History YMMV / XenobladeChronicles3

** Debuffs, or rather, debuff resistance. The higher the difficulty, and the stronger the enemy, the more they can resist debuffs. When fighting a boss or unique monster in hard mode, the vast majority of attempts to debuff them will simply fail, utterly gutting the viability of classes like Tactician, Stalker, or Machine Assassin. There ''is'' a master skill, Sappy-Sappy Drain, which increases debuff success rate, but only by a measly 25%, and will barely make a difference most of the time. [[ThisLooksLikeAJobForAquaman Fortunately]], debuff-based strategies are more viable in the Archsage's Gauntlet mode where various emblems can increase debuff success rate even further and give them additional benefits, making characters such as Tactician Taion, Riku & Manana and Segiri much more viable and making powerhouses like [[spoiler:Melia]] and Masha even better.

* EvenBetterSequel: While debates rage on about people's favorite game in the main trilogy, ''[=XC3=]'' is generally agreed-upon to be the strongest of the three in the gameplay department, removing many of the [[OnceOriginalNowOverdone dated elements]] of the first game and many of the [[ScrappyMechanic controversial aspects]] of the second, while streamlining and improving on others.

* FanartAtFirstSight: While the [[VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles1 first]] [[VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles2 two]] games (and ''[[VideoGame/XenobladeChroniclesX X]]'') didn't receive too much fan art upon reveal due to being more niche, ''3'' received a ''bunch'' of fan art upon its reveal in the Direct. In particular, [[CatGirl Mio]], [[InTheHood Eunie]], and [[NerdsAreSexy Taion]] were ''very'' susceptible to fan art.

* AssPull: The official artbook includes [[WordOfGod an interview with series creator Tetsuya Takahashi]], in which he [[MindScrewdriver answers fan questions about the plot]]. While most of these details were either already heavily implied or make sense, some fans were upset and befuddled at [[spoiler:the ability of humans to directly transform into inanimate objects once transported within Aionios]], causing the other ''developers'' in the interview to be just as baffled as the fans were.

*** Nimue is popularly believed to be Dahlia's daughter because of their similar crystalline limbs which are said to be made out of ice. Another theory is that she is the child of Jin and Malos due to Jin's ice powers and horned mask and Malos's dark hair color as well as her being a huge influence on Taion who is heavily associated with Jin. After Aionios Moments revealed that her design is based off of Theory's, Nimue being her daughter became a common [[IncrediblyLamePun theory]] among fans.

*** Another popular candidate is Alexandria, since her Core Crystal is shown in some shots to have a more emerald color (supposedly unique to the Aegises) with a shape that resembles Mythra's earrings, and she is a CriticalHitClass like Mythra as well as an Attacker to round out the role trio with Mio and Glimmer. *** Some have even speculated that ''D'', [[CompleteMonster of all people]], may be her son because he's the only prominent blonde Agnian character in the game, and has a similar face structure to adult Rex's (with all the trauma that would entail). His name can also be read in Japanese as "gifted ruler", or "the people's ruler", similar to "king" (Rex). His Core Crystal and real Blade are also unseen. The fact his eyes are a shade of dark-amber rather than golden are a counterpoint, but it could be a result of lingering genetics. However as time went on this theory has largely been derided by the fanbase at large and is mainly just considered a joke or annoyance.

*** Ethel being a prominent Kevesi dual-wielding swordswoman who plays very similar to Fiora to the point of having several arts and skills named after hers, as well as her being the rival of Cammuravi who is commonly theorized to be descended from Pyra and Rex, has resulted in theories that she is Shulk and Fiora's daughter, with her hair color a result of residual influence from Galea/Meyneth. Others theorize that her silver hair and overall visual similarity points to her being a child of Melia who lacks wings due to her diluted heritage, with Shulk, Fiora, or Dunban being the most commonly suggested other parent. Yet others argue that she is Shulk's daughter with [[HoYay Alvis]], created via the latter's godly abilities [[spoiler:or genderqueerness]].
*** Ashera is a GenderFlip {{Expy}} of Dunban, and looks, fights, and acts extremely similar to him, with the most parsimonious and common theory being that Dunban simply settled down with a fellow Homs after the events of ''1''. Other fans who believe Dunban and Vanea got together consider Ashera to be their half-Machina daughter who mostly took after her human side (and that she may be Lanz/Valdi/Segiri's sister), or that she is the daughter of Reyn and Sharla who idolized Dunban growing up (or was adopted by Dunban after her biological parents died) because of her red eye color [[spoiler:making her the sister to Panacea]].

