Thread by @crazelivetweets

5.3 time!!!

let's go best up the guy wearing Aelfgar's boyfriend as a meatsuit

#cltffxiv

the double edge sword of wanting to set things right regarding ardbert and his friends and wanting to stop elidibus' plot... oof. poor aelfgar

#cltffxiv

also he is showing up in this cutscene so hopefully the glitch from yesterday is cleared up. I wanna see his angy face #cltffxiv

the crystarium really said fuck a sharp angle. g'raha u art deco bitch #cltffxiv

also something something something, azeyma. the fact that some parts of the main aetheryte hall look like azeyma symbols is probably completely coincidental, but fun to play with as character study if u wanted #cltffxiv

("craze why do u know that offhand" ta'rhiki is actually deeply religious. UNFORTUNATELY FOR HIM.) #cltffxiv

oh no.... I've disappeared again.... D: #cltffxiv

OH A TINY KITTEN #CLTFFXIV

AKSHDHSKSGA

THE KITTEN IS NAMED

RIQI-TIO

#cltffxiv

"m-my name's riqi-tio, and... and I want to help everyone!"

b a b Y

#cltffxiv

u guys can obviously do whatever u want but as far as Aelfgar's story is concerned, this is absolutely non-wol rhiki's first counterpart. holy shit. #cltffxiv

oh excellent they rly do just call her riqi. this bit is gonna be fun on ta'rhiki #cltffxiv

"I myself took inspiration from one not unlike your traveling apothecary and I hope her good example will spur you on to realize your dreams."

ahhh.... alphinaud........ ilu #cltffxiv

it's absolutely shit like this that makes aelfgar quietly pop over to mor dhona and check in on unukalhai & ruffle his hair and when unukalhai's like "why... are u like this" aelfgar just shrugs and says "no reason"

#cltffxiv

dadgar....... #cltffxiv

"this is no longer a strange and distant land, after all. novrandt has become as a home to us, and her people our own." #cltffxiv

something that annoys me is that despite wearing near identical boots, Alisaie's outfit does not have pants & Alphinaud's does. what's the point of boots up to ur cooch if ur wearing regular pants underneath.

this just does not feel in character given Past Choices

#cltffxiv

"what? everyone's going outside to see you fight? <whimper> I want to watch too...."

....... sonjhacore #cltffxiv

"the other children I leave in your care--my unruly sister included."

WJDHDJDJRHDJSAJDHSLFHSLS. ALPHINAUD. I AM ONCE AGAIN INFORMING YOU. THAT YOU ARE TWINS.

THIS DUNK GOES BOTH WAYS.

#cltffxiv

aelfgar: oh? but I heard somewhere that the legal age in sharlayan is 16.

alphinaud:

aelfgar: and as a genius academy graduate, her maturity & intelligence level--

alphinaud: OKAY OKAY U DON'T HAVE TO QUOTE THE WHOLE THING

alisaie, loudly: Y-YES, WELL, THERE'S NOTHING LIKE FRIENDLY COMPETITION TO BRING OUT THE BEST IN AELFGAR.

god. her crush. is so cute. I love her.

#cltffxiv

I love that these kids are like.

riqi-tio: I wanna be a WoL to heal & help people!

eirwel: I wanna be a WoL to protect my friends because I have a traumatic backstory

arkil: idk I'm just here to vibe & hang out with my friends

wow... the three class roles.... #cltffxiv

dps confirmed for no thoughts head empty Vibing role #cltffxiv

to be clear

"I just wanna go on adventures and hang out with my friends" was 100% the reason aelfgar started out btw. it's his ideal state.

unfortunately, aelfgar has been a drk main for 2 & a half expacks.

rip

#cltffxiv

!! alisaie!!! D:

it's curious it's hitting them all at the same time like this. alisaie has been here a year but thancred's been here FIVE.

unless he's been having dizzy spells for 4 years and hiding them, which is. in character.

#cltffxiv

holy shit the game is literally like. hey go brood about your boyfriend. #cltffxiv

I SHALL, thank you very much #cltffxiv

holy shit did our yearning yank elidibus' body back to the crystarium??

oh wait we're echoing--

are we echoing OURSELF??

#cltffxiv

or possibly elidibus #cltffxiv

"at times you will stand with us. at times you will stand against us. all that you might steer mankind & the very star upon their true course"

wait okay ARE we echoing elidibus? b/c he was the leader? but it's from our pov & that's not usually how it works in cutscenes #cltffxiv

unless... elidibus became the leader

because we used to be the leader

and then we fucked off.

holy shit??

#cltffxiv

oh nvm we're echoing elidibus and it's from our pov for some--

OH. BECAUSE HES IN ARDBERT'S BODY

AND ARDBERT IS IN OUR BODY.

#CLTFFXIV

that. is confusing syehslahshdjflauspa #cltffxiv

[squeenix voice] what if we put a guy inside another guy

[wild applause & cheering]

#cltffxiv

I love that the options are like. "leave the citizens alone" (solid protective choice) "what are u up to" (solid & valid important question) and then.

"GIVE. ME. ARDBERT'S. BODY. BACK."

