THIS Is My FAVORITE Part of FFXIV… So Far… | 5.0 

Take it. We fight as one.

Emet: "It is never easy to lose those you love" Pyro: " What do YOU know about THAT!? " Narrator: "He knew a LOT about that"

I really appreciate you noticed the duality of Emet talking about "Our history. Our story." and Ardbert refuting it with "Our future. Our story." Shadowbringers is full of such subtleties, and it's easy to miss them.

FFXIV: Lets make you go from hating a villian to Understanding and feeling their pain in 1 expansion. "Stormblood" Players: Okay but that was a one time thing you can't do it again. FFXIV: Emet Selch "Shadowbringers" Players: Okay that was a low blow in the feels. But I bet you can't do it in a single patch FFXIV: 5.3 Players: *curled into ball weaping* okay you win FFXIV: But this isn't even my Final Form "Endwalker"

You’d think after having completed 5.0 back in August 2019 I would be over this by now Haha nope I’m here to say that this still makes me tear up god I love this game

its at that last moment when you realize the difference between Emet Selch's cynical smiles and his *real* smiles.

Always loved the cutscene direction at 46:00 - how the camera slowly pans showing the scions, then ardbert's group, then back to the scions while they drop the line: "For we who walk before may lead those who walk after." It's too perfect.

48:35 This right there. We know that Emet-Selch caused so much pain, chaos, and was probably responsible for the deaths of millions of individuals over how many *thousands* of years... but The Dying Gasp is really about the dying gasp of the ancients, and it is abundantly clear that Emet-Selch feels very keenly the loss of the world and the people he loved. It's very possible to condemn the actions, but care about the individual, and understand their reasons.

8:25 I never noticed this but for the briefest of moments after Alisaie's words, there was a flash of sorrow in Emet's expression before he blows her away Those words weighed so damn much

"My world will have no need for heroes." Hits so much harder when you know his past, and the two people he was referring too.

"Holy shit, Shadowbringers is almost peak Final Fantasy, they can't one-up this" "My name is Naoki Yoshida, this is my team, hold our beers"

Pyro, clearly having an emotion: "It's just going to get better...! What??" imagine enjoying the MMO you play! wild thought. :P

As he said, "cast aside title and pretense", Hades is the only boss in Shadowbringers MSQ without title, only name. edit: typo

Remember back in the Nidhogg arc when you said you couldn't wait to see what they have now? This is why we were laughing so hard. Glad you're still enjoying the game and can't wait to see more o7

It's crazy how this part always makes me tear up. FFXIV story is so incredibly immersive

Each member of the Convocation had a specific duty aside from leading the people. The role of the Seat of Emet-Selch was to watch over the Athereal Sea AKA the underworld

That guitar riff. Every time I hear it I get a chill and a grin. I must have watched this scene a hundred times by now, seeing different streamers react to this crucial moments we have all shared. Never gets old.

I love how Emet-Selch completely loses his cool when he sees *YOU*. He's lost his temper before, he's gotten angry, but you always felt he had control, or he was at least holding it together. Then he sees you, and he's shocked to his core: "It can't be!" He tries to recompose himself, and then the Exarch appears behind him, and he slips again: "How did-!" And then the Exarch starts summoning in our reinforcements, and Emet-Selch stops holding it together. "DAMN YOU!"

The inevitable fact that we have to defeat Emet one way or another was just constantly hurting me in my mind so much throughout this entire bit. There was no other way, we had to do it to save or world, our people. But a part of me kept wishing there was a way we could come to an understanding where neither of us had to die, despite knowing full well it's impossible. I was practically bawling at "Remember us... Remember that we once lived". And then I realize they managed to incite all these intense emotions in me with a fictional character, a villain, over the course of a single expansion. And that's when I realize what a masterclass this is in storytelling and character writing. Absolutely phenomenal...

