Guild Wars 2

It’s been over a year since we encountered Scarlet’s creations.
It all started when Norn and Charr settlements were attacked by the Flame Legion and Dredge alliance. After much damage was done and countless innocents were killed, we destroyed the Molten Facilities eliminating the Molten Alliance’s asrenal (misspelled to counter the catfilter) in the process. A bittersweet victory, but a victory nonetheless.

Some time later, Dragon Bash came around. We saw a murder happen in front of our very eyes, without being able to do anything about it. We discovered the Aetherblade hideout, with their captain Mai Trin. We took care of all of them, including Mai Trin and neutralized their base. A great victory, for the Aetherblades had been dealt a great blow. They had lost their captain and their base, sadly at the cost of an innocent life.

Later on, we finally encountered Scarlet, during Clockwork Chaos. We learned she was the one behind the attacks of the Molten Alliance and the Aetherblades. However, she also took the opportunity to take the Watchworks as her own, while we could only watch. Finally knowing who’s the one pulling the strings, we could finally focus on taking her out.

Scarlet’s army, now enforced by the Twisted Watchworks, rampaged around Tyria and we chased after her. After defeating what seemed endless waves of enemies, we finally got her attention. We defeated her, but just before dealing the final blow, she teleported away. We also chased her down to her playhouse. Again after multiple face-offs, she managed to teleport away every single time.

Due to all these failures, my character developed a gaming addiction in the Super Adventure Box. Thankfully Moto helped out with the therapy (tribulation mode).
My character ready to get back in action traveled to Sparkly Fen, not only to find Tequatl still alive (or undead and active), but also powered up. Hopefully this time we killed it once and for all.

Returning to Scarlet’s story, we found out about the Aetherblade factory in Twilight Arbor. We raided it, shut down the facility, destroyed the Aetherblade airships and got rid of their officers. Yet another crippling blow dealt to the Aetherblade alliance.

Just when we thought we were done with Scarlet’s minions, another alliance shows up. This time she managed to group up the Nightmare Court and the hard-to-reason-with Krait. After quite some Norn farts and towerclimbing, we encountered Scarlet again. This time she didn’t even bother fighting us, she just teleported away. We took care of another creation of hers and took down the tower. However, the damage was yet again already done. Kessex Hills got ruined by pollution and apparently we made Scarlet an even stronger poison. So not only did we fail in stopping her, we actually helped her.

Looking to the next living story release, it seems Lion’s Arch will be attacked (and destroyed) by countless fully equipped Molten, Aetherblade and Toxic Alliance members. Even though we took care of the Molten weapon facilities, even though we took care of the Aetherblade base and factory, even though we took care of a Krait “prophet”, Scarlet’s army appears to be at full force and more loyal than ever.
And there’s nothing our character can do to stop the destruction of Tyria’s most important city. Stopping Scarlet’s marionette and figuring out she’s going to attack Lion’s Arch thanks to all the clues we discussed with Marjory didn’t help contribute at all either.

We failed to stop any part of Scarlet’s plan. Why can’t our characters do anything right?
Seems to me Tyria would’ve been better off had our characters not try to go after Scarlet.

All I can think of is the line from Spaceballs.

Don’t let it bother you so much, it’s plot armor combined with terrible writing. That’s it.

The Spiral King.2483:

Don’t let it bother you so much, it’s plot armor combined with terrible writing. That’s it.

Her plot armor is that she’s Mordremeth’s champion. As we’ve seen, it takes a LOT to take down a dragon champion, and the only time we actively fought her she was toying with us. Not once has she buckled down and fought seriously.

RyuDragnier.9476:

The Spiral King.2483:

Don’t let it bother you so much, it’s plot armor combined with terrible writing. That’s it.

Her plot armor is that she’s Mordremeth’s champion. As we’ve seen, it takes a LOT to take down a dragon champion, and the only time we actively fought her she was toying with us. Not once has she buckled down and fought seriously.

It takes a lot to take down a BIG and POWERFUL dragon champion. One that would take a lot even if they weren’t the dragon’s champion.

