My best friend is a soldier who has fought in Iraq and Afghanistan. I think he was a little disturbed at how relatable certain parts of Garlemald were, particularly the reactions of the citizens to the Eorzeans, even when said Eorzeans were falling all over themselves to try and make peace.
Can't be a coincidence. This is Solus' country... and the more you find out about it from the inhabitants the more you realise that there was a surprising amount of the good and hopeful parts of him in it, as well as the tired and cynical parts.
Brilliant review. Surprised you didn't mention that "Home Beyond the Horizon" (the song on the radio) uses the melody of "Imperial Will" - the dramatic, oppressive theme track of the Garlean Empire, that we've been hearing all the way since ARR. To hear that once mighty song reduced to an echo of the dead is chilling.
Watching the Garlemald cutscenes made me seriously rethink what I had been taught about Japan post-WW2. I think the writers showed us a little of the mind of the conquered. It was humbling.
I wonder how this essay would have changed had you first come into Garlemald at day instead of night. Instead of the sparse piano giving way to the endless march, perhaps the determination of both Garlemald and Eorzea would crumble into the desolation of Black Steel and Cold Embers. Either way, I love the dichotomy of the day theme and night theme together. Also small nitpick, but "A Cold Wind", the music from the original title screen for Heavensward, is very much in a minor key. I guess that would be easy to miss since it's part of the free trial nowadays and that exclusively uses the ARR title screen! But even so, it's still an expansion. I'll take this opportunity to remind you that you can view ANY of the old title screens, including Heavensward's, after watching that expansion's opening movie from the Movies and Title option in the main menu. Thank you again for this essay! Garlemald really stuck out to me in Endwalker's MSQ as well, as it took the established story beats of the Warrior of Light and the Scions ingratiating themselves with the locals of the new zone and arriving at the nick of time to save the day and receive their aid in return and turned it on its head. And as you pointed out, Endwalker provided beautiful answers to the questions that arise from this subversion.
There's no way this is a new channel. The way you talk is, the volume of your voice against the background music, the timing of the speech, the script. It's way better than most channel that has 1-2 K sub.
Garlemald is to me the saddest part of Endwalker. We were expecting this glorious empire, and all we arrive to are ruins. It fell from inside and there was nothing anyone could have done to stop it.
SOKEN! EW music is so incredible partly I think because of Soken’s cancer. The hopelessness he felt lying in the hospital, and the unbridled dynamis he summoned to write this music and defeat his cancer. He’s a true warrior of light.
Wondrful video that really gets to the core of the meaning. And it only makes it more substantial with the "powerless" feeling that comes right after it
