Not misunderstood. Just evil.

And at this point in the story, Yoritomo hadn't even been namedropped yet. It would be years before piracy would get tied to the Mantis -- they were originally mercenaries, and Yoritomo was the greatest warrior in Rokugan's history, but not especially associated with boats. FFG is not obligated to hew to any element in the prior storyline, but simultaneously, using the character names from before does raise expectations. Shahai was only ever a Unicorn in name only, after all, and while I'd like to see a loyal Junzo this time around, the same's true with him, too. While I don't know that we've got Daigotsu on our hands in the story, I'd be very surprised if the second son isn't him or a completely redesigned Iuchiban.

...they keep emphasizing seven honorable clans.

I'd recommend asking again next week -- right now, several areas are being evacuated, so people are AFK.

FFG has namedropped Yoritomo and Shahai. They've raised expectations accordingly.

Those scenarios, though, don't rely on the exact same faction popping up repeatedly. Dealing with peasant uprisings is fine. Having the peasant uprising essentially lasting fifty years because the creators of the game decide that the lead core of peasants keep slipping away isn't. That's what happened with Daigotsu, it happened with Kokujin, it happened with the Kolat, and it happened with the Gozoku. People want subtle, infiltrating enemies, I'm all for it. Just don't make them so subtle that the rest of the playerbase isn't allowed to touch them.

Because the topic was about how the Spider would likely need to change so that the rest of the player base is more accepting of them. I realize you're cool with Daigotsu, but for a lot of players, he and the Spider were reasons to leave the game last time. Moreover, while I understand you feel it right and proper to rudely condescend to people who don't care for Daigotsu and feel he was partly to blame for the game's death, it's no more mature to stomp your feet and insist you should get him back regardless of what other players want. Daigotsu was a divisive character. FFG's not obligated to listen to either his fans or his haters to the exclusion of the other.

Here's the thing, though -- any hate for Spider is probably hate for Daigotsu, too. He was around longer, Spider was his baby, and he was guilty of similar sins (plot armor, being a creator's favorite, his presence cheapening and/or derailing the stories of others). I don't know that anyone would begrudge Spider fans a Mikio or an Omoni, but just namedropping the D's almost certain to anger some fans.

You really don't see any problem with this? You don't think it's crossing a line to say it's dumb to want the Spider back, or to refer to them as an "'evil spiky bits' wet dream?"

The previously quoted part of your post was crossing a line between "I'm not sure the Spider work" and into comments about the Spider players.

The concept could have been handled any number of ways and potentially worked -- I believe the prevailing rumor was that the Spider were going to be the mortal, untainted worshipers of Fu Leng, making them technically legal in Rokugani society. Moreover, whatever I may think of the Spider in-game, many Spider players have gone out of their way to support the community as a whole. My distaste for their favorite clan means absolutely nothing before that.

THEY WERE SELF-AWARE TOOLS!

Hey, hey, hey. If the Crane hadn't trained the guy who helped Iuchiban make the sword. >.>;;

Edited out: "Oops."

TL;DR: Just because it was a bad draw that did him in, doesn't mean either player didn't fully deserve to get to the finals