*** Nimue is popularly believed to be Dahlia's daughter because of their similar crystalline limbs which are said to be made out of ice. Another theory is that she is the child of Jin and Malos due to Jin's ice powers and horned mask and Malos's dark hair color as well as her being a huge influence on Taion who is heavily associated with Jin.
*** Zeon is sometimes speculated to be the son of Shulk and Melia due being a visibly heavily-hybridized High Entia with hair and eye color resembling Shulk's, as well as being the leader of Colony 9 which is named for Shulk's hometown. Fans of this theory also point to ''Future Redeemed'' as evidence [[spoiler:since Shulk's moveset makes heavy use of the Awakening buff, just like Zeon's Guardian Commander class]].

** The infamous photograph in the game's ending that depicts the fate of ''2''[='=]s cast and ([[spoiler:what is heavily implied to be that Rex impregnated Pyra, Mythra, and Nia all at the same time]]). Cute and NarmCharm, or lurid and just {{Narm}}? It's common for either side to accuse the other of holding extremist political beliefs and reading in subtext that doesn't actually exist without much middle ground. The former half find it a wholesome followup to the implications of the NG+ screen from ''2'' and a progressive, rare depiction of healthy queer {{Polyamory}} in popular culture, while the latter interpret it as a [[spoiler:strictly-heterosexual [[HaremGenre harem]] centered exclusively around Rex as a family-friendly version of BedFullOfWomen]], and can be subdivided further into two categories: those who see the [[spoiler:harem ending]] as a ''good'' thing and a [[EarnYourHappyEnding fitting reward]] for [[spoiler:Rex being such an AllLovingHero]], and those who see it as a ''bad'' thing due to believing it's [[PanderingToTheBase pandering to]] ''2'' fans who liked the game for {{Ecchi}} reasons and typically used [[spoiler:Rex]] to self-insert, or believing the picture has regressive undertones due to [[HideYourLesbians backing down]] from the AmbiguouslyBi and polyamorous implications at the end ''2'' and is OOC for insinuating the characters follow [[MenActWomenAre old-fashioned and sexist gender roles]]. Also, while the polarization is to be expected given [[spoiler:Rex's]] BaseBreakingCharacter status, paradoxically many of the most positive reactions to the picture come from former haters and fence-sitters [[spoiler:who now praise him for being RescuedFromTheScrappyHeap due to his seeming newfound sexual prowess, assertiveness, and manly badass design]], while a lot of the most negative responses to the image come from longtime [[spoiler:Rex]] fans who support a polyamory outcome but loathe how it was presented for the above reasons and view these newer fans as a MisaimedFandom.

** The developers have stated that most of the game's antagonists, the Consuls, were deliberately written as {{Flat Character}}s and [[CardCarryingVillain Card-Carrying Villains]] without much in the way of sympathetic motives or major plot relevance on purpose, as part of the game's message about the systematic nature of evil. Admittedly few will argue that the Consuls as a whole are ''good'' villains or anywhere on the level of previous ones who were praised for their complexity and moral ambiguity. But whereas one half of the fanbase agrees with the decision and finds it a clever one (even if they don't always find the execution perfect), finding the Consuls entertainingly hammy in a LoveToHate way and the soldiers' lives and struggles to adapt to liberation to be the real antagonistic force worth focusing on, the other half hates the decision, believing that the Consuls' lack of depth and personality causes a good deal of TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter and actively hinders the quality of the story and the game's ability to make its point.

