avid long-time players have. It's so immensely satisfying and I'm here for this journey. I want to see the reaction to Stormblood and Shadowbringers and Endwalker. I want to see what they see and how they see it. I want to see what they see that I've missed. To see what they like that I don't and vice versa. These videos are so valuable because they add something to FFXIV in their own way, even if the content is years old at this point. And I'm just so excited to see more.

[@heylookitsnana]

Really enjoyed yoru perspective! I love watching new players play b/c they always appreciate something different. Please do more spoiler talks in the future.

[@mikelemmer3473]

I hope you do more of this story analysis for FF14. You explained aspects of the plot I hadn't even considered and made the whole thing even better. I especially liked how you pointed out that the answer to "How did Estinien convince Aymeric their society was built on a lie so easily?" was "Aymeric just trusts Estinien that much", turning what could've been a quick way to push the plot forward into subtle characterization for Aymeric & Estinien.

[@christomarg]

I agree with you Mike. But then I reached Shadowbringer and now playing Endwalker and the story is world class and now with Endwalker its amazing tidbits that we saw in previous expansion and raised some questions how they tie all of the story in one consistent story from first point to now.

[@daffanier]

I would say, wait until u clear EW

[@MuraCasardis]

I love these eloquently explained video. You summed up one of the main reasons why I love HW so much.

[@Honyakusha]

EW- ShB- whatever your listed- Heavensward. Here i fixed for you. I'm so envious you Mike, i really really want to forget everything about EW and start fresh again.

[@Viertel]

Agreed. Pacing issues aside (goes beyond MGS levels of cutscenes at points with no gameplay), but the narrative was absolutely incredible. Really sad I can't forget it and go back through it again with fresh eyes. We'll just have to watch reaction videos/streams, and watch others cry :p

[@LiracyonLeague]

Your insights on the story are awesome. Please keep doing these, just tag them as spoilers. Excited to see your perspective moving forward. Imo .. Endwalker > Shadowbringers > Heavensward > Stormblood > ARR.

[@smugslav]

You either get filtered by ARR or you live long enough to see yourself become a walking advertisement for critically acclaimed MMORPG FINAL FANTASY XIV that has a free trial up to level 60 including the Heavensward expansion :) Always loved your content Mike!!

[@tibowmew]

I loved hearing this perspective on the story. All of the characters were so well written that it's so interesting how you focused on completely different points and beats than I did, and yet they're all still perfectly valid and rich. For me, I found the relationship between Alphi and Estinien to be one of the most interesting, both because it really showed without many words what kind of life Alphi had led until that point, and how he ended up where he did, but it also showed another side to Estinien. Him being shown as this gruff, laser-focused, one track kind of guy was offset by his caring and compassion. While we also see it in his dedication to his people, theirs was the personal level. Having also played the dragoon job quests until then, I had a little more background on Estinien's life too. It made the scene where he turns into Nighogg really impactful for me, because he was so tired of being angry and vengeful and fighting a never ending war, and the moment he let his guard down and thought he could rest, he gets taken over. Man, I love this game.

[@kuyt20]

Its why I love this expansion's story the most. It wasn't built on the "big reveal/tear-jerk ending" moments, but on the journey. There wasn't any one particular scene that made the expansion great, but the whole journey from start to finish instead.

[@megamage911]

This right here 100%. FF is much more about the moment-to-moment storytelling, rather than relying on big plot twists or reveals. Those ofc. do still happen, are done well, but it's nowhere near the sole focus

[@KuraZie]

The part of HW that really got me is that through the majority of 3.0 I thought of the Ishgard stories as sort of "filler" content, coming out of ARR with 10,000 unanswered questions I assumed the Ishgard story would be more of the B story to set up the story with the Scions, then slowly the Ishgard story really grabbed me until I was like "Minfilia who?" Also the music, I'm a huge sucker for emotional music and HW nailed it.

[@daki1983]

what got me the most and gave me a complete understanding of it all was the music. Through out the expansion you heard the Dragonsong playing here and there in different parts of the story while trying to understand the story. It was present in different variants here and there for every crucial plot moment while talking about the history and the current events unfolding. It is only at the end, where we face Nidhogg and you stand there waiting for the duty to come up that the music kicks in... you are looking towards the other side of the bridge and you see Nidhogg and suddenly the dragonsong starts playing .. but its different this time .. this time it has the lyrcs which tell the entire backstory. As if you finely understand the Dragonsong war and what this has always been about and what is at stake if you should fail. Simply timed but yet soo powerfull.

