The Omega Weapon Arms Race -SPOILERS-

[Alenore]

You should think about actually watching the cutscenes and what they say to each other during the fight.
Like "This is not what I wanted" or "What is this, Ascian?!", or maybe "We'll talk about it later".

Gaius wanted to rule and conquer, not destroy everything using Ultima >.>

I'm quoting Lahabrea, when he's talking with Gaius.
Lahabrea : And so it shall, for the Ultima Weapon is host to a power of which your are as yet ignorant.
Gaius : Speak plainly, Ascian.
Lahabrea : The Heart of Sabik. It is the Weapon's core. An enigma whose surface even the vaunted scholar of ancient Allag failed to scratch. The magick within has laid dormant for eons.
Gaius : Of what magick do you speak?
Lahabrea : A spell without parallel... Ultima. I sought the life force of the primals for no other reason but to quicken the core.

Must I continue?

[Saikou]

You must. For all I see here is corroboration that Lahabrea had knowledge about all of this and, like any good mustache-twirling villain, was explaining the culmination of his evil plot. I never said Gaius wanted to destroy everything. That much was plain. Gaius was a tool for Lahabrea, much like Nael before him. Gaius was quite a bit more aware of the dangers of dealing in ancient tech as compares Nael, but he did it anyway. The fact that Ultima could fell Primals while leaving the land to be conquered... that's what it was all about to Gaius. Lahabrea deceived Gaius about Ultima's true nature. Lahabrea talks about the Heart of Sabik being an enigma. An enigma to the peoples of this time, no doubt. And to the Allag, as he says himself. Lahabrea knew, however, that putting distilled essence of primal into the Heart of Sabik would enable the use of Ultima the Magic. I am of the belief that the Ascians pre-date Allag by a significant period of time, that they know exactly what this tech is, and that they are playing the long game with this tech and anyone who would attempt to use this tech.

You mistake me for speaking of Gaius. No, I know what he wanted. To rule Eorzea by right of strength. This is why he despised Nael's methods - it was a scorched earth policy. Gaius wanted there to still be a civilization to rule over and said as much in 1.0 when he gave us the 7th legion troop movement info. Nael just wanted to conquer, and I have little doubt that the Ascians nudged him in the direction of being tempered by Bahamut. Gaius had his scruples, but Lahabrea still played him like a puppet. Ultima was no wild card. Lahabrea knew exactly what he was doing by delivering it into Gaius's hands. Lahabrea is seen among the members of the 14th legion before we encounter him with Gaius before the Ultima Weapon fight. I have little doubt that Lahabrea went to Gaius initially, at some point before ARR started, telling him that there was a way to end the primal threat that still remained without resorting to something as drastic as what Nael had done. Two ironies here being that the Ascians probably nudged Nael towards getting tempered by Bahamut and that Lahabrea was partially truthful in saying that Ultima Weapon could be used to subdue primals without collateral damage. But just as bringing down Dalamud was "The Ardor" for Ascians, they had an agenda for Ultima Weapon as well: Enabling the use of Ultima the Magic, which were of a far more destructive nature than the machine's conventional anti-primal use.

What I'm trying to say is that it's pretty foolish to try and insinuate that the Ascians are ignorant to anything that the Allagan Empire had access to. Lahabrea's comments indicate that there is much the Ascians know about things that were already ancient in Allagan times.

There are some things I'd like to see confirmed, but they are things that needn't be addressed in the story for it to have a satisfying conclusion. The two glaring issues I have with the story is why the Asicans are hands-off both Bahamut and The Crystal Tower right now. I believe that the atherial realm and the void are the same thing. If this is true, I am hopeful that Famfrit will be present when we confront The Cloud of Darkness.

Lack of Ascian involvement in other Allagan matters is not evidence of their ignorance of Allagan things.

[Alenore]

I said Gaius had no point about Ultima. The dialogue I just quoted shows he had no clue about Ultima. Thus your "Told him how to use it. Including the ultimate magic." was wrong. That's what I was correcting.

Obviously Lahabrea had knowledge about it, I said that Gaius didn't >_>

[Saikou]

I don't follow. You allege that Gaius had lost control of Ultima Weapon in phase 2?

[Alenore]

I do. Lahabrea took control of the thing and activated Ultima.
How could Gaius do it, if he didn't even know what Ultima or even the Heart of Sabik was?

[Orophin]

I don't follow. You allege that Gaius had lost control of Ultima Weapon in phase 2?

I do. Lahabrea took control of the thing and activated Ultima.
How could Gaius do it, if he didn't even know what Ultima or even the Heart of Sabik was?

Gaius's quotes throughout the fight kind of refute the fact he wasn't in control of the Ultima Weapon after Ultima was cast. He certainly wasn't in control AS it was being cast though.

[Alenore]

Okay let's make this clear.

- Lahabrea showed Gaius where Ultima Weapon was.
- Gaius and his team repaired the weapon for use.
- Gaius attacks primals and steal their essence.
- We fight Gaius in Ultima Weapon.
- Primal essences are torn from the Weapon.
- Lahabrea takes control against Gaius will and casts Ultima.
- Lahabrea GTFO because he's too full of himself and his little toy.
- Gaius keeps fighting us.
- Lahabrea tries to re-cast Ultima, we interrupt it by destroying the weapon.

What i'm saying since the beginning is Gaius had Ultima Weapon, used it to fight Primals, to try to kill us, but had absolutely NO idea what Ultima or the Heart of Sabik were, or what the Ascians meant to do with it.

Clear now?
For further reference, go run praetorium or watch cutscenes in your inn room. This is not worth talking about, it's clearly shown in a CS.

[Saikou]

This misunderstanding amuses me.

[Ultimatecalibur]

I suspect that OMEGA will be the final fight of 2.5 (what I suspect to be the last patch of the 2.X) and may involve the power of all 6 primals.

[Saikou]

On the assumption of a 3 month patch cycle and a 1 year expansion cycle, there would be no 2.5 patch. Omega or Ascians or any other manner of crazy shit (read: the primals we couldn't imagine which Yoshida spoke of) is a definite possibility for the finale of version 2, I'd say. If we cliffhang, it will involve Omega and Ishgard, I'm certain of that much. We already cliffhanged on the apparent death of someone significant, so i don't see that happening. The situation with Bahamut is the only thing I can see them tying a bow on. Everything else that is in motion has far reaching consequences. Ascians and primals because they never truly go away, CT because of the Void Gate which has been open for thousands of years.