The credits scene, especially when Ardbert and the former Warriors of Darkness appear... never fails to make me emotional. I've watched so many people react to this scene and it always gets me. Shadowbringers is magnificent. 😭

Emet: "It is never easy to lose those you love" Pyro: " What do YOU know about THAT!? " Literally enters a dungeon about all his pain and loss

I love Emet’s final words more every time I hear them. He wanted us to remember that while he himself may have become a monster, him and his people, the ones he had been toiling for centuries to save were just that: people. And the best thing about it? We absolutely would have done the same thing in his situation.

Its that god-damn 1 - 2 emotional combo of; pan to reveal Ardbert, pan to reveal his buddies welcoming him home, their mission completed. Ah stop lads, I can't handle the feels.

Ardbert coming home always destroys me.

Every time Emet says "Remembers us... Remember that we once lived" I break into ugly cry.

Probably one of the coolest set ups was that after taking out Vauthry you start succumbing to the Light. Graha says that much light is too much for any "one" soul to bear. Merging with Ardbert's soul was what allowed the WoL to contain it.

God they're amazing at writing emet's transformation from someone you hate to a relatable person, you can see yourself in is masterful. They make morally grey look so tangible where if you were playing emet you'd be all about crushing the warrior of light and his friends as he is. Its just beautiful they completely flip your feelings for a character so nonchalantly.

"Can't tell anybody, alright?" Idk why, but that little added touch at the end just felt so fitting.

Dulai Chai is a treasure and will hug you to death if you argue. Have loved seeing your journey from end of ARR to the beginning of Endwalker. looking forward to seeing what is to come.

fanfact: hades is also a semi-recurring boss/summon in the saga. i love when they have a past boss fit so well in the narrative of this game

I found you through your explosive love for a game that had let you down. You found FFXIV and you loved it and I wish you nothing but more continued enjoyment. Welcome to Endwalker and continued fun and enjoyment and content. Best to you.

Kefka and Sephiroth can fight for 2nd best FF villain, Emet has #1 locked down.

I always see that little kid at the end as the next Ardbert. To symbolize the cycle of inspiring those who come after you. And he kinda looks like him :P For me this part still hits harder than 5.3, but I still really like 5.3. Some people feel like EW is up there as well, but I didn't really feel that much there...

I will never not cry during this part of the story. Was so looking forward to Pyros reaction and I was not disappointed

Emet posed a question to Alphinaud before the dungeon stating that half of humanity would not sacrifice themselves for the other half...but in the future where graha came from, they did sacrifice themselves so another timeline could be made. pretty interesting thought that came to me post ShB

It is so weird now seeing Pyro without the Emet painting in the background.

Since you started playing I have patiently waited for this moment. Emet selch is one of the most amazing well written antagonists that you pity, sympathize, and even see yourself being him if you were in the same situation. All of shadowbringers is top tier storytelling not found anywhere else.

Ffxiv: wanna see me break your heart? ... Wanna see me do it again?! >:3c

CHAMPIONS FROM BEYOND THE RIFT, HEED MY CALL God i love that line so much. The raspy delivery of that 2nd part is just so good. VA knocked it out the park the whole time, but especially here.

I LOVE how they set you up explicitly to have that sort of thought at the beginning of the video. They know you're going to think of him that way, but then as you learn what his story really is the player realizes that they were making assumptions that they were extremely wrong about and were made in haste.

Having played the game continuously since Heavensward, when I first finished 5.0 I just kind of sat there with a slack jaw trying to process what I just experienced. Literal years of buildup and it paid off so completely and so flawlessly, it was the most satisfied and fulfilled I've felt not just from a video game story but probably any story in any medium. It felt like my soul had nutted. The game will probably never reach this level again for me, but it doesn't have to.

HOLY MOLY the Echo flashback effect sections are really really nice touches, props to the Editor!

I love how literally everyone reacts exactly the same when Emet brings you into space in the Amaurot duty

I'l give you a mind-boggling fact, one week before this expansion released, WoW released patch 8.2, Rise of Azshara, hoping that it would take the wind out of Final Fantasy's sails. Little did they know it was when FFXIV started blowing back.

