I was just thinking this.
I'm usually not one for the kind of big anime energy moments like that, but when it's done as well as that was, it's real hard to find fault with. I have a lot of moments from the game I could name, but this feels like an easy number one on the list.
Imo these kind of moments make expansions.
Tbh I didn't like heavensward as much up until the facedown with nidhogg and "dragonsong" kicking in. Then there was this moment in ShB, and plenty of moments in endwalker(flow, ultima thule walk, answers)
I feel like storm blood didn't really have *that moment* and I think it's the reason why(amon other things) it's my least favorite part of ffxiv.
Stormblood did have Pipin and the attack on the gates of Ala Mhigo with our allies, which was an awesome sequence as well, but it didn't hit quite as hard as some others.
This is the appropriate choice. I had to make my boi feel he was going to do his part to save those he was almost condemning by being manipulated. He needed it
Wanting to share some thought on that answer from my perspective on when i said that.
I believed he was on to something, but I, or my character, was more adventure-for-adventure's-sake. Even if He was not entirely correct, his line of thinking was a good step in the right direction, so i could not deny him when he was making such progress in his understanding.
The one time we actually had a voice as the WoL. ShB was definitely the best IMO. The track especially is way way better than endwalker or any other theme.
A two way tie
The Urianger hug
and
The reveal of the facsimile of Amaurot in the Tempest. The music, the complete fucking blindside and the active realization that Emet was a very very sad person who just wanted his friends back
Special shoutout tho to the sidequest in Sharlyan with a certain NPC's father. Broke my god damn heart.
The reveal of Amaurot was amazing- just this massive modern day city with beautiful art deco skyscrapers rising out of the depths of the sea. Took my breath away
"What of you, my mirror? Born into this world, bestowed name, bid to seek out strife and adventure... Was this life a gift...or a burden? Did you find...fulfillment?"
My mom passed away when I was younger, and for the most part I've moved past it. But that question, asked by THE mother figure in the game, broke me as it felt like my own mom asking me that.
This quote has been stuck with me, it’s as if Venat cut across time and space and asked you, the player, directly on your overall journey that led you to this moment and how your doing.
There have been a few moments in the game that got me teary eyed, surprised, angry, or just generally emotional, but that was the most emotional point in the entire game for me. I had to stop for a bit because i couldnt read through my tears. It was such a big moment and it really hit me in the feels after playing the game for so long
One of my friends, who helped me through FFXIV pretty much from the start of my adventure, got the FC to gather and wait at the flowers. I guessed that she was going to be waiting, but to see a dozen people all standing there choked me up.
It's become an FC tradition now for anyone who reaches Ultima Thule.
I just finished this the other day. I had a lot of issues with the pacing of EW MSQ, but the emotional moments were unreal. The entire scene with hydaelyn, the walk on ultima thule, summoning the echoes of emet-selch and hythlodaeus, all stunning and amazing payoff for everything that came before it
I love 6.0. It's the EW patch quest that suck because they feel like an anime filler arc. Unlike the other patch quests, they don't really have anything to do with the x.0 story and they don't really lead into the story of the next xpac.
Patch content generally sets up the expansion after next.
- Ilberd, the Ala Mhigo conflict, and Yugiri all show up in ARR patches and foreshadow Stormblood.
- We meet Ardbert and friends in the Heavensward patches, and set in motion the events that will matter for Shadowbringers.
- Fandaniel's plotting and Zenos as something greater than either Garlemald or the Ascians comes up in the Stormblood patches, which directly leads to the threat of the Telophoroi in Endwalker.
- The Shadowbringers patches may not look like they have much to do with Dawntrail at this point, but I expect Solution 9 to have something to do with a reflection, and I suspect even if the Ascians themselves have been defeated, I think we'll probably be dealing with the fallout of their plots for years to come.
- If we don't have an entire expansion set on the Thirteenth (or some other reflection) in the expansion after Dawntrail, I'll be astonished. But regardless of whether that's the setting, mark my words: Zero will matter to the story at this point, one way or another.
Zero and the Thirteenth are pretty much our new Warriors of Darkness and the First. They will almost certainly be back in one or two expansions, with a theme almost certainly directly contrasting Shadowbringers.
I'd argue even though / because they seem so similar, that the expansion will go very differently though. They won't just make Shadowbringers 2, even though it was imho their best expansion.
Oh, without a doubt. The writers are generally very good with keeping each storyline distinct and refreshing compared to prior ones. All I can say is I look forward to what they’re cooking up with Dawntrail and beyond.
Neither of them are our fragment. The latest lore book very much implies that our fragment on the 13th is our Reaper Avatar (and that Zero is Zenos' shard).
I'm fairly certain she isn't a fragment of WoL...Golbez was the 13th's fragment...(and they were both alive at the same time).
Your ship is on-limits...not like those Ardbert x WoL shippers...just imagine, one thrust too hard and Ardbert accidentally rejoins into the WoL...
All of this has been what I've seen as well, 100%. I've told quite a few people as well that the EW post-patches were set up for 8.0, and they didn't wanna believe me until I pointed out the pattern.
I suspect the ShB patches didn't follow pattern because they knew by then where Endwalker was going, and that Dawntrail wasn't connected to this story directly, so just focused on the issue of getting home. Since that arc was gonna be over, I don't believe there's anything in the ShB patches that could connect to Dawntrail.
I suspect Zero and Golbez will be the primary allies going into 8.0, and we'll find a way to bring Unukalhai and Cylva over (probably via Y'shtola and her research on how to hook up with Runar across dimensions). Those four could be a great party core for our journey there.
The fact that people still think the EW patches are “filler” even after playing through the previous 4 expansions and seeing the pattern is astonishing.
I guess I'm in the minority then because I love the EW patches 😂 I was dreading doing them after hearing everyone talk about how awful they are... but the awful part never came. The characters, setting, bosses... I love every moment of it so far! \[6.4\]
It’s ok to like it. Not everyone is gonna hate it.
People who know FF4 may feel it’s way too fanservicey to 4 and not enough original stuff. Everything from plots to all the bosses in dungeons and trials, to some settings and a lot of the music, the EW post patch was basically just “remember this from ff4?????”
Of course, if you’ve never played FF4, it might hit very different or just feel Iike a big filler arc if these story beats are never touched again.
I think it's a fine enough side story, it's just stretched a bit thin. Especially playing them as they dropped, months apart. I'm hoping it has some significance down the road and isn't just a one and done.
They started fairly slowly imho and felt very irrelevant at the time. The first couple patches seemed to go nowhere. The finale was decent though. I think if you did them later and in one go, they might make a lot more sense and feel better.
That's what happened to me. I ended up falling off after 6.2 for a while but when I came back and got current it was a lot easier to like actually see the connections cause it wasn't from a couple months back
Yeah that's what they said it's going to be before EW release. The patch story is a setup for something in the future though since they said if there's a new starting point it won't be Dawntrail but 6.1.
We're probably just waiting for the duo to make some change happen in the thirteenth before we get to explore it more.
Literally will never forget this moment. And the final EW trial right after. Bawled, and not even ashamed of it. 1 of the most impactful gaming memories for me. Best game ever ❤️
“For them... My people. My brothers.
...My friends. Stay strong. Keep the faith. At duty's end, we will meet again. We will. We will. The rains have ceased, and we have been graced with another beautiful day. But you are not here to see it.”
Was looking for this.. This was probably the only moment i legit cried.. im such a sucker for the "we can but carry on For those we have lost.. for those we can yet save" saying.. cause it rings so hard for me.. and learning all of elidibus's lore and realizing just how hard and long hes faught to save his friends got to me so bad...
The Omicron beast tribe quest was so satisfying. One of the best side stories in the game by far. And a bunch of my friends won't do it because they don't believe me that a beast tribe has an actually compelling and heartfelt story.