** The developers have stated that most of the game's antagonists, the Consuls, were deliberately written as {{Flat Character}}s and {{Card Carrying Villain}}s without much in the way of sympathetic motives or major plot relevance on purpose, as part of the game's message about the systematic nature of evil. Admittedly few will argue that the Consuls as a whole are ''good'' villains or anywhere on the level of previous ones who were praised for their complexity and moral ambiguity. But whereas one half of the fanbase agrees with the decision and finds it a clever one (even if they don't always find the execution perfect), finding the Consuls entertainingly hammy in a LoveToHate way and the soldiers' lives and struggles to adapt to liberation to be the real antagonistic force worth focusing on, the other half hates the decision, believing that the Consuls' lack of depth and personality causes a good deal of TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter and actively hinders the quality of the story and the game's ability to make its point.

** While the Queen of Agnus [[spoiler:(specifically, the real one) ended the last game having confessed her love to Rex, and is heavily implied to have had a child with him, the nature of her relationship with Pyra and Mythra who are also strongly implied to have become Rex's wives is more unclear. As a recruitable postgame Hero, she wields spectral copies of their swords and incorporates their appearance into her outfit and hair, but it's left ambiguous whether it's for platonic reasons ([[MarryThemAll as friends content to be Rex's wives together]]) or romantic reasons ([[{{Polyamory}}, not just being co-married to Rex but to each other]], continuing off some LesYay implications between Nia and the Aegises from ''2''). The fact that Rex is revealed to have become a temporary avatar for Aionios via HeroicSacrifice in ''Future Redeemed'' in Aionios while Pyra and Mythra shapeshifted into Matthew/Noah's gauntlet (and thus no way to see the characters clarify these relationships) probably didn't help with the ambiguity.]].

** Mio being [[spoiler:Nia's daughter]] is something that is so widely accepted by fans that it's hard to believe it's not actually confirmed by the game. While there are many hints provided by the game, such as Mio's uncanny resemblance to [[spoiler:Nia, both being Gormotti and having Flesh Eater core crystals]], the fact that [[spoiler:Nia is confirmed to have a child with Rex that shares her features]], and there are many scenes between the two characters in a way that implies a greater connection than simple comrade-in-arms, [[AmbiguouslyRelated the game stops short of stating that the two are related or that she's her daughter as opposed to a more distant descendant.]]

*** Nia's child [[spoiler:is all but said to be Mio (or at least, her original incarnation), based on interactions that they have during Nia's Hero Quest and after Nia is reawakened that heavily imply the relationship between the two. Not only that, but Mio's Core Crystal is nearly identical to the one that Nia has, and she shares physical similarities with Nia, such as her silver hair and Gormotti ears. Likewise, while the above picture heavily implies that Rex is Mio's father, Nia being a common recipient of TransAudienceInterpretation has resulted in some fans holding out that it was actually ''Pyra or Mythra'' with whom Nia conceived Mio. This latter theory would get a boost in attention after the ''Aionios Moments'' artbook showed concept artwork that gave Mio Pneuma's Core Crystal at one point in development after her Gormotti traits had been finalized]].

*** Mythra's child is even more debated, as [[spoiler:the blonde hair color isn't one that any of the Agnian Heroes in the game possess. The most common guess early on was Isurd due to the fact that Mythra's child has forehead markings resembling Isurd's TronLines and that he uses light-based disc launchers; as Glimmer has darker hair than Pyra, the same could hold true for Mythra and her son, as some children in real life develop darker hair colors later in life. Another popular candidate is Alexandria, since her Core Crystal is a distinctive emerald color (supposedly unique to the Aegises) with a shape that resembles Mythra's earrings, and she is a CriticalHitClass like Mythra as well as an Attacker to round out the role trio with Mio and Glimmer. Some have even speculated that ''D'', [[CompleteMonster of all people]], may be her son because he's the only prominent blonde Agnian character in the game, and has a similar face structure to adult Rex's (with all the trauma that would entail). His name can also be read in Japanese as "gifted ruler", or "the people's ruler", similar to "king" (Rex). His Core Crystal and real Blade are also unseen. The fact his eyes are a shade of dark-amber rather than golden are a counterpoint, but it could be a result of lingering genetics. However as time went on this theory has largely been derided by the fanbase at large and is mainly just considered a joke or annoyance. After the Version 2.1.0 update, fans then started to jokingly point to Miibomii (a Nopon) as Mythra's child due to their prominent visual similarities, sometimes also theorizing that Tora is the father. The most out-there theory with some degree of sincere supporters is that Crys, despite being Kevesi, is Mythra's son who somehow managed to cross sides. ''Aionios Moments'' would show a design of Mio with a Pneuma-shaped Core Crystal which led to a new theory that at one point Mio ''was'' Mythra's daughter at some point in development, which gave rise to the idea that Mythra's unnamed child is Mio's twin sibling from Nia rather than Rex]].

