Length Warning. No, seriously. This is one of the longest reviews on Backloggd, if not THE longest. With that said, I’ve organized my thoughts and analysis between 36 titled chapters, so feel free to skip around and read whichever ones grab your interest. Spoilers for the Xenoblade Chronicles trilogy.
THE ORIGIN OF TOMORROW: A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW AND ANALYSIS OF XENOBLADE CHRONICLES 3
Aionios (Greek: aionioß) · without beginning and end, that which always has been and always will be · "Without end, never ceasing, eternal". [you know, sort of like this review]
From the outset of Xenoblade Chronicles 3, director Tetsuya Takahashi, and more broadly the entire Monolith Soft team, set out with the express intent of merging the "Best of Both Worlds" of Xenoblade Chronicles and Xenoblade Chronicles 2. Funnily enough, though, in their attempt to assimilate the strengths of these two titles, which are similarly beloved but in very different ways, they veer in an entirely new direction which ends up forgoing much of the appeal from both of those games. An appeal, might I add, which is sure to fall short for certain sections of the Xenoblade fanbase, if not inherently because of its nature as an "artistic compromise". This is particularly true for the fans who are diehards of ONE specific Xenoblade title rather than both, regardless of if it’s for XC1 or XC2.
So, while XC3 can certainly be defined as a “union” of these two past games, it might be more useful to instead contextualize this union through one of a few distinct analogies. Think of XC3 as a chemical reaction of sorts. XC1 and XC2 are like chemical compounds, each with their own makeup which determine their unique appeal and merit. But through the Merge, the in-game union and catalyst which led to the creation of the world setting and subsequent narrative of XC3, those starting compounds were rearranged beyond recognition.
Second, it may be helpful to liken the union of these two games to conception. XC1 and XC2 are like the parents, which joined together to birth the child that is XC3. This offspring might be entirely composed of the genetic material of its parents. However, the rearrangement of their properties, not to mention the inherently unique circumstances of their existence, instead birthed something completely new; a game which carved out an entirely distinct niche in practicality.
Third, to relate this union to in-game terminology, you can even liken the existence of XC3 to an Interlink between XC1 and XC2. Two worlds being drawn ever closer together by their opposing attraction and narrative longing. In combat terms, this is represented by two members of Ouroboros combining to fill an entirely new role than either the Kevesi or Agnian member held prior.
Well, regardless of how you choose to look at this Merge, either literally or symbolically, the same truth remains. The end product may bear external resemblance to its predecessors, but the end result is different enough in practicality to have a predominantly unique appeal. Alongside this uniquely emerging appeal, however, has come a slew of issues, both major and minor. Many consider XC3’s villains who uphold their newfound status quo to be dull, underwritten, and sometimes even outright bad. Hell, you can even justifiably debate whether the main antagonist is a character or not to begin with. Even as someone who has massive respect for what they tried to do with Z as a villain (and succeeded in doing, I should clarify), I’m not gonna sit here and pretend Z has the same level of sauce as the likes of Egil and Malos.
Another predominant issue which arose from this Merge is that there is an ungodly amount of shit going on in XC3. And unfortunately, no matter how you look at it, the vast majority of that content and the ideas it presents feel undercooked. There are two games worth (hell, even THREE games worth if we’re counting the potential for expansion through a prequel) of ideas here. Two or three games worth of shit all “Merged” into one conglomerate. Even after a 250 hour playthrough, extensive research, and discussion with friends about the deeper lore, I’ve come out of XC3 with more questions than I came in with.
There is little point arguing that XC3 falls well short of what it could have achieved, particularly with its worldbuilding. Not just as a unique piece of art on its own merits, but as an idealized union of its predecessors. Hell, I don't even like XC1 or XC2 that much anyway. So what does this say about the “missed opportunities incarnate” that is XC3? This can't possibly bode well for a game that exists as an artistically homogenized conglomerate of two games I don't even like that much to begin with?
Well, you saw the rating. I’ll drop the facade: Against all odds, this is one of my absolute favorite games ever.
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is one of the most ambitious, emotionally poignant, and thematically layered pieces of art I have ever experienced. Those criticisms I just called attention to were not hyperbole for the sake of misdirection. I won’t deny any of them, nor can you even really dispute them at all, for the most part. But despite the thousand different ways this game can be considered a majestic fuckup, it still manages to be pure magic from beginning to end. It single-handedly revitalized (and exponentially grew) my enthusiasm for a franchise that I’ve desperately tried to love for nearly ten years but never remotely have. Never, until now.
Also, interestingly enough, this game is... kind of ass. Like, more so than the previous two. But, if anything, that only further serves to make how strong my feelings are about what this game set out to do, and ended up achieving, all the more impressive.
As we approach the beginning of the analysis itself, I’d like to repeat my warning one more time. XC3 surprised me in ways I didn’t think possible. I really would recommend giving it a try for yourself before continuing. But if you’d rather just let me try to sell you on it, that’s cool too, I guess: So, one last time: Spoiler warning. Length warning. Really, I’m not stressing this again for nothing. This introduction might SEEM like overkill, but comparatively, it’s nothing. We haven’t even gotten started yet. If you intend on reading further, I’d recommend searching up one of the 10,000 generic “Relaxing Xenoblade Music” compilations or whatever on YouTube. They're all exactly the same. There is so much to say that I have no choice but to gush and rant about this game--for what will probably take hours to read. Whether I want it to be or not, communicating my feelings about this game is a utterly massive undertaking. And, considering how important it is to me as a piece of art, its MANY flaws and all, I can’t in good faith make any major compromises.
I’m completely aware that a text review of THIS scope inherently limits the audience of people interested in hearing me out to like… two people?? That said, I’d be appreciative of any Xenoblade fans or, again, people who just don’t give a shit about having the game spoiled for them to come along for the ride. This goes double for those who were let down by XC3, because I intend to explore ways in which this game can be seen as both a resounding, and yet gloriously human, failure. I know it’s a hell of a lot to ask, so again, feel free to skip around to whatever chapter’s material catches your eye the most.
Lastly, please do keep in mind that my intentions with the more analytical and worldbuilding-centric chapters were never to unearth mind-shattering revelations about the lore that have never been brought up before now. I’m far from a seasoned theorycrafter, and my limited knowledge on the Xeno games outside the trilogy doesn’t help. But at the very least, I hope to contribute to the conversation with my own perspective, perhaps sharing some manner of unique insight for you to consider along the way.
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 means the world to me, and I never for a second saw it coming. Hopefully, by the end of this review, I can convince you to feel the same.
CHAPTER 0: ORIGIN (mine, not the big black robot egg thing)
(Preface, My History and Experience with Xenoblade Chronicles)
I guess I’ll begin with a quick rundown of my history with the franchise, since I do think this context from which my thoughts are coming from is important. But if you really couldn’t care less and just want the analysis, go ahead and skip to Chapter 1.
Anyway, I have not played Xenogears nor the Xenosaga trilogy (though I did manage to snag episode 3 on eBay recently, so… soon™). However, I have played the directly relevant Xenoblade Chronicles titles. So, XC1, 2, and now 3 (not X yet either sadly, though it does look insanely rad. That Hiroyuki Sawano OST tho). This is important since, from what I’ve gathered, XC3 does harken back to imagery and builds on concepts explored as far back as Xenogears. As such, I won’t be commenting on those much, if at all, here. This essay will be almost entirely focused on XC3 and XC3 alone. Even continuity stuff will be primarily glossed over.
As for my history with XC1/2, I’ll keep my thoughts on them to just this one section. Frankly, I don’t think my thoughts on either game are unique enough to merit talking about at length. Long story short: I’ve always considered Xenoblade to be pretty decent, but have never considered myself to give any sort of shit about the franchise in a serious way. Well, certainly not to the extent everyone else has always seemed to for either XC1 or XC2. I do distinctly remember XC1 grabbing me early on, and overall continued to far more than XC2 did for the majority of its runtime. Between its diverse world setting and legendary soundtrack, you’d be hard-pressed to argue how impressive or important of a game the original Xenoblade Chronicles was.
But in terms of its narrative? I genuinely feel like the coolest thing about the “narrative” of XC1 (if you can even call it that) was the story of Operation Rainfall. That shit rules. In terms of the REAL story, the character writing and design (for everyone not named Melia), its combat/gameplay loop, and my simple absence of emotional investment... I was pretty bummed to realize that XC1 didn’t quite do it for me. At least not the way it seems to for most other players. It’s the sort of game I had the most fun with when I was just wandering around, exploring its massive environments and getting lost in the field music. Like, rather than actually playing the game.
XC2 moved even further away from the sort of thing I vibe with. It did have the same aforementioned strengths as XC1, hell I’d even consider 2’s soundtrack more dynamic and consistent than 1’s, probably. But again, I noticed my long term enthusiasm for the series slowly diminishing through just about every other aspect of XC2; from major issues like its impressively lethargic combat/questing/gameplay loop, to countless minor issues. Just to name the first of my basic bitch complaints which come to mind: Rex’s salvager outfit having been carefully crafted by a team of elite scientists in order to create bitchlessness incarnate. No, the irony of assessing Rex this way is not lost on me after having finished XC3. Yes, we will talk about it a bit later.
Leading up to the release of XC3, I wasn’t even sure if I wanted to bother buying it to begin with. I had trouble justifying such a huge time commitment for yet another entry in a series I’ve never been particularly fond of. My interest in Xenoblade had only continued to wane over time, to the point where I completely passed up on XC2’s various DLC updates, the XC2 Torna the Golden Country expansion game, as well as XC1 Definitive Edition’s new “Future Connected” epilogue game. However, after playing XC3, my view of the franchise has completely flipped on its head. The Xeno Series has, seemingly out of nowhere, established itself among those whose futures I find myself most enthusiastic about.
Well, in a roundabout way, I guess. It’s clear this is the swan song for Takahashi’s vision and the current saga’s ongoing narrative. So ironically, it only really succeeded at hyping me up for Takashi’s previous works, namely Xenogears and Xenosaga. I’ll 100% be playing both of these in the near future. But the ACTUAL future of the franchise is now entirely left up in the air once again. But, well, if you’ve played XC3, you’ve probably immediately realized why this is so incredibly fitting. An endless unknown, a future you largely cannot control or even predict; this is what XC3 says is worth fighting for.
Fighting to live- rather than to stagnate. Living to fight- rather than submitting to fearful contentment.
With that out of the way, let’s start talking about that one funni British anime shōnen game I actually DO give a fuck about.
Xenoblade Chronicles 3.
CHAPTER 1 - THE ENDLESS NOW: FIGHT TO LIVE, LIVE TO FIGHT
(Initial thoughts, Opening Cinematic, and Preliminary Themes)
“Fighting in order to live. And living to fight. That's the way of our world, Aionios. Cruel irony that it should mean "eternity". Because slowly but surely, our world is now dying. Even though we have yet to realize that fact." -Noah, Chapter 1
SUBSECTION 1: QUALITY OF LIFE
I know this review has already had a TON of framing, already, but we’re getting there, trust me. Anyway, let me just get my absolute first impressions out of the way before getting to the meat of the game itself. From the first moments I booted up Xenoblade Chronicles 3, I was repeatedly hit with pangs of hope to believe that this game might resonate with me the way I always hoped prior entries would. This actually started before I even began the game through its various quality of life options available in the menu. Yes, starting the first chapter by reviewing the options is thrilling, I know. It’ll be quick, just humor me. A hard difficulty setting was available right out of the gates, unlike in the original releases of XC1 and XC2. It gives you the option to review tutorials on literally any of the game’s hundreds of mechanics / systems, even going so far as to provide drills for the most important ones (i.e. combos, interlinking, chain attacks etc.) to ensure a thorough understanding of how they function. It might sound trivial, but if you played XC2 completely blind like I did, you know damn well just how stark a contrast this is.
But perhaps most importantly, to me at least, it gives you the ability to turn off the minimap and various HUD elements out the door. For a huge, modern JRPG release, this is a surprisingly rare consideration. Considering how big and open Xenoblade games are, this feature alone was an easy way to win me over before even starting a new game. When I play a game that emphasizes scope and exploration, I prefer to use my eyes to do so, rather than having them glued to the corner of my screen as I stare unblinkingly at a smol yellow arrow. I’m not sure why this is even remotely debatable, but for those who do enjoy that sort of thing, more power to ya, really. At least you’ll be able to play Dragon Quest XI without the burning urge to tape a circular piece of cardboard to the bottom-left corner of your TV. Anyway, once I booted up the game proper, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 grabbed me by the balls and seldom let go for the next 250 or so hours I spent within the world of Aionios.
SUBSECTION 2: THE OPENING CINEMATIC OF XENOBLADE CHRONICLES 3
Let’s start from the very beginning: Despite having zero context or explicit knowledge about the greater significance of this game’s opening cutscene, the abrupt time-stop and aggressively cryptic merge sequence that followed had my stomach-churning from the intensity of its visual presentation and sound design alone. Likewise, it had my mind churning in a desperate attempt to make any semblance of sense out of it. What was I watching? What did it mean? At that moment, just as Noah was, I was utterly helpless; incapable of anything beyond paralyzed, yet conscious, bewilderment.
The battle between Colony 9 and Colony Sigma immediately follows. This sequence only pressed harder on the gas, intriguing me further about the nature and machinations of Aionios (yes, the word choice reflecting XC1’s titans here was deliberate. No, there isn’t any huge meaning behind it, I just thought it was cute). The parallels to XC1’s iconic opening battle were effective at initially grabbing your attention, to be sure. However, what really kept me intrigued here was the incessantly bleak tone which leaked from every orifice of XC3’s opening cinematic. The battle takes place on Torchlight Hill, a commonplace battleground found on the Aetia Region’s Everblight Plain. A sprawling, yet decidedly lifeless, landscape. Nothing but brown, rocky terrain as far as the eye can see. The only thing lining its surface which resembled life was a sea of Kevesi and Agnian husks- corpses. Hundreds of soldiers, belonging to the diametrically opposed forces of Keves and Agnus, both of which run across the length of this barren land, paved with bodies, to clash at the battlefield’s center. Fighting to live. Living to fight. From the moment you hear this phrase, you as the player are indoctrinated into the conspiracy which is the Endless Now. A phrase which loops back onto itself evermore, like a Moebius strip. No beginning, no end, just continually looping for eternity. From the first time you hear this phrase, you are keyed in to what constitutes the entire thematic crux of XC3’s 250-hour journey: The Endless Now.
SUBSECTION 3: FERRONIS, STEEL GOD OF THE BATTLEFIELD
Of perhaps greater significance than the soldiers themselves, in hindsight, was the overwhelming presence of the two colonies’ respective Ferronises. A Ferronis is a mobile assault weapon which doubles as a shelter for each colony. Just as fallen soldier husks lay below the feet of their surviving comrades, those same surviving soldiers lay at the feet of the warring colonies’ Ferronises. These two giant hulking steel masses were, on the surface, the ultimate prize for the opposing colony, as the Ferronis is what holds the Flame Clock, along with all the opposing colonies’ life force housed within it. Thematically, though, the Ferronises serve to sow yet another seed within the player. They depict how, in the grand scheme of the Moebius conspiracy, these soldiers’ capabilities and contributions are explicitly predetermined and more importantly, utterly superfluous to the greater conflict. They don’t shy away from this fact, either. It’s made apparent from the start, as we see the Ferronises make their way across the battlefield, crushing countless bodies beneath their feet. Like a two-ton truck driving over a patch of earthworms.
Their presence, both literally and symbolically, completely tramples the individual soldier’s personal resolve and abilities. Whether they’re driven by motivation from the military ambition upon which they were raised and trained to uphold. Their brainwashed bigotry from Moebius-orchestrated propaganda. Or even their burning desire to avenge their fallen comrades. An individual soldier’s capacity for impacting the war is inherently dwarfed by that of a single Ferronis. Dwarfed to the point where their efforts might as well not exist to begin with. Each soldier is likely no bigger than a single bolt on these steel monstrosities. Not even the entirety of their most elite squadrons could hope to match the sheer firepower of a single blast from one of the Ferronis’ various weapon installations. And yet, both sides were unwavering in their pursuit of bloodshed- all to feed the ever-draining Flame Clock.
The name Ferronis (Japanese: 鉄巨神, Tetsu Kyoshin, lit. Iron Giant God) reflects both that of the Bionis (Japanese: 巨神, Kyoshin, lit. Giant God) and the Titans of Alrest (Japanese: 巨神獣, Kyoshin-jū, lit. Giant Divine Beasts). It’s clear that Moebius’ propaganda even bleeds into their naming conventions- at least in the original script. There is even evidence to back up the literal intent behind these names, given the nature of Origin as an archive of the two World’s pre-Merge data. This further emphasizes the machines’ overpowering significance, by comparing them to Gods. Gods which control the battlefield which happens to be occupied by the soldiers, who are naught but superfluous pawns in comparison.
This also serves to tie the Ferronises under that banner of “a product which embodies the best of both worlds”. Keep in mind that both Agnian and Kevesi Ferronises are later revealed to be constructed in the exact same facilities within Origin. Origin, of course, is a facility whose inception crossed multiple dimensions; an arc that quite literally sought to preserve the best both worlds had to offer. With the Queen of Keves Melia falling captive to Z, the progenitor of Moebius, the mechanical prowise and wisdom of both worlds has fallen entirely into their hands.
SUBSECTION 4: FERRONIS, LENS AND PROXY OF MOEBIUS
Because of this, it’s easy to extrapolate these Ferronises as the concept of Moebius themselves, carrying out their will on the front lines of battle. Because the soldiers’ efforts are largely individualized, it’s important that they’re dwarfed in comparison by something Moebius can maintain direct control over. In this sense, think of the Ferronis as the “Great Equalizer”, ensuring the Endless Now remains in perfect balance on the front lines. There are other means through which Moebius makes sure this is accomplished, like the intermediary of Colony 0, but more on that later.
Anyway, the Ferronises are Gods towering over the pawns which comprise both Keves and Agnus, watching them struggle in vain as they continue to propagate Moebius’ very own Endless Now. It’s an impressive personification of two of XC3’s most prominent themes. Not only does it reflect the individual soldier’s bleak powerlessness in this opening cutscene, but Moebius adds insult to injury in doing so through the “slice of godhood” known as Ferronises. They stand as an aggregate product of Origin, both of which are later discovered to be Ouroboros’ single beacon of hope (by proxy of Flame Clock liberation, and later, reclaiming and resetting the interdimensional ark). But during this opening cutscene, these Ferronises are the very embodiment of overpowering hopelessness. What was intended as the Queen’s own beacon of hope is now being used against them. To trivialize their individual efforts and keep them in check as they unknowingly play into the hand of Moebius’ continued prosperity.
They act as enslaved chess pieces subject to the whims of intelligent and tyrannical superiors (seen thru Consuls literally playing chess while sippin life juice). Keves and Agnus soldiers alike carried out the one and only act they’ve ever known. The act they were born to carry out. Were indoctrinated in through textbook propaganda to carry out. Were trained in the art of war to carry out. And eventually, were encoded to instinctually carry out- by what they falsely presumed to be their own free will: Fight to live, live to fight.
SUBSECTION 5: A POINT IN TIME, A THEMATIC MICROCOSM
In all honesty, this battle between Keves and Agnus can be viewed as a microcosm for the entirety of the conspiratorial conflict as orchestrated by Moebius. It even fits as such beyond this illusion of free will and trivial value depicted through the individual soldier. This battle is portrayed by the soldiers as an intense, high-stakes fight to protect the lives of themselves and their loved ones. And while this might be true on the surface, after looking back on this scene in hindsight, XC3 makes it abundantly clear that their struggle was utterly meaningless.
Each and every life lost in this battle would just be reborn to continue carrying out the cycle. Perhaps more importantly, this entire battle, despite resulting in the demise of ENTIRE colony through Colony Sigma, it was just one of the countless battles that took place on this exact strip of land. Not to mention, the one example of prior Everblight Plain battle records we’re explicitly given details how Shido, then known as All-Slayer Oleg, led Colony Chi single-handedly in the brutal onslaught of an entire Kevesi colony before the events of the game. Considering the long-term ramifications of this battle, even beyond the destruction of an entire colony, it’s clear that the battle between Colony 9 and Colony Sigma wasn’t even among the most important battles in this ONE specific battlefield. This fact only further drives home the futility radiating from every shot and line from this opening sequence. None of it meant a thing. Ironically, this is what made it so meaningful- through its thematic poignancy alone.
This bleak tone even doubles back onto that very first scene, which portrays the Merge through the eyes of Noah. Time quite literally stopped around him, a fact he was cognizant of given that he managed to resist the time-freeze for a few seconds beyond everything else. There was no one to ask for help, no one to explain to him what was happening. There was no means by which the young Noah could interfere personally. He was an ordinary child, standing there helplessly as he witnessed the literal apocalypse. Not just the destruction of his World of Bionis, but both Worlds. It goes without saying that, in a situation like this, ignorance is bliss. In this sense, it could even be viewed as an uncharitable argument IN FAVOR of the Endless Now. After all, freezing time indefinitely was the only was to avoid the horror and destruction that would arise from the impact of the Merge.
Anyway, Noah’s persisting sentience only served to further instill him with utter helplessness. The explicit meaning or ramifications of this scene aren’t made apparent to Noah nor the player until right near the end of the game. However, this does explain why these two scenes work so well in tandem in and of itself. It’s no wonder they were so effective in eliciting an intense response of discomfort even upon my first viewing, even if it was entirely instinctual or subconscious.
SUBSECTION 6: A TRIUMPH IN CINEMATOGRAPHY
Even outside the overflowing thematic importance which this opening scene establishes, it’s just phenomenally well put together in every regard (well, aside from the combat tutorial which babies you into submission as you wait 20 seconds for each of Noah’s arts to recharge). The way these scenes flow into one another symbolically (but also literally, through the interspersed bits of gameplay) is just… incredible. The way it illustrates that oppressively bleak tone in a way that completely overpowers the surface level action and intensity of war felt reminiscent of the opening to Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga. Just, yknow, without the cheesy Matrix bullshit (I say this as endearingly as possible btw, that shit rules).
But yeah, I’ll probably say it five more times over the course of this review, but this game is unbelievably cinematic from beginning to end. It was pretty early into the game that I first made the claim that this is the single most cinematic JRPG ever created. By the time you get to Chapter 5’s 1-2 straight hours of cutscenes, which bring you all the way from the abyss of despair to the soaring heights of triumphant catharsis, there’s little debating it in my mind.
The sheer awe generated from these cutscenes isn’t a remotely uncommon experience, either. Every single chapter’s big cinematic moments had me enthralled in some way or another. The directing, the voice performances (both EN and JP), the action choreography, the weight, the expressiveness, the tension and intrigue of its most cryptic mysteries, the countless pieces of accompanying music… It’s the best of the best, no question. I could list specific moments, but I’m sure they’ve already popped into your head by this point anyway. XC3’s main story is aggressively memorable. And this opening cinematic is only the tip of the iceberg in that regard. I know that generally, the characters do a lot of the heavy lifting in that regard. But it’s accomplished in no small part due to phenomenal cutscene direction and cinematic atmosphere, both of which help it live up to the lofty ambition of its premise and themes.
CHAPTER 2 - The Triumphant Return of Dresspheres, Tokusatsu-tinged Bullshit, and Gloriously Overstimulating Chaos
(Combat, Job System, Customization, and Role Definition)
The combat in Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is bafflingly awesome. Who knew all it’d take for Xenoblade to have actual fun gameplay would be to rip off Final Fantasy X-2’s fashion-dictated class system and to ditch the Skells in favor of Interlink, an amalgamation of Digital Devil Saga transformation, pseudosexual fusion dance, and Tokusatsu? Much like XC1/2, the game still LARPs as both an MMO (main combat) and a turn-based game (chain attacks). Yet, in a complete turnaround from those two whose combat actively annoyed me, I’d be hard-pressed to find another non-turn-based JRPG combat system that I fuck with this hard.
I’m definitely of the opinion that prior Xenoblade games have had hugely underwhelming combat, but was never able (or just couldn’t be bothered trying) to articulate why. XC3’s aggressive polish and iteration on the past games’ combat made it blindingly obvious why that is in hindsight. It makes a bunch of changes and improvements, both major and minor. But if I had to boil it down, it comes down to three changes at its core: Character building, role-influenced customization, and in-battle control.
SUBSECTION 1: CHARACTER BUILDING
I’ll start with character building, since this is where the pre-battle strategizing comes into play. Let’s talk Job Systems. Everyone loves a good Job System, and for good reason. However, as someone who loves both job systems and defined character roles in JRPG combat, I often find myself at odds with the seemingly inherent tradeoff these systems present. Job systems let you go ham with customizing each character into exactly what you want them to be. But defined character roles also let the personality behind the character shine through by restricting them to a certain archetype. XC3 basically looked at the inherent conflict of this tradeoff and said, “you dumbasses realize you can just do both, right?” Like, it's actually insane how effortlessly this game dismantles the conflict while maintaining the unique strengths and personality found in both styles of character building.
Customization. Twenty-fucking-five classes. 25 classes to unlock. To learn the inner-workings and individual strengths of. To experiment within.To grind and train. To utilize in conjunction with other classes’ master arts through fusion art combinations, as well as synergizing with your plethora of other skills/accessories/gems/etc. Each with their own entirely unique take on the surface level attack-tank-healer designation. Five unique arts, one talent art, and four skills which grow stronger as you increase your class level. Two of those arts and two of those skills then go on to transfer outside the class in the form of master arts/skills, with the talent art being a fifth once you max out a given class. Any of which can be used alongside another class of opposing Agnian / Kevesi designation.
Oh (x1), and the hero which coincides with the class they unlock has several of their own completely unique arts on top of that, meaning you’ll further deliberate whether to use a certain hero or equip their respective dress-class on an Ouroboros depending on the circumstances. Oh (x2), this doesn’t even include the Soul Tree which is used to customize each of your Ouroboros Interlinks with various upgradable arts, stat bonuses, etc. Oh (x3), AND the Soul Hacker class works completely independently of these rules, serving as a blue mage who gains skills upon the defeat of unique monsters. At full power, this class boasts SIXTY-FUCKING-FIVE unique and completely upgradable arts, as opposed to the typical five arts. Additionally, there are SEVENTY-FUCKING-NINE skills spanning all three role archetypes from which you can mix and match. What the actual shit, dude. No, seriously, how did this game even get finished, let alone reverse-delayed? Anyway, whoever greenlit this class, I love them almost as much as I love Triton himself. Oh (x4), AND the upcoming DLC hero Ino also seems to work separately from every other hero, running on ether cylinders to guide her own unique method of customization. Idk, it looks like some Poppi shit, so I’m immediately sold, necc aside. Tiger Tiger sequel when.
SUBSECTION 2: ROLE DEFINITION
Role definition. Despite the absurd level of character build customization, XC3 maintains a surprisingly rigid sense of character role definition. This is achieved through a bunch of different means, such as: The Keves/Agnus split, role definition through individual job affinities/inheritors, master arts and talent arts, master skills, and the rigid role definition/consideration present in interlinking by trading off whatever two roles the pairing might possess in lieu of the rigid role of their respective Ouroboros interlink.
Once chain attacks come into the mix, the game doubles down on this role rigidity even further. Each character (including heroes) is given their own distinct baseline TP distribution, Chain Order, and Ouroboros order. Speaking of heroes, they too get their very own hero chain bonus on top of their likewise distinct Chain Order. These hero chain bonuses range from providing bonuses to the damage ratio, boosting individual TP, boosting party TP (even specific character boosts i.e. MIyabi to Mio), monster-specific bonuses, reviving inactive members, buffing/debuffing, healing, and so on. It’s genuinely nuts how much distinctiveness and role definition is maintained in each character’s combat capabilities (both Ouroboros and heroes) despite the former having just been described to have such insanely unrestrained customization options.
I’m not sure if Monolith INTENDED to have such ludonarrative cohesion in this double-sided customization system, or they just thought it’d be cool and it ended up working out that way. But man, the whole "Best of Both Worlds" motif (while most of the time refers to the game taking what worked from XC1 and XC2 and using them harmoniously) seems to permeate EVERY facet of XC3. To the point where it has the best of both worlds of a job system and rigid role definition- something that I quite literally did not think was possible until playing this game. Oh, and you can’t forget to respect the drip. Yumsmith Sena sweeps.
SUBSECTION 3: COMBAT ANALYSIS AND PLAYER CONTROL
Moving on from customization and into the actual meat of the combat itself, it’s fun. Like, REALLY fun. The setup again inherits this "Best of Both Worlds" motif, as it reflects both the six character setup from XC2 (drivers and active blades included), while otherwise reverting to XC1’s initial setup of everyone being a direct and controllable contributor. Considering there are now twice as many party members acting concurrently, I cannot stress this enough: This is absolute fucking chaos. Like, it’s chaotic to the point where if someone were to casually walk by a XC3 battle without any prior knowledge, the only plausible response would be, “what the fuck am I looking at?” Six characters (plus a hero) painting a monster in countless numbers. FF12 lookin ass lines connecting you to each monster depicting the current status of their aggro and the subsequent relationship/priority. The most fucked up looking Venn diagrams you’ve ever seen in your life in the form of field buffs scattered beneath your feet. Ten of the like fifty different symbols for buffs, debuffs, awakening, shackles, combos, ailments, etc cycling in and out next to each character and the monster you’re fighting. Your characters suddenly transform into fucking fusion robots and all that information is replaced with an entirely new set of skills and an overheat bar. Oh, and then time stops and the entire combat system changes as you initiate a chain attack.
So yeah, someone walking by has every right in the world to wonder what the fuck you’re doing if they’re unfamiliar with XC3’s combat. That said, considering the way this game paces out each of its multifaceted mechanics in such a gradual and easily understandable way, it is extremely rare that you’ll be playing and not know EXACTLY what is going on at all times. Seriously, I can’t stress enough how impressive it is that they manage to actually make this combat make sense, and yet they knocked it out of the park.
Trying to take in so much information at once while it’s constantly changing is already more than engaging enough to stay interesting for a game as long as this. But now, tack onto all of that the fact you can now change between characters at ANY MOMENT. Without a cooldown or any other sort of restriction. This alone takes XC3’s combat from what would already be a rather engaging system to unfathomably stimulating and hectic. In the more intense/challenging boss battles, it quickly becomes adrenaline incarnate. Apparently, Torna took the first step in this direction by allowing you to swap between your three party members on a cooldown, but here, you can swap between any of the SIX party members as quickly and frequently as you want.
It might not sound like a huge deal, since you still aren’t controlling all six of them at once, and thus a majority of the combat at any given moment is controlled by AI. That may still be true, but it’s a complete and utter game-changer when it comes to the player’s engagement and their potential for strategic influence. In past games, you control one party member, and once their arts are depleted, you’re stuck doing fuck all but using auto-attack. So you’re stuck there slapping at the enemy for 50 damage every few seconds until you can fight properly again. In XC3 though, the second a character’s arts are depleted, you switch to the next one and can start thinking on-the-fly to quickly make use of whatever tools they have available in the most efficient way possible. This might not make a monumental difference in how the battle goes about playing out, but thankfully the AI is stupid enough to actually merit shuffling around your active party member and doing as much on your own as possible. But above all else, you’re no longer stuck waiting for a shitty cooldown and constantly have your hands full of different ways to influence the fight. Put aside the customization and job system for a moment- THIS alone is an absolute goddamn game-changer.
SUBSECTION 4: MORE SINGLE-FIGHT GIMMICKS WOULD’VE BEEN NICE THO
To sneak in a small area of disappointment, I definitely would’ve liked to see more unique gimmicks or “puzzle” elements to bosses. If not in gameplay, then even just in the action cinematics would’ve been nice. There are definitely rumblings of this in the early game cinematics, specifically up through Chapter 4. Then, with the joint boss fight sequence between Consul N and Consul M, it finally comes to a head. Consul M has a completely unique Moebius power that takes the party a bit to figure out a solution for- and the solution itself was very clever and satisfying.
Even if we aren’t given the super nitty-gritty specifics of how it works, it’s clear that the Mondo was able to track M’s movements due to her and its ether properties as a Blade. Whether this is through ether displacement, propensity for tracking ether sensitivity, or ether absorption, it’s not clear. However, this is supported by the group’s first battle at Gura Flava. Eunie is able to disable Taion’s Mondo tag by filling it with enough ether to overload/overheat it. As an Agnian, M fights through ether properties as well. As such, it makes perfect sense that the Mondo, which can either sense, absorb, or disrupt that flow of ether, would be a perfect counter to the Moebius ability. This even shows tactical development on the part of Taion, who was only able to figure out this solution because of the way Eunie countered him earlier in the game.
To tie this back into that complaint I alluded to… This is basically the first and last time you’ll see anything like this in-game. Z has something similar sorta kinda, given that it’s another multiphase fight which sees your party splitting up and being supported by the various heroes. But it’s never a “puzzle” for you to figure out. It’s not something that will make you fundamentally reassess your game plan and fight under a completely different strategic pretense. I definitely expected more of this sort of thing from the end-game bosses. For example, the fight against D and Joran was a phenomenal opportunity for this that was totally squandered.
I’m not exactly sure HOW they’d go about doing it, since the combat is strictly set up so that attacking the enemy is basically your only means of interacting with them. But the conflicting nature of the fight could’ve done so well to set up a scenario where, for example: Joran is focusing his Interlink overheat, and thus you have to fend off fodder and protect him in the process. Then, D regains control, and you quickly shift to beating the shit out of him as much as possible. Stuff like that would’ve done a lot to make the more important boss fights feel mechanically distinct, which they simply don’t. That’s not to say they’re boring or anything, since again, XC3’s combat is more than capable of utterly carrying. But it still would’ve been better to see more of this sort of thing.
SUBSECTION 5: CHAIN ATTACKS, MISC. THOUGHTS,. AND CONCLUSION
Lastly, I’d like to talk a bit more about chain attacks. XC3’s chain attacks also manage to capture the "Best of Both Worlds" motif that nearly everything else in the game also seems to. They’re both cathartic in terms of their strategic depth to execute, while also being cathartic in the most mindless monke brain “victory lap” way I can possibly think of. That second one especially, the way it eggs you on with the instantly iconic chain attack music to the point you cannot feel anything other than utter conviction and triumph as it unfolds.
Even if you activate it with your entire party’s HP in the red and the boss still has 8.9 trillion remaining HP out of 9 trillion total (which is usually the case!), you can’t help but feel pure catharsis and hope during the duration of that chain attack. Well, that only lasts until you pick the wrong art and then the shit RNG gives you a healer on your random pick cuz you had to finish with an attacker… motherfucker. Anyway, the fact that it somehow manages to be both strategically cathartic and viscerally mindless in such a careful balance is yet another example of this game defying the odds to capture the "Best of Both Worlds" in one fell swoop.
Beyond chain attacks, there are plenty of smaller points to praise about the combat. For example, I love how combos can be built up with either offensive or defensive intentions/planning in mind. Launch-Smash combos provide extra damage at the cost of accelerating an enemies’ enrage status, whereas Daze-Burst combos provide an incapacitation window for your party to stabilize while also quelling rage for a short period of time. Another point worth mentioning goes back to customization; I love the sheer quantity of possibilities when it comes to fusion art combinations. You can do anything from double-advancing a combo (break w/ topple master art, launch w/ smash master art, etc), enhancing your smash effect by pairing it with a high damage ratio master art, pairing aggro reduction with a powerful heal to stay hidden, pairing aggro increase with a long form block art for efficient tanking, and so on. The fusion art system is incredibly simple, but could not be more elegantly incorporated. It boasts an absurd level of customization for those who really want to sink their teeth into making Agnian and Kevesi arts synergize in creative ways. I know I’m a broken record at this point, but again, taking the "Best of Both Worlds" and getting something new (and better) out of them.
For the sake of time, plus the fact that the rest of XC3’s combat depth is mostly similar to how it was in past games, I’ll wrap it up here. But yeah, considering how ambivalent I’ve been to prior Xenoblade games’ combat, the improvements made here and the way they salvaged the ongoing foundation of Xenoblade combat into something this good is nothing short of miraculous. I tend to be a fan of turn-based combat first and everything else second. But in the level of engagement, strategy, and customization found in XC3’s combat system, you’d be hard-pressed arguing against it being truly second to none.
CHAPTER 3 - The Methodically Unmethodical World Design of Aionios
(WORLD SETTING, SECTION 1: How XC3’s World, Map Design, and Aesthetics are Physically and Symbolically Informed by the Merge)
So clearly the combat benefits from the literal and symbolic Merge of XC1 and XC2 as much as anything. What about the World? Well… no, not at all. I should probably come right out and say that, across the Xenoblade Chronicles trilogy, XC3’s world is far and away the least impressive from a purely aesthetic standpoint… at least in terms of surface-level allure. The game has huge, sprawling vistas filled with secrets just like the prior games, but something about the world setting doesn’t feel nearly as aesthetically dynamic or even as methodical compared to the likes of Bionis or Alrest.
This was actually a huge point of criticism I held through the early hours of the game, which I worried might keep me from truly loving it overall. Like I’ve mentioned already, exploring huge imaginative environments while listening to the various field themes was what appealed to me most about the series prior to XC3. But compared to the likes of XC1’s Gaur Plains, Eryth Sea/Alcamoth, and Satori Marsh? XC2’s Uraya or the World Tree? I simply did not find any of the biggest zones in XC3 were anywhere near this aesthetically stimulating or inspired. Well, until the Cadensia Region, which was phenomenal, albeit a serious outlier. Point being, the likes of Millick Meadows and Eagus Wilderness simply did not do it for me.
Are they pretty? Yes. Were they “Xenoblade pretty”? No. At least, not in the way a longtime fan would come to expect. Thankfully, what I’ve come to realize about the world design of Aionios over the course of my playthrough is… I’m pretty sure this was intentional. Or maybe I’m coping. Probably both tbh. This is the main meat and potatoes of my thoughts on Aionios, so I’ll leave it for the end of this chapter. Before then, let’s talk about why I found (and still do to some extent, tbh) the major zones so initially disappointing.
SUBSECTION 1: SHORTCOMINGS OF AIONIOS
Don’t get me wrong, even the more aesthetically “”boring”” zones do still look nice. Each one is filled with varying amounts of distinguishing quirks or landmarks, and overall serve their purpose well. My favorite zone from the early game would have to be the southern Fornis Region. Each part of the region on its own isn't anything too noteworthy. Well, aside from the Dannagh Desert, which looks fantastic on its own. But the way they coalesce while maintaining distinct and rigidly segmented areas make it far stronger aesthetically than the sum of its parts. The rigidity of its visual theming alone makes it super memorable. I can’t really think of another Xenoblade environment that puts as much emphasis on aesthetic segmentation as this one does. It also boasts a surprising amount of verticality (albeit mostly gradual “sloped” verticality). This actually speaks to another major point of criticism I have about the bulk of XC3’s massive open zones: They’re more than sizable enough, but they’re mostly flat and lacking in both the verticality and interconnectivity needed to compromise their lengthy traversal time.
The flatness of XC3’s zones certainly bodes well for making them LOOK big and sprawling, but it only serves to inevitably sap the enthusiasm you have for exploring these lands thoroughly. I’m the type of player who avoids minimaps and fast travel like the Plague. Familiarizing myself with an area and learning its map is something I find extremely fun and satisfying. In XC3, though, I pretty quickly caved in and started fast traveling for the back-and-forth quests, especially fetch quests. Not because I don’t ENJOY traversal in this game, but because it’s blindingly apparent that it needed so much more to not make this a total pain in the ass.
The game probably could’ve gotten away without having sprinting if the maps were as tall as they were wide, but they just… aren’t. It takes way too long to get anywhere. Oh, and those little ladder shortcuts it sneaks in are, more often than not, completely futile at providing any sort of respite to the tedium of traversal. Hell, they even fail to simply compliment the map design in any sort of clever or helpful way.
This is the crux of my complaint: XC3 does not have significant enough traversal upgrades to match the size and layout of its maps. It’s lacking here, plain and simple. Sprinting, high jumping, gliding, flying, soft landings from high grounds, rentable Levnises, Interlink on the field for a quick vertical boost… This game is in desperate need of ANY single one of these. I haven’t played XCX, but knowing you get giant fucking Skells to fly around in makes this even more readily apparent. Not to mention… that knowledge kinda takes away from the coolness of getting a boat later on in this game. I like the boat, but… It’s not a giant robot, that’s for sure. Can’t say I wouldn’t have preferred to get even just a fleet of rentable Levnises or some shit instead. The autorun keeps it from being a SERIOUS problem, but that doesn’t change the fact it could’ve been much better.
XC3’s world design does still have its fair share of strengths. Admittedly, they mostly tie into worldbuilding which I’ll focus more on later, but the physicality and map design also play a part in these strengths. The Dannagh Desert’s flying whales and pink-gem palm trees felt refreshingly oddball compared to the theming of prior areas. The previously mentioned rigid segmentation of Southern Fornis was another highlight- in no small part because of the aesthetic contrast it provided with the adjacent and verdant Ribbi Flats.
SUBSECTION 2: ENVIRONMENTAL STORYTELLING
Perhaps the biggest draw in terms of XC3’s world design relates to its interconnectivity; namely, the inherent mystique generated by the Merge as you encounter more and more areas which resemble the likes of Bionis, Mechonis, and Alrest- especially seeing them after having been reduced to ruin. It does give you a bit too obvious of a push at recognizing this early on. Hell, the box art literally having Uraya and the Mechonis Sword was uh, not exactly subtle. Not to say it was MEANT to be subtle, but hey, still. Additionally, many of the names/titles are retained from prior games.
But aside from that, it’s accomplished entirely through exploration and environmental storytelling. I absolutely loved this approach. Despite the obvious brilliance of past Xenoblade game’s worlds, I can’t recall any point where environmental storytelling was used to prod you with hints at the still unknown lore, mysteries, and ongoing narrative. Hell, the prodding even worms its way into the game’s soundtrack (through field themes, mostly). The near constant use of callbacks and leitmotif of XC1/2 areas never once got old and always kept me on guard looking for more audio-centric hints.
There are examples of environmental storytelling across the entirety of Aionios, so I won’t bother listing a dozen examples. I will say, though, the delayed realization that I could LITERALLY CLIMB up the destroyed Mechonis’ arm up to its fingertip and cannonball back down into the lake below was one of the most memorable moments of exploration in any Xenoblade game.
SUBSECTION 3: SPECIFIC REGION CRITIQUE (AKA THE ROAST OF MILLICK MEADOWS)
There are definitely some great individual regions, such as the Cadensia Region like I mentioned earlier. This region is basically just a Wind Waker sequel built straight into an already incredible game. Cuz why the fuck not. Like, Queen’s BEANS man. It feels like half my playtime was spent exploring that one region alone. And you better believe that Yasunori Mitsuda field theme certainly contributed to that… Probably my favorite song in the entire game ngl. On the opposite end of the open zone spectrum, though, we have Milick Meadows.
Milick Meadows was an extremely rare example during XC3 where there wasn’t much sugarcoating it- I felt abject disappointment without much of a silver lining to counteract it whatsoever. Let’s start with the- er, single positive. The field theme is phenomenal. But tbh, that just made how underwhelming this area was in reality hurt even more. Let’s frame the moments leading up to you discovering it. You’ve just finished the intensely cryptic Gura Flava sequence. You’re finally ready to begin your journey after having assembled your party. You have more questions about the game’s events up to this point than you know what to do with. Then, you’re immediately set free out into the game’s next big zone: Millick Meadows.
This was all the motivation I needed to start exploring to find out as much about this world and the events that transpired as possible. Unfortunately, the near (but not quite) Gaur Plains tier field theme is where the positives begin and end with Milick Meadows. Basically, you descend the hill, go across the river, and head out into the next area. That’s it. Oh, and you activate a Ferronis husk and can go get killed by overpowered bats in the nearby cave if you want… Seriously? You can’t tease me with what looks to be Gaur Plains 2.0 and have it only be a 30-minute linear ass excursion. This place should’ve been like… ten times bigger at the BARE minimum. I know that sounds like overkill, but just look at the Cadensia Region. There was nothing stopping them from making Milick Meadows truly reflect the freedom that Ouroboros was just granted following Guernica’s sacrifice. The disappointment even gets doubled down upon later when you realize the ability gating opened up an entire new section of the map to explore… Wow, maybe this was a misdirection? Maybe they wanted a delayed reaction sort of approach to its scope? Nah. It’s still tiny as fuck with barely anything cool to do or see. But enough roasting the poor little Meadows. Let’s move to the biggest point I want to make about Aionios as a world setting.
SUBSECTION 4: JUSTIFYING THE SHORTCOMINGS OF AIONIOS THROUGH THE THEMATIC IMPLICATIONS OF THE MERGE
Anyway, back to the biggest takeaway for this chapter. The thing about XC3’s world setting I took the biggest issue with (even above some of the areas not being themed interestingly) was this: The environments felt paradoxically visually cluttered and messy, while also having very little in the way of aesthetic inspiration. In contrast to prior examples, the "Best of Both Worlds" motif here feels a lot more like the “Worst of Both Worlds”.
However, come the end of the game, it becomes abundantly clear that this was intentional. It’s only natural that the violent Merge, which essentially equated to apocalypse for both worlds, would leave Aionios as a primarily tattered wasteland with some rather fucked up geometry (further emphasized by the Annihilation Event). On top of that though, it almost seems like the more standard theming of most areas was intentional as well, though I’m… not sure why, exactly? The biggest zones which house the main story content are often relegated to aesthetically standard renditions of fields, desert, sea, mountains, etc. Now, these areas are still impressive and beautiful due to their huge scale. But it’s clearly a far different approach from XC1/XC2. Like I said before, they’re pretty, just not “Xenoblade pretty”.
On the contrary, it’s in XC3’s secret areas tucked away from the external outside world where that trademark Xenoblade inventiveness shines through into the world setting. Lost Colony, Cotte Fountainhead, and Malevolent Hollow are easily among the most aesthetically distinctive locales in any Xenoblade title. This design philosophy is applied way too consistently across the whole game to just be a coincidence, at least in my mind. Areas to the effect of the three I just listed are almost exclusively found in secret caves far off the path from the main zones. So… what’s the deal with this approach? I mean, it literally might’ve been just to make stumbling onto a secret area feel more special. But with this game, the answer is rarely that simple. Especially since, yknow, I can’t really see them making a sacrifice to the giant zones which take up 90% of the map just for an occasional pleasant surprise. That said, I do have something of a guess to justify- or at least explain the logic behind their approach.
