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Final Fantasy 14: Endwalker comes out in November, and players are scrambling to get caught up with the mountain of content the MMO-JRPG offers. The first goal is to beat the story, which takes a long time since there are a total of three expansions outside of A Realm Reborn. As such, many players make the mistake of rushing through the story and then having no idea what is going on in new content. Other players have completed the story years ago and may have forgotten important parts just because of how much time has passed.
Endwalker is going to be the end of the Hydaelyn and Zodiac saga, which means a lot of stories are going to conclude in the expansion. Because of this, knowing what has happened up until then is important to get the most out of the writing and characters. Since A Realm Reborn, the MMO has gotten better and better with each expansion, so fans are very excited for what is to come. Before marching ahead though, many are reviewing the story so far, including what has happened in the original game that can no longer be accessed.
The Story In Final Fantasy 14 Online
While the originally FF14 was reworked and reborn, its story still stands as part of an important history. The plot begins in the midst of the Garlean Empire trying to invade the city-states of Eorzea during the Sixth Astral Era. The Garleans discovered that the planet's lesser moon, Dalamund, could be used as a weapon if they pulled it down to crash into Eorzea. In response, the Eorzean city-states created Grand Companies and allied with each other. The Garlean who spearheaded the Dalamud-plan was Legatus Nael van Darnus, and she was defeated by the efforts of the adventurers. However, her defeat did not stop what happened next.
The Dalamud moon came down during an epic battle between the Grand Companies and Garlean invasion. The moon exploded to reveal a primal dragon called Bahamut, and it began to destroy all around it. This dragon was originally imprisoned, and the moon was actually created by the planet's ancient and fallen civilization, the Allagan Empire, to keep the dangerous creature at bay. Bahamut killed many and laid waste to all in its path, and this initiated what is known as the Seventh Umbral Calamity.
Player characters were saved by Louisoix Leveilleur, a Sharlayan scholar and the leader of the Circle of Knowing (which would later be called the Scions of the Seventh Dawn). The scholar sent players through space and time to when they would next be needed. It was after this that the original Final Fantasy 14 game was deleted and was then reborn in the next title.
It is worth noting that, other than Louisoix, important characters in the overall story were introduced in this 2010 game. These characters included Circle of Knowing Members such as Thancred, Yda, Urianger, Papalymo, and Y'shtola. Of course, the leaders of the city-states such as Nanamo, Kan-E-Senna, and Merlwyb were all participants in the battles against the Garleans. Players also met Minfilia as a little girl and witnessed the death of her father when a berserk Goobbue got loose in Ul'dah. F'lhaminn was an active character, too, and it was during the events of this game that she adopted Minfilia as her own.
The Story In A Realm Reborn
The story picked up later in A Realm Reborn, with the player either being new or the one Louisoix teleported during Bahamut's rampage. It has been five years since Bahamut's attack, and even if the player is not new, NPCs do not remember them, as their identities were wiped from their memories. As the player character takes on odd jobs and adventures, they get looped into the Scions of the Seventh Dawn which are now led by grown-up Minfilia since Louisoix sacrificed himself to protect others from Bahamut.
The player character gets visions of a giant crystal and the Scions explain that they have been blessed with the Echo, a power given to those chosen by Hydalyn, a sentient crystal that oversees life and the elements of the world. Among the Scions are other members with the Echo, and players' particular Echo ability is to see into people's memories. Since the Echo prevents the brainwashing of primals, the player character quickly becomes a hero for dealing with primal summons done by the various Beast Tribes of Eorzea. It is soon unveiled, though, that the Beast Tribes are only being manipulated by something greater, some mysterious people in dark cloaks called Ascians.
It becomes known that Ascians are not only manipulating the Beast Tribes, but also the Garlean Empire, which still seeks to invade Eorzea. The Empire sees the Scions of the Seventh Dawn as a threat and breaks into their headquarters in the Waking Sands, killing all who are there except Minfilia, who is kidnapped. The player character and Louisoix's grandson, Alphinaud, get the help of Cid to push back against the Ascians by defeating another primal, Garuda. However, the Garlean Empire is far ahead in their own plans, as a warrior named Legatus Gaius van Baelsar leads a project on creating a war machine called the Ultima Weapon, which eats primals for power and is being made for the purpose of taking over Eorzea.
