I'm all for clever localization but please don't just leave out important story.

[Kayokane]

From Zantitrach post

JP: Could it be, you think him special? Hydaelyn, you wish me to grant him power?
EN: Hearken to me, Hydaelyn! I remember... and I consent.

In Japanese, he has doubts about we being chosen, he even questions Hydaelyn's decision because he sees it as something surprising, and he finally acts like if he were listening to Hydaelyn's words telling him to give us more power.

In English, he tells Hydaelyn to listen his words, by saying "i remember and i consent" he makes reference to a kind of pact between him and Hydaelyn, and he implies his acceptance of Hydaelyn's decision based on that non-existent (for now at least) pact, in no moment he seems to be listening to Hydaelyn's words.

There are many ways to interpret that JP line,and some of those ways does correspond with the EN line, one being Midardsormr could be thinking out loud about an earlier discussion or promise to Hydaelyn, where she asks him to grant her chosen champion power. Of course this speculation is taken fully out of the context of the entire discussion using only the lines you considered worthy of showing and therefor is inherently less reliable then speculation made in relation to the full context of the dialog (well monologue because WoL don't talk in a way the player can hear)

[Renik]

There are many ways to interpret that JP line,and some of those ways does correspond with the EN line, one being Midardsormr could be thinking out loud about an earlier discussion or promise to Hydaelyn, where she asks him to grant her chosen champion power. Of course this speculation is taken fully out of the context of the entire discussion using only the lines you considered worthy of showing and therefor is inherently less reliable then speculation made in relation to the full context of the dialog (well monologue because WoL don't talk in a way the player can hear)

JP: This light... You protect him! Hydaelyn, you bestow more power on this one, who already bears the Echo!
EN: Hmph. Trickery is they shield. This frail, ignoble creature is not gifted, but chosen...

Here you have the rest of the text where he seems to be talking to Hydaelyn, in the first he talks to Hydaelyn, we can't know if she is listening or not, as you said this is just speculation until we can advance in the story, but EN text just implies how Midgar notices Hydaelyn's intentions in our power.

Also i have took the sentences from Zantitrach's post, who disagrees with me, i have not been tricky or tried to hide anything, you can check the whole text in the previous page (depending on your forum settings).

[Kayokane]

JP: This light... You protect him! Hydaelyn, you bestow more power on this one, who already bears the Echo!
EN: Hmph. Trickery is they shield. This frail, ignoble creature is not gifted, but chosen...

Here you have the rest of the text where he seems to be talking to Hydaelyn, in the first he talks to Hydaelyn, we can't know if she is listening or not, as you said this is just speculation until we can advance in the story, but EN text just implies how Midgar notices Hydaelyn's intentions in our power.

Also i have took the sentences from Zantitrach's post, who disagrees with me, i have not been tricky or tried to hide anything, you can check the whole text in the previous page (depending on your forum settings).

In both versions context I think that the light surrounding the WoL would most likely be Hydaelyn "speaking up" in defense of her champion whom maybe was feeling threatened by Middy's tone or something (or in the EN version the fact that he more or less says he's going to kill you) This Seems like a far stretch to me to be honest but it would encompass both localizations, assuming both to be canon of course.

[Renik]

In both versions context I think that the light surrounding the WoL would most likely be Hydaelyn "speaking up" in defense of her champion whom maybe was feeling threatened by Middy's tone or something (or in the EN version the fact that he more or less says he's going to kill you) This Seems like a far stretch to me to be honest but it would encompass both localizations, assuming both to be canon of course.

I see your point, from a more or less speculative perspective, you could say Hydaelyn is talking to him in both versions, but in this case only in the Japanese one Middy (gonna borrow this lol) seem to be talking to her, while in EN it looks more like a monologue with the player as an spectator, may be it's just me, but i see a big difference here.

[Intaki]

JP: This light... You protect him! Hydaelyn, you bestow more power on this one, who already bears the Echo!
EN: Hmph. Trickery is they shield. This frail, ignoble creature is not gifted, but chosen...

Here you have the rest of the text where he seems to be talking to Hydaelyn, in the first he talks to Hydaelyn, we can't know if she is listening or not, as you said this is just speculation until we can advance in the story, but EN text just implies how Midgar notices Hydaelyn's intentions in our power.

Except that both of those lines can be interpreted to mean the exact same thing. You assume that in the first he's speaking to Hydaelyn, while it is entirely plausible he's just speaking to himself (something Japanese characters have a tendency to do a lot). Anyone who watches anime or Japanese soaps can attest to that.

[Ellatrix]

Except that both of those lines can be interpreted to mean the exact same thing.

Yea, you can say that.. after reading the direct JP translation to be able to make that judgement. Without that comparison, drawing that interpretation from the NA text alone becomes....... no. You aren't going to get the same thing out of it. Which is the issue.

[Intaki]

Yea, you can say that.. after reading the direct JP translation to be able to make that judgement. Without that comparison, drawing that interpretation from the NA text alone becomes....... no. You aren't going to get the same thing out of it. Which is the issue.

Well I, and others, did so... yeah...

[Renik]

Except that both of those lines can be interpreted to mean the exact same thing. You assume that in the first he's speaking to Hydaelyn, while it is entirely plausible he's just speaking to himself (something Japanese characters have a tendency to do a lot). Anyone who watches anime or Japanese soaps can attest to that.

You are right, both can be interpreted the same way, but in the English one it's harder to think he's actually talking to Hydaelyn.

Well I, and others, did so... yeah...

Not the others, stop assuming others got the same interpretation, this part of the text have not been discussed in the thread, speak for yourself and don't assume we have to believe you every time you say you got that interpretation without being affected by the Japanese lines, because to this point it seems like you have got too many interpretations, in that case it will only prove how the EN text is not clear even for you.

[Zohar_Lahar]

Yea, you can say that.. after reading the direct JP translation to be able to make that judgement. Without that comparison, drawing that interpretation from the NA text alone becomes....... no. You aren't going to get the same thing out of it. Which is the issue.

Maybe you can't, but some others can by paying attention and thinking it over. Either way, the differences don't seem to be as significant as people are making it out to be.

[Ellatrix]

Maybe you can't, but some others can by paying attention and thinking it over. Either way, the differences don't seem to be as significant as people are making it out to be.

I'm talking about the entire conversation, not just one particular point. They are quite different.