Good video in total, but I think that you're underselling how the events with Alpha really shaped N. Alpha wasn't just going to take the people of the City to a new land, his actions were going to lead to the death of literally everyone else. Z tempting N wasn't simply an 'endless now' with Mio, but also saying, "Hey, you're strong, right? You're despair and pain is literally our best chance for so many lives to survive. You do this, destroy the City, stop Alpha, and save everyone, and I'll bring back your wife and you'll both be together forever." Z was tempting N on both a moral level and an emotional level. If N doesn't take the deal, then so many will die, but if he joins, they'll be saved, but he becomes everything he once despised, with the only reward being an eternity with Mio. N ultimately takes the offer, clearly going with a, 'the ends justify the means,' mindset to carry out his job, but this breaks down when he accidentally kills his own son. You're right when you say N was crushed by the burden, even more so because he chose not to tell anyone, because it was 'his' alone to bear. Ultimately, he helps Matthew and the rest stop Alpha, and could possibly turn against Moebius, but like you said, his self loathing keeps him from doing so, because in his own mind, he's already irredeemable. He made the choice to become the villain to save all those lives and hopefully be reunited with Mio, in an endless now where they'll be free of the hopeless conflict. However, killing Ghondor was something he could not accept or forgive himself for, nor let any other forgive either. It's so strange, looking back to how M was horrified by what N did, yet was never told of the other factors that led to N's choice, and how the death of their own son was an accident. And yet, N allows her to feel that way, never telling her the truth because he refuses to forgive himself, allowing her to hate him as he feels it is what he deserves. Had he told her, she may have been able to get through to him, and they both could've rebelled against Moebius, but N damned them both to misery out of a self pitying penance that helped no one, not even himself. If anything, it made it worse, as having had to sacrifice so much to have Mio back, as well as save the lives of many, N still wants some recompense, some proof that it was worth it, that he made the right choice. But it wasn't and like you said, it literally takes facing the manifestation of all he personally discarded from himself, and get smacked down so many times for him to finally come around. It's infuriating for N. How come this 'Noah' gets to stand with his 'Mio?' A Noah not faced with the same harsh choices and sacrifices N had to make. Why is he surrounded by hope and companionship, reaping the benefits of N's hard work, while N gets nothing but misery and regret. How could he say that he and his allies were, 'hope,' as though they were self-entitled, divine saviors?! None of them would have gotten anywhere without his actions, and there they were, victorious, while he was broken and alone. Why was he always losing, what gave them the right to win?! Maybe, like Noah said, they got lucky? N's actions, both good and bad paved the way for Noah's path, and when the time came, Noah had both the strength and freedom to make the choice N couldn't, in both a moral and emotional sense. Noah got lucky, he had a chance to be what N couldn't, and ultimately took it. And yet, the reason for his existence is because he is a manifestation of what N wished he had chose, but didn't. He didn't always have to do what he did. Had he faced down his guilt, worked further with Matthew and the others, tell M the truth about Ghondor, maybe he could've been forgiven, by everyone else, and by himself. And then, maybe he could've turned around, and helped stop Z and Moebius sooner? Had he had the strength to forgive himself, and let go of his burdens, his life could've been much less tragic. But if he had, then there would never have been the Noah we played as. Fate dealt N a bad hand, and he made the wrong choices, but fortunately, Noah and the others set things straight.

@@shadowwarrior3444 Very well said, it's a whole bunch of tragedy mixed with making decisions for others and not telling the entirety of the why. But honestly, I think N didnt explain to M the full reasoning was because he knew she never would've agreed that he should've allowed them both to live forever for as long as he kills The City people. Because I mean sure stopping Alpha means saving the Citizens from Alpha, but Z's deal was still for him to kill them all anyways so there isn't much of a win anywhere unless he were to accept the Moebius power, defeat Alpha and then defeat Z but I honestly dont think N and M could take out X Y and Z together. Idk, its a big maybe there but thats what makes these many decisions that just keep stacking up and up and piling onto their now shared misery. After committing such acts how can they find anybody to understand his actions given his dark deeds or even expect anybody to accept them back into their world. It's so much of making decisions for others and assuming others feelings and thoughts and never truly acting and saying what he really means. The whole City situation I agree definitely was a needed scenario for him to come around in the base game time. Without that idk if he'd have enough despair in bad decisions and faltering from his great grandchild knocking sense into him, to have broken from losing M in chapter 5-6. Theres so much to think about and consider of what could've been and how much less could've been done or more to be done better.