I love how everyone, even myself, just has a huge smile curl on their faces whenever the shadowbringers theme starts with the scene with Ardbert.

50:17 the cry laugh whilst saying "it's just gonna get better" I FELT that haha. Think I said the same thing

46:08 will always be some of my favorite shots in all of videogames

Normally in stories I would say there are two types of villains. There's those who are doing it for a reason and who you can understand and even sympathize with up to a certain point. And there's the megalomaniacal ones who don't care about anyone and just want to see the world burn. Emet-Selch is both.

Been waiting for this. Can't wait to see his 5.3 reaction! My wife just got to The Vault back in HW, and I can't wait to see how she reacts to this part. She's empathizing with Nidhogg due to what caused him to go mad, so I can't imagine how she'll react to EMET.

I hope someone pointed out to Pyro as well the changes in Ardbert btw folks. Right at the very end when he's walking back towards the Crystarium it's the first time you've ever seen him without blood on his axe, AND clean shaven. I love these little details they put into these games.

Making the Duty Finder into Azem's power is genius gameplay integration and a way to remind us that yes, the point of an MMO is to game together.

I thought I had recovered from Endwalker. Then I watched this video and cried three times lol

Area wizard not so tough after losing the ones he loves, details at 11

It’s amazing how he was a villain in ShB…. only to be so complex. The one thing he hates is lying and deception… He was truth all the way through and even though he did terrible things on the side, he was fighting for his people. He wasn’t using them as pawns, but he misses them. He wanted nothing more, but to bring them back even if it means on doing terrible things. Him seeing “you” and saying “No, it can’t be”… that was one of them. He let his guard down for that moment. Now the words of “Remember. Remember us” makes a lot more sense now… I can see why he’s a very popular villain and they wrote him really well

Can't wait to see your reaction to 5.3 and the Seat of Sacrifice. I'm slowly catching up on the vods on your second youtube channel, and while I haven't gotten very far, it's been amazing to see your reactions to old content and seeing how amazing it is to you. Do you have any plans on getting the RU-vid vods up to date with the Twitch vods? At the moment they're quite a bit behind. It's not relevant to me yet, but it would be nice if they could keep up.

Right at Mt. Gulg: "The Crystal Exarch could literally die right now and the story would continue and it wouldn't be any different"

So so glad you enjoyed this! I hope the story has lived up to your expectations and that it will continue to do so all the way into Endwalker and beyond! We're all so happy to have you here with us in Eorzea ^^

Just as Emet Selch is faced with sacrificing the new to bring back the old, so to is the player character having that same struggle. Ryne potentially being replaced by Minfilia is a struggle playing out over the entirety of Shadowbringers. That they let go of their old friend and accept the new life that has spawned in its place is the antithesis of everything Emet Selch stands for and highlights the difference between him and Azem.

I cant wait til you finish 6.0 and know why he is called Hades. It makes so much sense. And man this game is so epic it has passed into Mythic territory. Feelsbringers and Feelswalker xD

Me at the start of Shadowbringers: What's he after? Does he want me to die to the light and not have to deal with us? Does he want to keep his enemies close? Me after the axe was thrown: Please let me hug him! Give me the dialog option!

I can't wait until the 5.3 highlights. I really want to see pyros reaction given that he is absorbing all the lore in the game. Shadowbringers sets up so many plot points for endwalker. And all this setup isn't out of the blue but a culmination of all the expansions leading up. It really did give endwalk the best shot it could to focus on telling us the ending and not having to introduce anything new to us.

Another 5.0 reaction, another sobbing session. I can't wait to see the 5.3 and 6.0 videos!

I've _always_ found it interesting how they were able to wrap the summon Hades up into Emet-Selch. Hades was the first of the last bosses to feel like it also had this whole other thing going on, that it wasn't just lip service to the summon itself.

That final part of the last dungeon is honestly one of if not the most beautiful pieces of design I've seen in a game.

