When I was younger, I had a scooter I bought to help me get around without breaking the bank. They can be very low maintenance and the fueling costs are also very low. Plus, they are super fun!

Scooters are also not very protected, though. One day, someone pulled out into the road in front of me and I crashed. Don’t worry, I didn’t die, I… oh shoot. Sorry. I just spoiled the whole story.

Or did I? You could certainly argue I did. After all, just because I am writing this, it does not necessarily mean I survived the accident. I could be a ghost, or perhaps I wrote this in advance then set up the events discussed to perfectly mimic my design. Maybe I was spinning a fictional tale and nothing was real, therefore the reveal of my survival is something that one should not outright expect.

Still, it seems a bit too trivial to be a spoiler outright. Spoilers tend to be things that reduce the impact of a story beat by revealing too much information and since this was a story I was telling, it was really up to me when I give out the information. So I think it is fair to say that spoilers require that points are being released by someone who did not actually create the material. If a story, then, uses others as reference would knowing the references ruin this new tale?

Most Eorzeans are familiar with the legends of the Warrior of Light (WOL for short) and while some have not done ALL the required reading, it is fair to say we all know a little, at least. As such, and rightfully so, people can get a bit perturbed when some get into discussions on the finer details of the WOL’s exploits with fresh ears around. So too can (Lopp’s note: haha toucan) those unexposed to the journey find themselves feeling frustrated when they hear about things that are to come.

Both of these reactions are reasonable, of course. Many want to preserve the harrowing nature of some parts of a story as long as possible. Personally, I try to avoid previews for movies entirely because I worry that something might trigger a reaction of thought that removes the mystery from the whole finished product, so I feel sympathy for those wanting to avoid spilling the beans on even the early chapters of the WOL’s life. This all said, there are those who take things a little too far.

I am not new to studies of the WOL. Admittedly, I skimmed a lot of the chapters because I’m not a great student (ask my teachers, they’ll back me up). Even so, I know all the important parts at least, despite only starting to look into it a couple of years ago. I have a recent memory of not knowing certain topics and remember feeling somewhat sheltered by those around me regarding them.

People having a discussion would hush up or talk in code when I came back to the Free Company from a trip. I would ask and get responses like “go finish the story.” They were adamant I learned it all myself. What was weird, though, was how disappointed they would be when I would take to other means to learn about plot points.

As I mentioned, I am not a great student. I am the type to read ahead, but with cliffnotes. I know, I know… “What about the preview thing?” Well, the thing is, when I am into a story or lore I want to know more and I don’t always want to wait for the right moment. That is a me thing and I get that it’s not for everyone. But for me, when I start looking more into things, it’s a good sign because it means I care.

When one of my friends told me they no longer like me or want to talk to me because I was sneaking peeks, it was a bit jarring. I think I understand where they were coming from, at least. To them, the WOL’s story is something to revere and by sidestepping the traditional learning path, he most likely felt I was not showing it the proper respect.

The thing is, though, different people are undoubtedly going to have different experiences, and this is going to result in a variety of outcomes. There are people like me who will go out and learn things on their own. There are others who will do that without even waiting to get immersed in a story at all. More still who would absolutely despise any mention of what is to come. And the thing is, each style is equally valid.

What we need to remember with spoilers, above anything else, is that we need to respect the desires of those who are the victims, for lack of a better term, of the spoiled content. While the stance of my former friend is understandable, his reaction to my nonchalance about spoiling things for myself was, in some ways, gatekeeping. Essentially, he wanted to dictate my experience with a story and that I wouldn’t let him was enough for him to sever ties.

But this is so very old, I don’t even remember this person’s name (not that I would share it here anyway). You might be wondering why I would even bring it up. Well, unless you have been living under a rock and that rock was buried in a lost cave under the ocean you probably heard that the latest chapter of the WOL’s life, Dawntrail, is releasing in just over a month and with it, we can expect a few new interested fans to start getting into the tale.

Of course, we should be mindful not to divulge too much in front of these newcomers. Certainly, many of them will want to see things at their own pace. Others will be more curious and ask questions. Whether or not you answer them is up to you, but hopefully you will remember that jumping ahead is not a sign of disrespect. In fact, in some cases it is encouraged.

To call the tale of the WOL voluminous might be an understatement. There are so many stories that it can be nigh impossible for a person to learn them all in a reasonable amount of time. Some are going to try to and they will eventually catch up. Others will not want to and there are ways for them to avoid this.

The so-called “Story Skip” being sold on the “Mog Shop” is the perfect choice for some. They may find an investment to get into the later chapters sooner a worthwhile approach for their time. And this can certainly lead to some confusion with later entries and with that confusion, more questions. But it’s time we get into what could even be considered a spoiler.