Aionios having such a strange design quirk gives off the impression that these secret areas were sheltered from the proverbial “impact” of the Merge. As such, they retained their luster- and therefore, their sense of aesthetic identity. This does beg the question, though; why would the two Worlds merging be detrimental to the broad visual inventiveness of Aionios’ world design? Honestly, this is where I’m sort of at a loss on the matter. Especially since it seems to be at odds with the game’s design philosophy in nearly every other regard: Merging the "Best of Both Worlds" in order to create something new and greater.
Maybe they first tried to approach the world in this way by designing even more chaotic and messy environments, but decided the messiness needed to be dialed back in? I’m not really sure, and would love to get some outside input on this because I’m stumped as hell tbh. Personally, I would’ve loved to see them go full on clusterpunk by mashing together multiple different themes and color palettes (possibly derived straight from 1 and 2’s areas) into one new environment. Maybe even just in a few specific areas rather than every area in the game. If not just for the sake of avoiding this approach becoming paradoxically more homogenized in the sense that it would apply to everywhere.
Quite honestly, even as someone who places huge importance on a game’s aesthetic sensibilities (hell, I consider XC1 at LEAST a strong 7/10 based almost entirely on its setting and music alone), I do still like this game’s unconventional approach to world design. Despite the originality of this subversion, though, one still needs to consider if this falls under the “just because a subversion is intentional doesn’t make it good” umbrella of consideration. I WANT to deny this notion outright, but even after learning all the narrative context behind the intent, I’m still finding myself hesitant.
Would I have preferred the entire setting to be more oddball with its theming and color palette similar to, like, Xenoblade X or something? …Honestly, yeah. Probably. Especially when you consider that this game repeatedly capitalizes on its "Best of Both Worlds" motif in so many other facets. That said, I can't say I've ever seen a game with such a bold and narratively-resonant subversion through its aesthetic and world design alone. Even if the sacrifice to its visual inventiveness was a bit beyond what I would’ve liked, it is worth praising the effort and paradoxical inventiveness anyway.
CHAPTER 4 - HOW TO CREATE A DYNAMIC AND THEMATICALLY INTEGROUS WORLD SETTING THROUGH… FORMULAIC MILITARY CAMPS (NO, REALLY, IT WORKS. TRUST ME).
(WORLD SETTING, SECTION 2: Introduction and Analysis of the Colony System)
Even within the context of individual nation’s provinces, every single colony in XC3 is shockingly memorable and distinct. I think the reason the colony variety impresses me so much is due to the surface-level rigidity of XC3’s structure and gameplay loop. Put simply: you explore, discover (insert colony name here), talk to its people and commander, fight the commander, fight the Consul, liberate the colony, help them survive without the Consul, Rinse and repeat. Clearly, the repetition of this cycle is dangerously primed for monotony. Especially since there’s, what, over 25 named colonies in total? Not to say you explore every single one, but it should be apparent that this game had the cards stacked against it in this regard.
Yet, every last colony is shockingly distinct and memorable. Depending on the colony’s adjacent environments and geography, there are so many different roles and jobs that prop up across Aionios. For example, the farmers in Colony 9 and Tau. Specialty mechanics and Levnis transporters from Colony 30. Collectopedia managers and resource transport from Colony Iota. The conspiratorial war intermediaries of Colony 0. Pirates and Fishermen of Colony 15. Plus the different variations of florists, farmers, and saffronia harvesters found in Colony Mu and the Lost Colony. And so on. Aionios’ dynamic geography plays such a crucial role in the jobs and specializations of each colony. In turn, this plays a huge part in why the world setting feels like a vast, living, breathing world- in a way no other Xenoblade game has ever accomplished prior.
It would’ve been SO easy for Monolith Soft to fall back on the phenomenal combat and job customization, merely having the World serve as a more undercooked or understated backdrop to your exploration of Aionios. Countless games take this easy route as a tradeoff for being a “huge 100+ hour experience” at the cost of none of its locales being developed, memorable, or, well… Interesting. Yet, much like it does in countless other aspects, XC3 manages to provide “the Best of Both Worlds” in this respect. The game is unfathomably long, and yet, each and every colony manages to be deeply memorable and distinct.
They’re not just memorable and distinct in terms of the characters present or the aesthetic backdrop, either. Every single facet of the World Setting feeds into each respective colony in a way that makes the world of Aionios feel distinctly and unmistakably… alive. Each and every colony has their own side quests, geography, culture, history, import needs, export specialization, intercolony relationships, politics, military strengths, technological capabilities, internal and external priorities, and so on.
This isn’t even getting into the fact that each Colony has its own Consul, along with an entirely unique set of character relationships with said Consul, the Consul’s relationship with the Colony itself, different roles, different levels of presence, different motivations- different means to which they propagate the Endless Now… All of which culminate in an entirely memorable and distinct story arc within every single Colony you come across.
Naturally, the story arcs which define these colonies all play out in VASTLY different ways for the most part. Even if a majority of them end with the final story beat of Noah smashing the Flame Clock and bringing liberation. Besides, this sort of HAD to be the case anyway. Not just for hugely important thematic purposes (revolving around the implications of intercolony unification, Ouroboros’ journey to self-discovery and purpose, etc). But also for the sake of gameplay logistics as well. After all, you wouldn’t be able to get much done in terms of exploring characters or worldbuilding within a Colony that still actively hates you and is still indoctrinated in Moebius propaganda.
Speaking of which, the Moebius-enforced “ranking” system also does a fantastic job at framing these various distinguishing factors. It often serves as a literal determinant, for example, the lower-rank colonies being undersupplied, which can cause a ton of different problems. But even in a subsurface sense, this ranking system fuels their conspiratorial edge beneath the surface via the illustrious but ultimately disingenuous Gold rank. It is through Moebius’ colony ranking system that their homogenization and depersonalization efforts are carried out. This is done to offset the perceived individuality, and thus humanity, of enemy colonies.
After all, it’s easier to buy into destroying another group for personal gain when it’s either you or them, right? That goes doubly so when, to you, the enemy is defined by just two things: A resource through which you can provide for your friends and comrades, and as a generic slate of soldiers which are defined by their Rank and the propaganda you’ve been fed on their faction. This ranking system alone effectively throws a veil of depersonalization over the enemy, and as such, plays a crucial role in maintaining soldier morale in the ongoing war.
As such, it becomes far easier for Moebius to morph the truth of what defines that colony (the laundry list of distinguishing factors which make them unique that we just went over) into whatever supports their propaganda. The way Moebius oversees soldier manipulation through propagandized “motivation” can even be roughly likened to propagandist justification of genocide in order to garner domestic support and pride. Nurturing and capitalizing on bigotry through propaganda, miscategorization of the enemy, and “slaughter as self-defense”. The methodology isn’t identical, and I’m definitely not an expert on the subject by any means. But it brought enough similarities in mind that I felt it worth mentioning.
As a final point about Moebius to end the chapter, the colony format perfectly supports their conspiracy in a pragmatic sense as well. The entire World of Aionios and all of its inhabitants (save for the nation-ambivalent City) are overseen by Moebius from within Origin. They specifically seek to lock the two factions in a war which neither could hope to win, in order to propagate the Endless Now. Therefore, it would only make sense for Moebius to provide “homogenized” colonies (in structure but also in perception through propaganda). On the surface, these colonies all serve the same purpose. They’re all manipulated into conflict through the same means. And they all receive the highly-motivating Castle aid (food, weapons, tools, ether, etc) in correspondence to their colony rank.
CHAPTER 5 - SO MANY COLONIES AAAAAAAAAA
(WORLD SETTING, SECTION 3: Analysis of Colonies in XC3)
As for the specifics as broken down by colony, it’d probably be easiest to just go down the line. There is quite a lot to each colony and their respective Heroes, so getting to all of them would just be overkill. But I’ll try to hit on SOME of the colonies along with their most important and distinguishing characteristics:
Colony 9: Otherwise known as Aionios 2022 Farming Simulator. Led by Commander Zeon. This is the first colony you’ll visit properly in XC3. It’s a compact garrison surrounded by the vast Yzana Plain on all sides. Following the inexplicable disappearance of Noah, Lanz, and Eunie, the previous commander steps down, resulting in a leadership crisis. The people turn to Zeon as the most suitable candidate, but much like Bolearis of Colony 4, he and a few vocal dissenters remain hesitant in his capabilities. No, I’m not going to name any names. Cough. Cough cough.
Bolearis’ lack of confidence stems from his inability to replace his legendary predecessor Silvercoat Ethel. Especially after having been abruptly swept into the role in response to her death. Zeon of Colony 9’s lack of confidence, however, is derived from the guilt he harbors in having authorized the destruction of Colony 9’s Flame Clock. Despite the colonies’ dwindling capacity for self-subsistence being out of his control, he still takes responsibility for the outcome they’ve found themselves stuck with. His people are starving from limited rations, they lack leadership and direction, and the cliques are beginning to lean further and further towards desertion.
As such, the outset of Colony 9’s narrative is rather bleak- as most things in XC3 tend to be initially before eventually morphing into hopefully optimism. Following their collaboration with Colony Tau, Colony 9 ends up having one of the most drastic turnarounds of any colony. To the point where its later quests and community dialogue become surprisingly lighthearted and optimistic. Thanks to the insight of Yuzuriha, commander of Colony Tau, Zeon leads the effort to incorporate their growth patterns of the spongy spud, a crop native to Tau’s Maktha Highlands.
Due to the Spongy Spud’s short germination window and high yield, it completely turns Colony 9’s food shortage on its head. Along with the fact that its people actually have something to do (tending the fields), this greatly increases morale and stability. It’s a pretty simple story, but the way it encapsulates XC3’s theme of societal unification, especially since it features Kevesi/Agnian collaboration, is extremely effective. Plus, like, these two are just really fucking cute, okay? Gimme spud buds DLC right now, please and ty.
Colony Gamma: Led by Commander Shido. As the other active (living) colony within the lower Aetia Region, Colony Gamma is rather close in proximity to Colony 9. Otherwise, it’s completely different. This extends beyond the Keves/Agnus dichotomy, and is most notably distinguished by its geography and layout. Where Colony 9 is deep in the canyon of the Yzana Plains, Gamma is high in the floating autumn mountains. Despite being spread horizontally similar to 9, Gamma is far less dense, featuring a large lake and dedicated training ground for soldiers and Levnises alike. Lastly, its amber-laden trees extend far into the sky, a backdrop which is completely unlike any other Colonies’. The way Ouroboros interacts with the colony is also quite different to Colony 9. Instead of doing the work yourself, you simply instruct them on how to better protect themselves. With Colony 9, you help connect Zeon with Colony Tau, gather the farming materials, and protect the fields from monsters firsthand. In Colony Gamma, you simply help Shido in training the Gamma soldiers to better prepare them in fending for themselves.
Colony 4: Led by Commander Ethel, later Acting Commander Bolearis. It’s larger, giving off the impression that it’s more like a residential outpost than the previous two colonies. It’s smack dab in the middle of the sprawling hot Eagus Wilderness in both directions (from Millick Meadows to Ribbi Plains). As such, the colony feels far more like an intermediary or proxy zone born out of geographical necessity. This “proxy” status is further emphasized by its status smack-dab between the Agnian Colony Iota and Kevesi Colony 30, both of whom Colony 4 cooperates with as a proxy, given that Iota resents 30 from their defeat in a prior battle.
Colony 4 also marks your first exposure to the colony ranking system, as they are demoted harshly from Silver Rank (second highest, 2nd tier) to Dirt Rank (lowest, 7th tier). This demotion was a message- a response to Ethel’s refusal to kill Cammunabi in their first encounter. It’s rather admirable to see how some of the colony continues to back their commander, despite the toll her decisions have taken on their quality of life. The demotion alone forced its people to expand their hunting route into dangerous and uncomfortably distant territory, alongside stricter rationing. Their Consul support and Castle aid is scaled back considerably as a result.
Not to mention, regarding those supplies from Keves Castle (which were already far more limited in both quantity and quality), Consul K used both emotional and iris manipulation to force them into attacking Ouroboros in order to earn the supplies. And after this fails, Moebius takes this threat to its furthest extreme by involving the lives of everyone within Colony 4 via the Kevesi Annihilator. Ethel’s aforementioned “free” actions are also quite effective at priming the player for one of the game’s broader themes- the importance of free-will.
This action then comes to a head during Ethel’s dramatic final clash with Cammunabi in the Maktha Wildwood. A bit of an unrelated thought, but: The way this battle clearly parallels the battle between Bionis and Mechonis feels very pointed, if not a bit on the nose. I really dig the implications in hindsight that their “death by design” achieved through resisting Moebius is a glimpse into true causality. Naturally, the battle between Bionis and Mechonis exists within the natural flow of causality. So for this spirit to be made manifest as they craft a truly meaningful “death by design”, not to mention happening right between both Ouroboros and Moebius is fantastic. It basically serves as the “Crys Death” equivalent for Ouroboros as a whole, rather than just Noah. It strengths their resolve, prodding them to ask questions about the path they must take and the sacrifice it may require.
As one last disjointed thought: Ironically, Ethel actually saved the lives of everyone in Colony 4 by choosing to spare Cammunabi in their first bout. We learn in Eunie’s Side Story that she had a friendly rivalry (camaraderie may be more accurate, I suppose) with Colony 5’s late Commander Orsoyla. Their respective colony accolades mirrored one another to the point where their individual Rank promotions came one after the other. Considering Orsolya’s recent promotion to Gold Rank (and, well, we know what that entails) and Ethel’s demotion as a result of her refusal to kill Cammunabi, it’s safe to assume their fate would’ve soon followed. It’s a rather understated truth, but one that I really appreciated. Particularly because of how it falls comfortably in line with the game’s encouragement of defiance in the pursuit of free-will.
Colony 30: Led by Commander Yuz- uh, I mean Rudi. A haven for Levnis engineering and mechanics in general. And uh, Nopon I guess. It’s relatively compact like Colony 9, but instead of residing within green plains, Colony 30 appropriately rests atop steel girders high above a lake reservoir within a mountain range. My favorite thing about Colony 30 lies in its specification. This mechanical specification is immediately apparent from the second you step foot inside for the first time. Levnises surround the front gates and line the inner perimeter, serving as both security and commissions for adjacent colonies. That’s right, in much the same way Colony 4 serves as something of a proxy zone due to the practicality of its location, Colony 30 is a proxy due to its production and quick delivery of Levnis commissions and repairs. As such, it serves as a mobile hub which mirrors a small-scale production of the sort of thing you see later on in the Keves Castle factory.
CHAPTER 6 - THERE’S STILL HOW MANY MORE COLONIES??
(WORLD SETTING, SECTION 4: Miscellaneous Colony Analysis)
So uhhhh bit of a confession here. I did plan on going into detail on ALL colonies, since they do all deserve substantial credit and a moment in the spotlight. But… I’ll be real with you, the Xenoblade wiki is kinda just straight up hot ass. It barely has anything written about XC3 whatsoever, let alone XC1/2. Not throwing shade at the contributors or anything, but there definitely isn’t enough there to serve as a jumping off point for the purposes of analysis. Maybe I’m just spoiled by the Kiseki Wiki. But still, there’s something to say about the fact that the Kiseki wiki has more written about the validity of a random Liberlian journalist's birthdate than the Xenoblade Wiki does on entire main characters. Well, anyway. Because of that, I think I’ll just quickly throw a few more miscellaneous defining factors of these colonies from memory and leave it there.
AGNIAN COLONIES: Colony Tau operated largely through self-subsistence, having adapted their own entirely distinct subculture. After liberation, its citizens migrate across the map to various other colonies in order to expand their horizons and seek out their own unique place in the world. Colony Mu’s Consul doesn’t even make them fight, and holds an incredibly unique dynamic with its people through her past life as Ichika. Similarly, the Lost Colony doesn’t fight AND is built on top of the ruins of an old Castle. Plus Nami stuff, but we’ll get to it in the Taion chapter.
KEVESI COLONIES: Colony 5 isn’t as fleshed out, other than Commander Orsoyla and Ethel being longtime friends and competitors. However, it still provided the stage for the massively important revelation of the Gold Rank conspiracy. Colony 11 has the unique honor of being a direct subsidiary of Keves Castle, as it is stationed directly next door. The accompanying unique circumstances play directly into the party’s proceeding raid on the Castle. Colony 15’s Consul T doesn’t give a flying fuck, as he’s just a demensia-ridden DILF pirate fisherman who betrays Moebius to free himself and his crew- letting them go do their thing while he goes adventuring with the party. Also, his father-daughter relationship with Fiona is the cutest shit ever conceived by humanity. No, I’m not exaggerating for the 500th time, I would never.
In short, the way these colonies are distinguished from one another is phenomenally impressive. It is admittedly true that you deal with the majority of colonies you come across in the same surface level manner. They’re often faced with similar struggles; for example, lacking resources, unsent comrades, ideological uncertainty resulting from their sudden and newfound freedom, etc. But the devil is in the details when it comes to colonies in XC3. These similarities rarely extend below the surface.
Even just aesthetically, the similarities are always just surface level. Yes, they’re all tiny military outposts built under a giant mech. Though, I’d argue that in and of itself is plenty cool and unique. But as I've just illustrated in extensive detail, each and every colony is unique in every facet. From its presentation, to its structure, to its storytelling. The game makes fantastic use of Aionios’ dynamic natural geography, situating these colonies within the varied landscapes in ways that actually make sense.
But their visual and aesthetic individuality is only ever the tip of the iceberg. Each colony tells an appropriately personal story within the confines of its walls. Some of these stories are more obvious than others, and like, Colony 30’s story for example, would have largely been possible to tell through its setting alone, though the added exposition never hurts. Through varying ratios of environmental storytelling, NPC dialogue, corresponding hero quests, and the bevy of expositorily-illuminating side quests, every single colony in XC3 has a narrative identity strong enough to coincide with its aesthetic identity. They are an absolutely perfect foundation for keeping XC3’s 200+ hour gameplay loop feeling fresh. It strikes a near-flawless balance of familiarity and structure, while also maintaining a more than satisfactory sense of individuality and mystique.
Is the phrase "Best of Both Worlds" starting to get annoying yet? Well, don’t get mad at me, but it DOES just so happen to apply here too. Not my fault that this game is so thematically consistent.
CHAPTER 7 - “WANO SYNDROME”: AIONIOS AND THE LORE DENSITY PARADOX
[Wano Syndrome, The Value of “Idea Density” vs “Idea Meticulousness”]
A bit of a warning is probably necessary for this next chapter. Compared to my other points, this is far more abstract and honestly, leans more into being a thought experiment than it does focusing solely on XC3. My thoughts on XC3 are definitely still relevant here though, but I do feel a bit of priming is necessary regardless, since this does get a bit weird. K thanks.
Next, I’d like to talk about XC3’s narrative thoroughness in conjunction with a phenomenon which I like to call “Wano Syndrome”. It’s a term I’ve coined in reference to the most recent story arc of the One Piece manga, but is surprisingly applicable to a ton of different works with similar properties. To define it as best I can:
Wano Syndrome: a phenomenon which afflicts a piece of media, causing it to be paradoxically way too fucking long and/or dense, while also somehow managing to be substantially rushed and/or underdeveloped.
[Disclaimer: I make vague mention of things from various games in this next paragraph, though nothing is explicitly mentioned by means of spoilers. But in case you’re someone who wants to be 100% blind going into a specific game, skip ahead if you see a game title this pertains to.]
To give a few more examples outside these two works, to help better illustrate what exactly qualifies as “Wano Syndrome”: I’d be willing to apply it to the following works:
-Trails of Cold Steel IV (lacking background/narrative focus on the Ironbloods, the War of The Lions, the children of Valius Reise Arnor V, Ishmelga’s origins, etc.)
-Labyrinth of Refrain: Coven of Dusk (underdeveloped settings aside from Refrain itself, lacking buildup and characterization of the new endgame cast members)
-Fire Emblem: Three Houses (idk gimme more political shit)
-La Pucelle Tactics (worldbuilding, church history, more flashbacks)
-Ys Origin (Kingdom of Ys detail, Priests, Fact Family/Clan of Darkness)
-Märchen Forest (more background on the Castle / outside the Forest, more slice of life outside the prologue)
-Live a Live (finale party interaction and unique skill utilization, generally lacking depth outside the immediately pertinent and bare-bones main plot- even if its brevity was probably intentional)
-Shin Megami Tensei V (lacking detail and background on Tokyo’s ruin, characterization of the Bethel branch leaders).
So yeah, it’s clearly not one specific thing which defines Wano Syndrome, so hopefully these examples better illustrate what I’m referring to here. I’m not even saying all of these points can be inherently considered “flaws” to begin with, rather, things I enjoyed enough to wish there were more of. But for the sake of the argument and for brevity (Queen knows this review needs more of it), let’s just call them shortcomings for now. Nearly all of these issues are relatively major shortcomings for examples of media which place great emphasis on painting dense and well-developed worlds. And yet, what I find fascinating about “Wano Syndrome” is that it seems to be present ONLY in media I have considerable narrative investment within despite these shortcomings. In other words, while “Wano Syndrome” is at its core a wholly negative affliction, I’ve only found examples of it exclusively within games I don’t just enjoy, but LOVE.
By now, I do think I’ve done a decent job explaining what sort of media I’d consider worthy of the “Wano Syndrome” moniker, but here’s one more analogy that takes media out of the equation entirely. Think of this comparison in terms of paintings. Just uh, keep in mind I don’t know shit about paintings. Anyway, Painting A is a photorealistic landscape painting- hell, if this is too generic, let’s use the Mona Lisa. All the theoretical detail is right there for you to see, it’s mechanically sound, and technically speaking, it’s highly impressive to the point of perhaps even being “flawless” to some. Personally, outside its mysterious history of theft, I find it boring as shit.
Painting B, on the other hand, is a surrealist landscape- let’s use the Persistence of Time if you’d prefer a real example (I know, two of the most normcore paintings of all time. I warned yall). It’s obviously rather abstract, to the point whereupon one’s initial viewing, its thematic depth might be too ambiguous to be immediately communicable. But given the proper engagement, there’s a lot more density and value one can glean from observing it, no matter if you ever “truly understand” the entire breadth of the painting’s meaning or intent in the end. Now, “Wano Syndrome” applies more to a work’s density of ideas and the meticulousness by which they’re explored, but there’s a comparable sentiment to be considered here.
Compared to the painting example, the ambiguity of these game examples are a bit more of an objective shortcoming, as the depth that IS there simply isn’t as thorough as it could’ve been. But the biggest takeaway I’d like you to absorb from this explanation is this: XC3 made me realize that the “objective” shortcoming of this aforementioned ambiguity might not be a bad thing whatsoever.
I know this chapter probably feels a bit abstract even now, but please, bear with me a bit longer as I break down its significance. By now, you’re probably asking: why is this important? Well, as I just alluded to, XC3 was THE single game which I feel helped me better understand the implications of “Wano Syndrome”- more so than any other piece of media I’ve ever experienced. It single-handedly provided me with a revelation that this shortcoming has virtually no negative bearing on how much I will end up enjoying or resonating with a fictional world as a whole.
In a vacuum, XC3’s worldbuilding proved thoroughly lackluster through its absence of meticulously detailed / organized concepts, character backgrounds, and so on. Admittedly, the ambiguity in character writing is where this shortcoming is felt most negatively. But even in spite of this, I can probably count on one hand the number of fictional worlds I’ve found myself more overall enthralled and invested in than XC3’s Aionios: Its fascinatingly unique world concepts, weird approach to continuity and interconnectivity, the sheer quantity and density of its countless compelling plot threads, the worldbuilding which spans more than two dozen unique settlements under two diametrically opposed banners, a mysterious organization of conceptually vague antagonists, the direct political intrigue of Swordmarch City via the Six Houses and their respective Founders, the indirect political intrigue found in the composition of Keves and Agnus’ castle/colony structure, the interlaced threads of narrative and theming found in every seam of the game’s design… I could keep going, but you get the point. It’s irrefutable that just about every aspect of XC3’s world and narrative are criminally undercooked or left out of the spotlight entirely. Yet, in spite of each facet of XC3’s construction falling short of what it theoretically could’ve been, it still manages to be unrelentingly compelling and enthralling from the strength and density of its ideas alone.
Naturally, the first takeaway from exploring this idea of “Wano Syndrome'' would be that narratives which are large in scope and meticulously detailed resonate deeply with ME specifically. Well, yeah, that much is obvious and not particularly helpful in a more broad sense. I’ll often still resonate with art which prioritizes these goals. Even when it definitively fails in living up to the level of thoroughness which it could theoretically have achieved. More importantly, though, I don’t think this is just a result of my own personal taste- rather, it’s more of a baseline truth than one might expect.
Put simply, this shortcoming might not be an inherent negative. Consider the nature of mystique and the ongoing narrative examination which stems from this form of ambiguity. One could reasonably conclude that, by taking “Wano Syndrome” to its logical extreme, an afflicted work’s own shortcoming can paradoxically work in its own favor through this ambiguity rather than against it.
…Still with me? I know that was hella weird and probably the closest I’ll come to incomprehensible rambling. Don’t worry, none of the other chapters are like this. I think.
CHAPTER 8 - HOLDIN OUT FOR A HERO (QUEST)
[Heroes, Ascension Quests, Side Quests]
Although XC3’s major story beats do hit the mark near universally, there are several points where things felt decidedly rushed. Aside from the brevity of Chapters 6 and 7, the one area I felt this most clearly was in the Hero characters’ “Main Story” involvement. The early game especially was the biggest culprit of this. I would’ve been hugely appreciative of Ouroboros getting more time to spend with Ethel. But immediately after her Hero Quest, she fucks off to the Castle and later dies before getting a chance to rejoin. This really minimized her potential for relationship building (especially among the three Agnians, who only knew of her prior through battle rumors). The Kevesi party’s attachment to her did provide some emotional weight to her death scene. But given that most of our time interacting with Ethel is as an antagonist under the influence of Consul K’s iris manipulation, there wasn’t enough time to develop a true emotional attachment to her character in the way our party, particularly Noah, had.
Isurugi’s early game stuff flew by way too quickly as well, and for similar reasons. The iris manipulation poised him as an antagonist for most of his involvement in the “main story”. He is then immediately punted to the sidelines once Consul J reveals himself to be Joran. Not only did this lack of screentime and focus harm Isurugi’s character, but Taion’s by proxy. I do feel Taion’s character eventually got the satisfaction it needed through his Side Story. However, because of Isurugi’s guilt for the role he played in supporting Nami’s dream to see the world, an act which led to her eventual death, he keeps himself out of her new life in the Lost Colony. This does feel appropriate in terms of his character and their history. Unfortunately, though, this doesn’t do him any favors in terms of providing him with the screen time he desperately needed (and deserved, frankly).
This probably would’ve been less egregious if Isurugi’s own ascension quest was more character driven, but it just wasn’t. Well, at least for him specifically, anyway. Don’t get me wrong, I love this quest. It not only does a great job at providing much-needed levity before the bombastic climax against Z, but it highlights the growth of Ouroboros’ quite brilliantly.
Think back to the “clothes changing scene” at Gura Flava when the group first came together as Ouroboros. They feel shame over their newfound knowledge, but do not understand why (this will be more important and expounded upon later on). But in this scene, after having traveled together and in some cases fallen in love (not to mention learning what sex is), they are entirely cognizant of why stripping down would lead them to becoming flustered around one another. On the surface, one could brush this off as tropey fanservice. But as the game bluntly hits you over the face with during the initial bathhouse scene in Chapter 1, that is never the case. This scene, without any dialogue to directly suggest as much, illustrates their growth as a family, their growing romantic bonds, and most importantly, their growing humanity; all of which come full circle in this scene despite its unassuming simplicity.
I know Monolith Soft was probably hesitant to make any more of the side content mandatory, given the fact that the game is already so incredibly long. But I really do wish that heroes were made Mandatory. It might sound like a rather arbitrary thing to suggest, but it would only serve to benefit their corresponding relationships, scenes, and interactions. By not having to account for the players who might not yet have a specific hero in their arsenal, more pre rendered cutscenes and main-story dialogue could’ve incorporated various heroes in order to provide them with more screentime and interactions amongst each other. Think of Rudi’s partnership with Isurugi and Nina, Zeon and Yuzuriha’s (absolutely blessed) bond, Monica and Gray’s mutual trust and respect, Miyabi’s apprenticeship under Manana, and the budding camaraderie between Triton and (his adopted daughter idc) Fiona. These are great, but I would’ve loved to see more relationships in this vein.
Similarly to both Ethel and Isurugi, the sheer number of supporting characters and their respective plot threads lead to quite a few major plot beats getting shafted. Joran is another strong example of this, though I didn’t feel his character was impacted as substantially as the former two. I was invested in Joran’s character arc from the moment of the initial reveal, especially since it formed a compelling and surprisingly sensitive foundation for Lanz’ character arc. But by the time his emotional payoff came to fruition at the Cloudkeep in Chapter 6 (despite being a phenomenal scene in hindsight) it didn’t quite hit as hard since, well… I hadn't seen Joran more than once or twice in the past 75 hours.
Beyond these three, I’d say this applies to Cammunabi (alright he and Ethel kinda get a pass for having literally been dead), Monica, Ghondor, and Ashera to name a few. I'm not saying ALL of these characters needed more, as I thoroughly enjoyed every single one of them. But more scenes of just about any sort- be they dramatic or casual party interactions, anything would’ve been welcome. Hell, I'd even take the Chrono Cross approach of “your chosen party member will say the same sort of generic thing regardless of who it is during cutscenes” cheap shot. Plus, it’s not like they couldn’t throw some flavor text in their given how many fewer party members this game has compared to Chrono Cross. Anyway, the point is that seeing Ethel stand around in the background while the entire game goes on like she isn’t there just… doesn’t sit well with me.
To speak generally about the sidequests in this game for a bit: They’re incomparably better and more interesting than the side quests of prior Xenoblade games. Like holy shit. Here's a completely random example of a XC3 quest premise I've pulled straight out of my ass: Some Swordmarch City Lost Numbers rando wants to propose to his rich gf with a literal rock from a distant island because it's shiny or whatever. So he’s training to swim 10 straight days to reach it. He then asked the resident furby for advice on endurance training, who recommended repeatedly jumping off a 3rd story balcony. Sounds like a hell of an outlier, right? Well, not really, actually. This is one of the most irrelevant and straightforward fetch quests in the whole game. Yet, even something THIS pointless still gets some weirdo shit thrown on top of it to make it genuinely fun and worth your time.
Perhaps my single biggest disappointment in terms of character writing was the lack of proper ascension quests for the dead duo. Er, the dynamic.. defiant… dead… fuck it, Ethel and Cammunabi. To be fair, Cammunabi KINDA got something resembling a substantial conclusion, I guess? But Ethel really didn’t get anything other than a quick cutscene or two. Her revival and maturation should’ve been a HUGE deal, when in reality, it ended up feeling more like a gameplay bonus than a proper story beat.
While it’s certainly a very welcome gameplay bonus, I was a bit let down that her job rank immediately shot to 20 without getting any sort of quest upon rejoining the party. Even if it was just something basic or lighthearted to make up for lost time and catch her up to speed with everything that transpired in her absence. Though, I definitely do concede that looking back and telling her EVERYTHING would be thematically counterproductive. The game constantly pushes a core principle of “never looking back”- a fact which is very consistently upheld through these revivals.
For example, Taion never explains everything to Nami, nor does Isurugi ever come to visit and talk to her for his own satisfaction and resolution. Garvel and his crew DO go back to the original colony eventually, but it’s never strictly to return to their old lives. Miyabi, despite her partial understanding of past events, moves on with her new life by taking on responsibilities as a Lost Number and general member of society within Swordmarch City. Mwamba and Hackt are uh… there, I guess? Kinda, but not really? Can’t say it isn’t in-character for them…
Likewise, Ethel and Cammunabi are committed to using their new lives to look straight ahead to the future. Ethel’s conviction with this goal is particularly compelling. She actively chose to shorten her own lifespan and sacrifice a potentially safe and peaceful life within the City just so she could contribute to the party and look after herself- rather than shackling someone else to do so on her behalf. Again, this conclusion to her arc was INSANELY brief to the point where it’s basically just a footnote. Still though, the substance behind this abrupt conclusion to her character is more than adequate in terms of thematic and emotional weight.
And with that, we can finally move on to the main cast of XC3- Ouroboros. I don’t want to drag this much further, but I will preemptively say that this is easily one of my favorite casts of main characters in any piece of fiction, period. The diversity, the interactions, the growth, Ouroboros has all of it in spades. A huge contributing factor of this is the change in approach to party assembly. Whereas in prior Xenoblade games, you’d slowly assemble a party over the course of most of the main quest, your main party in XC3 is complete about 1% into the game. It might seem anticlimactic, but this massively beneficial towards your growing attachment to them as a set group, it gives each of them time to breathe and be given individual focus, and more.
Not to mention, on the flip side, all six of their character arcs persist throughout the entirety of the game. No more “you got your time to shine, now chill in the back of every cutscene for the last 60 hours” garbage. Each one of them sees gradual growth from beginning to end, never once losing their personal stake in the ongoing narrative. Plus, while getting the entire party at once might appear to have its own set of drawbacks, the Hero system covers its weaknesses beautifully. It allows the party to still “grow” in numbers, and aside from the fact you can’t control them, it does a wonderful job of substituting in for the standard sense of party progression that would have been otherwise lost entirely.
If I had to provide one gripe as to the main cast, it would be their lack of upbringing diversity. I mean, this was inevitable considering the careful deliberation of the world through Moebius’ conspiratorial colony system. The homogenization IS definitely intentional. That said, in comparison to XC2 especially, where characters like Vandham, Morag, and Zeke provided such a dynamic range of experience, maturity, and backgrounds, it’s only natural that this approach would feel a bit flat by comparison. Though the heroes provide a ton of variety, thankfully. Aside from that… I literally have nothing else but the highest praise for Ouroboros. They’re excellent, plain and simple. With that said, let’s tackle them one at a time and get to the heart of why this group is so goddamn special.
(continued in comments lmao)
THE ORIGIN OF TOMORROW: A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW AND ANALYSIS OF XENOBLADE CHRONICLES 3
Aionios (Greek: aionioß) · without beginning and end, that which always has been and always will be · "Without end, never ceasing, eternal". [you know, sort of like this review]
From the outset of Xenoblade Chronicles 3, director Tetsuya Takahashi, and more broadly the entire Monolith Soft team, set out with the express intent of merging the "Best of Both Worlds" of Xenoblade Chronicles and Xenoblade Chronicles 2. Funnily enough, though, in their attempt to assimilate the strengths of these two titles, which are similarly beloved but in very different ways, they veer in an entirely new direction which ends up forgoing much of the appeal from both of those games. An appeal, might I add, which is sure to fall short for certain sections of the Xenoblade fanbase, if not inherently because of its nature as an "artistic compromise". This is particularly true for the fans who are diehards of ONE specific Xenoblade title rather than both, regardless of if it’s for XC1 or XC2.
So, while XC3 can certainly be defined as a “union” of these two past games, it might be more useful to instead contextualize this union through one of a few distinct analogies. Think of XC3 as a chemical reaction of sorts. XC1 and XC2 are like chemical compounds, each with their own makeup which determine their unique appeal and merit. But through the Merge, the in-game union and catalyst which led to the creation of the world setting and subsequent narrative of XC3, those starting compounds were rearranged beyond recognition.
Second, it may be helpful to liken the union of these two games to conception. XC1 and XC2 are like the parents, which joined together to birth the child that is XC3. This offspring might be entirely composed of the genetic material of its parents. However, the rearrangement of their properties, not to mention the inherently unique circumstances of their existence, instead birthed something completely new; a game which carved out an entirely distinct niche in practicality.
Third, to relate this union to in-game terminology, you can even liken the existence of XC3 to an Interlink between XC1 and XC2. Two worlds being drawn ever closer together by their opposing attraction and narrative longing. In combat terms, this is represented by two members of Ouroboros combining to fill an entirely new role than either the Kevesi or Agnian member held prior.
Well, regardless of how you choose to look at this Merge, either literally or symbolically, the same truth remains. The end product may bear external resemblance to its predecessors, but the end result is different enough in practicality to have a predominantly unique appeal. Alongside this uniquely emerging appeal, however, has come a slew of issues, both major and minor. Many consider XC3’s villains who uphold their newfound status quo to be dull, underwritten, and sometimes even outright bad. Hell, you can even justifiably debate whether the main antagonist is a character or not to begin with. Even as someone who has massive respect for what they tried to do with Z as a villain (and succeeded in doing, I should clarify), I’m not gonna sit here and pretend Z has the same level of sauce as the likes of Egil and Malos.
Another predominant issue which arose from this Merge is that there is an ungodly amount of shit going on in XC3. And unfortunately, no matter how you look at it, the vast majority of that content and the ideas it presents feel undercooked. There are two games worth (hell, even THREE games worth if we’re counting the potential for expansion through a prequel) of ideas here. Two or three games worth of shit all “Merged” into one conglomerate. Even after a 250 hour playthrough, extensive research, and discussion with friends about the deeper lore, I’ve come out of XC3 with more questions than I came in with.
There is little point arguing that XC3 falls well short of what it could have achieved, particularly with its worldbuilding. Not just as a unique piece of art on its own merits, but as an idealized union of its predecessors. Hell, I don't even like XC1 or XC2 that much anyway. So what does this say about the “missed opportunities incarnate” that is XC3? This can't possibly bode well for a game that exists as an artistically homogenized conglomerate of two games I don't even like that much to begin with?
Well, you saw the rating. I’ll drop the facade: Against all odds, this is one of my absolute favorite games ever.
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is one of the most ambitious, emotionally poignant, and thematically layered pieces of art I have ever experienced. Those criticisms I just called attention to were not hyperbole for the sake of misdirection. I won’t deny any of them, nor can you even really dispute them at all, for the most part. But despite the thousand different ways this game can be considered a majestic fuckup, it still manages to be pure magic from beginning to end. It single-handedly revitalized (and exponentially grew) my enthusiasm for a franchise that I’ve desperately tried to love for nearly ten years but never remotely have. Never, until now.
Also, interestingly enough, this game is... kind of ass. Like, more so than the previous two. But, if anything, that only further serves to make how strong my feelings are about what this game set out to do, and ended up achieving, all the more impressive.
As we approach the beginning of the analysis itself, I’d like to repeat my warning one more time. XC3 surprised me in ways I didn’t think possible. I really would recommend giving it a try for yourself before continuing. But if you’d rather just let me try to sell you on it, that’s cool too, I guess: So, one last time: Spoiler warning. Length warning. Really, I’m not stressing this again for nothing. This introduction might SEEM like overkill, but comparatively, it’s nothing. We haven’t even gotten started yet. If you intend on reading further, I’d recommend searching up one of the 10,000 generic “Relaxing Xenoblade Music” compilations or whatever on YouTube. They're all exactly the same. There is so much to say that I have no choice but to gush and rant about this game--for what will probably take hours to read. Whether I want it to be or not, communicating my feelings about this game is a utterly massive undertaking. And, considering how important it is to me as a piece of art, its MANY flaws and all, I can’t in good faith make any major compromises.
I’m completely aware that a text review of THIS scope inherently limits the audience of people interested in hearing me out to like… two people?? That said, I’d be appreciative of any Xenoblade fans or, again, people who just don’t give a shit about having the game spoiled for them to come along for the ride. This goes double for those who were let down by XC3, because I intend to explore ways in which this game can be seen as both a resounding, and yet gloriously human, failure. I know it’s a hell of a lot to ask, so again, feel free to skip around to whatever chapter’s material catches your eye the most.
Lastly, please do keep in mind that my intentions with the more analytical and worldbuilding-centric chapters were never to unearth mind-shattering revelations about the lore that have never been brought up before now. I’m far from a seasoned theorycrafter, and my limited knowledge on the Xeno games outside the trilogy doesn’t help. But at the very least, I hope to contribute to the conversation with my own perspective, perhaps sharing some manner of unique insight for you to consider along the way.
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 means the world to me, and I never for a second saw it coming. Hopefully, by the end of this review, I can convince you to feel the same.
CHAPTER 0: ORIGIN (mine, not the big black robot egg thing)
(Preface, My History and Experience with Xenoblade Chronicles)
I guess I’ll begin with a quick rundown of my history with the franchise, since I do think this context from which my thoughts are coming from is important. But if you really couldn’t care less and just want the analysis, go ahead and skip to Chapter 1.
Anyway, I have not played Xenogears nor the Xenosaga trilogy (though I did manage to snag episode 3 on eBay recently, so… soon™). However, I have played the directly relevant Xenoblade Chronicles titles. So, XC1, 2, and now 3 (not X yet either sadly, though it does look insanely rad. That Hiroyuki Sawano OST tho). This is important since, from what I’ve gathered, XC3 does harken back to imagery and builds on concepts explored as far back as Xenogears. As such, I won’t be commenting on those much, if at all, here. This essay will be almost entirely focused on XC3 and XC3 alone. Even continuity stuff will be primarily glossed over.
As for my history with XC1/2, I’ll keep my thoughts on them to just this one section. Frankly, I don’t think my thoughts on either game are unique enough to merit talking about at length. Long story short: I’ve always considered Xenoblade to be pretty decent, but have never considered myself to give any sort of shit about the franchise in a serious way. Well, certainly not to the extent everyone else has always seemed to for either XC1 or XC2. I do distinctly remember XC1 grabbing me early on, and overall continued to far more than XC2 did for the majority of its runtime. Between its diverse world setting and legendary soundtrack, you’d be hard-pressed to argue how impressive or important of a game the original Xenoblade Chronicles was.
But in terms of its narrative? I genuinely feel like the coolest thing about the “narrative” of XC1 (if you can even call it that) was the story of Operation Rainfall. That shit rules. In terms of the REAL story, the character writing and design (for everyone not named Melia), its combat/gameplay loop, and my simple absence of emotional investment... I was pretty bummed to realize that XC1 didn’t quite do it for me. At least not the way it seems to for most other players. It’s the sort of game I had the most fun with when I was just wandering around, exploring its massive environments and getting lost in the field music. Like, rather than actually playing the game.
XC2 moved even further away from the sort of thing I vibe with. It did have the same aforementioned strengths as XC1, hell I’d even consider 2’s soundtrack more dynamic and consistent than 1’s, probably. But again, I noticed my long term enthusiasm for the series slowly diminishing through just about every other aspect of XC2; from major issues like its impressively lethargic combat/questing/gameplay loop, to countless minor issues. Just to name the first of my basic bitch complaints which come to mind: Rex’s salvager outfit having been carefully crafted by a team of elite scientists in order to create bitchlessness incarnate. No, the irony of assessing Rex this way is not lost on me after having finished XC3. Yes, we will talk about it a bit later.
Leading up to the release of XC3, I wasn’t even sure if I wanted to bother buying it to begin with. I had trouble justifying such a huge time commitment for yet another entry in a series I’ve never been particularly fond of. My interest in Xenoblade had only continued to wane over time, to the point where I completely passed up on XC2’s various DLC updates, the XC2 Torna the Golden Country expansion game, as well as XC1 Definitive Edition’s new “Future Connected” epilogue game. However, after playing XC3, my view of the franchise has completely flipped on its head. The Xeno Series has, seemingly out of nowhere, established itself among those whose futures I find myself most enthusiastic about.
Well, in a roundabout way, I guess. It’s clear this is the swan song for Takahashi’s vision and the current saga’s ongoing narrative. So ironically, it only really succeeded at hyping me up for Takashi’s previous works, namely Xenogears and Xenosaga. I’ll 100% be playing both of these in the near future. But the ACTUAL future of the franchise is now entirely left up in the air once again. But, well, if you’ve played XC3, you’ve probably immediately realized why this is so incredibly fitting. An endless unknown, a future you largely cannot control or even predict; this is what XC3 says is worth fighting for.
Fighting to live- rather than to stagnate. Living to fight- rather than submitting to fearful contentment.
With that out of the way, let’s start talking about that one funni British anime shōnen game I actually DO give a fuck about.
Xenoblade Chronicles 3.
CHAPTER 1 - THE ENDLESS NOW: FIGHT TO LIVE, LIVE TO FIGHT
(Initial thoughts, Opening Cinematic, and Preliminary Themes)
“Fighting in order to live. And living to fight. That's the way of our world, Aionios. Cruel irony that it should mean "eternity". Because slowly but surely, our world is now dying. Even though we have yet to realize that fact." -Noah, Chapter 1
SUBSECTION 1: QUALITY OF LIFE
I know this review has already had a TON of framing, already, but we’re getting there, trust me. Anyway, let me just get my absolute first impressions out of the way before getting to the meat of the game itself. From the first moments I booted up Xenoblade Chronicles 3, I was repeatedly hit with pangs of hope to believe that this game might resonate with me the way I always hoped prior entries would. This actually started before I even began the game through its various quality of life options available in the menu. Yes, starting the first chapter by reviewing the options is thrilling, I know. It’ll be quick, just humor me. A hard difficulty setting was available right out of the gates, unlike in the original releases of XC1 and XC2. It gives you the option to review tutorials on literally any of the game’s hundreds of mechanics / systems, even going so far as to provide drills for the most important ones (i.e. combos, interlinking, chain attacks etc.) to ensure a thorough understanding of how they function. It might sound trivial, but if you played XC2 completely blind like I did, you know damn well just how stark a contrast this is.
But perhaps most importantly, to me at least, it gives you the ability to turn off the minimap and various HUD elements out the door. For a huge, modern JRPG release, this is a surprisingly rare consideration. Considering how big and open Xenoblade games are, this feature alone was an easy way to win me over before even starting a new game. When I play a game that emphasizes scope and exploration, I prefer to use my eyes to do so, rather than having them glued to the corner of my screen as I stare unblinkingly at a smol yellow arrow. I’m not sure why this is even remotely debatable, but for those who do enjoy that sort of thing, more power to ya, really. At least you’ll be able to play Dragon Quest XI without the burning urge to tape a circular piece of cardboard to the bottom-left corner of your TV. Anyway, once I booted up the game proper, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 grabbed me by the balls and seldom let go for the next 250 or so hours I spent within the world of Aionios.