No, the parallels to a certain Jedi are *undeniable.*

You mean antagonist right?

@@bradleydrake6941 thanks

I feel you on that one. Always been more of a Jin person but I respect Malos. I'm just glad another incredible antagonist could be msde for 3, and he aint alone either. Thanks again as usual for watching 🤝

Absolutely, they're pretty similar yet super different. People love talking about who would win in a fight which would be cool but for me, I'd love to just see them sit down and chill and talk lol

@@MetaSF_both also could also use therapy

For sure, but it really was that love that he betrayed making him so guilty he figured he just gotta die on that hill. Even Vader wasn't that stubborn that his son couldnt help him lol, but then again, Aionios' world is special and I doubt outside of it two of the same person could exist like that

For sure, I love the difference in showing his expression at the flames of the City burning from the base game then Future Redeemed. You can really see the suffering and just emptiness in his eyes like he's just holding it all in. Like he's cursed himself harder than anybody else could, so that kindness hits him even more. Also haven't thought much about a Joran video, I may not like him nearly as much as Shania but I did like his character and think he's for sure a solid antagonist. He gets too much hate but so does shania, I'll definitely consider that idea 🤔

Glad I could put you on, as a big fan of both series', coming to that realization it just hit different

I love her SO much, she's for sure getting a video from me soon, I have to do right by her

I’m glad we finally got a good female villain in this series for once honestly

Her backstory is relatable, everything else about her is nonsensical and illogical, I remember every time she talked after her villain reveal being dumbfounded by how stupid everything she says is

TRUUUUUUE

I gotta say when a person who's so mad gets treated kindly, thats when they REALLY get hit hard

@@MetaSF_ Especially after they colossally beat his ass, then slap him with the facts, then Noah tells him he can move forward again and they merge with a smile on Ns face. I loved it so much!

Not even just about being with her, he even feels like he just can't turn back either. He long since frayed and fractured his relationship with M to the point he could never see her decision coming at all or her true feelings about what he did after all that time. So many different layers to it

Then he has TASTE

It means a lot to me you thought it was great, these videos will always be here and have full faith in them exploding and inevitable success, and I'll ride the wave! Pleasure to have you here at just the beginning 🤝

That means a lot to me, I try to make these thumbnails appealing and get even me hype lol. Glad you like the videos as well! I'll be covering other series' but Xenoblade will always be big here and working to be even bigger of a creator for the series!

And I didnt even notice till thinking more about this video that they were living that life for over 1000 years. I noticed when playing but really thinking about it, jeez man. (Also ty for staying till the end 🤝)

yea I can see that, N for sure has aspects of Malos, but I always felt he was a lot more like Jin. But he does carry traits of Malos as well for sure, Malos refused the chance to be different all the way to the end, whereas N knew and experienced the power of bonds, but felt after his sacrifice that it was too late to turn back yet in the end still does right before dying. I don't remember if I said it in this video but it definitely gives me vibes of Roxas as well lol

Much appreciated! 👌

Means a lot that you say so, glad you enjoyed it 🤝

It's honestly incredible how well he came out, and it's why I say quality of time given is more important than how much time, because although we see N's silhouette in chapter 1 and fully see him for the first time in chapter 3, he doesn't actually become a character till Chapter 4, over halfway through the game. And that time was used SO well. I would've felt so strongly about him even WITHOUT Future Redeemed, then they just went and made him even more incredible, it all works so so well and that's why it hits so hard when we were losing and he started falling apart. Phenomenal character, S tier Xenoblade villain and character in general

Somebody else proposed that in Future Redeemed he saw that he couldn't truly destroy the Ouroboros without the Moebius and Ouroboros power clashing and getting an even harsher feedback blow on him that harms him, so also found it easier to exhaust the power and kill the holder, or just try and kill the holder. But that's on top of him wanting to try and get them to see how impossible he feels it is to defeat Moebius after all his attempts like you said.

