Final Fantasy 14: Vauthry Had The Makings For A Sympathetic Villain

gamerant.com:

Final Fantasy 14: Shadowbringers took place in a different world and introduced a ton of characters like Ryne, Gaia, Emet-Selch, the Crystal Exarch, Feo Ul, and Dulia-Chai. Emet-Selch in particular became a fan favorite villain, not just in the game, but in the Final Fantasy series as a whole. Recognizing what was done right, Square Enix further elaborated on tragic sympathetic villains in Endwalker.

One Final Fantasy 14 villain, however, was not so complex. Vauthry was known to be evil and despicable the moment players arrive in Eulmore. His personality is completely selfish, and he believes he should be worshipped like a god, while his subjects are fed monster flesh without even knowing so that he can better control them. However, his backstory had all the ingredients for a sympathetic villain. It is hard to say if Vauthry would have been a better character if he was a sympathetic villain like Emet-Selch, but the signs that he could have been a more complex character are hard to ignore.

Final Fantasy 14: Every Member Of The Convocation Of 14

Vauthry is an exaggerated character in many respects, from his design, to his level of greed and sloth. He never shows a hint of humanity in times of war, and has the maturity of a child when faced with reasonable questions and demands. However, his backstory revealed a very interesting detail. Vauthry is half-sin eater, and was groomed to be a sort of «chosen one» from the moment he was born. Such a backstory lends the expectation of a tragic character, but Vauthry's spoiled personality was too exaggerated to ever be seen with the same mercy as fans felt for Emet-Selch or Hermes in Endwalker.

There are good reasons for Vauthry to think of himself as a god. It seems like he was raised