SUBSECTION 2: THE OPENING CINEMATIC OF XENOBLADE CHRONICLES 3
Let’s start from the very beginning: Despite having zero context or explicit knowledge about the greater significance of this game’s opening cutscene, the abrupt time-stop and aggressively cryptic merge sequence that followed had my stomach-churning from the intensity of its visual presentation and sound design alone. Likewise, it had my mind churning in a desperate attempt to make any semblance of sense out of it. What was I watching? What did it mean? At that moment, just as Noah was, I was utterly helpless; incapable of anything beyond paralyzed, yet conscious, bewilderment.
The battle between Colony 9 and Colony Sigma immediately follows. This sequence only pressed harder on the gas, intriguing me further about the nature and machinations of Aionios (yes, the word choice reflecting XC1’s titans here was deliberate. No, there isn’t any huge meaning behind it, I just thought it was cute). The parallels to XC1’s iconic opening battle were effective at initially grabbing your attention, to be sure. However, what really kept me intrigued here was the incessantly bleak tone which leaked from every orifice of XC3’s opening cinematic. The battle takes place on Torchlight Hill, a commonplace battleground found on the Aetia Region’s Everblight Plain. A sprawling, yet decidedly lifeless, landscape. Nothing but brown, rocky terrain as far as the eye can see. The only thing lining its surface which resembled life was a sea of Kevesi and Agnian husks- corpses. Hundreds of soldiers, belonging to the diametrically opposed forces of Keves and Agnus, both of which run across the length of this barren land, paved with bodies, to clash at the battlefield’s center. Fighting to live. Living to fight. From the moment you hear this phrase, you as the player are indoctrinated into the conspiracy which is the Endless Now. A phrase which loops back onto itself evermore, like a Moebius strip. No beginning, no end, just continually looping for eternity. From the first time you hear this phrase, you are keyed in to what constitutes the entire thematic crux of XC3’s 250-hour journey: The Endless Now.
SUBSECTION 3: FERRONIS, STEEL GOD OF THE BATTLEFIELD
Of perhaps greater significance than the soldiers themselves, in hindsight, was the overwhelming presence of the two colonies’ respective Ferronises. A Ferronis is a mobile assault weapon which doubles as a shelter for each colony. Just as fallen soldier husks lay below the feet of their surviving comrades, those same surviving soldiers lay at the feet of the warring colonies’ Ferronises. These two giant hulking steel masses were, on the surface, the ultimate prize for the opposing colony, as the Ferronis is what holds the Flame Clock, along with all the opposing colonies’ life force housed within it. Thematically, though, the Ferronises serve to sow yet another seed within the player. They depict how, in the grand scheme of the Moebius conspiracy, these soldiers’ capabilities and contributions are explicitly predetermined and more importantly, utterly superfluous to the greater conflict. They don’t shy away from this fact, either. It’s made apparent from the start, as we see the Ferronises make their way across the battlefield, crushing countless bodies beneath their feet. Like a two-ton truck driving over a patch of earthworms.
Their presence, both literally and symbolically, completely tramples the individual soldier’s personal resolve and abilities. Whether they’re driven by motivation from the military ambition upon which they were raised and trained to uphold. Their brainwashed bigotry from Moebius-orchestrated propaganda. Or even their burning desire to avenge their fallen comrades. An individual soldier’s capacity for impacting the war is inherently dwarfed by that of a single Ferronis. Dwarfed to the point where their efforts might as well not exist to begin with. Each soldier is likely no bigger than a single bolt on these steel monstrosities. Not even the entirety of their most elite squadrons could hope to match the sheer firepower of a single blast from one of the Ferronis’ various weapon installations. And yet, both sides were unwavering in their pursuit of bloodshed- all to feed the ever-draining Flame Clock.
The name Ferronis (Japanese: 鉄巨神, Tetsu Kyoshin, lit. Iron Giant God) reflects both that of the Bionis (Japanese: 巨神, Kyoshin, lit. Giant God) and the Titans of Alrest (Japanese: 巨神獣, Kyoshin-jū, lit. Giant Divine Beasts). It’s clear that Moebius’ propaganda even bleeds into their naming conventions- at least in the original script. There is even evidence to back up the literal intent behind these names, given the nature of Origin as an archive of the two World’s pre-Merge data. This further emphasizes the machines’ overpowering significance, by comparing them to Gods. Gods which control the battlefield which happens to be occupied by the soldiers, who are naught but superfluous pawns in comparison.
This also serves to tie the Ferronises under that banner of “a product which embodies the best of both worlds”. Keep in mind that both Agnian and Kevesi Ferronises are later revealed to be constructed in the exact same facilities within Origin. Origin, of course, is a facility whose inception crossed multiple dimensions; an arc that quite literally sought to preserve the best both worlds had to offer. With the Queen of Keves Melia falling captive to Z, the progenitor of Moebius, the mechanical prowise and wisdom of both worlds has fallen entirely into their hands.
SUBSECTION 4: FERRONIS, LENS AND PROXY OF MOEBIUS
Because of this, it’s easy to extrapolate these Ferronises as the concept of Moebius themselves, carrying out their will on the front lines of battle. Because the soldiers’ efforts are largely individualized, it’s important that they’re dwarfed in comparison by something Moebius can maintain direct control over. In this sense, think of the Ferronis as the “Great Equalizer”, ensuring the Endless Now remains in perfect balance on the front lines. There are other means through which Moebius makes sure this is accomplished, like the intermediary of Colony 0, but more on that later.
Anyway, the Ferronises are Gods towering over the pawns which comprise both Keves and Agnus, watching them struggle in vain as they continue to propagate Moebius’ very own Endless Now. It’s an impressive personification of two of XC3’s most prominent themes. Not only does it reflect the individual soldier’s bleak powerlessness in this opening cutscene, but Moebius adds insult to injury in doing so through the “slice of godhood” known as Ferronises. They stand as an aggregate product of Origin, both of which are later discovered to be Ouroboros’ single beacon of hope (by proxy of Flame Clock liberation, and later, reclaiming and resetting the interdimensional ark). But during this opening cutscene, these Ferronises are the very embodiment of overpowering hopelessness. What was intended as the Queen’s own beacon of hope is now being used against them. To trivialize their individual efforts and keep them in check as they unknowingly play into the hand of Moebius’ continued prosperity.
They act as enslaved chess pieces subject to the whims of intelligent and tyrannical superiors (seen thru Consuls literally playing chess while sippin life juice). Keves and Agnus soldiers alike carried out the one and only act they’ve ever known. The act they were born to carry out. Were indoctrinated in through textbook propaganda to carry out. Were trained in the art of war to carry out. And eventually, were encoded to instinctually carry out- by what they falsely presumed to be their own free will: Fight to live, live to fight.
SUBSECTION 5: A POINT IN TIME, A THEMATIC MICROCOSM
In all honesty, this battle between Keves and Agnus can be viewed as a microcosm for the entirety of the conspiratorial conflict as orchestrated by Moebius. It even fits as such beyond this illusion of free will and trivial value depicted through the individual soldier. This battle is portrayed by the soldiers as an intense, high-stakes fight to protect the lives of themselves and their loved ones. And while this might be true on the surface, after looking back on this scene in hindsight, XC3 makes it abundantly clear that their struggle was utterly meaningless.
Each and every life lost in this battle would just be reborn to continue carrying out the cycle. Perhaps more importantly, this entire battle, despite resulting in the demise of ENTIRE colony through Colony Sigma, it was just one of the countless battles that took place on this exact strip of land. Not to mention, the one example of prior Everblight Plain battle records we’re explicitly given details how Shido, then known as All-Slayer Oleg, led Colony Chi single-handedly in the brutal onslaught of an entire Kevesi colony before the events of the game. Considering the long-term ramifications of this battle, even beyond the destruction of an entire colony, it’s clear that the battle between Colony 9 and Colony Sigma wasn’t even among the most important battles in this ONE specific battlefield. This fact only further drives home the futility radiating from every shot and line from this opening sequence. None of it meant a thing. Ironically, this is what made it so meaningful- through its thematic poignancy alone.
This bleak tone even doubles back onto that very first scene, which portrays the Merge through the eyes of Noah. Time quite literally stopped around him, a fact he was cognizant of given that he managed to resist the time-freeze for a few seconds beyond everything else. There was no one to ask for help, no one to explain to him what was happening. There was no means by which the young Noah could interfere personally. He was an ordinary child, standing there helplessly as he witnessed the literal apocalypse. Not just the destruction of his World of Bionis, but both Worlds. It goes without saying that, in a situation like this, ignorance is bliss. In this sense, it could even be viewed as an uncharitable argument IN FAVOR of the Endless Now. After all, freezing time indefinitely was the only was to avoid the horror and destruction that would arise from the impact of the Merge.
Anyway, Noah’s persisting sentience only served to further instill him with utter helplessness. The explicit meaning or ramifications of this scene aren’t made apparent to Noah nor the player until right near the end of the game. However, this does explain why these two scenes work so well in tandem in and of itself. It’s no wonder they were so effective in eliciting an intense response of discomfort even upon my first viewing, even if it was entirely instinctual or subconscious.
SUBSECTION 6: A TRIUMPH IN CINEMATOGRAPHY
Even outside the overflowing thematic importance which this opening scene establishes, it’s just phenomenally well put together in every regard (well, aside from the combat tutorial which babies you into submission as you wait 20 seconds for each of Noah’s arts to recharge). The way these scenes flow into one another symbolically (but also literally, through the interspersed bits of gameplay) is just… incredible. The way it illustrates that oppressively bleak tone in a way that completely overpowers the surface level action and intensity of war felt reminiscent of the opening to Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga. Just, yknow, without the cheesy Matrix bullshit (I say this as endearingly as possible btw, that shit rules).
But yeah, I’ll probably say it five more times over the course of this review, but this game is unbelievably cinematic from beginning to end. It was pretty early into the game that I first made the claim that this is the single most cinematic JRPG ever created. By the time you get to Chapter 5’s 1-2 straight hours of cutscenes, which bring you all the way from the abyss of despair to the soaring heights of triumphant catharsis, there’s little debating it in my mind.
The sheer awe generated from these cutscenes isn’t a remotely uncommon experience, either. Every single chapter’s big cinematic moments had me enthralled in some way or another. The directing, the voice performances (both EN and JP), the action choreography, the weight, the expressiveness, the tension and intrigue of its most cryptic mysteries, the countless pieces of accompanying music… It’s the best of the best, no question. I could list specific moments, but I’m sure they’ve already popped into your head by this point anyway. XC3’s main story is aggressively memorable. And this opening cinematic is only the tip of the iceberg in that regard. I know that generally, the characters do a lot of the heavy lifting in that regard. But it’s accomplished in no small part due to phenomenal cutscene direction and cinematic atmosphere, both of which help it live up to the lofty ambition of its premise and themes.
CHAPTER 2 - The Triumphant Return of Dresspheres, Tokusatsu-tinged Bullshit, and Gloriously Overstimulating Chaos
(Combat, Job System, Customization, and Role Definition)
The combat in Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is bafflingly awesome. Who knew all it’d take for Xenoblade to have actual fun gameplay would be to rip off Final Fantasy X-2’s fashion-dictated class system and to ditch the Skells in favor of Interlink, an amalgamation of Digital Devil Saga transformation, pseudosexual fusion dance, and Tokusatsu? Much like XC1/2, the game still LARPs as both an MMO (main combat) and a turn-based game (chain attacks). Yet, in a complete turnaround from those two whose combat actively annoyed me, I’d be hard-pressed to find another non-turn-based JRPG combat system that I fuck with this hard.
I’m definitely of the opinion that prior Xenoblade games have had hugely underwhelming combat, but was never able (or just couldn’t be bothered trying) to articulate why. XC3’s aggressive polish and iteration on the past games’ combat made it blindingly obvious why that is in hindsight. It makes a bunch of changes and improvements, both major and minor. But if I had to boil it down, it comes down to three changes at its core: Character building, role-influenced customization, and in-battle control.
SUBSECTION 1: CHARACTER BUILDING
I’ll start with character building, since this is where the pre-battle strategizing comes into play. Let’s talk Job Systems. Everyone loves a good Job System, and for good reason. However, as someone who loves both job systems and defined character roles in JRPG combat, I often find myself at odds with the seemingly inherent tradeoff these systems present. Job systems let you go ham with customizing each character into exactly what you want them to be. But defined character roles also let the personality behind the character shine through by restricting them to a certain archetype. XC3 basically looked at the inherent conflict of this tradeoff and said, “you dumbasses realize you can just do both, right?” Like, it's actually insane how effortlessly this game dismantles the conflict while maintaining the unique strengths and personality found in both styles of character building.
Customization. Twenty-fucking-five classes. 25 classes to unlock. To learn the inner-workings and individual strengths of. To experiment within.To grind and train. To utilize in conjunction with other classes’ master arts through fusion art combinations, as well as synergizing with your plethora of other skills/accessories/gems/etc. Each with their own entirely unique take on the surface level attack-tank-healer designation. Five unique arts, one talent art, and four skills which grow stronger as you increase your class level. Two of those arts and two of those skills then go on to transfer outside the class in the form of master arts/skills, with the talent art being a fifth once you max out a given class. Any of which can be used alongside another class of opposing Agnian / Kevesi designation.
Oh (x1), and the hero which coincides with the class they unlock has several of their own completely unique arts on top of that, meaning you’ll further deliberate whether to use a certain hero or equip their respective dress-class on an Ouroboros depending on the circumstances. Oh (x2), this doesn’t even include the Soul Tree which is used to customize each of your Ouroboros Interlinks with various upgradable arts, stat bonuses, etc. Oh (x3), AND the Soul Hacker class works completely independently of these rules, serving as a blue mage who gains skills upon the defeat of unique monsters. At full power, this class boasts SIXTY-FUCKING-FIVE unique and completely upgradable arts, as opposed to the typical five arts. Additionally, there are SEVENTY-FUCKING-NINE skills spanning all three role archetypes from which you can mix and match. What the actual shit, dude. No, seriously, how did this game even get finished, let alone reverse-delayed? Anyway, whoever greenlit this class, I love them almost as much as I love Triton himself. Oh (x4), AND the upcoming DLC hero Ino also seems to work separately from every other hero, running on ether cylinders to guide her own unique method of customization. Idk, it looks like some Poppi shit, so I’m immediately sold, necc aside. Tiger Tiger sequel when.
SUBSECTION 2: ROLE DEFINITION
Role definition. Despite the absurd level of character build customization, XC3 maintains a surprisingly rigid sense of character role definition. This is achieved through a bunch of different means, such as: The Keves/Agnus split, role definition through individual job affinities/inheritors, master arts and talent arts, master skills, and the rigid role definition/consideration present in interlinking by trading off whatever two roles the pairing might possess in lieu of the rigid role of their respective Ouroboros interlink.
Once chain attacks come into the mix, the game doubles down on this role rigidity even further. Each character (including heroes) is given their own distinct baseline TP distribution, Chain Order, and Ouroboros order. Speaking of heroes, they too get their very own hero chain bonus on top of their likewise distinct Chain Order. These hero chain bonuses range from providing bonuses to the damage ratio, boosting individual TP, boosting party TP (even specific character boosts i.e. MIyabi to Mio), monster-specific bonuses, reviving inactive members, buffing/debuffing, healing, and so on. It’s genuinely nuts how much distinctiveness and role definition is maintained in each character’s combat capabilities (both Ouroboros and heroes) despite the former having just been described to have such insanely unrestrained customization options.
I’m not sure if Monolith INTENDED to have such ludonarrative cohesion in this double-sided customization system, or they just thought it’d be cool and it ended up working out that way. But man, the whole "Best of Both Worlds" motif (while most of the time refers to the game taking what worked from XC1 and XC2 and using them harmoniously) seems to permeate EVERY facet of XC3. To the point where it has the best of both worlds of a job system and rigid role definition- something that I quite literally did not think was possible until playing this game. Oh, and you can’t forget to respect the drip. Yumsmith Sena sweeps.
SUBSECTION 3: COMBAT ANALYSIS AND PLAYER CONTROL
Moving on from customization and into the actual meat of the combat itself, it’s fun. Like, REALLY fun. The setup again inherits this "Best of Both Worlds" motif, as it reflects both the six character setup from XC2 (drivers and active blades included), while otherwise reverting to XC1’s initial setup of everyone being a direct and controllable contributor. Considering there are now twice as many party members acting concurrently, I cannot stress this enough: This is absolute fucking chaos. Like, it’s chaotic to the point where if someone were to casually walk by a XC3 battle without any prior knowledge, the only plausible response would be, “what the fuck am I looking at?” Six characters (plus a hero) painting a monster in countless numbers. FF12 lookin ass lines connecting you to each monster depicting the current status of their aggro and the subsequent relationship/priority. The most fucked up looking Venn diagrams you’ve ever seen in your life in the form of field buffs scattered beneath your feet. Ten of the like fifty different symbols for buffs, debuffs, awakening, shackles, combos, ailments, etc cycling in and out next to each character and the monster you’re fighting. Your characters suddenly transform into fucking fusion robots and all that information is replaced with an entirely new set of skills and an overheat bar. Oh, and then time stops and the entire combat system changes as you initiate a chain attack.
So yeah, someone walking by has every right in the world to wonder what the fuck you’re doing if they’re unfamiliar with XC3’s combat. That said, considering the way this game paces out each of its multifaceted mechanics in such a gradual and easily understandable way, it is extremely rare that you’ll be playing and not know EXACTLY what is going on at all times. Seriously, I can’t stress enough how impressive it is that they manage to actually make this combat make sense, and yet they knocked it out of the park.
Trying to take in so much information at once while it’s constantly changing is already more than engaging enough to stay interesting for a game as long as this. But now, tack onto all of that the fact you can now change between characters at ANY MOMENT. Without a cooldown or any other sort of restriction. This alone takes XC3’s combat from what would already be a rather engaging system to unfathomably stimulating and hectic. In the more intense/challenging boss battles, it quickly becomes adrenaline incarnate. Apparently, Torna took the first step in this direction by allowing you to swap between your three party members on a cooldown, but here, you can swap between any of the SIX party members as quickly and frequently as you want.
It might not sound like a huge deal, since you still aren’t controlling all six of them at once, and thus a majority of the combat at any given moment is controlled by AI. That may still be true, but it’s a complete and utter game-changer when it comes to the player’s engagement and their potential for strategic influence. In past games, you control one party member, and once their arts are depleted, you’re stuck doing fuck all but using auto-attack. So you’re stuck there slapping at the enemy for 50 damage every few seconds until you can fight properly again. In XC3 though, the second a character’s arts are depleted, you switch to the next one and can start thinking on-the-fly to quickly make use of whatever tools they have available in the most efficient way possible. This might not make a monumental difference in how the battle goes about playing out, but thankfully the AI is stupid enough to actually merit shuffling around your active party member and doing as much on your own as possible. But above all else, you’re no longer stuck waiting for a shitty cooldown and constantly have your hands full of different ways to influence the fight. Put aside the customization and job system for a moment- THIS alone is an absolute goddamn game-changer.
SUBSECTION 4: MORE SINGLE-FIGHT GIMMICKS WOULD’VE BEEN NICE THO
To sneak in a small area of disappointment, I definitely would’ve liked to see more unique gimmicks or “puzzle” elements to bosses. If not in gameplay, then even just in the action cinematics would’ve been nice. There are definitely rumblings of this in the early game cinematics, specifically up through Chapter 4. Then, with the joint boss fight sequence between Consul N and Consul M, it finally comes to a head. Consul M has a completely unique Moebius power that takes the party a bit to figure out a solution for- and the solution itself was very clever and satisfying.
Even if we aren’t given the super nitty-gritty specifics of how it works, it’s clear that the Mondo was able to track M’s movements due to her and its ether properties as a Blade. Whether this is through ether displacement, propensity for tracking ether sensitivity, or ether absorption, it’s not clear. However, this is supported by the group’s first battle at Gura Flava. Eunie is able to disable Taion’s Mondo tag by filling it with enough ether to overload/overheat it. As an Agnian, M fights through ether properties as well. As such, it makes perfect sense that the Mondo, which can either sense, absorb, or disrupt that flow of ether, would be a perfect counter to the Moebius ability. This even shows tactical development on the part of Taion, who was only able to figure out this solution because of the way Eunie countered him earlier in the game.
To tie this back into that complaint I alluded to… This is basically the first and last time you’ll see anything like this in-game. Z has something similar sorta kinda, given that it’s another multiphase fight which sees your party splitting up and being supported by the various heroes. But it’s never a “puzzle” for you to figure out. It’s not something that will make you fundamentally reassess your game plan and fight under a completely different strategic pretense. I definitely expected more of this sort of thing from the end-game bosses. For example, the fight against D and Joran was a phenomenal opportunity for this that was totally squandered.
I’m not exactly sure HOW they’d go about doing it, since the combat is strictly set up so that attacking the enemy is basically your only means of interacting with them. But the conflicting nature of the fight could’ve done so well to set up a scenario where, for example: Joran is focusing his Interlink overheat, and thus you have to fend off fodder and protect him in the process. Then, D regains control, and you quickly shift to beating the shit out of him as much as possible. Stuff like that would’ve done a lot to make the more important boss fights feel mechanically distinct, which they simply don’t. That’s not to say they’re boring or anything, since again, XC3’s combat is more than capable of utterly carrying. But it still would’ve been better to see more of this sort of thing.
SUBSECTION 5: CHAIN ATTACKS, MISC. THOUGHTS,. AND CONCLUSION
Lastly, I’d like to talk a bit more about chain attacks. XC3’s chain attacks also manage to capture the "Best of Both Worlds" motif that nearly everything else in the game also seems to. They’re both cathartic in terms of their strategic depth to execute, while also being cathartic in the most mindless monke brain “victory lap” way I can possibly think of. That second one especially, the way it eggs you on with the instantly iconic chain attack music to the point you cannot feel anything other than utter conviction and triumph as it unfolds.
Even if you activate it with your entire party’s HP in the red and the boss still has 8.9 trillion remaining HP out of 9 trillion total (which is usually the case!), you can’t help but feel pure catharsis and hope during the duration of that chain attack. Well, that only lasts until you pick the wrong art and then the shit RNG gives you a healer on your random pick cuz you had to finish with an attacker… motherfucker. Anyway, the fact that it somehow manages to be both strategically cathartic and viscerally mindless in such a careful balance is yet another example of this game defying the odds to capture the "Best of Both Worlds" in one fell swoop.
Beyond chain attacks, there are plenty of smaller points to praise about the combat. For example, I love how combos can be built up with either offensive or defensive intentions/planning in mind. Launch-Smash combos provide extra damage at the cost of accelerating an enemies’ enrage status, whereas Daze-Burst combos provide an incapacitation window for your party to stabilize while also quelling rage for a short period of time. Another point worth mentioning goes back to customization; I love the sheer quantity of possibilities when it comes to fusion art combinations. You can do anything from double-advancing a combo (break w/ topple master art, launch w/ smash master art, etc), enhancing your smash effect by pairing it with a high damage ratio master art, pairing aggro reduction with a powerful heal to stay hidden, pairing aggro increase with a long form block art for efficient tanking, and so on. The fusion art system is incredibly simple, but could not be more elegantly incorporated. It boasts an absurd level of customization for those who really want to sink their teeth into making Agnian and Kevesi arts synergize in creative ways. I know I’m a broken record at this point, but again, taking the "Best of Both Worlds" and getting something new (and better) out of them.
For the sake of time, plus the fact that the rest of XC3’s combat depth is mostly similar to how it was in past games, I’ll wrap it up here. But yeah, considering how ambivalent I’ve been to prior Xenoblade games’ combat, the improvements made here and the way they salvaged the ongoing foundation of Xenoblade combat into something this good is nothing short of miraculous. I tend to be a fan of turn-based combat first and everything else second. But in the level of engagement, strategy, and customization found in XC3’s combat system, you’d be hard-pressed arguing against it being truly second to none.
CHAPTER 3 - The Methodically Unmethodical World Design of Aionios
(WORLD SETTING, SECTION 1: How XC3’s World, Map Design, and Aesthetics are Physically and Symbolically Informed by the Merge)
So clearly the combat benefits from the literal and symbolic Merge of XC1 and XC2 as much as anything. What about the World? Well… no, not at all. I should probably come right out and say that, across the Xenoblade Chronicles trilogy, XC3’s world is far and away the least impressive from a purely aesthetic standpoint… at least in terms of surface-level allure. The game has huge, sprawling vistas filled with secrets just like the prior games, but something about the world setting doesn’t feel nearly as aesthetically dynamic or even as methodical compared to the likes of Bionis or Alrest.
This was actually a huge point of criticism I held through the early hours of the game, which I worried might keep me from truly loving it overall. Like I’ve mentioned already, exploring huge imaginative environments while listening to the various field themes was what appealed to me most about the series prior to XC3. But compared to the likes of XC1’s Gaur Plains, Eryth Sea/Alcamoth, and Satori Marsh? XC2’s Uraya or the World Tree? I simply did not find any of the biggest zones in XC3 were anywhere near this aesthetically stimulating or inspired. Well, until the Cadensia Region, which was phenomenal, albeit a serious outlier. Point being, the likes of Millick Meadows and Eagus Wilderness simply did not do it for me.
Are they pretty? Yes. Were they “Xenoblade pretty”? No. At least, not in the way a longtime fan would come to expect. Thankfully, what I’ve come to realize about the world design of Aionios over the course of my playthrough is… I’m pretty sure this was intentional. Or maybe I’m coping. Probably both tbh. This is the main meat and potatoes of my thoughts on Aionios, so I’ll leave it for the end of this chapter. Before then, let’s talk about why I found (and still do to some extent, tbh) the major zones so initially disappointing.
SUBSECTION 1: SHORTCOMINGS OF AIONIOS
Don’t get me wrong, even the more aesthetically “”boring”” zones do still look nice. Each one is filled with varying amounts of distinguishing quirks or landmarks, and overall serve their purpose well. My favorite zone from the early game would have to be the southern Fornis Region. Each part of the region on its own isn't anything too noteworthy. Well, aside from the Dannagh Desert, which looks fantastic on its own. But the way they coalesce while maintaining distinct and rigidly segmented areas make it far stronger aesthetically than the sum of its parts. The rigidity of its visual theming alone makes it super memorable. I can’t really think of another Xenoblade environment that puts as much emphasis on aesthetic segmentation as this one does. It also boasts a surprising amount of verticality (albeit mostly gradual “sloped” verticality). This actually speaks to another major point of criticism I have about the bulk of XC3’s massive open zones: They’re more than sizable enough, but they’re mostly flat and lacking in both the verticality and interconnectivity needed to compromise their lengthy traversal time.
The flatness of XC3’s zones certainly bodes well for making them LOOK big and sprawling, but it only serves to inevitably sap the enthusiasm you have for exploring these lands thoroughly. I’m the type of player who avoids minimaps and fast travel like the Plague. Familiarizing myself with an area and learning its map is something I find extremely fun and satisfying. In XC3, though, I pretty quickly caved in and started fast traveling for the back-and-forth quests, especially fetch quests. Not because I don’t ENJOY traversal in this game, but because it’s blindingly apparent that it needed so much more to not make this a total pain in the ass.
The game probably could’ve gotten away without having sprinting if the maps were as tall as they were wide, but they just… aren’t. It takes way too long to get anywhere. Oh, and those little ladder shortcuts it sneaks in are, more often than not, completely futile at providing any sort of respite to the tedium of traversal. Hell, they even fail to simply compliment the map design in any sort of clever or helpful way.
This is the crux of my complaint: XC3 does not have significant enough traversal upgrades to match the size and layout of its maps. It’s lacking here, plain and simple. Sprinting, high jumping, gliding, flying, soft landings from high grounds, rentable Levnises, Interlink on the field for a quick vertical boost… This game is in desperate need of ANY single one of these. I haven’t played XCX, but knowing you get giant fucking Skells to fly around in makes this even more readily apparent. Not to mention… that knowledge kinda takes away from the coolness of getting a boat later on in this game. I like the boat, but… It’s not a giant robot, that’s for sure. Can’t say I wouldn’t have preferred to get even just a fleet of rentable Levnises or some shit instead. The autorun keeps it from being a SERIOUS problem, but that doesn’t change the fact it could’ve been much better.
XC3’s world design does still have its fair share of strengths. Admittedly, they mostly tie into worldbuilding which I’ll focus more on later, but the physicality and map design also play a part in these strengths. The Dannagh Desert’s flying whales and pink-gem palm trees felt refreshingly oddball compared to the theming of prior areas. The previously mentioned rigid segmentation of Southern Fornis was another highlight- in no small part because of the aesthetic contrast it provided with the adjacent and verdant Ribbi Flats.
SUBSECTION 2: ENVIRONMENTAL STORYTELLING
Perhaps the biggest draw in terms of XC3’s world design relates to its interconnectivity; namely, the inherent mystique generated by the Merge as you encounter more and more areas which resemble the likes of Bionis, Mechonis, and Alrest- especially seeing them after having been reduced to ruin. It does give you a bit too obvious of a push at recognizing this early on. Hell, the box art literally having Uraya and the Mechonis Sword was uh, not exactly subtle. Not to say it was MEANT to be subtle, but hey, still. Additionally, many of the names/titles are retained from prior games.
But aside from that, it’s accomplished entirely through exploration and environmental storytelling. I absolutely loved this approach. Despite the obvious brilliance of past Xenoblade game’s worlds, I can’t recall any point where environmental storytelling was used to prod you with hints at the still unknown lore, mysteries, and ongoing narrative. Hell, the prodding even worms its way into the game’s soundtrack (through field themes, mostly). The near constant use of callbacks and leitmotif of XC1/2 areas never once got old and always kept me on guard looking for more audio-centric hints.
There are examples of environmental storytelling across the entirety of Aionios, so I won’t bother listing a dozen examples. I will say, though, the delayed realization that I could LITERALLY CLIMB up the destroyed Mechonis’ arm up to its fingertip and cannonball back down into the lake below was one of the most memorable moments of exploration in any Xenoblade game.
SUBSECTION 3: SPECIFIC REGION CRITIQUE (AKA THE ROAST OF MILLICK MEADOWS)
There are definitely some great individual regions, such as the Cadensia Region like I mentioned earlier. This region is basically just a Wind Waker sequel built straight into an already incredible game. Cuz why the fuck not. Like, Queen’s BEANS man. It feels like half my playtime was spent exploring that one region alone. And you better believe that Yasunori Mitsuda field theme certainly contributed to that… Probably my favorite song in the entire game ngl. On the opposite end of the open zone spectrum, though, we have Milick Meadows.
Milick Meadows was an extremely rare example during XC3 where there wasn’t much sugarcoating it- I felt abject disappointment without much of a silver lining to counteract it whatsoever. Let’s start with the- er, single positive. The field theme is phenomenal. But tbh, that just made how underwhelming this area was in reality hurt even more. Let’s frame the moments leading up to you discovering it. You’ve just finished the intensely cryptic Gura Flava sequence. You’re finally ready to begin your journey after having assembled your party. You have more questions about the game’s events up to this point than you know what to do with. Then, you’re immediately set free out into the game’s next big zone: Millick Meadows.
This was all the motivation I needed to start exploring to find out as much about this world and the events that transpired as possible. Unfortunately, the near (but not quite) Gaur Plains tier field theme is where the positives begin and end with Milick Meadows. Basically, you descend the hill, go across the river, and head out into the next area. That’s it. Oh, and you activate a Ferronis husk and can go get killed by overpowered bats in the nearby cave if you want… Seriously? You can’t tease me with what looks to be Gaur Plains 2.0 and have it only be a 30-minute linear ass excursion. This place should’ve been like… ten times bigger at the BARE minimum. I know that sounds like overkill, but just look at the Cadensia Region. There was nothing stopping them from making Milick Meadows truly reflect the freedom that Ouroboros was just granted following Guernica’s sacrifice. The disappointment even gets doubled down upon later when you realize the ability gating opened up an entire new section of the map to explore… Wow, maybe this was a misdirection? Maybe they wanted a delayed reaction sort of approach to its scope? Nah. It’s still tiny as fuck with barely anything cool to do or see. But enough roasting the poor little Meadows. Let’s move to the biggest point I want to make about Aionios as a world setting.
SUBSECTION 4: JUSTIFYING THE SHORTCOMINGS OF AIONIOS THROUGH THE THEMATIC IMPLICATIONS OF THE MERGE
Anyway, back to the biggest takeaway for this chapter. The thing about XC3’s world setting I took the biggest issue with (even above some of the areas not being themed interestingly) was this: The environments felt paradoxically visually cluttered and messy, while also having very little in the way of aesthetic inspiration. In contrast to prior examples, the "Best of Both Worlds" motif here feels a lot more like the “Worst of Both Worlds”.
However, come the end of the game, it becomes abundantly clear that this was intentional. It’s only natural that the violent Merge, which essentially equated to apocalypse for both worlds, would leave Aionios as a primarily tattered wasteland with some rather fucked up geometry (further emphasized by the Annihilation Event). On top of that though, it almost seems like the more standard theming of most areas was intentional as well, though I’m… not sure why, exactly? The biggest zones which house the main story content are often relegated to aesthetically standard renditions of fields, desert, sea, mountains, etc. Now, these areas are still impressive and beautiful due to their huge scale. But it’s clearly a far different approach from XC1/XC2. Like I said before, they’re pretty, just not “Xenoblade pretty”.
On the contrary, it’s in XC3’s secret areas tucked away from the external outside world where that trademark Xenoblade inventiveness shines through into the world setting. Lost Colony, Cotte Fountainhead, and Malevolent Hollow are easily among the most aesthetically distinctive locales in any Xenoblade title. This design philosophy is applied way too consistently across the whole game to just be a coincidence, at least in my mind. Areas to the effect of the three I just listed are almost exclusively found in secret caves far off the path from the main zones. So… what’s the deal with this approach? I mean, it literally might’ve been just to make stumbling onto a secret area feel more special. But with this game, the answer is rarely that simple. Especially since, yknow, I can’t really see them making a sacrifice to the giant zones which take up 90% of the map just for an occasional pleasant surprise. That said, I do have something of a guess to justify- or at least explain the logic behind their approach.
Aionios having such a strange design quirk gives off the impression that these secret areas were sheltered from the proverbial “impact” of the Merge. As such, they retained their luster- and therefore, their sense of aesthetic identity. This does beg the question, though; why would the two Worlds merging be detrimental to the broad visual inventiveness of Aionios’ world design? Honestly, this is where I’m sort of at a loss on the matter. Especially since it seems to be at odds with the game’s design philosophy in nearly every other regard: Merging the "Best of Both Worlds" in order to create something new and greater.
Maybe they first tried to approach the world in this way by designing even more chaotic and messy environments, but decided the messiness needed to be dialed back in? I’m not really sure, and would love to get some outside input on this because I’m stumped as hell tbh. Personally, I would’ve loved to see them go full on clusterpunk by mashing together multiple different themes and color palettes (possibly derived straight from 1 and 2’s areas) into one new environment. Maybe even just in a few specific areas rather than every area in the game. If not just for the sake of avoiding this approach becoming paradoxically more homogenized in the sense that it would apply to everywhere.
Quite honestly, even as someone who places huge importance on a game’s aesthetic sensibilities (hell, I consider XC1 at LEAST a strong 7/10 based almost entirely on its setting and music alone), I do still like this game’s unconventional approach to world design. Despite the originality of this subversion, though, one still needs to consider if this falls under the “just because a subversion is intentional doesn’t make it good” umbrella of consideration. I WANT to deny this notion outright, but even after learning all the narrative context behind the intent, I’m still finding myself hesitant.
Would I have preferred the entire setting to be more oddball with its theming and color palette similar to, like, Xenoblade X or something? …Honestly, yeah. Probably. Especially when you consider that this game repeatedly capitalizes on its "Best of Both Worlds" motif in so many other facets. That said, I can't say I've ever seen a game with such a bold and narratively-resonant subversion through its aesthetic and world design alone. Even if the sacrifice to its visual inventiveness was a bit beyond what I would’ve liked, it is worth praising the effort and paradoxical inventiveness anyway.
CHAPTER 4 - HOW TO CREATE A DYNAMIC AND THEMATICALLY INTEGROUS WORLD SETTING THROUGH… FORMULAIC MILITARY CAMPS (NO, REALLY, IT WORKS. TRUST ME).
(WORLD SETTING, SECTION 2: Introduction and Analysis of the Colony System)
Even within the context of individual nation’s provinces, every single colony in XC3 is shockingly memorable and distinct. I think the reason the colony variety impresses me so much is due to the surface-level rigidity of XC3’s structure and gameplay loop. Put simply: you explore, discover (insert colony name here), talk to its people and commander, fight the commander, fight the Consul, liberate the colony, help them survive without the Consul, Rinse and repeat. Clearly, the repetition of this cycle is dangerously primed for monotony. Especially since there’s, what, over 25 named colonies in total? Not to say you explore every single one, but it should be apparent that this game had the cards stacked against it in this regard.
Yet, every last colony is shockingly distinct and memorable. Depending on the colony’s adjacent environments and geography, there are so many different roles and jobs that prop up across Aionios. For example, the farmers in Colony 9 and Tau. Specialty mechanics and Levnis transporters from Colony 30. Collectopedia managers and resource transport from Colony Iota. The conspiratorial war intermediaries of Colony 0. Pirates and Fishermen of Colony 15. Plus the different variations of florists, farmers, and saffronia harvesters found in Colony Mu and the Lost Colony. And so on. Aionios’ dynamic geography plays such a crucial role in the jobs and specializations of each colony. In turn, this plays a huge part in why the world setting feels like a vast, living, breathing world- in a way no other Xenoblade game has ever accomplished prior.
It would’ve been SO easy for Monolith Soft to fall back on the phenomenal combat and job customization, merely having the World serve as a more undercooked or understated backdrop to your exploration of Aionios. Countless games take this easy route as a tradeoff for being a “huge 100+ hour experience” at the cost of none of its locales being developed, memorable, or, well… Interesting. Yet, much like it does in countless other aspects, XC3 manages to provide “the Best of Both Worlds” in this respect. The game is unfathomably long, and yet, each and every colony manages to be deeply memorable and distinct.
They’re not just memorable and distinct in terms of the characters present or the aesthetic backdrop, either. Every single facet of the World Setting feeds into each respective colony in a way that makes the world of Aionios feel distinctly and unmistakably… alive. Each and every colony has their own side quests, geography, culture, history, import needs, export specialization, intercolony relationships, politics, military strengths, technological capabilities, internal and external priorities, and so on.
This isn’t even getting into the fact that each Colony has its own Consul, along with an entirely unique set of character relationships with said Consul, the Consul’s relationship with the Colony itself, different roles, different levels of presence, different motivations- different means to which they propagate the Endless Now… All of which culminate in an entirely memorable and distinct story arc within every single Colony you come across.
Naturally, the story arcs which define these colonies all play out in VASTLY different ways for the most part. Even if a majority of them end with the final story beat of Noah smashing the Flame Clock and bringing liberation. Besides, this sort of HAD to be the case anyway. Not just for hugely important thematic purposes (revolving around the implications of intercolony unification, Ouroboros’ journey to self-discovery and purpose, etc). But also for the sake of gameplay logistics as well. After all, you wouldn’t be able to get much done in terms of exploring characters or worldbuilding within a Colony that still actively hates you and is still indoctrinated in Moebius propaganda.
Speaking of which, the Moebius-enforced “ranking” system also does a fantastic job at framing these various distinguishing factors. It often serves as a literal determinant, for example, the lower-rank colonies being undersupplied, which can cause a ton of different problems. But even in a subsurface sense, this ranking system fuels their conspiratorial edge beneath the surface via the illustrious but ultimately disingenuous Gold rank. It is through Moebius’ colony ranking system that their homogenization and depersonalization efforts are carried out. This is done to offset the perceived individuality, and thus humanity, of enemy colonies.
After all, it’s easier to buy into destroying another group for personal gain when it’s either you or them, right? That goes doubly so when, to you, the enemy is defined by just two things: A resource through which you can provide for your friends and comrades, and as a generic slate of soldiers which are defined by their Rank and the propaganda you’ve been fed on their faction. This ranking system alone effectively throws a veil of depersonalization over the enemy, and as such, plays a crucial role in maintaining soldier morale in the ongoing war.
As such, it becomes far easier for Moebius to morph the truth of what defines that colony (the laundry list of distinguishing factors which make them unique that we just went over) into whatever supports their propaganda. The way Moebius oversees soldier manipulation through propagandized “motivation” can even be roughly likened to propagandist justification of genocide in order to garner domestic support and pride. Nurturing and capitalizing on bigotry through propaganda, miscategorization of the enemy, and “slaughter as self-defense”. The methodology isn’t identical, and I’m definitely not an expert on the subject by any means. But it brought enough similarities in mind that I felt it worth mentioning.
As a final point about Moebius to end the chapter, the colony format perfectly supports their conspiracy in a pragmatic sense as well. The entire World of Aionios and all of its inhabitants (save for the nation-ambivalent City) are overseen by Moebius from within Origin. They specifically seek to lock the two factions in a war which neither could hope to win, in order to propagate the Endless Now. Therefore, it would only make sense for Moebius to provide “homogenized” colonies (in structure but also in perception through propaganda). On the surface, these colonies all serve the same purpose. They’re all manipulated into conflict through the same means. And they all receive the highly-motivating Castle aid (food, weapons, tools, ether, etc) in correspondence to their colony rank.
CHAPTER 5 - SO MANY COLONIES AAAAAAAAAA
(WORLD SETTING, SECTION 3: Analysis of Colonies in XC3)
As for the specifics as broken down by colony, it’d probably be easiest to just go down the line. There is quite a lot to each colony and their respective Heroes, so getting to all of them would just be overkill. But I’ll try to hit on SOME of the colonies along with their most important and distinguishing characteristics:
Colony 9: Otherwise known as Aionios 2022 Farming Simulator. Led by Commander Zeon. This is the first colony you’ll visit properly in XC3. It’s a compact garrison surrounded by the vast Yzana Plain on all sides. Following the inexplicable disappearance of Noah, Lanz, and Eunie, the previous commander steps down, resulting in a leadership crisis. The people turn to Zeon as the most suitable candidate, but much like Bolearis of Colony 4, he and a few vocal dissenters remain hesitant in his capabilities. No, I’m not going to name any names. Cough. Cough cough.
Bolearis’ lack of confidence stems from his inability to replace his legendary predecessor Silvercoat Ethel. Especially after having been abruptly swept into the role in response to her death. Zeon of Colony 9’s lack of confidence, however, is derived from the guilt he harbors in having authorized the destruction of Colony 9’s Flame Clock. Despite the colonies’ dwindling capacity for self-subsistence being out of his control, he still takes responsibility for the outcome they’ve found themselves stuck with. His people are starving from limited rations, they lack leadership and direction, and the cliques are beginning to lean further and further towards desertion.
As such, the outset of Colony 9’s narrative is rather bleak- as most things in XC3 tend to be initially before eventually morphing into hopefully optimism. Following their collaboration with Colony Tau, Colony 9 ends up having one of the most drastic turnarounds of any colony. To the point where its later quests and community dialogue become surprisingly lighthearted and optimistic. Thanks to the insight of Yuzuriha, commander of Colony Tau, Zeon leads the effort to incorporate their growth patterns of the spongy spud, a crop native to Tau’s Maktha Highlands.
Due to the Spongy Spud’s short germination window and high yield, it completely turns Colony 9’s food shortage on its head. Along with the fact that its people actually have something to do (tending the fields), this greatly increases morale and stability. It’s a pretty simple story, but the way it encapsulates XC3’s theme of societal unification, especially since it features Kevesi/Agnian collaboration, is extremely effective. Plus, like, these two are just really fucking cute, okay? Gimme spud buds DLC right now, please and ty.
Colony Gamma: Led by Commander Shido. As the other active (living) colony within the lower Aetia Region, Colony Gamma is rather close in proximity to Colony 9. Otherwise, it’s completely different. This extends beyond the Keves/Agnus dichotomy, and is most notably distinguished by its geography and layout. Where Colony 9 is deep in the canyon of the Yzana Plains, Gamma is high in the floating autumn mountains. Despite being spread horizontally similar to 9, Gamma is far less dense, featuring a large lake and dedicated training ground for soldiers and Levnises alike. Lastly, its amber-laden trees extend far into the sky, a backdrop which is completely unlike any other Colonies’. The way Ouroboros interacts with the colony is also quite different to Colony 9. Instead of doing the work yourself, you simply instruct them on how to better protect themselves. With Colony 9, you help connect Zeon with Colony Tau, gather the farming materials, and protect the fields from monsters firsthand. In Colony Gamma, you simply help Shido in training the Gamma soldiers to better prepare them in fending for themselves.
Colony 4: Led by Commander Ethel, later Acting Commander Bolearis. It’s larger, giving off the impression that it’s more like a residential outpost than the previous two colonies. It’s smack dab in the middle of the sprawling hot Eagus Wilderness in both directions (from Millick Meadows to Ribbi Plains). As such, the colony feels far more like an intermediary or proxy zone born out of geographical necessity. This “proxy” status is further emphasized by its status smack-dab between the Agnian Colony Iota and Kevesi Colony 30, both of whom Colony 4 cooperates with as a proxy, given that Iota resents 30 from their defeat in a prior battle.
Colony 4 also marks your first exposure to the colony ranking system, as they are demoted harshly from Silver Rank (second highest, 2nd tier) to Dirt Rank (lowest, 7th tier). This demotion was a message- a response to Ethel’s refusal to kill Cammunabi in their first encounter. It’s rather admirable to see how some of the colony continues to back their commander, despite the toll her decisions have taken on their quality of life. The demotion alone forced its people to expand their hunting route into dangerous and uncomfortably distant territory, alongside stricter rationing. Their Consul support and Castle aid is scaled back considerably as a result.
Not to mention, regarding those supplies from Keves Castle (which were already far more limited in both quantity and quality), Consul K used both emotional and iris manipulation to force them into attacking Ouroboros in order to earn the supplies. And after this fails, Moebius takes this threat to its furthest extreme by involving the lives of everyone within Colony 4 via the Kevesi Annihilator. Ethel’s aforementioned “free” actions are also quite effective at priming the player for one of the game’s broader themes- the importance of free-will.