Remember the Eye of Zhaitan from the personal story? I wouldn’t say that was an easy fight, but it didn’t take an army to take it out because it wasn’t really all that powerful. Dragon champion or not, Scarlet is still a sylvari. A sword will pierce her flesh, a hammer will crush her head. She may be stronger than normal, but not that much stronger.

Ok number one: story and gameplay segregation… it’s a thing now
“Dragon champion or not, Scarlet is still a sylvari. A sword will pierce her flesh, a hammer will crush her head. She may be stronger than normal, but not that much stronger.”
Well to play with the premise, the other dragon champions have never learned one extremely important but often overlooked tactic that Scarlet employs a lot: tactical retreat. :P everytime she gets into mortal danger, she runs away and then comes back with a vengeance. Most dragon champs stay until we kill them and feast upon the loot they drop.

AlexEBT.7240:

Ok number one: story and gemplay segregation… it’s a thing now
“Dragon champion or not, Scarlet is still a sylvari. A sword will pierce her flesh, a hammer will crush her head. She may be stronger than normal, but not that much stronger.”
Well to play with the premise, the other dragon champions have never learned one extremely important but often overlooked tactic that Scarlet employs a lot: tactical retreat. :P everytime she gets into mortal danger, she runs away and then comes back with a vengeance. Most dragon champs stay until we kill them and feast upon the loot they drop.

Very true.

THAT is why she’s survived. Not because she’s a Dragon’s Champion, but because she knows that running away keeps that sword/hammer thing from happening to her.

I will still say that it’s been poorly written, but running away before being killed? Yeah, I can’t really hold that against her. It’s the smart thing to do.

Throw out all of the rationalizations. It is a script, done by an obtuse playwright who refuses to think the creation is not the greatest story told.

Players are not failing. They are performing their bit part in this sorry melodrama and receiving compensation for doing so, as any extra would. There is no succeed or fail. Only following the script, or choosing to walk away. Neither option will impact the script in any manner.. if you walk away, no compensation. That is it.

Scarlet always wins because that is the part written for her. Period. Player action or inaction has nothing to do with it.

The same reason the castaways failed so many times to get off the island. Blame Gilligan.

In this case..we should blame Traherne…he must be our Gilligan

Well, if we didn’t, there wouldn’t be much else to do would there?

Also, this is a common trope that goes by the name of: “You can’t beat Stage 1”

You forgot, ‘Long monologue during the Thaumanova fractal where we sit with our thumbs up our collective kitten while she exposes her latest mischievous plan and nary one of us thinks about putting a bullet in her brain case’.

This is Scarlet’s story. You’re just here to show how pretty and awesome and smart and totally the princess of everything she is.

In my opinion, we are just part timers so the failing really isn’t our responsiblity. We are just called whenever they need an extra hand. While we are supposedly the commander of the pact we are kept out of the loop most of the time. I think we got demoted sometime after zhaitan’s defeat.

The pact and lionguard had lots of opportunity to investigate scarlet’s plan. Plenty of opportunity to capture the enemy and interrogate them. They even had Mai Trin in custody. Refuse to talk for fear of their life? Just execute them and call their spirits for interrogation.

Kanto.1659:

You forgot, ‘Long monologue during the Thaumanova fractal where we sit with our thumbs up our collective kitten while she exposes her latest mischievous plan and nary one of us thinks about putting a bullet in her brain case’.

killing her fractal self would have little to no impact on her outside the fractal. if i understand the mists correctly, that’s not scarlet, just a recreation of her

Kanto.1659:

You forgot, ‘Long monologue during the Thaumanova fractal where we sit with our thumbs up our collective kitten while she exposes her latest mischievous plan and nary one of us thinks about putting a bullet in her brain case’.

Forget that one. Top of the Tower in Kessex Hills cutscene where she slowly walks to the portal while everyone stands around and listens.

seacanari.4583:

In this case..we should blame Traherne…he must be our Gilligan

Sooo… we should tie Trahearne to a boat, and let it drift away? Is that what you are suggesting…?

Because that’s a very good idea.

That about sums it up for me…