Final Fantasy XIV has displayed how it's focus on characters and ever expanding systems of play continues to make it one of the more satisfying MMOs to keep coming back to. However, FFXIV has always struggled with its larger narrative engaging with global political systems. I haven't gone through Shadowbringers or Endwalker, so it's possible this changes as I play further. However, after playing the base game and two expansions, it's clear that while there is enjoyable political theatre putting revolutionary action on display throughout the XIV franchise, rarely is there an desire to reimagine what revolution can truly be.

In 4.1, The Legend Returns, Final Fantasy XIV presents the questions of what the people of Ala Mhigo want the city to be once they have achieved liberation from their fascist oppressors. What type of city do they want to build? What does justice from their oppressors mean when they have a clean slate to define it? Who do we include in these conversations?

Unfortunately, FFXIV doesn't have many enlightening answers beyond leaving monarchy to the past for the sake of republic. While this is certainly a good first step, 4.1 shows displays how hollow of an act this is.

This is first expressed through the quite nuanced question of how they are going to handle Ala Mhigans that sided with the Garleans as a means to survive. The characters recognize that living in a fascist state is not a black or white situation, but one where the people involved navigated the system in the best ways they can to survive. Unfortunately, this question only leads to a centrist reflection on oppression through rehabilitation of Fordola, one of the primary military hands of Zenos who killed many members of the Ala Mhigan resistance.

Everyone in the resistance wants Fordola dead for the massive death toll she inflicted upon them. Yet the main cast is less interested in vengeance, and moreso in determining if they can somehow convince Fordola that there is good in her. This leads to a flashback where we learn that Fordola joined the empire's cause because her father was killed by Ala Mhigans for working with the Garleans. This, is not deeply considered in the slightest as the game holds no sympathy or understanding for why the people are angry, but instead depicts them as violent people with exaggerated nasty expressions. These are the bad Ala Mhigans, these are the less considerate Ala Mhigans, these are the unruly Ala Mhigans. It's shocking that after an entire expansion about rallying people together to destroy an oppressive government that its now stepping back to depict those same people with such a shallow, fascist lens.

This understanding of Fordola rings shallow because it sympathizes with her reasoning to follow the fascist cause. Rehabilitation in a post-liberated world is revolutionary imagining that is largely controversial. However, rehabilitation is not revolutionary because there is a believe that deep down those being rehabilitated have sympathetic reasons for their actions. No, it is revolutionary because it reimagines a world where state inflicted violence is restructured into constructive, effective care for the community at large. Fordola doesn't need to be sympathized with in order to justify her rehabilitation, but Final Fantasy XIV can't imagine that.

And what's unfortunate is that I think this arc is so close to expressing something meaningful. It is true that there is a pipeline to fascism where people side with empires of power because they do not consider histories of oppression and accept the state's narrative of any citizen-lead violence being morally wrong. It's true that infighting between people with a common cause can mislead liberatory action. But that nuance is just. not. present. in the slightest and does not present enough consideration to be interpreted with good will as such. Instead, Fordola is presented as a tragic figure simply because her father was killed and for that reason alone we should understand why she sided with the fascists. Meeehhhhh.

Secondly, the player is called to spend time with Nanamo as she determines how to manage Ul'Dah without Rauban by her side. In this instance, there really isn't any complexity happening. Nanamo determines that the best way for her to grow up and be independent is to stop being "charitable" towards the Ala Mhigan rebuilding efforts and find a way to capitalize off of it. We do get some nice little backstories about how Rauban and Nanamo came to be close but really this is largely distasteful and disappointing.

Lastly, 4.1 continues the trend of depicting the beastmen of the world as inferior, other, and senselessly violent. From the construction of the base game's foundation, the citizens of Eorzean state powers have always been positioned as morally correct over the Beastmen tribes. At this point in the game that fact has not changed. Specifically, in this patch the Ananta are given a chance to work together with the people of Ala Mhigo to determine the future of the City. However, instead of giving the Ananta a complex relationship between their faith and cooperating with others, they are cartoonishly made to be shallow, violent religious fanatics. Just another native tribe for the state powers to subjugate, even in the most opportune time for the game to consider this cliche, a reimagining of a community.

And in typical FFXIV fashion, it has to all wrap up in a way where all the characters can smile at each other and tell the warrior of light that they just can't wait to see what the future holds in store for them next. Because for FFXIV the narrative will always value the sacred warmth of friendship over reimagining liberation.