A review on the name of the planet (EW spoilers)

Hello everyone!
I had long thought of making this thread (Even before EW release) and today I feel encouraged to speak my point of view on the name of the planet and why I feel disappointed.
So, let's go back in time to the introduction cinematic of ARR where among the first information new players learn is that the name of the planet is called Hydaelyn. Later on, they learn that there is a mothercrystal entity is also known by the same name. So at this point, there is Hydaelyn (The world) and Hydaelyn (The mothercrystal)
The impression I had back then was that there is a god-like entity that the world is named after and her existence is known to some but not all people. Much later, the characters started referring to the world as "This star" or "The star" instead of Hydaelyn, and I understood this because it can cause some confusion to the players and to the characters themselves since they know of Hydaelyn's existence.

Nothing developed in my mind for a long time until Shadowbringers MSQ when we learn that Hydaelyn and Zodiark were created. As known by many people, Zodiark was created as the will of the star and Hydaelyn was created as a counterpart of Zodiark to keep him in check. What confused me back then was that the name given to the will of the star isn't the world's name (As I knew it as Hydaelyn) but they gave it the name of Zodiark. So here are some thoughts developed. What if the name of the star was originally Zodiark?

Taking such a hypothesis into consideration. I understood that Hydaelyn would rename the planet to avoid confusion such as: "If Zodiark is the evil bad guy. Why the planet is named after him? Are you perhaps... the evil big bad who took everything for yourself?"
So this consideration have answered my hypothesis and I continued to assume its the case, with expectations of revelations in EW, and they happened! Except.... Etheirys? Really?
This is where everything stopped making sense to me. If the world's name is Etheirys, then why rename it to Hydaelyn? Why hide it? Even if some people questioned: "Why the world's name is Etheirys" then it wouldn't be a big deal. Nobody questions: "Why the real-life world's name is Earth?" and get out with some big revelations that change everything.

Like... aghh.... this doesn't make any sense to me. Maybe its just me having high expectations. Maybe its just me missed some details and explanations. I don't know really... I feel disappointed. It could have been a good minor plotwist to learn that the world's name is Zodiark and everyone be like: "What??"
But anyway. I just wanted to express my thoughts and give a quick review on the topic.

It makes a kind of sense though for two reasons - Etheirys, as in, the original Ancient world, no longer exists and hasn't existed for 12000 years. It was Sundered into the Source and it's thirteen Shards. Additionally, as a result of the Sundering, everyone's memories were at the very least muddled, if not erased, so the very knowledge of the original name would have quickly disappeared anyway, with successive Calamities all but finishing the job. And as Hydaelyn became "the will of the Star", the planet's consciousness if you will, it makes sense her contact with the planet's inhabitants would result in her name becoming adopted as the world's name.

Really, I found the sudden shift to important npcs using the term 'Etheirys' for the world when they've been calling it 'Hydaelyn' all their lives to be rather jarring, but that was just me. Either way, Yoshi himself basically said "call it what you feel comfortable with, as all the names are really true", and because I'm stubborn, I'm going to keep calling the planet Hydaelyn, except in context of the Ancient world, when Etheirys is appropriate. But that's just me.

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Originally Posted by Enkidoh

And as Hydaelyn became "the will of the Star", the planet's consciousness if you will, it makes sense her contact with the planet's inhabitants would result in her name becoming adopted as the world's name.

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At least to me I thought it was the other way around where the people of our current world referred to the planet as "Hydaelyn" and those very few who found out about the Mothercrystal referred to Her with the same name since She was then the Will of the Star and may as well represent it as a whole. The EE mentions that the first documented Echo bearers described receiving visions from the planet itself and they were implementing "Hydaelyn's Will". I don't think enough people ever existed at one time who knew the "goddess" Hydaelyn existed to be able to influence worldwide society regarding the name of the planet.

We are Her "children" because we are children of the planet, is how I always took it at least. And She and the planet were viewed as the same entity with Her being named after the planet and Her existence is still unknown to the general public.

It would be nice to ask the devs sometime about this chicken and egg scenario though.

As far as the Sharlayans calling it Etheirys all of the sudden, I think they're just the types who, after finding out new info/terminology, feel that they should immediately adapt to it and use it in their everyday.

