All Saints' Wake is one of my𒉰 favorite Final Fantasy 14 events, just slightly edged out by that Final Fantasy 11 crossover and anything that gets me extra MGP. The yearly Halloween-themed celebration turns your favorite places around the Source into spooky, pumpkin-laden attractions to /gpose in, and it's one of the few happenings I don't wait to complete until the last minute.
So, you can imagi🎃ne—as someone who cares about no other months other than October—I was a little sad when 2020's Sants' Wake celebration was canceled. It's 🌊no Umbral Calamity, but that didn't prevent me from whining well into 2021 until Square Enix finally heard my cries and announced All Saints' Wake would return this year. It's delayed, but that at least prevents me from ushering in another Umbral Calamity over my misery. I jest, of course, and I'm glad the team has the ability to shift the schedule around—I'm just really eager for more witchy glamour.
In my own way of coping with the wait for both Endwalker and All Saints' Wake in November, I've spent an entire day crafting a fictitious scenario where you and I, dear reader, are throwing a Halloween Party. You can invite anyone from the Source or the First, don't ques♛tion the logistics. Who's on your guest list, and who are your best and worst guests? What are they doing? Do they show up dressed in a costume? Perhaps this counts as fan fiction, but le💫t's not worry about that for now. I've got my guest list worked out, and Square Enix is more than welcome to take these suggestions and implement all of them into the next event. Let's begin.
Alphinaud and Alisaie (The Best)
The Leveilleur twins get my first invitations. They've been꧑ expedited, and I paid extra for the Delivery Moogle to require a signature so I know someone saw it. I adore Alphinaud and Alisaie even though they can be absolute gremlins—a comment mostly directed at Alphinaud—so they get a best guest ranking. In my All Saints' Wake scenario, they show up one after the other, trying to appear independent even though they probably arrived in the same Chocobo Carriage. Alphinaud is dressed as Estinien, and even though this is all just the fandom side of my brain speaking, that detail should be canon. Alisaie can't be bothered with her brother's nonsense because she's taking her precious Kobold son, Ga Bu, trick or treating. (He's dressed as a pumpkin). I've ﷽purposefully ignored all Palom and Porom jokes here, as I'm desperate for Endwalker to be kind.
Estinien (The Worst)
Estinien is great, don't get me wrong, but he's gotta be the worst party guest. I don't know how he wound up in my list of favorite characters, but after years of this tumultuous back and forth with the Azure Dragoon, I'm smitten. All of my swooning aside, he's a bit of a pain in the ass. His voice actor, Robert Vernon, even told TheGamer he🌠's got a bit of history as "a natural individ𝓰ualist." He's headstrong, hot-tempered, and it took the Scions quite a long time to work out everything that ever happened in Heavensward. Shadowbringers may have turned him into a lovely Scion friend, but I'm not convinced he wouldn't ruin your pumpkin carving plans by refusing a knife and using his lance to work. He probably leaves early when Alphinaud makes Nidhogg jokes in his costume. It kilꦅls the whole vi🍒be.
Y'shtola (The Best)
As far as I'm concerneꦚd, Y'shtola could ally herself with the likes of Zenos, Emet-Selch, or whoever, and she's still Final Fantasy 14's best character and finds herself at a favored spot on my list. Y'shtola gets an immediate invite, one I signed with a heart and left one of those "Do you like me? Please circle yes or no" notes at the bottom. Her Shadowbringers outfit works perfectly for the occasion; no one cares as long as she's there. The only downside is that as she arrives, Runar comes toddling behind her dressed as the Great Serpent of Ronka. Runar made the costume himself, and it's hideous, but Y'shtola is way too nice and would entertain him the whole night. Even in my dreams, I lose my chance to talk to her. This party sucks.
Lahabrea (The Worst)
No one invited Lahabrea. He just showed up and started talking; that's another reason Estinien left. You can't ask him to leave because acknowledging him sends Lahabrea into another monologue. I remember the disgusted screech I let out when I saw Lahabrea in Heavensward, that's the same sound I woꦫuld make if he showed up at my door on Halloween. I can't decide if he would show up in his own robe and insist he's someone in Organization XIII from Kingdom Hearts, or if he'd proudly announce he's everyone's biggest fear: MSQ roulette. The second suggestion is good, and if Lahabrea doesn't do it, perhaps I'll go to the next Fan Fest dressed as Praetorium.
Seto (The Best)
Any list where you're ranking anything in Final Fantasy 14 should just mention Seto as the best. Ardbert's precious Amaro companion made me cry so hard I still haven't recovered. He could come dressed as Air Bud, Balto, Beethoven, Scooby-Doo—I don't know why I'm listing dogs, he's more like a dragon—I don't care. I just want Seto to come to my little Halloween celebration in my Mist Free Company house. I'd spoil him rotten and give him everyone's candy... if that's a thing that's safe for Amaros to eat. Seto is such a big sweetie, I can't imagine he'd be hard to please and would mostly keep to himself. As everyone starts to leave and things get quiet, he'd begin to tell his tales about Ardbert, leaving not a dr🌠y eye in attendance.
Tiamat (The Worst)
I know what you're thinking, but I'm once again asking my kind and understanding audience to try to withhold their judgment on my logistics. I know Tiamat is bigger than most buildings, and I know for much of the story you see her chained down in Azys Lla, but those are all reasons she's on my list for the worst—imagine trying to drag🐼 her to a party. Anyway, I actually love Tiamat and the moment you meet her in Heavensward was a pretty formative moment in my journey to loving this MMO. Because of that, I'll allow her the honor of being Falkor the Luck Dragon for Halloween. Yes, that's the big white fluffy dog-serpent from The Neverending Story, my favorite childhood movie. The day before her costume debut, we could recruit Lalafells to glue fur to her. Perhaps she'll share scary stories of early years across the realm with the First Brood. Perhaps she'll just eat Lahabrea. I would be happy about both.
Ryne and Gaia (The Best)
Every Halloween, there's a kid or two that knocks aಌnd is so stinkin' cute I wind up giving them extra candy. That's Ryne and Gaia here. They warm my spooky heart, their rꦍelationship and storyline through Eden kept me hooked, and I refuse to let them go. I think they bring out the best in each other and would definitely go for some precious couples-themed costumes. Perhaps a little Final Fantasy 9 throwback since Zidane's outfit is already in-game; let them go as Cornelia and Marcus from I Want To Be Your Canary.