#cltffxiv

slams that button without hesitation #cltffxiv

his axe being clean and nice versus ardbert's being the bloody one... idk enough about warrior relic weapons to know the significance of that but I'm Noting it #cltffxiv

I love that Aelfgar's hatred of elidibus is so PERSONAL. like yeah elidibus is a Great Evil™

but he's also using his boyfriend's body as a meatsuit, and he brainwashed his son

aelfgar hates him as A Person, not just like. disliking him on a moral ideal level #cltffxiv

oh hang on I was probably in all those scenes I just DISAPPEARED AGAIN. God. I'm gonna have to try to troubleshoot this huh. IT'S ALWAYS THE IMPORTANT CUTSCENES. #cltffxiv

squints

hey g'raha

did u always fucking. glow????

#cltffxiv

I love how he's like. very politely kicking elidibus out. and only if he's causing trouble. ahdhskaha ha. I love the crystal exarch. #cltffxiv

NO!!, WHAT!!! WHAT DID U DO??? WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT

#CLTFFXIV

okay so the glowing IS new #cltffxiv

damn wish I knew what face aelfgar was making lmao #cltffxiv

"to take action is to hope... to believe, to CHOOSE to believe, is to take the first seto towards a brighter future."

I'm tearin up

#cltffxiv

hey g'raha. no offense buddy, but the last plan you had involved sticking a lot of light in my body & both u and I nearly died

*puts my hand solemnly on his shoulders* I'm not saying yes to another plan of urs without DETAILED EXPLANATION BEFOREHAND

#cltffxiv

alright I'm gonna update and restart my computer & then continue, hopefully visible in the cutscene this time #cltffxiv

okay so far so good, but aelfgar was in some of the cutscenes with the kids so it's not Every cutscene. let's see if it holds up. I did have to update my computer, and I turned off some of the plugins I was using just in case those were the issue. #cltffxiv

"however heedless you are of your own wellbeing, if you care at all for ryne's feelings, youll stay in bed until you're needed." 👀 #cltffxiv

aw I talked to unukalhai & he's like "elidibus in particular concerns me greatly "

my son!!! I will fight him for u >:[

#cltffxiv

"I call myself a receptionist, but I forgot to ask you why you're here!"

...tataru sweetie

has. no one told you. that you're the new head of the scions.

#cltffxiv

.... why are we keeping our friend's bodies in the creepiest room imaginable.

what. why aren't they just in regular hospital beds somewhere

WHY DOES OUR HEADQUARTERS EVEN HAVE THESE ROOMS???

#CLTFFXIV

.... I genuinely don't know which is alphinaud and which is alisaie #cltffxiv

WHY ARE THERE NO LIGHTS??? #CLTFFXIV

the difficulty and grimness of this whole situation makes it less and less likely we're gonna figure out a two way wormhole so everyone can visit their friends and loved ones whenever

BUT. IF WE LEAVE RYNE HERE. I. WILL CRY. #CLTFFXIV

I mean the fact that eden can happen whenever implies that we do eventually figure out a way for everyone to bounce between worlds, right? or is eden like, locked in time. should I do eden Now? I don't have time for that.... #cltffxiv

I haven't even finished omega. trying to coordinate friends is a nightmare lmao. #cltffxiv

... huh. I'm in mor dhona, and there's a carbuncle sitting on the roof of a tent

and I can't see its owner anywhere at all.

#cltffxiv

I turned name tags back on & the only people nearby are a--IT DISAPPEARED!!! #CLTFFXIV

tataru omnicrafter.... all crafters 80.... #cltffxiv

archon loaf..... #cltffxiv

me, crossing my fingers and chanting softly: please wake up source g'raha please wake up sourse g'raha please--

#cltffxiv

I simply wish for Two G'rahas. you understand #cltffxiv

OH...... RAMMBROES JUST WANTS TO SAY HI.... "TELL HIM THAT WE NEVER DOUBTED HIM" AHHHHHHHHHH

I wanna know so much about g'raha's earky life, his work with the sons etc etc #cltffxiv

"tell him that we consider his duty done--and that he should follow his heart now"

thinkin about how all g'raha wants to do is Be With Us.... wow... WE'RE his heart.... #cltffxiv

THAT'S THE TEXT!! THE TEXT OF THE GAME!!!!! #CLTFFXIV

"DENSE AND UNPLEASANT... EXACTLY AS IT SHOULD BE" EURHEHAOSGSKAHSLEHQIDUSA

the soda bread emotion #cltffxiv

there's FISH in this binch???

AHFHSLAHDLA ITS THE SHITTY NUTRITIONAL GRANOLA OF FOODS #CLTFFXIV

committing a food crime against ur friends is just how friendship works #cltffxiv

"that which I seek to do, I do of my own volition, and with all my heart."

it's just so ROMO is the thing

it makes me feel so Much ahdhsishaosskoa #cltffxiv

"in pursuing this path I fully expect to earn the censure of our friends--and deserve it--but I shall forge on regardless." goddamnit g'raha

#cltffxiv

can someone PLEASE come collar this cat for his own good. no more decisions for you. #cltffxiv

"craze I think aelfgar has to--" im AWARE!!!!! #cltffxiv

g'raha has that very specific problem where he doesn't realize his pain also hurts the people around him because his sense of self worth is so in the toilet

#cltffxiv

GOD
DAMN
IT
RAHA

#CLTFFXIV

[shakes this man]

stop literally breaking off pieces of yourself just because you think it'll make us happy. it Doesn't!!! do u think we WANT that??

#cltffxiv

... oh hey I figured out how to make aelfgar/g'raha work.

huh

#cltffxiv

this fucker finding a loophole in the "u can't die for us" rule. "it's not dying if its just PIECES of me." this absolute mother fucker.

ohhhhhhhhh. OHHHHHHHHH. I'm so mad at him fhshskagdkagdlsusla.