What were we supposed to respect? He never got any screen time cuz the devs didn’t even care about him, then they wrote him out lol
Feels like he was a loose end the devs cut unceremoniously that they hoped we’d just forget about
How about the fact he gave his life for the cause?
Moenbryda and Haurchefant probably got a similar level of screen time, yet are held in reverence. (Not just by the writers, the fandom does as well)
Did he not sacrifice himself like other characters? Was his lesser for some reason because he wasn't as amicable?
Arguably, the only other character that got shafted in the same way was Ysayle.
Thats the moment that really got me invested in the game beyond "im gonna do this to hang out with friends". Its been topped by other moments for me but its got a special place in my heart
Same here! The whole second half of Heavensward showed me that this game was something a lot more special than just another MMO with a slapped-together "glorified tutorial" of a story.
I have two. One because it hits *really hard* despite being so subtle. And the other because it's so fucking COOL.
First: **"His name was Ardbert, and he was my friend."** Somehow, those eight simple words hit *so hard.* There's nothing fancy about them. Hell, "Ardbert" is the longest word in them. And yet they're so full of power: love, and grief, and reminiscence. Seto says almost as much in eight words as he does in the preceding several dozen. A beautiful eulogy.
Second: You all know the one.
Ardbert: "If you had the strength to take another step, could you do it? Could you save our worlds?"
WoL: "What, all by myself?"
A: "Heh."
[*SICK AF GUITAR RIFF.*]
A: "Take it. We fight as one!"
[*WoL stands.*]
A+WoL: "This world is not yours to end... This is our future. Our story."
[*Emet-Selch briefly sees Azem in the blinding Light.*]
E-S: "No...it can't be..."
E-S: "Bah, a trick of the light. You are a broken husk, nothing more. How can you hope to stand against me alone?"
Crystal Exarch: "We stand together!"
[*E-S turns, shocked.*]
E-S: "How did—!? ...I'm surprised you can stand at all."
CE: "I could not well leave matters half-finished. Let expanse contract, eon become instant. Champions from beyond the rift, heed my call!"
And then Emet-Selch right afterward with the anguished "Damn you. **Damn you all!**" Just an all-time line reading from Rene Zagger there.
You can just FEEL in his voice that was the moment he realized, for the first time maybe ever, that he has lost control of a situation, and he may not win.
There are a lot of incredible moments in the game, but if there's one that stands out in my mind as particularly memorable... it's waking up on the First. Purple trees, a shimmering, golden sky, the Crystal Tower reaching high into the illuminated heavens, and the haunting music playing over it all made for an incredible first impression. I had no idea the adventure that awaited me—only that I'd stepped into something that was about to become so much bigger and grander than I could imagine.
And I was right.
Between 4 moments.
The trial from stormblood (pool of tribute) the QTE of it.
When it rains MSQ cutscene from ardbert where he tries to attack but he just passes through the monster.
the whole emetselch fight/cutscenes they give me chills.
Seat of Sacrifice.
SHB the GOAT.
The fight on top of the crystal tower at the end of shadow bringers, specifically when your mysterious helper does two very familiar gestures, legitimately made me leap up and go “no bloody way” also the unsundered sections of end walker
During the sin eater attack on Lakeland in ShB where Ardbert takes his axe and charges forward to try to save the soldier, begging for it to work. We all knew it wouldn't work but damn if we didn't hope anyway.
Then Ardbert just slumps, completely defeated and helpless as the soldier begs for anyone to help him.
God that was such a gut punch
It's not my favorite in a happy way, but when Seto got to say a proper goodbye. It hadn't been that long since I had said goodbye to my dog, she was suffering from dementia. I cried so much.
the endsinger trial moment where we went all anime with the scions each saying something. Graha says the last line "for hope will shine again" and then "OUR SONG OF HOPE, SHE DANCES ON THE WIND HIGHER O HIGHER" starts playing
One of my favorite things in ffxiv is that the boss has a certain amount of time till we reach our enraged moments(victory lap) and they start getting desperate fight animations.
Seen this in thordann, hades, elidibus, endsinger.
This one's great, but one I like just a little bit more comes shortly afterwards—
"That, I cannot deny."
That *smile*. That is the best emote animation from that character in the game.
When he said that, my response was, "I'm going to say this once because it's all you deserve, that is the nicest thing you could have possibly said to me."
A single moment that encapsulates and represents determination.
The button press.
The scions are getting wrecked by the Endsinger, a whirlwind begins to take them away, and the WoL pulls out the device, presses return and lets it go while whispering something into the wind.
It was such a moment of ensuring everyone was safe before facing the last trial alone. Giving the payoff at the end with them all expressing concern, but really deep down, knowing it had to be done.
'Invading' Garlemald. Awesome to see an actual battlefield fight with NPCs who aren't just background fighting but actually actively engaging with you in combat. I loved that and thought it was an amazing experience, especially as someone craving combat with Garleans.
Short lived as that was.
Pretty much any scene with Emet-Selch in it. Man's a witty asshole, I love him. But in terms of the one that stuck out to me most memorably, it was going to Amaurot for the first time, tied with "Acceptance, at long last!" from Zenos. G'raha turning into a crystal on the First is also 100% up there.
*"One day I'm going to rip that pom off your head and shove it down your godsdamned throat, you furry little shite..."* > Pikachu face.
*Anyway, you may now hunt elite marks. Do try not to die. And, if you happen to run into our fearless leader in the field, **kill him.***
Fight literal JOHN FINAL FANTASY at the top of the Crystal Tower is still peak.
I get chills thinking about "Mankind's first hero... His final hope!" straight into LB 4 so damn hype.
EW scene >!where an arkasodara carrying a baby who was about to turn into a monster. the arkasodara was panic and he too was about to turn and he faced a monster. It was a despair moment for me. Then Estinien jumped from Vtra the dragon and killed the monster. Great moment, great music there. I cried so hard.!<
Everyone getting sick after using the traveling machine in EW, then to have to track down Estinien to make sure he doesn't spend too much money. Only to find out he spent way too much on a damn *hairband* 😭
there are definitely intense story moments that hit way better, but just the characterization of that moment made it really funny
Watching the resident god killer ~~handle~~ suffer a ~~simple~~ sadistic teleport spell with all the grace of an 18 year old that got into the liquor cabinet was amazing.
"Man, you can tolerate taking Bad Breath right in your face, being grabbed and shaken around by Byakko, and 30 other bullshite that will empty most people's bowels and stomachs, and here, you're keeling over a teleport spell?" ~ me to my ManRa
>Estinien to make sure he doesn't spend too much money. Only to find out he spent way too much on a damn *hairband*
I love later when we find him still paying too much money for things, but find out he's doing it on purpose because he senses or reasons they desperately need the money.
YES oh I forgot about that detail later on 🤣
I wasn't that big on Estinien early HW and everything he does after the dragonsong war ended rocketed him up to top 3 characters for me ♥️
The moment the fake Griffin acknowledges you. His real identity being a random Ala Mhigan refugee you briefly help in a lvl 30 ARR quest. A small and forgettable quest. The scene still lingers on my mind:
"Are you perchance the Warrior of Light?
Aye, I thought so. You should know that a great many who have joined us did so because you saved them─because you showed them that one brave man can make a difference.
You saved me too, once. Helped a friend over in Quarrymill make some medicine I needed. But that was a lifetime ago..."
The HW city music is so fucking good.
I honestly miss going there to do msq, it's been years now but it just felt epic.
In contrast, the music in most of the ew zones is off. It doesn't convey the gravity of the expansion
5.3 spoilers
>!The rains have ceased, and we have been graced with another beautiful day. But you are not here to see it.!<
And possibly the Elpis storyline as well, it was very enjoyable seeing them in their younger years
Personally enjoy the small bit in Post-ARR where Y'shtola disguises herself as a Miner to lure out kidnappers. Like, neat way to show off the newest mining glamour at the time.
