Hydaelyn and Aether

Suddenly realized something reading old patch release pages

For primal extreme fights

"Feeding on crystals and drinking the life force of Hydaelyn herself, the primals continue to plague the people of Eorzea."

In game it has often been mentioned that Primals drawing in Aether causes harm to Hydaelyn. Since we now know that Aether existed before Haedelyn, how did it become so tied to her? Or is the implication that as a primal herself she gorges on it in large amounts and other primals cut into her dinner portions?

Now yes she is hoarding it for a good reason, but doesn't change the fact that as a primal, she was draining aether in huge amounts which cannot have been good for the planet.

Up until now the star was also named hydaelyn. I believe they are referring to the planet not the goddess. now its called Etheirys

I think the term Hydaelyn in those cases was more referring to the planet “Hydaelyn” itself, which is what we called Etheirys itself before Endwalker. And before ShadowBringers we assumed Hydaelyn was just the Goddess of the planet/will of the star, so we assumed bad stuff that hurts the planet = bad stuff that hurts the Goddess Hydaelyn.

Before EW we knew the planet(star) as Hydaelyn not Eitherys, the extreme quests were also written in ARR so it is possible not all details were ironed out back then, planet(star) name being one of those potential things to be added in later as it doesn't conflict with anything else we know now.

As for Hydealyn the primal undoubtedly she fed on aether how much is unknown but we do know she was sustaining the source and the reflections making sure things ran as smoothly as possible, so she certainly wasn't draining too much, perhaps just enough to sustain herself and the power she wanted to trial us with.

My biggest gripe with Hydealyn was she effectively told Minfilia to kill herself for no reason. Hydealyn held enough power to test us which would've been more than enough to speak with us at points she needed to however she told Minfilia to jump into Y'shtola's flow so she can take her aether that comprised her form to speak with us as the Word of the Mother, kinda feels that was unnecessary with the information we have now, so yeah that artwork of the crystal looking like it is binding Minfila of patch 3.2 has worse implications for me now.

I fully believe Venat/Hydaelyn is a good person. Just not sure she is a smart person with the decisions she has made.

Minfilia's first death being a good example as stated above.

Also there is no way she could have known the Sharlayans would build a ship that could go and face Meteion. Her giant aerther battery could have been used for the Moon, but Endwalker made it seem like using the moon to get to the edge of the univers was not a real option. At the point we went back in time, I don't think we knew about the Sharlayan ship to even give her future knowledge about it. Hydaelyn never made a plan to get us to Meteion to fight her.

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Originally Posted by Necrotica

Also there is no way she could have known the Sharlayans would build a ship that could go and face Meteion. Her giant aerther battery could have been used for the Moon, but Endwalker made it seem like using the moon to get to the edge of the univers was not a real option. At the point we went back in time, I don't think we knew about the Sharlayan ship to even give her future knowledge about it. Hydaelyn never made a plan to get us to Meteion to fight her.

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I think had the people of Etherys left on that ship, they would all have turned into blaphemies and died. I think that while Zodiark was killed, part of the things he was doing to protect Etherys was still inplace just disipating slowly. But once the moon left orbit, they would pass beyond that protection and then succumb to dynamis.

I can't say i think Venat was a good person person. I personally think she did some terrible things in desperation. Just as the ancients were desperate to restore their old world, Venat was desperate and terrified of not saving Etherys and so in doing so she ended up causing genocide. That it worked out is more due to the people that WOL & the Scions were over any action that Hydealyn herself did. The only boon she did grant to success was the blessing of light to protect again aetheric corruption. But even then, im convinced they would have found a way to solve the primal threat.

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Originally Posted by Anvaire

I think had the people of Etherys left on that ship, they would all have turned into blaphemies and died. I think that while Zodiark was killed, part of the things he was doing to protect Etherys was still inplace just disipating slowly. But once the moon left orbit, they would pass beyond that protection and then succumb to dynamis.

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The moon plan was a back-up in case Zodiark failed. Worrying about the risk of passing beyond his protection becomes somewhat less of a concern when he's dead and his protection is no longer active.

Also, he was in the moon. If we'd left before he died, we'd have took him with us, Hydaelyn would have been the one left behind.

It is interesting that Venat would rather have everyone flee Etherys and let it die, instead of just undoing the sundering and letting the Ascians win. If the Ascians were allowed to win what would happen? A large amount of life on the planet would be sacrifices, the Ancients would be brought back in all their glory, and Zodiark would be around to provide a constant shield to protect from Meteions "I am sad" song.

Sounds like a much better option. Venat may have just been too proud to admit she was wrong to Sunder the world in the first place.

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Originally Posted by Necrotica

It is interesting that Venat would rather have everyone flee Etherys and let it die, instead of just undoing the sundering and letting the Ascians win. If the Ascians were allowed to win what would happen? A large amount of life on the planet would be sacrifices, the Ancients would be brought back in all their glory, and Zodiark would be around to provide a constant shield to protect from Meteions "I am sad" song.

Sounds like a much better option. Venat may have just been too proud to admit she was wrong to Sunder the world in the first place.

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The exodus was a backup plan. Hydaelyn / Venat's hope (plan, I suppose) was to inure sundered people to the hardship of life and have them find a way to succeed where the Ancients failed.

If Hydaelyn never sundered the planet to begin with or just let the Ascians win, the end result would be something between Allag and the Plenty from the Dead Ends dungeon. The parallels are there, fairly obvious, and almost certainly intentional.

Zodiark could protect the planet, perhaps indefinitely, but not actually save it. To say nothing of the countless other worlds that would fall around the cosmos until Etheriys was the only one left.

Was doing something awful and betting everything on an uncertain hope the right thing to do? Maybe not, but to go with an awful certainty instead of risking everything for a better tomorrow isn't just contrary to Endwalker's message, but XIV as it's played out so far.