[LWS4 E6 Spoiler] We just had Trahearne 2.0, didn't we?

[Ojimaru.8970]

Something had been niggling at me since finishing Episode 6, and I think I figured it out.

Aurene is Trahearne 2.0.

To elaborate: through the original Guild Wars 2 story, players were given an unconventional role, one of the all-powerful dragon-slaying sidekick to floppy Trahearne. Regardless of the trials of strength and guile the player character conquered, it was Trahearne that was written as the main protagonist. As I recall, this oddity didn't go over so well, not especially with how the ending encounter in Arah turned out.

And now we have Aurene, the child of prophecy, the god-being, the Scion, whereas the commander gets to play the familiar role: the Elder Dragon-slaying, God-killing sidekick. The episode is really about Aurene ascension. While our player character is there to... help. I mean, it certainly was better than pushing buttons and flipping levers during the Zhaitan fight, but still, we're more plot device than conquering hero, just like with Trahearne.

Yet... I'm not as perturbed as with Trahearne. Still not sure why.

[Omega.6801]

I think some of the dislike for Trahearne comes from his character. He's not especially heroic, as he is written in a way that he needs to find the confidence to forge and lead the pact into Arah.

Also, having "This won't end well." as a random idle line of dialogue you hear from him every now and then didn't help to portray him as the hero we'd like to be a sidekick to.

The writers did better with Aurene imho. Beeing second to an immortal elder dragon isn't that bad and the player character still gets recognized as the dragon-slayer, god-killer, whatever.

[Westenev.5289]

If you put it that simply, you could say Aurine is Kormir 3.0. Bonus points for ascending beyond the realms of mere mortals as a result of our work.

[Klipso.8653]

The PC will never get the sole credit for any impactful event for lore reasons. There must always be an NPC either with us or directing us so they can receive credit in lore.

[lezbefriends.7516]

The devs did say Aurene is the backbone of LS, who we watch grow in an Elder Dragon.

[Ashantara.8731]

@lokh.2695 said:I think some of the dislike for Trahearne comes from his character.

Nope, just from the voice acting that sounds like an enhanced robo-voice. Colorless, dull, lifeless, no character at all, just a walking puppet spitting out written lines.

The character of Trahearne, by concept, was actually pretty cool.

@Westenev.5289 said:If you put it that simply, you could say Aurine is Kormir 3.0. Bonus points for ascending beyond the realms of mere mortals as a result of our work.

This.

[Poormany.4507]

Unlike Trahearne, Aurene actually got a developed and thorough introduction to the PC and plot, which was one of my biggest gripes with Trahearne, who shows up out of nowhere for my non-Sylvari characters and suddenly talks like he's been my best friend. He is then chosen to be leader of the Pact despite clearly lacking combat/leadership experience and this felt very immersion breaking to the story. Also, her lack of speech and new voice so far seems way better than Trahearne's dull "Clawr Island" accent that just made him even more annoying. These were evident since Aurene's death actually made me sad, while Trahearne's just made me relieved to be done with his character.

[Ojimaru.8970]

@Klipso.8653 said:The PC will never get the sole credit for any impactful event for lore reasons. There must always be an NPC either with us or directing us so they can receive credit in lore.

This isn't true, as the player character has sole credit for the deaths of Scarlett (as leader of proto-Dragon's Watch), and Balthazar. Modremoth is iffy as the battle in his mind was largely not communicated with the rest of the Pact.

[MrPhantasia.5924]

@Ojimaru.8970 said:Something had been niggling at me since finishing Episode 6, and I think I figured it out.

Aurene is Trahearne 2.0.

To elaborate: through the original Guild Wars 2 story, players were given an unconventional role, one of the all-powerful dragon-slaying sidekick to floppy Trahearne. Regardless of the trials of strength and guile the player character conquered, it was Trahearne that was written as the main protagonist. As I recall, this oddity didn't go over so well, not especially with how the ending encounter in Arah turned out.

And now we have Aurene, the child of prophecy, the god-being, the Scion, whereas the commander gets to play the familiar role: the Elder Dragon-slaying, God-killing sidekick. The episode is really about Aurene ascension. While our player character is there to... help. I mean, it certainly was better than pushing buttons and flipping levers during the Zhaitan fight, but still, we're more plot device than conquering hero, just like with Trahearne.

Yet... I'm not as perturbed as with Trahearne. Still not sure why.

Unless you're sylvari Trahearne is introduced out of nowhere as this massively important character. That's the main problem with him.

Lets say the personal story was designed so that after you meet your mentor and have your introductory arc you had two arcs worth of missions directly dealingvwith Zhaitan's minions and your order partners you with trahearne as an outside advisor and exert on the topic and you three have form a bit of a powerful trio together. I think Trahearne vwould have been received much better if that were the case.

Aurene had 4 years of build up and we got to see here from when she was a defenseless egg and hatchling and gradually grow into an elder dragon god.