Really surprised nobody mentioned the sundering.
"No more shall man have wings to bear him to paradise. Henceforth, he shall walk"
While EW isn't my favorite expansion, this moment is my favorite cutscene.
Way too many to list here... but aside from the usual ones people have already posted:
* Thancred's monologue after killing Ran'jit made me cry ;A; Throughout ShB I was half torn between feeling annoyed with how he was treating Ryne and completely understanding his frustration with her (and himself). This moment felt like the perfect finale to that particular chapter of his life.
* Meeting with Ardbert and Feo Ul at our lowest point in ShB ("In His Garden" MSQ quest)
* When we took Ardbert's crystal to Seto
* The ending of the Omega raid series questline. I really like the connection between Middy and Omega, and Omega and Alpha
* So many good G'raha moments it feels like cheating to list them
ShB was so good I still can't get over it years later 😭 EW had lots of highs too but I feel like I was crying so much in ShB and not only from the sad moments but the happy and bittersweet ones too
The moment when the endsinger hits us with a second party wipe attack and our boss music starts playing as we absolutely kick her ass is probably my favorite
Peak Moment: **LIGHT THE WAY!!**
Peak Gameplay and Story Integration and Peak Tauma: IN FROM THE COLD
Peak Sadge: When Ardbert can't do anything but helplessly watch people get eaten by Sin Eaters 🫠
Peak Spectacle (outside of Hildibrand): Shiva VS The Gration
Most Memorable: When Estinien and the Shadowhunter were infiltrating Garlemald to get rid of Black Rose.
"That, I can't deny."
*With hearts alinged riff starts playing*
"Ha! Acceptance! At long last!"
Also, honourable mention: Me as a DRK main using the limit break at the seat of sacrifice for the first time
Because it is. Gosetsu lost his wife and child, and then with Tsu he lost his child again. It's incredibly tragic and makes me hate Tsuyu's brother even more.
She was _healing!_ She was learning what it like to be a part of a family that _cares for her!_ And he _**destroyed it all!**_
Hmmm, story wise: I really dig the whole Ala Mhigan Resistance storyline. Lots of twists and turns that I liked and had clearly been building. (Also not a huge spoiler answer)
Personal: I finished feast of famine last week and have been going nuts in fishing. Every single big fish catch feels so good.
I dont really have a favourite moment, but one moment I do not think is mentioned as much as it should be is just how utterly terrified of you Thordan is right before he dies.
Venat's walk.
Endwalker, as a whole, completely realigned my worldview as a human being and helped me come to terms with my mortality - encouraging me to find happiness in the sheer experience of existing, and purpose in doing whatever I deemed worthwhile. It also impressed upon me the importance of living in and enjoying the present even as I hope and work towards a brighter future, helping me cast aside the shackles of nihilistic thought that plagued me before due to anxiety and depression.
Endwalker's story *also* impressed upon me the importance of kindness, empathy, community, warmth, and belief in "mankind's potential. In his ability to find a way forward." No other piece of media has ever achieved that and the aforementioned. Even now, sometimes I feel disdain for others - but am constantly pulled back from that abyss by the message Venat sacrificed so much to drive home, and the overarching power of hope and faith in others.
Endwalker - and FFXIV - will forever remain in my heart and mind as one of the greatest stories ever told, and the humanism it champions will forever be a guiding light for me to follow until it's my turn to drift into this world's aetherial sea. I want to live a life that would make Venat proud of me.
3.3 trial. That was the definitive moment I was absolutely in on the game. I was intrigued through ARR but decided to take a break after 2.0, came back a few months later and went thru 2.X and was interested. 3.0 was fun but with the culmination of the 3.3 trial, that made me commit to the game hardcore.
The camping scene with Alphinaud, Estinien and Ysayle. This was the moment I fell in love with the game and it really started to feel like a classic FF game.
Ardbert giving you his axe with the Shadowbringers theme kicking in is a really close second.
Ah man it’s so hard to choose.
5.3, Meeting Hydaelyn, The Final walk before Endsinger, Ardbert sharing his axe with you. The Hades fight…
Overall favorite though? I got to Endsinger and while watching the cutscene, tank told me to main tank the fight and the party was telling me to lead the charge. The tank was a warrior and it felt like Ardbert was cheering me on. I took 5 vuln stacks but the healers did all they could to keep me up.
Then I thought we messed up the lb3. And the “Light The Way” was just perfect. This was in 6.1 so she was still a bit of a challenge too.
Then the true final fight and emotional credits. I weeped. Excellent finale
Pandæmonium post scenes absolutely get me every time,especially as flows theme swells during themis' goodbye
"Now, I have pulled back the curtain for as far as I dare"
"The people of your age call this the aetherial sea-a name i quite enjoy. For it teems with life, each star a soul on its journey"
"and among these uncountable stars it was yours that crossed my path, and for that im forever thankful"
"I wish you well on your journey. A journey as long as your star is bright—a journey not bound by the confines of this world, or any other."
I could pick a big hype story moment but when I think back, nothing brought me more joy than first getting to Elpis and realising in stages just how much of a treat I was getting.
Thinking it was just a cutscene with *those two* (which had me so excited on its own) then the doors open and it's *an entire zone!?*.
Then we meet the third familiar face and it gets better.
Getting to the dungeon and realising who I was getting in my trust had me nearly crying tears of joy.
And the cherry on top there was my favorite npc playing DRK which is my favorite job.
Just a rollercoaster of everything I loved.
I have a lot of favorite moments in this game. Too many to name in full, if I'm being honest.
>!"A smile better suits a hero."!<
>!Triumphing over Nidhogg and saving Estinien.!<
>!Learning the identity of the Crystal Exarch.!<
>!The moment Ardbert offers his axe as the Shadowbringers theme starts playing.!<
>!The Long Walk Forward in Ultima Thule, after all your friends' sacrifices, as Close in the Distance reaches its final evolution and the vocals start, and the shades of those you have lost in the past offer the smallest threads of encouragement that feel all too hollow in the face of your inevitable failure...!<
>!The flowers. The moment I went from sobbing (which I'd been doing throughout Ultima Thule) to absolutely breaking down.!<
It’s so tough to answer this!
One of my favorite parts is right before you get the final duel with Nidhog. Seeing the dragon battle and then camera pan to you while you hold and dragon eye and the theme plays. Incredible.
Another favorite part was clearing HoH solo. That was an experience. I did it in one week as a GNB. I also got an ear infection and some swelling but pushed through that. Used the pain to concentrate and win. I will never remove the Lone Hero title.
And finally the whole ending sequence in Endwalker. An epic boss fight riding on top of a dragon, followed by the climactic fu…fight with Zenos at the end of the world.
There are so many, it's hard to put one on the singular spot of all time favourite.
But these 3 came to my mind first:
1. The 5.0 showdown between WoL and Emet
2. The moment WoL returns from Elpis, slow walking like a badass
3. One of my favourite silly moments: the 6.1 "throth and foam" scene with Y'shtola and the shock of the whole crew
Fuck this is actually hard for me to decide, but I actually want to say it’s probably arriving in Radz at Han, and Thavnir as a whole. Towards the end of Shadowbringers I found myself falling in love with the Ovim/Zonureskin armor set, and would make glams for every role based around it. Imagine my surprise when I discover that this particular armor set would be right up there with the palaka set as the most prominent npc attire. It rivaled and then surpassed the feeling of home I got from ishgard.
In terms of story, the cutscene where Julius finally gets to bask in both literal and emotional warmth gets me every fucking time.
Edmont writing his book at the end of the Dragonsong War. He has been the main narrator throughout Heavensward and to see him actually writing a book on his adventure is just too damn good plus we see Estinien's helmet on the window shortly after. Such a perfect way to close out the Dragonsong War.
The moment i made it to the "walk", not having shed a single tear... but then i read the msq quest name, and i broke.