This action then comes to a head during Ethel’s dramatic final clash with Cammunabi in the Maktha Wildwood. A bit of an unrelated thought, but: The way this battle clearly parallels the battle between Bionis and Mechonis feels very pointed, if not a bit on the nose. I really dig the implications in hindsight that their “death by design” achieved through resisting Moebius is a glimpse into true causality. Naturally, the battle between Bionis and Mechonis exists within the natural flow of causality. So for this spirit to be made manifest as they craft a truly meaningful “death by design”, not to mention happening right between both Ouroboros and Moebius is fantastic. It basically serves as the “Crys Death” equivalent for Ouroboros as a whole, rather than just Noah. It strengths their resolve, prodding them to ask questions about the path they must take and the sacrifice it may require.
As one last disjointed thought: Ironically, Ethel actually saved the lives of everyone in Colony 4 by choosing to spare Cammunabi in their first bout. We learn in Eunie’s Side Story that she had a friendly rivalry (camaraderie may be more accurate, I suppose) with Colony 5’s late Commander Orsoyla. Their respective colony accolades mirrored one another to the point where their individual Rank promotions came one after the other. Considering Orsolya’s recent promotion to Gold Rank (and, well, we know what that entails) and Ethel’s demotion as a result of her refusal to kill Cammunabi, it’s safe to assume their fate would’ve soon followed. It’s a rather understated truth, but one that I really appreciated. Particularly because of how it falls comfortably in line with the game’s encouragement of defiance in the pursuit of free-will.
Colony 30: Led by Commander Yuz- uh, I mean Rudi. A haven for Levnis engineering and mechanics in general. And uh, Nopon I guess. It’s relatively compact like Colony 9, but instead of residing within green plains, Colony 30 appropriately rests atop steel girders high above a lake reservoir within a mountain range. My favorite thing about Colony 30 lies in its specification. This mechanical specification is immediately apparent from the second you step foot inside for the first time. Levnises surround the front gates and line the inner perimeter, serving as both security and commissions for adjacent colonies. That’s right, in much the same way Colony 4 serves as something of a proxy zone due to the practicality of its location, Colony 30 is a proxy due to its production and quick delivery of Levnis commissions and repairs. As such, it serves as a mobile hub which mirrors a small-scale production of the sort of thing you see later on in the Keves Castle factory.
CHAPTER 6 - THERE’S STILL HOW MANY MORE COLONIES??
(WORLD SETTING, SECTION 4: Miscellaneous Colony Analysis)
So uhhhh bit of a confession here. I did plan on going into detail on ALL colonies, since they do all deserve substantial credit and a moment in the spotlight. But… I’ll be real with you, the Xenoblade wiki is kinda just straight up hot ass. It barely has anything written about XC3 whatsoever, let alone XC1/2. Not throwing shade at the contributors or anything, but there definitely isn’t enough there to serve as a jumping off point for the purposes of analysis. Maybe I’m just spoiled by the Kiseki Wiki. But still, there’s something to say about the fact that the Kiseki wiki has more written about the validity of a random Liberlian journalist's birthdate than the Xenoblade Wiki does on entire main characters. Well, anyway. Because of that, I think I’ll just quickly throw a few more miscellaneous defining factors of these colonies from memory and leave it there.
AGNIAN COLONIES: Colony Tau operated largely through self-subsistence, having adapted their own entirely distinct subculture. After liberation, its citizens migrate across the map to various other colonies in order to expand their horizons and seek out their own unique place in the world. Colony Mu’s Consul doesn’t even make them fight, and holds an incredibly unique dynamic with its people through her past life as Ichika. Similarly, the Lost Colony doesn’t fight AND is built on top of the ruins of an old Castle. Plus Nami stuff, but we’ll get to it in the Taion chapter.
KEVESI COLONIES: Colony 5 isn’t as fleshed out, other than Commander Orsoyla and Ethel being longtime friends and competitors. However, it still provided the stage for the massively important revelation of the Gold Rank conspiracy. Colony 11 has the unique honor of being a direct subsidiary of Keves Castle, as it is stationed directly next door. The accompanying unique circumstances play directly into the party’s proceeding raid on the Castle. Colony 15’s Consul T doesn’t give a flying fuck, as he’s just a demensia-ridden DILF pirate fisherman who betrays Moebius to free himself and his crew- letting them go do their thing while he goes adventuring with the party. Also, his father-daughter relationship with Fiona is the cutest shit ever conceived by humanity. No, I’m not exaggerating for the 500th time, I would never.
In short, the way these colonies are distinguished from one another is phenomenally impressive. It is admittedly true that you deal with the majority of colonies you come across in the same surface level manner. They’re often faced with similar struggles; for example, lacking resources, unsent comrades, ideological uncertainty resulting from their sudden and newfound freedom, etc. But the devil is in the details when it comes to colonies in XC3. These similarities rarely extend below the surface.
Even just aesthetically, the similarities are always just surface level. Yes, they’re all tiny military outposts built under a giant mech. Though, I’d argue that in and of itself is plenty cool and unique. But as I've just illustrated in extensive detail, each and every colony is unique in every facet. From its presentation, to its structure, to its storytelling. The game makes fantastic use of Aionios’ dynamic natural geography, situating these colonies within the varied landscapes in ways that actually make sense.
But their visual and aesthetic individuality is only ever the tip of the iceberg. Each colony tells an appropriately personal story within the confines of its walls. Some of these stories are more obvious than others, and like, Colony 30’s story for example, would have largely been possible to tell through its setting alone, though the added exposition never hurts. Through varying ratios of environmental storytelling, NPC dialogue, corresponding hero quests, and the bevy of expositorily-illuminating side quests, every single colony in XC3 has a narrative identity strong enough to coincide with its aesthetic identity. They are an absolutely perfect foundation for keeping XC3’s 200+ hour gameplay loop feeling fresh. It strikes a near-flawless balance of familiarity and structure, while also maintaining a more than satisfactory sense of individuality and mystique.
Is the phrase "Best of Both Worlds" starting to get annoying yet? Well, don’t get mad at me, but it DOES just so happen to apply here too. Not my fault that this game is so thematically consistent.
CHAPTER 7 - “WANO SYNDROME”: AIONIOS AND THE LORE DENSITY PARADOX
[Wano Syndrome, The Value of “Idea Density” vs “Idea Meticulousness”]
A bit of a warning is probably necessary for this next chapter. Compared to my other points, this is far more abstract and honestly, leans more into being a thought experiment than it does focusing solely on XC3. My thoughts on XC3 are definitely still relevant here though, but I do feel a bit of priming is necessary regardless, since this does get a bit weird. K thanks.
Next, I’d like to talk about XC3’s narrative thoroughness in conjunction with a phenomenon which I like to call “Wano Syndrome”. It’s a term I’ve coined in reference to the most recent story arc of the One Piece manga, but is surprisingly applicable to a ton of different works with similar properties. To define it as best I can:
Wano Syndrome: a phenomenon which afflicts a piece of media, causing it to be paradoxically way too fucking long and/or dense, while also somehow managing to be substantially rushed and/or underdeveloped.
[Disclaimer: I make vague mention of things from various games in this next paragraph, though nothing is explicitly mentioned by means of spoilers. But in case you’re someone who wants to be 100% blind going into a specific game, skip ahead if you see a game title this pertains to.]
To give a few more examples outside these two works, to help better illustrate what exactly qualifies as “Wano Syndrome”: I’d be willing to apply it to the following works:
-Trails of Cold Steel IV (lacking background/narrative focus on the Ironbloods, the War of The Lions, the children of Valius Reise Arnor V, Ishmelga’s origins, etc.)
-Labyrinth of Refrain: Coven of Dusk (underdeveloped settings aside from Refrain itself, lacking buildup and characterization of the new endgame cast members)
-Fire Emblem: Three Houses (idk gimme more political shit)
-La Pucelle Tactics (worldbuilding, church history, more flashbacks)
-Ys Origin (Kingdom of Ys detail, Priests, Fact Family/Clan of Darkness)
-Märchen Forest (more background on the Castle / outside the Forest, more slice of life outside the prologue)
-Live a Live (finale party interaction and unique skill utilization, generally lacking depth outside the immediately pertinent and bare-bones main plot- even if its brevity was probably intentional)
-Shin Megami Tensei V (lacking detail and background on Tokyo’s ruin, characterization of the Bethel branch leaders).
So yeah, it’s clearly not one specific thing which defines Wano Syndrome, so hopefully these examples better illustrate what I’m referring to here. I’m not even saying all of these points can be inherently considered “flaws” to begin with, rather, things I enjoyed enough to wish there were more of. But for the sake of the argument and for brevity (Queen knows this review needs more of it), let’s just call them shortcomings for now. Nearly all of these issues are relatively major shortcomings for examples of media which place great emphasis on painting dense and well-developed worlds. And yet, what I find fascinating about “Wano Syndrome” is that it seems to be present ONLY in media I have considerable narrative investment within despite these shortcomings. In other words, while “Wano Syndrome” is at its core a wholly negative affliction, I’ve only found examples of it exclusively within games I don’t just enjoy, but LOVE.
By now, I do think I’ve done a decent job explaining what sort of media I’d consider worthy of the “Wano Syndrome” moniker, but here’s one more analogy that takes media out of the equation entirely. Think of this comparison in terms of paintings. Just uh, keep in mind I don’t know shit about paintings. Anyway, Painting A is a photorealistic landscape painting- hell, if this is too generic, let’s use the Mona Lisa. All the theoretical detail is right there for you to see, it’s mechanically sound, and technically speaking, it’s highly impressive to the point of perhaps even being “flawless” to some. Personally, outside its mysterious history of theft, I find it boring as shit.
Painting B, on the other hand, is a surrealist landscape- let’s use the Persistence of Time if you’d prefer a real example (I know, two of the most normcore paintings of all time. I warned yall). It’s obviously rather abstract, to the point whereupon one’s initial viewing, its thematic depth might be too ambiguous to be immediately communicable. But given the proper engagement, there’s a lot more density and value one can glean from observing it, no matter if you ever “truly understand” the entire breadth of the painting’s meaning or intent in the end. Now, “Wano Syndrome” applies more to a work’s density of ideas and the meticulousness by which they’re explored, but there’s a comparable sentiment to be considered here.
Compared to the painting example, the ambiguity of these game examples are a bit more of an objective shortcoming, as the depth that IS there simply isn’t as thorough as it could’ve been. But the biggest takeaway I’d like you to absorb from this explanation is this: XC3 made me realize that the “objective” shortcoming of this aforementioned ambiguity might not be a bad thing whatsoever.
I know this chapter probably feels a bit abstract even now, but please, bear with me a bit longer as I break down its significance. By now, you’re probably asking: why is this important? Well, as I just alluded to, XC3 was THE single game which I feel helped me better understand the implications of “Wano Syndrome”- more so than any other piece of media I’ve ever experienced. It single-handedly provided me with a revelation that this shortcoming has virtually no negative bearing on how much I will end up enjoying or resonating with a fictional world as a whole.
In a vacuum, XC3’s worldbuilding proved thoroughly lackluster through its absence of meticulously detailed / organized concepts, character backgrounds, and so on. Admittedly, the ambiguity in character writing is where this shortcoming is felt most negatively. But even in spite of this, I can probably count on one hand the number of fictional worlds I’ve found myself more overall enthralled and invested in than XC3’s Aionios: Its fascinatingly unique world concepts, weird approach to continuity and interconnectivity, the sheer quantity and density of its countless compelling plot threads, the worldbuilding which spans more than two dozen unique settlements under two diametrically opposed banners, a mysterious organization of conceptually vague antagonists, the direct political intrigue of Swordmarch City via the Six Houses and their respective Founders, the indirect political intrigue found in the composition of Keves and Agnus’ castle/colony structure, the interlaced threads of narrative and theming found in every seam of the game’s design… I could keep going, but you get the point. It’s irrefutable that just about every aspect of XC3’s world and narrative are criminally undercooked or left out of the spotlight entirely. Yet, in spite of each facet of XC3’s construction falling short of what it theoretically could’ve been, it still manages to be unrelentingly compelling and enthralling from the strength and density of its ideas alone.
Naturally, the first takeaway from exploring this idea of “Wano Syndrome'' would be that narratives which are large in scope and meticulously detailed resonate deeply with ME specifically. Well, yeah, that much is obvious and not particularly helpful in a more broad sense. I’ll often still resonate with art which prioritizes these goals. Even when it definitively fails in living up to the level of thoroughness which it could theoretically have achieved. More importantly, though, I don’t think this is just a result of my own personal taste- rather, it’s more of a baseline truth than one might expect.
Put simply, this shortcoming might not be an inherent negative. Consider the nature of mystique and the ongoing narrative examination which stems from this form of ambiguity. One could reasonably conclude that, by taking “Wano Syndrome” to its logical extreme, an afflicted work’s own shortcoming can paradoxically work in its own favor through this ambiguity rather than against it.
…Still with me? I know that was hella weird and probably the closest I’ll come to incomprehensible rambling. Don’t worry, none of the other chapters are like this. I think.
CHAPTER 8 - HOLDIN OUT FOR A HERO (QUEST)
[Heroes, Ascension Quests, Side Quests]
Although XC3’s major story beats do hit the mark near universally, there are several points where things felt decidedly rushed. Aside from the brevity of Chapters 6 and 7, the one area I felt this most clearly was in the Hero characters’ “Main Story” involvement. The early game especially was the biggest culprit of this. I would’ve been hugely appreciative of Ouroboros getting more time to spend with Ethel. But immediately after her Hero Quest, she fucks off to the Castle and later dies before getting a chance to rejoin. This really minimized her potential for relationship building (especially among the three Agnians, who only knew of her prior through battle rumors). The Kevesi party’s attachment to her did provide some emotional weight to her death scene. But given that most of our time interacting with Ethel is as an antagonist under the influence of Consul K’s iris manipulation, there wasn’t enough time to develop a true emotional attachment to her character in the way our party, particularly Noah, had.
Isurugi’s early game stuff flew by way too quickly as well, and for similar reasons. The iris manipulation poised him as an antagonist for most of his involvement in the “main story”. He is then immediately punted to the sidelines once Consul J reveals himself to be Joran. Not only did this lack of screentime and focus harm Isurugi’s character, but Taion’s by proxy. I do feel Taion’s character eventually got the satisfaction it needed through his Side Story. However, because of Isurugi’s guilt for the role he played in supporting Nami’s dream to see the world, an act which led to her eventual death, he keeps himself out of her new life in the Lost Colony. This does feel appropriate in terms of his character and their history. Unfortunately, though, this doesn’t do him any favors in terms of providing him with the screen time he desperately needed (and deserved, frankly).
This probably would’ve been less egregious if Isurugi’s own ascension quest was more character driven, but it just wasn’t. Well, at least for him specifically, anyway. Don’t get me wrong, I love this quest. It not only does a great job at providing much-needed levity before the bombastic climax against Z, but it highlights the growth of Ouroboros’ quite brilliantly.
Think back to the “clothes changing scene” at Gura Flava when the group first came together as Ouroboros. They feel shame over their newfound knowledge, but do not understand why (this will be more important and expounded upon later on). But in this scene, after having traveled together and in some cases fallen in love (not to mention learning what sex is), they are entirely cognizant of why stripping down would lead them to becoming flustered around one another. On the surface, one could brush this off as tropey fanservice. But as the game bluntly hits you over the face with during the initial bathhouse scene in Chapter 1, that is never the case. This scene, without any dialogue to directly suggest as much, illustrates their growth as a family, their growing romantic bonds, and most importantly, their growing humanity; all of which come full circle in this scene despite its unassuming simplicity.
I know Monolith Soft was probably hesitant to make any more of the side content mandatory, given the fact that the game is already so incredibly long. But I really do wish that heroes were made Mandatory. It might sound like a rather arbitrary thing to suggest, but it would only serve to benefit their corresponding relationships, scenes, and interactions. By not having to account for the players who might not yet have a specific hero in their arsenal, more pre rendered cutscenes and main-story dialogue could’ve incorporated various heroes in order to provide them with more screentime and interactions amongst each other. Think of Rudi’s partnership with Isurugi and Nina, Zeon and Yuzuriha’s (absolutely blessed) bond, Monica and Gray’s mutual trust and respect, Miyabi’s apprenticeship under Manana, and the budding camaraderie between Triton and (his adopted daughter idc) Fiona. These are great, but I would’ve loved to see more relationships in this vein.
Similarly to both Ethel and Isurugi, the sheer number of supporting characters and their respective plot threads lead to quite a few major plot beats getting shafted. Joran is another strong example of this, though I didn’t feel his character was impacted as substantially as the former two. I was invested in Joran’s character arc from the moment of the initial reveal, especially since it formed a compelling and surprisingly sensitive foundation for Lanz’ character arc. But by the time his emotional payoff came to fruition at the Cloudkeep in Chapter 6 (despite being a phenomenal scene in hindsight) it didn’t quite hit as hard since, well… I hadn't seen Joran more than once or twice in the past 75 hours.
Beyond these three, I’d say this applies to Cammunabi (alright he and Ethel kinda get a pass for having literally been dead), Monica, Ghondor, and Ashera to name a few. I'm not saying ALL of these characters needed more, as I thoroughly enjoyed every single one of them. But more scenes of just about any sort- be they dramatic or casual party interactions, anything would’ve been welcome. Hell, I'd even take the Chrono Cross approach of “your chosen party member will say the same sort of generic thing regardless of who it is during cutscenes” cheap shot. Plus, it’s not like they couldn’t throw some flavor text in their given how many fewer party members this game has compared to Chrono Cross. Anyway, the point is that seeing Ethel stand around in the background while the entire game goes on like she isn’t there just… doesn’t sit well with me.
To speak generally about the sidequests in this game for a bit: They’re incomparably better and more interesting than the side quests of prior Xenoblade games. Like holy shit. Here's a completely random example of a XC3 quest premise I've pulled straight out of my ass: Some Swordmarch City Lost Numbers rando wants to propose to his rich gf with a literal rock from a distant island because it's shiny or whatever. So he’s training to swim 10 straight days to reach it. He then asked the resident furby for advice on endurance training, who recommended repeatedly jumping off a 3rd story balcony. Sounds like a hell of an outlier, right? Well, not really, actually. This is one of the most irrelevant and straightforward fetch quests in the whole game. Yet, even something THIS pointless still gets some weirdo shit thrown on top of it to make it genuinely fun and worth your time.
Perhaps my single biggest disappointment in terms of character writing was the lack of proper ascension quests for the dead duo. Er, the dynamic.. defiant… dead… fuck it, Ethel and Cammunabi. To be fair, Cammunabi KINDA got something resembling a substantial conclusion, I guess? But Ethel really didn’t get anything other than a quick cutscene or two. Her revival and maturation should’ve been a HUGE deal, when in reality, it ended up feeling more like a gameplay bonus than a proper story beat.
While it’s certainly a very welcome gameplay bonus, I was a bit let down that her job rank immediately shot to 20 without getting any sort of quest upon rejoining the party. Even if it was just something basic or lighthearted to make up for lost time and catch her up to speed with everything that transpired in her absence. Though, I definitely do concede that looking back and telling her EVERYTHING would be thematically counterproductive. The game constantly pushes a core principle of “never looking back”- a fact which is very consistently upheld through these revivals.
For example, Taion never explains everything to Nami, nor does Isurugi ever come to visit and talk to her for his own satisfaction and resolution. Garvel and his crew DO go back to the original colony eventually, but it’s never strictly to return to their old lives. Miyabi, despite her partial understanding of past events, moves on with her new life by taking on responsibilities as a Lost Number and general member of society within Swordmarch City. Mwamba and Hackt are uh… there, I guess? Kinda, but not really? Can’t say it isn’t in-character for them…
Likewise, Ethel and Cammunabi are committed to using their new lives to look straight ahead to the future. Ethel’s conviction with this goal is particularly compelling. She actively chose to shorten her own lifespan and sacrifice a potentially safe and peaceful life within the City just so she could contribute to the party and look after herself- rather than shackling someone else to do so on her behalf. Again, this conclusion to her arc was INSANELY brief to the point where it’s basically just a footnote. Still though, the substance behind this abrupt conclusion to her character is more than adequate in terms of thematic and emotional weight.
And with that, we can finally move on to the main cast of XC3- Ouroboros. I don’t want to drag this much further, but I will preemptively say that this is easily one of my favorite casts of main characters in any piece of fiction, period. The diversity, the interactions, the growth, Ouroboros has all of it in spades. A huge contributing factor of this is the change in approach to party assembly. Whereas in prior Xenoblade games, you’d slowly assemble a party over the course of most of the main quest, your main party in XC3 is complete about 1% into the game. It might seem anticlimactic, but this massively beneficial towards your growing attachment to them as a set group, it gives each of them time to breathe and be given individual focus, and more.
Not to mention, on the flip side, all six of their character arcs persist throughout the entirety of the game. No more “you got your time to shine, now chill in the back of every cutscene for the last 60 hours” garbage. Each one of them sees gradual growth from beginning to end, never once losing their personal stake in the ongoing narrative. Plus, while getting the entire party at once might appear to have its own set of drawbacks, the Hero system covers its weaknesses beautifully. It allows the party to still “grow” in numbers, and aside from the fact you can’t control them, it does a wonderful job of substituting in for the standard sense of party progression that would have been otherwise lost entirely.
If I had to provide one gripe as to the main cast, it would be their lack of upbringing diversity. I mean, this was inevitable considering the careful deliberation of the world through Moebius’ conspiratorial colony system. The homogenization IS definitely intentional. That said, in comparison to XC2 especially, where characters like Vandham, Morag, and Zeke provided such a dynamic range of experience, maturity, and backgrounds, it’s only natural that this approach would feel a bit flat by comparison. Though the heroes provide a ton of variety, thankfully. Aside from that… I literally have nothing else but the highest praise for Ouroboros. They’re excellent, plain and simple. With that said, let’s tackle them one at a time and get to the heart of why this group is so goddamn special.
(continued in comments lmao)
6 Comments
respect
yea
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How
i disagree
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To be blunt, I do not intend on reading this, but I think it is very impressive and I think it is very cool that someone is this passionate about any game. Absolute respect.
Rola
1 year ago
(CHARACTERS, SECTION 1: Analysis of Noah, the Hero of Xenoblade Chronicles 3)
"Do you think an off-seer... can ever reach others? You know... I thought... our lives were like our music... Always in our hands, under our control... I wasn't facing the truth." -Noah, Chapter 1
A bit of a confession here: I’ve put off talking about Noah, Mio, N, and M until everything else in this essay was completely finished. Not because I don’t have things to say about them, but because I’m not sure that I can do their characters justice on my own. Also, it’s a bit difficult to talk about Mio and ESPECIALLY Noah in a vacuum, since their characters are mostly explored and portrayed as a vessel through which the game’s most important themes and idealistic messages are carried out. There’s definitely SOME stuff I’ll mention regarding characterization. But well, just keep in mind that if my analysis feels incomplete, it’s probably because a huge portion of what defines these two will be scattered throughout the rest of the review. Well, either that or I just proper fucked it, which is a possibility... But with that out of the way, let’s talk about my favorite Xenoblade Chronicles protagonist by a goddamn mile: Noah.
SUBSECTION 1: THE SIGNIFICANCE OF “NOAH”
Before even touching his character, Noah’s name alone holds some pretty huge (arguably even allegorical) significance. Doubly so considering XC3 is the opposite bookend of the narrative journey Tetsuya Takahashi began over a quarter-century ago with Xenogears. The original working title of Xenogears was “Project Noah”, and this title even found its way into the final game as a rather seemingly important plot event (haven’t played yet, so I’ll leave it there lmao). Additionally, the name “Noah” can be viewed as a biblical reference to Noah’s Ark:
"Now the Earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the Earth was filled with violence.
And God saw the Earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the Earth.
And God said to Noah, I'll have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the Earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them with the Earth.”
-Genesis 6:11-13
I won’t pretend I’m particularly well-versed (heh) with biblical shit. But even on the most basic level, there are clear parallels that can be drawn between Noah and the infamous story of Noah’s Ark. First, the Merge can be likened to The Flood, as both were derived from the weakness of humanity. In the case of the Merge, it all came about because of humanity’s refusal to accept true causality following the initial Separation. The two Worlds yearned to return to one another, even though it was in desperate denial of the natural order.
Both instances can be considered indirectly self-inflicted. The Merge resulted from the collective’s dissatisfied (yet entirely subconscious) yearning from both World’s inhabitants. Upon the Merge’s completion, the World’s oppositional archive manifested their respective fears of separating unto an ambiguous and uncontrollable future through Moebius. The Flood was also a result of Man’s collective inclination; just, rather than driven by exclusively subconscious emotion, it was through their physical submission to sin and temptation.
Either way, both stories approach the impending disaster with a similar oppositional effort. Origin creates a database processor which functions via the computational power of Core Crystal resonance within its Agnian substrate. In doing so, they store as much of humanity as possible, including their thoughts and emotions, within the Crystal Database. Much like was the case through reproduction on Noah’s Ark, this database was established in an effort to reboot the Worlds with all of their data intact following the impact, or “Flood”, of the Merge. In a far more basic sense, the Flood of Noah’s Ark as executed by God also served as a “reboot” of life on Earth after the species were rounded up and thus “archived”.
Not exactly the same, I know. But what IS surprisingly similar is the presence of divine intervention within this opposition effort. The instructions of Noah’s Ark were explicitly outlined to Noah by God himself. In XC3, the divine power either lacks the capability to provide explicit instruction or (and less likely imo) rejects their responsibility or duty to guide humanity themselves- leaving humanity to decide their own fate. Instead, this divine force which governs the Xenoblade multiverse establishes a connection between the Worlds as the Merge draws near through the interdimensional vessel of divine Light. Though, whether this “warning connection” was an autonomous effort or a naturally occurring response by the greater multiverse is left unclear. Now, I’ll leave it there, since I have an ENTIRE Chapter in the worldbuilding section dedicated to talking about the role of Light, and another about the Merge. For now, just note that both opposition efforts can be traced back to explicit signaling by proxy of some godlike force or entity.
What makes this parallel even more uncanny, though, is the motivation and implications behind both instances of their divine intervention. God’s intervention broadly served as punishment for the sins of Man. Namely: corruption and violence. These sins are directly reflected through Moebius who freeze time in an effort directly oppositional to their own respective “Flood”; both of which were done with the intent of moving life forward with their sins having been cleansed. How does Z persuade and recruit Moebius to carry out his ideal? Corruption. How does Z propagate the Endless Now, as enforced by those corrupted into becoming Moebius? Violence. Endless violence.
Yet, above all else, the “Noah” of both stories takes the sin of man in stride, pushing forward to carry out that divine will for the greater good. Well, in XC3’s case, this is far more thematically driven, whereas the Noah from Noah’s Ark is kinda just… told to do so by God. Anyway, enough about biblical shit I’m clearly unqualified to talk about, I just thought the parallels were cool.
SUBSECTION 2: CURIOSITY KILLED THE CA- OKAY NEVERMIND NEW TITLE
The trait which most defines Noah and Mio as characters in the early part of XC3 would have to be their curiosity about the World. Perhaps this curiosity is fed by the residual memory or subconscious they possess from past lives (the main example being their fight at Gura Flava- again, we’ll get to it later). Perhaps it’s simply in their nature, or a result of their upbringing as off-seers. This is especially plausible in the case of Noah, given his relationship with Crys.
Compared to the other two groups within Ouroboros, there is a far more tangible thread of commonality found in the early conversations between Noah and Mio. Lanz and Sena obviously have their whole working out thing, but they’re both far too reserved to the point where their commonality is mostly left internalized. Eunie and Taion are even less similar prior to Interlink when Taion is exposed to Eunie’s memory with D. Noah and Mio on the other hand? There’s a blindingly visible through line from the moment they all come together as a group.
To be fair, they were given several extra pushes thanks to their shared role as off-seers, their shared memories in the first Interlink, and Guernica urging them to seek out the mysterious City of Swordmarch at the base of the Mechonis’ Sword. Even considering the upbringing of propaganda they were indoctrinated into, they’d be complete dumbasses not to start questioning every single aspect of their lives which has suddenly come into question without a second of warning. I won’t sit here listing them cuz we already know all that shit. Here are some questions worth positing, though: What makes these two such a compelling pair? What sets them apart? What defines them as characters?
SUBSECTION 3: THE DUTY OF AN OFF-SEER
Noah stands out nearly immediately as a protagonist befitting of the “Warrior Poet” archetype. This alone is noteworthy for a JRPG protagonist, but doubly so for the way it contrasts with the prior two mainline Xenoblade protagonists. From the moment we’re introduced to Noah, he’s a Keves soldier, hardened and experienced. He’s seen countless deaths of both enemy and comrade alike- not to mention a close friend in Joran. Yet, we’re still keyed into the man beneath that warrior’s exterior very quickly. He’s an incredibly kind, vulnerable, yet dutiful off-seer.
This characterization alone is VERY solid and plenty to go off of. But the reason he stands out so goddamn much is because of the way he clashes with the entire rest of the World around him. Despite his combat prowise as an (initially thematically jarring) frontline sword fighter, Noah is defined by his role as the ideal off-seer. His pride and empathy reflect the nature of the role and the person he strives to be, and it shows. Not only does he take pride in the role passed onto him by Crys, but he even goes out of his way to send off Agnian soldiers as well. It’s pretty obviously a deliberate contrast being made here, since we see this quirk of his in the literal opening sequence of XC3. A sequence, mind you, that does everything it can right beforehand to hammer in how indoctrinated these nations are into hating the other unequivocally; To take their lives as the only means to maintain their own.
I mean, remember all that talk about how this opening battle is brutally oppressive because of the way it depicts the futility of the individual soldier's efforts? Even despite the lengths this sequence goes to trivialize their efforts through the hulking Ferronises, it consistently highlights the individual soldier’s hatred and genuine drive to fight. To take down as many opposing soldiers as they can muster for the continued survival of their own respective colonies. But absolutely NONE of this applies to Noah. Noah sends off Keves, Agnus, and even a goddamn Consul in the second Chapter. It’s jarring to the point where his own best friend asks him, “Why are you like this, Noah?”
SUBSECTION 4 - REALLY, THOUGH. WHY IS HE LIKE THIS?
Well, there’s no denying that Noah is mostly like this because… well, he’s Noah. This behavior is simply his natural inclination. However, there is something to be said about his relationship with Crys and the residual memories of N within his subconscious. I suspect that both of these circumstantial variables play a role in the fact that THIS version of Noah was a bit more extreme in his ideology from the start. Then, consider the way his resolve grows through his relationship with Mio, a resolve which culminates following M’s Sacrifice and the confrontation with N in Chapter 6.
This experience is what taught him to continue moving forward by his own merit, rather than falling prey to the corruption of Moebius yet again. How do I know this? Well, there are actually several points across the early game of XC3 where we can see the cracks in Noah’s disposition. The same sort of cracks which, given the right set of circumstances, would have pushed him down a far less desirable road- that is, until Chapters 5 and 6.
SUBSECTION 5: NOAH’S HYPOCRISY, THE STORY BEHIND THE CRACKS
Let’s take a look back anyway, though, since I find the contrast interesting and worthwhile. I’ve already alluded to it once, but… Chapter 2. Noah sends off a Consul for no reason other than his ideology of each life being one and the same- at least in terms of deserving the baseline respect of being sent off. Yet, what happens in Chapter 4 with O&P? Those cracks start to grow, just as they did with N repeatedly overtime as he repeatedly endured the deaths of M. Noah is helpless as both Cammunabi and Ethel, someone he’s long since idolized, kill each other. Does Noah put his emotional stake in this fight aside to send them off? Fuck no. He’s out for blood.
Much like everything tends to be with Xenoblade Chronicles, this reaction is entirely circumstantial. Sure, Ethel dying right before his eyes played a huge part in this. But what happened just before this? His rare fuck-up with Mio. They DID manage to patch things over and became a stronger pair as a result. Also side note but GOD that flute exchange is like the most gorgeously simply scene in the entire game. I really adore how this solidifies the whole “yin and yang” relationship they embody, an Interlink of the heart. But this scene’s probably been analyzed to death so I’ll leave it there. Anyway, the fact they were able to mend things beforehand does not change the fact that at this moment, Noah is hyper-aware of Mio’s mortality and can no longer spare any pleasantries for those he can’t justify as worthy. Not just time-wise, but emotionally. Not to mention, this was amplified by Mio’s frustration having boiled over in the memorable punch and speech immediately beforehand.
When you put all of these circumstantial factors together, I bet the thought of “every life deserving at least a proper sendoff” didn’t even once cross Noah’s mind. It’s subtle, but this is what makes Noah a fucking phenomenal protagonist. He may represent an ideological ideal. He may be kindhearted and empathetic- sometimes to a fault. But he is most certainly not a Mary Sue. He is not boring, he is not simple, and he is NOT predictable. Even putting the reveal of N aside, who obviously changes EVERYTHING, Noah is a shockingly nuanced character. It’s just that the game’s inclination towards “show, don’t tell” sometimes obfuscates this. But, well, that just makes it all the more satisfying when you go back and pick up on this subsurface detail all at once.
And then… there’s Chapter 5. Do I need to say any more? Well, I’ll tell you this much- there sure as hell isn’t any subtlety to Noah’s emotional hypocrisy here. Not that any of us would blame him, especially since we’re the ones getting dragged into the Abyss right alongside him. This is Mio, we’re talking about- His Mio. Well… okay not really but you don’t know that at first and now you get to feel bad about it in a uniquely traumatizing way and god fuck this game holy shit
Okay, but really, let’s switch the focus to Mio before we tread that water.
CHAPTER 10 - MIO: THE HEART OF XENOBLADE CHRONICLES 3
(CHARACTERS, SECTION 2: Analysis of Mio, the Heroine of Xenoblade Chronicles 3)
I hate to beat a dead horse here but I’ll say it again: Mio is a phenomenal character, but just like Noah, talking about her in a vacuum is pretty much impossible. I’ll do my best though.
SUBSECTION 1: THE OBLIGATION OF AN OFF-SEER
I guess the best place to start would be where Mio sets herself apart from Noah directly. As, they might be generally similar characters personality-wise, but there is more than enough here to differentiate them for the sake of a captivating and dynamic character relationship. First of all, while Noah wholeheartedly buys into the DUTY of being an off-seer, Mio views it as a mere obligation.
Not to mention, it’s an obligation she initially held great resentment towards, given that it kept her from doing her duty of fighting on the front lines. It’s only after growing closer to Miyabi through the role that she finds even a modicum of appreciation for it. Yet, considering her survivor’s guilt-tinged complex surrounding Miyabi, this might’ve only served to complicate her feelings on the role she was thrust into inheriting even further. In this respect, we’re introduced to Noah and Mio as polar opposites. Not in terms of personality, as we now know, of course. But at that moment, they didn't.
Noah will fight when necessary, but his true drive lies as an off-seer. Mio will do her off-seer duties when necessary, but her true drive lies as a lead fighter.
But this facade quickly starts to crumble when they’re exposed to one another’s memories during Interlink. It’s here that they realize their backgrounds, thoughts, and motivations aren’t so different after all.
SUBSECTION 2: ONE AND THE SAME
This is good and all, but it’s the fact that we get to physically watch this become more and more widely applicable that truly sells their relationship. From the burning mysteries surrounding their newfound powers and objectives, to the crippling morbidity of Mio’s remaining life. Noah and Mio explore and support each other’s thoughts in a way that I can’t describe as anything other than blindingly beautiful. The way they slowly begin to trust and understand one another more intimately over time. The way Mio slowly learns to appreciate her unique role as off-seer while adopting Noah’s empathetic mentality towards the role and, by proxy, life in general.
Their relationship is never based around infatuation. It’s never forced. It never suddenly jumps in progression by some cliché shoving them against one another. It’s entirely built around genuine human connection. Supporting one another. Exploring each other’s minds. But above all else, simply enjoying each other’s company with the limited time they have left together. Not necessarily doing anything at all, just enjoying the act of being with that person you love.
CHAPTER 11 - MELODIES OF LIFE: CRYS AND MIYABI
(CHARACTERS, SECTION 3: Noah and Mio’s Side Stories)
I know, it’s easy to see Noah and Mio’s presence after Chapter 5 to be… underwhelming? Flat, even? I mean yeah, in terms of outright development… sure? But did they really even NEED to develop any further after such an outright series-defining and legendary sequence? I think they serve exactly the purpose they should’ve. Not every climax needs to be at the very end of the story, after all. M’s Sacrifice was a done deal, and through it, Mio knew what needed to be done in order to change the future. They knew what they needed to do, they’d already been to hell and back together… Noah was broken to the point of literally wanting “time to stand still” above all else. What else even WAS there left to develop them further?
Well, at least together. We still have the Side Stories to get to, though it’s probably gonna be quick. Noah’s mostly suffers from typical Crys’ ambiguity, while Mio’s was most captivating because of the Y lore and Miyabi closure.
Noah’s Side Story suffers from how abrupt Crys’ return and departure are, but it’s… fine? Most of the intrigue lies with Crys history/lore (Crystory?) rather than with him as Consul C. Is he a descendent of Shulk? Are physical appearance and fight alongside Melia in Keves Castle enough to go off in making that assumption? Does this suggest a tie to House Ortiz? What about the mural of Bionis and Mechonis in Keves Castle, which Noah is staring into right before he and Crys speak directly for the first time? Speaking of which, why is this here to begin with?
Not a goddamn clue. Well, he does serve purpose beyond being the lore equivalent of an eye floatie- blurry and impossible to look at head-on. He is the final barrier who actively questions the resolve and motivations of Noah and Ouroboros as a whole. Is the uncontrollable uncertainty that awaits them truly what they want? Not even just the uncertainty of if liberating Origin would incite the New Separation, but what about the future that lies beyond that? Crys’ perception of the Colony 14 Homecoming Ceremony is a pretty effective microcosm of this:
“Do you honestly believe… he was happy to disappear for such trivial reasons? That his smile belied no doubt? To me, he looked ready to cry. Being unable to choose his own end, merely accepting what comes next. There’s no joy in a contrived death, Noah.” -Crys, Chapter 7
Naturally, Crys’ incredulity played a key role in Noah’s outlook on life and the World around him. Especially following Crys suicide march into battle, which followed shortly after. This march was Crys’ true melody, a “send-off” melody he played on behalf of himself. One he was far more content with than the Homecoming he helped orchestrate, and was soon “due for” at Colony 9. It was a “death by design”; a death which provided him with the contentment he sought to “see off” Noah with a smile.
Again, Consul C isn’t exactly presented in the most interesting way in comparison, though his five seconds of screentime before dying is the main culprit behind that. C may have passed on the melody of the off-seer to Noah, but now he asks: Did Crys succeed in passing on this “true melody” as well? Is the collective will of Ouroboros strong enough to EARN a “death by design” on the scale they seek? Or should they instead seek contentment within less ambitious contexts?
This is a completely reasonable thing for Crys to question. The only direct way we’ve seen characters take control over their circumstantial barriers up to this point has been through Moebius: Ichika, Shania, Joran, N, and now Crys. The party, given that they are actively seeking to overcome Moebius, rather than join them, do NOT have the luxury of this path. But as we know, Noah’s resolve does not waver, as it’s only through seeing this path through to its end, regardless of the uncertainty of his success, that he can find his own contentment in the end. The two sides clash, and with their victory, their resolve is confirmed, Crys has heard what he needs to hear. As one last note about this battle, I got chills during my rewatch of the fight upon noticing Crys is the ONLY Consul you fight who retains his name, rather than being called “C” or “Consul C”. Considering that he only joined for the sake of testing Noah’s resolve, seeing his “thought” through to the end, it makes perfect sense. He’s the only Moebius who never once joined because of circumstances relating to the Endless Now and the will of Moebius, but merely as a pragmatic means to an end. To gain the power he needed to test Noah and his entire party- nothing more, nothing less.
As Noah sends him off physically, Crys too “sees off” Noah with a smile, one more time. But this time, he does so with the contentment of Noah’s resolve rather than his own resolve. This smile, when contrasted with his ceaseless internal agony as he plays the same melody, over and over across 1000 years of lifetimes… it really gets across the relief Crys must have felt in seeing Noah’s resolve to end it. As a last thought, in contrast with the Mio/Miyabi Side Story, the off-seer’s melody serves as more of a symbolic vessel specifically for this “true melody”; a measure of one’s resolve, and the path they must use said resolve in following to reach true personal contentment.
Mio’s Side Story doesn’t exactly have as big of implications regarding the main narrative as Noah’s does, but there’s still plenty to dig into here. Speaking just in terms of its importance to Mio’s character, rather than the Consul Y and maturation shit, this story serves twofold: To give Mio closure by giving HER the chance to save Miyabi this time. But also, it serves as the completion of Mio’s arc as an off-seer, as discussed earlier. From resentment, to appreciation, to NOW holding true understanding of the “power” this role holds.
This “power” does not just refer to the physical power of the melody, which sends off those who are dependent on the off-seer to do so. It’s also communicated through the emotion imbued within that very melody. The expression it allows for the off-seer, as well as the impact it can leave on the listener. In Mio’s case, the weight of her melody carries on not just the will of Miyabi, who first opened her eyes to its power. But Noah (even Crys by proxy) as well, who walked with her every step of the way leading to this moment. It really aint that deep, but the parallels between these two and Noah/Crys carrying on what they inherited and using it during the narrative climax of these Side Stories works well enough. Perhaps not super impressive on their own, but when put side-by-side, I actually really like the approach taken through these Side Stories.
“This world… It's filled with nothing but tragedy and hardship for us. But now, after coming here, that feels like a distant dream. That’s right, you’ve always kept my wishes in your heart, haven’t you [Mio and Sena]? That’s why you brought me here, right? Well… Because we’re alive, we get to see these sights. Thank you.” -Miyabi, Chapter 7
Lastly, I’d like to praise Miyabi’s Ascension Quest for the way it steers her character arc in a way that feels fresh, but remains entirely consistent with what it was prior to coming to the City. Outside of just being heart wrenchingly cute and wholesome, Miyabi’s role in the City cooking contest shows her implementing what she learned as an off-seer in a completely new art- cooking. Just like with off-seeing, the power of her cooking went beyond just the taste, as she imbued her feelings of love, gratitude, and appreciation for the community that welcomed her within her dish. She creates a dish that is reminiscent of home- in doing so, is able to communicate her feelings that the City IS her home now. Lastly, it’s through this meal, so thoroughly saturated in her feelings, that Miyabi wished to thank Mio and Sena with something tangible. Not just for saving her from Colony Omega and Consul Y, but for keeping her in their hearts throughout their whole journey.
It’s through this multifaceted emotion that an otherwise ordinary dish is able to communicate the sincerity of her appreciation. Not just to Mio and Sena, but to the judges and everyone of Swordmarch City by proxy. Appreciation for Mio bringing her there, for everything the City did to welcome her, and even for the residents helping provide her with the ingredients she needed for her dish. When you consider that the cooking contest is a City tradition, for Miyabi to participate in it herself symbolizes her truly becoming one of them. It’s a rather simple and understated bit of character development, but it’s an extremely sweet and fitting conclusion to Miyabi’s arc nonetheless.
I guess I’ll leave it there for now, but Noah and Mio especially will continue to be relevant throughout this analysis, naturally. So if you want more about them, stick around. Oh, and, uh… Same, Mio. Same.
CHAPTER 12 - N and M: A FORGOTTEN LOVE, A LINGERING SOLACE
(CHARACTERS, SECTION 4: Analysis of Consul N, M, Mio, and “Survival vs Life”)
“You feel the anguish? Crippling despair? That is the hubris. Of fools who cling blindly to their hopes... only to find them dashed on the rocks. Of dreamers, crushed under the sheer weight of reality. Of abject failures." -N, Chapter 5
Let’s now shift the focus to N. Consul N, the “Golden Consul” of Moebius. In other words, the “Golden Standard” for Z. Not just in the sense that Z pursued N extra hard because of his inexplicable ability to persist beyond a “Golden Death”- more on that later. But N is also the “Golden Standard” for pursuing and enforcing the Endless Now as a whole. Not just through the ideal he’s sacrificed everything in exchange for, but due to his wielding of the Sword of the End (albeit as a Blade projection). Just like how Noah’s real Sword of the End is used to channel the positive thoughts of the Origin conglomerate into power, N does the same with the negative thoughts. What does that mean exactly? Again… more on that later.
Also, this is completely inconsequential to the rest of my points, but as an outsider to Xenogears and Xenosaga, the motifs and parallels there are so intriguing to me. The red X across his chest reflecting the X in the Xenogears logo. The Sword of Origin also being called the Sword of the End (Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End). Not to mention the Zohar imagery through Moebius. That shit is sick. Anyway, continuity or not, N is an all-timer and perhaps my favorite character to ever exist within the “tragically evil yet deliciously angsty swordboi twink malewife” archetype. Like… God, I think the ultimate tragedy of XC3 might be that this game didn’t come out in the mid 2000s and so I couldn’t relish an ocean of My Chemical Romance N&M AMVs and emo/scene Blingee gifs. True pain.
Anyway, let’s get serious because oh MAN does N deserve a serious moment in the spotlight. I mentioned earlier that I think Z is a far cry from Malos and Egil as an antagonist. But I didn’t even necessarily mean he was worse, just… Clearly a way different approached villain. N on the other hand? He single-handedly sweeps every villain in Xenoblade Chronicles history, if you ask me. Easily one of my favorite and most thematically poignant in all of fiction.
If you were to ask what the most important factor is which separates Noah from N. The factor which allowed Noah to succeed while N’s time as Ouroboros ended in failure within Origin. It would have to be their ideological dichotomy regarding Mio’s continued “existence”; their perception of her “survival”. N could only ever acknowledge M’s survival through her physicality- if she dies, she’s gone. After all, how could he think differently after losing the most important person in his life over and over? Now, he’s obviously not wrong in literal terms. But what sets Noah apart is his ability to accept, if not outright conform to, a morbid and terrifyingly ambiguous reality solely for the greater good. Even though it may result in him losing the single most important person in his life, Noah makes use of his support system to turn him back onto the path of which they walked together. Mio might be gone, but her memory, her impact, and the goal they pursued together remains intact and unchanged.
Were Noah to sacrifice everything the group had built just to retain her physicality, it would (and obviously did, as represented by the crossroads) push them down an entirely new path. Instead, Noah harnesses the inner strength he found during their time together, to carry on his will and her will alike. THIS is how Mio wanted to live, upon accepting the reality this crossroads would demand. To persist through her impact and resolve alone. It’s totally understandable for N to have made the mistake he did. After all, his mentality of wanting to continue to walk together by literally walking together, makes sense on the surface. But it’s clear that, for Noah to truly continue down the path together with Mio, he would’ve had to accept the reality; to pick a path where he’d be forced to walk alone. Well, even if it appeared to be a path to walk alone on the surface, he had Mio’s desire, impact, and most importantly, her APPROVAL walking alongside him.