TIME OUTS FOR G'RAHAS.

#CLTFFXIV

"one is for testing purposes. I will personally use it to see whether the crystal functions as it should"

.......

o H????? #cltffxiv

EXCUSE ME, G'RAHA.

THAT BODY IS CURRENTLY OCCUPIED.

#CLTFFXIV

"who knows what'll happen if we mix two of my own souls together! no idea what might occur"

so?

let's not??

do that???????

#cltffxiv

can we take away this man's decision making privileges PLEASE. PLEASE FINAL FANTASY.

LET'S GO BACK TO THE TOTAL POWER EXCHANGE SOLUTION. #CLTFFXIV

for MULTIPLE REASONS #CLTFFXIV

alisaie/raha is so good. she's so upset & anguished, her broken little "I see" as she just leaves... GOD.

I keep thinking about this in ta'rhiki's timeline and vibrating. #cltffxiv

everyone else: furious with the exarch

thancred: idk I think it's good he's driven

me: I KNEW u were gonna say that, u stupid fucking self-sacrificing idiot

#cltffxiv

thancred u are shockingly NOT the voice of reason here ajshdksfhlskahdla #cltffxiv

honestly I'm a bit disappointed that he's gonna overlay his younger self. like, for one thing, technically he's himself from another timeline. so he's subsuming our timeline's g'raha, which feels unfair #cltffxiv

secondly I want two g'rahas #cltffxiv

of course urianger unironically likes archon loaf

"craze u unironically like soda bread" shhhhhhhhhh #cltffxiv

"ALPHINAUD, YOU REALLY ARE AN UNBEARABLE SNOB SOMETIMES, DO YOU KNOW THAT?"

ALISAIE MY BELOVED #CLTFFXIV

okay I've been informed shit pops off and starts to rly Go soon so I should wait to do it when I have time, and perhaps not at midnight on a Thursday

so that's all for tonight!! #cltffxiv

ALRIGHT I HAVE TIME

oh shit we're hitting the ground running

elidibus is once again being a binch & y'shtola is knocked out cold.

#cltffxiv

that line read on "it swells within me... empowers me...." skdhfjslshala

elidibus hort

#cltffxiv

anyway idk what any of that was about. I did not even vaguely recognize that armor dhdkagdakajka

#cltffxiv

ah there it is. HE KIDNAPPED Y'SHTOLA. #CLTFFXIV

oh I rly did time this well, Karo told me to pause before the solo duty and This Appears To Be The Solo Duty #cltffxiv

"you who have slaughtered my people"

THATS

A BIT RICH.

DON'T YOU THINK

ELIDIBUS

#CLTFFXIV

oh wow.

I'm gonna murder this man for REAL for real

#cltffxiv

"I was under the impression you simply destroyed all who barred your way"

AGAIN

A BIT RICH

#CLTFFXIV

this being timed is HOMOPHOBIC

#cltffxiv

spwakinf

of home of phobia

Him...., 😭😭😭😭 #cltffxiv

hey ur eyes ever start to water rly badly bc ur possibly coming down with a cold and u can't see anything and also u gotta fight a guy wearing ur boyfriends body and ur on a timer?

anyway duty fucking complete

#cltffxiv

I am INCANDESCANT!!! !! HAHAHA HAHA HOLY SHIT. HOLY SHIT! ! THERE'S SO MANY THINGS I CAN'T EVEN PICK ONE TO PROCESS RN. #CLTFFXIV

it's rare we ever get a villain that's complex and doesn't fall into the "I wanna fuck him" category or the "I wanna rehabilitate him" category. like a villain u genuinely have fun hating because he Sucks

anyway elidibus my BELOATHED #cltffxiv

y'shtola rolling up like "boys, stop that" #cltffxiv

god. it's canon aelfgar went in here on drk because fray had to essentially physically drag him away from fake haurchefant. #cltffxiv

also ELDIBUS' FUCKING COMMENTARY. WHAT A PIECE OF SHIT AHFHSLAHDLA #CLTFFXIV

anyway I can't belive this game made me fight greenwhat a 5th fucking time in the MAIN STORY PLOT

always nice to kick zephirin's ass again tho
#cltffxiv

so way back in arr, I considered "haha what if.... WoL who is a primal"

but I never rly developed it bc I was like "I don't wanna say that and have everyone who's played the whole game be like 'craze that's ridiculous"."

anyway

haha want if a WoL who is a primal

#cltffxiv

literally I started developing this as a wol idea before I even knew about shiva shhadhkwshwkal

sometimes one has Simply Played A Squeenix Game™

I can't believe aelfgar would canonically fall for the classic "put a dollar on the ground" trick

... yes I can #cltffxiv

I like that the animation has aelfgar keep putting these in his skirt. aelfgar with his skirt rucked up and full of like 20 crystals & that's what y'shtola comes back to

#cltffxiv

on nvm it's 13 (of course) and the person who finds him like that is hythlodaeus sbshalshala

#cltffxiv

... they return memories of the Unsundered self to the sundered

oh

holy Shit

HOLY SHIT HELL YEAH

TIME TO REMEMBER

WHO WE USED TO BE

#CLTFFXIV

wait we're not just getting our memories, but also--

hang on are we about to become UNSUNDERED????

no that's. ridiculous. right????

#cltffxiv

oh.... we were a wanderer......... ahhhhhhhhhh aelfgar I'm so emotional for u

stuck at home all he wanted to do was Adventure.....

