so ffxiv is the first game that really did boss battles with extreme pomp and circumstance that i've ever played
so of course one of the entertaining-questions-to-ask-myself has been "if this character i wrote had a boss battle like an ffxiv primal, what would it look like? how would their story get told this way?"
i had easy answers for most except my pet-au-version of darth vader
then
the tsukuyomi fight dropped
and i was just like "oh. yeah ok it's that but masc" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njYgggITz2g
i mean honestly tho,
even almost all the lines of dialog work too!!!!
"why does it fade away?! ...ah. i understand. it feeds on my hate, on my suffering..." SURE SOUNDS LIKE AN EX-SITH-LORD FALLING OFF THE DARK SIDE TEETOTALERS BANDWAGON AND DISCOVERING IT ALL AGAIN. it works perfectly for someone who has tried so hard to be in the light for so long but is remembering the easy, quick destructive power of the dark side
i'm back on my darth vader bullshit.
"come forth, shades of the dead! curse my name! strike my body! fill my soul with blackest malice!"
and now come the spectres of the council -
"worthless excuse of a jedi! you're nothing but trouble!" "a font of misery, that's what you are!"
"yes, the dearest jedi order. i was the bane of your existence unto the very end!"
and now come the spectres "of the republic" and "of the empire" - both howling in accusation of vader's failure to command them
i'm back on my darth vader bullshit.
and the spectre of obi-wan comes - "fight like your life depends on it, dear brother. you wouldn't like to disappoint me again, as on mustafar..."
"if it isn't the cold-blooded little worm. always crawling through my rotten heart."
and finally, of course
the emperor himself, instead of zenos
"your pitiful fortunes can bring you no lower, darth vader..."
"you have come to deliver judgment for my failure? cut me down, then! surely it is a simple task!"
i'm back on my darth vader bullshit.
LIKE THE DIALOG. THE DIALOG WORKS SO WELL WITH EXTREMELY MINIMAL CHANGES Y'ALL.
just make moon bunny become hell wolf for more appropriate symbolism, do a cover of Wayward Daughter https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMv9uiQsXvg with the male/female choruses swapping parts, maybe kick in a little electric guitar to make it appropriately edgelord, find someone who can growl out an appropriate FROM MORTAL HUSK, I RISE AAANNEEEWWWW https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XzV8X31j9o and bip bop bam there it is
then of course to complete the stealing the vibe, we see how many people have discovered things about themselves as soon as he delivers the I'LL GRIND YOU UNDER MY HEEL! line, and suddenly there's even more people who consider my horrible au vader a dilf.
i mean it's not my fault he comes out looking so good in commissions ok?????? (maybe slightly my fault) (shh)
i'm back on my darth vader bullshit.
and instead of gosetsu, it is luke.
of course it is luke.
taking the blow for him, even as the emperor seeks to destroy him.
"stay behind me, father!"
"why?" he half-begs, half-wonders. "you have no place here!" this is meant to be a self-inflicted punishment, if his power only comes from his own suffering -
and the spectre of luke begs him to survive.
"perhaps," vader says,
"but it is too late for me. there can be no redemption."