I won’t dwell on N’s excellent characterization and subversion, since that’s something that can be found in pretty much any discussion about him, and this shit is already more than long enough. Plus, I bring up him and M a bunch more times beyond this chapter. That said, I’ll still touch on a few of the more unique points I have about the two. As one final point on N, let’s look at Chapter 5. N throwing Ouroboros in jail is painfully poignant for obvious reasons, particularly because of the implications of their hope slowly being drained before their eyes. I think N’s intention with this scene (whether subconscious or otherwise) was to try and make the party feel his own personal pain. The regret, the helpless, the slow but agonizing rot of ceaseless stagnation with no way out. The exact pain he’s felt for over 1,000 years. An all-encompassing pain- psychological of course, but so overwhelmingly so that Noah begins to bleed out this pain with his physical pain. His resistance though, as we know, amounts to little more than bloody knuckles.
Now, let’s move to focusing on M. What I find interesting about N and M is that, unlike Noah and Mio who share SUCH all-encompassing ideological commonality, this could not be further from the truth with N and M. At least, after N makes his decision on both of their behalves. This might also be true to an extent pre-Moebius, but we aren’t given a ton of specifics on their personalities at the time. But considering that off-seeing wasn’t a thing back before they were Moebius, I think this is safe to assume. After all, Noah and Mio’s shared bond as off-seers was one of the sparks and vessels through which their love and changing outlook on the World were given room to blossom.
Anyway, while N is described as the game’s symbolic embodiment of regret, M can be considered the game’s symbolic embodiment of solace. Despite the fact that she fundamentally disagrees with N’s choice, doubly so since he made it without consulting her whatsoever, M still maintains solace in what will persist in her wake. Physically, this culminates in the birth of their child, of course. But even beyond that, she later finds peace and contentment in the future she leaves behind to Mio and the party. Even despite the endless psychological torment she faced- in what essentially amounts to a monster in the skin of the man she once loved. The events of Chapter 5 was enough to confirm her resolve and entrust the future; the intentions they once fought for themselves, to the new Ouroboros.
“These feelings that grew within me... They're thanks to you. That's why you're not allowed to say it's been for nothing. You've enriched my life, Noah. That's clear now. You know, I don't want this to be it. If I were given the chance. If this road I've walked were to keep on going; I'd like to spend that time...with my Noah.” -M, Chapter 5
This quote from M, during the Castle Prison Sequence of XC3, is what I would consider the most human piece of dialogue in all of Xenoblade Chronicles. Despite her resolve and sanity persisting for over 1000 years alongside the shell that is N, we still see M waver. Well, maybe waver isn’t the right word but… We’re still given a window into M’s less valiant side. M’s personal/emotional angle made her wish for a future where this wasn’t the ending that had to be written. N may be the one to embody regret, but M still laments and grieves the downfall of the man she loved, the one who shaped her into the person she became.
In a roundabout sort of way, N was the one who paved the way for M’s resolve. Because of that, M wishes there was some way Her Noah could’ve been there to see this for himself. Perhaps even that they could have succeeded as Ouroboros together. But even in spite of this longing and grief, M does not let it distract her from reality. Keep in mind: She carried this shit on her back for 1000 years. If she wasn’t already the most commendable character in the game before, she sure as hell is now.
Next, I’d like to draw attention to what I consider the crux of M’s inner turmoil. It’s a fairly common motif for tragedy, and for good reason- it works. Off the top of my head, I can think of it being used to great effect through Freya of Final Fantasy IX and Maya Amano of Persona 2. Different circumstances, but all three of these characters embody this tragedy in a similar light. As we know, M’s despair goes beyond the price of N’s Sacrifice being far too high for her to have approved of it. It’s because such an act goes completely against their love, the thing that was their very REASON to live. And to what end? To “live”. More accurately, purely for the sake of superficial survival to spare his own fear and grief.
N might have succeeded in preventing her “death”, but facilitated something far worse in doing so. M’s memory, her legacy, AND the meaning behind their love… ALL of them were forgotten. Although they lived on through M’s resolve to eventually pass them on when the opportunity presented itself, they were all as good as dead. N’s sacrifice might have been a measured and deliberate act which killed countless people important to both of them. However, Her Noah, as well as His Mio, the heart and soul of what they lived for, were BOTH forgotten in the process. The very things which N sought to protect, and thus inspired the sacrifice to begin with, killed in the crossfire. N’s sacrifice is the very definition of tragic irony.
The poetry of N’s Sacrifice goes beyond this, though. Consider that this coincides with their transformation to Moebius. Noah and Mio shed their identity, free will, and hope in order to become N and M. From unique, individual names, to just another letter, another cog in the wheel that is the Endless Now. N forfeiting his name is obvious, since he willingly and knowingly sacrificed everything for M’s sake. He became a shell of who he once was, so for his name to only be an artificial fragment of the individuality it once held is incredibly fitting. This begs the question, though: Why is this worth mentioning, when the same could be said for EVERY Consul? Well, it’s because of the unique circumstances around its application to M.
So clearly N is a shell of who he was as Noah, more than earning the loss of individuality reflected through his new name. But M on the other hand? She’s still the exact same person inside. So why does the M name work so well for her within this logic too? Well, it’s because of the “forgotten” nature of her new body, which I emphasized previously. M is PERCEIVED as a shell of what she once was, despite being the same person internally. Everything that made M “His Mio” is trapped within the ideologically homogenized husk granted to her by Moebius. And the worst part of all: N is left completely oblivious to the pain she’s internalized throughout their ideological stasis. After all, how COULD he understand? M might be “His Mio”, but N is most certainly not “Her Noah”. Well, at least until Noah redeems him within Origin.
I know ending it here is a bit unceremonious, but don’t worry, I still have an entire chapter later on centered around N and M. Again, it’s kinda difficult for me to talk about their characters in a vacuum. After all, at their core, they can be viewed as an allegory for the entire Merge/Separation background which drives XC3’s narrative to begin with. Not to say that’s ALL they are, certainly not. But yeah, we’ll get to that in the Worldbuilding section later on.
If you’d rather just read it now, go ahead, though I’d recommend against it. I think it’s best inserted there, as their importance is rather abstract and almost exclusively symbolic within that context. Their allegorical purpose does gain significance AFTER having analyzed the physical properties of the Merge and divine force (i.e. the Black Fog, the Annihilation Event, Divine Intervention, and Light).
You can even set aside the fact that we know almost nothing specific about the aforementioned divine force- is it a God? A naturally occurring force of the multiverse? Both? Neither? Any way you look at it, we’re analyzing one of the most INHUMAN things imaginable. N and M on the other hand, are two of the most HUMAN characters in Xenoblade. Not to mention, we know just about everything about both of them during their time as Moebius. Because of this contrast, they’re best read together- so just bear with me if you can. Or skip ahead anyway, up to you dawg.
As a final send-off, I’d like you to think back one last time to that hanging thread of M’s persisting humanity we saw in the Castle Prison conversation with Noah. About her putting aside her resolute ideal for even a second. Again, we’re given a brief look into the grief, the longing, and even the regret for a better outcome- all of which she carried for 1000 years. Well, thankfully, we did get a surprisingly heartfelt resolution to this whole “wishing Her Noah could be there to see it / wishing they could achieve it together” thing. They kind of do get this in the end. Appropriately, this is only made possible BECAUSE of the fact she entrusted her own body to Mio. Noah does manage to change N’s perspective, but it’s accomplished in large part because he sees M speaking through Mio, and so the party manages to get through to him.
Considering what M went through for this to happen, it feels incredibly earned. Then, after the final battle, the two sacrifice themselves together, entrusting that future to those who will persist in their wake- just as M did alone in Chapter 5. Considering what N and M both went through, together and separately, for them to get just a single moment like this. A moment where they can approve of one another’s decisions in tandem AND manage to play a direct part in the defeat of Moebius like they always wanted to… Again, it felt SO incredibly earned. M deserved a moment to share that solace she harbored alone that whole time, in one last moment, with Her Noah. This resolution is easily among the most cathartic and emotionally charged scenes in any story I’ve ever seen.
I love N and M as characters with all my heart. They are unbelievable characters who even manage to mirror the current Noah and Mio in terms of emotional poignancy with a fraction of the screentime. With that said, we still have four Ouroboros dorks to cover, so let's get to that now.
CHAPTER 13 - EUNIE AND TAION: FOURTH PLACE ISN’T SO BAD AFTER ALL
(CHARACTERS, SECTION 5: Analysis of Eunie, Taion, Ashera, Nami, and Isurugi)
“Both of our lives… They don’t just belong to us, you know?” -Eunie, Chapter 4
“If Nami’s life is represented by her dreams, then in remembering them, I carry her life with me. Perhaps now… I can give a purpose to my own life. She’d live on if I were to pass her dreams onto others, right?” - Taion, Chapter 2
Next, let’s talk about Eunie and Taion. I’ve decided to group these two into one chapter, unlike the other Ouroboros members. Not because I don’t love them or find them deserving of individual focus. But I just don’t have quite as much of interest to say about them as I did the others. Also for the sake of my own sanity considering how brutally long this essay has already gotten. Thankfully, though, something tells me these lovebirds (uh, lovebird and love…blade?) won’t mind being grouped together.
There are quite a few pairings across XC3, romantic or otherwise. Yet, none of them reflect the inherently endearing and thematically appropriate “opposites attract” archetype better than Eunie and Taion. Even beyond their own relationship, their mismatching dynamic also serves to contrast nicely with the other romantic Ouroboros pairing of Noah and Mio, of whom share far more external commonality.
Even aside from their contrasting personalities, Eunie and Taion also benefit from being far and away the pair most suitable for moment-to-moment entertainment. After all, Noah and Mio carry the emotional and thematic crux of the entire game’s narrative on their backs. Which, admittedly, hinders them from being accentuated during the game’s more humble and lighthearted moments during its second half. Not that I find this too detrimental, as it works in the context of their characters fairly well. However, were it not for Eunie and Taion, this would’ve been way more problematic. It would’ve seriously hindered the game’s ability to maintain an appropriately modest sense of levity in-between the more dramatic plot beats, and so their presence is greatly appreciated in that context.
This isn’t to say Eunie and Taion’s relationship doesn’t have its fair share of emotional weight. The scene which immediately comes to mind is Taion offering Eunie his homemade herbal tea after seeing her distressed upon finding one of her old husks. Taion doesn’t pry into whatever it is she’s trying to internalize, he instead just brings her a warm cup of tea to calm her nerves and quell the tremors. It may be simple, but it’s such a quiet and human scene. It was actually one of the first moments in the games to bring me to tears. Its weight definitely caught me off guard, probably because Eunie was such a predominantly lighthearted character prior to discovering the husk. I’d imagine the mysterious intensity of the revelation, when contrasted with the quiet intimacy of their wordless exchange, played a key role in its powerful emotional delivery.
SUBSECTION 1: DA BUS
Unlike the other five members of Ouroboros, I’d classify the bulk of Eunie’s value as a character to her entertainment value- rather than narrative depth or development. I don’t say this negatively, mind you. Eunie does absolutely still have depth and relevance. Her characterization spans several unique plot threads- her gradual romantic connection to Taion, the contrast of her journey towards (past) self-discovery while moving towards the future, and her pursuit of the truth through continuing to fight alongside her newfound family. Again, though, it’s more that her role of providing levity is just so utterly invaluable to the game’s tonal balance that this is inevitably where she shines the brightest. Hell, I’d even outright consider her the single most charming and entertaining character in all of Xenoblade.
As for Eunie’s Side Story, it’s certainly compelling, though I was mostly interested in its worldbuilding ramifications surrounding the colony ranks, as opposed to Eunie’s personal involvement. That’s not to say it was necessarily lacking, though. I appreciate her insistent drive to help Colony 5 while seeking out the truth (and any potential connecting thread) regarding her own previous Gold Rank colony in the process. Her confrontation with Consul X was also impressive. The way Eunie’s fear and frustration that’d been boiling inside of her since finding her old husk finally spills over all at once, similarly to Mio’s speech in Chapter 4, was fairly cathartic.
Ashera’s Ascension Quest, on the other hand, felt decidedly more substantial for Eunie’s character growth. It likewise had its own unique worldbuilding ramifications, namely in detailing the executions, which predated Crys and M’s creation of the Homecoming ritual. However, Ashera’s condemnation of dying an unceremonious death at the hands of Consul R does wonders to parallel Eunie’s previously established death at the hands of Consul D. But unlike Eunie, Ashera’s physical trauma manifests on her current body in the form of a neck scar. Not to mention, it slowly grows in severity to the point where Ashera fear’s she’ll lose her sanity altogether before reaching her tenth term.
This revelation gives Eunie something entirely new to live for: To give her friend (and herself in the process) a dignified, meaningful death at the hands of someone she loves and respects. More importantly, though, this forces Ashera to continue living until that inevitable moment comes naturally, rather than inducing it herself out of fear. Sounds pretty similar to someone helping quell the suicidal tendencies of a loved one, no? This is obviously a super touchy subject, and to believably alleviate that urge is no small feat. But Eunie manages it with impressive tact and sensitivity.
It’s through Eunie’s help and newfound resolve that Ashera comes to realize the true value of her own life. It goes beyond herself- onto Eunie and her comrades in Colony 11. By proxy, Eunie’s life also goes beyond herself- onto Taion, Ashera, Gray, Monica, and the rest of Ouroboros. Lastly, though this may be reaching a bit, Eunie also might’ve been signifying that they should live for the sake of their past lives, as well. To carve out a new and better path through these aforementioned friends and allies- allies those prior iterations weren’t born into circumstances fortunate enough to have.
SUBSECTION 2: WHERE DO I WORK OUT? THE LIBRARY
Taion’s character, on the other hand, is more defined by insecurity and survivor’s guilt than anything else. This may seem rather redundant when compared to Lanz (even Mio with Miyabi), who was also inflicted with survivor’s guilt upon Joran’s sacrifice. After all, it’s a rather simple change in approach, from physical strength to mental strength. However, the methodology behind this approach to character motivation ends up changing the two characters’ trajectories quite a bit. Ironically though, despite initially butting heads, this change in character trajectory actually pushes Lanz and Taion to slowly become more and more alike as their own personal resolutions draw to a close.
Taion’s Side Story also ignites some fascinating possibilities in regard to Aionios’ worldbuilding. I’ll quickly go over it here since, frankly, the concepts it explores were a bit too abstract to figure out on my own and I couldn’t find almost anyone else talking about this online. So… it can’t exactly go in the worldbuilding chapter since I can’t do much more than call attention to the concepts. In short, it’s here we are introduced to the ruined (yet untended by Moebius) Castle within the Lost Colony, the cradle rebirth procedure, its automatically regenerative nature, and the qualifications (namely the lack thereof) to initiate an inhabitant’s new life; a fact stated prior to being confirmed with the Nopon who accidentally initiated Ethel’s rebirth in the City warehouse.
Beyond this, we’re given some fairly interesting parallels between TaIon and Isurugi. We’ve known for a while now that Taion harbors guilt over surviving in place of Nami. In his eyes, it's because of his own recklessness in planning that Nami’s hand was forced in sacrificing herself to begin with. However, with origins predating this incident, Isurugi also harbors blame for having taken Nami back to Colony Lamda in the first place. In the end, Taion does convince the reborn Nami to stay in the Lost Colony where she’s safe, despite her ambitions to see the world remaining unchanged in her new body. I felt like this was a rather questionable conclusion upon first viewing the scene. You’d think she’s better off doing what she loves, even at the risk of death. It certainly beats out sheltering Nami against her wishes, no? Well, you need to keep into account that Taion’s actions hold ramifications for not just his own guilt, but Isurugi’s guilt as well.
Not to mention, Taion is taking the naïveté of this younger Nami into account with such a decision… Something we’re keyed into by her obliviousness when she believes Taion’s thinly-veiled lie that he’s so big-brained and 500IQ that he could predict her name with no hints. As if that’s a thing. AND as if he didn’t just literally blow it by first saying it was because of her dog tag (mind-blowing spoiler alert: There was no dog tag). All this considered, Taion made a judgement call that she simply wasn’t ready to go out and see the world in such a naive state… I think it makes perfect sense.
Ultimately, Taion convinces Nami to stay in the Lost Colony under the pretense of doing so in order to help protect it as a place of refuge for Ouroboros in the interim. I say interim because, to me at least, it seems as though this is only a temporary measure. Nami might well only need to stay until she matures, growing strong enough to face the world once again. The reason I say this is because, not only does Taion allow her to observe their ambush rather than sheltering her within the colony until the fighting ends, giving her experience she wouldn’t need if he planned to hide her there forever. But he even goes on to tell her that he’d like her to meet Isurugi again some day. I know he uses careful phrasing to suggest this would only be after the fall of Moebius, but again, I think this is more of a protective front Taion puts up to make sure she stays right where she is in the short-term.
Lastly, as a more thematically concrete point, the most satisfying moment of Taion’s Side Story had to have been the ambush. Taion found himself in a prime position, not just to protect Nami’s life, but to do so using the very same tactical mind which he believes cost Nami her life the last time around. Not only is it inherently satisfying to outsmart the more cartoonishly egotistical consuls like Consul V. But Taion is given a prime opportunity to redeem himself in his own mind. To prove how far he’s come as the very tactician Nami placed her trust in. Not to mention, to find closure with her prior sacrifice all at the same time… it was a phenomenal way to cap off an already strong Side Story.
SUBSECTION 3: THEY’RE JUST REALLY CUTE TOGETHER, OKAY
Steering back towards Eunie and Taion’s relationship, this Side Story also provides a key moment in their development. Although there can be some narrative conflict depending on what order you do Eunie and Taion’s Side Stories, it’s shown here that Eunie explains her dog tag from the Old Kana Battlefield to Taion before doing so to the others. It might be in part because he’s seen glimpses of it during interlink, but it’s predominantly because they're closer to each other than they are with the others, of course. So, over the course of this one Side Story, Taion not only gains new resolve to watch over and protect the reborn Nami, but this reborn Eunie as well; To make absolutely sure that things will play out differently for both of them this time around, in thanks to his refined tactical planning.
Before wrapping up on Eunie and Taion, I’d like to address an unrelated moment which I felt was very memorable for his character. The fact that the normally stoic and logic-driven Taion is the one who becomes overwhelmed with enthusiasm at seeing the newborn baby in Chapter 5 speaks volumes. It speaks to his drive and passion for supporting future generations. To make the most of the life Nami entrusted him with. To become a tactician skilled enough to help others in the way only he is capable of providing… Taion’s kindness, drive, and humanity are absolutely palpable at this moment. Plus, man, it’s just like… really fuckin cute. Taion would definitely be a great dad. What about babies? Got any babies?
It’s only natural we wrap up this chapter by paying appreciation to Eunie and Taion’s final goodbye. Taion’s stoic exterior is yet again melted away by his heartwarming consideration. He packages a recipe book with his signature herbal tea recipe as a gift just for Eunie. In order to ensure its survival through the separation of worlds, he even made sure to do so using Bionis-native paper, ink, and ingredients.
I know the significance of Eunie’s “fourth-best friend” line is well documented by this point, given her love for Fourtune clovers, so I won’t dwell on it. But it’s still way too sweet a moment not to mention. In short, their relationship, nor their character growth, might not be as flashy as Noah and Mio. Even so, Eunie and Taion are an incredibly well-executed pairing. They give one another space, they give support to one another when needed, and through it all, they still manage to get plenty of lovable teasing in even after their romantic chemistry begins to blossom.
CHAPTER 14 - LANZ: MAKING THE MOST OF TRAUMA-INFORMED RESPONSIBILITY
(CHARACTERS, SECTION 6: Analysis of Lanz, Garvel, Joran, and Lanz’ Side Story)
“If we’re weak… there’s room to grow.” -Lanz, Chapter 5
As much as I loved Lanz’ presence in Ouroboros, I wasn’t expecting to have too much to say about him. He’s predominantly defined as a typical air headed brute, teddy bear, and the resident himbo of the gang. However, the areas of Lanz’ character I found most compelling fall comfortably outside these descriptors. Namely, his emotional sensitivity, his unique resolution to previously defining survivor’s guilt, and his altruistic outlook on his own self-imposed responsibility.
You might not assume as much from how simple-minded he’s initially portrayed to be, but Lanz is a surprisingly sensitive and compassionate character. This can be seen in his very first interactions with Ouroboros. Lanz is the skeptic among the Kevesi trio, stating that he doesn’t trust some group of Agnians enough to be transparent with them, even if the circumstances dictate them working together. However, we come to find out later on that what was really holding him back from opening up was his initial shyness and emotional opacity. Additionally, Lanz finds solace in his physical strength, which gives him the agency to protect the people he cares about. However, he’s repeatedly shown to sympathize with those who struggle to do the same.
Given that Lanz IS someone physically capable of protecting others, unlike Taion, a defining juncture in Lanz’ character arc is when he comes to recognize this as his purpose. Likewise, his acceptance of this role is another key moment, but we’ll get to that shortly. A useful gauge of this recognition can be found in Lanz’ Side Story, in his conversation with Zach, the Swordmarch City street performer.
Zach’s role is as a street performer. He juggles and entertains the inhabitants of the militarized and politically-driven steel dystopia. Given that Lanz has never seen someone carry out a role of this sort, he calls Zach out for messing around when he should be training. Zach quickly counters, saying that the Lost Numbers operate on a volunteer basis. More importantly though, he explains that their ranks are brimming with soldiers, since that is the SINGLE job which best provides you with the approval of others. Upon hearing this, Lanz backs down entirely. It’s here that Lanz takes Zach’s sentiment to heart: One’s role and contributions can have equal merit regardless of strength- regardless of where their talents, passions and ambition lie. As such, one’s life is best spent filling the role THEY want to fill, rather than as a means to conform to societal norms or as an obligation to those around them.
This argument doesn’t change Lanz’ own drive, since he’s already doing what he wants. But considering the fact that his best friend was Joran, an artist at heart who was roped into struggling in a pointless war he wanted nothing to do with… This sentiment resonated with and frustrated Lanz deeply. After hearing that many of the Lost Numbers deliberately sign up for that same life of war of their own accord- the same life which entrapped Joran, just for the sake of earning approval... Lanz starts to question their motives entirely. Lanz even acts contentiously towards one soldier who shows clear admiration for Ouroboros and strives to make an impact like they have. Not because he did something wrong, but simply due to catching Lanz at the wrong time.
Despite Garvel’s reappearance in the story being brief, I think he was pretty effective as an ideological contrast to Lanz. Because of Consul H’s propaganda regarding her green Flame Clock, Garvel’s belief that only the strongest are deserving of life was inflated to its absolute extreme. He insists that Ouroboros proceeds with murdering his own comrades in order to take in their lives’ flame. Now, given Lanz’ history with Joran (and budding relationship with Zach), it should already be clear that Lanz believes the polar opposite. The strong can survive, but rather than at the expense of the weak, it should be to protect them. To nurture the physically weak, so that they have the safety and freedom to contribute with whatever it is they have to offer; whatever it is they live for. Whether it involves art, entertainment, medicine, etc. That is what Lanz seeks to protect, and admirably, takes personal responsibility in doing so.
“Maybe… It has to start with me.” -Lanz, Chapter 5
Survivor’s Guilt plays a big role in Lanz’ personality and development. That is made clear not just from his external regret, but also by his ideological opposition to Garvel. Survivor’s Guilt is what drove Lanz to protect and nurture the physically weak, to live the life of passion they want. He sought to provide others what he failed to provide his best friend, Joran. As mentioned prior, Lanz finds comfort in his physical strength, as that’s what he feels is most important in order to achieve this. As such, it would make sense that he’s always motivated, constantly pushing himself to train and push his own strength as far as he can take it.
We’ll get into the specifics of Joran’s character later, as I probably have even more to say about him than I do about Lanz. But looking back to their defining flashback, where Joran pushes Lanz to safety, Lanz’ budding strength was futile at that moment. His guilt, his helplessness, his regret- that is what defines Lanz’ motivation as a character moving forward. At least until the two get proper closure at the Cloudkeep in Chapter 6.
Despite the fact that Lanz is driven by desire to protect the happiness and safety of others, particularly those who cannot do so for themselves, it’s never at his own expense. This is what I find particularly commendable and impressive about Lanz’ character: his selflessness. What Lanz sets out to achieve may seem like an unnecessary sacrifice of his own life in response to Joran sacrificing himself for his. And, well, this traumatic event may have set Lanz on a path he otherwise might not have taken per se. That said, it doesn’t change the fact that Lanz has taken on this role of protector because he genuinely wants to. This role is something he can provide for the betterment of others. But perhaps more importantly, it’s a role he can assume for the betterment of himself. It’s a role that always holds the potential for self-improvement, all the while, providing satisfaction in having made a difference for those who need his help.
I think his affinity with Zach is what allows Lanz to truly realize this for himself. Everyone has their own unique drive, their own role which grants them personal fulfillment. It just so happens that Lanz’ path of “sacrifice” was the exact role he feels the happiest in performing. Living a fulfilling life as an artist might not be possible for Joran. But Lanz finds solace in knowing there are still countless people out there just like Joran and Zach who still can in Joran’s wake. And so, he’ll happily do what he can to protect that truth with his own two hands.
Lanz is a phenomenal character with some seriously tangible growth over the course of XC3. His Side Story might not be the flashiest, since Garvel is kinda whatever in terms of narrative presence and overall importance. Built as a foil, though, Gravel does a tremendous job capturing the essence of Lanz’ character by pushing his resolve to its peak. Hell, this quest even draws Lanz’ character into the broader thematic strokes of XC3, despite them being otherwise decidedly separate. In the beginning of the quest, Lanz talks about how things were so much easier before he was given the choice to think for himself. Back when his physical strength was all that mattered. On the surface, this contrast shows Lanz’ growth in holding his mental strength in equally high regard; all the while, recontextualizing his physical strength as a supporting gauntlet he CHOSE to wield, rather than just a means of emotional repression and compensation. This does a fantastic job at drawing a parallel to the Endless Now: Lanz breaks free from his own metaphorical Endless Now through his drive to support the friends and comrades he cares about by ending the LITERAL Endless Now. It’s a fantastic marriage of Lanz’ growth as a person AND Ouroboros’ growth as a group.
Also, he’s just kinda… yeah.
CHAPTER 15 - SENA: CHARACTERIZATION THROUGH CONTRAST
(CHARACTERS, SECTION 7: Analysis of Sena, Nagiri, and the Power of Complementary Character Writing)
"So that's the way you see me, huh? A loner. I was hoping more... 'Plucky heroine girl' or, 'one-track musclehead'! That's more what I kinda shoot for…” “...Oh no you don't. I think you're just being nosy! I'm fine! Really. Don't worry about me." -Sena, Chapter 4
Sena is an absolutely fascinating character to break down, albeit probably the most difficult of the main six to do so thoroughly. I’ll be discussing her further in the next chapter, but I’ll quickly give her the more spotlighted focus she deserves (but probably doesn’t want). From a personal standpoint, Sena is tied for my favorite of the game’s six main protagonists alongside Noah (shut up, you can’t make me choose). Her character is fascinating in the sense that it is aggressively internalized. Like, she is such an internal character that EVERY single point of her characterization can be categorized as “complementary” to someone else’s character.
In other words, we would never hear a peep about what makes Sena special if it weren’t because of outside forces and circumstances. Whether it be through contrast, similarity, parallels, or thematic foils, Sena’s character is both accessed and defined by through the people around her. If Sena does anything to set herself apart or characterize herself in any substantial way, you can almost guarantee it will have been in direct response to, or contrast with, some other character.
Sena is, from our first chronological exposure to her character, deeply insecure and highly dependent on others. She does not trust her own judgment and will leave a decision to the discretion of others at any given opportunity. It takes her quite a while to fully set aside her own feelings of self-doubt and inferiority. The reason we know this is because of her contrast with (and admiration of) Mio. Even as far as Chapter 5, we see that Sena is still unhealthily skeptical of her own thoughts and voice as an individual. When asked by another character (who? they’re not important dw) if she’s a friend of Mio’s, she instead falls back on referring to Mio as “her role model”. Obviously, Sena would in fact consider Mio one of her absolute best friends, and vice-versa. Yet, she has such little faith in her own voice that to even declare something as rudimentary as being “Mio’s friend” on her behalf proves to be too much to ask of Sena.
This, (frankly painful to watch) behavior can be traced all the way back to the two’s first meeting. Mio asks Sena to help her strength train for her upcoming trial, and Sena immediately reaffirms if she’s sure. This is in spite of Mio having been the one to ask just seconds prior. Mio even goes on to explicitly give Sena the choice, to which Sena responds by immediately throwing the decision back in the hands of Mio a THIRD time.
Sena is a trusting and welcoming individual in spite of her crippling self-doubt, however. Her unrelenting dependency could be argued as inherently tied with her trust, I suppose. Though personally, I’d like to give Sena more credit than that. The reason we know this is because, after the Gura Flava incident, Sena is the one who initially serves as a proxy between Keves and Agnus when Lanz and Taion remained vocally skeptical about joining forces. It’s also largely thanks to her upbeat facade that the two sides are able to break the ice as quickly as they do. This would be valuable on its own, but considering how much internal strife we now know she dealt with, especially back then, it’s absolutely commendable.
Sena is surprisingly dutiful and responsible despite her lack of confidence- always wanting to pull her own weight. The reason we know this is because, despite being a frontline attacker, she voices feelings of inferiority to Mio for their initial Interlink combinations being exclusively Kevesi-dominant. Her sense of duty then comes to a climax during the fight against Isurugi, as it’s only after she sees Taion succeed with the Agnian-dominant Interlink that she attempts it for herself.
To follow up on the previous comment that Sena’s self-doubt hasn’t yet improved by Chapter 5: It DOES improve after the events of Chapters 5 and 6, albeit forcefully. After a rather lengthy conversation with one of the Lost Numbers’ Ouroboros candidates, Sena begins to harbor suspicion about the girl’s strange behavior. She almost manages to bring it up to Mio, but her self-doubt gets the better of her once again. As a result, her suspicions go unchecked and, uh… stuff happens as a result. What kind of stuff? Idk probably not important and won’t be brought up later lmoa ecksdee don’t worry about it.
Anyways! Sena harbors immense guilt about having missed the one opportunity to get out ahead of this incident, as she was the only outsider who had the power to do so. This may have led to substantial tragedy that could’ve been far greater were it not for Ghondor’s intuition and Mio warning the City through M’s body. Again, it may be something of an additional silver lining in the grand scheme of things, but this incident does kick-start Sena’s own growth out of her deep-seated and habitual thought patterns. Well, this along with the assurance Mio (cough M cough) gave her during the Castle Prison sequence.
There’s a few other notable points regarding Sena’s character along the way. But for the sake of time, I’ll stick to the one I consider the most notable. Sena’s conversation while on guard at Li Garte Prison Camp with Lanz. It’s at this moment where Sena learns the importance of recognizing one’s “own purpose”. In other words, it’s only after Lanz vocalizes his desire to do so that Sena also begins to prioritize finding her own path in life.
Lastly, I’d like to address what I consider the culmination of Sena’s character arc. That’s right, in typical Sena fashion, it’s uh, found in someone else’s Hero Quest… Goddammit Sena. Anyway, the quest I’m referring to is, of course, Nagiri’s Hero Quest. Sena’s relationship with Nagiri is fairly simple. Even so, it beautifully encapsulates every single bit of the aforementioned growth and characterization Sena has accumulated across the entire game. Even now, though, it’s still entirely complementary, only becoming apparent once Sena uses that growth as a foil to Nagiri. The difference this time around, though? Sena is the one implementing and applying her own experience. Sena is the one serving as mentor- passing down wisdom she’s learned onto someone else.
“From now on Nagiri, the only orders you should follow are your own.” -Sena, Chapter 6
This is made apparent repeatedly throughout Nagiri’s Hero Quest. Sena is the one to speak up and first take responsibility for speaking with Nagiri, despite it being shrouded in unknown circumstances. She speaks confidently and even apologizes to Nagiri, given that she dealt the knockout blow in their battle at Capricorn Peak. This shows her growth in acknowledging responsibility and taking action for what she believes in.
Sena is the one who makes the judgment call alone on how to proceed with Nagiri. Not to mention, she sets the bar for the entire party regarding the extent to which they should trust her. The party confidently leaves this call in Sena’s hands despite the ambiguity surrounding Nagiri’s motives and background, having come from a non-Kevesi, Agnian, or Lost Numbers background. This showcases Sena’s growth in having faith in her own intuition and executing this faith through her decision-making; a sentiment which is clearly echoed by the rest of the party, given their trust in her.
Sena is the one to empathize with Nagiri. Both of these girls understand what it feels like to be trapped. To be at odds with your own inner voice. To be unable to take a stand for your own sake. If it weren’t for Sena’s kindness, understanding, and hospitality, Nagiri wouldn’t have been able to muster the inner-strength she needed to defy her own Consul’s orders. Nagiri was born as a slave to propagate the ongoing Moebius conspiracy. She had no free will, no ambition, and the few people she did care for, her comrades, had their life force drained in cold blood to satiate the Flame Clock. Sena used everything she learned from her time as Ouroboros to teach this young girl. The result? Sena revealed to Nagiri her own humanity, convincing her to follow only her own orders from the moment of Consul F’s demise.
I know, I know. We’re still avoiding the giant twin-tailed elephant in the room. We’ll get to it, trust me. Anyway, I love Sena’s character. Like… a lot. From her starting facade as an unassumingly quirky musclehead, to her final goodbye with Lanz (I mean Lanzy :3) in the ending sequence.
Speaking of which, I love the use of parallel in that goodbye scene: When they first met, Mio pushed the decision to partner up onto Sena. In their final goodbye, Sena pushes the decision onto Lanz for deciding the extent of his passing grade as partners. The latter is a more lighthearted and rhetorical decision, obviously. But I still love the way it illustrates her growth. With Mio, Sena was so worried about not being a good enough partner that she couldn’t even bring herself to make the decision on her own when offered. With Lanz, she was the one actively teasing him about if he was a “good enough partner”. Who knows if this parallel was intentional or not, but either way, it’s cute as shit and I love her.
I adore the way Sena’s friendship with Mio morphs into something far more healthy and intimate by the end of the game. That alone would’ve been great, but the way she applies and passes on her own personal growth by serving as the “Mio” for not just Nagiri, but arguably Lanz as well, is what defines Sena as a character. Sena’s internalized characterization might only shine (let alone be visible) through the lens of other “external” characters for the majority of the game. That said, it’s clear that paying Sena a little bit of extra attention is well worth the trouble. Below the surface lies one of the best characters in XC3 (easily top 5 imo). This contrast-driven character writing is definitely weird and gives her character an almost thematically contrarian feel to it. But I genuinely love how the game goes about handling it.
Despite Sena’s character having taken such an abstract approach, the message behind it is universal: You may initially need to rely on others in order to get you to where you want to be. To let your true self shine through. But as long as you put faith in yourself and the people around you, you too can one day find the self-realization and acceptance you’ve always wanted. Who knows, you might even be able to pass on that love and support to someone else who needs it just as you once did. Now, consider what I mentioned earlier about Sena being the “Mio” figure in Nagiri’s life (and Lanz’) the way Mio was for her.
All this time, Sena wanted to be like Mio. Who would’ve thought that all Sena needed to truly be like Mio was for Sena to be… Sena?
CHAPTER 16 - WHY DOES THIS GAME HAVE SO MANY AMAZING CHARACTERS AAAAAA
(CHARACTERS, SECTION 8: Consuls, Heroes, and Supporting Cast)
Flaming hot take, I know, but I think Xenoblade Chronicles 3 has several characters.
Really though, there are waaaay too many characters to talk about who are worth talking about, so I’ll just pick a few of my favorites and call it a day.
SUBSECTION 1: JORAN
First off: Joran. A very common complaint for XC3 is that the villains, especially the Consuls not named N and M, are “cartoonishly evil” for the sake of it, with no real depth beyond that. Hell, I’ve even seen this complaint for Joran himself, which is particularly mind-numbing. Are they made out as irredeemably pathetic and evil? Yeah. Is that quite literally the point? Also yes. That doesn’t mean you HAVE to like it, but let's at least make an honest effort at understanding what they were going for first.
For many of the Consul, the sensory overload of remembering all of one’s past lives at once, alongside their transformation, drove out any remaining semblance of humanity they might’ve retained prior. This applies to many of the minor Consul antagonists- which, as an aside, is why I disagree with that common criticism. I mean, yes, they are simple and irredeemable. Intentionally so. But that is not inherently bad when the reasoning behind this inhuman behavior is so well framed and justified. I’ll get into this further once we get to Z. But for now, I’ll focus on the more surface-level explanation rather than the thematic explanation. Most importantly, though, Joran is easily the prime example of this deterioration of humanity during his Moebius transformation.
Joran’s weakness and latent incompatibility with the “soldier way of life” was, of course, why he sacrificed his own life to save Lanz. This timeline alone was a fate that Joran found solace and purpose within. It wasn’t ideal or anything ofc, as he clearly had his own ambitions as an artist that were shackled by circumstance. But it was, at the very least, an end one he could live with… er, die with I guess? It was a life that had actual purpose, basically.
As such, his last moment was punctuated with his first genuine smile to communicate this fact (just as he does in Chapter 6). It was only during the Moebius transformation that his self-image issues and inferiority complex were pushed to their theatrical (yes, the word choice is intentional) extreme. Unlike in that first flashback in the current timeframe that we’re shown, most of Joran’s other deaths were unceremonious and completely devoid of meaning. Most of them were purely the result of his aforementioned weakness and lifestyle incompatibility. Rather than any sort of selflessness or bravery. As such, I think it’s perfectly justified that a traumatized child would be subject to corruption and receive near-irreversible trauma at the psychological overload he’s presented with during his transformation into Moebius.
There’s a powerful parallel to explain the power imbalance he suffered through: Joran was an earthworm at the foot of Noah, Lanz, and Eunie. Sound familiar? Yeah, it’s just like I talked about for the first cutscene of the game. In Joran’s eyes, if he was a typical Keves soldier, then his closest friends were quite literally three giant steel Ferronises crushing the ground and piercing the skies right beside him. Like, goddamn. This parallel really helped me empathize with Joran and realize just how debilitating this divide must have felt. Not to mention, it was a life he was forced into despite his passion lying elsewhere.
SUBSECTION 2: DIRK
Dirk’s kind of a weird one, but well worth discussing imo. I’ve seen him written off as a “bootleg Mumkhar” more than once, despite this being the most disingenuous and surface-level comparison imaginable, I’ve seen him described as the embodiment of everything that’s wrong with the lesser Moebius due to his lack of nuance and purely evil demeanor. I’ve seen him criticized for his lack of relevance after the first impression he makes at Gura Flava. That last point I’m somewhat willing to concede, if not just for the fact that D&J Interlink is one of the craziest and most intense Moebius designs by far. So at the moment, I did expect him to be a bigger player along the likes of N and M. But all of that aside, Dirk provides quite a lot of value to the story (even if it wasn’t anything like I expected) and is well worth discussing in-depth.
Dirk is a complete and blatant foil to Joran. Origins, ambitions, motivations to become Moebius, the whole shabang. Joran sought to change his destiny and escape his endless cycle, while Dirk sought to preserve his destiny and maintain his current cycle. Joran sought control in response to his weakness, while Dirk sought control in response to his strength. Joran’s passion lied in peaceful art, while Dirk’s passion lied in violent, artless killings. Joran found purpose in helping his friends, while Dirk found purpose in betraying and killing his friends without hesitation. Joran does what he can through passive combat support, while Dirk fights on the front lines with an active thirst for blood. It’s like, everything you can think of. Actually, now that I think about it, they’re like the most blatant example of the “opposites attract” motif of Interlink, which depicts the inherent attraction of the two Worlds. But let’s save that for later.
The one thing that hurts most about Joran’s descent is his tie to D. Even after Joran sacrifices everything he’s even known and loved, not to mention his own humanity, he still lacked the strength and agency to have truly free will within the Moebius structure because of unfortunate circumstance/pairing. Through their interlink, Joran was bound to Dirk, an individual who can be described as the exact ideological foil to Joran. Further adding insult to injury, that same bloodlust and innate strength of Dirk’s which polarizes the two allows him to utterly overpower Joran, thereby robbing his autonomy and leaving him completely at Dirk’s whim during their Interlink. Well, at least this gave us the silver lining of making it that much more cathartic when Joran figured out a way to get the final word and save his friends one last time in the process.
SUBSECTION 3: YUZURIHA MY BELOVED
Beyond just being a HELLA cute they/them weedcat, Yuzuriha is a genuinely compelling character. It starts with their greatly effective character design. Their soft features contrast with their outwardly tenacious drive to lead the colony until their last breath. All the while, they fearlessly accept the inevitability behind the colony’s dwindling flame clock. Although slightly jarring at first, their soft features are really effective at communicating the human being that resides behind their outer shell of a fearless leader. The real Yuzuriha is protective, benevolent, and receptive to change for the sake of their family in Colony Tau.
I think what makes this characterization so impressive is their open-mindedness, especially when you consider their upbringing. They were brought up to lead an abandoned colony (who rarely sees detectable acknowledgement even from their own Consul), forced to fend for themselves. Because of that minimal Consul intervention and Castle-sanctioned provisions, Yuzuriha was thrust into their position as commander and left to fend for themself. A position, not to mention, which requires emotionally detached guidance.
They repeatedly endured the loss of family as an expenditure for the colony’s continued survival. Yuzuriha and Lieutenant Raine alike echo the effects this way of life has had on their perception of both the world and the value of their own lives. The endless sacrifice desensitized them to the concepts of loss and death. Their continued fight held no desperation, no passion, and no ambition. In accordance with perhaps the game's most consistently evident theme, they were surviving for the time being, but in doing so became, truly stagnant on a personal level. To make matters worse, they were both complacent in their stagnation.
They were entirely consigned to however their lives happened to play out until the dwindling flame clock brought it to an inevitable end. Hell, Yuzuriha’s hero quest is literally titled “natural selection”. This title becomes all the more heinous upon the completion of Yuzuriha’s Ascension Quest. It’s during this quest that Consul U reveals her desire to cull the population of Colony Tau in order to keep them weak and teetering on the edge of desperate survival for her own amusement.
Anyway, when you take into consideration Yuzuriha’s bleak philosophy on life, it speaks volumes to their character. Despite their upbringing, desensitization to grief/loss, and having consigned themself to their fate with nothing left to do but guide those who remain, the flame of their humanity never once flickered out. Despite their worldview and life experience leading them to believe such thoughts of escapism to be childish and cowardly, especially for a colony commander, they still desperately pushed forward to find a way out of the fate they and their comrades found themselves trapped within.
But to Ouroboros, as an outsider to Colony Tau, it’s much more clearly apparent that their willingness to take risks in an attempt to break that status quo, thus reclaiming their agency as individuals… It’s the furthest thing from cowardly and immature imaginable, basically. I wouldn’t even call it a stretch to say Yuzuriha embodies the exact same avenue of hope as the six protagonists. Perhaps as well as any of the Hero characters do. The risk Yuzuriha took, putting their faith in a mysterious and dangerous band of super soldiers instead of taking sole responsibility for their fate, paid off immensely. Not just in terms of having literally saved the colony’s lives, but in terms of cathartic narrative payoff.
The actions of Ouroboros completely flew in the face of everything Yuzuriha was brought up to believe. It is NOT the strongest who manage (or are most deserving) to survive. It’s those most receptive to change. In other words, the most adaptable, which ironically reflects the idea of “natural selection” again, but this time, in a positive light. It’s those who prove willing to think for themselves and for the betterment of those around them. Ouroboros taught Yuzuriha their resistance to consignment. Defiance of a rigid and morbidly bleak worldview, despite their life experience doing everything it could to “exterminate their flame” of hope and humanity. In spite of this, Yuzuriha still managed to quell that bleak oppression in the face of her determination.. It’s legitimately inspiring if you ask me. Especially impressive for some rando hero storyline (btw this quest sweeps the everloving fuck out of her ascension quest good LORD Consul U can fuck off)
btw did i mention i love them aaaa
SUBSECTION 4: NAGIRI’S ASCENSION QUEST
The Nagiri Prison subplot is a nice parallel to the game’s overall theme of resisting stagnation. After suddenly finding themselves disowned from their prior Moebius care, The remnants of Colony 0 is faced with another dilemma. They take shelter within the newly liberated (abandoned) Li Garte Prison Camp. It does serve as a great spot to house the kids away from monsters and Moebius adversaries alike. However, their newfound safety is overshadowed by the oppressive, endless sea of steel which has suddenly become their entire World. It’s only natural that such a bleak and daunting environment would take a near immediate toll on the morale of children. Some are afraid. Some are depressed. Some are conflicted with the fact that they cannot bring themselves to be genuinely grateful for Ouroboros’ efforts to shelter them, despite their good intentions. So naturally, the party decides to renovate the prison interior to be somewhat livable.
However, No. 6, the colonies’ supply management aide, rejects the proposal due to the outside attention the project would garner. But this brings us straight back to the game’s repeated dilemma: Should they simply appreciate their newfound safety and try to adjust? Or are they better off risking unwanted attention in order to get the most out of this living space, or at the very least, make it tolerable for their psyches? Ultimately, the subplot arrives at the same conclusion as is found elsewhere across the game: Prosperity, freedom, and healthy fulfillment is worth risking stability in fighting for. You might not be able to control the World’s future, but you can grab the reins of your own.
“What does it say about you, that you’re choosing another form of imprisonment, after having just been freed?” -No. 10 to No. 6, Chapter 7
This assertion from No. 10 feels particularly apt when extrapolated onto the game’s greater themes. The Endless Now may provide stability, and even the freedom to control your means of entertainment. But that doesn’t change the fact that it’s still a prison. Moebius are given freedom, but the frozen World of Aionios still essentially functions as a jail cell for the antagonists. As such, I dig the fact it’s a child (and thus a naive and immature) character facing this dilemma of stagnation. The fact this takes place in a LITERAL prison, all the while recontextualizing what can truly be considered a “prison” within the World of Aionios was rather clever.