** While the Queen of Agnus [[spoiler:(specifically, the real one) ended the last game having confessed her love to Rex, and is heavily implied to have had a child with him, the nature of her relationship with Pyra and Mythra who are also strongly implied to have become Rex's wives is more unclear. As a recruitable postgame Hero, she wields spectral copies of their swords and incorporates their appearance into her outfit and hair, but it's left ambiguous whether it's for platonic reasons ([[MarryThemAll as friends content to be Rex's wives together]]) or romantic reasons ([[{{Polyamory}} not just being co-married to Rex but to each other]], continuing off some LesYay implications between Nia and the Aegises from ''2''). The fact that Rex is revealed to have become a temporary avatar for Aionios via HeroicSacrifice in ''Future Redeemed'' in Aionios and there's no mention of how Pyra and Mythra are faring now (and thus no way to see the characters clarify these relationships) probably didn't help with the ambiguity.]].

** While a lot of the fandom reaction towards N typically has a habit of exaggerating from the [[RonTheDeathEater opposite]] direction, his ByronicHero good looks net him a fair amount of whitewashing of the fact that [[spoiler:his relationship with post-resurrection ''was'' a toxic one with elements of emotional abuse to it. While he does have a sympathetic backstory and complex motivations as elucidated in ''Future Redeemed'', and it's implied M's [[DrivenToSuicide deathwish]] was already present from the beginning as a result of the circumstances of her return and not solely as a result of N's mistreatment of her, his emotional distance, known habit of LyingByOmission and his further excuses to maintain the charade certainly didn't do much to make her mood better and dissuade her from that path]].

* DracoInLeatherPants: Some fans have been willing to overlook TheMole's actions even if [[spoiler:Shania willingly throwed in her lot with Moebius and painted a target on the City that could've killed thousands by seeing her as a victim of circumstance, citing how Ghondor was unknowingly worsening Shania's self-esteem with her BrutalHonesty, her mother showed NoSympathy towards Shania's aspirations that didn't involve the City's protection while [[{{Hypocrite}} doing little to help the City herself]], and Sena was acting as a MoralityChain who could've kept Shania on the straight and narrow. It also doesn't help that ThereAreNoTherapists, as is standard with many [=JRPGs=], so Shania's defenders are willing to view the {{Jerkass}} comments that she throws as more so desperate cries of anger, and favourably look at her characterization in Sena's Ascension Quest]].

* ShipsThatPassInTheNight: After the game's release and the reveal that [[spoiler:the real Melia and Nia were GoodAllAlong, some fans started shipping them due to the handful of scenes of them interacting and talking about each other showing a strong mutual respect and closeness.]]