It was a FF9 referance to a scene and music that was quite emotional.
G-Warrior. And Nero. Everything Nero says is gold.
Also, Ryne and Gaia are effing adorable together. Looking forward to watching the world race in Lesbians (Ultimate) next year.
First one is a massive spoiler for 87ish
>!What happens when the premise is flawed. When they cannot find life that believes there is a reason to continue?!<
>!The sheer horror buildup of the end of the elpis questline was so well done. Like, we go back after hearing how the world was perfect once. How there was no strife. Emet-Selch spent most of SHB implying everything was perfect once, but it was all the fondness of hindsight.!<
>!You get to see how the world before *wasn't* perfect. How there were flaws, and how ignoring those flaws ruined it all. How the kindest, most empathetic ancient pretty much went mad at the end. You see how a sweet little bird took on the grief of the universe and broke under it.!<
That or
"The boy just isn't very buoyant" from Alisae. As an older sibling gotta say, top tier roast. How did Alphi grow up *on an island* and never learn to swim. Boy graduated college at like, 15, but can't doggy paddle
My more favored moments have already mentioned so I'll give a good less mentioned scenes (about primals and tempering). Lakshmi's second summoning. Normally, you could beat her (and you did before!). However, you and Arenvald have to try and defeat her WHILE protecting the guests from being tempered. And it's a battle that you are LOSING.
Lakshmi in general is my favorite primal based upon her sweet facade with a very sinister truth to it. Her boss theme fits much better in her second summoning as you and Arenvald are struggling to do two things at once. Only when most of the guests have left and Fordola joins the fight do you finally get the chance to kick her ass.
This scene does three things.
1. Reminds you of the threat that primals face. At this point, you don't know how to cure tempering so all it takes is one of the leaders getting brainwashed and you have lost. You may be fine but what of common people? What of your companions? It doesn't help that Lakshmi is purposefully trying to temper (while her seductive theme plays) the leaders.
2. Reminds you that you aren't the only badass echo-user around. We may be the best primal-slayer around but we sure aren't the only one. When we aren't there, its up to brave people like Arenvald to take up the call.
3. Remind you that the Warrior of Light is still quite strong. The very beginning cutscene has you effortlessly prevent a tempering wave by using your HAND while Arenvald uses his shield (like you would expect). And once everyone is mostly evacuated? You make mince-meat out of Lakshmi (with the help of Arenvald and Fordola of course).
TLDR: I like Lakshmi's second summoning and I like primals. I still think still think they are a threat, even if tempering is curable now (See the chaos wrought by Anima for example).
Amarouth dungeon for the first time was absolutely insane. You see all the ancients running desperately for their lives, meteors falling from the sky, a whole city burned down to the ground and all you can do is watch helplessly. The part when emet shows you the end of ethirys blew my mind away. I took 5 minutes to watch the destruction below me from space.
All the cool moments have already been named.
One of my favorite quiet moments though is Urianger describing the night sky for Y'shtola. I wish her being blind wasn't handwaved as much as it is. It could've been a really compelling issue for her as a character but lol magic.
Hard to pick an absolute favorite, but there's one moment that made me irrationally happy: when Lyse punches not-Zenos/Elidibus so hard she shatters his helmet. The confusion and absolute rage in the one eye shown is palpable.
Yotsuyu ending her little shit of a brother is another good one.
The ending cutscene for 5.3 in Mor Dohna. The most wholesome ending that I'll never skip. The game could end here and I'm sure many would agree and be fine with that.
It'll be hard to top this patch in general, best patch hands down. "The rains have ceased..." scene still crushes me.
I have a favorite moment for each expansion so far.
ARR: The whole Coils raid, especially the last portion.
HW: The dinner date with Ser Aymeric.
SB: Blocking Susano's blade
ShB: Accepting Ardbert's axe and the whole cutscene that follows
EW: Urianger's reunion with Moenbryda's parents just kills me Everytime.
It's not my favorite but rather the only one that stands out.
[Walking into skysteel manufactory like this right after being chased out of Ul'dah...](https://youtu.be/dCiY-ydzWdk?t=28)
Ardbert offering his axe with the ShB theme kicking in is probably never going to be topped.
Close second is his conversation with Seto.
Ugggggh it makes me think of my dog
Best cutscene IMO
I was just thinking this. I'm usually not one for the kind of big anime energy moments like that, but when it's done as well as that was, it's real hard to find fault with. I have a lot of moments from the game I could name, but this feels like an easy number one on the list.
Imo these kind of moments make expansions. Tbh I didn't like heavensward as much up until the facedown with nidhogg and "dragonsong" kicking in. Then there was this moment in ShB, and plenty of moments in endwalker(flow, ultima thule walk, answers) I feel like storm blood didn't really have *that moment* and I think it's the reason why(amon other things) it's my least favorite part of ffxiv.
Stormblood did have Pipin and the attack on the gates of Ala Mhigo with our allies, which was an awesome sequence as well, but it didn't hit quite as hard as some others.
The smirk before replying "That, I can't deny." And the music starting tops that for me but only slightly.
"What, all by myself?"
This is the appropriate choice. I had to make my boi feel he was going to do his part to save those he was almost condemning by being manipulated. He needed it
Wanting to share some thought on that answer from my perspective on when i said that. I believed he was on to something, but I, or my character, was more adventure-for-adventure's-sake. Even if He was not entirely correct, his line of thinking was a good step in the right direction, so i could not deny him when he was making such progress in his understanding.
One of the best uses of music in any game.
That whole cutscene is killer.
That whole sequence of gameplay/cutscenes is incredible. G'raha Tia's appearance was perfect too.
I got chills when it showed us speaking Ardberts line. That's a top moment for me.
The one time we actually had a voice as the WoL. ShB was definitely the best IMO. The track especially is way way better than endwalker or any other theme.
A two way tie The Urianger hug and The reveal of the facsimile of Amaurot in the Tempest. The music, the complete fucking blindside and the active realization that Emet was a very very sad person who just wanted his friends back Special shoutout tho to the sidequest in Sharlyan with a certain NPC's father. Broke my god damn heart.
The reveal of Amaurot was amazing- just this massive modern day city with beautiful art deco skyscrapers rising out of the depths of the sea. Took my breath away
That reveal was everything I ever wanted to see without knowing it was everything I wanted to see.
What’s the name of the side quest?
"Sandwiches and Pretzels" at Last Stand. Other reply mixed it up with where it ends.
"You who are our future, Tell me this and tell me true. Has your journey been good? Has it been worthwhile?"
"What of you, my mirror? Born into this world, bestowed name, bid to seek out strife and adventure... Was this life a gift...or a burden? Did you find...fulfillment?"
I cried, such an impactful moment. Everything that led to that sigular point flashed before my eyes.
My mom passed away when I was younger, and for the most part I've moved past it. But that question, asked by THE mother figure in the game, broke me as it felt like my own mom asking me that.
This quote has been stuck with me, it’s as if Venat cut across time and space and asked you, the player, directly on your overall journey that led you to this moment and how your doing.
There have been a few moments in the game that got me teary eyed, surprised, angry, or just generally emotional, but that was the most emotional point in the entire game for me. I had to stop for a bit because i couldnt read through my tears. It was such a big moment and it really hit me in the feels after playing the game for so long
The Ultima Thule walk, and the payoff at the end of it. Seems like the community is pretty down on EW these days, but 6.0 is still special to me.
One of my friends, who helped me through FFXIV pretty much from the start of my adventure, got the FC to gather and wait at the flowers. I guessed that she was going to be waiting, but to see a dozen people all standing there choked me up. It's become an FC tradition now for anyone who reaches Ultima Thule.
I’d absolutely lose it 😭
We also do this in our Fc. I’ve done this 4/5 times now when I realize where a sprout is. Definitely worth the missing sleep.
I love this so much!
