What is a Warrior of Light?

What exactly is a Warrior of Light, and furthermore, how many are there?

Is a Warrior of Light someone in communication with Hydaelyn? Would that then include Minfilia and Iceheart, or s it someone with only a specific blessing?

Are the Warriors of Light from before the Calamity the same thing as our current player characters? Do any of them still technically live?

Lastly, is there really only one Post-Calamity Warrior of Light?

The specific term Warrior of Light is used a few different ways, but ultimately means the same general idea.

At first, you have the NPCs who are using it in the early story to refer to the adventurers blessed with the Echo who stood beside Louisoix at the Battle of Cartenau and were sent into the interdimensional rift. When people try to recall them, they cannot. They liken it to trying to make out their silhouette against a blinding light - ergo, the Warriors of Light.

This is how term is used for the whole of the early game, but it fades out such use quickly and you stop hearing about them in the plural altogether. There is just you, the Warrior of Light, who, if a Legacy player, is a Warrior of Light returned. Once the story stops treating Legacy players and new players slightly different, Hydaelyn starts to refer to you as Warrior of Light, as well, and then, after that, you pretty much never hear of a Warrior of Light or the Warriors of Light. It's as if you're the only one left worthy of the name. At this point, it starts to seem like NPCs came up with that name coincidentally.

Summary so far, it pretty much seems exclusive to "the player"; Hydaelyn's Champion. Used in the plural, it usually refers to players in general.
Historical figures, however, seem to have borne the title before you (including, but not limited to, those who were also at Cartenau).

What to call NPCs blessed by Hydaelyn (who are not The Champion, but still chosen) varies a bit by time and language. German actually had a neat way of doing it, referring to you as the Warrior of Light and to Iceheart as a Bearer of the Light. In the same instance, English called her simply "The Gifted". There's a scene in Toto-Rak where some languages specifically have Lahabrea point out that it's been a long time since he's seen a true Warrior of Light, so I suspect that it refers specifically to a true Champion of the Light - a chosen bearer of many Crystals of Light. Hydaelyn seems to be able to protect you at least somewhat even if you only have one (given that Krile survived Val), however, so perhaps having all of them just makes it that much more powerful of a blessing (the glyph thing).

It might be fair to just say anyone with the glyph has the Warrior of Light's level of blessing.

Have other pre-Calamity Warriors of Light returned? Not as far as the story includes, but it doesn't really preclude it, either.

Did I answer the right things in there somewhere? Sometimes a "thorough" answer misses the main point being sought, lol.

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Originally Posted by Anonymoose

Have other pre-Calamity Warriors of Light returned? Not as far as the story includes, but it doesn't really preclude it, either.

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That might depend of what we might find out about the Warriors of Darkness (who look like the 5 Warriors of Light that Louisoux flung into the future)

Speaking of which I was wondering if anyone had these silhouettes? I want to see if they also look like that group of echo-users

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Originally Posted by Ginal

What exactly is a Warrior of Light

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We beat up bad guys and save the world, thats what we are.

In all seriousness, the warrior of light is the champion of Hydaelyn, we might not be the only ones who can communicate with her, but we are her chosen warrior (literally warrior of the light crystal), destined to save the world, presumably from Hydaelyn's counterpart Zodiark and its minions (ascians, warriors of darkness etc.)

So as far as the primary story is concerned, there is only one champion-warrior of light, but there are at least a handful of others with lesser degrees of Hydaelyn's blessing?

3.1 spoilers.

What about the Warrior of Darkness? They had to have been Warriors of Light at some point since the flashback shows them slaying an Ascian and they're wearing normal colors on their gear.

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Originally Posted by Ginal

So as far as the primary story is concerned, there is only one champion-warrior of light, but there are at least a handful of others with lesser degrees of Hydaelyn's blessing?

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That seems to be the case.

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Originally Posted by MilesSaintboroguh

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While I don't disgree with your point overall, I'm not sure that's a good example. There's something more going on.

