When you’re part of the Last Fantasy XIV neighborhood, you’ve doubtless heard of Maidy. When you don’t acknowledge that title instantly, you then’ll absolutely have heard of the Netflix sequence “Dad of Gentle.” 

What began out as nothing greater than a technique to acquire a two-seater Chocobo from the Recruit a Buddy Marketing campaign quickly grew to become one thing a lot extra. Maidy started documenting this journey within the type of weblog posts, detailing his experiences alongside his father. 

In the long run, Maidy’s Father of Gentle challenge grew to become a heartwarming story of connection and mending fractured familial bonds earlier than it’s too late, with Eorzea serving because the backdrop to this father and son bonding expertise. These weblog posts, learn by tens of millions, caught the eye of Netflix and had been became a docu-drama that includes each real-life performing and scenes brilliantly shot with nothing besides vanilla gameplay footage.  

Sadly, Maidy handed away in December 2020 after a battle with bowel most cancers, one thing which has evidently had a lasting influence on producer and director of FFXIV Naoki Yoshida, and his father extra just lately handed away in January 2024. As such, neither of those two unbelievable folks obtained to see one of many newest NPCs added to Last Fantasy XIV with Dawntrail. 

Warning: spoilers for late-game Dawntrail under. 

Gone, however by no means forgotten

When you’ve made it to Resolution 9, I urge you to go to (X:17.0, Y:13.5). Right here, you’ll discover a very acquainted NPC sitting on a bench who can’t be interacted with or focused. This character is modeled after Maidy’s personal Miqo’te, albeit in up to date clothes and graphically improved. 

Now, whereas this NPC is heartwarming sufficient alone, it’s an absolute tearjerker whenever you keep in mind one of many core messages from the Dawntrail MSQ. It’s a sentiment first talked about by the Yok Huy in Urqopacha, then echoed later within the story by Sphene and her quest to guard the Limitless from being erased – dying is just not the tip, and so long as you’re remembered, you’re by no means actually gone. 

Coupled with that, this NPC is carrying a Regulator, which, in response to Lore, can revive anybody who has fallen to unintended dying by imbuing them with a recycled soul cell. Sadly, even the lore particulars that these souls can’t be used to resurrect somebody who has succumbed to sickness or outdated age, however the sentiment remains to be touching nonetheless. 

Maidy is now immortalized within the recreation which he cherished a lot and introduced him, and his father, a lot pleasure of their adventures. He won’t ever be forgotten, and his legacy is now set in metaphorical stone. Actually, the epitome of Limitless.