#cltffxiv

oh nvm he put in his special magic to.... summon stars??? what????

what????

#cltffxiv

OH WAIT

THE POWER TO CALL OTHER WOLS

EJDHDLWDUSLDHSLDHDL.

THE DUTY FINDER AS AN IN UNIVERSE MAGICAL ABILITY AHFDJFUSOFHAOABDLAUSOAYDAOAH

#CLTFFXIV

oh cmon I wanna see the ME CRYSTAL!! Y'SHTOLA!!!! #CLTFFXIV

"without whom I might never have escaped my abductor"

i mean. y'shtola u kinda u kidnapped urself tbh #cltffxiv

like she was fine, she just callopsed bc her body is slowly dying on another planet

but other than that

#cltffxiv

*unkidnapped

my phone likes to autocorrect words with un- to u [space] qkrhdkshfksjalahal

whomst the fuck

#cltffxiv

oh shit

WOLS

#CLTFFXIV

... hero's gauntlet now accessible #cltffxiv

oh fuck I went back to the crystarium to do some craftquest while I wait for friends to be available for dungeon and the music is the same ominous shit and the sky is still. meteors.

sbshsjaksjak. APOCALYPSE SHIT. ALRIGHT. #CLTFFXIV

"ALPHINAUD, I'M ABOUT TO DO A GREAT MANY STUPID AND RECKLESS THINGS. WATCH MY BACK, WOULD YOU?"

I LOVE
THESE
TWINS

#CLTFFXIV

god I love when alisaie gets to be cool #cltffxiv

oh God is he gonna stick himself in a crystal before we can get him to deal with this Problem we're having shdkahakdhalak #cltffxiv

oh God I just. realized something

his memories are in the crystal. his soul is, technically, still over in the source.

t-two g'rahas.

one. expendable. g'raha.

#cltffxiv

if elidibus kills g'raha while wearing ardbert's body, after I established ardbert has a thing for g'raha...

wow.

#cltffxiv

my HEART is in my THROAT #cltffxiv

shit g'raha ur literally falling to pieces. fuck.

I hate that the WoL doesn't like. ITNERACT with people in cutscenes. I know it's the limitations of the engine or w/e but it sucks lmao. let him try to literally hold g'raha together #cltffxiv

SHAPED LIKE A DAMSEL!!!!

#CLTFFXIV

"im just glad you're alive. make sure you stay that way."

"if you mean to face him alone, I will not allow it. not this time."

hhhhhhhh #cltffxiv

I love that g'raha's duty as the crystal exarch supercedes his hero worship

here's how ardbert/g'raha can still win

#cltffxiv

"better that I remain here with my gremlins"

beq lugg please this is a serious moment u cannot make me howl with laughter

#cltffxiv

I love that his crystal curruption is on his clothes too.. #cltffxiv

OKAY SO THIS IS INCONVINENT TIMING BUT.

I GOTTA GO PUT DINNER IN THE OVEN

#CLTFFXIV

okay I'm back we got 50 minutes before potted pie

ah... lyna & her grandpa.....

given that his body is Decaying Before Our Eyes I'm getting a vibe this might be the last time they ever speak (in person, at least)

god

I'm tearin up

#cltffxiv

"all these moments that we shared, all the feelings that accompanied them... they are as real as aught that came before, and nothing will ever change that--will ever change what we mean to one another."

😭 😭 😭 #cltffxiv

"why do you speak so? as if this were our last meeting?"

oof #cltffxiv

"you who have led us through countless trials. and you who will lead us through countless trials to come"

and then we leave

AND THEN. SHE JUST SITS THERE. SOBBING

WOW

WOWOWOW. #cltffxiv

SHE

that sent early but I stand by it #cltffxiv

CRYSTAL TOWER MUSIC.... YEAH. YEAH. #CLTFFXIV

no g'raha!! Frick. expendable g'raha :((((((( #cltffxiv

fuck that. I'm hauling him over my shoulder. #cltffxiv

"HOW I WISHED THAT I COULD JOIN YOU...." #CLTFFXIV

g'raha's one desire for Himself in his whole life was to go on an adventure with you. GOD. #cltffxiv

"I was right to trust in you and the power of your legacy--of your name. to let them guide my every deed."

when I tell u how that Hits for ta'rhiki, because of What Exactly That Means #cltffxiv

The Crystarium Is Ta Tribe #cltffxiv

"why me?"

OH HE'S SO CONFUSED? HIS LITTLE FACE.... #cltffxiv

his little. head tipped back here.

yeah

#cltffxiv

"I was no hero. Neither than nor after. though the world to which I awakened and the first were beset with myriad problems, I rarely knew how best to play my part."

gently grasps g'raha's shoulders

buddy. that is Exactly How Aelfgar Feels.

#cltffxiv

"I could not let those near to me meet a tragic end."

oh... he picks you because. you died. and he decided to be a tiny bit selfish. u were a great hero...

but u were also his friend.

#cltffxiv

Aelfgar's angry face.

he's SO sick of people sacrificing themselves for him.

especially people he's forgiven, and feels horrible about being mad at in the first place, and has left so much unsaid. #cltffxiv

HIS ANGUISHED FACE AS HE RUNS AWAY... WOW

#CLTFFXIV

I am assuming we're just expelling him from the body here and not actually killing the guy simply because

i want my moon court joke to be realized

#cltffxiv

OH HELL YES. IT'S FULLY CANON U JUST HAVE ARDBERT IN THE BACK OF UR HEAD NOW. GOD BLESS US E V E R Y ONE #CLTFFXIV

I'm choosing the meaner options even if I personally find elidibus a rly compelling villain simply because

he pressed literally every single one of Aelfgar's buttons fhsjsladhalahala

#CLTFFXIV

OH HELL YEAH. ME TIME #CLTFFXIV

azem??

where have I hear that before..... #cltffxiv

wait holy shit

azeyma

is the sunseeker god

ABFHDLFHALFHSLDHLA??? DID I MAKE. MY ONE VERY RELIGIOUS CHARACTER. A WORSHIPPER OF HIMSELF.