CHAPTER 17 - THE BEST CHARACTER IN XENOBLADE CHRONICLES 3
(CHARACTERS, SECTION 9: First Impressions, Subversive Character Writing, and Sena’s Side Story)
Before we talk about Mr. Get This Man Some Lotion, I think it’s important that we first discuss the single most important thematic element of XC3. No, not the fleeting beauty of life, not fearful escapism, and definitely not self-indulgent stagnation. That’s right: Twintails.
Shania is the best character in Xenoblade Chronicles 3 and I’m tired of pretending she’s not.
SUBSECTION 1: INTRODUCTION
In a game filled to the brim with eccentric designs and extensive character arcs which span the entire length of the game, I’m sure some of you are wondering how I could possibly justify picking Shania as the single best character. Not the Welsh catgirl who is essentially the emotional crux of the entire story? Not the absolute sweetheart of a main character who, together with Consul N, paints a hugely important dichotomy in the thematic spectrum of choices which lie before him; a path which quite literally determines everything which transpires both before and during the game? Not the expletive-laden birdhead who calls people spoons and muppets? Not even the girl with the goddamn gall??
Well… yeah. The very normal and unassuming looking soldier girl (you already know twintails are based asf tho). The one who, upon first glance, is indistinguishable from the countless Lost Numbers who fight in the name of Swordmarch City. The failed Ouroboros reserve. Oh, and the one and only traitor who sold out the only home she’s ever known to Moebius. Shania is my pick.
So… Why? Well, much like seemingly everything else in my write-up, it’ll take a bit of framing to explain fully. But in short, it comes down to a few points: First impressions, believable and detailed deterioration, empathetic motivations, and last but not least, subversive character writing. Oh, and she just so happens to be my literal actual goddamn wife, but that’s neither here nor there.
SUBSECTION 2: ““SENA’S”” SO-CALLED SIDE STORY
To begin, let me walk you through my thoughts on Sena’s Side Story. Yes, it was insanely disappointing how badly Sena got shafted. Yes, Sena should’ve had more direct dialogue and relevance. But yes, it also just so happens to be the most emotionally poignant quest in the entire game. These two statements can both be correct. Sena is easily one of the most fun characters in the game and, again, among my favorites overall. That said, the fact that she's probably the weakest of the main six in terms of emotional depth and complexity is not lost on me. Well... to be fair, that's only really true on the surface. We’ve already gone over this plenty, but in short, the problem with Sena is that her characterization is aggressively internal. Like, it's internalized to the point where she herself is LITERALLY HIDING her own characterization deliberately.
Anyway, after playing the quest, I was absolutely blown away with the way this game continued to characterize Sena subtly yet effectively. This quest was the crowning moment of that achievement in subtlety overall. Yes, it's definitely true that Shania was the emotional crux of this story thread, and even Ghondor got more direct relevance. But I need to talk about not just her, but Sena's role in this side story as well. Despite Sena's direct contributions to her own quest being almost nonexistent, it still does a fantastic job at showing how far she’s come over the course of the game. Doubly so when we're counting her growth from before the game "begins" during the prologue/modern time. It does so through her conversations with Ghondor, but far more importantly, through the conversations and subsequent parallels drawn between her and Shania.
SUBSECTION 3: THE IMPORTANCE OF UPBRINGING AND CIRCUMSTANCE
During the lead up to the raid on Li Garte Prison Camp, we got a glimpse into the ways Sena and Shania differ. Although honestly, that big conversation the two had at the campsite is pretty clearly written to be uncomfortable. Even confrontational on Shania’s end. So maybe not the best example tbh! Their interactions were a bit limited tho, unfortunately, so it's prob my best bet here. However, it was through this conversation that we first got a glimpse into the ways these two were similar.
Most importantly, it showed their emotional fixations on devoting themselves to the pursuit of approval from the people most important to them. Naturally, this was Ouroboros (Mio especially) for Sena. For Shania, this was Ghondor and her mother (plus also Titiania and her father when they were alive). On a personal level, Sena and Shania really were not that different as people. It’s clear they could’ve been extremely close friends under different circumstances. Unfortunately, by the time they met, Shania had already been pushed down a dark and unceremoniously tragic path beyond redemption.
SUBSECTION 4: UPBRINGING CONT., MODERN DAY
One of the main takeaways the game conveys through this quest and beyond is this: the contrast in Sena and Shania’s pathways in life were purely circumstantial. One could even compare the role of circumstance dictating Shania vs Sena to Noah vs N. But in this case, the circumstantial backgrounds of both Sena and Shania go even BEYOND their “childhood” upbringings into the modern day. This continued through a bulk of the main story of XC3, to the point where their entire life pathway can be viewed as a byproduct of the people and state of affairs around them. This is a clear contrast to the game’s argument against the Endless Now- stressing the importance of choosing your own path in spite of its ambiguity. The tragedy here is that Shania never had a choice nor a chance to think for herself. Sena didn’t either, but she was far more fortunate with her predetermined circumstances.
These circumstances alone allowed Sena to spread her wings, while Shania was left trapped, abandoned on the cold ground with her wings bound by political obligation to seize the mantle of Ouroboros. This left her with a deeply impaired sense of identity and self-worth. Much like Joran’s lack of physical strength made him an “earthworm” beneath the feet of his friends, Shania’s lack of physical strength and ability to carry the mantle of House Reid made her an “earthworm” beneath the feet of the other Ouroboros candidates and Reid ancestors.
Let’s get back to the Sena and Shania comparison, though. Their individual pathways were dictated by their support system (or lack thereof). More specifically, the BASELINE support which both characters needed in order to become the type of person they ultimately strove to be. Unfortunately, one had that support, and the other did not. Instead, Shania faced nothing but cruel indignation (albeit unintentionally so via Ghondor) from her own friends and family. This one contrast had world-shattering implications for these two as characters, implications which extended beyond themselves and bled out into the ongoing narrative of Aionios. With the help of Mio, and later the other members of Ouroboros, Sena had all the emotional support she could’ve ever needed to affirm her sense of identity and keep her head high. Those five individuals provided her with all the validation, support, and approval she could ever need to become the best version of herself she possibly could.
Not to mention, they became extremely close beyond just that one lone factor. Ouroboros were related not by blood, but by circumstance and ideals. As such, Ouroboros became a family before they could even notice. What's particularly striking (and tragically ironic) about Sena’s path and support group when compared to Shania is this; Shania was literally TRAINING to become a candidate of Ouroboros alongside the other leading Lost Numbers. Not only that, but that very Ouroboros Stone was instead given to the party by Guernica, the Vandham leader who she strove to emulate through Ghondor. The importance of this scene feels particularly pointed when viewed through the lens of the Chapter 5 scene where Shania collects Guernica’s eye patch at Gura Flava, as this was the last we see of her before becoming Moebius. Yet, even if Guernica hadn’t made the choice he did, Shania would have still missed out on ranking within the top six candidates (8th).
With that in mind, not only did Shania never get Ouroboros in a physical sense, she never got "Ouroboros" in an emotional sense. As in, the "Ouroboros" family that Sena was fortunate enough to be blessed with. Throughout her life, Shania was desperately starved for that exact type of emotional support and approval from the people around her. Even despite having a blood family around her, unlike Sena's "Ouroboros" family.
SUBSECTION 5: SHANIA’S PAST
Shania’s mother was, quite frankly, pure garbage. I don’t think anyone’s disputing that. She was more concerned with the continued political propagation of the Reid house’s power and status by Shania becoming Ouroboros than she was about her only living daughter’s emotions, desires, and happiness. Idc about legacy or trauma, don't treat your own fucking daughter that way. Her father and sister Titania, the only people who actually HAD given her something akin to the emotional support Sena has in her own past, were both dead. The only thing that DID bring Shania happiness was shunned and scoffed at as a waste of energy and a disgrace to the Reid bloodline. Shania was directionless and alone in every conceivable way. Ghondor is a much more complicated matter, so I’ll have to address that in a separate subsection.
SUBSECTION 6: THE GHONDOR INCIDENT
Ghondor’s relationship with Shania was, honestly, far more tragic and unfortunate than anyone else’s. Sena included. Ghondor DID in fact make a sincere and personable effort to support Shania, as she encouraged her to follow her passions and aptitudes as an individual. Unfortunately, though, Shania was a deeply insecure and emotionally sensitive girl. On the other hand, Ghondor’s personality was unapologetically abrasive to coincide with the one-track mind she was raised to abide by as a Vandham. Not to mention, Ghondor had plenty of her own personal struggles which clouded her perception of Shania's needs and desires (i.e Monica treating her more like a soldier than a daughter).
These three factors created a perfect storm for their relationship crumbling despite it not being what either of them wanted. This culminated in the infamous “Ghondor Incident”. The specifics of this incident can be seen in the flashback sequence, where Shania tries to show off her skills with Ghondor’s signature Martial Arts job class. But before we get into that, there is one more aside I’d like to get out of the way.
Interestingly, the Ghondor Incident is foreshadowed and mirrored far before the flashback is shown, during Chapter 5’s Li Garte Prison Camp arc. In response to Sena’s surprise at Ghondor’s unfiltered mouth and personality, Mio leans over to her and says, “Don’t you go start copying her, Sena.” Now, speaking literally, Mio’s dialogue didn’t have any deeper meaning, other than maybe reinforcing her role in helping Sena stay true to herself despite her identity issues.
But considering the repeated parallels between Sena and Shania, not to mention the fact that Sena quite literally used to imitate Mio in the same way Shania imitated Ghondor… such a warning feels incredibly ominous in hindsight. Like I’ve already alluded to, Sena and Shania share enough in common that, under the same circumstances, she may have acted in the exact same way. Perhaps this scene is suggesting that Sena might have becoming Consul S herself in Shania’s position- given their names share the same first letter.
Back to the Ghondor Incident, though. Unfortunately, the aforementioned three factors- Shania's insecure sensitivity, Ghondor's abrasiveness, and Ghondor's preoccupation with her own personal obligations, prevented the emotionally wounded Shania from being able to listen to Ghondor during this flashback. She was far too engrossed in her own mental turmoil and self-loathing to be able to even consider taking Ghondor’s words to heart. Despite the fact that these words were intended to be the genuine, emotionally authentic consolation Shania so desperately craved all along. Transversely, these factors prevented Ghondor from being able to recognize the festering issue and adapt to the circumstances. Shania desperately needed Ghondor to communicate with and console her in a more gentle way. However, Ghondor’s outspoken frustration and confusion only made the miscommunication worse.
What makes all of this worse is the fact that, among the barrage of demoralizing jabs from Ghondor, Shania DID end up acknowledging Ghondor’s support of her art. The fact that we see later on that Shania did in fact finish the painting after this incident is proof of that in and of itself. But because we can’t have a SINGLE positive takeaway… Shania blames herself AND resents Ghondor for this encouragement. Because of the time she spent finishing the piece, Shania views her effort of pursuing her passion to have been the difference between 8th place and 6th place in the Ouroboros candidacy.
By this logic, her mother was right all along. She WAS capable of becoming a candidate, but blew it through no one’s fault but her own (and Ghondor’s I guess). Clearly this isn’t the case, but it’s not hard to see why Shania would take this to heart. In the process, trusting in her friend and in her heart only further wounded her self-image and sense of purpose even more than she thought was possible.
Just to twist the knife a bit more, as if Shania analysis wasn’t already suffering incarnate... it seems pretty clear that the game is suggesting Sena to be the EXACT person who could have given Shania the gentle, intimate, and empathetic support system she had been starved for ever since the death of her sister and father. If Sena was in Swordmarch City on that day of the Ghondor Incident, hell, even if Shania chose to imitate her Ogre class instead… Shit would’ve played out completely differently, single-handedly altering Shania’s future path. Hell, if they had met even just ONE year prior... Sena very well could've saved Shania from the path of destruction; she had little choice but to descend at that point.
SUBSECTION 7: CONSUL S, THE DESCENT TO MOEBIUS
After all of that, I guess you could still make the argument that Shania’s path wasn’t justified despite what she had gone through (though that’d be an insanely cruel takeaway, imo). However, do keep this in mind: All it took to turn Shania against the City and all of its inhabitants, everyone she’s ever known and loved, was Consul X preying on her insecurity and despair by giving her a chance to change her life’s trajectory.
That's it. No threats, no mind manipulation, just... providing her with a genuine choice to take control for the first time in her life. That was enough to fundamentally corrupt her to her core. With that in mind, it ought to be pretty obvious that Shania was already a ticking time bomb at that point; a bomb that just about ANYTHING could have set off, let alone influence. But someone offering her a second chance at life? A life that Shania considered, by that point, to be a lost cause, both due to unfair circumstance and made worse by her own misdoing (focusing on art)? In another instance of tragic irony, Shania never had a chance, nor the control, to give up this chance… to take control.
SUBSECTION 8: SUBVERSION AND EMPATHY
Damn. tbh I forgot if I had any other points to make about the side story lmao. Either way, writing it out alone, without even rewatching the scene, was enough to get me emotional all over again. I’m sure most of us know what it’s like to be completely alone in the world. Not to mention, to feel immense grief and self-loathing over your own perceived inadequacy and apprehension towards your own identity as a person.
After all that, think back to how Shania was initially portrayed. Shania’s character was presented as little more than an immature and deeply resentful traitor, gleefully willing to wipe out everyone she’d ever known and loved because of her own personal shortcomings, was astonishingly convincing. She may not have been Moebius at that point, but considering how many other Moebius-adjacent villains in XC3 are driven to psychotic inhumanity, it was fairly easy for Shania’s character subversion to smack you square across the face without ever having had a single goddamn clue.
Only after having made uncharitable assumptions about her motivations does the curtain finally fall, revealing the REAL Shania. The real Shania was a tragically scarred and emotionally abandoned young girl, beaten down and traumatized by a heartless and politically megalomaniac society. Not the least of which included her only living family member who, even then, was family in name only. For the game to turn her character on her head just by shifting the perspective to her side of the story was nothing short of masterful writing. Genuinely some Nier level shit right there, I can’t lie.
SUBSECTION 9: CONCLUSION, GOD SHE DESERVED BETTER
Like... god fucking damn, man. I know Consul N is the obvious choice for the most tragic character in XC3. And considering what he went through essentially amounts to his own never-ending and personalized Hell; which somehow managed to get even WORSE the moment he was given hope for (albeit sadistically-fueled) self-satisfaction… Objectively, there’s no point arguing that N went through more shit. But at least he got a moment of solace before meeting his end- a warm, genuine embrace with the woman he loves, and the knowledge that he is leaving their future in capable hands. What did Shania get? Well… Ghondor DID manage to get through to her, but this was only after dealing the fatal blow. Shania is now forced to endure the fact that a fulfilling life WAS theoretically possible, but upon this realization is now NOT possible because of her own actions. So close… yet so far.
Pain.
So yeah, N is hard to argue against, but from a more personal perspective? I’m not sure there’s another character in this entire game I can empathize with more than Shania. Also, she’s cute, so… there’s that (but so is N!!!) Also, no, the glorious irony of this chapter mainly starting as praise for Sena’s role in her Side Story immediately turning into Shania Appreciation Hour just like the quest itself did is not lost on me. In short: Shania did nothing wrong despite her character arc quite literally mirroring that of Adolf Hitler so uhhh sasuga Takahashi sensei??
CHAPTER Z - THE ENDLESS NOW: A ROTTING VEIL OF CONTENTMENT
(Z, The Main Antagonist of Xenoblade Chronicles 3, the Dreamer’s Stagnation, and the Connotations of Autocratic Self-Indulgence)
SUBSECTION 1: AN INTRODUCTION TO Z
Let’s move on to the main anta- er, main… concept? Main… sentient and naturally occurring yet conceptually abstract manifestation? Doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue… Well, whatever the fuck you want to call them- er, it? Who knows. Let’s talk about Z. I won’t go on and on about what Z is and what it stands for, since that’s pretty much the one thing we’re beaten over the head with during the confrontation.
That said, I would like to provide a suggestion for HOW it came about as a manifestation of fear. As we know, Origin sought to archive and compile as much data from both worlds leading up to the Merge as possible. Naturally, archiving all human thought and emotion includes the fear and apprehension of the masses. For this to have been gathered, computed, and processed all in one place, Z can be described as Melia and Nia’s preservation efforts backfiring. Z is a glitch in the matrix of Origin. A tumor which formed from the conglomerate of negativity which they sought to preserve.
What are the logistics behind their manifestation, though? Well, consider the fact that Moebius possesses “cores” similar to Blades. Also, Origin is powered by a Crystal Database provided by Nia. Thus, it’s most likely that the physical form which houses these manifestations can be likened to Pseudo-Blade vessels. Vessels controlled through Moebius’ Origin resonance via Melia. Lastly, on a symbolic level, Z and Moebius should be considered an inevitability- at least through the plans put into place by Melia and Nia. After all, upon the reveal of its final form, Noah remarks that it may not be Z's final form at all per se; but rather, Origin’s. Their plans to reboot the Worlds may have been in line with the true nature of causality. Conceptually, their fear of what lay beyond the Merge, and their pursuit to maintain the status quo they’d both become accustomed to, may have paradoxically contributed to the manifestation of Moebius in and of itself. Thus, Z’s final form being instead referred to as “Origin’s” final form; The thought, the fear, which stood at the core of its construction.
SUBSECTION 2: THE ENDLESS NOW
First, it’s important to discuss the specific implications of the Endless Now. Not just its roots and what leads people to submitting to the Endless Now, but the universal reality present in its application. The Endless Now is, of course, a tangible moniker given by Moebius to the concept of stagnation they pursue. However, through Z, we learn that this stagnation can perhaps be more accurately likened to fearful contentment: The individual’s contentment with the status quo, in conjunction with their corresponding fear of loss or decline.
This alone is obvious to anyone who’s played the game though- so what do I mean by “implications”? Well, the coping methods and escapism of an individual trapped within the Endless Now will vary from person to person. After all, what they choose to do with their time will depend on their interests. However, through the inherent implication of this concept, there is exactly one constant that can be extrapolated from the essence of the Endless Now.
SUBSECTION 3: BECAUSE IT AMUSES ME
The desire for self-indulgence, specifically through entertainment. Is it any wonder that Z, the cumulative manifestation of this desire for stagnation, would spend every waking moment of his existence in a theater? Not just any theater, mind you- an amphitheater. I’ll throw the definition here for anyone else who didn’t know, since I sure as hell had never heard the term before playing this game. From Wikipedia, “An amphitheater is an open-air venue used for entertainment, performances, and sports.” Like I said, the individual’s method of self-indulgence varies based on their interests… But an amphitheater can account for just about every single one of them. Quite fitting for the being who embodies the cumulative and homogenized desire to stagnate on behalf of all humanity.
Entertainment is what preserves the illusion of stability for the individual. Movies, video games, television, music, sports, theater… It is through entertainment, whatever form it may take, that the individual can “move forward” without moving forward at all. One might only be “buying time”, occupying themselves, but to themselves, they seem to be moving forward anyway. Through media, one can experience new things. Explore new ideas. Even distract one’s self from the inherent dread and ambiguity which attempts to permeate one’s reality. So what makes “entertainment” the perfect vessel through which this stagnation can be carried out indefinitely? It’s simple, really: Entertainment does all of this, mind you, without ever drawing attention to or posing a discernible threat to the broader stability of one’s own life.
This last point is made especially important because of the inherent nature and relationship the individual forms with the entertainment they consume. There is undeniably a subconscious complex that is formed with one’s fixation on entertainment. This complex is particularly apparent through media consumption, which is why I feel a cinema was such a thematically spot on setting for Z’s backdrop. It all comes down to personal control. Speaking in terms of reality, we cannot control the future. Hell, we can barely even influence the future when speaking in broader societal terms, if at all. But in the Endless Now, in your own safe space, YOU are in control of the entertainment you choose to consume.
Using media as an example, since it’s the easiest and most obviously applicable form of entertainment: You control the worlds you explore. You control the tone which it presents. You control the themes and ideas it brings up. Even if you aren’t physically creating the media, there is enough to choose from that it’s easy to find endless examples which suit your own broad array of needs.
It’s worth reiterating: Entertainment does all of this without ever drawing attention to or posing a discernible threat to the broader stability of one’s own life. Well… Unless it’s Xenoblade Chronicles 3, clearly. Anyway, because of this fact alone, it’s easy to see why something that provides such a seemingly bottomless and airtight escape from reality would be universally appealing to humanity. After all, you need SOMETHING to do in your stagnant bubble to give the illusion of progress and fulfilment. Sitting in a blank room would not only be unfulfilling, but would probably drive you insane within a day. For long term “stability”, the consumption of entertainment is broad enough that it perfectly fits Z’s criteria of incentivizing the propagation of the Endless Now for each and every individual.
SUBSECTION 4: DOES THIS APPROACH TO A VILLAIN WORK?
The trope of antagonistic amusement permeates just about every form of media. We’ve all seen our fair share of evil mustache-twirling villains who embody these same ideas without ever actually commenting on or serving any greater thematic purpose. In fact, I seriously doubt there is a single other piece of media which subverts this trope more elegantly than XC3. If there is, someone please let me know. I’d genuinely love to look into it.
The subversion of Moebius’ thematic depth might actually be MORE impressive than was accomplished through Shania’s character. In fact, it might well have even been TOO good, too organic of a subversion. Despite the fact that most people have come around to Shania being an obviously fantastic character, many of them still cling to their initial perspective on Z and ESPECIALLY on the lesser Moebius even months later. I’ve still seen the consensus almost entirely limited to people whining that Moebius is full of comically evil mustache-twirling antagonists which serve no purpose beyond, well, being someone you want to defeat.
…Though to be fair, they ONLY exist to embody the entire thematic crux of the game by repeatedly indoctrinating you with intentionally pathetic villains who get off on bashing soldiers against one another. A personification of stagnation, occupying themselves through self-indulgent entertainment, by which they have unabashed control over. A personification of corrupted light, playing with the soldiers’ shiny life force like a kid picking the legs off a bug. Even murdering them personally to revel in that light at the moment it shines the brightest… yeah, nothing too important or deep here, yall.
Sarcasm aside, it’s not that I’m trying to invalidate the complaints about the more irrelevant Consuls- there is definitely still merit in this stance’s favor. Did we need to personally meet the entire alphabet of these dudes? Probably not. Can they reasonably fall under the argument of “just because they’re a subversion doesn’t mean they’re good / doesn’t mean I have to appreciate them”? Absolutely. But much of the fan criticism I’ve seen directed towards Moebius during my research completely misses the point. The point they were meant to embody in service of accomplishing as a proxy for Z.
The Consuls serving to embody self-indulgence through entertainment extends beyond the minor antagonists as well, naturally. Consul D is probably the most straightforward example of this. It’s through his rebirth as Moebius that he is given the opportunity to continue murdering and expanding his collection of human heads. This specific psychotic behavior is what D finds entertainment in. It is only through the propagation of the Endless Now that Z provides D with an opportunity to do so indefinitely. Consul N is another standout example of this, given the entertainment he derives (well… at first) in torturing Noah and the rest of the party through the Homecoming Ceremony he personally orchestrated for Mio.
SUBSECTION 5: IS Z A GOOD CHARACTER?
Next, I’d like to focus on the (seeming majority consensus) argument that, even though Z’s thematic purpose is interesting and well-executed, he lacks the personality and emotional motivation to be a compelling character. Well, yeah, this is almost true, but no, not exactly.
I’d argue that Z is not an impersonable or lackluster character. Rather: Z is not intended to be a character, period.
There’s a pretty large distinction between accusing Z of being a lackluster character, and declaring Z to not be a character whatsoever. There are a few reasons I believe the former to be the far more popular perception. Even beyond the latter being practically unheard of, a character later being revealed to NOT be a character. I think it’s also due to their anthropomorphized design and the position of power they were born into. Z is the final boss for you to overcome; the director of Moebius. I suppose you could call him “leader”, but giving Z the title of director feels more accurate IMO. Not just because of the theater motif and emphasis on pursuing entertainment through the lives of his actors (Moebius and the people of Aionios). But also due to his lack of direct intervention outside hand-picking Consuls.
Rather than having been birthed or created, Z is a natural occurrence within a world thoroughly stricken by a paralyzing fear of change. Z’s existence can be likened to each and every individual; Looking in a mirror. Do we consider our reflections to be their own unique person? No. However, in times of hardship which precede escapism, the individual will recognize their own repressed emotion leaking through the cracks they’ve desperately tried to patch through self-indulgent entertainment. In its most extreme form, the individual will deny, repress, or ignore its existence altogether. That, in essence, is Z.
If you consider the purple motif of Z’s character design to represent that aforementioned fear, Z’s initially anthropomorphic appearance reflects that same exemplified individual. One who uses entertainment to desperately conceal that which most terrifies them. It’s only fitting, then, that once the facade is broken- once the entertainment (in this literal example, their “theater”) is taken away from both them and Z… that is when the reflection they see truly represents what they sought to conceal indefinitely.
Z∞. A fear that always was and always will be. The fact that the phenomenon of Z∞ then shifts to reflect the face of the onlooker- X, Y, Z, even Noah, Mio, Eunie, Taion, Lanz, and Sena… The six people who single-handedly carry humanity’s desire to face their future head on… It’s difficult and honestly a bit disingenuous to simply classify either Z or Z∞ as a “character” and leave it at that. Z is everyone, but also, Z is no one. At least, no one specific.
One more small point on Z serving as a reflection. And yes, I know this is BEYOND pushing it, but I found it hilarious, so idc I’m mentioning it anyway. Because this ending sequence constantly switches back and forth between the battle against Z and the outside war between Origin and Keves/Agnus/Lost Numbers, you’re constantly getting these crazy long ass load screens. Because of this, you’re constantly seeing your OWN reflection interspersed between Z∞ morphing into the various characters, portraying meta significance. Moebius exists in everyone, EVEN YOU. Obviously planned 100%, Takahashi knew, goated swag raw I kneel etc etc etc.
Anyway. This flew way off the rails (as I expected given how inherently abstract Z is), so I’ll wrap it up there. Z might not have been a fascinating and personable character among the likes of N. But I’d argue that he was never meant to be. In fact, Z’s approach as a “character” is something I haven’t ever quite seen before in my life. Plus, we already have N when it comes to a character antagonist that we have an intimate and emotional connection to. Z serves a purpose that I really doubt could have been handled much better- and for that, I wouldn’t have it any other way.
SUBSECTION 5: CONCLUSION
Last but not least, it’s important to keep in mind that the scope of Z and Moebius go far beyond what I’ve covered here in my analysis. I've limited myself to JUST focus on the stuff that’s immediately relevant to XC3 and ONLY XC3, rather than going beyond with interseries theory crafting, continuity, and even simple ties to XC1 and XC2. This hasn’t really been too intrusive or detrimental… until now. There is SO much juicy theory fodder surrounding Z: the implications of its origins, its potential status as an artificial Conduit, its namesake suggesting possible ties to completely separate titles (namely Xenogears and Xenosaga), the manifestation of collective consciousness’ relation to Jung's Seminar on Nietzsche's Zarathustra, the fig striking parallels to Gnosticism and The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, and probably far more beyond that.
But honestly? I have quite literally zero faith that I could do any of these theories justice for several reasons… Not the least of which is that I haven’t even played Xenogears or Xenosaga yet, to begin with. Thankfully, a Xeno Series Youtuber by the name of Miiks has already done quite a bit of this in my place- and FAR better than I would’ve been able to, might I add. Should this stuff have been addressed a bit more explicitly in-game? Refer back to my chapter on Wano Syndrome for the long answer, but in short, yes to an extent. I might enjoy a sizable helping of ambiguity, but XC3 might’ve gone a biiit too far here. We’ll just have to wait for the DLC to make that conclusion decisively.
Anyway, if any of this stuff sounds enticing to you: potential continuity, interseries connection, pre-XC3 Moebius background, or even just more insight into the relevance of criminally under explained characters like Consul X and Consul Y, please give Miiks’ “Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Lore - Moebius Z, the Artificial Conduit (Theory)” a watch before continuing! Though, if you’re balls deep enough in Xenoblade to be reading this far into my analysis, you probably already discovered this dude’s phenomenal catalog of videos a while ago.
CHAPTER 17 - OVERLEVELING: THE TRUE MAIN ANTAGONIST OF XENOBLADE CHRONICLES 3
(Difficulty in XC3; Rather, Its Stubborn Lack Thereof)
Z might embody one of the most innate and dangerous desires to ever threaten the entire human race. D might be an infamous traitor who slaughtered his own comrades in cold blood for the sake of expanding his collection of human heads. Over the course of one cinematic, N might’ve solidified himself as one of the most deplorable video game antagonists to ever exist (well… at least in THAT one specific moment. We all love him now, ofc). But none of these monsters can even hope to stand shoulder to shoulder with THIS horrific sight. Or THIS. Or GOD FORBID THIS. Or-
This next point I take issue with in XC3 is among those I consider the most egregious in the entire game. Doubly so considering that a perfectly viable solution is literally already included, but is locked behind post-game/NG+ for some inexplicable reason. This game does not want you to be challenged. It will do whatever it can possibly muster to prevent you from ever having to struggle your way to a single victory- or, quite honestly, even taking a mere ten seconds to strategize in advance.
I played this game on hard difficulty, and even still, the sheer amount of EXP this game throws at you at any given moment is borderline comical. In terms of the main story content, XC3 does not have grinding. On the contrary, XC3 is truly revolutionary in the sense that it has… anti-grinding. No, seriously, I didn’t even know this was a thing. And if it wasn’t before XC3, it is now. I have never played a JRPG where a significant portion of the challenge I faced was in trying to AVOID becoming any stronger than I already was. I was quickly forced to avoid fighting any monsters that weren’t crucial to progression. It eventually reached the point where, if I needed some monster drop for progression, I’d burst spam using the Thaumaturge class (and later Troubadour, the real MVP btw) and run away when the monster was close to death. Just so I could get items without having to actually kill anything. In terms of incentivizing pacifism, XC3 is truly the Undertale of Xenoblade Chronicles. Sorry, it was too awful a line to not include.
It might not be all that intrusive or irritating to the average player. Even to those who place great value in difficulty like myself, it’s something you can adjust to with whatever amount of artificial/self-imposed restriction ends up being necessary. But this is an already huge deal, made even bigger by the fact there is a solution built straight into the game in the form of level-down. But again, it’s locked behind NG+. XC3’s combat, like I’ve already gone into EXTENSIVE lengths praising, is by far one of the game’s biggest triumphs. Yet, if you are complacent in letting this game shower you in EXP the way it so desperately tries to do, you won’t JUST become overpowered. You’ll quickly become overpowered to the point where you legitimately don’t have to participate in combat whatsoever.
I’m not even saying you won’t have to think critically or strategize. No, you quite literally do not have to press a single button in order to win any fight in the game. This is one of the inherent drawbacks of XC3’s six-man party. There is a shit ton going on at every given moment, and as a result, the character you are controlling is only contributing a very small portion of that cumulative chaos. To be precise, you’re only contributing about 16% of the actions in a regular Ouroboros encounter, and about 14% if you happen to have a hero in your party. Therefore, about 85% of what’s going on in battle at any given moment is completely automated.
Every attack, combo, buff/debuff, field cast, even possibly interlink actions (god forbid you didn’t know to turn off AI interlinking in the menu) are automated. If you’re even five levels above the opponent (which is a conservative estimate as this game loves throwing EXP in your face), 85% of your parties’ total strength is more than enough to overcome the enemy. Keep in mind, this is when you’re ONLY FIVE LEVELS above the enemy. By the time I reached the final Origin dungeon at the end of the game, I’d accumulated about 750,000 bonus EXP for each party member. This has nothing to do with fighting or grinding, mind you. This was solely obtained through discovered areas, side quest bonuses, that sort of thing. For context, if I were to cash in this EXP, it would’ve instantly taken me from lvl 60 to just well over lvl 80 (FAR above the literal FINAL boss). So yeah, feel free to go grab a coffee or something, because at that point, your contributions are entirely superfluous. Considering how hard the game pushed this idea of the individual’s actions being superfluous in the opening battle between Colony 9 and Colony Sigma, the ludonarrative irony here is palpable.
It's not like I'm DEMANDING this game be "hArD", but it's baffling how it coddles you to the point of not having to engage with any of the game's countless interwoven mechanics which they clearly devoted a lot of time to implementing and polishing?? I did eventually come up with a fairly reliable system to keep things reasonably demanding: no bonus exp, no heroes outside bosses, staying under quest lv, no gem upgrade skips, no revive chains, one of each accessory, and no food bonuses. Clearly, though, the fact that I had to neuter myself so much just so that I don't win BY DEFAULT, on hard mode mind you, is fuckin wild. Let me be clear that I’m not criticizing people who enjoy games working this way. Hell, I wish I felt similarly, it'd be a lot more convenient and time efficient if I did.
Again, I totally get that Monolith Soft wanted to balance the game this way, so that the lowest common denominator player can get through the story with ease. Especially since the narrative is Xenoblade’s primary focus. But I really can’t see any point in locking the level-down mechanic behind postgame for those who actually DO want to engage with the game’s phenomenally deep and intense combat. At the very least, I would’ve appreciated a middle ground which limited autopilot from the other five or six party members. Choosing a focus target and combo path was helpful yeah, but something more fleshed out- maybe along the lines of FFXII’s renowned Gambit System would’ve worked wonders here. This alone might not have made battles more challenging, but it would at least keep them from feeling so incredibly automated.
In short, XC3 basically puts a gun to your head (I know we just finished the Shania chapter, don’t u dare say it) and forces you to choose between the following: You can be so overpowered for main story battles that you quite literally do not have to play the game. Or, you can be leveled in accordance with the main quest, but will NOT be able to do any side content, elite mobs, or unique monsters.
The former of which, mind you, is an especially unfair dilemma to demand of the player. Since, contrary to prior Xenoblade games, XC3’s side content is genuinely excellent and thoroughly worthwhile. Hell, the same can even be said of unique monsters, as every single one of them feeds into your development of Soulhacker, by far the coolest Job class in the game. Well, until Ina who is Poppicoded and therefore objectively superior, releases in a week or two.
CHAPTER 18 - LETS BUILD A GODDAMN WORLD
(WORLDBUILDING, SECTION 1: An Introduction to Swordmarch City)
Now, let’s finally move past character analysis and onto my personal favorite shit to discuss in any big, narrative-centric piece of media: worldbuilding. Unfortunately, as I’ve already gone into a fair bit of depth explaining, XC3 isn’t exactly forthcoming with the details. As such, a lot of this will be at least PARTIALLY speculative, but that isn’t to say it won’t still be well worthwhile. It might not win any awards for script length, timeline detail, or fully chronicled historical events. But when it comes to the sheer density of interesting background and valuable concepts, XC3 can hold its own with the best of em. “Worldbuilding” is obviously far too broad to serve as any sort of jumping off point, but thankfully, we’ve already narrowed things down significantly after covering N, Z, Moebius, and Aionios as a world setting. So in my mind, the best place to start would be, well, where society began in proper: the City.
It’s understandable that a dissenter might take one look at Swordmarch City and declare it as “Boneless Midgar”. Which, to be fair, is hilarious enough to tempt me into referring to it that way for the rest of the review. But in reality, this couldn’t be further from the truth. I’ll preface this by saying: Final Fantasy VII is the single most important piece of media I’ve ever experienced. It quite literally saved my life. I obviously won’t get into why in this completely unrelated review, but this fact alone makes the comparison painful to even consider. Midgar is undoubtedly one of the most iconic locations in video game history. Not to mention, it’s much larger in scope and has far more aesthetic variety than the City’s endless sea of steel. That said, even though Midgar might have more sauce than Swordmarch City, it doesn’t have anywhere close to as much depth and intrigue in my mind.
Swordmarch City (not to mention the original City) has so much going on that it’s no wonder XC3 glosses over the majority of even its most important and defining attributes: The Six Houses, interhouse relations, politics, The Founders, The Lost Numbers, its militant divisions, training, societal pressures, physical structuring, etc. The current City as we know it houses not just its own unique society, but a treasure trove of fascinating lore tidbits and concepts pertaining to both it and Aionios as a whole.
I constantly found myself wishing for more concrete detail, to the point where I quickly found myself instinctively screenshotting NPC dialogue pertaining to the City’s more mysterious plot threads- regardless of its significance or lack thereof. The nitty-gritty of the City’s inner workings, history, culture, and social / military / political structures continued to enthrall me in increasing magnitude the more I learned. It might not have delivered in terms of idea meticulousness. Yet, the City’s seemingly bottomless depth and nuance felt straight out of the Kiseki Series playbook.
Speaking of the City reflecting the most recognizable strength of the Kiseki Series, another favorite of mine: I think XC3 would have also greatly benefited specifically from the use of extensive in-universe texts in the way the Kiseki Series does. This would’ve been an incredibly practical way to provide more concrete background and detail about the history and inner machinations of the City while not having to dedicate almost any extra budget to doing so via cutscenes, dialogue, etc. The Founders Tale novel series perfectly exemplifies the potential of this missed opportunity. Sadly, the one “volume” you do end up acquiring of the series is just a boring old key item that you can’t even examine beyond the title. Wano Syndrome strikes again.
That isn’t to say we learn nothing during our time in Swordmarch City, far from it. In fact, considering how much I just talked down the way its worldbuilding is handled, you might be surprised how much meat there is to it from its history alone. To start, though, I love the game’s utilization of the City as an analogy for its various themes. It's pretty obviously a representation of life and death, the fleeting beauty of mortality and the impracticality of permanence. Hell, the City itself represents this given that it’s the second iteration after the first one got burned to the ground by N. Additionally, it’s a giant Ferronis and thus inherently impermanent. Its citizens live free from the constraints of Moebius and the Flame Clock. Naturally, this is at the sacrifice of potential revival through the husks and “resurrection” caskets housed primarily within the Castles. On top of this, it also does a fantastic job representing the themes of both societal and personal unification.
Societal Unification is probably the theme best represented by Swordmarch City as a whole. It does so in a sort of ironic and/or paradoxical way, however, as one of the defining traits of Swordmarch City as a society is the Six Houses. Considering these Six Houses represent a wide variety of political backgrounds, positions, and are constantly at odds with one another… They don’t exactly scream “unified”.
Allow me to explain, though, as the City still does capture this motif beautifully in spite of its divisive politics. Unification is a motif which can be found in every corner of Aionios. On a macro level, the World was literally born from the unification of its two separated halves. On a micro level, you can find just about any race from the two World’s origins, all living together in complete normalcy. However, this is even better represented through the main party, Ouroboros. Not only do they represent six distinct races, but they also represent a unification of Keves and Agnus. Both symbolically, in terms of overcoming the conflict they’d been taught from birth, but also in a physical sense via unification via Interlink.
However, while Ouroboros may represent this theme of unification in the most dense respect, it's the City that truly takes this concept beyond their group and onto a much larger historical and societal scale. By the final chapter, within the densely packed yet still intimate City walls, you will find: Keves, Agnus, Lost Numbers, City common folk, City nobles, regular Nopon, Nopon merchants, Human children, Human elders, and Replicant Husks. Hell, if we’re extending this community to the ascension grounds, whom they regularly cooperate and interact with, you can even add orphaned jar jar binks chicken babies to that list.
Within this already immensely diverse character pool, there are countless different jobs and roles through which they contribute within the small yet fiercely capable society. Soldiers, politicians, mercenaries, strategists, shipwrights, inspectors, salvagers, engineers, security guards, merchants, an author, reserve ouroboros candidates, doctors, craftsmen, musicians, a street performer, a revived replicant offseer, and two revived legendary warriors. There's probably even more I'm forgetting beyond that, but it’s clear that diversity, and more specifically the societal unification of that diversity, is both the thematic and literal lifeblood of Swordmarch City.
CHAPTER 19 - THE NON-VANDHAM HOUSES: EITHER OVERT DLC BAIT OR MONOLITH BE DANGLIN SCRAPS YET AGAIN
(WORLDBUILDING, SECTION 2: House Doyle, House Reid, House Cassini, House Ortiz, House Rhodes, and the Mentors)
[CITATION DISCLAIMER: Before I begin, I’d like to again credit the Youtuber Miiks for his phenomenal analysis videos. These are great in how they congregate many of the different scraps of info about XC3’s messy lore into one centralized resource. Additionally, his own speculation and theory crafting is phenomenally impressive given the limited resources that are currently available. As such, the next several chapters feature a substantial amount of information centralized through his channel. In addition, I also make reference to a few of Miiks’ own personal theories and speculation, as they proved invaluable in fleshing out my own thoughts and ideas about the finer details of XC3’s undercooked lore in the process. I also make use of Youtuber JBspherefreak’s channel, though I’ll link that when the reference comes up explicitly later on.]
So to clear things up a bit more, the next several chapters are not strictly limited to my own ideas. I definitely expound upon and interpret things in my own way as much as possible, but credit to Miiks’ channel needs to be paid forward before all else. I did experiment with direct citation/quotation of the videos, but it proved quite intrusive to the analysis itself. Not only did repeated citations lengthen things considerably. But the video format often leaves things ambiguous as to which points are presented solely from explicit in-game dialogue, and which lean more heavily on personal speculation. Sometimes it’s made clear, but not always, so I’d rather just take this more consistent and simplistic approach to organization. I’m definitely not faulting Miiks for this ambiguity in any way, but I thought it was important to explain why I’ve left this credit out of the body of the chapter itself. Anyway, you get the point- dude’s a legend, go watch his shit. It’s well worth your time. Especially if the series’ ongoing continuity (including Gears and Saga) is of particular interest to you, as that’s where his videos shine the brightest. CITATION DISCLAIMER END]
With that said, let’s start the lore dump for real. I’ll preface this first lore chapter by saying this: Don’t expect anywhere close to the level of detail and analysis of these first five Founders/Houses as I’ll be giving to House Vandham. That will be getting an entire chapter to itself. Don’t worry, though, the other two have enough sauce to make up for it. Still tho, c'mon Monolith Soft. They might not be Vandham, but these Houses are really cool too pls let me understand them better jeez!!!
House Doyle: We’ll start here since it’s the most directly relevant to the main event, House Vandham. The Founder of Doyle was the daughter of N and M. This coincides with the Founder of Vandham, who is the son of N and M we see in various cutscenes throughout the game.
“W-what?? You can’t make such a huge baseless assumption like that!!!” I just did.
Okay, but in all seriousness, just take my word for it. Trust me, we will definitely get to the evidence later, as there is more than enough to support a claim this important. So I guess you could skip ahead to the Vandham chapter first if you’d prefer having the evidence beforehand? But really, it’s not necessary. Trust me on this one, just keep in mind that it’s true, and you’re good to go. With that said, discussing the Founder of Doyle is a lot trickier than the Founder of Vandham due to the fact we just straight up never see her. Because the Founders of Vandham and Doyle are confirmed to be brother and sister, this means one of two things: Either she simply wasn’t shown, for whatever reason, or the Founder of Vandham was actually N’s grandson.
Personally, I’d rather not lend credence to the latter, since the conflict between him and N kinda loses its weight in this scenario. N’s grandson wouldn’t have ever actually known N as a human. N’s son could’ve told him all about his dad, sure. But hearing and experiencing are very different propositions. The idea of generational revenge is better reflected in the grandchild alternative. Though, that might actually be an argument against itself, if anything. The Vandham motif of generational will has always had a positive connotation. Looking towards the future, never dwelling on the past. So for this random ass grandkid to be hell-bent on vengeance for making his daddy sad is just… completely backwards. And dumb. For that reason, I’ll be writing from the assumption that N’s son is the Founder of Vandham, rather than N’s grandson. If you prefer the alternative, just pretend that’s what it says idk imao
Anyways, I’ll go ahead and try to give the Founder of Doyle the spotlight as best I can, despite how little there is to go off of. First, the wording of her plaque seems to suggest her lineage can be traced back to the main contributors of the first City’s establishers. Like, the Founder of Vandham equivalent to the original City. Does this mean N and/or M played more of an integral role in the actual building and planning of the first City than is otherwise suggested? It also opens the possibility of her being the daughter/niece/etc of the Founder of Vandham with the non-Vandham half of her parents having been the ones instrumental to the first City’s establishment. This is pretty unlikely, though, for reasons I’ll get into shortly.
Given that her plaque wavers on the specific nature of the siblings’ relation, either option should be possible, right? The former being true does lend more emotional weight to N’s sacrifice, if it were the case. If either N or M (or both) personally helped build the first City, this entirely new concept for a society with their own hands, it makes N exchanging the people’s lives for M’s even more painful than it already was. Weighing the value of his lover’s life against that of the lives of an entire City of people, of whom he not only helped protect, but perhaps even helped build himself.
The next section of the Founder of Doyle’s plaque is a bit unclear with the wording: “Her whereabouts were lost after N’s ravaging of the City of old, but upon encountering the other Founders, she committed herself fully to the fight.” The “fight” seems to refer to both establishing Swordmarch City and liberating Flame Clocks as the first Ouroboros. But, the main part I’m grappling with here is her whereabouts having been “lost”. I see this to imply she escaped alone, without her brother/father/etc the Founder of Vandham, during N’s assault. The problem with this, though, is that we don’t know WHERE she went or how LONG she was gone. This is rather problematic because it completely obfuscates both time gaps between the first City’s destruction, the new City’s establishment, and the Founder of Vandham leaving.
Thankfully, we’re given explicit note that the Founder of Vandham left the Founder of Doyle in charge of the Swordmarch City government UPON leaving. So that’s… something. This led to the Founder of Doyle having “laid the cornerstones for much of the City’s governance and legal system”. Again, though, the wording here is vague about how long after the Founder of Vandham left her in charge that she managed to accomplish this. Especially since large-scale governmental overhaul doesn’t happen overnight, even in a small City. But considering the Founder of Vandham left her in charge right as he left, this suggests she was by this point a young adult at the very least. We know this because the two were close in age, despite him being the “elder of the two”.
Unfortunately, as is naturally the case with such vague exposition, this revelation answers one question, but leaves a separate one to prop up in its wake. If the two are close in age, that’s another argument against the Founder of Doyle having been a daughter/niece of the Founder of Vandham. Great, mystery solved. Except not. This brings attention to the fact that their names, surnames, or titles are different. We’re not totally out of luck in explaining this, though. Thankfully, the Founder of Doyle is a woman. It’s not outrageous to think the Doyle surname was her married name, and so she chose to take it on. After all, separate surnames would also serve to better distinguish the siblings’ unique roles within the City, given that they are leaders of separate Houses.
