Make no mistake. These scenes were dark and I danced around the grave ending as best I could. YouTube doesn’t like when people talk about those things. But I feel like I got my point across well enough.
While the leaders of Garlemald likely all knew about the Ascians, they might not have understood they were being controlled from the very start. And yet, for how short he was in the story Quintus was a very well written and memorable character to me. So I’m curious to see if any of you feel the same way!
Follow me at: https://twitter.com/ScribeSynodic
Channel Art by Catti: https://twitter.com/cattiart
Join the Channel’s Discord: https://discord.gg/YKBu4sQBEk
Support the Channel on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/synodicscribe?fan_landing=true
Disclaimer: The MMORPG known as FinalFantasy XIV Online as well as all its related publications and merchandise are owned by Square Enix. I have no claims to it.
#ffxiv #lore #writing
source
Indeed. Honorable man, but narrow-minded. Strong-willed, but guided by the wrong ideals
The part that got me was something I didn't catch the first time watching the cutscenes. Quintus pulls the trigger on the gun, and it doesn't go off. He sighs, as of to say "….damn, I can't even get this right." Re- cocks the gun, and then, it goes off. Wow….that was sooooo dark. Everything that happened in Garlemald was a rollercoaster.
Endwalker did something incredible; it humanised the Garleans. The fall of the Empire and the survival of its people is something we have seen through human history and only reinforces the Garleans as just another victim in the Ascians plans.
In a way I am very much reminded of Denethor from Lord of the Rings. Both older men, both noted statesmen and warriors, both serving in the fading days of their empire's glory and both, in the end, giving into the despair of defeat, seeing no way past it except for death, and they would rather face their own death than see the ragged remnants torn to shreds.
Quintus even said it himself: to his mind if they surrendered their pride, then the Garleans would be a broken and outcast people, left to eke out an existence on the fringes of society. And I did feel sorry for him that he couldn't see past that mindset. I also think that in some ways, on some level, he knew that what the Garleans had done to others was, if not wrong, would be perceived as wrong, and the only thing he could imagine was that the rest of the world would want their pound of flesh in revenge. After all, wasn't that why they had turned conquistador in the first place?
spoiler
This is going to sound terrible but it was probably a good thing he suicided before the death of Zodiark, or he likely would have been one of the first to turn. The Endsinger might have sheparded despair, but she would have found fertile ground in his heart.
It's crazy to think that there were actual people in history who shared the same beliefs of Quintus, but couldn't live with the idea of a changed world unless it was their view.
i might have sighed for Licinia and the other garlean civilians but not for Quintus, because after the Xth request to stand down, instead of marching with his man to a suicide mission he ordered his men to live (even if threw his men at us a short while ago). even if he shunned our help, he never disrespected us and he held on to his believes even after the bullet passed through skull. and for that i choose to not sigh but salute in respect.
side note: maybe it's the portuguese sentimentalist in me but i like Quintus as a character is because i see a lot of people in my country that are just like him. Old, stubborn but wise people who are still working to meld a "dead" country while strings are pulled behind the scenes. idk it's like 2am and i'm lucid as fuck
I think Gaius was a true believer and the the most genuine part of the Lie that the Empire was. The thing is, it was never going to work it. not unless the Ascians were out of the picture.
"That which does not bend will break." That's Quintus in a nutshell.
He made me sigh too, but for a slightly different reason – he was ultimately as much a victim of Ascian machinations as anyone else in Garlemald, no different from that poor woman who runs off into the wilds with her sister to get away from us and dies as a result. Whether he was a true believer of the empire, another victim of Garlean propaganda or just a leader too desperate to change his way of thinking in a crisis, for all his loyalty and determination to see his nation prosper he was ultimately just another pawn, another 'lesser being' for Emet to twist to his own ends. He shot himself out of despair believing his nation's dream was over, never knowing the dream had been a lie all along. He ultimately even abandoned his troops, who had clung to him in the belief he could guide them back to glory…for nothing.
Damn you, Hades. You were better than this.
Quintus is supposed to be a more grounded take on the themes of Despair in the story, something that you can point to in relation to what Meteion says later, and realize that it isn't as easy as just "be hopeful anyway, lol", someone like Quintus has no way forward, its utterly hopeless, his entire life is a lie, its over, there is nothing left but to give in to despair.