** The end of the game features a big reveal regarding the cast of ''VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles2'' -- [[spoiler:that Rex [[MarryThemAll married and impregnated]] Pyra, Mythra, ''and'' Nia, with each bearing a child. Which that in mind, speculation regarding their identities has been abound since the release of the game]]:

* AssPull: The official artbook includes [[WordOfGod an interview with series creator Tetsuya Takahashi]], in which he [[MindScrewdriver answers fan questions about the plot]]. While most of these details were either already heavily implied or make sense, some fans were upset and befuddled at [[spoiler:the ability of humans to directly transform into inanimate objects once transported within Aionios]], causing the other ''developers'' in the interview to be just as baffled as the fans were. Some found it confusing and disappointing that [[spoiler:the absence in Aionios of specific, beloved characters associated with Shulk and Rex was explained by their deciding to turn into inanimate weapons used by main characters Noah and Matthew,]] resulting in [[spoiler: said weapons/souls having little to no interaction with Shulk and Rex themselves]] and making the justification seem particularly arbitrary:
** Fans reacted with shock and confusion at the reveal that Lucky Seven [[spoiler:was the transformed body of Fiora]]. Granted, it's not ''completely'' out of nowhere as Riku does state that [[spoiler:a person/people dear to Melia resides inside the sword, before later mentioning that the sword metaphorically carried the wills of of Shulk and Melia's companions from ''1'']]; since the English localization explicitly translates both lines in the plural, players had assumed [[spoiler:Lucky Seven was forged from Origin metal shards containing the rest of ''1'''s party outside of Shulk and Melia]]. Part of the cause for confusion is that Japanese nouns do not always mark for singular/plural; as a result many interpreted [[spoiler:Riku's line about "everyone" being present as literal since the number of playable party members conveniently happened to be seven, rather than a ContinuityNod referencing Fiora's old popular FanNickname (one which also happens to be largely limited to the West, being a region-specific PunnyName but one that is LostInTranslation for most Japanese fans)]].
** Some fans of [[spoiler:Pyra and Mythra]] who were disappointed that [[spoiler:not only did they also decide to incarnate as an inanimate object (the Ouroboros Gauntlets/Veiled Sword), but one completely unconnected to Rex despite his presence in Aionios, when it would have even been appropriate for them to incarnate as Rex's Blade rather than him using a replica]]. While this one at least was explicitly shown in the game with [[spoiler:Matthew's gauntlets being shown to house the Pneuma core]], said reveal seemed to come out of nowhere even before the artbook was released and defied the bond between Driver and Blade as shown in ''[=XC2=]'' by having them [[spoiler:arbitrarily "abandon" Rex for a different "Driver", even being passed down to a ''Kevesi'']].

** Some fans of [[spoiler:Pyra and Mythra]] who were disappointed that [[spoiler:not only did they also decide to incarnate as an inanimate object (the Ouroboros Gauntlets/Veiled Sword), but one completely unconnected to Rex despite his presence in Aionios, when it would have even been appropriate for them to incarnate as Rex's Blade rather than him using a replica]]. While this one at least was explicitly shown in the game with [[spoiler:Matthew's gauntlets being shown to house the Pneuma core]], said reveal seemed to come out of nowhere even before the artbook was released and seemed to defy the bond between Driver and Blade as shown in ''[=XC2=]'' by having them [[spoiler:arbitrarily "abandon" Rex for a different "Driver", even being passed down to a ''Kevesi'']].

** Some fans of [[spoiler:Pyra and Mythra]] who were disappointed that [[spoiler:not only did they also decide to incarnate as an inanimate object (the Ouroboros Gauntlets/Veiled Sword), but one completely unconnected to Rex despite his presence in Aionios, when it would have even been appropriate for them to incarnate as Rex's Blade rather than him using a replica]]. While this one at least was explicitly shown in the game with [[spoiler:Matthew's gauntlets being shown to house the Pneuma core]], said reveal seemed to come out of nowhere even before the artbook was released and seemed to defy the bond between Driver and Blade as shown in ''[=XC2=]'' by having them [[spoiler:seemingly "abandon" Rex for the arbitrary main characters, even being passed down to a ''Kevesi'']].

** Some fans of [[spoiler:Pyra and Mythra]] who were disappointed that [[spoiler:not only did they also decide to incarnate as an inanimate object (the Ouroboros Gauntlets/Veiled Sword), but one completely unconnected to Rex despite his presence in Aionios, when it would have even been appropriate for them to incarnate as Rex's Blade rather than him using a replica]]. While this one at least was explicitly shown in the game with [[spoiler:Matthew's gauntlets being shown to house the Pneuma core]], said reveal seemed to come out of nowhere even before the artbook was released and seemed to defy the bond between Driver and Blade as shown in ''[=XC2=]'' by having them [[spoiler:seemingly "abandon" Rex]].