[@Dotoku14]

Preach REALLY pays attention to the story. You love to see it! 🥰

[@_CinnamonKitty]

Really nice seeing you join the community and enjoy the game - then to start raving about it so much. Good luck with the rest ❤️

[@axelhanne8238]

Only halfway in the video and I’m impressed by the quality of it Edit: 16:30 lmaoo

[@NibblerPDX]

I really love your attention to detail here. The way you explain and connect the lore really gives me a new appreciation for it all. I can't wait to see your thoughts on the later expansions!

[@phillipsherbrook5179]

Holy crap the hair looks great man. I haven't been to your channel much since quitting wow so I have not seen the progress.

[@lukapitkanen3333]

These kinds of videos are great. I just love seeing people talk about things they really enjoy or are passionated about.

[@atrea]

I have to say that this is an excellent recap of the story with good and clear explanation. I really enjoyed it!

[@Flweem]

This is a FANTASTIC analysis. A better, closer read of Heavensward than any I've seen.

[@itsjezzer]

For me the most tragic character in HW was Ysayle. She's a character legitimately working towards the greater good who has all of her beliefs challenged and shattered, and has to come to terms with the evils enacted with the best of intentions, and in the end sacrifices everything to try to make it right. Just one of my all-time favorite redemption arcs.

[@tuanang7889]

agree. she's one of the best in this game and my best in HW. She's not different to Aymeric in term of the motives but came from a different background and she's been on her mission even when the world is against her. She had my pity when the dragon shattered her belief but she's still a very brave and steadfast person no matter how dire the situation was. I was sad when she's gone but happy at the same time because she took a huge part in this and even she's dead but knowing that she completed her life mission.

[@mazem2981]

Thanks Preach this gave me so many new persepectives. This is #1 footage created about Final Fantasy 14 Heavensward. Btw what I really love FF (I am an old fan from FF1 so besides everything FF i based on) is the fact that I can see the growth of so many characters and well I feel npcs are real friends after playing one expansion from another. So I really feel happy about their announcing they have a plan for another 10 years. I would have been playinglike half a century then lol and it is a great story I will live the rest of my life with enjoying).

[@xenonecromera]

It's great to see how passionate you are about the story and characters. What I love about the game is that they don't try to recapture past successes, every story arc is distinctly different and great in its own way. I can't wait to see your thoughts on the upcoming stuff

[@MadnessRealm]

Editor having fun with the Bad Dragon logo drawing around the 3:40 mark lol.

[@ontime9721]

good video, would love more of these update videos on your thoughts about the lore and the story

[@varden506]

I have no shame saying I shed a tear more than once throughout my Heavensward play through, the character development and narrative was absolutely brilliant. So looking forward to Stormblood, I’m finishing up the pre-SB patch quests as we speak 🥳

[@Ebonhawk3829]

8:51 - 9:26 damn bro that delivery when you're portraying Hraesvelgr. Nailed it. I got chills

[@insertparanoia6090]

More spoiler content please!!! I love these deep analysis of the story, that I haven't even made myself when I went through the story. Absolutely wondeful!

[@aimee4326]

Fantastic break down. The dragonsong wars is one of my favourite stories too. Even after finishing EW. The music still hits me when I'm in the zone.

[@cstaie85]

Amazing analysis! Human passion versus an immortals dissident nature to ignore short term emotion for logical gain in the long game. Hresvfelgar failed in this one thing by succumbing to grief and living on emotion. This humanized him and allowed that true connection. A beautiful story told with artistic mastery.

[@iamadamsusername]

Really cool analysis and review. Great stuff, Mike (and Chris for the edits)

[@idno4856]

Really enjoyed this video. A bit sad that it took a WoW guy to talk about the finer details that made the expansion work, but I really appreciated that you took the time. The main strength of 14 is how they set things up (and as you progress you'll see how far they go with that). But it's rare that people really talk about that. They usually talk about Haurchefant or the payoff at the end with the dragons. The one thing I see differently is with Hraesvelgr. You talked about his cruelty towards Ysale. I saw it as compassion as he's the only one who could have explained to her how she had been deceived by the shade and how her life was a lie.

[@mickzclouds]

one of my favorite videos you have ever done. hope we see more of this from you. it was so interesting and well thought through and I could feel how passionate you were about it

[@brynphillips9957]

It is very interesting to see it from another perspective. My take was the thing that made the difference was that our goal was, in the end, about saving lives, not taking them. However your take is just as valid and I can totally see that take now in the story.

