What are the differences between the Echo and having Hydaelyn's Blessing? [Spoilers?]

[Anonymoose]

I'm not sure how much of this I'll be able to tease out by the end, but let's start with one thing:

But the primals are seldom satisfied with such reverence as their adherents freely give, and in order to gain more power, they do not scruple to create
 followers. They do this by "tempering" mortals—a process to which you yourself were subjected. Yet even as Ifrit took your comrades in his thrall, you alone remained unaffected. This is thanks to the power you possess—the Echo.

[ExKage]

I'm not sure how much of this I'll be able to tease out by the end, but let's start with one thing:

Thank you! This ties that up nicely.

I don't even remember why the crystals were so important. Does Hydaelyn's blessing do much except.... What did it do other than it somehow protected us from Ascians? What exactly is it, to be blessed by Hydaelyn?

Edit: From what I remember of the end cutscene (I might have been too busy going "oh SHIT!") Midgardsormr was mad after sending the dragons to kill you. He speaks to you and he realizes that you have Hydaelyn's Blessing. You're worried, he tells you he won't harm you, and then he strips the weak Hydaelyn's blessing???? and makes a covenant of his own with you. For what purpose? I assume we shall find out in 2.55 and 3.0.

Dragons are not Ascian friends. Dragons and Dravonians are at War with Ishgard. Ascians control Ishgard.

WELP

[lololink]

Thank you! This ties that up nicely.

I don't even remember why the crystals were so important. Does Hydaelyn's blessing do much except.... What did it do other than it somehow protected us from Ascians? What exactly is it, to be blessed by Hydaelyn?

The crystals removed the defences of the Ultima weapon too, it's basically an anti-zodiark weapon ( the core of Ultima Weapon is connected to Zodiark ).

[Delily]

Edit: From what I remember of the end cutscene (I might have been too busy going "oh SHIT!") Midgardsormr was mad after sending the dragons to kill you. He speaks to you and he realizes that you have Hydaelyn's Blessing. You're worried, he tells you he won't harm you, and then he strips the weak Hydaelyn's blessing???? and makes a covenant of his own with you. For what purpose? I assume we shall find out in 2.55 and 3.0.

I am going to go out on the limb and say stop the Ascians from reviving Zodiark. The various storms brewing around Eorzea are directly influenced by them.

[Alberel]

I don't even remember why the crystals were so important. Does Hydaelyn's blessing do much except.... What did it do other than it somehow protected us from Ascians? What exactly is it, to be blessed by Hydaelyn?

I always figured that the blessing of light was how Hydaelyn was able to directly intervene during the fight with Ultima Weapon in the Praetorium. It seemed to me that the combined six crystals of light basically gave her a means by which to manifest her power in the world. Somehow this also seemed to act as a barrier of sorts to the Ascians.

Edit: From what I remember of the end cutscene (I might have been too busy going "oh SHIT!") Midgardsormr was mad after sending the dragons to kill you. He speaks to you and he realizes that you have Hydaelyn's Blessing. You're worried, he tells you he won't harm you, and then he strips the weak Hydaelyn's blessing???? and makes a covenant of his own with you. For what purpose? I assume we shall find out in 2.55 and 3.0.

Dragons are not Ascian friends. Dragons and Dravonians are at War with Ishgard. Ascians control Ishgard.

WELP

One thing a lot of people seem to be assuming is that Midgardsormr himself bears some ill will against Ishgard. He never actually says this though. He says 'My people have heard the call. Ishgard will burn.' but goes on to mention it was not him that gave the call, but one of his children. He actually strikes me as being somewhat neutral in the whole affair, pointing out that Ishgard has made mistakes to anger the Dravanians, thus understanding why the war is happening but not explicitly taking sides.

In the same vein he regards us with bemusement. We have been chosen by Hydaelyn but he is not convinced of our worthiness of that blessing (very similar feeling to Ramuh here actually). He accepts Hydaelyn's judgement though and deigns to give us a chance (by not killing us). His removal of the blessing is curious though... In the Japanese translation he actually infers that the Ascians would find a way to remove it eventually anyway, and so his putting the power to use in creating a new body for himself is something of an efficient use of resources. Midgardsormr seems to be on the same side as Hydaelyn (or he at least has an understanding with her) but he is much more of a pragmatist. I'm personally expecting him to be our new Hydaelyn equivalent in the expansion, guiding (or at least observing) us in our task, but also having a much more ruthless approach to things...

I'm even wondering if Hydaelyn possibly intended for him to take the blessing and use the power to help us in her absence.

[Delily]

I always figured that the blessing of light was how Hydaelyn was able to directly intervene during the fight with Ultima Weapon in the Praetorium. It seemed to me that the combined six crystals of light basically gave her a means by which to manifest her power in the world. Somehow this also seemed to act as a barrier of sorts to the Ascians.

One thing a lot of people seem to be assuming is that Midgardsormr himself bears some ill will against Ishgard. He never actually says this though. He says 'My people have heard the call. Ishgard will burn.' but goes on to mention it was not him that gave the call, but one of his children. He actually strikes me as being somewhat neutral in the whole affair, pointing out that Ishgard has made mistakes to anger the Dravanians, thus understanding why the war is happening but not explicitly taking sides.

In the English version, he said that "sons must pay for the sins of their fathers" and "Ishgard will burn". He is decidedly not neutral. Given he didn't appear until the Empire invaded, I don't think he really as much stake in the war between the Dravians and Ishgard. However, given that Ishgard is now completely corrupted, I think he has taken a more vested interest in ensuring the dravians gain the upper hand.