On Dark and Light

Been wondering about the nature of Light and Dark and how it pertains to morality in the universe of FFXIV:

- When we speak to Urianger about the elemental wheel in Il Mheg, he points out that the denizens of the first interpret light and dark differently.
- Light is stillness, passivity, and the absence of color whereas Dark represents vibrance, energy, and the combination of all colors.
- It\\'s said that this is opposite to the interpretation on the source.

1. Does this mean that the elements actually behave different on the shards or has the interpretation on the source been wrong all along?

2. It seems to me that the point is that balance is required and neither light nor dark is good or evil but just needs to be balanced. This seems to be the point they are pushing this expansion as light was never thought to be bad until the flood occurred.

3. I feel like there are some things that cut against the assertion of point number 2 though.
- On the source, all the calamities are referred to as Umbral eras and associated with darkness. Times of peace and prosperity are astral eras.
- The ascians are distinctly evil but also associated with Dark. The final boss declares that he wants everything to be swallowed in darkness (paraphrase).

What do you guys think? Are the points in 3 just a matter of perspective? Is it just because Hydaelyn dominates the source and opposes Zodiark so she makes everything Dark out to be bad? I suppose after all each calamity has an element associated with it that is not Dark and we have found out that the Ascians have there reasons for what they are doing. But Hades doesnt exactly sell the idea that Dark is very nice.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Cirdan-Faust

Been wondering about the nature of Light and Dark and how it pertains to morality in the universe of FFXIV:

- When we speak to Urianger about the elemental wheel in Il Mheg, he points out that the denizens of the first interpret light and dark differently.
- Light is stillness, passivity, and the absence of color whereas Dark represents vibrance, energy, and the combination of all colors.
- It\\'s said that this is opposite to the interpretation on the source.

1. Does this mean that the elements actually behave different on the shards or has the interpretation on the source been wrong all along?

2. It seems to me that the point is that balance is required and neither light nor dark is good or evil but just needs to be balanced. This seems to be the point they are pushing this expansion as light was never thought to be bad until the flood occurred.

3. I feel like there are some things that cut against the assertion of point number 2 though.
- On the source, all the calamities are referred to as Umbral eras and associated with darkness. Times of peace and prosperity are astral eras.
- The ascians are distinctly evil but also associated with Dark. The final boss declares that he wants everything to be swallowed in darkness (paraphrase).

What do you guys think? Are the points in 3 just a matter of perspective? Is it just because Hydaelyn dominates the source and opposes Zodiark so she makes everything Dark out to be bad? I suppose after all each calamity has an element associated with it that is not Dark and we have found out that the Ascians have there reasons for what they are doing. But Hades doesnt exactly sell the idea that Dark is very nice.

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1. The interpretation on the Source was wrong all along.

2. Yes

3. (I) This goes back to the interpretation of Light and Dark on the Source being incorrect.
(II) Rather than outright evil, it's just that what they want is incompatible with what we want. Them being all about darkness as well is because Zodiark is a god of darkness, and they are also his tempered thralls.

The main misinterpretation is that Umbral/Astral as something to do with Light/Dark

It's 2 differents axes.
Umbral/Astral roughly translate to passive and active.

By example: Astral Fire manifest as flames and Umbral Fire manifest as dryness.
Wind, Lightning and Fire are tiped toward Astral and Earth, Ice Water are tiped towards Umbral

No elements are (as far as we know) typed toward Light or Dark..

As the nature of Light and Dark, we don't have a extensive cannon explaination yet.. They are not elements (even if they have elemental sprites).

Light can be Umbral or Astral, Darkness can be Umbral or Astral.


Thancred remark about having it mixed up is related to the fact that each interpretation focus on different aspect of those energies

From what I understood:
Astral Light: Prosperity & Growth
Umbral Light: Serenity and statis
Astral Darkness: Diversity, Creativity
Umbral Darkness: Chaos and Decay

The last part is absolutely non cannon, but I putted it there to illustrate the nuances between those 2 axes..

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Ardox

The main misinterpretation is that Umbral/Astral as something to do with Light/Dark

It's 2 differents axes.
Umbral/Astral roughly translate to passive and active.

By example: Astral Fire manifest as flames and Umbral Fire manifest as dryness.
Wind, Lightning and Fire are tiped toward Astral and Earth, Ice Water are tiped towards Umbral

No elements are (as far as we know) typed toward Light or Dark..

As the nature of Light and Dark, we don't have a extensive cannon explaination yet.. They are not elements (even if they have elemental sprites).

Light can be Umbral or Astral, Darkness can be Umbral or Astral

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Light and Dark are indeed a seperate spectrum of energy from the elemental energies, but they affect elements. Light pulls elemental energy to the passive, or "Umbral", charge, while Dark pulls elemental energy to the active, or "Astral", charge. Light and Dark themselves cannot be Umbral or Astral because they exist outside the spectrum where those properties exist.

You can think of Light and Dark being the North and South Poles of a magnet. They pull the "iron fillings" of elemental aether towards them and at either end of the poles we see the iron fillings (elemental aether) doing different things.