#CLTFFXIV

WAIT. no. there's twelve eorzean gods not 14. DAMN. OKAY. nevermind lmao #cltffxiv

OKAY

I've eaten a pot pie and beat up mr final fantasy himself

time for like 3 hours of cutscenes apparently

#cltffxiv

i can't get over hades helping u and then sauntering off. GOD. #cltffxiv

OH. STICK HIM IN THE MOON.

#CLTFFXIV

"I SHALL HAVE IT. YOUR SOUL AND ALL."

god. crystal exarch g'raha is so cool. #cltffxiv

holy shit was elidibus a child #cltffxiv

God. I rly do feel so sad for the ascians.

"the rains have ceased and we have been graced with another beautiful day. but you are not here to see it."

FINAL FANTASY XIV! IS! ABOUT! GRIEF!! #CLTFFXIV

g'raha. goddamnit #cltffxiv

"I hope you'll forgive me this moment of selfishness, and while I wouldn't want you to feel obliged..."

aelfgar, looking DESTROYED

"promise me you'll take me on your next adventure. a journey. together. that's all I ask."

#cltffxiv

Jesus CHRIST. the romo is so FUCKING good. u don't even need to fic it ITS ALL TEXT. #cltffxiv

anyway while he's mid "obliged" aelfgar kisses him. congrats to ardbert ahdhskshakdhks

#cltffxiv

THE WAY

HE PUTS THE CRYSTAL

TO HIS HEART???

#CLTFFXIV

so ryne IS stuck here? :(

nooooooooo :((((

I rly wanted her to come with us somehow

#cltffxiv

God they're talking about it and it reminded me so I'm just... the way they make it a point to give emet-selch That Saunter. how it's such a good character tell & u INSTANTLY know so much about him. how FUNNY it is

and then using that. to tell us without QUESTION. who helped.

THATS SO GOOD!!! WHY IS THIS GAME SO GOOD!!!!! #CLTFFXIV

do I have to be the one to tell lyna

how do I opt out of that shfjshdlahala

#cltffxiv

oh okay so he did manage to stick his soul in there in the end. it was hard to tell shdjslshaala. #cltffxiv

alright let's go home & crack open that fuckin bad boy and wake up sleeping beauty. ngl I'm still disappointed because, as you all know, Two G'rahas, & also we don't get to keep the one with the hot crystal hand, but Needs Must

#cltffxiv

btw I explained this to Reili during dinner, but I started w/ explaining that there were two g'rahas but one was now The Spare and she yelled "YOU'RE GOING TO REPLACEMENT GOLDFISH G'RAHA TIA WITH HIMSELF??" & I kept going "no, wait--hang on--" but couldn't stop laughing #cltffxiv

"I WILL FOLLOW MY HEART, REGARDLESS OF THE RISKS"

AND YOU, AS STATED LIKE ON THREE EXPLICIT OCCASIONS IN THIS EXPACK

ARE HIS HEART

W O W.

#CLTFFXIV

"is g'raha tia gay" INDEED

#CLTFFXIV

(... idk if I tweeted about that. but if u start to Google g'raha the aurocomplete is "g'raha tia gay" and "g'raha tia in love with the wol" & I have to imagine the first is because, well, [gestures at shadowbringers] even cishet dudes struggle to ignore this one I feel)

seperating thancred and ryne is genuinely the saddest I've been all expack and I just watched my boyfriend turn into a rock #cltffxiv

"im sure he'd love the thought of being lugged about on his hero's back."

alisaie don't be jealous #cltffxiv

ta'rhiki offering alisaie a piggy back ride all the way to the Inn and alisaie huffing off but also blushing

#cltffxiv

(btw in case ur curious I found that to be a good time to take a quick break and make my maiming i510 gear to decompress fbfbdkskla. SORRY IT WAS JUST A LOT. #cltffxiv)

making my maiming gear has proved to be MUCH MORE RIDICULOUS THAN I INITIALLY EXPECTED. time instead to go back to the farewell tour

#cltffxiv

"what? I'm not crying! I just have sand in my eye, that's all."

I love alisaie with all my heart.

#cltffxiv

"I'M not crying, ALPHINAUD is crying!"

"Alisaie, Alphinaud's not even--"

"WELL GO FIND HIM THEN"

#cltffxiv

that's barely even jokes that's just what happens #cltffxiv

aw.... dulia-chai..... her son :(

#cltffxiv

:(((((( #cltffxiv

if I was in dulia-chai's position this would also be my reaction. alphinaud is shaped like the perfect boy #cltffxiv

OH GOD I JUST THOUGHT ABOUT DULIA & TA'RHIKI AND NOW I'M CRYING ALSO

TWO SONS..... #CLTFFXIV

msq is for finding my ocs boyfriends and also loving families who accept them as they are and cherish them as people #cltffxiv

(last expack aelfgar got publically disowned and became a Mol. he has a spooky grandma now.) #cltffxiv

okay that's not true

msq is also for finding my ocs girlfriends, provided the oc is ta'rhiki

it's so odd to see both of Aelfgar's eyes. i keep going "oh I forgot to fix his glam" but no that IS his glam now #cltffxiv

he did drk 80 quest and now Specifically As Dark Knight he no longer hides his eye. it's progress!!

i am almost wondering if perhaps... aelfgar... is going to have a new main class in endwalker

maybe it's finally time to be driven by something more than grief & regret #cltffxiv

on a mechanical level though the only real choices are gnb (baffling pivot), drg (... no), dnc (perhaps?) and sam (maybe???)