House Rhodes: Let’s just get the next two out of the way, since we have virtually nothing to go off of here, and I’d prefer not to speculate extensively without a solid base to jump off of. The Founder of Rhodes was a soldier of Agnus. They fought against the Founder of Ortiz until they were interrupted by the other founders, in a similar vein to Noah fighting Mio at the beginning of the game. She led the development efforts of medical science within Swordmarch City due to her healing prowise in combat. She surpassed 80yrs in age somehow. How? Mystery. The common theory is that she’s related to the Aegises, or perhaps a Pneuma-adjacent character specifically. The statue’s appearance, as well as her personality being stated as kind and gentle, supports this vaguely. Nothing even remotely close to convincing enough, though, if you ask me.
House Ortiz: Soldier of Keves. He became Ouroboros through the same circumstances as the Founder of Rhodes during their battle. He specialized in mechanical engineering to the point where he used his own inventions in combat rather than a Blade. From what little I’ve gathered about the Future Connected expansion, this invention seems to fit as a Future Connected Bootleg Monado-adjacent, whereas Mentor Reid’s Blade fits as the actual Monado-adjacent. What’s it all mean? Dunno, ask someone who actually played Future Connected.
House Cassini: Here’s another one of the continuity dudes, so I won’t go too deep into it. Similarly to House Reid, we are given a statue of the Founder’s Mentor in their stead. The appearance, personality, and choice of weaponry all suggest this is a Rex-adjacent character. Yeah, that’s pretty much it. Nothing concrete here about the Founders themselves, just good old Rex Rex.
House Reid: Another continuity dude, another parallel. We’ve already seen N’s son and N’s daughter. Now, together with the Mentor of Cassini, we have the pair of Mentors and previous protagonist-adjacents: the Rex-adjacent and now Shulk-adjacent characters serving as House Mentors. Again, not much to say here, though I do think their deliberate specification of “Mentors” rather than the Founders themselves is interesting. Also, we didn’t get jack shit about Shania here. Yes, I consider this a personal attack. Ah yes, hello Amazon… that’s correct, I’d like to kindly request a refund for my purchase of Xenoblade Chronicles 3 because-
To expound on these two House Mentors just a bit, though, it should be stated that the evidence is in favor of them being Shulk and Rex, rather than Dunban and Zeke who you might initially expect. Not just because of appearances (Rex’s one eye, Shulk’s missing right arm). But because Dunban and Zeke quite literally were mentors for these characters in their own titles. However, it’s specifically stated that the Founder of Reid was female- so it couldn’t have been Shulk, This means the Mentor wouldn’t be Dunban.
A far more likely suggestion would be one of two possibilities: Dunban and Zeke did still serve as Mentors to Shulk and Rex, but this was years prior. Now they’re older, around the age of their own mentors as we saw them in XC1/XC2, as seen in the statues. Not to mention, this opens the possibility for not just Rex, but Shulk, to be a father of which their children fit within the 10-year criteria of Z. Either way, in this first example, Shulk and Rex are mature and experienced enough to mentor the next generation- the true Founders.
Or there’s a second option, as supported by their matching injuries, that some weird Merge shit happened and these Mentors took on qualities of all four characters (two each). Either way, this doesn’t explain why Shulk and Rex were not Founders and thus not Ouroboros, which you’d expect given their importance to the series. It’s certainly an effective approach, though. It reminds me a lot of Persona 2: Eternal Punishment. Where, because reasons, you’ll sometimes stumble upon party members or other majorly important characters from its predecessor, Innocent Sin. Yet, their relevance here is hugely scaled back to the point where they’d come across as normal NPCs if you didn’t know any better.
But uhhhhh yeah. Who knows. There are quite a few details to mull over regarding these two Houses. Particularly, the significance of the scar parallels, the inherent foil to Vandham’s generational will, and Shulk/Rex’s roles being relegated to mentors rather than active Ouroboros. These facts are way too deliberately weird to not be majorly important. But alas, we get virtually zero helpful info on the matter so… That’s all I got for ya. Now, onto the main event: House Vandham.
CHAPTER 20 - HOUSE VANDHAM: THE MILLENNIUM TORCH OF HOPE
(WORLDBUILDING, SECTION 3: The Vandham House, N, Founder of Vandham, Guernica, and Noah)
“Founder of Vandham: In memory of the Founder of House Vandham, the City’s Restorer and Liberator.”
Does that preamble sound familiar? Well, I’ll just go ahead and cut to the chase I mentioned earlier. N’s son is the Founder of Vandham. It might not be outright stated, but the amount of unrelated evidence is far too surmountable to deny. Starting small, this is supported by N, Noah, and Monica’s shared flaw of being notably terrible at naming things- like, notable enough to be repeatedly given attention. This is not a flaw which a SINGLE other character in the game possesses. As such, this is a clear sign of genetic relation. Not convinced? During the scene where M asks N to name their newborn child, the camera cuts directly to Lucky Seven / The Sword of the End as he rejects her proposal. Basically, the game is slapping you in the face with the idea that this is not a throwaway trait. For this to be emphasized during such an important scene, speaks to its OWN importance by proxy.
Next, let’s consider the origin of the Vandham name. All of the other continuity-adjacent founders who resemble past characters do so without carrying on the same name. Yet, the Founder of Vandham (god I wish FoV wasn’t already an abbreviation, otherwise I’d use that) just so happens to have the exact same name as a pre-Merge character. Who is the character responsible for naming the Founder of Vandham? M. Who is the only pre-Merge character still alive who would know the original XC2 Vandham personally; a necessity given that already deceased characters would not have been recorded within Origin leading up to the Merge? Nia. Who did Nia speak with before joining Moebius 1000 years ago? M. From these facts, we can conclude that Nia explained the importance of the Vandham name to M during that first pre-Moebius conversation. It’s because of this that Nia chose to honor the Vandham name by bringing it into post-merge Aionios through her own child. Now you might be wondering… Why was this not audible during the naming cutscene, when that single word would’ve removed the need for ALL of this speculation? Dunno. Trust the plan.
Additionally, the Founder of Vandham’s identity is supported by the fact that he was able to “overcome” N single-handedly. He did not just let hold his own in the battle, but drove him away- allegedly. Let’s think about this logically for a second and explain why this bit of “lore” is all just posturing by the city folk on behalf of their beloved Founder. N managed to effortlessly wipe out the entire original City. The betrayal was initiated by an ambush, admittedly, but the entire City fell before him- and believably so. After all, we’re talking about the guy who sacrificed EVERYTHING for power alone. Power overwhelming enough to guarantee that he would be able to secure the safety of M through his own two hands alone.
Yet, this random young upstart managed to overcome N all on his own despite his power? With fist fighting nonetheless? I’m not trying to throw shade at the dude for throwing hands but, I mean, come on now. Idk about you, but, it seems far more likely to me that N couldn’t bring himself to execute his own flesh and blood. Therefore, N probably roughed his son up a bit, but then personally conceded the fight once it was clear that he won, wandering off to Queen knows where with M. This would technically qualify as Founder of Vandham “driving off N”, though. Just in the least impressive way possible. But from that angle, it’s easy to see where the record books could glorify the incident in support of their savior a bit. Hell, that probably also explains why his statue is so jacked, despite N being biologically incapable of producing a son who is anything but the twinkiest twink who ever twink’d.
Seriously, though, there is some rather legitimate evidence to suggest N’s feelings may have gotten in the way with how early into his Moebius life this took place. When you look back at their final goodbye scene, N completely breaks down. In a way that far surpassed even the death of M after giving birth to him. Perhaps the reason why was because he knew their confrontation was inevitable. N didn’t manage to lead him far enough away. He knew his son would head back the way they came rather than search for help elsewhere. Either way, N led the Founder of Vandham away from the City in a last-ditch effort to spare his life (further supporting his inability to kill him as Moebius N once they fought). As a result, this also suggests that N knew about and already came to terms with the cost of living within the Endless Now.
After N’s death, the young Founder of Vandham was left alone in the forest, scared and confused. It’s only natural that his instinct would then be to wander back to safety (the City). Plus, it’s not like N would have actually wanted to EXPLAIN to his own son what his plans were. Even if he did, N was too swept up in trying to save him to think about anything else. This line of thinking is supported by the fact that N was so swept up in the panic and desperation that he did not even make mention of his newborn daughter, presumably the Founder of Doyle. You’d think he’d at LEAST send his son off with something along the lines of, “be strong for/look after your sister”. But this was a purely one-on-one goodbye. Regarding both the timeline of events and N’s character motivations, this all appears to line up quite well.
Additionally, this would also provide an explanation for the multiple-century long gap in which the Vandham founder and several generations of descendants remained unrecorded. Shortly after his confrontation with N and the establishment of Swordmarch City, the Founder of Vandham went off on a lone journey. Broadly, I believe he went off in search of N. But in the meantime, he sought purpose, strength, allies, and/or even some trump card (kinda like the Ouroboros Stone). Anything which could feasibly even the playing field between himself and N, basically.
I don’t know how this resolves through the Vandham name eventually finding its way back to Swordmarch City. We’re getting into real spitballing territory here, but perhaps the Founder of Vandham gave up his search as he aged. He then urged his children to eventually make their way back to Swordmarch City when the opportunity presented itself- kind of like how Guernica urged the party to Swordmarch. Depending on how far away they were geographically when this happened, it could explain why it took several generations before actually finding their way back. Buuuuut a lot can happen in 300+ years, so… who fuckin knows, man.
Anyway, to get back to the Founder of Vandham’s specific role in establishing the new City: The wording of this introductory line seems particularly careful in comparison to the other Founder plaques. “Restorer” refers to his role in establishing the new City within Swordmarch. “Liberator” represents his prior act of having successfully driven away N (his father) following their battle in the ruins of the original City. Also, I’d propose that it reflects his descendant Noah’s role of liberation in kind.
As an aside, did N specifically wait until the Founder of Vandham was old enough that he could, perhaps not “fight back”, but be old enough to survive whatever happened in the onslaught? Going further, is it possible that N WANTED Vandham to be both capable and motivated enough to the point where he COULD feasibly establish a new City? Keep in mind, this was not the N we know today; jaded and desensitized to a monstrous degree after 1000 years of rotting monotony and parasitic repentance. This feasibly could have been N’s last shred of humanity. To provide a last ditch effort to give his son a chance- to give his son hope. Thematically, this fits beautifully, given that the Founder of Vandham is N and M’s “hope made into a little person”. He is N’s (both biologically and, in this case, symbolically) hope made manifest.
Moving on, let’s talk Guernica Vandham. I’ve already covered quite a lot about his ancestor, Founder of Vandham, but Guernica himself has plenty more beyond it that makes his character absolute gas. In the brief (and I mean BRIEF) firsthand experience we’re given of Swordmarch City’s previous Elder, Guernica plays a vital role in the happenings of XC3’s narrative. I don’t just mean in the obvious sense that he entrusts the Ouroboros stone with them rather than entrusting it to the “proper descendants” of the Founders and/or the leading Lost Numbers candidates. No, Guernica’s intervention plays a vital role in splitting the events which took place at Gura Flava into the far more positive timeline we are exposed to. The timeline which comprises most of the game, eventually leading to the successful eradication of Moebius and necessary separation of Aionios.
In the moments leading up to Guernica’s interruption, Noah is hit with repeated pangs of trepidation and hesitation, both his fight against Mio and in the subsequent absence of fighting itself. Noah subconsciously worried about killing Mio, but also, he worried that if the groups stopped fighting, it would present an opportunity for the Ouroboros Stone to be activated, endangering them once again. Noah’s vague subconscious is desperately trying to steer him away from the circumstances which would incite this path change; the change that has resulted in ceaseless horror and loss for both him and the woman he loves.
Yet, Guernica is the spark of hope which inspires him once again at the exact right moment- to pursue that ideal future they’d yet to achieve prior. If it weren’t for Guernica’s assertion, Noah’s apprehension would have prevented both he and Mio from reaching the future they’d fought and suffered so long in service of- RIGHT before they were finally about to achieve it. Basically, it would have ended like this image; just uh, imagine Guernica as the top dude and pretend I photoshopped a black ponytail on the dude with the receding hairline, I guess..
Why stop there? Vandham lore has plenty of kino to go around. Noah’s gauntlet when taking on Lucky Seven reflects the Martial Arts prowise of his Vandham ancestry. Considering that Noah tends to only unleash this gauntlet (well… in the early game at least) during the smashing of Flame Clocks, and by proxy, liberating colonies. This is the thematic completion of the Founder of Vandham’s role- still shining through the bloodline over a millennium after his time. Noah takes on the Founder of Vandham’s status as “Liberator”, while also acting as a “Restorer” of the inhabitants’ short term safety, their longevity, and their free-will. But to keep the motif going, Noah is also continuing the Vandham duty of restoring hope to the people. Some may be more thankful for his liberation than others at first. Not only did it cause some issues with resources and morale. But, well, it would make sense thematically, given that suddenly having the curtain shrouding reality would be jarring for those comfortably situated within the Endless Now.
Also, holy shit speaking of the whole fist fighting thing… The Founder of Vandham must have cast aside his inherited blade in favor of the Lucky Seven equivalent gauntlet to symbolize his defiance of N… ALSO holy shit considering Mio is a progenitor of the Vandhams, the bloodline of hope and resident handthrowers, this would bring a whole new layer of meaning and impact to Mio’s punch of O&P in Chapter 4 raw raw raw holy shit holy shit holy SHIT ahem uhhh I mean that’s kinda cool right?
We’re not done, though. Wanna know the kicker? The ONLY reason Noah is here, carrying out this liberation and restoration. The SINGLE reason he did not trust his subconscious fear to avoid making the same mistakes he did in past lives… Once again, Noah is only here because of Guernica’s assertion at Gura Flava. Through sheer determination to pass on the will of Vandham, knowingly or not. Holy shit. I know I’ve made reference to One Piece with the Wano Syndrome moniker already, but… should I also just start calling this the Will of V?
The story of Vandham is cyclical in much the way that the Eternal Now is cyclical. Yet, it manages to instill hope and incite change through sheer will alone. N and M birthed the Founder of Vandham. Vandham brought hope to the City’s survivors, liberating and restoring society and the people. Eventually, Guernica uses that same hope instilled into the Founder of Vandham by N and M to save Noah and Mio. This allows them to be the ones to save the new City of Swordmarch, the City born from the shadows of N’s sacrifice to save M. And to what end does this hope persist? To save Mio- just like N saved M.
With this in mind, one could argue that Ouroboros doesn’t even truly oppose Moebius until after the events of Chapter 5. It’s only once they acknowledge the reality of Mio’s survival was largely out of their hands, shifting their focus instead to the true goal of returning Aionios to the worlds it once was, the worlds it should be… It’s only then that this millennium-held hope truly illuminates their long-sought path towards that future. In short, I was blown away by how much depth there was to uncover just through three characters of the Vandham bloodline alone. Kinda wish Monica and Ghondor got more sauce, but hey, I’ll absolutely take what we got here.
CHAPTER 21 - METAL NIYAH SOLID: TACTICAL SLEEPYHEAD HIBERNYACTION
(Worldbuilding Section 4: The Seventh Founder)
Yeah, the title is beyond a stretch, but it made me laugh so deal with it. Anyway, the mysterious Seventh Founder is Nia. Just like with Vandham and Doyle, there’s essentially zero room for doubt here. Unrelated, but thank GOD we actually know the name of this one, so I can finally stop using “the Founder of Whatever” every five seconds. Anyway, let’s lay out the evidence, as there is a pretty fat stack of it.
Firstly, the statue. Despite being important enough to go front and center, Nia is the only one who doesn’t get an actual statue to go with her plaque. Now, I know what you’re thinking: Nia probably kept bugging the sculptor to fix her nose and make THEM HIPS wider and shape the booty more etc etc etc and so he just threw it in the trash. Actually y’know what yeah that might have happened anyway. But the real reason she does not have a statue was to deliberately hide her identity, a conclusion also reached by City scholars.
Why not use that status and clout to motivate the people? Well, it’s pretty simple actually, but there are a few distinct reasons. First, Nia is the literal Queen of Agnus. One of the founding tenets of the City was to remain ambivalent towards the warring faction of Queens in order to stay focused on their goal. After all, the only enemy they cared about was Moebius. Were it public knowledge that a literal Founder of the City was an enemy of Keves, it’s not much of a stretch to assume this knowledge would cloud the judgment of a minority group of Lost Numbers / City nationalists. They might THINK they’re being helpful in supporting a Founder by putting effort towards fighting Keves. Though, this effort would obviously be best saved for use against Moebius. More broadly, though, we as the player have all the context surrounding the conspiracy of the Endless Now. As such, we understand that the only thing this Lost Numbers intervention would accomplish would be to feed into the war which Moebius explicitly WANTS to continue being fought. Not to mention, such unorganized recklessness would probably key Moebius into the location of the new City in Swordmarch. That aint good.
Additionally, Nia being the Seventh Founder provides several layers of physical and thematic justification for both Monica and Ghondor’s Agnian classification. The most obvious piece of evidence is that they’re members of the Vandham bloodline. This lines up with Agnus reflecting the Alrest half of Origin and thus, the Queen of Agnus’ personal friend, the original Vandham from XC2. What this doesn’t explain, however, is House Vandham gradually shifting over time from pure Kevesi to pure Agnian over the course of 1000 years. As seen through his Ouroboros designation, the Founder of Vandham was the Kevesi-dominant sibling. Yet, each of Guernica, Monica, and Ghondor wear their eye patch over their left eye in conjunction with their Agnian class roles. This could be seen as symbolic, sure, but there is undoubtedly some physicality to this shift as well.
Remember, the eye patch is a thin strip of Origin metal used to block out Moebius interception of the IRIS. So… how did the Vandham family’s irises eventually switch from being in the right eye to the left eye? Y’know, it might help to have even the slightest goddamn inkling of how irises even work in XC3. Oh well, another mystery to throw on the pile. But to return to my original point, which seems a mile away by now, the scales being tipped in the favor of Agnus is strong evidence in favor of the Seventh Founder being Agnian. What other Agnian would benefit from hiding their identity? What other Agnian entrusted their fates, including her own to Ghondor (by proxy of M) in the form of the Cloudkeep key? Yep. Kitty real, confirmed.
To conclude, the Seventh Founder being the literal founder and Queen of Agnus “tips the scales” of the City becoming unknowingly Agnian-leaning. Not just through class development, iris development, morale, but even by shifting the Ouroboros/Interlink balance. That said, I certainly don't think Nia had anything to do with Interlinking per se. We all know well by this point that, well, seven’s a crowd. I guess in this sense, and many others, Nia’s role as “founder” is more symbolic than anything else. Especially since she’s been straight up snoozin while the Six Houses (Six, not Seven, mind you) have been doing all the work. Even if she had a reason not to contribute personally, you can’t tell me this doesn’t sound like our Nia. Replace the bed with a cryo-chamber and voilà: you have XC3 Nia to a tee.
CHAPTER 22 - SWORDMARCH CITY POLITICS BAYBEE
(WORLDBUILDING, SECTION 5: The Decline of House Reid, Generational Vandham Neglect, and the Thematic Foil of Ouroboros’ Growth)
Let’s begin by breaking down the thematic importance of House Reid. More specifically, the decline in status and unity of House Reid- both of which contribute to the House’s death. As I alluded to during my analysis of the Six Founders, House Reid was born from the principle of family-centered care. Shulk/Mentor of Reid loved and cared for the Founder of Reid as if she was his own flesh and blood. Despite there being no blood ties present. Fast-forward to the current day House Reid. Shania was her mother’s own flesh and blood, but was treated like a tool. A tool which exists solely to sustain or advance the prosperity of the House Reid. Shania’s mother measured her worth strictly by her value as a soldier of Ouroboros, rather than as a daughter or an individual.
This is an important distinction to make with the dehumanization of House Vandham- specifically through the cyclical yet intentional neglect of Guernica, Monica, and Ghondor. Guernica raised Monica as a soldier rather than as a daughter. Therefore, she barely knew Guernica in terms of the man or the father. Likewise, Monica raised Ghondor as a soldier rather than as a daughter. Therefore, she never knew Monica in terms of the woman or the mother.
This cyclical Vandham neglect may SOUND identical to the decline of House Reid, but it couldn’t be more different as a result of the historical and thematic subtext. Emphasis on family and emotional bonds were the guiding principle behind the founding of House Reid. That principle has completely crumbled over time, both thematically and physically, due to the fact that the Reid family bloodline officially ends with Shania.
House Vandham, on the other hand, knows that this is done as a measure of purely goal-driven pragmatism. As a result, each and every member of the Vandham bloodline acknowledges and concedes that this supposed neglect is a necessary sacrifice in the pursuit of Moebius. First of all, the Vandham parents had double duty as Elder of the entire City, which alone severely limits bonding time. Second, they had the responsibility of preparing their child for becoming Elder as quickly as possible, in the event that they happened to be killed in action, like Guernica ended up being.
Lastly, the Vandham bloodline was not built on the principle of emotionally bonded family. I mean, that should probably be obvious when you look at how utterly fucked their family history is. The Vandham bloodline was instead built on the principle of inherited will. So, what IS the best way to ensure that 1000-year spanning will can be protected, anyway? By protecting both the city and the Vandham bloodline itself in one fell swoop. What’s the easiest way to ensure something gets seen through? By taking it into your own hands. House Vandham takes on personal responsibility of leading the City. They sacrifice the inherent and precious bond of emotion between parent and child for the sake of military preparation- as an investment for everyone’s future. They understand, perhaps in part through their genetic disposition and subconscious, that the purpose of their own lives goes far beyond JUST their own lives.
So, in a twist of irony, it’s BECAUSE the Vandham Elder neglects their child that you can truly tell how much faith they DO have in them as a successor. Keep in mind, this isn’t physical abuse or anything of the sort. It’s not pleasant, mind you, but it’s better described as cold, quiet, and dignified military preparation rather than abuse. Compare the Vandham ideology to that of the Ouroboros we become familiarized with firsthand during the early chapters of XC3. They’re immature, naive, and desperate to save Mio.
Most importantly, though, it is through Ouroboros’ naïveté that they serve as the thematic antithesis to House Vandham. Not necessarily as scathing commentary or anything, but rather to show how much further all six of them still need to grow, individually and as a group. Even beyond their pursuit to save Mio, the early days of modern Ouroboros are defined by their desperation to make an impact with JUST their short lives alone. They start to get the bigger picture after Ethel indoctrinates them to the importance of “the greater good”, but they’re still confined by (and thus defined by) the shackles of their carefully orchestrated upbringings and own mortality.
In short; Ouroboros views their finite hope for a better future as a singular chance bound by their own mortality. House Vandham, in contrast, views their entire 1000-year bloodline as a continuous struggle to chip away at creating a better future. By entrusting their child with the same Will of Vandham they were entrusted by their parents. By slowly but surely building upon that spark of hope over generations, nurturing the flame they’ve slowly developed. By carrying out the will of the Founder of Vandham, which he established as a guiding principle of Swordmarch City and the Vandham name countless generations prior.
Luckily for Ouroboros, they just so happened to be entrusted with the Ouroboros Stone- the exact trump card needed in order TO make an impact within such a short timeframe. But the Vandham family? They weren’t so lucky. They weren’t always gifted the luxury of magic glowing fusion rocks which turn you into fricked up monsters capable of opposing Moebius. The only constants which drove House Vandham were: their inherited will made manifest through human strength alone. A fleet of Lost Numbers soldiers at their command. And the dream that, one day, someone would come along to carry their inherited will to soaring new heights. Thankfully for them, this came to pass as the Ouroboros Stone found its way into the hands of a Lucky Seve- er, Lucky Six, who could harness that hope. Then, eventually, channel it into a new future on behalf of all of them. MAN the Vandhams are sick to do this stuff with their own two hands alone idc.
This sentiment of “acting beyond the scope of one’s own life” is constantly reflected by House Vandham; Guernica’s sacrifice at Gura Flava. Monica’s infiltration of Origin and leading the war effort against the first Ferronis in the Final War. Ghondor’s sacrifices of being entrapped in Prison with the Cloudkeep key from M, and again when she risks her life by diverting the attention of Moebius to secure Ouroboros’ infiltration of Origin. This sentiment even extends to the true modern versions of the Vandham progenitors. It might even explain why these two specifically took Ethel’s words so close to heart. This sentiment has been with the Vandham name from the start, defining the founding principle of House Vandham and spanning over a millennium. And despite all odds, the flame lives on.
CHAPTER 23 - OREOBOROS: AN INTERLINK BETWEEN COOKIE AND CREAM
(WORLDBUILDING, SECTION 6: General Exploration of Ouroboros, Interlink, and Overheating)
I know yall were desperate for another 200 pages on Founder, Swordmarch City, and Vandham Family lore (doubt). However, there’s still tons more worldbuilding which extends outside the walls of Swordmarch that still needs to be covered.
First off, Ouroboros. What is it, exactly? Where did it come from? How does it work? Well, we don’t get a ton of explicit explanation in typical XC3 fashion. But there’s at least enough here to bounce off of. In short, the Ouroboros Stones are created through Nia’s key to Origin, the Origin “gears”, and the resonance of Nia’s Core Crystal in conjunction with the “Crystal Database”. The database is an Agnian substrate within Origin whose processing was accelerated through some manner of catalysis. Origin, as an information database and archive for both Worlds, also serves as storage for the characters’ souls, thoughts, emotions, etc. It is through this information processing database that the party is exposed to one another’s memories during Interlink, can manifest Blade weapons as an extension of the data storage, and so on.
As an aside, I think it’s important to note that, while the Interlink power itself is obviously a huge proponent of the Ouroboros Stones’ purpose, its function has never been sheer power. Perhaps in equal amount, it seeks to provide understanding and trust between the members. In fact, I’d argue that the memory transfer aspect is just as important as the power aspect, since this was what gave each pairing the push they needed to truly buy into their newfound fate. This, of course, started with Noah and Mio at Gura Flava,, but even extends to the other pairs as well. Lanz’ exposure to Sena’s memories was what encouraged him to open up to her. Likewise, Taion’s exposure to Eunie’s past life memory serves as the emotional core of their bond through (initially) unspoken support and comfort.
Let’s dig a bit more into the mechanics of Ouroboros, though. During Chapter 5, we’re keyed in on information which suggests a source for this aforementioned catalyzation: Nia’s Flesh Eater power. Ouroboros and Moebius alike possess an incredible capacity for regeneration; to the point where entire limbs can be repeatedly restored if the Core remains untouched. As such, Nia’s Flesh Eater power and her propensity for accelerated cell growth is the best explanation for the resonance which took place between her and Origin’s Agnian substrate in creating the Ouroboros Stones.
Honestly though, given that this is an Agnus-dominant process, I won’t go too deep into its continuity and parallels to XC2: Blades, Blade Eaters, Flesh Eaters, Titans, the persisting dichotomy of the Driver-Blade relationship, and more. Even beyond continuity, the video I’ve linked below by Miiks also highlights the logistics of Lanz/Sena’s sacrifice, the role of shifting “World-control” during Interlink, as well as speculation on the technological roots of Origin’s construction as an interdimensional project. For those that are interested in these ideas and connections, I’d urge you to check out Miiks’ Ouroboros analysis video.
CHAPTER 24 - KEYS TO THE HEART: INTERLINKING THE “GIMMICKS” OF AIONIOS
(WORLDBUILDING, SECTION 7: The Ouroboros Stone, Lucky Seven / The Sword of the End, and “Interlinking” the Queens’ Gimmicks)
However, something I would like to highlight is the constant parallels being drawn between Lucky Seven and the Ouroboros Stones. First of all, the Gimmicks’ origins (sry bad pun) can be described as the physical “will” left behind by the Queens and their respective construction teams prior to their slumber. Melia’s key to Origin and the Origin metal were used in the construction of Lucky Seven. Meanwhile, Nia’s key to Origin and the Origin “gears” were used in the construction of the Ouroboros Stones.
The reason I specify Queens AND construction teams is due to the Origin metal and material itself. I wouldn’t doubt if Melia and Nia were the minds which birthed the concept of these Gimmicks, but clearly they wouldn’t be able to construct either of them alone. Plus, given that the materials came directly from Origin, it seems likely that both teams responsible for the creation of Origin itself also contributed directly to the creation of the Gimmicks. We know for a fact this includes Tora, who worked with Nia on the Agnian half of Origin. But on the Kevesi side, this may also include Shulk and anyone else responsible for helping him with his bootleg Monado thingies from Future Connected (again, I haven’t played it yet, so kinda just spitballing here).
Beyond a physical tie, however, it is these two “gimmicks” which allow the party to operate outside the bounds established by Moebius. We see a literal example of this during Chapter 6, when these “gimmicks” (more on that phrasing later) are used in tandem to break X’s staff and free their powers. Nia describes the Lucky Seven / Sword of the End as a “byproduct of resonance between the Kevesi Queen’s heart and Origin”. The Ouroboros Stones can be considered much the same, but for Nia herself instead.
Yet, despite their clearly overwhelming importance and potential, Nia clarifies that both of them are “mere gimmicks- the crux of them lies with you”. By this, she certainly means Ouroboros themselves, since they are the outlet by which their power is made manifest. But within this context, the “you” is collective, according to the Queen of Keves herself, Melia. The crux of this power lies not just with the party, nor their allies. The power is drawn from the persisting conglomerate of thoughts and emotions from every single person of whom were stored as a collective within the Crystal Database of Origin.
While it is true that the collective did result in manifesting Moebius, they are also equally culpable in the manifestation of their foil- Ouroboros. On a smaller scale, there may be some individuals ruled by their fear of the unknown, even if subconsciously. But in turn, so were there individuals who wished to carve out a future for themselves. These “gimmicks” are merely a tool through which the party can channel these thoughts which oppose Moebius. Not just in terms of being strong enough. The gimmicks quite literally allow them to become the “Yin” to Moebius’ “Yang”- the only thing that can cut through their oppressive control.
I like this yin-yang analogy better than a black-white analogy, as there is in fact a lingering Moebiesque (sorry, it sounded too dumb in my head not to use at least once) desire within everyone. Naturally, we know this because the collective was responsible for the manifestation of Moebius. But beyond the physicality of their origin, this collective responsibility is represented symbolically within the party as well, given that Mio is in possession of a Moebius body/vessel. In terms of continuity (which I’ll keep brief, promise), I really like the idea that these Gimmicks are the only thing capable of “cutting through” Moebius. This is because of the “ancestral” ties their individual properties have to their origins in the previous games. For Lucky Seven, its ability to cut things that normally could not is clearly in reference to the Monado, which likely served as the foundation for the Masterpon who created it.
On the other hand, the Ouroboros Stones’ property of amplifying two individuals as they work in tandem is directly reminiscent of XC2’s Driver/Blade relationship. Considering that the Nation of Agnus seems to be mostly (if not all) Blades, and all three party members are confirmed to be, this makes the Kevesi party members their “Drivers”- a fact which is FURTHER driven home by them being the first ones in control of the Interlink. Hell, this even reflects the accelerated regenerative properties of Ouroboros so long as their core stays intact- just like Blades. This serves as yet another piece of evidence suggesting that Nia’s Flesh Eater ability played a role in the catalyzed acceleration of the Crystal Database through which Ouroboros was made possible.
This might also explain the seemingly arbitrary six-person limit to Ouroboros. The need for an even-numbered total (for the sake of the Interlink mechanic) plays a part in this, surely. But in a way, you could reasonably conclude that the Lucky Seven / Sword of the End IS the “Seventh Ouroboros”. The fact that the “Seventh Founder” is represented by one of these gimmicks through her statue also supports this, in my opinion. But by now you’re probably asking: How is that the case when it’s the WRONG gimmick representing the Seventh Founder? Well, allow me to explain.
As we know, these two gimmicks draw from the same source and have mirrored origins as the Gimmick provided by each World’s Queen. Not to mention, it’s only through their use in tandem that their full potential, their full ability to draw upon and channel the hopes of the people, is made manifest. This could also explain and even outright cancel-out the “imbalance” created by the existence of the Seventh Founder, given the fact she is Agnian and represented by the Agnian Gimmick with her “statue” in Swordmarch. The Seventh Founder may be an Agnian originate, but their coinciding Seventh Ouroboros is a Kevesi originate.
Another reason I like this approach is that both are almost entirely metaphorical. Nia isn’t a literal founder of Swordmarch. She didn’t live there, nor did she help build the society. Her impact on the City was through a TOOL used by the actual Founders in order to help them carry out their duty. Likewise, the Lucky Seven isn’t a literal Ouroboros member who fights Moebius on its own. Its impact on Ouroboros was as a TOOL used by the actual Ouroboros in order to help them carry out their duty.
In this way, it’s almost as if these two Gimmicks are halves of the “whole” which is the Gimmick of Aionios- the tool needed to help Ouroboros overcome Moebius. When wielded by Ouroboros in tandem, the Gimmick of Aionios paves the way for the true, cumulative, final form of the Interlink. Physically, emotionally, and thematically. An Interlink not JUST physically between the two Nations (Keves and Agnus), but an emotional interlink between the “yin and yang” acknowledgement of their culpability (Mio in M’s Moebius body) and the resolve to change their fate (Noah’s path as a foil to N’s).
This emotional “Interlink” culminates physically through N and Noah becoming one after their confrontation, just as M and Mio did after being given her body. An Interlink of past and present- working in tandem in pursuit of the future. An Interlink of Ouroboros (which represents destruction and rebirth, the beginning and the end) and Moebius (which represents an endless present). Finally, by drawing the sword during Interlink, this represents a thematic Interlink between the Gimmicks themselves (SotE and the Ouroboros Stone) and the potential of power they possess when used in tandem. THIS is the True Interlink of Ouroboros; the very culmination of hope made manifest through Melia and Nia’s joint effort in opposing Moebius- distilled into its purest and most literal form.
Yeesh I hope that makes sense… Because the lore runs SO deep and is SO under-explained during the game, I’m pretty doubtful I did the connection between these gimmicks justice. But hopefully, it’s a decent enough jumping off point for more specialized discussion and theory crafting. Clearly, though, these two gimmicks are the “wings” which hold the key to let Moebius opposition soar. Because they’re needed in tandem to reflect the aforementioned “Interlink”, I like to think of them as two halves of one key; two halves of the heart which is Ouroboros. I mean, this even applies in gameplay terms too. Have you SEEN how fucking busted the Origin Blade ability is when these Gimmicks are used in tandem?? Z never stood a chance dawg.
CHAPTER 25 - XENOBLADE FANTASY VII REMAKE: THE JANNIES STRIKE BACK
(WORLDBUILDING, SECTION 8: Black Fog, the Annihilation Event, and Divine Intervention)
[Disclaimer: The first paragraph contains Spoilers for Final Fantasy VII Remake (not OG FFVII)].
Moving on, I’d like to shift the focus away from Ouroboros, and onto the phenomenon of Black Fog. And, by proxy, the Annihilation Event. The conceptual purpose and role of this Black Fog immediately brought to my mind the UNIVERSALLY BELOVED AND NEVER ONCE CONTROVERSIAL “Time Jannies” of Final Fantasy VII Remake- or their actual (but far less hilarious) name, the Whispers. However, the Black Fog functions quite differently in practice. Not even just mechanically, mind you. Since, y’know, the Black Fog isn’t built around some insane Nomurified metacommentary that inserts the game’s own cultural legacy into its literal narrative as a vessel to steer a beloved work in a completely new direction… Y’know, for starters. Though, for the record, I say this endearingly. FFVIIR is Nomura’s magnum opus and his vision absolutely rips (so far). Buuuut we’re not here to talk about that.
[FFVII Remake Spoilers End]
Anyway, how does the Black Fog work? What purpose does it serve, and to what end? Well, let’s start with the obvious and work up from there. The Black Fog is a mysterious phenomenon that obfuscates the vision (and severs the connection) of both citizens’ and Moebius’ irises alike. Additionally, it serves as a premonition for the Annihilation Event, which I’ll get into later. These two functions, obfuscation and premonition, might appear unrelated. But the truth is that they DO work in tandem, as separate means to the same end; that end being a divine cleansing of sorts. This cleansing operates under the unified network of supernatural arbitration, which I’ll refer to from this point on as “Divine Intervention”.
In short, the Black Fog is a vessel for this Divine Intervention. As such, it is a natural and autonomous function of the Xenoblade multiverse. It seeks to correct everything (or everyone) who wish to impede the natural flow of causality. The reason I specify “multiverse” rather than simply “universe” is because this phenomenon extends beyond post-Merge Aionios and into pre-Merge Bionis. I have not played XC1: Future Connected myself, but from my research, it seems clear that a suspiciously similar phenomenon plays a key role in the actual/recreated post-Alvis World of Bionis.
This connection comes to life through the inherent tie between the deceased Zanza (as no shred of Zanza should remain in this Bionis) and the persisting race of Telethia who can be likened to Zanza residue. The Fog of XC1, as led by the Fog King, carries out the Divine Intervention of cleansing this impediment unto Bionis. Enough about continuity, though, I just wanted to stress that this phenomenon is not an Aionios-exclusive byproduct of the Merge. Instead, this phenomenon reflects a far more all-encompassing and perhaps omnipotent divine will.
In much the same way as the Telethia of Future Connected, Moebius are an impediment on causality. Not to mention, we aren’t just talking about the Xenoblade equivalent of Jehovah’s Witnesses this time either… in other words, those green spikey dudes who would like a minute of your time to tell you about their lord and savior Zanza Christ. We’re talking about an impediment so powerful that it not only attempted but SUCCEEDED in bringing forth the literal apocalypse for both Worlds of Bionis/Mechonis AND Alrest. This impediment succeeded at stopping the flow of time, trapping the residual landmass of Aionios within the Endless Now. It’s only natural that this Divine Intervention would be far more fixated on this impediment than Zanza’s, and thus far more physically prevalent, within the World of Aionios.
That said, how can we support this revelation? Well, first of all, there is a clear parallel which can be drawn between the density of Black Fog and the density of causality impediment. This, of course, is carried out through Moebius presence and activity. The Fog (and by proxy the Annihilation Event) tends to cluster around the Regions of Kevesi Castle and Cadensia. More specifically, the Erythia Sea, which lies just below the Agnian Castle. In a similar vein, the Black Fog which played a key role in Chapter 2 only accumulated around Colony 4 following the arrival of Consul K.
The Fog accumulation coinciding with Consul K’s activity suggests that the Black Fog does not, in fact, come into existence NEAR Moebius-heavy locations. Rather, the lingering Black Fog from adjacent areas actively moves towards and congregates in Moebius-heavy locations instead. This active movement on the part of the Black Fog suggests it to possess a significant magnitude of either divine guidance/instruction, or perhaps even autonomy outright. To provide contrast with this connection, the oceans which surround the outermost perimeter of Aionios are completely unscathed (free of both Fog AND Annihilation craters) due to their distance away from both the Castles and Origin. As a last piece of evidence, this active congregation of Black Fog is intensified comparatively further in the Maktha Wildwood during the party’s confrontation against the Interlinked Moebius O&P. Particularly, as the two Moebius drew closer to overheating and exceeding their timer. We witness this function being pushed to (and even beyond) its limits several times throughout XC3. First with O&P, then (attempted, but same concept) with Lanz and Sena’s sacrifice, and again with Joran’s sacrifice in taking down D.
Moving on to the Annihilation Event, I feel it’s best described in two different ways, depending on the intent. Symbolically? This is the means by which a stagnant World is slowly eating itself alive, a single-handed refutation of the feasibility of the Endless Now. This reflects reality. You can shroud your problems in a veil of stagnation. But all you’re accomplishing is hiding away its slow, inevitable rot. Until nothing remains. Nothing but, perhaps, regret, when that veil inevitably falls. Just ask N.
In a more literal sense, though, the Annihilation Event is a contained resumption achieved on behalf of causality- in other words, Divine Intervention. The flow of Aionios’, of course, is frozen within Moebius’ Endless Now. However, because of the existence of Black Fog, which, for lack of a better phrase, is an impediment of Moebius’ impediment, this is canceled out. This allows time to flow freely and the Worlds’ cancellation to resume within the confined space.
What’s most interesting about the frozen flow of Aionios is the fact that its physical landscapes operate outside the boundaries of the World’s surface-level illusory physics. Just as you’d expect from either pre-Merge World, it still operates on a day-night cycle, there’s still gravity, there’s still unique weather patterns which dynamically affect each region. However, the physical land of Aionios itself is trapped in absolute stasis. This is what allows the landscape to remain suspended midair. The physics and logic following Annihilation events are contradictory to the World’s inhabitants and surroundings. Or are they?
You might raise an eyebrow at this apparent ludonarrative dissonance, but there is justification for the contradictory logic. Why is it that these land masses SHOULD fall, but don’t? Well, it’s important to remember that they technically ARE falling. Aionios, and by proxy its various landscapes, are frozen in time. It’s only through true resumption, as achieved through the Annihilation Event, that these masses of land break free from their stasis. Though, if that’s the case, then why don’t we ever SEE this happen? Well, it’s because they were too busy getting obliterated by the clashing forces of two entire planets being shredded within a hyper-specific location. Good enough reason for me.
This stasis is a direct byproduct of Moebius’ stranglehold over Aionios through the Endless Now. However, because we know that the Black Fog serves as an impediment to Moebius’ impediment of causality, thus serving to restore that very causality, THAT is what allows the Annihilation Events to take place. You might be wondering: Why would absolute annihilation be what this Divine Intervention pursues? How does the aforementioned hyper-specific force come into existence, and why would this cancel out the matter rather than creating some explosive reaction we can actually comprehend?
Well… there’s a fairly sound mechanical explanation for this, but I don’t feel it’s important enough to merit an extra three paragraphs talking about here. Plus, I’ll be real: I’m not a scientist, and so I can’t exactly expound much or even just properly explain the basis behind these mechanisms. If you’re curious as to the real-world physics explanation of why and how this Annihilation Event takes place, I’d recommend you check out “Explaining The Black Fog In Xenoblade Chronicles 3 - Lore Explaination”, an analysis video by JBspherefreak. I’ve covered and expounded upon similar points covered in this video already, so for just the physics explanation, skip to about 4:40.
Anyway, it’s clear that this Divine Intervention serves as an “unbalancing act”, regardless of whatever the force behind it might literally be. Perhaps some physical God of the multiverse? Perhaps just the multiverse’s natural inclination to oppose that which impedes its natural order of causality? Idk. Either way, Moebius needs to be in complete control in order to puppet this balance effectively. Remember how I referred to Moebius’ Endless now as a “Rotting Veil” in Chapter Z? Well, the Divine Intervention is essentially fighting fire with fire here. It uses the Black Fog as a “veil” of its own, in order to shroud the Endless Now and chip away at it under the veil they’ve laid for themselves.
I did come up with a decent analogy for this whole process, thankfully. Think of this process in terms of someone throwing a thick blanket over your head, handing you a flashlight. Then, someone uses a sharp knife to poke holes into the blanket in order to let the outside/natural light, the True Light, back inside. Just uh… pretend you’re not getting stabbed in the process I guess. Anyway, there are quite a few different parts to this analogy, so bear with me while I explain one at a time.
The light of the outside world is sunlight. In terms of XC3, this is “True Light”- the Light which exists alongside the natural order; finite, irreplaceable, untamable, yet, the brightest and most naturally-occurring Light imaginable. This True Light represents causality- the natural order as preordained by this God/divine order/etc (in this case, the Sun).
The blanket itself is the Endless Now being overseen by Moebius. This means that whatever outsider laid the blanket on top of you in order to impede the True Light from coming through is Z/Moebius. The flashlight they’ve handed you, of course, is Artificial Light. This represents the Endless Now; a replica of True Light, dimmer than reality, but with the benefit of being “infinite” (uses batteries, but time is frozen anyway), and most importantly, is controllable. This “Moebius” friend wants to trap you under this blanket in order to protect you. Why? From the Sun eventually exploding? I dunno, maybe they just really like artificial light and really hate the idea of their own mortality. Actually, I can relate… Maybe Z was based after all?
Anyway, how does the Black Fog and Annihilation Events play into this analogy? Well, the property of sharpness, specifically the sharpness of the knife itself, can be considered the Black Fog. It’s a force with properties that ALLOW the opposition (in this case, the cutting/piercing) to be carried out. The act of the knife physically cutting into the blanket (as a result of its sharpness) can be considered the Annihilation Event.
The resulting True Light which shines through those newly made holes can be considered the resumption of causality. This True Light is limited to small and condensed areas of penetration. Therefore, the rest of the area inside the blanket is still primarily artificially lit. However, through these newly created holes, the light acts as an impediment TO the existing Moebius impediment. Meaning, the True Light can return once again, eventually. In the process, return things to the natural order as intended by the divine force.
You can return to reality, alongside whatever good and bad it might bring. Either way, this is the only way to see it through and find out for yourself.
CHAPTER 26 - LIGHT: A BINDING THREAD, A DIVINE SACRIFICE, AND A VESSEL OF HOPE
(WORLDBUILDING, SECTION 9: The Conceptual and Thematic Purpose of True Light)
Now… the reason I was so excited about this analogy is that it unintentionally lent me a ton of insight into the role of True Light in XC3. Not sunlight, I’m talking about the in-game concept of True Light. You know, that extremely vague means by which interdimensional communication was made possible for Melia and Nia. But uh, to avoid confusion and because it’s no longer necessary since the analogy is done, I’ll just go back to calling “True Light” by its actual in-game name: Light.
Light is a constant across each World within the Multiverse. Or, at the very least, because these two specific Worlds were originally one, both of their Light takes the same form. Or it possesses some positive-negative attraction which provides a baseline channel through which preemptive reconnection could be established prior to the Merge. Personally, I view this connection to only have been possible through the “lightning” which shoots between the two Worlds as the connection draws closer. After all, this would explain why the Light was only capable of warning them approximately 300 days in advance. If it COULD have given them 100 years of prep time… I’m sure it would've. That’s not to say this is the ONLY reason for the lightning. Rather, the Divine Intervention took advantage of this inevitable connection, since Light could travel through these bolts in order to establish the communication tether.
Either way, it’s suggested that the established connection between the two Worlds through this lightning was a conscious/autonomous effort made by the divine force. Regardless of its sentience or lack thereof. The force sought to warn the two Worlds of the impending apocalypse; to give them the time they would need to conduct a countermeasure. Even if they can’t outright STOP the merge, especially with such limited time, they could at least plan a means of shelter to survive the impact and construct that shelter accordingly. Remember how I said Noah and the Merge were an allegory to Noah’s Ark like eight trillion pages ago? Yeah, this “divine voice” guiding their path to salvation is sort of what I was getting at, there.