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Originally Posted by Enkidoh

It makes a kind of sense though for two reasons - Etheirys, as in, the original Ancient world, no longer exists and hasn't existed for 12000 years. It was Sundered into the Source and it's thirteen Shards. Additionally, as a result of the Sundering, everyone's memories were at the very least muddled, if not erased, so the very knowledge of the original name would have quickly disappeared anyway, with successive Calamities all but finishing the job. And as Hydaelyn became "the will of the Star", the planet's consciousness if you will, it makes sense her contact with the planet's inhabitants would result in her name becoming adopted as the world's name.

Really, I found the sudden shift to important npcs using the term 'Etheirys' for the world when they've been calling it 'Hydaelyn' all their lives to be rather jarring, but that was just me. Either way, Yoshi himself basically said "call it what you feel comfortable with, as all the names are really true", and because I'm stubborn, I'm going to keep calling the planet Hydaelyn, except in context of the Ancient world, when Etheirys is appropriate. But that's just me.

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Yeah, I think the mistake the OP made was presuming that the rename was intentional. There's no reason for that but ego, and Venat was not so egotistical. The name 'Hydaelyn' just caught on as the name of the planet because people kept awakening to the Echo, hearing the voice of someone named Hydaelyn, and going 'oh, that must be the planet'.

I personally disagree with everyone suddenly calling the planet Etheirys, but it was probably a benefit to clarity that they did for the expansion when both the planet and the god were both major factors. As to an in-universe reason, though... honestly, I'm gonna attribute it to the fact that everyone who does that is from Sharlayan, and Sharlayan as a nation is so nerdy and full of themselves that they'd absolutely lord a new way to be right over people. Basically, all of them are preparing for a chance to pull the 'actually, Frankenstein was the doctor's name' card.

For me it was also a little jarring that everyone calls the planet Ethyris. Moreso for people who weren't directly involved in the main goings-on...but that said it is very likely the Sharlayans long knew the true name due to communications with the Moonrabbits. Like Cleretic said, it's probably a bit of "scholarly arrogance" that the Sharlayans would want to show off, glasses adjustment and all.

It is a bit funny, in a:

Sharlayan Scholar: "Oh ho! We know the planet is actually named Etheirys!"

Random Ul'Dahn off the streets:"What's a 'planet'?"

Doesn't Lahabreha during his speeches in Prae use the word Planet or Star when he's calling Hydelean a parasite? I guess I wasn't confused by it since even before we hit HW the scions use planet and star when discussing why Ascians are so hard to kill. That and when we get told she took over the roll of the heart/will of the star I went Oh well I wonder what the name is then. Someone on here even questioned me what I meant. At the time I didn't have the energy to get into the whole well if she took over being the will of the star from Zodiark then obviously the planet can't be named that if she came after him and they both at one point didn't exist. So when we finally got the name I was like oh! okay. At least Etheris is better than the protagonist's name in XVI. Yes, I'm still very much Clive, really!?! Like Really? As the in game it makes sense for some people to know or understand and thus use it.

Not as funny as finding out that Bleep Blop or w/e they said actually is the name of the Omnicron's star in their tongue. Cause Omega says their home planet's name a few times while we're riding on Alpha's back. Just I don't think anyone thought that was anything else but like your typical machine noise/static type thing. At least to me it's funny.

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Originally Posted by SannaR

Doesn't Lahabreha during his speeches in Prae use the word Planet or Star when he's calling Hydelean a parasite? I guess I wasn't confused by it since even before we hit HW the scions use planet and star when discussing why Ascians are so hard to kill. That and when we get told she took over the roll of the heart/will of the star I went Oh well I wonder what the name is then. Someone on here even questioned me what I meant. At the time I didn't have the energy to get into the whole well if she took over being the will of the star from Zodiark then obviously the planet can't be named that if she came after him and they both at one point didn't exist. So when we finally got the name I was like oh! okay. At least Etheris is better than the protagonist's name in XVI. Yes, I'm still very much Clive, really!?! Like Really? As the in game it makes sense for some people to know or understand and thus use it.

Not as funny as finding out that Bleep Blop or w/e they said actually is the name of the Omnicron's star in their tongue. Cause Omega says their home planet's name a few times while we're riding on Alpha's back. Just I don't think anyone thought that was anything else but like your typical machine noise/static type thing. At least to me it's funny.