The protagonist, gaining the name Warrior of Light from their amazing deeds, regroups with the surviving members of the Scions and rescues Minfilia. The victory is short-lived though, as Thancred who went off to investigate the Ascians on his own got possessed by one by the name of Lahabrea. The Warrior of Light, Scions, and the Eorzean Alliance work together and they successfully bring down the Ultima Weapon and save Thancred from the Ascian. The Scions then create a new headquarters at Revenant's Toll and start helping out refugees from Doma who have been victimized by the Garlean Empire.
A Scion named Moenbryda visits from Sharlayan, and she finds a way to permanently kill Ascians but does so at the sacrifice of her own life. Around this time, the Warrior of Light also loses their connection to Hydaelyn, because they meet with an ancient dragon king named Midgardsormr who wishes to test their worth. The city-state of Ishgard is facing an all-out war with dragons, and makes an alliance with the Scions to help them.
While all this occurs, Alphinaud decides to create a group called the Crystal Braves to make a unified Grand Company for all of Eorzea. The Scions are all invited to a banquet in U'dah by Sultana Nanamo. However, Nanamo collapses from poisoned wine at the party and the Scions are blamed for it. The Crystal Braves also betray the Scions and accept the payment of Lolorito to arrest them. Only Alphinaud and the Warrior of Light escape and find asylum with Tataru in Ishgard.
The Story In Heavensward
The Warrior of Light is taken in by Count Fortemps and assists his sons on missions. It is discovered that the Ishgardian Archbishop, Thordan, is in an alliance with the Ascians but that he plans to betray them after they serve their usefulness. Back in U'dah, it is found out that the Sultana lives and was under a sleeping drug, instead of lethal poison, and she is woken up. Important characters are introduced in the story such as the Azure Dragoon Estinien and Lady Iceheart (also known as Ysayle).
Estinien, Ysayle, Alphinaud, and the Warrior of Light adventure together to try to end the war between Ishgard and the dragons, led by the great wrym Nidhogg. Through discussion with another great wrym by the name of Hraesvelgr, the team finds out that the war is one of vengeance for when Thordan's ancestor broke the peace treaty between dragons and man. The Warrior of Light and Estinien then defeat Nidhogg and share what they've learned about the Dragonsong War with Ishgard. Despite the newfound knowledge, Thordan wants to remain at war with the dragons, so the Warrior of Light defeats him as well.
With Thordan gone, Aymeric becomes the new leader of Ishgard, but peace does not yet settle as Estinien gets possessed by Nidhogg and the Dragonsong War continues. The Scions finally regroup, but Minfilia is no longer with them and has become one with Hydaelyn. Her spirit explains to the Warrior of Light that the Ascians are working for a dark deity named Zodiark that seeks to battle and defeat Hydaelyn.
In a final battle against Nidhogg, the Warrior of Light frees Estinien from possession. Alphinaud's twin sister Alisaie joins the Scions, and Paplymo passes away in a battle at Baelsar's Wall in order to cast a spell to imprison a powerful primal called Shinryu. His death makes Yda reveal that she has actually been someone else this whole time: Yda's sister, Lyse. The real Yda died a long time ago, and now Lyse wants to fight for the independence of her home, Ala Mhigo, which is under Garlean rule.
The Story In Stormblood
The story moves from Ishgard to both Ala Mhigo and Doma for this expansion. The Scions join the Ala Mhigan resistance efforts and strive to fight against Zenos yae Galvus, the Garlean emperor's son. The Warrior of Light travels with local Doman friends named Gosetsu and Yugiri to find the missing prince of Doma, Hien, and help him retake his lands. Hien is found, and the team unites the people of Doma to fight back against the Garlean Empire. They succeed in their revolution, with Hien at the helm of Doma's leadership and he joins the Scions in their efforts to liberate Ala Mhigo.