I'm really glad you enjoyed, Noah for sure was so compelling and it still surprises me how N, who doesn't even really get an actual role till over the halfway point of chapters in the game, still absolutely evolves the game and is so well written. Not just him of course but everyone around him and the impact it brings. I think it was in my video where I chose the best scene for each chapter of XC3 where I talked about how Noah was so emotionally mature because of how he grew due to Crys and his own pondering, that he had the hard answers to questions that the others had to come to know when they kinda had to "catch up" to where he was at, so that's why, like you mentioned, the scene in chapter 4 when Mio breaks down happens, it's almost due to an insensitivity on his part. Not to mention him even if he's right, doesn't make it necessarily easier you know. Same with the situation with Lanz you mentioned, him being upset after Joran came back and with his dispute with Noah, Eunie had to talk to Lanz. It's such great details that force him to have to take a step back and look more broadly at other's current emotional state, whether he feels he understands or not. Also glad to know another Shania enjoyer and have you with us🤝

It's really incredible how they pulled off someone so akin to Anakin but having their own identity and piling on a whole unique aspect of a whole different version of themselves. Legit kinda like how you said like how Darth Vader referred to Anakin as a different person except in N and Noah's case they are different beings LOL. But all of their arcs are just so incredible, such low points and able to come back from the absolute depths of darkness and really proving that they learned something. With the base game I felt the similarities but when Future Redeemed came around and the extra it gave N on top of the things we got to see from Ghondor and Matthew towards him, that's straight up Luke Skywalker-esque factor we needed lol, it's all just so great

@@MetaSF_ i also like how the OG Noah is N. like we play as the manifestation of his regrets and seeing them fuse in the end is fucking peak

@@wonder6835 so cool man, now that definitely gave me Roxas returning to Sora vibes, I think I might've said that when I was streaming it too lol

Yea they're both pretty fantastic, which is why I especially wanted to stress it because they go hand in hand both in execution and reasons that make them really quality characters

yo when I first played I had the idea of it and thought it HAD to be an omage, and then when Future Redeemed came around, oh I became 100% convinced they definitely took inspiration from Anakin lol

considering the archetype, I can see if anybody were to get those vibes from N, Egil, and Jin entirely. N I think is the strongest comparison tho lol

And depending the Moebius, you're either ok with that or just coping to till you find a way out. That's why I appreciate the different lens they try to get you to look at Moebius after Chapter 6's intro. They're as vulnerable as they are in control, very vampiric just like you say lol

It was also a unique scenario proposed by both of them that the game hadn't really shown yet to be considered. For N, somebody willingly becoming Moebius for the sake of keeping what little they have intact (at least that's what he believed it did), and then to oppose what the cast learned in Chapter 5, somebody from that place being in so much suffering in despair that they chose not to be Moebius, but to go into the cycle of rebirth to try and try again to be able to win in life. But being essentially being forced to Moebius by X by not just putting her into the cycle but taking and coercing her with her severe insecurities. I think it makes such stellar antagonists when they can make them very understandable but still provide how wrong they were in it not being the right path, but still much easier said than done. Like that's why I really don't get why there was so much hate for shania when in reality, she's the most comparable to what people go through even in real life, and as much as people talk about insecurities or depression or low self esteem, a parent that abuses you emotionally, and to not understand her and all her ways of lashing out due to those aspects, seems extremely ironic and shallow tbh with how much people spew about those things, kinda disappointing. Not that they justify her actions, but to understand and love N but hate her doesn't make sense

@@MetaSF_ yeah honestly idk why Shania gets so much hate. Honestly I love her as a character but i think it's probably cuz Shania adds insult to injury immediately after the tragedy of Chapter 5/6. Also her motives while equally as selfish as N's come off as more selfish to the player. I think people would like her character more if she got a bit more screen time and if her turning mobieus was part of the base game instead of being Senas side story. I feel like it would've improved the main campaign experience and helped her character. People think liking her is justifying her actions but it simply isn't true. Also great video!

I still havent seen that original video LOL

It's called 'Unpainted'. From the game 'NEO: The World Ends With You'

@@MetaSF_ Thanks!

Bro the more time that passes, the more I'm convinced he was inspired by Anakin LOL. I mean Z even is basically his Darth Sidious, M his Padme, Ghondor although is his son is like Luke and Obi-Wan, Matthew and Noah are 100% like Luke for him. Of course, he is very similar to Jin and Graf and even Lao Huang from X in some aspects as well so I'm sure there was inspiration taken from them all too