CE Box Art? What?

Also some are forgeting that prior to release it was stated there is going to be good and evil opposites for each element, so there will be 2 fire, one obviously ifrit another yet to be revealed to be his opposite. Also you guys are still stuck on the 2 big parts look to the background and around them. The airship with the dragon around it is in the background.

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Originally Posted by Xmbei

Also some are forgeting that prior to release it was stated there is going to be good and evil opposites for each element, so there will be 2 fire, one obviously ifrit another yet to be revealed to be his opposite. Also you guys are still stuck on the 2 big parts look to the background and around them. The airship with the dragon around it is in the background.

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Reference this please, I'd like to read whatever interview/press release this was in.

Also, I noticed the background but I couldn't make out what it was. At first I thought it was just some Ul'Dah concept art but its definitely the ship with the dragon/bahamut wrapped around it. Good catch.

lol thats the problem I am having trouble trying to find all the interviews again...

edit: not the interview but it is the info page on them and at the bottom you can see there is 2 dieties per element. Also can read how some are fivals of each other.
http://ffxiv.gamerescape.com/wiki/Category:Deities

I feel that whom ever is addressing us in the intro movie of the three cities is the being that gave us the power of the echo.
In the first company quest when you confront the so called Prophet and you meet either Thancred or one of his allies he tells you that you should seek out the being that gave you that power. In the Ifrit Main Scenario quest it also tells you to find the one that blessed you. In my opinion the story seems to be leaning towards the player finding out the truth about this mysterious gift, at least for the moment.

I can't wait until the next patch goes live, I'm itching to know what happens next!

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Originally Posted by SilvertearRen

It is Garuda. Anatomically, the female figure matches the design of Garuda from FFXI. The male character is probably the representation of the adventurer - the player, to be accurate.

So, overall, the illustration is intended to represent the relationship between the Primals and the adventurers, and the connection to Eorzea they have.

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Summoner? yes... please?

What if Garuda = Nophica? And likewise Shiva = Halone, Ifrit = Azyma etc.

"Mired by a plague of doubtful and cheap lore."

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Originally Posted by SilvertearRen

It is Garuda. Anatomically, the female figure matches the design of Garuda from FFXI. The male character is probably the representation of the adventurer - the player, to be accurate.

So, overall, the illustration is intended to represent the relationship between the Primals and the adventurers, and the connection to Eorzea they have.

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...Why do you talk as if your interpretation is fact?

You're right, anatomically it looks somewhat like Garuda did barring the gigantic wings. However, i'd say it's more likely to be something far bigger in terms of the story than one of the primals, like one of the deities or, as said, whatever granted the Echo.

Way back before release Tanaka said the gods would play a very large role and might not be all that they appear in an interview. We know they're the ones that caused the previous umbral era so MY interpretation based on the way she's surrounding him and perhaps looks like she's protecting him whilst also being upside down to him (and the fact there's what looks like a giant cloud city or something behind...) would suggest to me she's a representation of the deities.

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Originally Posted by Xmbei

Also some are forgeting that prior to release it was stated there is going to be good and evil opposites for each element, so there will be 2 fire, one obviously ifrit another yet to be revealed to be his opposite. Also you guys are still stuck on the 2 big parts look to the background and around them. The airship with the dragon around it is in the background.

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I don't remember that, would be interesting if it's true. As for the thing behind, not sure what it is (again, I don't think people should speak as if their interpretation is fact..), considering the 'floor' appears to be clouds or something, and it's all white.

not cloud city its the airship with the dragon wrapped around it. the spiky parts that circle up the structure is the dragon we can't make out the airship and the top to see the dragon head because the figures are in the way, but you can tell by the shape its that structure. I am starting to hypothesis's that the cloud like textures around it is all the aether released around it, you can also see it coming from the foot of the "adventurer" where he touches the "ground" probably symbolizing the echo and seeing the past and figuring out what lead up to the event in the Opening Cutscene.

