Final Fantasy XIV’s new Dawntrail expansion launched on Steam last week to mixed feedback. One widely cited reason is the new main character Wuk Lamat, who has been criticized for her English voice.
Warning, spoilers: The following are story details that pertain to the end of the Endwalker expansion patch series (6.5 and 6.55) and the beginning of Dawntrail. You have been warned.
Who is Wuk Lamat? Wuk Lamat is a female Hrothgar, a tall lioness. She is the adopted daughter of the current ruler of Tural, the so-called new world. Her father wants to slowly pass the scepter on to the next generation and Wuk Lamat is one of the four heirs to the throne.
Why is she the new main character? Until the end of the Endwalker expansion, the player character was always the focus. Now, however, players take on the role of the wise and powerful mentor for Wuk Lamat. You advise and protect her – from her enemies, but sometimes also from her own naivety.
You can also see what Wuk Lamat is like in the story trailer for Dawntrail:
Final Fantasy XIV: Launch trailer for Dawntrail sets the mood for the adventure in Tural
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Misgendering and calls for boycotts – English voice in the crossfire
Who speaks Wuk Lamat? The English voice of Wuk Lamat is Sena Bryer. The voice actress, who is based in Los Angeles, has already lent her voice to several game characters. These include Justicia in Need for Speed: Unbound.
She announced her work on Final Fantasy XIV earlier this year via X.com:
I am very honored to be the voice of Wuk Lamat in FINAL FANTASY XIV! I can [Square Enix, Side Global und Atlas Talent] can’t thank you enough for the dream role of my life! See you in Tural!
What bothers people? The sticking point for a small but loud part of the platform X.com is that Sena Bryer is a trans woman.
Especially at the start of Dawntrail’s Early Access, there was a growing number of posts in which Wuk Lamat was called Woke Lamat. Many comments are transphobic and malicious. Square Enix, the developer and publisher, is also accused of becoming woke.
The speaker is also repeatedly referred to using the wrong pronouns. The players are also asked to use other dubbing to avoid hearing the voice of a transgender person.
A female Naruto makes the players argue
Is there any further criticism of the dubbing? There is general criticism of the dubbing. In a reddit thread, Divinedragn4 comments that you can’t hear any anger or frustration in Wuk Lamat. Her voice just always has the same tone.
User atheistium agrees in another Reddit post. The voice actress simply didn’t get such good feedback from her dubbing director.
Why is Wuk Lamat still being debated? Wuk Lamat is extremely present in Dawntrail. How you feel about her as a character has a correspondingly strong influence on how you feel about the story of the new expansion in general. And that has a very different effect on the reviews of Dawntrail on Steam.
When you get to know Wuk Lamat, she is an extremely extroverted person. She often overdoes it, plays the strong one and at the same time displays a high degree of naivety. Sometimes she seems like a female version of the character Naruto from the anime series or manga series of the same name.
In Dawntrail, you also find out that she has never left the capital since she was adopted as a baby. So she doesn’t really know the country she is supposed to rule. Basically, Wuk Lamat is an absolute underdog with a lot of heart.
These character traits combined with the redefined role of the player character are one point why it is widely discussed.
A strengthened back for Wuk Lamat
What does the rest of the community think about Wuk Lamat? It’s nice that the majority of the community is absolutely behind Sena Bryer and Wuk Lamat. If you currently search for Woke Lamat on X, you’ll be greeted by a flood of ironic, sarcastic and Wuk Lamat-loving posts:
Most players are opposing the transphobic voices. Many of them are speaking out on X.com, as linked above. But Steam reviews are also supporting Wuk Lamat and her voice actress.
After all, Wuk Lamat is not the only new character that players have taken to their hearts. To the surprise of many, there is a very special, two-headed fan favorite: Players in Final Fantasy XIV are thirsting for a new Dawntrail character, have naughty thoughts