The Origins of the Dragonsong War - doubts [HW spoilers]

[Cilia]

While the scene doesn't paint the Ishgardians as cackling villains, it does confirm the truth (it's an Echo flashback, so it actually happened).

My wager is that the remaining Knights were already regretting Thordan's decision (and their decision to go along with him). Haldrath condemns himself to the fate of the Azure Dragoon ("a hells-bound hunter of dragons"), two of the knights state they've had enough of betrayal and bloodshed and are going to go live normal lives, and the four that remain seem to take up stewardship of the throne only out of duty.

... the villains aren't usually cackling, finger-tenting madmen. They're normal people just doing what they think is right.

[Fenral]

... the villains aren't usually cackling, finger-tenting madmen. They're normal people just doing what they think is right.

And as long as they understand that our right is objectively better, there's no need for conflict, right? XD (Grats on DRK 50)

Even just considering how most of 2.X's level-cap dungeons played out, I definitely feel like we'll have a reason to go back to the Aery (The Aery (Hard)?). The description on the Lesser Panda minion also seems to suggest he was brought over by "a certain Imperial Legatus," but we haven't seen any imperials around there, yet.