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Originally Posted by Tsukino

Nophica isn't a primal, she's one of the Twelve. Also, the reason they say that in Gridania is because Nophica is the most worshiped there; it has no basis in fact, they're just saying you have a gift and in general they attribute gifts to Nophica.

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I know she's one of the Twelve, I'm not an idiot. But to me it's rather obvious that the Twelve are our versions of the Primals, and that's what I meant. We have to awaken them so they can protect us against the Garlean Empire, they serve the same purpose.

And while obviously my statement is speculation (this entire thread is) I still stand by my theory that it's Nophica. But it could be any of the Twelve.

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Originally Posted by Xmbei

not cloud city its the airship with the dragon wrapped around it. the spiky parts that circle up the structure is the dragon we can't make out the airship and the top to see the dragon head because the figures are in the way, but you can tell by the shape its that structure. I am starting to hypothesis's that the cloud like textures around it is all the aether released around it, you can also see it coming from the foot of the "adventurer" where he touches the "ground" probably symbolizing the echo and seeing the past and figuring out what lead up to the event in the Opening Cutscene.

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Looking at it more, you can see it looks like 'cloud' is radiating from his foot or something, so perhaps you're right and it's a representation of the echo producing whatever it is in the background (could be the dragon, though it's pretty impossible to tell from that picture)

I think it's an adventurer finally able to summon one of his own "gods" (Like ifrit implied in mission 9)
But what if the actual god is *gasp* YOURSELF!? *plot twist*

The man you see is just an adventurer in decked out armour. The woman you see is a Goddess (the woman who speaks to your mind in the opening missions) watching over her faithful subject.

True story.

Its most likely one of the deities bestowing power to the individual.

But it does look a lot like Garuda...if it was her, to me it looks like she could be seducing him in an attempt to charm him. I think that would be interesting if Garuda was a seducer of men like mermaids or sirens or like Grendel's mother in Beowulf.
Imagine the Garuda fight your tank gets charmed! :D awesome!!! Lol

Except I don't think Garuda has one human foot and one horse/goat hoof (has no one noticed this yet?) Look at the back leg, it has a hoof and don't even look human while the front one does. That said, I really think (98% sure) that that is not Garuda at all, it's definitely some kind of goddess but not Garuda.

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Originally Posted by OMEGA_HACK

Except I don't think Garuda has one human foot and one horse/goat hoof (has no one noticed this yet?) Look at the back leg, it has a hoof and don't even look human while the front one does. That said, I really think (98% sure) that that is not Garuda at all, it's definitely some kind of goddess but not Garuda.

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I'm assuming you have never played another final fantasy, because if you did you would know that the summons all drastically change in appearance with every title. Just because that's not the same model used from XI doesn't mean its not Garuda, look at ifrits example. Her feet are not enough to argue that her overall appearance resembles Garuda.

With that said, I completely agree with your first post on this thread Omega_Hack about it being a deity it makes the most sense. Its just I rather it be garuda :)

Seems odd to me that it is believed to be Garuda. Why would Garuda be given such a starring role? Do ANY of the primals (aside from Bahamut) have greater significance than any other? Why would said primal have said significance (did they win the lottery? lol)? Throughout FF history most summons have been treated as equals, with a few who are "special" (usually the last ones you can get or unlock via unique conditions).

The fact that people are coming to this conclusion has left me very confused.

Garuda could take many forms if we look at FF titles in general, so I don't think it's her/it.

I've been listening to Answers a lot on my mp3 player at work and what I've been thinking lately relates to this. I agree with people thinking that the winged woman is a goddess figure, blessing, giving the player the echo or watching over them. Thw whole place seems to take place in the clouds, or maybe in a realm in between time or something. There's a faint structure in the back that either looks like a cloud forest or maybe something like a bone castle.... It's hard to tell.