Zenos, through Garlean experimentation, gets his own artificially made Echo but still falls in a final battle against the Warrior of Light. This liberates Ala Mhigo and the powers begin to focus on the restoration of their homelands. However, it is eventually discovered that Zenos is still somehow alive. Not only is Zenos still out there, but the creator of the Ultima Weapon, Gaius, is also alive and seeking vengeance on the Ascians who betrayed him. During a meeting to discuss the possibility of Ascian manipulations, half of the Scions are afflicted with a psychic calling that leaves them comatose.
Gaius reveals to the Warrior of Light that Ascians have three leaders: Elidibus who now acts through Zenos body, Lahabrea, and one that has not revealed himself yet. The Empire is also working on an incredibly potent chemical weapon called Black Rose. The leaders of Eorzea decide to meet with the current Garlean Emperor, Varis, to discuss peace. To the shock of all, Varis explains that the Garlean Empire was founded by Ascians and that peace is not an option. More Scions fall to the mysterious coma, and the Warrior of Light hears a psychic message that they are needed and to seek out a certain beacon at the Crystal Tower.
The Story In Shadowbringers
At the Crystal Tower, the Warrior of Light is taken to another world called the First. It is a world where light has flooded the world, and where all the comatose Scions have been summoned for help. The Warrior of Light meets important characters, Ardbert and the Crystal Exarch. Ardbert is the First's own Warrior of Light, but he failed to keep it safe and no longer is alive, wandering the world as a ghost. The Crystal Exarch is the one who summoned the Scions, and his identity is a mystery - though he has powerful magic connected to the Crystal Tower.
The Warrior of Light reunites with their companions at various locations while defeating creatures called sin-eaters and powerful ones called Lightwardens. With each Lightwarden defeat, the Warrior of Light returns darkness to the world and intakes the Lightwarden's light upon themselves. Upon reuniting with Thancred, there is also another Minifilia in this world that joins the Scions. She was held prisoner in the city of Eulmore until Thancred broke her out. As the team goes around killing Lightwardens, the new Minifilia gets her own name, Ryne. Another companion is Solus zos Galvus (aka Emet-Selch), who introduces himself to the Scions and offers to help them so that they can get a mutual understanding.
After killing many Lightwardens, the Warrior of Light is overloaded with so much light that they begin to turn into a Lightwarden themselves. This is when the Crystal Exarch finally reveals his true identity: G'raha Tia, an old companion of the Warrior of Light from the Crystal Tower sidequests at the end of A Realm Reborn. His plan was to take in all the light and then end his life to save the Warrior of Light, but he is stopped and kidnapped by Emet-Selch who decides to end their truce for mutual understanding.
Ryne's power holds back the Warrior of Light from turning into a Lightwarden, and they both go to defeat Emet-Selch as well as save G'raha Tia. They learn that G'raha woke up in the future after sleeping in the Crystal Tower to find that the Garlean's chemical weapon, Black Rose, killed the Scions. So he went to the First and summoned them there not just to save that world, but to try to prevent that dismal future from happening. G'raha is ultimately saved by the Scions and Emet-Selch is defeated. However, he imparts a lot of knowledge to the Scions before he passes.
The Scions learn that the Ascians are an ancient race that ultimately died off and shattered into the worlds known today. Everyone in these words is a fragment of an Ascian, and the surviving Ascians summoned Zodiark to try to save their own world. This is why they seek to destroy other worlds, as it enables them to restore the original world. Upon learning this, it is revealed that Ardbert is a part of the Warrior of Light and merges into their body.
Meanwhile, in Eorzea, Zenos' surviving spirit takes back his body from Elidibus and kills his dad so that he can have a rematch with the Warrior of Light. Elidibus, finding out Emet-Selch is dead, tries to fight against the Scions on the First and loses. Through magical efforts, the Scions all return to their world and manage to take G'raha Tia back with them.
It is then revealed that there is a rogue Ascian named Fandaniel who joins up with Zenos and is placing towers around Eorzea that temper people into fighting each other and is draining the lands of their aether. In the face of this new threat, the city-states form alliances of peace with their Beast Tribes, and Estinien officially joins the Scions. Eorzea's leaders and Scions ask for Sharlayan's aid but they refuse. Fandaniel and Zenos make their final preparations for the upcoming final battle, which will be seen in Endwalker.
Final Fantasy 14: Endwalker comes out on November 23rd, 2021, and will be available on PC, PS4, and PS5.