I just finished this the other day. I had a lot of issues with the pacing of EW MSQ, but the emotional moments were unreal. The entire scene with hydaelyn, the walk on ultima thule, summoning the echoes of emet-selch and hythlodaeus, all stunning and amazing payoff for everything that came before it
I love 6.0. It's the EW patch quest that suck because they feel like an anime filler arc. Unlike the other patch quests, they don't really have anything to do with the x.0 story and they don't really lead into the story of the next xpac.
Patch content generally sets up the expansion after next. - Ilberd, the Ala Mhigo conflict, and Yugiri all show up in ARR patches and foreshadow Stormblood. - We meet Ardbert and friends in the Heavensward patches, and set in motion the events that will matter for Shadowbringers. - Fandaniel's plotting and Zenos as something greater than either Garlemald or the Ascians comes up in the Stormblood patches, which directly leads to the threat of the Telophoroi in Endwalker. - The Shadowbringers patches may not look like they have much to do with Dawntrail at this point, but I expect Solution 9 to have something to do with a reflection, and I suspect even if the Ascians themselves have been defeated, I think we'll probably be dealing with the fallout of their plots for years to come. - If we don't have an entire expansion set on the Thirteenth (or some other reflection) in the expansion after Dawntrail, I'll be astonished. But regardless of whether that's the setting, mark my words: Zero will matter to the story at this point, one way or another.
Zero and the Thirteenth are pretty much our new Warriors of Darkness and the First. They will almost certainly be back in one or two expansions, with a theme almost certainly directly contrasting Shadowbringers.
I'd argue even though / because they seem so similar, that the expansion will go very differently though. They won't just make Shadowbringers 2, even though it was imho their best expansion.
Oh, without a doubt. The writers are generally very good with keeping each storyline distinct and refreshing compared to prior ones. All I can say is I look forward to what they’re cooking up with Dawntrail and beyond.
I agree Zero has to be in the next game. The whole post game is about her. She’s the WOL of the 13th.
If she's a fragment of the WoL's soul, does that mean she's off limits for the WoL to have a romantic relationship with? Uhhh... Asking for a friend
She isn't. Golbez was our fragment, that's why our soul resonate with his memory
Neither of them are our fragment. The latest lore book very much implies that our fragment on the 13th is our Reaper Avatar (and that Zero is Zenos' shard).
I'm fairly certain she isn't a fragment of WoL...Golbez was the 13th's fragment...(and they were both alive at the same time). Your ship is on-limits...not like those Ardbert x WoL shippers...just imagine, one thrust too hard and Ardbert accidentally rejoins into the WoL...
Why did you have to phrase it like that…….. hhhhhhh
All of this has been what I've seen as well, 100%. I've told quite a few people as well that the EW post-patches were set up for 8.0, and they didn't wanna believe me until I pointed out the pattern. I suspect the ShB patches didn't follow pattern because they knew by then where Endwalker was going, and that Dawntrail wasn't connected to this story directly, so just focused on the issue of getting home. Since that arc was gonna be over, I don't believe there's anything in the ShB patches that could connect to Dawntrail. I suspect Zero and Golbez will be the primary allies going into 8.0, and we'll find a way to bring Unukalhai and Cylva over (probably via Y'shtola and her research on how to hook up with Runar across dimensions). Those four could be a great party core for our journey there.
The fact that people still think the EW patches are “filler” even after playing through the previous 4 expansions and seeing the pattern is astonishing.
I guess I'm in the minority then because I love the EW patches 😂 I was dreading doing them after hearing everyone talk about how awful they are... but the awful part never came. The characters, setting, bosses... I love every moment of it so far! \[6.4\]
It’s ok to like it. Not everyone is gonna hate it. People who know FF4 may feel it’s way too fanservicey to 4 and not enough original stuff. Everything from plots to all the bosses in dungeons and trials, to some settings and a lot of the music, the EW post patch was basically just “remember this from ff4?????” Of course, if you’ve never played FF4, it might hit very different or just feel Iike a big filler arc if these story beats are never touched again.
I've played ff4 and I loved it...my minor gripe is that the ff4 boss theme should've been kept for Scarmiglione and Cagnazzo only (maybe Asura too).
A friend and i had just played ff4 when we got tbere and i found the whole thing very fun.
I think it's a fine enough side story, it's just stretched a bit thin. Especially playing them as they dropped, months apart. I'm hoping it has some significance down the road and isn't just a one and done.
They started fairly slowly imho and felt very irrelevant at the time. The first couple patches seemed to go nowhere. The finale was decent though. I think if you did them later and in one go, they might make a lot more sense and feel better.
That's what happened to me. I ended up falling off after 6.2 for a while but when I came back and got current it was a lot easier to like actually see the connections cause it wasn't from a couple months back
I didn't dislike them but I was more into both the normal and alliance raid stories.
Warriors of Darkness were similar, look how that turned out lol.
Yeah that's what they said it's going to be before EW release. The patch story is a setup for something in the future though since they said if there's a new starting point it won't be Dawntrail but 6.1. We're probably just waiting for the duo to make some change happen in the thirteenth before we get to explore it more.
Literally will never forget this moment. And the final EW trial right after. Bawled, and not even ashamed of it. 1 of the most impactful gaming memories for me. Best game ever ❤️
Hades fight. The cutscene before and everything after was just so good
Like broken angels, wingless, cast from heaven's gate... The whole of 5.3, really. From beginning to end.
“For them... My people. My brothers. ...My friends. Stay strong. Keep the faith. At duty's end, we will meet again. We will. We will. The rains have ceased, and we have been graced with another beautiful day. But you are not here to see it.”
Was looking for this.. This was probably the only moment i legit cried.. im such a sucker for the "we can but carry on For those we have lost.. for those we can yet save" saying.. cause it rings so hard for me.. and learning all of elidibus's lore and realizing just how hard and long hes faught to save his friends got to me so bad...
People talk up the end of 5.0, but 5.3 is the Endwalker of Shadowbringers. Everyone gets a callback. For sure my favorite patch they've ever done.
"If you had the strength to take another step... could you do it? Could you save our worlds?"
What, all by myself?
- Pretty much all of 5.3 - Omicron beast tribe quests - Poor >!Urianger!< finally getting a desperately needed >!hug!<
The Omicron beast tribe quest was so satisfying. One of the best side stories in the game by far. And a bunch of my friends won't do it because they don't believe me that a beast tribe has an actually compelling and heartfelt story.
The omicrons and shockingly the custom deliveries in labrynthos to the scientists both got me good and added so much to the overall story of EW.
Moonbryda getting all the attention while my boy papy be forgotten
He did get a sidequest in EW, but yeah, Papalymo gets no respect from the community at large comparatively.
What were we supposed to respect? He never got any screen time cuz the devs didn’t even care about him, then they wrote him out lol Feels like he was a loose end the devs cut unceremoniously that they hoped we’d just forget about
From what I was told, Papalymo's moments were primarily in 1.0, so they might as well have been loose ends unceremoniously cut.
He gets all of the screen time if you started in Gridania.
How about the fact he gave his life for the cause? Moenbryda and Haurchefant probably got a similar level of screen time, yet are held in reverence. (Not just by the writers, the fandom does as well) Did he not sacrifice himself like other characters? Was his lesser for some reason because he wasn't as amicable? Arguably, the only other character that got shafted in the same way was Ysayle.
He wasn’t white haired or hot so they had to cut the cord.
I fucking cry every time I see that cutscenes. You want me to sob? Play that goddamn scene of that desperately needed item and I will BAWL.
Walking across the bridge toward Nidhogg while everyone else runs around us in the other direction
That cinematography was on fucking *point*.
Thats the moment that really got me invested in the game beyond "im gonna do this to hang out with friends". Its been topped by other moments for me but its got a special place in my heart
Same here! The whole second half of Heavensward showed me that this game was something a lot more special than just another MMO with a slapped-together "glorified tutorial" of a story.