Long ago, while searching for some information on a certain ginger cat that plays a prominent role in the tale, I came across a debate between fans. It was heated and dealt with the topic of story spoilers. Before getting into this debate topic, though, I think it is important to explain some things about the hodgepodge of myths surrounding the WOL.

Whether you know it or not, certain aspects of the tale of the WOL are lifted from other fantasies. In fact, scholars have documented as many cases of reference as they could find (read at your own risk). This is not necessarily a bad thing, nor does it discredit the tale, though it does beg the question over what should be considered a spoiler.

These days, most people are familiar with what a “Medusa” is. While I am not an expert on the topic, I, like most, understand that when a Medusa is in a story that the hero may take a mirror of some sort to reflect the Medusa’s gaze back, turning it to stone. If a new story comes out that has a Medusa in it, could it really be considered a spoiler, then, to mention that the hero finds a special mirrored object?

Let’s take a step out of our normal shoes and have a different look at the situation. Surely most of you reading this have seen Indiana Jones, right? If you haven’t, pause your… reading this and go watch the first one, maybe the rest if you want, I won’t stop you. Okay, are we all set? I’m about to spoil something so if you haven’t seen it and you keep going, any bad feelings are your fault.

In the first sequence in the first Indiana Jones, he is escaping from a temple and as he runs out, he triggers a trap which releases a giant boulder that chases him down the hall. We KNOW he probably won’t be crushed (it’s the first sequence, after all) but it is still a thrilling scene. This scene has been referenced in so much media that even if you HAVEN’T seen Indiana Jones (somehow, you monster) you probably have knowledge of it.

A certain rodent-based theme park has an Indiana Jones ride. One section of the ride has the boulder sequence replicated as part of the experience. If you were not aware of this, does knowing that the boulder scene is in the ride ruin the ride for you? I would venture that, with the exception of the most obstinate trolls, probably not. The ride is still fun and knowing you get to experience that boulder scene is probably more exciting than anything.

Let’s say someone had no idea about Indiana Jones and skipped all the spoilers above and just learned “there’s a boulder on the ride.” Does that ruin the ride or the story of Indiana Jones? Probably not, because they are lacking all context for both. Words do have power, but that power is derived from meaning and without meaning words are powerless.

Now, getting back to the aforementioned debate, the story section in question was the Crystal Tower. Those who are deep into WOL lore know what I’m talking about. Coincidentally, so too do those with knowledge of “Final Fantasy III,” (FF3 for short) as there is a Crystal Tower in that story as well. The debaters were passionately defending their positions on the mention of the Crystal Tower in terms of “ruining the story.”

While there were several opinions with varying degrees of nuance, one took it to the next level stating that even mentioning the name should be discouraged as it could ruin the experience of the story of the WOL. But we must wonder why? The presupposes that those new to the WOL’s story know of FF3 to the extent that just hearing the name will reduce the impact of its inclusion in this new tale as those with knowledge of neither would have nothing but their imagination to go off of when deciphering the meaning of “Crystal Tower.”

In the case of those familiar with FF3, how does a Crystal Tower ruin the WOL’s story? A reference is not necessarily the entire story. In fact, references, more than ruining a narrative, can enhance them.

People love Easter Eggs in fiction. Part of this is evidenced by the extreme abundance of Easter Eggs and the dedication of people to finding them. Knowing something is from something else is far more likely to increase interest than push people away as they often enjoy seeing something familiar in something new. Spoilers ahead for the Sonic the Hedgehog movies, because those who know me know my one true love is the blue blur and friends. And some other things I guess but Sonic first, okay?

In the second Sonic movie we learn of the existence of the Guardian Units of Nations (GUN for short). This is a major Easter Egg for Sonic fans because GUN is first introduced in Sonic Adventure 2 and has heavy association with Shadow the Hedgehog. This primed the heck out of me because from the moment GUN was mentioned I was eagle eye looking for the black and red of Mr. Shadow the Hedgehog (no relation to Sonic. I think. That would be weird… Or would it?).

When the credits rolled and we were treated to a bit of a teaser to the next film in the series, you KNOW I was screaming. Internally, of course, because I don’t like to make a scene, but screaming nonetheless. I am HYPED for Sonic Movie 3 and admittedly, I would be without that foreknowledge. Still, my anticipation is through the roof knowing the next story will have that broody little guy in it.

And that’s the power of reference, really. It takes something that, if you know you know and if it is well liked then that’s all the more reason to get motivated to reach that part. Wanting to protect the sanctity of spoilers is a noble cause, but especially with the coming influx of newbies to the story, we need to remember that we are not meant to be gatekeepers to them. They don’t have to earn everything the same way you did.

As we approach the launch of Dawntrail, take a moment to reflect back on some of the lore of the Warrior of Light. Maybe take some time and check out the source of some of the references already made. Find that passion for the story again and keep those feelings close. Just remember to share appropriately so those fresh to it can get the most out of it for themselves as well.