But referring to the song, the goddess who sings is calling to adventurers to help the Gods. I thought for a time we might end up fighting them, but I think now we'll help bring the Twelve back to Hydaelyn. Whatever happened to them, happened before and is maybe why they've been 'gone'. Primals are tools or agents of the enemy (whoever, whatever that is) it seems.

But anyway I don't think they would stick a primal on the CE cover, unless that primal was a big deal and they end up being representations of the Twelve, which I doubt. It's all about uncovering what happened before and what we can do about it now, so the image should directly relate to that.

I'm just saying that usually the Avatars/summons/eikons (I've played and beat FF1-14 and all the spin offs) and I cannot think of one where the summons looked disformed (yes having a two different forms of feet and at different lengths is a little disformed). Honestly I feel that the creature is not representing a particular thing, it is the representation of the formless Echo, hence why it looks like it could be taking on the shape of a couple different things.

I mean look at how closely the faces are, it like its whispering things into our ears (hearing the Echo) they aren't getting ready to make out, unless the creature likes to suck on eyeballs, based on where the hands are placed on the adventurer I get a feeling that the creature is pulling our ear to her mouth so she can whisper to us the Echo.

But like I said before Amano would've made it Ifrit if he did any of the primals (as we see him in the story) just like when he did the Wings of the Goddess art work for the manual it was a picture of a Chocobo Knight in front of Atomos (a summon who was a big role in that expansion). I'm not trying to destroy wishful thinking, but that is just my opinion and thoughts.

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Originally Posted by Archadius

Seems odd to me that it is believed to be Garuda. Why would Garuda be given such a starring role? Do ANY of the primals (aside from Bahamut) have greater significance than any other? Why would said primal have said significance (did they win the lottery? lol)? Throughout FF history most summons have been treated as equals, with a few who are "special" (usually the last ones you can get or unlock via unique conditions).

The fact that people are coming to this conclusion has left me very confused.

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It's not so confusing when you realize the figure on the box art looks exceedingly similar to FFXI's Garuda apart from the elongated wings and one being white while the other is green. We know that there are creatures called "primals" in FFXIV. Leviathan shows up in person in the Limsa opening, and we've seen screenshots of Ifrit and Titan. It's probably not a stretch to think that Garuda is going to be a FFXIV primal as well.

While Ifrit seems to have some dealings with some of FFXIV's beastmen (according to the screenshots), if the box art is indeed a picture of the primal Garuda, she may have some dealings with that man in black who may turn out to be a key figure in a future adventure. Time will tell.

This is a long shot and I could be completely wrong but maybe it's Siren? She had wings on her head on FF8 and FF13.
And also, Siren and Echo have to do with sounds. Eh? Eh?

Also, if you look up "Siren" some of the results show sirens as fish-women, or bird-women monsters. This seems to explain the fish tail like hair in the CE box art and the wings. Case solved!

Wings of the Goddess... XD

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Originally Posted by Roll

This is a long shot and I could be completely wrong but maybe it's Siren? She had wings on her head on FF8 and FF13.
And also, Siren and Echo have to do with sounds. Eh? Eh?

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It's more likely then Garuda. 10 points for you. XD

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Originally Posted by Roll

This is a long shot and I could be completely wrong but maybe it's Siren? She had wings on her head on FF8 and FF13.
And also, Siren and Echo have to do with sounds. Eh? Eh?

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Now this makes the most sense to me. Who better to give us a gift called the Echo than Siren?

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Garuda is a primal or seems to be, in the r30 nation quests for Ul'dah two beastmen tribes are argueing and threatning to summon Ifrit and Garuda. So it seems Garuda will make an appearance as a primal.

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Originally Posted by Roll

This is a long shot and I could be completely wrong but maybe it's Siren? She had wings on her head on FF8 and FF13.
And also, Siren and Echo have to do with sounds. Eh? Eh?

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This is the most likely answer of any.

I always thought the same creature that says, "Hear...feel...think" was the same one who was singing the song answers. If that were true, it would make the most sense for it to be Siren.

But I'm hoping we will find out soon enough what's going on.