Very interesting post, as it was said before, gives a lot to discuss, I don't agree nor disagree, Though I would change some things, or well, better said see some things different (but it's too long to get into it right now)
So I just wanted to add:
It could easily mean both things. It can be seen with the direct meaning of they are all bound together (with his friends as they all seem to work as one and blah), but it could also have the underlying meaning that they are all blindlessly bound to Hydaelyn. As someone said before Garuda explicitly says it, well, ifrit too maybe, they may not say "YOU ARE BOUND TO THE CRYSTAL" but they say they are inmune to their influence as if they had already been claimed by someone else, AKA Hydaelyn.
