EsperBot
[Endwalker Full Spoilers] I finished the MSQ! It's very good! I do however have one sour note to register.
EsperBot
Which is...Zenos
EsperBot
why were you even here, buddy
EsperBot
The whole game they just kept passing up what felt like clear opportunities to have the big duel with Zenos
EsperBot
To the point where I started to think, oh hey, maybe it won't happen, maybe they'll do a thing where he just looks kind of pathetic and the fight never actually happens
EsperBot
that would be interesting at least
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And don't get me wrong, I got a kick out of him busting into Ultima Thule as SHinryu and then serving as the final trial's arena
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But I would happily trade that away in exchange for getting rid of what happens next
EsperBot
which is, we actually do the climactic Zeno duel at the worst possible time
EsperBot
The final trial is great,t he cutscene that follows is fantastic, and then Zenos forces the issue in the most pacing-annihilating manner possible.
EsperBot
And it's just so nothing
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it even ends with the exhausted-rivals-staggering-around-and-swinging at each other thing, which is a surefire winner, and even that's nothing
EsperBot
It kind of ties in thematically with the whole reason-to-live thing BUT WE JUST FINISHED RESOLVING THAT THEME, IN A MUCH BETTER MANNER, RIGHT BEFORE THIS PISS-USELESS DUEL
EsperBot
It just absolutely destroyed the pacing of the previous scene
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for nothing
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And it's the last fucking thing in the MSQ
EsperBot
If you had the option to just tell him to fuck off and walk away like he says you could do, and the option to fight him was just there for the people who were really invested in fighting him, that would be one thing
EsperBot
honestly that would be great
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but as far as I can tell all three dialogue options lead to the duel
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I was skeptical going into Endwalker that Ishikawa could make me care about Zenos, let alone make me care enough to justify bringing him back after his very satisfying conclusion at the end of Stormblood
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but I wanted to believe
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and no, I was right the first time.
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Honestly the narrative really didn't seem to know what to do with him.
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To the point where I wonder if his inclusion was a mandate from Paul Marketing because Japanese players really like him or something
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Sorry Zenos lovers in the audience, my mind was not changed, the expansion would be strictly better without him.
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But! Everything else ruled
Levi
there is another sour note and that is Matoya never shows up to call everyone stupid assholes
EsperBot
Okay yes but we can easily imagine that hapopening off-screen
EsperBot
also 
Did Jet just die? (Avatar: The Last Airbender)
EsperBot
ANYWAY that's enough grousing about the one thing I didn't like which ultimately doesn't matter much (indeed, arguably, that's exactly the problem)
Levi
but yeah I do agree that they didn't know what to do with Zenos other than to have him propel himself to the end of the universe fueled by horniness
Levi
and that's just kind of the fundamental problem you have with a character who has a defining character trait of "doesn't care about anything"
Levi
I'm pretty neutral on Zenos but I do think he Should Not Have Been In This Expansion, to develop him as a character, he needs far more time than he got
EsperBot
I think you could have done something with that given the expansion's themes, but it would have almost certainly required Not Doing the big finale duel that they clearly wanted
Levi
I do think he could've gotten something too, but in the context of the story that exists, there just wasn't any room for him
Levi
anyway I personally really enjoyed it, and I've been looking at some other peoples' opinions of it. I do see a lot of people dislike the Sharlayan branch of the level 80 MSQ quests
EsperBot
Probably the most appropriate thing would have been for him to get his fight, win, and then be so full of despair at never getting to fight you again that he blackmists
EsperBot
and then you fight the monster version of him
EsperBot
but as much as I would like that development, A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD HAVE BEEN REALLY PISSED OFF AT THAT
Levi
I honestly think with Zenos you just can't win with him, as he's such a polarizing character
Levi
people either really love him or really hate him
EsperBot
Yep
EsperBot
the correct move was probably to just let him stay dead after he cut his own head off in Ala Mhigo
Levi
but yeah there was like...a hint of him doing something like when he's questioning what exactly it is he sees in the WoL and wondering if it's more than just wanting to fight a Worthy Opponent (but then it seems like he decides no, it really is just fite)