Quote Originally Posted by Belhi View Post
I feel there has to be more than just needing a mouth piece for one message.
Absolutely, and I feel like that discussion is getting lost in the debate of whether Minfilia had a choice or not and whether Hydaelyn can be trusted because she (apparently - we don't actually know and this is based on conjecture...it's the part of WOTM that was once Minfilia that mentions offering to make a sacrifice, and right now that's the only link we have between Hydaelyn calling out to her and sacrifices) asked one of her most loyal followers to sacrifice herself.

I've been thinking about it all day, and right now I'm of the mind that Hydaelyn and Minfilia as separate entities as we knew them no longer really exist...which means both gave up who they essentially were to become something new as part of this last resort, which I believe changes the dynamic of Minfilia's loss as compared to her being called away to serve as an aetherial battery and message carrier.

If the heir of sorts turns out to be the case, you're even looking at her potentially being asked to join with another to ascend to godhood to protect Eorzea in ways she couldn't as a mortal.

As for the choice part that keeps getting discussed - at some point she did make a choice. That choice was to live her life a certain way in service to Hydaelyn and against the Ascians, and at some point along the way made the choice that she would keep at it even should it cost her her life. It's like a medic on a battlefield - his CO may have just given him an order to get over to another wounded soldier and try to save him, despite numerous obvious risks, and due to rank and training the medic would go and do it...

But at some point he decided he would become a medic and willingly put himself in those situations when the need arose, the way Minfilia seemingly has with the Scions and her life, and I think immediately calling into question whether she had a choice or not in that exact moment (based on, again, conjecture as to what Hydaelyn said to her based on a single word and a few seconds of a concerned look...the "No!" could just as easily been a half dozen other things, including something as simple as "You must leave the WoL to go on alone" and nothing more) lessens the agency she had in the past to decide to live (and continue to live) her life that way.