They didn't slay that Ascian. If they did, Elidibus and Lahabrea wouldn't have been so surprised when you did.

So that Ascian is alive and kicking. Somewhere. Doing something. And I swear, if there is one thing I am going to directly hypothesize outside of me stating I want things, its that that Ascian is going to come back eventually.

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Originally Posted by CyrilLucifer

While I don't disgree with your point overall, I'm not sure that's a good example. There's something more going on.

They didn't slay that Ascian. If they did, Elidibus and Lahabrea wouldn't have been so surprised when you did.

So that Ascian is alive and kicking. Somewhere. Doing something. And I swear, if there is one thing I am going to directly hypothesize outside of me stating I want things, its that that Ascian is going to come back eventually.

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Maybe "slay" wasn't the right word, but they did kick his ass. It's safe to assume they didn't know the true method of offing them like we did.

"Exorcise" might be more appropriate imo, since it mirrored us ousting Lahabrea from Thancred's body.

Warrior of Light: (N)

1. A person or persons who show up on behalf Hydaelyn just before the end of an Era to supposedly attempt to prevent a Calamity when in truth they are the very catalyst of that Calamity. The Warrior of Light has appeared before the end of each Astral Era

2. A bad Omen. Something must really be wrong if the Warrior of Light has come to our aid.

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Originally Posted by Anonymoose

At first, you have the NPCs who are using it in the early story to refer to the adventurers blessed with the Echo who stood beside Louisoix at the Battle of Cartenau and were sent into the interdimensional rift. When people try to recall them, they cannot. They liken it to trying to make out their silhouette against a blinding light - ergo, the Warriors of Light.

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Aaaaaand the last vision of a certain religious personage suddenly makes sense..

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Originally Posted by Morningstar1337

That might depend of what we might find out about the Warriors of Darkness (who look like the 5 Warriors of Light that Louisoux flung into the future

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This is something I usually try to avoid thinking about too hard, because it makes my head hurt. We know that at least the Midlander and the female Miqo'te bard have the Echo, as did the male Elezen who bailed on the party. At this point, it's probably fair to assume that all of Midlander's friends have the Echo, as well, I guess. But how many are Warriors of Light? (In the "Hydaelyn's Champion" sense, not the Cartenau sense, obviously.) Derplander (the trailer player analog) is shown on the "Glyph of Light" with all six types of Crystal of Light. Did he scoop them all up while his friends made do with the Echo and his friendship? But maybe that's just him being you, right? But Derplander (the man who would become Darklander) fashions a blade of light with his axe.

It makes my head hurt. It seems to confirm multiple Warriors of Light, but it's probably more "don't think too hard about it" until we see what the Warriors of Darkness are. It would have been easier to write off if they kept the party at six members, gave each a crystal, and had then power up the axe as a team effort... Or perhaps if Derplander was your predecessor. Was HE the one Hydaelyn was being specific with and giving answers to while you were lost at the Path of the Twelve - only to relinquish his status in time for you to pick up the mantle in ARR?

I guess for now that nuance is one giant unknown...

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Originally Posted by Ginal

So as far as the primary story is concerned, there is only one champion-warrior of light, but there are at least a handful of others with lesser degrees of Hydaelyn's blessing?

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That does seem to be the case as of everything up to the Warriors of Darkness. Do you remember the early cutscene where you're before the Crystal and you see other people flying around her, too? Those are other Echo users, other adventurers who are on less critical, less dangerous missions. Some fulfill their missions, some die fighting the good fight.

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Originally Posted by Anonymoose

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Unless this goes Hydaelyn multiverse (which has its own set of questions, like whether there is only one Hydaelyn the Mother Crystal or multiple ones as well), its probably safe to assume that there can be more than one Warrior of Light at a time, it just depends on Hydaelyn's strength.