* AssPull: The official artbook includes [[WordOfGod an interview with series creator Tetsuya Takahashi]], in which he [[MindScrewdriver answers fan questions about the plot]]. While most of these details were either already heavily implied or make sense, some fans were upset and befuddled at [[spoiler:the ability of humans to directly transform into inanimate objects once transported within Aionios]], causing the other ''developers'' in the interview to be just as baffled as the fans were. Some found it confusing and disappointing that [[spoiler:the absence in Aionios of specific, beloved characters associated with Shulk and Rex was explained by their deciding to turn into inanimate weapons used by main characters Noah and Matthew,]] much of this being due to [[spoiler: said weapons having little to no interaction with Shulk and Rex themselves]] and making the justification seem particularly arbitrary:

* AssPull: The official artbook includes [[WordOfGod an interview with series creator Tetsuya Takahashi]], in which he [[MindScrewdriver answers fan questions about the plot]]. While most of these details were either already heavily implied or make sense, some fans were upset and befuddled at [[spoiler:the ability of humans to directly transform into inanimate objects once transported within Aionios]], causing the other ''developers'' in the interview to be just as baffled as the fans were, especially with the arbitrary nature of [[spoiler:the absence in Aionios of specific, beloved characters associated with Shulk and Rex being explained by their deciding to turn into inanimate weapons used by main characters Noah and Matthew, resulting in them having little to no interaction with their original friends]]:
** In particular, fans reacted with shock and confusion at the reveal that Lucky Seven [[spoiler:was the transformed body of Fiora]]. Granted, it's not ''completely'' out of nowhere as Riku does state that [[spoiler:a person/people dear to Melia resides inside the sword, before later mentioning that the sword metaphorically carried the wills of of Shulk and Melia's companions from ''1'']]; since the English localization explicitly translates both lines in the plural, players had assumed [[spoiler:Lucky Seven was forged from Origin metal shards containing the rest of ''1'''s party outside of Shulk and Melia]]. Part of the cause for confusion is that Japanese nouns do not always mark for singular/plural; as a result many interpreted [[spoiler:Riku's line about "everyone" being present as literal since the number of playable party members conveniently happened to be seven, rather than a ContinuityNod referencing Fiora's old popular FanNickname (one which also happens to be largely limited to the West, being a region-specific PunnyName but one that is LostInTranslation for most Japanese fans)]].

* AssPull: The official artbook includes [[WordOfGod an interview with series creator Tetsuya Takahashi]], in which he [[MindScrewdriver answers fan questions about the plot]]. While most of these details were either already heavily implied or make sense, fans reacted with shock and confusion at the reveal that Lucky Seven [[spoiler:was the transformed body of Fiora]]. Granted, it's not ''completely'' out of nowhere as Riku does state that [[spoiler:a person/people dear to Melia resides inside the sword, before later mentioning that the sword metaphorically carried the wills of of Shulk and Melia's companions from ''1'']]; since the English localization explicitly translates both lines in the plural, players had assumed [[spoiler:Lucky Seven was forged from Origin metal shards containing the rest of ''1'''s party outside of Shulk and Melia]]. Part of the cause for confusion is that Japanese nouns do not always mark for singular/plural; as a result many interpreted [[spoiler:Riku's line about "everyone" being present as literal since the number of playable party members conveniently happened to be seven, rather than a ContinuityNod referencing Fiora's old popular FanNickname (one which also happens to be largely limited to the West, being a region-specific PunnyName but one that is LostInTranslation for most Japanese fans)]]. The other issue comes from the fact that the game never hinted at [[spoiler:the ability of humans to directly transform into inanimate objects once transported within Aionios]], causing the other ''developers'' in the interview to be just as baffled as the fans were; this aspect in particular also upset some fans of [[spoiler:Pyra and Mythra]] who were disappointed that [[spoiler:not only did they also decide to incarnate as an inanimate object (the Ouroboros Gauntlets/Veiled Sword), but one completely unconnected to Rex despite his presence in Aionios, when it would have even been appropriate for them to incarnate as Rex's Blade rather than him using a replica]].

