LS3. A different ending...

LS3. A different ending...

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Posted by: Darkstar.7839

Darkstar.7839

This thread contains loads of spoilers.

So now LS3 has drawn to a close, we know the overall story arch. I think that it had the most potential and excitement of all the living stories but the last few episodes was ultimately muddled and I think told in the wrong order which means, for me at least, it ends on an anti-climax. Im suggesting here how the same story could have been told slightly differently and given it a more epic and satisfying ending.

Story Arch as it was told (Roughly)

Primordus awakens
Bloodstone explodes, introducing Fake Lazarus.
Jormag awakens, Aurene hatches
We investigate Taimi’s theory
Caudecus’s White Mantle Attack Divinity’s Reach, Fake Lazarus identified as impostor.
Fake Lazarus revealed as Balthazar when he steal’s Taimi’s device.
Jormag and Primordus neutralized. Balthazar takes dragon power.
We meet Livia, summon and kill real Lazarus

The problems with the story as it is told is that Balthazar comes out of the blue, with no warning. The LS story doesn’t really introduce Livia well or give us a proper reason to summon and kill the real Lazarus, this means it ends on an anticlimax.

Here is How I think it should have been told

My Story Arch

Primordus awakens
Bloodstone explodes, introducing Fake Lazarus.
Balthazar statues glow when ‘prayed to’
Jormag awakens, Aurene hatches
We investigate Taimi’s theory

Caudicus’s White Mantle Attack Divinity’s Reach. We meet disguised Livia, who is after the aspect Caudicus has. Fake Lazarus identified as imposter
As part of our search to work out who fake lazarus is, we team up with Livia, summoning and killing real Lazarus – real lazarus reveals Fake Lazarus is Balthazar before being killed.
Fake Lazarus confirmed to be Balthazar when he steal’s Taimi’s device.
Jormag and Primordus neutralized. Balthazar takes dragon power.

This ends the LS in the same place we are now. It gives us a proper reason to summon the real Lazarus, and means you could potentially avoid the whole joining the shining blade conundrum. It introduces Livia over 2 episodes, giving more time to the character and making her reveal more interesting. It ends it on the biggest plot twist as one of the presumed antagonists of the next expansion has increased in power. It also wraps up Jormag and Primordus, who are the main focus of the episode at the end, rather than in the middle.

What do you think?

(edited by Darkstar.7839)

LS3. A different ending...

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Posted by: Ider.1276

Ider.1276

What do you think?

I think Lazarus storyline should have stayed in raids, along side Livia and Shining Blades. Raid already did a great job of exposition of mursaat and white mantle lore, so it could handle Livia’s and Lazarus story too. I’d prefer Xera actually resurrecting Lazarus and Lazarus actually starting doing something nasty before killing him. I am not raiding, by the way, and still think that plot should not be in the personal story.

I would like all the “fake Lazarus” stuff just gone from the plot. We should’ve been dealing with Balthazar from the begining. This way we could have some time to connect with his character and, well, start caring about him at all. Cause now I’m not. All the “oh Lazarus is an imposter” stuff was pointless and existed there just for the cheap plot twist, and made little sence on its own.

The current plot of LS3 is an over complicated mess, you can’t fix it by more explanation or tossing different events up and down the timeline. Just cut down all the crap that makes the least sence, Occam’s razor way.

LS3. A different ending...

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Posted by: zealex.9410

zealex.9410

Ep 4 should deff have included livia but as we meet her at the start of ep6 so we dont know yet who she is.

Id also suggest that the braham jormag stuff never happens and instead we get more caudecus/ lazarus with abit of balthazar teasing.

The story didnt need 2 dragons and from magic’s prospective balthazar needed magic and being attuned to fire draining primprdus made sense. Jormag is just shoehorned into all of this.

So EP1 reveal of white mantle/lazarus/primordus.
EP2 more going in depth on primordus learning more about the mursaat aurene hatches.
EP3 we pursuit caudecus on the map above gandaran fields he escapes to janthir lazarus is also assisting us and we get a cutscene at the end of the ep teating on lazarus true identity.
EP4 same tbh just with the disguised livia.
Ep5 same now balth makes more sense.
Ep6 same tbh with livia more connected to the overall story t feels more natural (also great clossure to the mursaat and the wm).