As a long-time lurker on your twitch streams, that whole thing about you wanting a Thanatos or a Hades in FFXIV getting its pay-off when Emet turned out to be Hades was great... Even greater to me, as a long-time FF fan who's been experiencing FFXIV though your LP, since Hades is a recurring entity in the FF series: Hades made his first appearance in the final dungeon of FFV, where he was the most powerful random encounter enemy in the game, capable of using even the final boss's signature spell, Almagest -- but since you could encounter more than one Hades in a single encounter, he could actually end up being _even deadlier_ than the final boss! A few years later, Hades came back as a summon in FFVII, where his attack, "Black Cauldron," dealt a bit of magic damage and, more importantly, inflicted Sleep, Poison, Confusion, Silence, Frog, Small, Slow, and Paralyzed to all enemies, making him one of the most useful summons in the game... His next appearance was in FFIX where he was a secret super boss, (and was, in fact, originally intended to be the final boss of the entire game,) once again sporting some of the most powerful spells in the game... After that he showed up as the final boss of the final expansion of FFXI, (a game I also did not experience first hand,) and fittingly he was pretty much the most dangerous enemy in the game PERIOD... And then, with this history of Hades as being one of the most powerful casters in the FF series' rooster of recurring entities, it turns out that Emet-Selch, the dude who casually created a magical replica of a long dead civilization, was FFXIV's iteration of Hades? Heck Yes! (And it certainly helped that he was also such an absolutely amazing villain.) Edit: A little bit of trivia: The red design most prominently seen on Hades' left claw/2nd hand in his first form is based upon that of a Red Spider Lily, in Japanese known as "Higanbana", or "Flower of The Distant Shore", referring to Higan, the Shore on the other side of Sanzu-no-Kawa, the River separating the world of the Living from the realm of the Dead in Japanese Buddhism.

Emet will always be the best character. Have I ever been so emotionally compromised.

My husband and I are having a son in May and we're naming him Emet. We bonded over Final Fantasy, so all of our children's names are inspired from the games. Ceres (saw the name one day and thought it was beautiful and reminded me of Celes from FFVI, so it just stuck and the FF name tradition started), Adyn (common kind of name but with a spelling based on Ardyn from FFXV), and now baby Emet. FFXIV has the greatest story that I have ever experienced in a video game.

Idk why, but the scene with Ardbert walking towards his old party hits me harder than anything else

I think zone 6 in enwalker might kill him.

I loved seeing this live! It was quite the experience! Here's to many more in the future!

Das me! I'm the tank. Weee~ (Judge all you want, we won.)

Emet-Selch is definitely one of the most well written villains of all time. You can simultaneously feel for his plight, for the whole motive he has for his omnicidal schemes... but from our own perspectives as characters in the world he would destroy to see his own restored, we cannot help but oppose him.

It brings tears to my eyes every time I see Ardbert holding out his axe and the music starts.

Thank you for finally posting this, I don't got enough time to go watch twitch sadly so this is the best thing for me.

damn this still hits as hard as it did the first time watching it, such an absolutely incredible finale to the best story i've ever seen

My favourite part is that in hindsight, when you listen to the lyrics of the intro song, you can see that it pretty much tells you the whole story of the expansion. And it is so absolutely subtle that it was in everyones face and yet nobody noticed it. Chills every time I listen to it. Shadowbringers is a masterpiece.

Hey man, new here. Thank you so much for sharing your adventures in FF14. I love watching the reactions and legacies that will be left behind. All the tears shed, laughs and angry cries as we watch the story unfold, I am so loving experiencing with the community. I grew up with before ARR, and watching this story and the characters and their growing pains come to fruition is amazing. I hope to see more reactions from the EW experience. I've completed it already about two weeks ago and I still am emotionally damaged, crying with others as they share it to us.

13:55 - No matter how many times I see this, I still get goosebumps!

I love watching Pyro's face when he gets to good parts -- I think Pyro has the most PUPPY-IS-HAPPY face of all the FF14 streamers I've seen. XD Also, I just watched his reaction to the Endwalker trailer and that was the biggest puppy grin I've seen. So fun to watch him!