Anyway, unlike God from Noah’s Ark, the approach of this divine force makes perfect sense to me, strictly BECAUSE it is NOT all-powerful or all-capable. It can’t just snap Moebius out of existence. In that same vein, it can’t prevent the Merge, NOR can it even assist the Worlds in planning or constructing an opposition effort. What it CAN do, though, is warn them by using this establishing communication as an unspoken signal to the danger. To warn them of this impending breach of causality, urging them to oppose it.
In conclusion, it is only through using this interdimensional Light that the divine force manages to create a tether between the two Worlds. A tether which allows them to communicate, discuss, and plan accordingly. Therefore, this is proof thereof that the Light reflects not just causality, but autonomy in tandem. Similarly to how the Black Fog is inclined (perhaps “programmed”) to do whatever it can to facilitate the impediment of Moebius’ impediment, the Light ALSO serves the facilitation of causality’s resumption.
This is why the divine will does whatever it can to warn the Worlds as quickly as possible by any means necessary. Paradoxically, this means that the divine will is LITERALLY interfering with causality in order to soften (as prevention is impossible at that point) a future interference with said causality. Naturally, this goes directly against the goal of its own divine intervention. But clearly, the divine force deemed that this nudge was imperative to a successful opposition long-term. This can perhaps be likened to cauterizing a wound which has already taken shape. The divine force bites the bullet of going against its own wishes in order to ensure it doesn’t “bleed out”; it deliberately accelerates the natural flow of time’s interruption, in order to ensure it won’t happen again later down the line.
CHAPTER 27 - REBUILD OF XENOBLADE CHRONICLES: YOU CAN (NOT) REUNITE
(WORLDBUILDING, SECTION 10: N and M, Analogy through Literary Foil, and the Thematic Implications of the Merge and the New Separation)
As one last point before wrapping back around the comparison to FFVIIR’s Whispers, I’d like you to consider the thematic implications of the Merge and book-ended Separations. The Worlds of XC1 and XC2 were, once upon a time, conjoined. Naturally, mind you. But ever since that first separation, the two Worlds refused to accept their parting, despite being consciously unaware of each other’s existence. Does this sound familiar yet? If not, don’t worry, I still have plenty to explain.
The main characters of XC3 represent the relationship between the two Worlds from which they originate. After all, they originated from those Worlds. But more interestingly, N and M are an analogy for the reality of these Worlds’ relationship; while Noah and Mio represent the ideal form of this relationship. By proxy, they represent the ideals and form needed in order to bring True Light, true happiness which coexists alongside true acceptance of causality, back to these Worlds. This initial Separation which took place far before any of the three Xenoblade titles can be likened to the death of M; it was a death which N was hopeless in stopping, forced to relive the trauma countless times. N had a spiritual longing for M, a longing which drew him ever closer to her, despite this going against the natural order of causality. Eventually, this culminated in N’s Sacrifice, which can considered an allegory to the Merge. Two halves once again becoming whole once again- both cases being an entirely superficial “restoration”.
Both N and Aionios managed to grasp the one thing they longed for. But its cost was everything else which existed alongside these desires. In N’s case, his sacrifice was the City and all of its people, who he and M built a life with together. This includes friends, comrades, and eventually, as we learned with the Founder of Vandham and the entire bloodline which he and Doyle succeeded, even 1000 years of family.
In Aionios’ case, its sacrifice through the Merge was twofold: Physically, it sacrificed the lives of every person living on both Bionis/Mechonis and Alrest. But additionally, in a symbolic sense, it sacrificed everything which gave the Two Worlds and their coinciding games unique appeal and merit. In other words, in seeking out the "Best of Both Worlds", it was unavoidably subjected to housing a game which is at its core inherently derivative and artistically homogenized.
In direct contrast, M’s Sacrifice of trading lives with Mio during the Homecoming reflects that of Ouroboros’ Sacrifice in initiating the New Separation. Honestly, it’s hard to judge which of these two had the more difficult choice to make. Like, it’s so hard to choose that I’m absolutely not going to, but would still like to commend them both for the sacrifices they made in their own ways. Ouroboros obviously had the “freshly” established bonds, which make it that much harder to say goodbye so quickly. They each had to accept that, despite being together for the entirety of their World-changing journey, they would have to go their separate ways by the end of it. Even in the end, after making that decision, the heartbreaking scene where they begin running towards one another is very telling. Not to mention, this scene ALSO directly parallels the two Worlds longing to reunite after the First Separation- desperately clawing to remain together, but ultimately accepting that the natural order does not allow it, and thus, accepting that reality in the end.
M, on the other hand, had long since accepted that Her Noah was gone. You’d think this would make it an easy decision, and it otherwise probably would’ve been. But put yourself in her shoes for a second; you’ve lived hand in hand with a soulless husk masquerading as the man you fell in love with. You endure his choice. You endure the knowledge of what he did JUST to protect you, albeit for his own desire. You endure his ceaseless control over every aspect of your existence, him never having once asked for what you wanted. All for 1000 long years. And on top of all of that, you understand his pain, why he did what he did, perfectly.
Then, after all of that never-ending psychological torture… You meet Noah. Can you even imagine how complicated her emotions must’ve been? To put aside her own desire to have another moment alongside Her Noah after all that time- all for the greater good? In the end, it would seem those isolated conversations they had in the prison were enough for her to die in peace. At least, if “the smile” was anything to go off of. Not even getting to have those intimate conversations face-to-face, just hearing Her Noah’s voice- not just the physical voice, but hearing it match the heart and soul of the Noah she loved after all that time… That was enough for M. Well, that and the knowledge that she was giving Noah and Mio the future she wished they were able to have. So, even beyond just maintaining her sanity and moral compass in order to make that choice which Nia stated would come over 1000 years prior… the sheer resolve and selflessness M showed in following through on her Sacrifice is truly beautiful.
Both of these parallels continue from the beginning of the game, until the moment the New Separation begins. Noah and Mio desperately beg N and M not to go, to continue living within them- after all, this time they could truly be together, no? Well, I’m sure all four of them understood logistically that this was impossible. N and M have already learned and conceded the ideological mistake which was N’s Sacrifice. M had already entrusted the future to Noah and Mio. And, they both understood that in order for the desire which defined Moebius to truly vanish, those who embody that desire must also vanish.
Summary aside, this relationship runs far deeper than a simple parallel.
Consider this conclusion to be something of a TLDR, but I really do think it’s worth laying out these parallels in exact terms, since the degree to which they are thematic mirror images is absolutely incredible.
N’s Sacrifice. Impeding the future as allowed by Moebius. Sacrificing everything but their own lives. This was the cost to ensure the two’s connection could live. Only possible through the Merge.
M’s Sacrifice. Facilitating the future as prevented by Moebius. Sacrificing nothing but their own lives. This was the cost to ensure everyone else could live. Only possible through the New Separation.
This can be extrapolated onto the two Worldwide-scale “Sacrifices” made within this story. The Merge and the New Separation.
Two Worlds’ Pre-Merge Sacrifice: Impeding the future as allowed by Moebius. Sacrificing everything but their own existences. This was the cost to ensure both Worlds could live in unison once again. Only possible through the Merge.
Aionios’ Post-Merge Sacrifice: Facilitating the future as prevented by Moebius. Sacrificing nothing but their own existences. This was the cost to ensure everyone from both Worlds could live separately once again. Only possible through the New Separation.
Moral of the story: That, my friends, is why Eunie and Taion are down astronomically for each other. Opposites attract, after all. Opposite worlds, opposite personalities- both working in tandem to draw ever closer to… well, they don’t actually know what sex is for a while, so… I’m not exactly sure WHAT they wanted or fantasized about doing before then. Probably Taion touching Eunie’s wings or some shit, idk.
Okay, but really, GOD this game just continues to blow me away the more I dig into these things. The parallels on top of parallels on top of literary foils on top of literary foils are utterly baffling. Just consider the extent of planning that had to be done before even simply writing the main scenario under strict observation of their thematic maintenance. The symbolism and meaning behind every seam (LITERAL seams, since Aionios is two Worlds stitched together) is so effectively layered. It’s like you’re playing the video game equivalent of the most bomb ass piece of lasagna to ever exist. Alright video game industry, we have more than enough Souls-type games, now lemme see some more Lasagna-type games. Don’t let me down.
Okay, but seriously (x2) this time. This rabbit hole goes so deep I could probably dig more up if I kept looking, but 200 pages in, you gotta draw the line somewhere. I didn’t even touch Noah and Mio’s joint role in all of this. At the very least, I have to end the chapter by mentioning Noah’s moment in the final seconds of XC3’s post-credits sequence. He subconsciously recognizes an off-seer melody and wanders off to see what it’s about. Off-seers should no longer exist. This is made even stranger since, as many people have already noticed, Noah actually disappears from the crowd during the camera’s slow pan out as it fades to black.
I certainly wouldn’t put anything past this game at this point about literal meaning… we’ll see after the DLC, I guess. But to me, this seems pretty clearly symbolic. It represents the ambiguous future and an endless sea of possibilities. Actually, when you put it like that… it’s sort of fitting that Noah’s Sword of the End which he uses to stop the Endless Now ultimately ends up thrown away into a LITERAL endless sea of possibilities, huh? Anyway. Noah made a huge sacrifice in the name of being worlds apart from the love of his life.
And yet, the beautiful thing about this ending is the way it tells you, albeit vaguely enough for most people to miss it: He can still hold onto hope and find a way. And so can you. They’ve come this far, who’s to say ANY future is hopeless? Even in this one hyper-specific regard where that was THE sacrifice that had to be made? No matter how unlikely it might be, it’s still a possibility lying along one of the million sprawling and intertwining paths that lie before him. The paths which compromise his new, TRUE future. And with that said, he disappears. Off to follow whatever that path he worked so hard to reclaim holds in store for him.
I cannot stress how much I love this. Fuck probability, fuck settling for less, and fuck playing it safe. You have one life. She has one life. Go find her.
CHAPTER 28 - XENOBLADE FANTASY VII REBIRTH: WAIT THE JANNIES ACTUALLY HAD A POINT
(WORLDBUILDING, SECTION 11 (FINAL): Conclusion of Black Fog, Annihilation Event, and Divine Intervention. Wrap-up, Relevance to Metacommentary, and Measuring Thematic Validity Through Fan Reception/Consensus. Spoiler: It Somehow Worked.)
Let me preface that title by saying, I couldn’t give any less of a shit about “fan consensus” when it comes to my own thoughts on a work. That goes doubly so for a series my opinion seems to fall so far out of line with the consensus on. HOWEVER, I’ll have to bend that rule a bit for just this one section. Not in order to change MY opinion, mind you. But it’s important for the sake of making a point: In order to assess the validity of XC3’s fascinating metacommentary, both on artistic homogenization, and its correlation to personal/emotional attachment. I just ask that you bear with me, since it may come off a bit nonsensical and presumptuous before I’m done.
[FFVII Remake Spoilers resume one more time]
When I first floated this idea back in Chapter 25, I stated that it felt reminiscent of Final Fantasy VII Remake’s Whispers- just without the metanarrative implications and stuff. Well, I think that might be a slightly uncharitable conclusion. In other words: Intentional or not, a similar meta takeaway can be gleaned from the Divine Intervention. I alluded to a similar conclusion in the World Setting chapters by saying, that because of the impact caused by the Merge, not to mention Annihilation Events, Aionios became a much messier world setting aesthetically in comparison. The few pockets of proper “Xenoblade Aesthetic” were tucked away and shielded from the impact. In a similar but more meta vein, by merging the Worlds of XC1 and XC2, much of the appeal which set these games apart (for better or for worse) was lost in the process. Not to say XC3 is by any means lesser than the sum of its parts, quite the contrary.
Rather, the appeal of the “offspring” of a game called XC3 is far different from either of its “parents”. As such, the fact that the two Worlds being separate in their “intended state” may in fact speak to a greater meta conclusion of these past titles- just like the Whispers did in FFVIIR. Through the Divine Intervention’s perception of true causality, we’re given a message: The two Worlds of XC1 and XC2 SHOULD remain separate. Implications about causality and the Endless Now aside, these Worlds being separate allows them to best illustrate what sets them apart from the other. Even if they won’t appeal to everyone in equal amounts. But the takeaway there is: That’s okay. The individuality and distinct appeal of the two game’s visions are what allowed for such an intimate connection to be formed through such a wide range of players in the first place.
Now, there’s always going to be variance and deviation from the norm. But what I consider the coolest part of this metacommentary is that… It’s both completely validated AND just… correct? We can quite literally gauge the success of this message through fan consensus, and I have to say, I was pretty goddamn shocked at the accuracy of this reflection.
Personally, I may be all-in on the XC3 camp, but I can tell you this much: it sure seems like I’m in the minority there. Not to say there aren’t a ton of people who love XC3, since that obviously isn’t true. However, there are far more hyper-fixated fans of XC1 and XC2 INDIVIDUALLY than there are of “individual XC3 fans” such as myself. The people who love XC3 mostly also love the other games. However, for many XC1 and XC2 singular diehards, it’s that ONE game that really speaks to them, far above all the other entries.
Considering this is reflective of the default world state of Aionios, a “forceful compromise” of these two vastly distinct works… I find the successful reflection of this metanarrative approach through reality itself, as informed by fan consensus, to be absolutely fascinating. It may be a continued series created by MonolithSoft, but these games sure as hell are not monoliths of opinion. But this outcome is the ideal these games suggest to exist. This is the way it should be. In short, the metanarrative implications of the divine force are calling me out for only liking the game that’s a watered down mashup of the two prior games. It’s saying I’m a fucking weirdo. And well, yeah, that checks out.
[FFVII Remake Spoilers end]
CHAPTER 29 - CRACKPOT THEORY TIME BAYBEEEE
(WORLDBUILDING, SECTION 11 (EPILOGUE): Miscellaneous Thoughts, Unexplained Mysteries/Events, and Theory ccrafting)
We’ve finally reached the bottom of the barrel when it comes to XC3 Worldbuilding. Ready to get off D’s Wild Ride??? Well… I am. I actually ended up cutting this shit way down because it was far too unruly. I had a Chapter set aside with notes on Gray/Rozana and the Lost Numbers, another Chapter on the various facilities of the City, another chapter on the significance of the sun and moon symbolism, another Chapter for Colony Omega’s maturation cradle… Yeah, I’m probably insane, aren’t I? Oh well. Good video game is good. Can you blame me?
That said, these next two chapters will just serve as a collection of various miscellaneous threads I never got to but still think merit discussion. This includes random minor points and shit that goes totally unexplained in the base game. So, if I were a Xenoblade game, where would I want to begin talking about incredibly cryptic and deep-rooted lore and worldbuilding… Hmmmmm NOPONS
SUBSECTION 1: NOPONS)
Let me be clear: I’m strictly talking about Nopon as a race here. No, seriously, I’m not even going to TOUCH theorizing about Riku. Anyway, what the fuck even ARE Nopon? Where did they come from? Is their absence from Klaus’ World Tree, not to mention their existence on Mira in XCX, confirmation of their origin as some sort of interdimensional mediators or bystanders? Did they quite literally look at Bionis/Alrest/Mira/Aionios, say “it’s free real estate” and settle down to tinker with their little LEGO projects til the end of time?
Am I thinking too seriously about this? Well, there’s a question I can actually answer. Yeah. Well… probably? But maybe not??? Fuck.
You can’t ever rule out any potential deeper meaning when it comes to Xenoblade. In almost any other series, an interdimensional mascot race who serve as the series’ primary source of comic relief would be passed off as, well, just that. Think of the Cids in Final Fantasy; unlike the Nopon, I think we can pretty safely assume that the recurring Cid name isn’t evidence of these characters being descendants of a secret intergalactic clan of Cids from the planet of Ciddonia, serving as divine mediators sprawled across the multiverse. Or can we…? CIDDONIA IS REALLLLL
But really, though, the way XC3 especially prods you to think deeper about it shouldn’t be downplayed. Even outside of Riku’s bafflingly secretive relevance and possession of the Lucky Seven, there is so much about Nopon that just doesn’t quite line up. Nopon are the only living race on Aionios that are free from the grasp of the Flame Clock and 10-Term system alike. At one point, Consul X randomly drops a tidbit about the Nopon race having been monitored by Moebius. Though eventually, they were collectively deemed to not be a threat due to their seemingly strict non-interference of causality in either direction. This leniency serves as the explanation for Nopon being allowed in both Kevesi and Agnian colonies alike. But after coming face to face with Riku, X quickly changes her mind about Nopon altogether.
It still begs the question of what the deal with this initial concern from Moebius implies, though. Are they a product of the very divine force which seeks to stop them? Are they THE divine force itself, and just don’t know or care enough to do anything about it themselves? Are they descendants or residue of the divine force, similar to the Telethia with Zanza? Who fuckin knows. Not me, that’s for sure.
SUBSECTION 2: SPLISHSPLASH LORE?? ARE YOU SHITTING ME
Splishsplash is played off as a joke, but I can’t help but feel like this is an intentional misdirection. The Nopon are already suspiciously ambiguous enough. Now you throw one at me that can play God and change the weather at a whim? This even gets brought up later on at the campsite near Colony 4, which totally shocked me since I figured it would get explicitly played off as a one-time gag or a “don’t think about it too hard lol” type of gameplay scenario. Buuuuut as soon as you think you’re getting somewhere, you’re baited on the explanation entirely. All you learn is that Splishsplash likes to use his weather power to fuck with people. So this simultaneously CONFIRMS it isn’t just some dumb non-real ability for gameplay purposes… but also tells you fuck all about its significance or implications. Nopon moment.
SUBSECTION 3: HUMAN MORALITY AND GIANT CHICKENS
Regarding its own theme of “respecting and appreciating the inherent value of life”, XC3 does sometimes fall victim to double-standards with its portrayal and treatment of monsters, even after they’re shown to be relatively intelligent. The biggest offender of this is without question the Tirkins. Although Ghondor’s ascension quest did a fantastic job of counterbalancing this shortcoming, it doesn’t change the fact that the party has absolutely no qualms in wiping out an entire tribe of Tirkins because they just so happened to find shelter on a Ferronis husk. Considering that their intelligence (at least certain individual Tirkins) was shown to be fairly close to that of the Nopon, the favoritism without taking a second to even consider the ramifications of their actions is kind of bizarre. Murdering a tribe of Nopon in their own home just so you could set up camp and toast marshmallows while playing with the pseudo-gacha machine would be considered unthinkable within their society. So you gotta wonder why Ouroboros didn’t eventually apply that same logic to other similarly intelligent monsters as a result.
SUBSECTION 4: THE TEN-TERM SYSTEM
It’s worth noting the morbid contrast which accompanies the “Ten-Term system” of Aionios. This system is paradoxically less AND more motivating, comforting, and stabilizing. You KNOW for a fact how much time you have left, and can thus adjust and schedule out your remaining time accordingly. In other words, you have a level of “control” and awareness that true causality does not permit. While that is indeed an inherently tempting proposition to any mortal individual, you will inevitably begin to ask yourself: “ten year constraint aside- is this really something I’d even WANT to know if given the opportunity?” I've certainly mulled over the concept before XC3, but the way this game recontextualizes the dilemma is truly fascinating. I don’t exactly have a lot to comment on ABOUT this recontextualization, but it’s interesting food for thought at least.
SUBSECTION 5: OFF-SEEING
I wish we had more concrete information about the specifics of off-seeing. Because either I missed something in my cutscene rewatches or certain aspects of it were straight up left out to dry. The main question I have revolves around Joran’s mud pies. Why were these able to be sent off, motes and all? Theoretically these should not actually have life force, and thus nothing to send. Does this imply Joran injects his own life force into them?
Now that you mention it, why does Z sit idly by when Crys and M invented the off-seeing ritual 1000 years ago? Is he not concerned with gradually losing light within the cycle, the very fact of which threatens the “Endless” part of the Endless Now? Or does it just see this as a natural extension of the system to weed out those who oppose or threaten its ideal? Would this, in theory, ever pose a threat to the Endless Now in the same way that Annihilation Events would eventually consume all of Aionios? Or, would homecoming numbers eventually plateau? Is this loss canceled out by the “morale” effect of an honorable end, thus motivating those who otherwise might fall into the camp of opposition and tying them back into the cycle?
SUBSECTION 6: SWORDMARCH CITY CUSTOMS, AGE, AND MARRIAGE
Here’s a fun tidbit about the City’s worldbuilding: They’re fuckin weird. Like, especially when it comes to age and marriage. Our taboos about age gaps, family widows, and even teenage pregnancy appear to be entirely absent within Swordmarch City culture. The whole Jansen thing was what got me thinking about and researching it, but this post I’ve linked below does a fantastic job at laying out just how bizarre it is and even surmising the motivation behind this mindset. TLDR; It’s a natural byproduct of the uncertainty that is life in the City. Not only have they been wiped out once (nearly twice courtesy of my wife), but they’re actively opposing what roughly equates to the Gods of Aionios. Anyway, here’s the thread on it if you want to see the specifics, it certainly satisfied my curiosity about it.
SUBSECTION 7: LORE-FRIENDLY SLANG
On top of adding a fun flavor to the World, the in-universe slang is actually quite believable and grounded in the rules/upbringing of the characters. “Queen” as a substitute for God, typically used in vain for emphasis, is quite apt. Much like with God the Queen is where your life is said to begin, as well as where it returns to upon death. Spark and snuff can be likened to the life and death of a Flame or Light in general. These are also incredibly fitting in-universe because of the Nations’ indoctrination to Flames through the Flame Clock, as well as Light through Homecoming.
SUBSECTION 8: NO. 13, THE NAGIRI CLONE
I don’t even have anything to say about it, really, I just wanted to draw attention to it because of how utterly baffling it is. We’ll probably get some related info with the Ina quest, but we’ll see. If whoever’s reading wants to help me out here, I’d greatly appreciate it. Nagiri lore rules.
SUBSECTION 9: TEXTBOOKS, BATTLE RECORDS, AND COLONY CHI
Another small detail I’d like to focus on is the game’s occasional reference to colony battle records and nation-specific textbooks. The credibility of these battle records appears to be surprisingly high. The example which stands out in this regard would be the aforementioned battle of Torchlight Hill, led by All-Slayer Oleg of Colony Chi. We know this is accurate, given that the man himself confirms its veracity. Not to mention, we see the fallout of its Kevesi survivor. The textbooks, however, are entirely written and fabricated by Moebius in order to further push their conspiratorial and manipulative agenda. These textbooks likely served the primary purposes of fostering animosity between Keves and Agnus, training soldiers to fight more effectively by keying one another into their battle formations/strategies/weaknesses/etc, and boosting morale to further encourage them in fighting for their respective colony and nation.
SUBSECTION 10: TEXTBOOKS, CONT., THE WORLDBUILDING IMPLICATIONS OF DIRK’S PROPAGANDA
But beyond this more rudimentary function, these textbooks occasionally offer a glimpse into some… rather bizarre and far more interesting exposition. The big example that comes to mind is its inclusion of D’s psychotic exploits during his reign of terror as Blackblaze Dirk. Before joining Moebius as Consul D, Dirk was an infamous Agnian soldier who slaughtered Kevesi and Agnians alike. First of all, the fact that Moebius themselves wrote the textbooks means that it was more than likely D himself who contributed these writings.
On the surface, this is… just kind of hilarious. Like, I’m just imagining this dude shoving aside whatever Consul is responsible for authoring the Textbooks in order to sneak in his decapitation and severed head collecting hobbies. Dude shoved his own (probably exaggerated beyond that) edgetastic fanfiction into children’s textbooks just cuz he can. Yet, there’s a lot more you can glean from this in terms of tangible worldbuilding value. The detailing of these gruesome exploits in textbooks, not just Dirk’s but even All-Slayer Oleg’s, provide fairly neat insight into the operation of Moebius propaganda. It’s a rare example where we’re given explicit detail in the way these techniques are used in an effort to further drive a wedge between the warring Nations. Hearing the cruel, traitorous exploits of this supposed “great Agnian soldier” is calculated to light a fire in the bellies of the Kevesi soldiers. It perhaps even paints them as morally bankrupt demons of war- which would explain why nearly all the “bigotry” we see throughout XC3 is specifically Keves bigotry towards Agnus. Lanz, Kite, and uhhh some third example ecksdee. Let’s just pretend Mwamba is a bigot so that there’s SOMETHING to his character. All the while, this propaganda nurtures desensitization to violence, ego, and intimidation by indoctrinating them to such an extreme case at a young age.
CHAPTER 30 - STILL SCREAMING INTO THE VOID, IS ANYONE STILL LISTENING
(Non-Worldbuilding Miscellaneous Thoughts, Last Chapter Before Wrap-up)
You get the idea by now. Moving on to non-worldbuilding shit.
SUBSECTION 1: THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE NUMBER SEVEN BEYOND LUCKY SEVEN
It’s a fairly common motif, to be fair, but I think the significance runs far deeper than usual in XC3. How? Well, think of its significance in terms of Ouroboros. Six Founders. Six Houses. Six candidates. No more, no less. Yet, in a millennium-long fight against Moebius, they’ve never once succeeded. Now, how does the Ouroboros we follow differ?
Seven party members. Six members of Ouroboros (think back to SotE possibly being 7th?), and a Hero, outside allies who support and embodies their ideal and their fight, battling right alongside them. In terms of broader significance, though, this speaks to the one of TWENTY (counting necc robo DLC) different Heroes and ALL of their respective allies fighting under a single banner. Colony commanders, Queens, legendary warriors, super soldiers post artificial maturation, Nopon, not to mention City soldiers including an elite mercenary, the Elder and her daughter. All from different backgrounds, all joining together under one socially unified banner: Ouroboros. The importance of this unity is given extremely blatant focus during the literal final battle of the game, as each of these heroes are teleported around the battlefield as you Cold Steel IV your way to victory. Yes, Cold Steel IV is a verb now.
SUBSECTION 2: THE FINAL WAR, A THEMATICALLY PERFECT BOOKEND FOIL
Now to highlight what is probably the coolest and most “long time coming” parallel in the entire game. Consider the flagrancy of this scene in conjunction with the emphasis placed on the outside war against the first Ferronis. In direct contrast with the opening cinematic war at Everblight Plain, this is a war of FAR greater importance. I mean, we’re comparing some dime a dozen colony battle which feeds into the Moebius desire to… quite literally defying the conspiratorial fate which has entrapped humanity for more than a millennium.
On top of that, the efforts of each and every soldier is felt, reverberating across all of Aionios. Regardless of colony, faction, and the individual’s value and potential for impact alone… They all come together as one, in a unified effort against that first Ferronis. Remember the emphasis placed on the Ferronis in that opening cutscene, essentially depicting each one as Gods? Now they’re fighting it head-on. The ripple effects of Ouroboros sure have extended a long way when you look at this stuff through a comparative lens, huh?
SUBSECTION 3: B-BUT NO ONE STAYS DEAD!! THERE’S NO STAKES!!!
I know not everyone echoes this sentiment, but I’ve seen it online enough to merit calling out real quick. Yeah. There are no stakes. That’s the point. That’s why there ARE stakes. The stakes are the attempt to change the fact that there are no stakes. Yeah. Death is meaningless. That’s why death is so meaningful. The meaning comes from the attempt to change the fact that there is no meaning.
Yeah. Nothing matters. That’s why it matters so goddamn much.
SUBSECTION 4: FLAME CLOCK LIBERATION
The retroactive catharsis of the Flame Clock liberation scenes, ESPECIALLY that first one, which further emphasizes it as a culmination of Noah and Mio working hand-in-hand to confront something they were raised and taught to be impossible. This scene is the ultimate foil and payoff for the prior focus on a meaningless war where the individual soldier’s contributions are superfluous and provide zero value. This scene shows a singular soldier putting an end to it and liberating the colony single-handedly. While that bleak tone may still be true after this scene for the average soldier, Ouroboros is making a difference with their own individual capabilities- for both themselves and on behalf of these soldiers who have found themselves trapped within the Endless Now.
SUBSECTION 5: GIMME MORE DUNGEONS COWARDS
Perhaps one of the biggest areas of disappointment for me, being that I’m a huge fan of dungeon crawling and exploration, was that Agnus Castle isn’t explorable whatsoever. We did thankfully get to explore Keves Castle, and it easily stands among my favorite areas in the game. But this only served to make it more disappointing that the explorable extent of Agnus Castle equates to little more than the Ascension Grounds, a single floor on the roof.
I understand that long dungeons aren’t exactly appreciated nowadays. But it still feels like a cut corner to not get a substantive dungeon here. Not to mention, a missed opportunity to contrast with Kevesi technology and design. They’re different enough (not to mention important enough) to justify exploring both. I think it could’ve been really fun to compare them, but we don’t really get to see their technological differences firsthand outside the various Levnis designs. Admittedly, these are still dope. I definitely appreciated the side quests which further explore the ways in which Levnis construction diverges in relation to the various models. But the fact remains that I consistently found myself wanting more from the second Castle and dungeons in general.
SUBSECTION 6: WHY THE SPARK DOES THIS GAME HAVE TRAILING MISSIONS
So this game is cool and all, but I definitely could’ve done without the Witcher sense tracking quests and Assassin's Creed ass trailing missions. They aren’t usually too intrusive, but seriously, why. Especially that one where No. 10 walks you all the way across the City at the slowest speed physically possible. Dear god. But again, the actual substance of the quests were more than enough to ignore these inexplicable modern game clichés. So yea they suck, but who cares, I just wanted to yell abt it real quick.
SUBSECTION 7: GIMME PLAYABLE HEROES
Do… Do I really need to explain this one? Let me fight and run around with Nia, cowards. Also add her little dance animation from XC2 back in. K thanks.
SUBSECTION 8: GIMME BACK M’S CONSUL ARMOR
Getting to keep long hair Meeyo is based, but taking away her Consul armor from me is a borderline war crime. You bet your ass if I ever replay this game, I’m making a Consul armor save file. I just wish I noticed sooner :(
SUBSECTION 9: GIMME MORE CAT-ISMS
I need more cat antics from Mio. Seriously, I go feral for this shit. I want her to curl up on a table. I want Noah to shake a can of change to make her come running. I want him to spritz her with a spray bottle when she starts clawing at a mf. I want him to hold her by the front legs and let her dangle like a noodle. Fan art has carried this HARD, but I still want to see it in all its canon glory through the DLC (and expansion if she is involved somehow).
SUBSECTION 10: CONSUL T AKA T-MOTHERFUCKING-RITON
I didn't really have time or energy to justify a full character analysis of Triton, which is hella unfortunate, since he’s awesome! I did still want to highlight that I fucking love him even if it’s brief. Triton is thoroughly adventurepilled AND his character has more than enough emotional depth to be compelling. His struggle with what is essentially dementia after having lived so long is naturally incredibly unique considering the brevity of life across most of Aionios. I would’ve liked it if this memory loss was explored in a quest that wasn’t centered around GODDAMN SOUP (Mananachads stay winning fr fr…) Especially since it could’ve tied in well with Consul N and M’s motif of being forgotten, rather than dead, since this does kind of apply to him too in a different way.
I’ll say this much about the dude, though. Only in XC3 have I been able to take a stroll across a World frankenstein’d from the Worlds of two previous games with my new undead dementia-ridden blue mage pirate fisherman albino anthropoid grandpa. And even if there was a coincidence so insane for that to ever happen again in another game, you can bet your ass they wouldn’t also go around stabbing a bunch of lv3 bunnies with his enchanted fishhook hands which leak pure evil in order to suck out their life force and steal their techniques. Why, you might be wondering? Cuz he forgot all his own secret society techniques, duh.
This game is so fucking fun.
CHAPTER 31 - Someway, Somehow; The Best of Both Worlds
(Wrap-Up, Final Points and Opinions)
With that, we’re finally at the end. The end of what {predictably) turned out to be the craziest and most ambitious writing project I’ve ever undertaken. The end of Xenoblade Chronicles as we know it. It may have been far from perfect. Even (if not especially) here in XC3, which has instantly become one of the most important pieces of art I’ve ever experienced. But life isn’t perfect. And in the same way that I don’t ever need to know about the vast stretches of the universe in order to live a fulfilling life, I don’t need to know what the deal with Nopon is either. Though the latter would be cool actually, so… yeah, cough up the deets. Really, though, I’m sure I’ve made my point as well as I’m going to by this point, so I’ll try to keep my final thoughts brief…ish.
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is a fucking triumph.
The way this game lives up to its own massive scope and ambition is easily among its biggest achievements. I don’t just mean map size, or even narrative scope. Though, regarding the latter: it’s certainly ballsy to take the risk they did regarding its continuity. Especially regarding XC1, since at this point a decade later, it’s near universally lauded as an all-time classic JRPG. So to even consider touching it further could’ve easily blown up in their faces. I suppose the same could be said of XC2 having continued XC1, but I don’t think that game’s approach of existing in a parallel universe was quite as slippery a slope as quite literally ending the world of both games in the Merge by mashing them together, killing all of their inhabitants in the process.
The sheer size and detail of Aionios is one of XC3’s biggest achievements; its ability to deliver on pure quantity to an almost comical level. Yet, it does so without almost ever compromising on quality. The sheer number of characters, locales, villains (tho this might be the one area I’d say was a slight detriment overall), monsters, quests, relationships, lore, concepts, alliances, enemies, backstories, party interactions, supporting cast focus… like holy fuck man. This game is the embodiment of the all-you-can-eat JRPG. It’s a term I’ve mentally coined for a select few games (Dragon Quest VII/XI, Disgaea, Kiseki, etc) where, because of the quantity compounded by the quality OF that quantity, it pretty much IS endless. Or, at the very least, you’d be satisfied with it being endless were that the case. A bit ironic for XC3, though, considering the game’s incessant cautioning against the glorification of “endlessness”.
But with XC3 in particular, man, like holy shit. I have never seen a game with this much content be this consistently fantastic in the pursuit of near-endless content. Not to mention, for that quality content to be so tightly interwoven and dense. Take one look at the affinity charts for both the colonies and characters, and you’ll see what I mean. Those are incredibly bare-bones (basically only providing a character’s name/age and the most basic of relationships), and it’s still an insane, near-incomprehensible facefuck of the game’s interconnected conglomerate of character relationships. It rules, seriously. Like, I’m genuinely tempted to try and make a more substantial version of that web where it keeps track of every character’s entire web of personality traits and relationships.
Probably not gonna happen though, since I can’t shit out another 250+ hours to replay this anytime soon, if ever. Either way, It’s insane what this game managed to accomplish in terms of detail and interconnectivity over the course of one single game. I’ve never seen anything like it. The sole exception that comes to mind is the Kiseki Series- but considering that’s 12+ games, it’s hella cheap to compare. But if we’re comparing the complexity of XC3’s web to, say, Sky FC? Even FC AND SC? Xenoblade 3 still wins.
Let’s wrap this back around to the title, though. XC3 is truly the “Best of Both Worlds'', despite the ultimate message being entirely contradictory to this fact. I’m not really sure how to describe the paradox, other than that XC3 manages to have its cake and eat it too. I guess it’s stuck in the Endless Cake. Or something. Idk that sucked. Give me a break, I’m running out of gas here.
Anyway, beyond the inherent risk of the whole "Best of Both Worlds" shtick and the balls they had to commit to it, XC3 is a fundamentally different beast from either game. Like I said right out the gates, this game may be comprised of all the genetic material of its predecessors, but they’re rearranged in such a way that their appeal is near indistinguishable. In that sense, I suppose you could consider N/M to be like XC1/2, and the Founder of Vandham to be XC3. Okay okay, no more analogies, promise. Just had to get one more in. Seriously, though, the sheer confidence in the original cast and story being told here in XC3 is palpable.
In theory, XC3 is game that focuses so intently on crafting an experience based around two prior works, while stitching them together in a way that avoids the common points of criticism for each? It sounds like a total fucking hack job. Pandering city. It sounds like they had zero faith that this new story they wanted to tell could stand on its own, and thus had to try and reflect on (translation: pander to) the previous works. But it’s clear that in the case of Xenoblade Chronicles 3, that could not be further from the reality of the end product. The game effortlessly delivers on melding elements from the past two games in a way that elevates itself to greater heights. And, through a sort of twisted comparison, elevates my hindsight appreciation for both past games in the process.
On the challenge of physically and metaphorically merging the Worlds of two previously established and well-loved games in order to draw from the best of both: XC3 succeeds with not only this, but all the while telling a story that is, based on its own merit, beyond worthwhile. There is continuity, sure. But much like with everything else in XC3, it’s used with equally baffling and impressive levels of restraint. The continuity, the fanservice, the romantic relationships, the lore dumps… It’s all handled with the sort of confident restraint that’s only possible from something that knows damn well how fantastic its storytelling and characters are. Well, in the case of the loredumps, that’s more due to how cool and mysterious and cryptic it thinks it is by withholding key info. Okay fine, it is.
This may be subject to change considering it still has an asston of DLC on the way, though. Yeah of COURSE the DLC is gonna answer everything, yeah of COURSE I’m coping, what’s your point? Really, though, the restraint is impressive on all fronts. The way it uses continuity of previous games to establish its own identity is particularly impressive, if not for the fact that this should be inherently contradictory. And well, I guess it is. But man, it totally works so… Can you really argue against it?
The game’s ending cutscene did a phenomenal job at highlighting this facet in particular. When Poppi jumped out of Nia’s supercomputer and the two smiled in relief at one another, my face legitimately started hurting from how much I was smiling. Considering my ambivalence to XC2 overall, this caught me incredibly off-guard in the best way possible. Then well, y'know. The whole Rex thing happened. Which I sure as hell am not going into much further here.
I’ll leave it at this: considering the restraint, considering how tame and respectful Noah/Mio’s relationship was portrayed for the past several hundred hours… For the game to suddenly dump the knowledge on your face that Rex creamed all three of the main girls from XC2 (presumably at the same time, judging from the babies’ ages), it was violently jarring and crude enough to be genuinely hilarious. Like, to the point where it completely transcends my disdain for Rex and doubles back around to making me like him way more out of nowhere. Not to mention, older Rex gives me Addam vibes which is way more appealing than the little shit he used to be.
But yeah, that’s enough of that- back to the actual point I wanted to make. This scene with Nia and Poppi really made me realize how much I loved and missed these two characters in particular. Tho, considering they’re basically my two favorites from the entirety of XC2, it's not exactly the BEST representation of how I feel about the average XC2 character. Regardless, credit where credit is due. XC3 repeatedly made me retroactively appreciate the past games’ and their characters even more than I already did.
Beyond that, XC3 instilled within me a newfound love and respect for Xenoblade Chronicles that I never thought I’d have. Again, I tried over and over, but it never stuck until now. Even beyond solidifying the series as a personal favorite, this game motivated and inspired me to spend nearly a full month writing about and researching it. In order to get to the heart of how this was possible, what it does right, what it does wrong, and the factors which make it a truly special work of art. That reminds me- as one last aside, I’m sure there’s stuff in here that’s wrong or debatable or whatever. It’s long enough that there’s probably a TON that’s wrong. Just keep in mind that the vast majority of this essay came from my own research, and the rest of it from the very limited number of outside resources which actually wrote about this game in an analytical way. So if you do spot something off, do let me know, I’ll be happy to correct it.
As for why I didn’t touch the post-game material, including Melia and Nia’s side quests, in this review: In order to access this content, you’re forced to revert to the save file which was recorded just prior to your confrontation with Z. Understandably so, since that’s the only way it would make sense for further content to be delivered considering the New Separation. But, well, this completely goes against the game’s message, does it not? To exist in a perpetual state of near completion would make Ouroboros no better than the threat they’ve struggled so hard to overcome.
…Alright fine, the actual reason is that it took me 250 hours to get to this point, so I’m saving it for whenever the DLC starts coming out. But that doesn’t sound nearly as good, so shut up.
Before we move onto the final chapter, I’d like to give a final shout to the resources which helped steer me in the right direction throughout this essay. The majority of my research came from rewatching the nearly 12 hours of cutscenes, scouring forums, social media, and anywhere else I could find people discussing the game. But aside from that, SO much of it came from just two Youtube channels. So again, thank you Miiks and JBspherefreak for the phenomenal lore and theory crafting videos. I strongly urge anyone reading this to subscribe to both of them, along with any other lore-centric channels which inevitably begin to pop up in the coming months. As much as I love explicit answers, this game more often than not THRIVES on mystery and speculation, and these sorts of channels provide extremely dope insight and perspective.
With that said, it’s time to move forward; for time to move once again.
THE FINAL CHAPTER - Where We Belong (Time Moves Again)
“This is the truth of our world. Memories melt in the morning light, and then, a new day begins. Roads stretch out before us- so many paths. Which do you choose? That’s up to you. Sometimes, you might run astray. You’ll stop, maybe even cry in frustration. But, you know, that’s alright. For the roads, they go on without end. So look up. Face forward towards your chosen horizon. And just… walk on.” - Noah, Chapter 7
Stagnation can be defined as a state or condition marked by lack of flow, movement, or development. As a common likening used by Z to portray human desire, think of stagnation as a river which has ceased to flow. On the surface, this river is now stable. Especially when the flow has just recently been blocked off, it will appear almost as if it was frozen in time. Water is the essence of life. Yet, the reality of stagnant water is far less glamorous. Stagnant water can spiral out of control in less than a week’s time. It becomes overrun by rotting bacteria and insects from the inside-out, completely spoiling any utility it once held. Rotten, worthless, and uninhabitable. Now, human stagnation is far more understated and gradual, which is part of why it can so easily sneak up on an afflicted person. But the logic behind this analogy still applies wholeheartedly.
Stagnation can easily become internally glorified as personal sustainability. But the reality is that: Stagnation is almost never just that. Those who do not seek growth, pursue new challenges, or even simply continue to put one foot in front of the other… They aren’t stagnant in the sense of long-term stability. It might be a slow enough deterioration for the individual to not even be cognizant of it.
But that very stagnation they seek, for things to stay just as they are in a given moment, is nothing more than a slow, yet ceaseless, atrophication. Physical, mental, and spiritual atrophication. Eventually, if that growth or “movement” does not yet come, you WILL reach that goal of stagnation. Just… with far less glamorous subtext than was originally intended to be harmless escapism. Even if nothing on the surface has visibly changed, that very stagnation, which was once defined by a desire for stability, will inevitably rot away into stagnation as defined instead by lifelessness.
As bleak as it might sound, the way in which Xenoblade Chronicles 3 flips this message on its head couldn’t be more saturated with hopeful optimism. It’s understandable to fall victim to the temptation of escapist stagnation. After all, the desire for escapism comes from a universally relatable place of morbid fear. No two individuals attain solace through escapism in the exact same way. Nor do they seek out that solace from identical upbringings and problems. This futility of absolute empathy is what I believe makes reaching out to others feel so bleak or daunting for some. After all, in this sense, you are absolutely alone in a world which houses more people than you can even comprehend the magnitude of. But the outlook Xenoblade Chronicles 3 urges you to consider is: that’s okay.
Even if one’s life experience is inherently multifaceted, to the point where no one can express absolute empathy to anyone else. Our efforts in reaching out to others are still valued without equal. It’s here that we are urged and reminded to embrace love in all forms. To comfort and support one another. To share the thoughts and experiences which define us. Exploring those thoughts and experiences further, together. And most importantly, to treasure our limited time together as one. Not even necessarily doing something with greater external “value”, but rather just… enjoying the purely temporal act of spending one’s limited time in the presence of someone you care for.
It may sound overly simplistic, because it is. An important fact to keep in mind is that, like I mentioned, stagnation does NOT require consistent, substantial growth in order to be kept at bay. All it needs is… movement. Effort. It’s because this is such a universally straightforward and simple conclusion, that it is so inherently optimistic and practical. Just about anyone can achieve this, regardless of one’s upbringing or worldview. And considering the emphasis XC3 puts on circumstance, the contrast of this optimism as a universal truth is worth making special note of. Now, finding another person you can truly connect with might not be quite as simple. But thankfully, we aren’t bound by a mere ten terms. In a full lifetime, there is so much more you can achieve. Even beyond this deliberately common-denominator approach. Whatever it is you hope to accomplish in your limited time, you must always believe yourself to be capable of it and more. Starting may be a terrifying prospect, but thankfully, you’re not alone. This is the start of a new dawn. The Origin of Our Tomorrow. All it takes is a single step forward.
AFTERWORD: A SINGLE STEP, A BOUNDLESS VOYAGE
As one final note as I send off this massive undertaking of a project, I’d like to highlight Noah throwing his sword in the ending. Initially, I viewed this scene as a symbol of the ending conflict. His purpose fulfilled, the endless fighting having been finally put to bed. But then, it hit me. This scene isn’t Noah putting down his blade in contentment. This is Tetsuya Takahashi putting down Xenoblade Chronicles in contentment. After all, we’re well aware how important these blades are to XenoBLADE. Not to mention, this one is literally called “The Sword of the End”. I’m not sure how he could’ve made it any more clear that… he’s said what he set out to say. This is the end.
Tetsuya Takahashi has spent over a quarter of a century carefully communicating this message as best he can to each and every fan of the series. From Xenogears, to Xenosaga, and now, Xenoblade Chronicles. It is clear through this scene that Takahashi is satisfied with the message he has delivered, as well as the various stories through which he’s told it.
In a sense, XC3 can be seen as a metaphor of Takahashi struggling to, and eventually, coming to terms with such a huge and important chapter of his life having reached its end. It’s no small feat welcoming the unknown, which in this case, is whatever lies beyond a more than quarter-century long artistic endeavor. An endeavor which touched the lives of countless people around the world. Will he ever be able to create such intimately engaging works of art again? Would he be better off trying to drag it on a bit longer while he still has artistic control?
Well, through XC3, it’s clear that Takahashi found his answer: No.
A terrifyingly unknown future is better than no future at all. Especially one that lives in the shadow of what you’ve already sought out and accomplished in the past. The story of this saga may have reached its end. But through the mark it left, both on Takahashi’s pursuit of this message, and the impact it has left on the players, it will persist through any future. This hope for a better future, one shaped through your own two hands, will live on.
Finally, I’d just like to say… If it weren’t obvious from the past 200+ pages of passionate yet carefully considered ramblings: His message has been heard. I can’t speak for anyone else, but I can say with certainty that I have heard that message loud and clear. And, well, it means a lot to me.
Thank you, Tetsuya Takahashi. Thank you, Monolith Soft. Thank you, Xenoblade Chronicles. Until next time.