Nidhogg’s Modus Operandi

Been rewatching parts of Heavensward, and came too this scene. Was this question ever elaborated on further? Or are we just supposed to assume that because Thordan and his Knights got Haldrath’s corpse/Nidhogg’s right eye “out of storage”, Nidhogg decided to focus his efforts on getting to it instead of chasing his left eye that Estinien as he had been doing regularly before? Or was there some other/additional reason(s) for the change in behavior?
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I believe it's stated at some point that Great Wyrms can still perceive events happening around their eyes, as long as they are alive... which is also directly tied to their eyes on some level.

I've always inferred that the answer to this question is that Nidhogg basically saw Thordan VII making his plans to become God King Thordan, and so he sped up the pace of the war to try and stop that.

As for why he didn't come himself to try and batter down Ishgard's door/do the deed himself... well, as the fight in The Aery with him proves, even just having one of his eyes allows someone to enfeeble his already enfeebled form, so it wasn't an option.

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Originally Posted by Vyrerus

I believe it's stated at some point that Great Wyrms can still perceive events happening around their eyes, as long as they are alive... which is also directly tied to their eyes on some level.

I've always inferred that the answer to this question is that Nidhogg basically saw Thordan VII making his plans to become God King Thordan, and so he sped up the pace of the war to try and stop that.

As for why he didn't come himself to try and batter down Ishgard's door/do the deed himself... well, as the fight in The Aery with him proves, even just having one of his eyes allows someone to enfeeble his already enfeebled form, so it wasn't an option.

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So you would agree the likely intended inference is that Nidhogg changed from targeting Estinien and his left eye (which had been essentially “business as usual”) because of Thordan VII (and the knights) started messing with his right eye?

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Originally Posted by Vyrerus

I've always inferred that the answer to this question is that Nidhogg basically saw Thordan VII making his plans to become God King Thordan, and so he sped up the pace of the war to try and stop that.

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100% this. Midgardsormr when he came to Hydaelyn from the "Dragon Star" essentially ended up in a contract. Refuge for him and his 7 eggs and in return he guards Silvertear lake but also deals with Omega when it eventually comes knocking. Nidhogg being one of the first brood inherits this duty.

In the Dragoon 80 Quest "Gone but not forgiven" Faunehm states

"Nidhogg was without equal, even among our kind. Destined was he to guard this world from the catastrophe that befell the Dragon Star, in place of his sire. He valued strength above all else, and considered the affairs of mortals beneath his notice. Only the seven great wyrms were worthy of his attention. And among them, none but Ratatoskr truly understood him."

Nidhogg viewed mortals with loads of contempt and I assume what happened over in Meracydia with all that Eldest brother Murder could possibly have ramped that up to an extreme.

Unlike Bahamut, He didn't care about "playing nice" with humanity. However, even though his beef with the Ishgardians is a large one indeed, the prospect of a God-King terrorizing the world with one of his eyes is also quite the menace so the sooner he enacts his vengeance the better the world would be off. (At least to him)

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Originally Posted by HiraishinNoJutsu

100% this. Midgardsormr when he came to Hydaelyn from the "Dragon Star" essentially ended up in a contract. Refuge for him and his 7 eggs and in return he guards Silvertear lake but also deals with Omega when it eventually comes knocking. Nidhogg being one of the first brood inherits this duty.

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I wonder what Midgardsormr and Nidhogg were doing when the Allagans woke Omega.

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Originally Posted by YianKutku

I wonder what Midgardsormr and Nidhogg were doing when the Allagans woke Omega.

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Midgardsormr was most likely still sleeping and sealed away at silvertear. Who knows what Nidhogg was up to at the time. Though I doubt Omega was very functional as we learn from the raid they had to power down a lot of its systems just to make it here partly due to the need for energy and partly due to being damaged from the long journey.

What I don't know is: Nidhogg started the Dragonsong War after Thordan killed Ratatoskr. ¿But why he didn't started it when the Allagans killed his brother Bahamut and kidnapped his sister Tiamat? ¿And why he didn't declare war against the Garleans as well after his father Midgardsormr "died" at the destruction of the Agrius?

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Originally Posted by Con_Carne

What I don't know is: Nidhogg started the Dragonsong War after Thordan killed Ratatoskr. ¿But why he didn't started it when the Allagans killed his brother Bahamut and kidnapped his sister Tiamat? ¿And why he didn't declare war against the Garleans as well after his father Midgardsormr "died" at the destruction of the Agrius?

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Rataoskr was his best friend basically.

Also in addition to Ratatoskr living in the Churning Mists with Nidhogg and Hraesvelgr, she was specifically *betrayed* by Thordan and his knights, while with Bahamut and Tiamat, the Allagans were always an invading force, and not a previously allied party like Ishgard was. Same with Garlemald and Midgardsormr. A betrayal probably “stings” more/is more personal.