* AssPull: The official artbook includes [[WordOfGod an interview with series creator Tetsuya Takahashi]], in which he [[MindScrewdriver answers fan questions about the plot]]. While most of these details were either already heavily implied or make sense, fans reacted with shock and confusion at the reveal that Lucky Seven [[spoiler:was the transformed body of Fiora]]. Granted, it's not ''completely'' out of nowhere as Riku does state that [[spoiler:a person/people dear to Melia resides inside the sword, before later mentioning that the sword metaphorically carried the wills of of Shulk and Melia's companions from ''1'']]; since the English localization explicitly translates both lines in the plural, players had assumed [[spoiler:Lucky Seven was forged from Origin metal shards containing the rest of ''1'''s party outside of Shulk and Melia]]. Part of the cause for confusion is that Japanese nouns do not always mark for singular/plural; as a result many interpreted [[spoiler:Riku's line about "everyone" being present as literal since the number of playable party members conveniently happened to be seven, rather than a ContinuityNod referencing Fiora's old popular FanNickname (one which also happens to be largely limited to the West, being a region-specific PunnyName but one that is LostInTranslation for most Japanese fans)]]. The other issue comes from the fact that the game never hinted at [[spoiler:the ability of humans to directly transform into inanimate objects once transported within Aionios]], causing the other ''developers'' in the interview to be just as baffled as the fans were.

** Similarly, The ending to "2" left many players unsatisfied because, while the main villain behind Blade oppression was defeated and the land shortage issue was resolved, the inequitable Blade-Driver system criticized by Jin remained unchanged. Doesn't help "2's" heroes tried to viewed it positively. However, "Xenoblade Chronicles 3" hints at significant pro-Blade social reforms in Alrest, as seen through the egalitarian Agnian culture and the election of Nia, a Flesh Eater, as queen. Additionally, discussions and new characters in the game suggest that Blades can now have children, indicating that Klaus used his powers to eliminate one of the key biological constraints contributing to Blades' subservient status, allowing them to pass on their legacies while alive.

** Relatedly, the ending of ''2'' left many players frustrated, because although the BigBad responsible for the worst aspects of Blade slavery and discrimination was defeated and the most immediate cause for conflict (the lack of habitable land) was also resolved, the other issue of the Blade-Driver system, which Jin calls out as fundamentally unequal (and which [[StrawmanHasAPoint fans generally agree with]]), but which is generally regarded favorably by the heroes (which said fans regard as having undertones of apologetics for SympatheticSlaveOwner and HappinessInSlavery), was left intact. ''3'' does not show the new state of Alrest directly, but the fact that Agnian culture is based off egalitarian Torna and that it elected Nia as a queen with her Flesh Eater Core Crystal publicly visible indicates that Alrest did indeed experience major pro-Blade social reforms. Likewise a conversation in ''Future Redeemed'' as well as the existence of characters like Seeker (who is implied to be the child of Adenine, a miscellaneous Rare Blade) that ordinary Blades can have children just like humans, indicating that Klaus used his powers to remove at least one of the fundamental biological barriers that Jin blames for Blades' permanent subservient status by giving them someone to pass their legacies onto while still alive.

** Much of the story is about power and resources. The Flame Clocks can be seen as an allegory for money, food, rent, or any other burden one might feel saddled with in society. All the talk about Moebius being parasites preying on everyone else in a terrible world that they created, as well as several heroic characters quoting phrases from Karl Marx and Pyotr Kropotkin, as well as WordOfGod's statement that Moebius are intended to represent the selfish human urge for wealth, power, and fame, sounds a ''lot'' like criticism of predatory capitalism in particular.

** The game is very unsubtle about its stance on maintaining the status quo. The villains are people who manipulate people and conflicts to benefit off of the status quo despite how terrible the conditions are for everyone else. [[spoiler:The heroes even choose to essentially ''destroy the current world'' to force things to move forward instead of staying the same.]]

