endwalker story confusion(SPOILERS)

my questions were answered and no i didnt story skip, there was a lot of info and time travel thrown at us in endwalker which i got confused about.

Hermes wasn't randomly thrown in. He is Fandaniel's successor (and eventually becomes Fandaniel). This is important because the current Fandaniel shares his memories.

The members of the Convocation choose to die after they have served their role because they want to. It's made clear that some choose not to do so, such as Venat.

As for your 3rd question, that's a very simplified view of "the enemy", and I wouldn't personally answer more than that. The story dives deeper than that.

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Originally Posted by crimsonwitch

I HAVE NOT FINISHED YET !! I just looking for clarification on a few subjects..


hermes was was just randomly thrown into the plot as fandaniels friend??

why do the ascians die when they finish their post at the convocation? do they literally just off themselves?

so the enemy that we've been building up for 7 ish years was just somebodies failed science experiment?

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Considering what you're asking, the game tells to straight out at the point you first learn any of this, so none of this is a spoiler. The first mention of Hermes is when you're told that Hermes is Fandaniel, the latest one, the one we know, so I'm not sure how you came to the "friend" conclusion. Yes, the game also tells you that the Ancients retiring from their posts is them "returning" to the planet. I doubt it's anything violent, it's likely more just allowing themselves to dissipate. I mean, why not? They're capable of a lot more than that.

Also.... what? Zodiark was built up and ended up being a subversion (you're in Elpis clearly, so not a spoiler), not Meteion. She and her sisters weren't failures either, it's more that they couldn't handle seeing with what they encountered.

Hermes is Fandaniel, the Fandaniel being refered to in Elpis is the previous holder who vacated the position and named Heremes his preferred successor. Hermes was on the Convocation during the Final Days, had his memory recorded in the Fandaniel stone and so on.

Returning to the planet seems to just be considered the social norm for when an Ancient has reached a point where they're satisfied with their life's work. As it's described it's treated as sort of a reward for a succesfull life. It's also non mandatory as seen with Venat being a former Azem who has chosen not to return despite everyone agreeing she's more than earned the right to do so.

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Originally Posted by Mirhd

The first mention of Hermes is when you're told that Hermes is Fandaniel, the latest one, so I'm not sure how you came to the "friend" conclusion

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I think they're referring to the reason why Emet and Hythlodaeus visited Elpis. The Hermes we meet in Elpis is a friend of the current Fandaniel, who has chosen him as a successor. They seem to have missed the part where Hermes does become Fandaniel.

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Originally Posted by Darkstride

I think they're referring to the reason why Emet and Hythlodaeus visited Elpis. The Hermes we meet in Elpis is a friend of the current Fandaniel, who has chosen him as a successor. They seem to have missed the part where Hermes does become Fandaniel.

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Sure, but that's what I don't understand. The game was pretty clear on it, too, so it's really odd to come to that conclusion.

Unfortunately even some of us who have been following the story all along found ourselves raising an eyebrow at some of the story decisions made in the final stretch. For what it's worth, I think it's perfectly understandable if you believe that it came out of nowhere and that the writers jumped the shark when it comes to certain characters and plot devices.

Each to their own, of course, but I think a lot of potential was squandered. Furthermore, the story itself was meant to originally conclude in 7.0 and not 6.0, so we're missing out on a lot of things that likely would have fleshed everything out in a more satisfying manner.

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Originally Posted by crimsonwitch

because fandaniel offers his post to hermes, and hermes was sad because he didnt want his friend to die. which is why i am a bit confused

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The game is pretty clear that the one we know isn't the previous Fandaniel though. Nothing to really be confused about.

It's been known for years at this point that Lahabrea, Emet-Selch, etc, are all just titles, not the given names of individual people. /shrug

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Originally Posted by crimsonwitch

ok, so THE FANDANIEL name is just a name? meaning hermes becomes the new fandaniel? we are reaching new levels of final fantasy wizardry

I must have somehow missed the fact that the convocation are only using titles and not their real names...?

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It's mentioned a few times in Shadowbringers. These are the titles given to the members of the Convocation. There have probably been many, many Fandaniels each an individual with their own birth name that take that title when the seat needs to be filled.
For example

Hades took the title of Emet-Selch

At the end of Shadowbringers before you fight him he says "Let's drop titles and pretense and reveal our true faces to one another" before revealing his real name. Hades.

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Originally Posted by crimsonwitch

ok, so THE FANDANIEL name is just a name? meaning hermes becomes the new fandaniel? we are reaching new levels of final fantasy wizardry

I must have somehow missed the fact that the convocation are only using titles and not their real names...?

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This is directly pointed out in SHB when you first talk with Emet-Selch. He mentions that such is not his name but his title like all on the convocation. He then reveals his actual name and the end of 5.0.