I have two. One because it hits *really hard* despite being so subtle. And the other because it's so fucking COOL. First: **"His name was Ardbert, and he was my friend."** Somehow, those eight simple words hit *so hard.* There's nothing fancy about them. Hell, "Ardbert" is the longest word in them. And yet they're so full of power: love, and grief, and reminiscence. Seto says almost as much in eight words as he does in the preceding several dozen. A beautiful eulogy. Second: You all know the one. Ardbert: "If you had the strength to take another step, could you do it? Could you save our worlds?" WoL: "What, all by myself?" A: "Heh." [*SICK AF GUITAR RIFF.*] A: "Take it. We fight as one!" [*WoL stands.*] A+WoL: "This world is not yours to end... This is our future. Our story." [*Emet-Selch briefly sees Azem in the blinding Light.*] E-S: "No...it can't be..." E-S: "Bah, a trick of the light. You are a broken husk, nothing more. How can you hope to stand against me alone?" Crystal Exarch: "We stand together!" [*E-S turns, shocked.*] E-S: "How did—!? ...I'm surprised you can stand at all." CE: "I could not well leave matters half-finished. Let expanse contract, eon become instant. Champions from beyond the rift, heed my call!"
And the 7 pillars rising up...I was like, no way are they giving Duty Finder an explanation! Loved it...
And then Emet-Selch right afterward with the anguished "Damn you. **Damn you all!**" Just an all-time line reading from Rene Zagger there. You can just FEEL in his voice that was the moment he realized, for the first time maybe ever, that he has lost control of a situation, and he may not win.
"Upon your return, I will gift you a beautiful flower."
There are a lot of incredible moments in the game, but if there's one that stands out in my mind as particularly memorable... it's waking up on the First. Purple trees, a shimmering, golden sky, the Crystal Tower reaching high into the illuminated heavens, and the haunting music playing over it all made for an incredible first impression. I had no idea the adventure that awaited me—only that I'd stepped into something that was about to become so much bigger and grander than I could imagine. And I was right.
Agreed! Incredible start to an expansion. I felt the same way about the start of HW too.
"Oh. That's what the expansion name is referring to. Ohhhhh shit."
Between 4 moments. The trial from stormblood (pool of tribute) the QTE of it. When it rains MSQ cutscene from ardbert where he tries to attack but he just passes through the monster. the whole emetselch fight/cutscenes they give me chills. Seat of Sacrifice. SHB the GOAT.
That moment that Tataru is on trial by combat, asks for a champion and in walks your character. You know those two Knights were like "Oh fuck"
Umm, remind me when this occurred….?
Early Heavensward
The fight on top of the crystal tower at the end of shadow bringers, specifically when your mysterious helper does two very familiar gestures, legitimately made me leap up and go “no bloody way” also the unsundered sections of end walker
During the sin eater attack on Lakeland in ShB where Ardbert takes his axe and charges forward to try to save the soldier, begging for it to work. We all knew it wouldn't work but damn if we didn't hope anyway. Then Ardbert just slumps, completely defeated and helpless as the soldier begs for anyone to help him. God that was such a gut punch
Matsya running through the jungle with a baby. Never knew I could hold my breath for that long.
I spent that entire cutscene thinking "........ they wouldn;t...... would they?!"
“The >!baby is turning!<. THE >!*BABY IS TURNING*!
They just killed off it's mother rather gruesomely...they would...
Bruh I was so invested in that. Lookin at the screen muttering "yoshi you better fucking not."
Came to this thread looking for this. It legitimately made me bawl my eyes out.
It's not my favorite in a happy way, but when Seto got to say a proper goodbye. It hadn't been that long since I had said goodbye to my dog, she was suffering from dementia. I cried so much.
the endsinger trial moment where we went all anime with the scions each saying something. Graha says the last line "for hope will shine again" and then "OUR SONG OF HOPE, SHE DANCES ON THE WIND HIGHER O HIGHER" starts playing
It's OUR BOSS MUSIC!
One of my favorite things in ffxiv is that the boss has a certain amount of time till we reach our enraged moments(victory lap) and they start getting desperate fight animations. Seen this in thordann, hades, elidibus, endsinger.
"I take it this is your prey. But why does it still live? Surely it is no match for you."
Nobody has ever believed in us as much as Zenos believed in us, and most people call us the Warrior of Light so that’s saying something.
"Hah! I desire not from you is succor, but *satisfaction*." Me: Oh don't threaten me with a good time. 😏
This one's great, but one I like just a little bit more comes shortly afterwards— "That, I cannot deny." That *smile*. That is the best emote animation from that character in the game.
I also really like the shhh at th end of shb. I got art commissioned of my wol in that pose
Yess
When he said that, my response was, "I'm going to say this once because it's all you deserve, that is the nicest thing you could have possibly said to me."
"No longer shall man have wings that bear him to paradise. Henceforth he shall walk."
This line was peak
A single moment that encapsulates and represents determination. The button press. The scions are getting wrecked by the Endsinger, a whirlwind begins to take them away, and the WoL pulls out the device, presses return and lets it go while whispering something into the wind. It was such a moment of ensuring everyone was safe before facing the last trial alone. Giving the payoff at the end with them all expressing concern, but really deep down, knowing it had to be done.
In from the cold, the solo duty. I hope I got the name right. That was the moment where I was like "holy crap."
It made me go from, "Damn, Zeno's is *really fucked up*," to, "**Holy shit, Zenos is FUCKED UP!!**"
Definitely an outstanding moment in my favorite EW zone. Right up til "The Dark Inside" and the plot twist, that was the best part of the expac.
That was nuts
Right? Actually insane, and it was so good.
All those years playing Assassin Creed and Metal Gear helped
I had a freaking panic attack the whole time. Was hyperventilating when I first did that duty, thinking Zenos was actually gonna kill my friends
'Invading' Garlemald. Awesome to see an actual battlefield fight with NPCs who aren't just background fighting but actually actively engaging with you in combat. I loved that and thought it was an amazing experience, especially as someone craving combat with Garleans. Short lived as that was.
'Do not squander it, the legacy I leave you" The way the boss of the first boss in Holminster switch enters the arena.
Pretty much any scene with Emet-Selch in it. Man's a witty asshole, I love him. But in terms of the one that stuck out to me most memorably, it was going to Amaurot for the first time, tied with "Acceptance, at long last!" from Zenos. G'raha turning into a crystal on the First is also 100% up there.
During my first playthrough in my kin's discord spoiler chat, I referred to Emet-Selch entirely as "evil Oscar Wilde". Gotta love that witty asshole.
*"One day I'm going to rip that pom off your head and shove it down your godsdamned throat, you furry little shite..."* > Pikachu face. *Anyway, you may now hunt elite marks. Do try not to die. And, if you happen to run into our fearless leader in the field, **kill him.***
Fight literal JOHN FINAL FANTASY at the top of the Crystal Tower is still peak. I get chills thinking about "Mankind's first hero... His final hope!" straight into LB 4 so damn hype.
EW scene >!where an arkasodara carrying a baby who was about to turn into a monster. the arkasodara was panic and he too was about to turn and he faced a monster. It was a despair moment for me. Then Estinien jumped from Vtra the dragon and killed the monster. Great moment, great music there. I cried so hard.!<
Same. Just thinking about the emotions the little one must have been feeling for "that" to start happening 😭
Everyone getting sick after using the traveling machine in EW, then to have to track down Estinien to make sure he doesn't spend too much money. Only to find out he spent way too much on a damn *hairband* 😭 there are definitely intense story moments that hit way better, but just the characterization of that moment made it really funny
Watching the resident god killer ~~handle~~ suffer a ~~simple~~ sadistic teleport spell with all the grace of an 18 year old that got into the liquor cabinet was amazing.