Im pretty sure Koji Fox once mentioned that scene and said that Hydaelyn has quite a few agent (Minfilia, Iceheart and Krile among them) but you are her chosen champion. Midgardsormr says your not just bless but chosen.

As I read it there is only one 'The Warrior of Light' but quite a few blessed.

Again I suspect that the Player WoL is pretty much Hydaelyn's last play. Its been mentioned that in the past there have been multiple warriors of light at the same time. Didn't the Hildibrand final chapter mention there was 4 Warriors of Light during the 6th Umbral calamity?

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Originally Posted by Belhi

Didn't the Hildibrand final chapter mention there was 4 Warriors of Light during the 6th Umbral calamity?

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Kind of. Most of what we're lead to believe points to twelve being a pretty standard number. Hatching-tide celebrated the twelve archons, the relic window says "they numbered twelve, no more, no less", etc. The Hildibrand story mentions "four warriors born of light" in the lower-case (a reference to the original Final Fantasy formula?), but the NPC uses it in the capital before deciding not Warriors of Light, but Gentlemen of Light! (Doot do-do DOOO!). The four Belah'dian "warriors born of light" would be post calamity, wouldn't they? Belah'dia arose after the fall of the Fifth Astral Era as the inheritors of Mhach's legacy.

Seems like more of an in-reference than lore milemarker, unless I'm missing something.

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Originally Posted by Belhi

Im pretty sure Koji Fox once mentioned that scene and said that Hydaelyn has quite a few agent (Minfilia, Iceheart and Krile among them) but you are her chosen champion. Midgardsormr says your not just bless but chosen.

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Correct!

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Originally Posted by Gamer Escape Interview with Koji Fox (E3 2015)

A: In one of the early quests, you see other people in the aetherial realm flying around the Mothercrystal. Who are they? Other adventurers?

KF: Yeah, the Mothercrystal talks to many people. You’re the Warrior of Light, but she has to have other options. Not everyone is Warrior of Light material and there are lots of other things going on.

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By pervious FF games the FF1's team. the meathod is different maybe (never played it srry) but the idea is the same also as other has stated in-game & here Hydaelyn's "servents" or "Tempered" have 1 or all of eather "the Echo", her bleasing/ward & something called a "Crystal of Light". We as the "player/Champion" story wise are her only champion & we user her "blessing/ward" to protect our allies that we fight with from tempering from another source... without getting to into detail, as others have explained it better, we have all 3 things listed (Crystal, echo, blessing) but I am unsure as to how ppl get these "crystals" if they are in ppl, aside from you know killing them... well there could be a spell/ritual that does this but I doubt it would "Spare" the host

& now I feel like a "necro'd" something with just a jumboled repeat of already said info... if so srry

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Originally Posted by Ginal

So as far as the primary story is concerned, there is only one champion-warrior of light, but there are at least a handful of others with lesser degrees of Hydaelyn's blessing?

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A lot of people are confused by the difference between the Echo and the Blessing of Light. I believe most of the scions have the Echo. That grants a person resistance to the tempering effect of primals, the ability to understand multiple languages, and the power to see things from another person's perspective.

The Blessing of Light is a distinct power that has only been used, as far, as I can tell, once, and that was during the battle with the Ultima weapon. It some defense against Zodiark's power, but I don't think it's been formalized as to what the blessing is. It's tied to the crystals a person has; we have all 6, Ysayle had 1.

The Warrior Of Light is therefore an individual who has the Blessing of Light. I think the only other warrior was Ysayle.

Another concern has to do with each individual's strength. Ysayle was clearly very powerful, as summoning a primal into her body and controlling it is not an easy task. An issue that was hinted at in the end of HW and then revisited in 3.1 is how our character is not just powerful, but probably the single most powerful entity on Eorzea. We're not strong enough to take down the Empire singlehandedly, but we've (lorewise) fought alone against various primals. The scales are tipping in the favor Light, but it's not confirmed that's a good thing.