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In line with all that, post EW, I thought… why wasn’t the name of the planet Hydaelyn..? Like, why would even Venat need a new name for herself once she assumed “primal form”? I had always thought she just assumed the name of the planet in the vein of “I am become Gaia”. And if she was to become the will of Ethyris itself, why not just call herself Ethyris?

I get Zodiark as it is an original creation where someone was put into it to be the heart..but Venat..?

….my thoughts are that the devs just wanted everything related to Hyd and Zod over and done with entirely.

A brief, somewhat accurate version of how I remember the events leading into EW.

My first impression of the name of the world was actually "Eorzea". Nope. But thinking back on it, it makes way more sense when characters in ARR like Gaius ask, "Do you believe in Eorzea?"

Then I seem to remember that the funny voice talking to me, and summoning me to some weird place when I collect a crystal of light is named "Hydaelyn".

At this point, I am under the impression that Hydaelyn is the Mothercrystal, and the will of the Star. They are of the same name.

Game makes it painfully clear that a star is not a sun. A sun is a sun. A star is a planet, and the word "planet" does not really exist except in a similar concept that "Earth" is used. Kind of like how cookies in America are called biscuits in the UK and Australia, and what America calls biscuits, they call scones. But hey, not confusing, at all.

Planet Star name = Hydaelyn

Emet drops the bomb. Hydaelyn and Zodiark are primals. Mind blown. When the smoke clears, I realized that I have no idea what the name of the Star actually is. I guess it remains Hydaelyn for the time being.

Enter EW. Star's name is Etheirys. Cool. Better than Bob.

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Originally Posted by Gemina

Game makes it painfully clear that a star is not a sun. A sun is a sun. A star is a planet, and the word "planet" does not really exist except in a similar concept that "Earth" is used. Kind of like how cookies in America are called biscuits in the UK and Australia, and what America calls biscuits, they call scones. But hey, not confusing, at all.

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While only tangentially related, I know that calling the planet the 'star' is a real-world language thing. I've forgotten if the root was in Japanese or in ancient western societies, but I have heard in discussions about the game that calling the Earth a star was a 'thing' back before we really understood astronomy, so FFXIV borrowed that as a way to give the script some of that good old-timey gravitas. 'We have to save our star' has a bit more of a mystical weight than 'we have to save our world'.

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Originally Posted by Cleretic

While only tangentially related, I know that calling the planet the 'star' is a real-world language thing. I've forgotten if the root was in Japanese or in ancient western societies, but I have heard in discussions about the game that calling the Earth a star was a 'thing' back before we really understood astronomy, so FFXIV borrowed that as a way to give the script some of that good old-timey gravitas. 'We have to save our star' has a bit more of a mystical weight than 'we have to save our world'.

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Star can be a catch-all term to refer to any celestial object in the night sky that emits its own light. True hundreds of years ago, and remains so today. Earth would appear as a bright blue star to far away planets starting with Mars or Venus. However, my comments were derived off modern day terminology. But if I was to point out a planet to someone while sky watching, I would very likely say something along the lines of, "See that red star over there?"

Astronomy still is a mystical realm imo, as our civilization is still too young and has not advanced enough to grasp the universe beyond anything but that.

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Originally Posted by kaynide

In line with all that, post EW, I thought… why wasn’t the name of the planet Hydaelyn..? Like, why would even Venat need a new name for herself once she assumed “primal form”? I had always thought she just assumed the name of the planet in the vein of “I am become Gaia”. And if she was to become the will of Ethyris itself, why not just call herself Ethyris?

I get Zodiark as it is an original creation where someone was put into it to be the heart..but Venat..?

….my thoughts are that the devs just wanted everything related to Hyd and Zod over and done with entirely.

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To go along with what we told her I guess. How else do you keep your name in the minds of people while not wanting people to have to give prayers to you? We don't know how often people awoke to the echo during the time in-between the ramp ups to calamities where she if not at times Elidibus caused star showers type visions. I'm sure after some point in time after the sundering when the memories of the presundered world became murky the best guess as to what the name is world I guess would be those echo users. Depending on how quickly any information and memories of the presundered world deteriorated happened of course.

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Originally Posted by SannaR

We don't know how often people awoke to the echo during the time in-between the ramp ups to calamities where she if not at times Elidibus caused star showers type visions.