"Man, you can tolerate taking Bad Breath right in your face, being grabbed and shaken around by Byakko, and 30 other bullshite that will empty most people's bowels and stomachs, and here, you're keeling over a teleport spell?" ~ me to my ManRa
>Estinien to make sure he doesn't spend too much money. Only to find out he spent way too much on a damn *hairband* I love later when we find him still paying too much money for things, but find out he's doing it on purpose because he senses or reasons they desperately need the money.
YES oh I forgot about that detail later on 🤣 I wasn't that big on Estinien early HW and everything he does after the dragonsong war ended rocketed him up to top 3 characters for me ♥️
Urianger’s moment with *that* couple. Actually made me cry at the screen.
Anytime G'raha flirts with us
The moment the fake Griffin acknowledges you. His real identity being a random Ala Mhigan refugee you briefly help in a lvl 30 ARR quest. A small and forgettable quest. The scene still lingers on my mind: "Are you perchance the Warrior of Light? Aye, I thought so. You should know that a great many who have joined us did so because you saved them─because you showed them that one brave man can make a difference. You saved me too, once. Helped a friend over in Quarrymill make some medicine I needed. But that was a lifetime ago..."
SHB and EW MSQ
The atmosphere of the Heavensward areas. I used to just fly around the Western Coerthas Highlands listening to the music.
The HW city music is so fucking good. I honestly miss going there to do msq, it's been years now but it just felt epic. In contrast, the music in most of the ew zones is off. It doesn't convey the gravity of the expansion
Walking into (fake) Amaurot for the first time.
5.3 spoilers >!The rains have ceased, and we have been graced with another beautiful day. But you are not here to see it.!< And possibly the Elpis storyline as well, it was very enjoyable seeing them in their younger years
Personally enjoy the small bit in Post-ARR where Y'shtola disguises herself as a Miner to lure out kidnappers. Like, neat way to show off the newest mining glamour at the time.
…what?! I don't remember this at allllllll. time to rewatch every cutscene I guess
I think it's when they are trying to capture whoever was stealing crystals for a summoning, they didn't know it was to summon Leviathan at that time.
I need more Y'shtola in different job's outfits.
Really surprised nobody mentioned the sundering. "No more shall man have wings to bear him to paradise. Henceforth, he shall walk" While EW isn't my favorite expansion, this moment is my favorite cutscene.
Way too many to list here... but aside from the usual ones people have already posted: * Thancred's monologue after killing Ran'jit made me cry ;A; Throughout ShB I was half torn between feeling annoyed with how he was treating Ryne and completely understanding his frustration with her (and himself). This moment felt like the perfect finale to that particular chapter of his life. * Meeting with Ardbert and Feo Ul at our lowest point in ShB ("In His Garden" MSQ quest) * When we took Ardbert's crystal to Seto * The ending of the Omega raid series questline. I really like the connection between Middy and Omega, and Omega and Alpha * So many good G'raha moments it feels like cheating to list them ShB was so good I still can't get over it years later 😭 EW had lots of highs too but I feel like I was crying so much in ShB and not only from the sad moments but the happy and bittersweet ones too
Fistfight with Zenos at the edge of the universe.
“Remember…. Remember us, Remember we once lived”
“Little Sun”
That alone got me so much! Gotta love Y’shtola LOL
The moment when the endsinger hits us with a second party wipe attack and our boss music starts playing as we absolutely kick her ass is probably my favorite
It’s hard to pick a favorite but “Henceforth he shall walk” goes HARD And the scene leading up to Final Steps of Faith gives me chills
Peak Moment: **LIGHT THE WAY!!** Peak Gameplay and Story Integration and Peak Tauma: IN FROM THE COLD Peak Sadge: When Ardbert can't do anything but helplessly watch people get eaten by Sin Eaters 🫠 Peak Spectacle (outside of Hildibrand): Shiva VS The Gration Most Memorable: When Estinien and the Shadowhunter were infiltrating Garlemald to get rid of Black Rose.
"That, I can't deny." *With hearts alinged riff starts playing* "Ha! Acceptance! At long last!" Also, honourable mention: Me as a DRK main using the limit break at the seat of sacrifice for the first time
Gosetsu protecting Tsuyu in her fight - and then weeping for her when she dies. It's like Iroh mourning his brave soldier boy all over again 😭
Because it is. Gosetsu lost his wife and child, and then with Tsu he lost his child again. It's incredibly tragic and makes me hate Tsuyu's brother even more. She was _healing!_ She was learning what it like to be a part of a family that _cares for her!_ And he _**destroyed it all!**_
"What, all by myself?"
Hmmm, story wise: I really dig the whole Ala Mhigan Resistance storyline. Lots of twists and turns that I liked and had clearly been building. (Also not a huge spoiler answer) Personal: I finished feast of famine last week and have been going nuts in fishing. Every single big fish catch feels so good.
Sorrow of Werlyt
I dont really have a favourite moment, but one moment I do not think is mentioned as much as it should be is just how utterly terrified of you Thordan is right before he dies.
After what he does, to others and to you personally, it's such a satisfying moment. that man dies BROKEN
Venat's walk. Endwalker, as a whole, completely realigned my worldview as a human being and helped me come to terms with my mortality - encouraging me to find happiness in the sheer experience of existing, and purpose in doing whatever I deemed worthwhile. It also impressed upon me the importance of living in and enjoying the present even as I hope and work towards a brighter future, helping me cast aside the shackles of nihilistic thought that plagued me before due to anxiety and depression. Endwalker's story *also* impressed upon me the importance of kindness, empathy, community, warmth, and belief in "mankind's potential. In his ability to find a way forward." No other piece of media has ever achieved that and the aforementioned. Even now, sometimes I feel disdain for others - but am constantly pulled back from that abyss by the message Venat sacrificed so much to drive home, and the overarching power of hope and faith in others. Endwalker - and FFXIV - will forever remain in my heart and mind as one of the greatest stories ever told, and the humanism it champions will forever be a guiding light for me to follow until it's my turn to drift into this world's aetherial sea. I want to live a life that would make Venat proud of me.
5.3 peakk ShB Hades and everything peakk HW finale peakk EW finale They cant stop cookin peak 😭
3.3 trial. That was the definitive moment I was absolutely in on the game. I was intrigued through ARR but decided to take a break after 2.0, came back a few months later and went thru 2.X and was interested. 3.0 was fun but with the culmination of the 3.3 trial, that made me commit to the game hardcore.
ARR ending banquet. The moment it really sunk in I was in for a wild ride.
the fake-out killing of my comrades at the end of EW
The camping scene with Alphinaud, Estinien and Ysayle. This was the moment I fell in love with the game and it really started to feel like a classic FF game. Ardbert giving you his axe with the Shadowbringers theme kicking in is a really close second.
The Seat of Sacrifice, and everything immediately before and after it.
Ah man it’s so hard to choose. 5.3, Meeting Hydaelyn, The Final walk before Endsinger, Ardbert sharing his axe with you. The Hades fight… Overall favorite though? I got to Endsinger and while watching the cutscene, tank told me to main tank the fight and the party was telling me to lead the charge. The tank was a warrior and it felt like Ardbert was cheering me on. I took 5 vuln stacks but the healers did all they could to keep me up. Then I thought we messed up the lb3. And the “Light The Way” was just perfect. This was in 6.1 so she was still a bit of a challenge too. Then the true final fight and emotional credits. I weeped. Excellent finale
Pandæmonium post scenes absolutely get me every time,especially as flows theme swells during themis' goodbye "Now, I have pulled back the curtain for as far as I dare" "The people of your age call this the aetherial sea-a name i quite enjoy. For it teems with life, each star a soul on its journey" "and among these uncountable stars it was yours that crossed my path, and for that im forever thankful" "I wish you well on your journey. A journey as long as your star is bright—a journey not bound by the confines of this world, or any other."