I'd love for it to be war but narratively war is ardbert shdhskalhska #cltffxiv

oof. Aelfgar's advice to alphinaud being "leave nothing left unsaid." that's what they call the wisdom of experience #cltffxiv

God, Alphinaud's perspective on the crystal braves... he's so BRUTAL about it. for all I mocked him for it & for all it was a COLLOSALLY BAD IDEA I still stand by the fact that I think he was Genuinely Trying. also, he was. 16. at the time. #cltffxiv

like yes. obviously, no form of complex social injustice is going to be solved with a private military run by a 16yo

but it's not like he turned people into monsters and those monsters into food which he then fed to other people so he could mind control them. yknow?

#cltffxiv

I will say the parallel here between him and the chais is pretty accurate tho.

naive rich people realizing they're naive rich people lmao

#cltffxiv

"what struck me is how much faster you found [the strength to learn & grow] than I did."

"... really? it felt pretty slow to me!"

lmao dunk on him fhdkshdlshsla

#cltffxiv

it's true alphinaud wallows for so long there were multiple times I was like "buddy I'm glad ur doing some inner reflection but u GOTTA get it together" whfhskdhakdjkalashla #cltffxiv

dulia chai doing her ABSOLUTE BEST to say fuck the constraints of this game's physicality & cup Alphinaud's cheeks is.

I'm tearing up again. CAT MOM!!! WOW #CLTFFXIV

"no matter where you are, remember that there are people here who are praying for your health and happiness." 😭😭😭

lady chai..........!! #cltffxiv

I like that Alphinaud is literally her sugar baby and that's so EASY to play with but no it's the classic platonic version not the sexy version

which is... so impressive when alphinaud is involved.

#cltffxiv

to be clear I also appreciate the sexy version it's just for once they actually hit familial vibes and didn't get too weird with it despite getting kind of weird with it

unlike, yknow. gestures at thancred #cltffxiv

is this about minfilia or ryne

yeah

#cltffxiv

"OUR BRAVE AND GENTLE ARTIST... YOU HAVE OUR LOVE, NOW AND ALWAYS"

OH.... u ever just cry real tears #cltffxiv

OH ALPHINAUD IS ALSO TEARING UP. HE LOVES HIS MOM!!!!

#CLTFFXIV

I love that wrenden was also here for that whole scene

wrenden: .......sorry, who's this again

#cltffxiv

I'm joking of course

wrenden has very much heard of The Dearest Artist Alphinaud, Hero Of Eulmore (And His Lovely Assistant), Who Looks Ever So Smart In Blue--

#cltffxiv

"alisaie said that, did she? well as u can see, I am quite all right noe--unlike HER, by the sound of it."

God. I bet if u watch a sad movie with the twins they both burst into tears and get into a shouting match about how YOU'Re crying!! NO!!! yOU are!!!

#cltffxiv

insufferable. I love them. #cltffxiv

oh speaking of our victory over elidibus

I was like, understandably A Bit Distracted but.

if elidibus is dead

whomst the fuck are we fighting on the moon

#cltffxiv

he's the moon guy!!!! #cltffxiv

love that the closer I get to endwalker the less I understand about endwalker #cltffxiv

oh wait there's also discount robes ascian with the stupid hood hat

#cltffxiv

alright time to cry about ardbert again

#cltffxiv

yes yes YES YES YES WE'RE MANIFESTING HIM!!

HOLY SHIT

THEY KEEP MAKING MY HEADCANONS ACTUAL CANON FHFJSHSKSHDKSFBSKSKS ALALAA #CLTFFXIV

SOMETIMES

ARDBERT TAKES OVER

AND AELFGAR IS A WARRIOR

WHO WEARS THE WAR GLAM!!

that's CANON!!!!!!!

#CLTFFXIV

god. this is what seto deserves #cltffxiv

also yes I know he'd not like really REALLY there and it's some aetherial soul shit but thats not the POINT. even if he still looks like aelfgar, aelfgar is taking a back seat on this one!!! #cltffxiv

OH... THE TOUCHING THEIR FOREHEADS.....

this reunion tour is doing their absolute Most with this engine. God bless the artists in the cutscene department #cltffxiv

"had I only learned to speak sooner, I could have told you how much you meant to me how much I cared."

"I knew. I always knew."

ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh #cltffxiv

his journey continues!!!!! that's right binch!!, the ghost boyfriend LIVES #cltffxiv

do u know how often I get both "ghost boyfriend" and also "the narrative isn't about letting the ghost boyfriend go"

like. the answer is "Danny Phantom & fanfiction sometimes*"

*ghost whisperer EMPHATICALLY doesn't count

#cltffxiv

and half the time in fanfiction it's "he wasn't REALLY a ghost!" which is weaksauce. date a fucking ghost u cowards #cltffxiv

they call me craze "ghost fucker opinions" livetweets #cltffxiv

AHHH.... RUNAR.........

god. y'shtola/runar good. #cltffxiv

HIS FLOWER. HE'S KNEELING. AH.......... RUNAR!!!!! #cltffxiv

oh look how genuinely sad she looks. u gotta wonder, if it wouldn't literally kill her, would y'shtola consider staying on the first with her boyfriend and her cult? #cltffxiv

"I jest. at least in part."

runar: will u marry me?

y'stola, looking heartbroken: runar...

runar, his heart splintering into 1,000 pieces: haha! I'm joking! it's okay!! I'm Fine

#cltffxiv

"remember that your peoples journey--that OUR peoples journey is yet ongoing."

OOF that our. #cltffxiv

OH? THE SMIRK? THE HAIR FLIP??

"YOU MAY CALL ON ME"????

Y'SHTOLA ARE U LITERALLY GIVING HIM UR NUMBER AS WE LEAVE? WOW!!!!

she is an ICON #cltffxiv

[y'shtola voice] if it's a mode of DANGEROUS AND UNTESTED TELEPORTATION, you KNOW I'm there

#cltffxiv

OH... HE BOUNCE HER....

#cltffxiv

the fact that despite how ffxiv never Confirms relationships, they literally couldn't bring themselves to break runar/y'shtola up.... mood #cltffxiv

makes me hopeful about ryne but also.... thancred is. no magics guy. so. Unfortunate. #cltffxiv

I love how this whole quest is

everyone: what do u mean the exarch is with you.

aelfgar, VERY insistently: he's with me.

#cltffxiv

I think aelfgar is holding onto his sanity re: g'raha & the things left unspoken & his maybe-probably Big Feelings by simply (very carefully) clutching that crystal to his chest and mentally chanting "he's in the crystal it's okay. he's in the crystal it's okay." #cltffxiv

u know the running joke in stardust with the increasing number of ghosts following the characters around and commentating on the plot?

anyway, #cltffxiv

God. I love train guy jeryk. he simply Loves Trains. God bless. #cltffxiv

"TIME TO REACH FOR THE STARS WITH A TROLLEY TO DEARF ALL TROLLEYS." #cltffxiv

jeryk please show me ur model trolley collection & earnestly explain to me about the carefully exact 1/16th measurements #cltffxiv

thancred: explains how he's leaving Permanently

magnus, who like. barely knows us and mostly just had a pissing contest with thancred about grief, immediately: what about your daughter though

oof. yeah. #cltffxiv

I think it's important to remember magnus is also a dad, who lost everyone dear to him. double oof #cltffxiv

YUP THEY JUST CALLED IT OUT

"IF THE CHOICE WERE MINE, I'M NOT SURE I COULD BEAR TO BE PARTED FROM MY FAMILY."

#CLTFFXIV

"BESIDES, I HAVE MY OWN RESPONSIBILITIES, AND I WOULDN'T BE SETTING A VERY GOOD EXAMPLE IF I NEGLECTED THEM"

ahhhHHHHHHH thancred deciding that to be a Good Dad he has to leave, thus tricking himself into not dying of guilt.... BIG SAME BUDDY #CLTFFXIV

"BUT NOW THAT THE TIME HAS COME, 8NJUST FEEL... LOST. LOST AND LONELY."

HER WHOLE FAMILY, EVERYONE WHO CARES ABOUT HER AND MADE HER BELIEVE SHE WAS WORTH BEING A PERSON IN HER OWN RIGHT.... ARE LEAVING HER..... G O D. RYNE!!! #cltffxiv

clawing at the gate like Let Ryne Through!! she's Ours now!!!! #cltffxiv

GOD. SHE'S TRYING SO HARD TO HOLD IT TOGETHER AND STAY STRONG FOR US. BABEYYY #CLTFFXIV

alright time to Be Sad #cltffxiv

why is shadowbringers about alisaie getting and then losing girlfriends. deeply unfair #cltffxiv

"the happy moments--and the sad--I will remember it all. and it will give me the strength to carry on, without you."

ryyynneeeeeee #cltffxiv

"BECAUSE YOU MADE ME WHO I AM. MINFILIA. RYNE."

GOOD B Y E

#CLTFFXIV

oh the shot of thancred's face... but only the bottom half.... hahahhhaa. ha. hahaha. #cltffxiv

we get everyone's expressions, but Not His.... #cltffxiv

THE

HEAD.

PAT.

#CLTFFXIV

"I have every confidence you'll make your people proud."

BECAUSE SHE MAKES YOU PROUD, RIGHT THANCRED??

#CLTFFXIV

"GODS KNOW I'M PROUD OF YOU. I ALWAYS WILL BE. YOU DESERVE ALL THE HAPPINESS IN THE WORLD AND MORE."

IM. LEGITIMATELY SITTING HERE. CRYING REAL BIG TEARS. HANG ON I GOTTA GO GRAB THE KLEENEX BOX. LIKE. FOR REAL. #CLTFFXIV

OH SHE'S CRYING. GOD. ITS ALL SHE EVER REALLY WANTED TO HEAR FROM HIM. G O D.

#CLTFFXIV

OH NOW LYNA'S HERE. FUCK. LYNA UR GRANDPA. #CLTFFXIV

me, wailing: WHY IS THIS WHOLE TOUR ABOUT PARENTS SAYING GOODBYE!!! AND HOW MUCHT THEY LOVE YOU!! AND HOW PROUD THEY ARE!!