The Ardbert and WOL joining scene will always be one of the best parts in the game. As soon as the music kicks in, its all hype from there. Fuck.

God, I love Emet-Selch. I knew that the odds of coming to an understanding were slim to none, but God I wanted to be able to work things out and avoid fighting him. He's just such a good character and a perfect antagonist. You start out hating the Ascians because they seem like generic "I am evil and do evil things because evil," but this expansion does an amazing job humanizing them and making their motives so understandable. You may not agree with them, but you can *understand their side*; and some may even come to wonder if they're really the protagonist at all. And then Emet himself is just so damn charming and personable that it's hard to hate him, and to find out that he's been shouldering an unimaginable amount of pain on his shoulder for longer than one can even fathom. I can't not cry for his death. I just can't. Like...yeah, I won; but I'm not f*ckin' happy about it. He may be the antagonist, but I refuse to call him the villain.

no matter how many times I see it, the 5.0 ending never fails to make me cry, god bless this writing team

i was crying playing this dungeon and trial the first time. and i'm a bit teary eyed watching this now. it was worth all the time i put in the game for sure.

I've been unsubbed for a while, since you don't make WoW theories anymore, but was curious to see what you were doing now. Why in the fuck did you delete literally every WoW video you're ever made? Are they on another channel, or did you just destroy years of valuable lore theorycrafting content for no reason? Legit question...

Endwalker was great. I loved it. But nothing was able to, or will ever be able to, top the ending of SHB 5.0...(5.3 comes damn close) The victor shall write the tale, and the vanquished become it's villain!

THIS was what I was so excited about you getting to when you'd been going through the story before. I'm so happy you got to see it! All these years later and I STILL cry at the ending, it's just so captivating and heartfelt. Glad to see you had a similar reaction to me once you got there.

without spoiling anything but someone is gonna need to call an ambulance for Pyro when he comes to Endwalker ;')

I don't know what it is. But no matter how many times I see the reaction to this, or experience it myself, it always causes me to tear up. There is something so profound about it.

so happy to have seen your journey so far! so happy you can enjoy a proper story again!

Took me almost two weeks to catch up after 4.2. Holy shit the ending to 5.0 was so good! Slow down Pyro we are almost out of content!

No matter how many times I watch this, the tears just keep coming. 😭 Make sure you have a good stash of soft tissue boxes for Endwalker! It completely dehydrated me.

I love how often Alisaie is the first one to tell the boss to shut the fuck up.

Emet-Selch is the best Villain I've seen in fiction. Then you have Ardbert, Elidibus and the Exarch. The Character writing was really amazing in ShB. The Scion character writing was also just really well done. Not a single one of them was left to be static. They all underwent progress and development, and they really felt like family to me in this expansion. Mainly Ryne and Thancred. Vauthry character writing was also done well and the themes he displayed throughout the expansion. This was Isekai done right. Ive finished Endwalker, but Shadowbringers is still just a level above it in my opinion.

Shadowbringers should be rightfully called tearbringers

I've teared up with every reaction to the end of this expansion. Been waiting for Pyro to upload this. Gets me every time. Especially that FF3 overworld theme. Super nostalgia.

I’m sure it’s come up in another video, but I love the fact that tactics/ff12 lore was embedded into the convocation with Emet Selch corresponding to Zalera, seraph of death, and also to the constellation Gemini because it just makes the crystals mean that much more even before you add in the greek mythology underpinning the 14 versions

I've said it many times, Shadowbringers is the best video game story I have *ever* played, and I've been gaming since PONG, and not the Atari version, the one before that!

Right after his 4.55 reveal, I said he had the potential to be the best FFXIV character. Years later and it still holds true

I can't wait until he finishes EW, all knot lose and tied up altogether at the same time. The realization at the very end, of how each every single character was important. Hope to see your video on youtube after you clear EW again Pyro!

How does one watch this without crying? Asking for MYSELF