I guess there's different titles for echo users

1.There's the regular echo user
2. Hydaelyn's chosen: Ysayle. Might refer to being given a crystal. Had she not focused on Dravanian-Ishgard war she may have well be a WoL companion
3. Warrior of Light: Those with crystal(s) and actively fight for Hydaelyn
4. Hydaelyn's blessing seem to be specifically to protect against Zodiark/Ascien abilities.

We know she speaks to alot of people ... some people simply have more of her favor.

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Originally Posted by Delily

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ehhh.. I think Ginal was right. Its you who is confused.

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Originally Posted by Frederick22

ehhh.. I think Ginal was right. Its you who is confused.

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In what sense? There is a distinction between the Blessing and the Echo. The Echo is what lets us get the Blessing. We have 6 crystals, Ysayle had 1.

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Originally Posted by Delily

sniperoo

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Hmm, with a quick glance, of the named Scions, only you and Minfilia had the Echo - and Krile now, I suppose, if she counts. A few generic Scions that were killed in the Garlean attack did as well, but the others (Yda/Papa/'shtola/was-better-as-Lahabrea) don't. Moenbryda absolutely didn't.

Having a few crystals doesn't automatically makes you a Warrior of Light, though. Remember, until after you defeat Lahabrea, even Hydaelyn calls you 'crystal bearer.' Ysayle is just an Echo user, not one of Her Warriors.

The Echo also seems to grant us a wider array of abilities than what you mentioned, eg, the ability to form the Blade of Light is absolutely Echo-based, and we can enter someone else's soulspace directly with our resonance, as we did to confront Lahabrea, rather than the sort of passive touch used for translating. We also seem to be able to use it to sense Ascians? Not just see, which the Echo is confirmed to help with, but sense without sight; Nabriales mentions we have that ability, and we didn't have the Blessing then, so.

So yeah, while you have the overall point right and I agree, a few tiny things were wrong. Not really enough to call you out, though, since they're kinda nitpicky details.

This all being said - there's still plenty of mystery about being WoL. Why does Hydaelyn choose who she chooses? What is our ultimate, final role? And, everyone on this board's favorite, do we have any choice in any of these matters?

Hydaelyn chooses who she chooses and we have no choice in the matter because the writers demanded it.

What I am surprised of is that Hydaelyn's crystals can stand the test of time and don't simply disappear once that Era's WoL is done.

Motoya's eye is proof of this. Why doesn't she re-absorb it? Does that bearer of that eye can be called "crystal bearer" If so, should we consider Krile one of "hydaelyn's chosen/ Crystal Bearer as well?

From my understanding Krile is on the same "level" as Ysayle was.

But just echo + crystal =/= "Warrior of Light." That title refers to the player specifically (now, prior to 2.1 it meant something more generic), by virtue of us having Hydaelyn's special protection plus having obstained 6 crystals (twice), which is presumably a solitary accomplishment.

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Originally Posted by KaitlanKela

From my understanding Krile is on the same "level" as Ysayle was.

But just echo + crystal =/= "Warrior of Light." That title refers to the player specifically (now, prior to 2.1 it meant something more generic), by virtue of us having Hydaelyn's special protection plus having obstained 6 crystals (twice), which is presumably a solitary accomplishment.

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If what Krile says was true, that the echo has an small different in everyone. Then the echo that the WoL has, must have I guess, a distinguish that gives a great advantaje over all the rest of the echo users. We have also have to asume that the WoL is an skilled fighter, something we havent seen in the orther echo users and that we have an stronger blessing at the end of 3.0. But it wasant the blessing that made is strong, it was us.

For what I see I think this is how things works. There a lot of echo users, all with the same traits but within an small difference. Only an small amount of the are the "Hydaelyn's choosen", they only have an small version of her blessing, but from them only 1 is called the "champion". That is who we are.

I think thats who Ysalase survived for some time. She survived us and Ravana. Until she used the very same crystal of light to become Shiva, thus loosing her blessing, and how the garleans were able to kill her at the end.