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1.0 gave a hint that in the 'calm' periods during Astral Eras it seemed to be very uncommon people for people to be awoken to the Echo, with a sudden 'rush' of new Echo users appearing being a strong indication a Calamity was approaching - Minfilia even stated this during 1.0's main scenario, that "after years of naught but rumours the past several moons have seen the hill of reports (of those awoken to the Echo) on my desk grow into a veritable mountain," so in between Calamities it was probably more "someone might inadvertently awaken to the Echo occassionally" without any influence from Hydaelyn.

Hydaelyn almost definetely knew when a Calamity was going to occur because of the aetherial flow suddenly occurring from a Shard back to the Source going from a trickle to a torrent as the Ascians schemed in the background to "upset the apple cart" so to speak and prime the two for a Rejoining, so the above "mass awakening to the Echo" was usually accurate that things were about to go very, very bad indeed.

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Originally Posted by Enkidoh

1.0 gave a hint that in the 'calm' periods during Astral Eras it seemed to be very uncommon people for people to be awoken to the Echo, with a sudden 'rush' of new Echo users appearing being a strong indication a Calamity was approaching - Minfilia even stated this during 1.0's main scenario, that "after years of naught but rumours the past several moons have seen the hill of reports (of those awoken to the Echo) on my desk grow into a veritable mountain," so in between Calamities it was probably more "someone might inadvertently awaken to the Echo occassionally" without any influence from Hydaelyn.

Hydaelyn almost definetely knew when a Calamity was going to occur because of the aetherial flow suddenly occurring from a Shard back to the Source going from a trickle to a torrent as the Ascians schemed in the background to "upset the apple cart" so to speak and prime the two for a Rejoining, so the above "mass awakening to the Echo" was usually accurate that things were about to go very, very bad indeed.

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Although remember that 1.0-only content isn't exactly reliable information and is prone to be retconned whenever convenient or appropriate. We do know of Echo-havers completely disconnected from any Calamities chronologically; Tiuna in the First, Tenzen in the Four Lords questline, although neither of them were noted as such at the time.

My feeling is that it's not just that the Echo is rarer outside of turbulent times (although it might be, given what we know is needed to awaken it), but that it's also much less likely to be recorded and documented appropriately. Again, Tiuna and Tenzen were just thought to be an oracle and great warrior respectively, maybe people among the original Knights Twelve or something had the Echo and it's just that nobody thought to check?

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Originally Posted by Cleretic

While only tangentially related, I know that calling the planet the 'star' is a real-world language thing. I've forgotten if the root was in Japanese or in ancient western societies, but I have heard in discussions about the game that calling the Earth a star was a 'thing' back before we really understood astronomy, so FFXIV borrowed that as a way to give the script some of that good old-timey gravitas. 'We have to save our star' has a bit more of a mystical weight than 'we have to save our world'.

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Modern Japanese still uses this;

The Kanji for Star (pronounced a few different ways, but as a sort of Adjective is "-sei"..pronounced "Say")

So, the Planet is "WakuSEI", or Mars is "KaSEI" (Fire + Star). Shooting star/Comet (and also Mercury, oddly enough) is "SuiSEI" (Water + Star)

Indeed, both Planet and Star translate to the kanji "星", which is pronounced either "Hoshi" or "WakuSEI"

I like to think they translated from JP to English and just liked the idea/archaic feel of using "star" for "planet".

With the Unending Codex in 6.1, we actually have an answer to this now

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The chosen few also spoke of being summoned to the heart of the star where, according to their testaments, awaited a pure and towering crystal. It is likely that said testaments gave rise to the appelation "Mothercrystal," as well as the usage of the word "Hydaelin" to refer to the star itself, though the precise point at which these terms became commonplace remains unknown.

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It sounds more like it was an unintentional side-effect of Hydaelin's Call across millennia, people just... thought the planet would share the same name, when they understood what a planet was in the first place.

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Originally Posted by WhiteArchmage

With the Unending Codex in 6.1, we actually have an answer to this now



It sounds more like it was an unintentional side-effect of Hydaelin's Call across millennia, people just... thought the planet would share the same name, when they understood what a planet was in the first place.

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Satisfying answer and an oversight by me. I should have realized this way earlier but thanks for sharing it!