Cait Sith / Atomos

[Zeargi]

FACT: Carbuncle is not manipulating anyone. Carbuncle asks Summoners to help him on his quest. Manipulating would require him misleading summoners and it being proven in the story.
Theory: Carbuncle is evil or has partially evil intent
The problem I have with the theory that Carbuncle is in some way even partially evil, is there is nothing to support it. Just because he wants to awaken the sleeping gods does not make ill intent. Naivety maybe, but not evil. He states in Waking the Beast, he had no intention of the humanity's will being bent by the Celestial Avatars. He does think the world needs to be restored to it's true form (Source: The Moonlit Path quest). We have no idea what the true form of Vana'diel is. There is no proof that waking the celestial avatars is equivalent to opening the Gate of the Gods, ending Vana'diel. If that were true, then the Zilart would have just tried to awaken them and Carbuncle would have went to the Zilart to begin with and wouldn't have helped stop the Gate of the Gods to be opened.

Wait! Hold up there, I wanted to ask you...! I thought you could answer a question or two... You know, I've been thinking about this whole thing. How Carbuncle's got you whisper collecting... I wonder if this isn't just some grand farce to slowly steal power from the avatars? This tale has its share of twists, turns, and bends! I'm definitely curious to see how it ends!

Carbuncle: Infuse me with the energy...

Carbuncle: !?

Ifrit: False god.
You mar the name of the true deities.

Carbuncle: Ifrit!?

Carbuncle: How could this be?
The old gods were not yet meant to awaken!

Leviathan: We allow the divided god to be filled with our power.

Garuda: But the false god will never have our strength.

Shiva: Those who came before shall remain, while those who came after shall perish...

Titan: Our energy will return to us.
No longer shall it serve the trickster.

Ramuh: Return to the true gods!

Carbuncle: It's hopeless...
There's only one thing left for me to do.
Defeat the summoner!

Carbuncle: <Player's Name>!
You cannot control them!
I'm sorry, but their connection to this world must be severed!

Carbuncle tried to kill you, if he was so worried... he should have tried to HELP you and defeat the manifestations.

Theory: Terrestial Avatars have nothing to do with Altana and were created by happenstance.
The problem I have with the theory that the Terrestial Avatars have no role and simply commonplace animals back then is where are the rest of the overpowered avatar animals? Why are there only 5? Why are they the only ones concerned about saving Vana'diel? Why are the roles of the Terrestial Avatar's so instrumental in the grand design? Why did Altana even give them powers if all animals aren't created with that much power? It leaves too many unanswered questions to support that theory for me.

Because there are only 5 Mothercrystals. The reason is that the Deities need a median to manifest in. This is a Fact! Even in the tribune when they talk about the Celestial Avatars merging with something else. You can also see this in ToAU with the Iron Colossus and The Dark Rider. The reason I believe the 5 terrestrial avatars are part of Promathia's soul is that:
He's referred to as the 'Twilight God,' not the God of Darkness, Not the God of Evil, the God of Twilight. Which means he is the inbetween of Dusk and Dawn. He also houses the lights of the Races, (Which could be the link to Carbuncle) He is the reason for the empty which inflicts eternal slumber (Diabolos). He is proven to become Shinryu, the God Dragon (Bahamut), Again He's the God of Twilight, so he also verges on the Night (Fenrir.) He can also be re-born (Phoenix). In Abyssea, you not once come across Bahamut, who commands All other Greater Dragons. Where is he? He already said that he'd plan to kill everyone if you failed. But magically, people are still alive, and there are still hordes of Greater Dragons roaming around. Where's Fenrir, He still would honor his pact, and have defended Windurst. Neither of these Avatars would have simple "Peaced out." Both are Prideful, and would have fought.

Carbuncle: <Player's Name>...
The sleeping gods do not exist to lead you... They exist to lead a lost god...
My friends and I are here for you...for mortals...

The Zilarts most like couldn't wake the Sleeping Gods, because they had no means to enter the crystals. You can't destroy the crystals from the outside. Drawing on the power will eventually wake that God. Proof: Odin. His Protocrystal was below Xarcabard, but he was Fully awake when someone summoned him as the Dark Rider to fight the Fully Awaken Alexander, but now there's no longer a Protocrystal there.