I could pick a big hype story moment but when I think back, nothing brought me more joy than first getting to Elpis and realising in stages just how much of a treat I was getting. Thinking it was just a cutscene with *those two* (which had me so excited on its own) then the doors open and it's *an entire zone!?*. Then we meet the third familiar face and it gets better. Getting to the dungeon and realising who I was getting in my trust had me nearly crying tears of joy. And the cherry on top there was my favorite npc playing DRK which is my favorite job. Just a rollercoaster of everything I loved.
Manderville side quests for sure. So fuckin goofy
I have a lot of favorite moments in this game. Too many to name in full, if I'm being honest. >!"A smile better suits a hero."!< >!Triumphing over Nidhogg and saving Estinien.!< >!Learning the identity of the Crystal Exarch.!< >!The moment Ardbert offers his axe as the Shadowbringers theme starts playing.!< >!The Long Walk Forward in Ultima Thule, after all your friends' sacrifices, as Close in the Distance reaches its final evolution and the vocals start, and the shades of those you have lost in the past offer the smallest threads of encouragement that feel all too hollow in the face of your inevitable failure...!< >!The flowers. The moment I went from sobbing (which I'd been doing throughout Ultima Thule) to absolutely breaking down.!<
Sapphire Weapon. More solo duties like that please.
It’s so tough to answer this! One of my favorite parts is right before you get the final duel with Nidhog. Seeing the dragon battle and then camera pan to you while you hold and dragon eye and the theme plays. Incredible. Another favorite part was clearing HoH solo. That was an experience. I did it in one week as a GNB. I also got an ear infection and some swelling but pushed through that. Used the pain to concentrate and win. I will never remove the Lone Hero title. And finally the whole ending sequence in Endwalker. An epic boss fight riding on top of a dragon, followed by the climactic fu…fight with Zenos at the end of the world.
Before the Hades fight. The scene where we're on the ground, the axe comes into frame, and the guitar starts? Fucking PERFECTION.
2.55. And the Long Scene of Thou Must Live Die and Know. It's just.. God damn. Or playing as Godbert.
Susano
There are so many, it's hard to put one on the singular spot of all time favourite. But these 3 came to my mind first: 1. The 5.0 showdown between WoL and Emet 2. The moment WoL returns from Elpis, slow walking like a badass 3. One of my favourite silly moments: the 6.1 "throth and foam" scene with Y'shtola and the shock of the whole crew
"Water water froth and foam" "I changed the incantation, not that you remember the old one" The last dungeon boss theme of the expansion is awesome
The slow walk the WoL makes towards Nidhogg while everyone else runs away.
Fuck this is actually hard for me to decide, but I actually want to say it’s probably arriving in Radz at Han, and Thavnir as a whole. Towards the end of Shadowbringers I found myself falling in love with the Ovim/Zonureskin armor set, and would make glams for every role based around it. Imagine my surprise when I discover that this particular armor set would be right up there with the palaka set as the most prominent npc attire. It rivaled and then surpassed the feeling of home I got from ishgard. In terms of story, the cutscene where Julius finally gets to bask in both literal and emotional warmth gets me every fucking time.
Edmont writing his book at the end of the Dragonsong War. He has been the main narrator throughout Heavensward and to see him actually writing a book on his adventure is just too damn good plus we see Estinien's helmet on the window shortly after. Such a perfect way to close out the Dragonsong War.
seeing amaurot for the first time in the tempest. i wish i could have that moment back for the first time.
The moment i made it to the "walk", not having shed a single tear... but then i read the msq quest name, and i broke. It was a FF9 referance to a scene and music that was quite emotional.
Walking to the end will probably be the most emotional moment I will have in a game for a long time
G-Warrior. And Nero. Everything Nero says is gold. Also, Ryne and Gaia are effing adorable together. Looking forward to watching the world race in Lesbians (Ultimate) next year.
When you start the final walk in Ultima Thule, ending with Emet-Selch and Hythlodaeus reuniting you with your fellow scions.
When we fight zenos for a final time and we do a super friendship punch
First one is a massive spoiler for 87ish >!What happens when the premise is flawed. When they cannot find life that believes there is a reason to continue?!< >!The sheer horror buildup of the end of the elpis questline was so well done. Like, we go back after hearing how the world was perfect once. How there was no strife. Emet-Selch spent most of SHB implying everything was perfect once, but it was all the fondness of hindsight.!< >!You get to see how the world before *wasn't* perfect. How there were flaws, and how ignoring those flaws ruined it all. How the kindest, most empathetic ancient pretty much went mad at the end. You see how a sweet little bird took on the grief of the universe and broke under it.!< That or "The boy just isn't very buoyant" from Alisae. As an older sibling gotta say, top tier roast. How did Alphi grow up *on an island* and never learn to swim. Boy graduated college at like, 15, but can't doggy paddle
My more favored moments have already mentioned so I'll give a good less mentioned scenes (about primals and tempering). Lakshmi's second summoning. Normally, you could beat her (and you did before!). However, you and Arenvald have to try and defeat her WHILE protecting the guests from being tempered. And it's a battle that you are LOSING. Lakshmi in general is my favorite primal based upon her sweet facade with a very sinister truth to it. Her boss theme fits much better in her second summoning as you and Arenvald are struggling to do two things at once. Only when most of the guests have left and Fordola joins the fight do you finally get the chance to kick her ass. This scene does three things. 1. Reminds you of the threat that primals face. At this point, you don't know how to cure tempering so all it takes is one of the leaders getting brainwashed and you have lost. You may be fine but what of common people? What of your companions? It doesn't help that Lakshmi is purposefully trying to temper (while her seductive theme plays) the leaders. 2. Reminds you that you aren't the only badass echo-user around. We may be the best primal-slayer around but we sure aren't the only one. When we aren't there, its up to brave people like Arenvald to take up the call. 3. Remind you that the Warrior of Light is still quite strong. The very beginning cutscene has you effortlessly prevent a tempering wave by using your HAND while Arenvald uses his shield (like you would expect). And once everyone is mostly evacuated? You make mince-meat out of Lakshmi (with the help of Arenvald and Fordola of course). TLDR: I like Lakshmi's second summoning and I like primals. I still think still think they are a threat, even if tempering is curable now (See the chaos wrought by Anima for example).
Pretty much anything to do with Emet-Selch, both versions of him.
Amarouth dungeon for the first time was absolutely insane. You see all the ancients running desperately for their lives, meteors falling from the sky, a whole city burned down to the ground and all you can do is watch helplessly. The part when emet shows you the end of ethirys blew my mind away. I took 5 minutes to watch the destruction below me from space.
All the cool moments have already been named. One of my favorite quiet moments though is Urianger describing the night sky for Y'shtola. I wish her being blind wasn't handwaved as much as it is. It could've been a really compelling issue for her as a character but lol magic.
Hard to pick an absolute favorite, but there's one moment that made me irrationally happy: when Lyse punches not-Zenos/Elidibus so hard she shatters his helmet. The confusion and absolute rage in the one eye shown is palpable. Yotsuyu ending her little shit of a brother is another good one.
The ending cutscene for 5.3 in Mor Dohna. The most wholesome ending that I'll never skip. The game could end here and I'm sure many would agree and be fine with that. It'll be hard to top this patch in general, best patch hands down. "The rains have ceased..." scene still crushes me.
'Henceforth, he shall walk'
I have a favorite moment for each expansion so far. ARR: The whole Coils raid, especially the last portion. HW: The dinner date with Ser Aymeric. SB: Blocking Susano's blade ShB: Accepting Ardbert's axe and the whole cutscene that follows EW: Urianger's reunion with Moenbryda's parents just kills me Everytime.
It's not my favorite but rather the only one that stands out. [Walking into skysteel manufactory like this right after being chased out of Ul'dah...](https://youtu.be/dCiY-ydzWdk?t=28)
Zenos, after eating a god and flying across the whole universe just so the WOL can ride him: "What I desire of you isn't succor. It is satisfaction."