Quintus very quickly become one of my favorite characters, as someone that’s a huge fan of war stories
So much pain, so much hate, so much propaganda finally spilling over when everything’s fallen apart around him
I couldn’t save him, but he allowed me to save those under him at the cost of himself, finally allowing the Empire to move on, in a way
Seeing this man, even after everything, say “why don’t you just fall under garlemald’s rule? Is it because we’re different than you? Because we don’t share your faith?” just dug a pit in my stomach that I’d never really felt from this game before
Rest well, Quintus, you and the Empire
I never felt Quintus went 'mad'….. i felt more that he was an exact carbon-copy of Soldiers/Leaders who have spent so much time in warfare, that they legitimately have no idea what to do without it; that have also seen so much loss that anything 'other' than victory seems like it would be a 'dishonor' to those that were lost.
Sadly, that is likely a real consequence for soldiers/leaders who live to long while also in a constant war.
Patriot was the wrong word. Nationalist would be more apt for him. He was ready to sacrifice his own countrymen to keep his vision of a ‘perfect’ Garlemald alive. He had no desire to improve his country or the wellbeing of its people. He thought it was perfect. He didn’t kill himself in an act of patriotism, he killed himself in an act of foolish pride. For all his posturing during the negotiations with the twins, it was he who was unable to see the situation for what it was, and when he finally realized it thanks to Lucia relaying the coded message, he didn’t dismiss his soldiers out of respect for them, he sent them on the suicide mission in the first place after all. He dismissed his soldiers because it was that act, of other legions accepting Eorzean aid, that finally hammered home how truly gone his ‘perfect’ Garlemald was. A true patriot would prioritize their nation and peoples’ wellbeing before they prioritize some kind of philosophical identity. His actions are much more in line with a nationalist, someone so aggressively sure of their country and policy that they would rather die and send their people on a suicide mission than compromise even in the slightest.
for me, he was a warning that Endwalker wasn't going to be pulling any punches.
If the writers where going to go so far as to have a man kill him self, as close to on screen as they where probably allowed, then I figured i should at least brace for what else might be on the horizon.
A lack of perspective didn’t make madness, the way I see it from his point of view, with the empire dead, he just didn’t have a reason to live.
Pride kept him alive when the capitol fell into anarchy, but the rope that held him up also became his noose with a single misstep.
me and my sister do not agree on much, especially these past few years, but we did agree on one thing: Quintus reminded us of our father. A man so damn prideful and stuck in his ways that he refuses to accept change, to accept that he and those around him were wrong. I have a lot of alts, so i am constantly doing the story, but have only beaten EW 2 times, and this is part of why. The Garlemald segment feels real. Many argue that it needed more time, but I think that how it was handled and what we see strike closest to home because of how real it is.
it is also a reminder that so many Garleans are TERRIFIED of the WoL. The so called 'champion of Eorzea' is a monster to them, yet here they are, not drawing a weapon or even trying to hurt them. More concerned about the safety of the twins than lashing out. When you choose to think of Haurchefant and offer to 'share the fire', it throws Quintus off because he has never met you. Gaius, having now worked alongside the WoL during the Werlyt questline or at least spoken on more even terms states that Garlemald may come to see the WoL for who they really are: a good person that is willing to help others, despite what happened over the course of the game.
I hope we get more time in Garlemald, to actually see what becomes of it in the end. Julus and Gaius, along with Maxima, Cid, Nero and Lucia show that the world is not black in white, something FFXIV excels at showing us again and again. It's what makes the story so gripping imo, and I eagerly await what they give us these coming years!
I'd like to see a breakdown of the legions. Between Gaius, Quintus and Hydrus, there were some "decent" individuals among them, even if their view of things were twisted.
Then there's Nael and the crushed smug git who ended up in charge of the 7ty after Nael.
So many varying levels of villainy.
I was honestly sad over the path he chose. There was a lot of potential for him, if he had carried on. Yet, he saw himself as a remnant of the old guard… He no longer had purpose. I think that's also one of the shortcomings to the banning of worship in Garlemald. Religion gives structure and meaning and hope. Debate all you like about who is right or wrong, but to deny the possibility of the divine, a higher power, something – someone – greater than yourself, you are limiting your life and cheapening your worth and value imho. Why else would one kill ones self but the determination you have no worth?
Jullus could have easily followed Quintus unto death, but he has been shown different from what he was taught. He was still, at least, open to other possibilities, that he now acts on.
When he took his own life I felt bad. No because he was dead but because I was relived he was gone. I wanted nothing more then to help his people and when he died all I thought was “good now I can help your people”
Quintus is the darker side of Emet realizing the world they love no longer exists.