[@JoshuaRAWRR]

Mike, may i make a suggestion? Could we see your first impression of each trial boss you do, uncut and unedited? I would love to see your first reaction to not only each boss, but also the music that comes with them.

[@brandalgo]

Fantastic video! Great insights. This helped me get more from the story as maybe I didn't catch / grasp everything.

[@bdelvec]

Love hearing your take and these deep dives are some of your best content. Please continue to make more of these for the MSQ. Cannot wait for your deep dive on Shadowbringers!

[@Dr.Strangelewd]

One of my favorite little touches in HW is a bouquet of flowers that you can find in Azys Lla during one of side quests, left by Estinien at the Airship dock in memory of Ysayle. Despite constant bickering between the two during the MSQ, he clearly began to deeply care about her.

[@shaderunner8220]

The sword/shield/armor analogy is honestly really wonderful. And I think that really makes it more obvious why Aymeric loves us so much. He was isolated and alienated by everyone from birth due to his heritage, his principles. the rumours about his parentage. He has many acquaintances and the deepest respect from his people, but not many true friends. So he cherishes the 3 good friends that he has, one of them being us by the time of HW.

[@TheElviz86]

What i find fascinating is that you didn't touch on: that Estinien & Niddhog are practically the same (Family murdered, Vengance incarnate) and in the "end" became one and the same, while Ameryc and Hreasvalgr too share the same fate. Estinien even mentions this, were it not for his close friends, they would've been in all aspects alike. This plays a fascinating role in that both Ameryc/Hreasvalgr and Estinien/Niddhog stand at opposite sites during the *final steps of faith*, just showing how closely intertwined their fate was from the very beginning. Furthermore, you should listen and read "Dragonsong" closely, how there too, the melody of the expansion is so perfectly weaved in the ambience music in most zones and Ishgard

[@noblewolf8232]

Well said about Aymeric. It made me teary-eyed again about him. :')

[@M0du5Pwn3n5]

Really excited to see what you think of Stormblood. It seems to be a less popular expansion, but having just finished it, I feel the same way as I did about all the patch content of ARR. Everyone warned me I "just had to get through it to get to the good stuff", but I thought it was doing really interesting, ambitious things, and I thought it did a pretty good job of delivering on them too. My suspicion is that, as someone thinking this deeply about the story and characters, and who seemingly had a similar experience with the ARR patch content, you'll really enjoy Stormblood too.

[@KrazzeeKane]

I am really looking forward to Preach's discussion of the Stormblood story once he finishes it! I think he'll really be able to put together some interesting ideas regarding the story and the x pac, especially coming off this high of Heavensward. Great content Preach!!

[@ZombieSlayerTakashi]

Honestly Mike the way you're taking your time and doing all the content in chronological order is THE BEST way to get the most out of FFXIV especial come Endwalker. That's all I'll say without spoilers. I also reccomend you do the Beast Tribe dailies from each expansion.

[@Shiek178]

This was a great video and I enjoyed watching him discuss points of the story I hadn't considered before, it really makes you appreciate the writing. If he liked Heavensward so much I really hope he watches the first two minutes or so of the Patch 3.3 - Revenge of the Horde trailer - It does such a great job of hyping you up for the fight and it's something I enjoy even to this day years later.

[@TenchiSawada]

More of this please! This deep dives and hearing your thoughts both good and bad create such a good foundation and basis point for future reviews.

[@the-yomma]

Would love to see this type of video as you get further and further along. You make some great points here that will continue to be relevant and would love to hear you revisit these thoughts based on later findings to see where there are connections or further development.

[@jasperhighwind6119]

I absolutely loved this, preach! Please do more stuff like this! ❤️

[@tibowmew]

I would love for you to do a video like this periodically as you go through. I sometimes have such different perspectives than others that it's nice to hear what you saw and got from the game.

[@pnksmigge5324]

Finished Heavensward yesterday, can finally watch this video that keeps showing up in the recs.

[@Grimdark887]

Mike, this is seriously an amazing video man!

[@PepperPawbs]

Can’t wait to hear more of these story discussions later on. For me Heavensward was a lifetime ago and much like the story told within, the details have been lost to memory while the repercussions live on today. It’s really nice to hear a passionate recap of something that is so eroded by time in my mind.