** Much of the story is about power and resources. The Flame Clocks can be seen as an allegory for money, food, rent, or any other burden one might feel saddled with in society. All the talk about Moebius being parasites preying on everyone else in a terrible world that they created sounds a ''lot'' like criticism of predatory capitalism.

* AssPull: The official artbook includes [[WordOfGod an interview with series creator Tetsuya Takahashi]], in which he [[MindScrewdriver answers fan questions about the plot]]. While most of these details were either already heavily implied or make sense, fans reacted with shock and confusion at the reveal that Lucky Seven [[spoiler:was the transformed body of Fiora]]. Granted, Riku does state that [[spoiler:a person/people dear to Melia resides inside the sword, before later mentioning that the sword metaphorically carried the wills of of Shulk and Melia's companions from ''1'']]; since the English localization explicitly translates both lines in the plural, players had assumed [[spoiler:Lucky Seven was forged from Origin metal shards containing the rest of ''1'''s party outside of Shulk and Melia]]. Part of the cause for confusion is that Japanese noun do not always mark for singular/plural; as a result many interpreted [[spoiler:Riku's line about "everyone" being present as literal since the number of playable party members conveniently happened to be seven, rather than a specific reference to Fiora's West-exclusive FanNickname]]. The other issue comes from the fact that not only was [[spoiler:the ability of humans to directly transform into inanimate objects]] never hinted at, but the other ''developers'' in the interview were just as baffled as the fans were.

* AssPull: The official artbook includes [[WordOfGod an interview with series creator Tetsuya Takahashi]], in which he [[MindScrewdriver answers fan questions about the plot.]] While most of these details were either already heavily implied or make sense, fans reacted with shock and confusion at the reveal that Lucky Seven [[spoiler:was the transformed body of Fiora]]. Granted, Riku does state that [[spoiler:a person/people dear to Melia resides inside the sword, before later mentioning that the sword metaphorically carried the wills of of Shulk and Melia's companions from ''1'']]; since the English localization explicitly translates both lines in the plural, players had assumed [[spoiler:Lucky Seven was forged from Origin metal shards containing the rest of ''1'''s party outside of Shulk and Melia]]. Part of the cause for confusion is that Japanese noun do not always mark for singular/plural; as a result many interpreted [[spoiler:Riku's line about "everyone" being present as literal since the number of playable party members conveniently happened to be seven, rather than a specific reference to Fiora's West-exclusive FanNickname]]. The other issue comes from the fact that not only was [[spoiler:the ability of humans to directly transform into inanimate objects]] never hinted at, but the other ''developers'' in the interview were just as baffled as the fans were.

** Agnus Castle is where the high emotional stakes of late Chapter 5 and early Chapter 6 take place, but once those are out of the way, it reveals itself as a very underwhelming self-contained area. Agnus Castle acts as a HubLevel of sorts for many of the game's sidequest chains from that point forward, but doesn't have much else going for it, as the explorable area is very small[[note]]only consisting of the Ascension Grounds and a small jail[[/note]] despite the imposing size of the massive floating palace. Comparing it to Keves Castle can make one wonder whether the developers simply ran out of time to make it as fleshed-out as its Kevesi counterpart. The Agnus Castle ''Barbican'' is more fleshed-out, but it consists of the castle's outer wall floating in the sea rather than the castle itself, and is counted as part of the Cadensia Region.

* AssPull: The official artbook includes [[WordOfGod an interview with series creator Tetsuya Takahashi]], in which he [[MindScrewdriver answers fan questions about the plot.]] While most of these details were either already heavily implied or make sense, fans reacted with shock and confusion at the reveal that Lucky Seven contains [[spoiler:Fiora]]. Not only was this never hinted anywhere in the game (at most, there was Riku's statement that there were important people inside it, i.e. that [[spoiler:it had the souls of all Shulk's companions]]), but the other ''developers'' in the interview were just as baffled as the fans were.