To add background to my experiences in endwalker. I spent the whole first of early access grinding reaper from 70 to 80 on Bozja to experience the story.
Then, from every day, about 5 am to 12 pm, as son as my significant other and I could get on. We played together. We experienced everything, the highest highs and lowest lows. We slept like babies after.
Garlemald was what we were both excited for, and feared.
Quintus, Jullus, and Tertium alongside the Lemures in exile were what tempered my experience and opinion of Garlemald.
Not as an ironclad nation of stoic, technological giants. But a people scared of being oppressed again and again. Why the Garlean empire truly existed was as a bastion not only against those Hrothgar and Roegadyn and more women could wield aether. But against the silent killing force that was the chill of Northern Ilsabard.
Quintus and Drusilla I find are two sides of a similar coin. As some pointed out that Quintus was a War dog. A veteran with no other way of living aside commanding, Drusilla is much the same. A reaper, one of the most skilled in fact. But became disillusioned in the Empire and its values. Who guided those of her family, her made family, to safety and watched over them whilst hunting her own inner demon. Her white whale of sorts in Orcus.
Where the two meet back again in similarity is that in being veterans of the founding of the empire, they become set in their own ways. Quintus an unbending, stoic patriot. And Drusilla, like Gaius even, having thr desire to keep those safe under her and lead by merit and a gentle hand.
Ultimately, Quintus had some manner of lucidity, foresight even. To know that his people would need the aid of the eorzean alliance, and in his final act of aged defiance. Commits suicide by the banner he helped raise.
I feel this denotes one thing, as a writer, a critic, and a lover of the lore…
Garlemald, as it stands, is truly dead. The empire that once existed is now truly gone. Freed of its bonds, with Quintus' passing, Jullus had taken the torch and has made the great strides of leadership in this terrible interegnum.
I only hope the people of Ilsabard unite once more with our aid. It hurts to see their suffering and their pride preventing our attempts of aid.
My honest opinion? Endwalker really needed to be more focused on Garlemald. It was one of my favorite parts of the expansion, but I think there was a lot of missed potential due to it only being one section of the game and one small area. Yet this small part of the expansion had some of the biggest emotional gut punches, such as the kids deciding that freezing to death was better than risking contact with the Alliance, and Alphinaud and Alisaie's conversation while they were in captivity. And of course, that haunting song that plays on the radio especially during that one scene. Quintus made me angry in how close minded he seemed, but like you said, he really was a tragic character who held on to an ideal that was based on lies. I think his story and death would have had way more impact if it was built up over time, though, instead of just confined to one section.
Not 100% related, but I also think the Garlemald part of the game REALLY needed to have the Alliance leaders and Gaius involved, as well as Varis being a primary villain. I feel like a lot of those plot lines were just resolved too quickly or off screen.
Oh how I remember everything… looking at Quintus, seeing how prominent he was, and imagining that possibly, after Garlemald ultimately surrenders, he'll reconsider his stance, and he would end up representing the remains of his nation at various meetings of the world's nations…. But I was very wrong
This particular moment is one I often think about. It had me flabbergasted. I knew the moment he loaded that gun, that he was going to end himself.
It is incredible as well as terrifiying, that someone can be so devoted to their homeland and purpose, that they would let their enormous pride refuse all and every helping hand proffered to them. It made me sigh in sheer exasperation. I was so angry that he would choose this way out and at the same time understood how blinded he was. His short time on screen did not matter to leave a massive impact on my feelings.
I've always felt like Quintus was a sorta apology for Varis. i was very disappointed when Varis veered into one race nonsense during that parley with him. it made me dislike when the story shows villains with actually credible grievances, but makes them do the just mustache twirling, nonsensical acts with glee.
Please do the video covering the other legions and Legatus. Von Hydrus and Gabranth need way more attention
What shows his character is that to the last minute his soldiers were completely loyal to him, even if they didn't agree with him. He was a respected leader, just like Gaius was before his fall, even if their values were skewed.
