The big event at the end of the current patchcycle - Predictions

My prediction:

It will be a cosmic event which harmonizes time across all shards.

The void will become akin to the end of time in Chrono Trigger - a nexus through which all other shards can be accessed.

Golbez will be revealed as a different character, shedding his status as a FFIV reference along with his armor and surviving into the next expansion.

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Originally Posted by Eisi

My prediction:

It will be a cosmic event which harmonizes time across all shards.

The void will become akin to the end of time in Chrono Trigger - a nexus through which all other shards can be accessed.

Golbez will be revealed as a different character, shedding his status as a FFIV reference along with his armor and surviving into the next expansion.

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My expectation at the moment is that the big event will end up being something a lot less grand (personally I wonder if they'll do a character death). Personally I fully expect the Golbez stuff to be fully stand alone and likely be fully tied up in 6.4

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Originally Posted by jameseoakes

My expectation at the moment is that the big event will end up being something a lot less grand (personally I wonder if they'll do a character death). Personally I fully expect the Golbez stuff to be fully stand alone and likely be fully tied up in 6.4

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Yoshi-P had said the current arc had nothing to do with where we're going next, so you're likely correct. It might however give Y'shtola an idea for how to reach the First, thus "writing her off" as she goes all in on mastering the ability to travel across shards (which will likely come up in another expansion) and not travel with us to the next expansion areas.

I personally think that most of the Void stuff will be tied up, or left for later by the next few patches. Could be setting up for side story content where we do explore/help the Void more, which would be neat as then they could add other Void-centric characters in. I do think we will have some takeaways from this story arc though. I hope Zero will accompany us as a new main cast member. I also think that in 6.4/5 we will free Azdaja and 7.0 will be us accompanying her to Meracydia and having fun over there. Would not surprise me if Estinien does not come along for the ride too.

While I expect there could be an element of 'unlocking travel between shards' involved in this current arc with the Void, I don't think the Void itself would serve as this 'nexus'.
Shards are said to have degrees of 'proximity', in that the 'closest' shards to the Source at the First and the Thirteenth. So I'm not sure what would make the Thirteenth this kind of hub world exactly.
At most, I could see them giving travel privileges to the First for some or maybe any NPC's. It could just be the Scions who get this privilege.

While I think the Golbez/Zero arc will be stand-alone and concluded by 6.55, there's scope for these characters to continue on in other capacities, just like Crystal Exarch > G'raha Tia.
Golbez's 'true identity' could turn into a new recurring character, or even be promoted to a new villain. And it seems obvious that Zero could end up being a new Scion, in principle even if not in name.

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Originally Posted by Hurlstone

I personally think that most of the Void stuff will be tied up, or left for later by the next few patches. Could be setting up for side story content where we do explore/help the Void more, which would be neat as then they could add other Void-centric characters in. I do think we will have some takeaways from this story arc though. I hope Zero will accompany us as a new main cast member. I also think that in 6.4/5 we will free Azdaja and 7.0 will be us accompanying her to Meracydia and having fun over there. Would not surprise me if Estinien does not come along for the ride too.

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Estinien, NOT coming when dragons are involved!? *clutches pearls*

Joking aside, we could mention we're going to visit the dragons in Meracydia and he'd be this meme.
https://nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/...6db91aec9c.jpg

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Originally Posted by Eisi

My prediction:

It will be a cosmic event which harmonizes time across all shards.

The void will become akin to the end of time in Chrono Trigger - a nexus through which all other shards can be accessed.

Golbez will be revealed as a different character, shedding his status as a FFIV reference along with his armor and surviving into the next expansion.

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"We the voidsents, want an easy, permanent access to the source!"
*Something happens that's related to Golbez shenanigans"

Ladies and gentlemen, you wanted an access to the source, but behold! An access to all shards! Now everyone can go wherever they want. Isn't that GREAT!

I really would like if the prophecy from the Golden Dhyata comes true and that something about the Lifestream begins to inexplicably change and cause the chaos the world over.

The talk of it "birthing new flesh" has particularly...interesting implications if taken literally, given suggestions that life can appear naturally and that the Ancients were one of such forms of life, which could eventually tie back into existing mysteries about the nature of the Echo, where souls come from, etc.

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Originally Posted by KageTokage

I really would like if the prophecy from the Golden Dhyata comes true and that something about the Lifestream begins to inexplicably change and cause the chaos the world over.

The talk of it "birthing new flesh" has particularly...interesting implications if taken literally, given suggestions that life can appear naturally and that the Ancients were one of such forms of life, which could eventually tie back into existing mysteries about the nature of the Echo, where souls come from, etc.

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The way I understood it I doubt it was a prophecy. It's a description of the lifestream in parable:


"The serpent that sleeps in the deep slowly sheds its skin of old.

Eventually, the serpent devours its own tail, and renders new flesh using its own. The pain felt with cause the earth to quake, the mountains to crumble, and the rivers to run dry. Thus, seven wedges must be driven into its back."

In German it becomes clearer as it's written differently. For example it says that seven wedges "have been" driven into it's back. Not "must be". So it already happened whatever it was. When and where was the text written? I doubt it's referring to the calamities considering the seventh was just a mere five years ago.

I interpret it as such: natural catastrophies are attributed to the inner workings of the lifestream, the process of continuous shaping and destruction of aetherial form. In turn the lifestream either was naturally or artificially altered in some way. If naturally, what was observed? If artificially, what was done and by whom?

I consider it a historical mystery with potential present day implications rather than a prophecy about future events.

I'm partially convinced Golbez is Xande or something.

The thing I am far more convinced of is that Golbez is baiting us into basically our only option to enter the Void being the Crystal Tower, which will be the stage of the climax of this story arc.
There is no more fitting tool to attempt a Void incursion than the same Crystal Tower Xande used to attempt his incurson, but failed. That failure I suspect was not a flaw in the tower itself, but Ascian meddling to cause a rejoining and remove the Allagan Empire in the same package.

Whether this whole Void arc truly wont be connected to the future expansion? I have my doubts. But either way, the Crystal Tower seems like an obvious inclusion.