I'M TOO GAY AND TRANS FOR THIS SHADOWBRINGERS!!! U KNOW I'VE GOT THAT PARENTAL TRAUMA!! #CLTFFXIV

the whole crystarium.... saying goodbye......

hey. finals fantasy. give me the crystarium salute emote. #cltffxiv

"tell him he needn't worry about us. that he need no longer hide who he truly is. that he should live his own life to the fullest. and that if she could ever find himself reminiscing on the past with a smile, we shall be remincing with him."

lyna.... love her grandpa!

#cltffxiv

i was gonna say this is a royal we situation but actually they're all his kids huh!!! #cltffxiv

the crystarium music playing as they walk away......

DAMN. AM I GLAD. THAT I DID NOT DO THIS AT THE SAME TIME AS YESTERDAY'S WHOLE. EVERYTHING. WITH THE BITTERSWEET, UNBEARABLE ROMANCE ETC #CLTFFXIV

and yes I AM counting hades showing up in that #cltffxiv

WIND UP MYSTEL

MODELED UPON NO ONE IN PARTICULAR. NO, REALLY.

#CLTFFXIV

cries about how he's a wind up MYSTEL and not a wind up MIQO'TE.

he lived there for far longer than most of them! he wasn't born there but his life waking life on the first was much shorter... he made himself and SO MANY OTHER PEOPLE a home... I LOVE HIM. #CLTFFXIV

OH THE HITS KEEP COMING

thancred giving ryne his gunblade, saying "use it or sell it, it's all the same to me. SO LONG AS IT SERVES YOU IN SOME WAY, I WILL BE SATISFIED"

thancred shit like that is why ur not in the normal family pile with alphinaud & dulia-chai #cltffxiv

ah shit. several cutscenes in sequence? at midnight? with work tomorrow? IT'S MORE LIKELY THAN U THINK #cltffxiv

alright first I gotta. quick snack break tho #cltffxiv

ALRIGHT I'M BACK.

I got mildly distracted by my friends finding the thread where I accidentally predicted shadowbringers so they all lied to me, thus bringing about the vast majority of my increasingly confused crystal exarch theoryposting tweets #cltffxiv

the shadowbringers theme still Hits every time #cltffxiv

hey how did aelfgar remember which identical crystal is which

I just think it's funny if they woke up and alisaie & alphinaud are convinced they were switched #cltffxiv

MAY WE LEAVE THE REST TO YOU??

OH YEAH

OH HO HO YEAH

#CLTFFXIV

THE WAY HE FUCKING RUNS!!!! #CLTFFXIV

LITERALLY SPRINTS OUT THE DOOR. #CLTFFXIV

LETS
WAKE
UP
SLEEPING
BEAUTY

#CLTFFXIV

the prayers you have whispered and answered....

#cltffxiv

SOME DAYS LATER??

SOME??

DAYS LATER???

#CLTFFXIV

I'M BEING /CUCKED/???? FROM MY OWN REUNION SCENE??? #CLTFFXIV

oh... the three nerds remaking their gear. GOD

URIANGER'S FUCKING HEART OF THE CARDS STANCE #CLTFFXIV

lmao the meta foreshadowing about alisaie feeling like she didn't get any Personal Development and alphinaud like. "rest assured, our time will come." #cltffxiv

I am just assuming she gets endwalker screen time given her dad being in the plot #cltffxiv

OH THANK GOD ITS PAUSED OKAY

#CLTFFXIV

so first of all:

I've made my peace with the reunion being cut off because it means I get to make it up for myself which is delightful

#cltffxiv

anyway

1) HIS OUTFIT IS SO CUTE

2) GOD. HIS LITTLE FLUSTERED STUTTER, the way he fidget.... G'RAHA. PLEASE. U WERE A LEADER OF A WHOLE CITY FOR A CENTURY. but then I ask him to stay with me (become a scion??) and he turns into a STUTTERING MESS. wow. wowowow #cltffxiv

AHHH AND NOW HE GETS TO BE G'RAHA TIA IN HIS CAPTIONS

NOT THE CRYSTAL EXARCH.... NOT PLAYING A ROLE.... NOT HIDING HIMSELF.....

G'RAHA TIA!!!

#cltffxiv

(or, for ta'rhiki, ta'raha tia) #cltffxiv

I COULD DO WITH A LITTLE RAMPAGE MYSELF #CLTFFXIV

"AN ALL BUT FORGOTTEN DREAM STOOD BEFORE ME, IN THE FLESH"

god that line read

do u think he was like, DIRECTED to do that line read as porny as possible? #CLTFFXIV

akdhskahapa why does he sound like asahi??? #cltffxiv

.... oh. my God.

#cltffxiv

OH. MY GOD. #CLTFFXIV

idk if they decided they needed to give ascians Personalities or if they thought it would be funny to menace garlemald specifically--FANDANIEL???? THIS??? IS FANDANIEL???? #CLTFFXIV

FANDANIEL IS POSSESSING ASAHI AND HANGING OUT WITH ZENOS AND ALSO COMPLETELY OFF HIS ROCKER.

AH.

THIS EXPLAINS WHY I'VE SEEN SO MUCH CONVO ABOUT HIM DESPITE ONLY 3 PATCHES TO GO #CLTFFXIV

"when you return to me...." #cltffxiv

AAAND THERE WE GO.

5.3, AND SHADOWBRINGERS, FINALLY COMPLETE

#CLTFFXIV

I leave u with this, the very first time I met The Boy and was very prescient about his function in the plot

#cltffxiv

@threadreaderapp unroll