I'm far less 'kind' to the man than you are. In many ways, I feel that his pride and bitterness corrupted and decayed all things that might have once been good about him. Whatever sense of honor he had, he taints by taking peaceful envoys as hostage and using a diplomatic envoy as an ambush (Not that Varis, even when a diplomatic talk went ill, never as much threatened to break the negotiation truce) When he decides to use the painstakingly acquired fuel for that foolish attack, he doesn't throw away just the lives of his soldiers, but the civilians under his care, remaining citizens of Garlemald to freeze to death. And when it all falls down, and he could serve as a leader for a people who still respect him, he 'breaks the chain' that he talked about. In the end, he cared about the dream, but that chain was about the people. He followed the dream, and deserted his people in a time of need. Contrast him with Jullus, who suffered perhaps moreso than Quintus, and when Quintus died I felt pity for the soldiers who were clearly distraught, but the man himself? Good riddance then.
I understood how Quintus and the others came to be the way they are, and while I didn't agree, I hoped there could be common ground. Quintus and the two girls were so deep into the propaganda that there wasn't any way to save them, and probably the first time I needed to take a break. It felt all too real, and it got to me.
The only other time was in Thavnair after THAT scene with Matsuya though for completely different reasons.
Still waiting for a nurburge like trial for garlemald. The story seems to just forgiving them way to quickly and it bothers me. I’m getting clean varmoct vibes from it and it’s uncomfortable.
F
<-do not read of all of this if you do not want to get a spoiler->
In all Honesty I think Quintus van Cinna was the most human character we encountered in Endwalker.
the man lost everything.
Literally, his nation, his home, his dignity and his dream.
probably his family as well, his best friend the Emperor too.
His life's work was in ruins.
the only thing keeping him going was that hope of the other legions returning to Garlemald bringing the full force of their military might down upon this accursed plague that had hit their home land.
Essentially pride and sorrow.
But what I think some also missed about his part of the story.
is the same reason why Gaius didn't join us.
the people of Garlemald would never accept the Eorzean aid if even a single of the old Legatus remained on Garlean soil.
the top branch of the Garlean military could each be compared to Royalty of nobles.
their mere presence would inspire the Garleans to act in ways we from Eorzea would never relate to.
I mean their emperor was their god.
and each legatus was a potential new one.
his final actions were for glory of Garlemald, past, present and future.
a true patriot through and through.
But also simply a man that had lost everything.
Loss and Madness is a theme of Endwalker we see a few times in Endwalker and even in other expansions too.
I for one while not agreeing with Legatus Quintus van Cinna.
Respect the man for his dedication.
the Garlean empire is dead, and Quintus van Cinna died with it.
Quintus. Memorable? Yes. A good written character? Yes. Did I like him? Not one bit. I hated this ignorant, self-diluted jerk to bits, and him committing suicide had two reactions in me: 1. good riddance, and 2. what a coward! Do I believe he shot himself to protect his men? Well, hell, no, he didnt -.- He couldnt stand to live in a world without his oh so beloved Emperor and without Garlemald being at the top of the foodchain. However, all that not withstanding, I can acknowledge, that he was a product of birth and cercumstances, and that any other outcome would contradict his character as it was established. All too often do we encounter villians/enemies, that too easy turn around and side with us. That Quintus kept being a jerk was at the very least logical.
4:00 — I would agree with you, hadnt he put shocker collars on the twins -.- That was a "you're on my list, buddy, either you get killed or I'll see to it myself".
"Blind" is the primary word which I would use to describe this man/character. Blind to his own actions, blind to the actions of this countrymen, blind to the ambitions and their consequences of his masters. A blind, obedient dog – the likes of which we find applenty in our real world history, and they are the worst. This guy was beyond reasoning, and beyond salvation. His suicide in the end, as I said, was the only way for him to go out – since that "blaze of glory" was denied him due to his injuries.
I have to admit, I get a little bit annoyed by the people who judge Quintus… which is most people. You might not agree with the man’s decisions, but that’s because your path through life took a very different course, with different values and different experiences. I didn’t find anything wrong with his logic or the conclusions he reached, from within his own perspective. I’m willing to bet that in his shoes, any of us probably would have done the same… whatever we might claim without the context of living the life he did.
That being said, I do think Quintus could have been saved by someone who was able to appeal to his own personal values more. Someone who had gone in and given him a cold, harsh verbal slap across the face, accusing him of being willing to abandon his people in their hour of greatest need and telling him that his own feelings did not matter at all – he still had a duty to fulfill, regardless of how much he hated it. Quintus was a man driven by devotion to duty and clearly thought that hardship suffered in service to his country was a noble act… so the way to appeal to him would be to utterly reject his self-pity and remind him that he still had a job to do. Sadly, Eorzeans just don’t really think like that. They could never have reached Quintus on his own level.