3.4 speculation

[Laili]

I think 3.4-3.5 is going to culminate in a schism between the remaining Scions: Elidybus already has Uriangier listening to him, and Thancred will be easy to pry away if he dangles something about getting Minfillia back from her current state in front of him. I could see the dynamic duo going separate ways for a while as well; big Papa being concerned about his duties to the world at large vs Yda's efforts in aiding the Ala Mhigan resistance. I also think Alisae is gonna take her brother's spot as our chief sidekick for most of 4.0. And I know it'll never happen but if we get another "crew" together like we had through most of 3.0 I really want the Deftarm to come along wth us.

[Tracewood]

I think 3.4-3.5 is going to culminate in a schism between the remaining Scions: Elidybus already has Uriangier listening to him, and Thancred will be easy to pry away if he dangles something about getting Minfillia back from her current state in front of him.

It's possible, Alphinaud would want to focus on more diplomatic issues, rebuild the Crystal Braves, and lead the Rising Stones as I could imagine the Dragonsong war was taxing on him.

I'm inclined to assume about Thancred that we could find out that Minfillia's fusion with Hydaelyn is actually a tricked/forced abduction and the Ascians knew. Alisaie could easy spill the beans and he'd be the first to know... and he already feels pretty bitter about being unable to get Minfillia back. I get the feeling as WoL we aren't getting the full story and Ascians would rather play us as pawns than tell us straight. There is a faint hint with the W'soD that at some point Elidibus might of convinced them they're following a falsehood...

Or, they could be converted into Zodiark's thralls that were taken when Louisoix ported them away from the planet (The opening ARR cutscene) before Bahamut would finish them off. Even as powerful as Louisoix was, the Binding Coil story explains how he was being controlled by Bahamut when you see him in the SCoB cutscenes. We did see a CS of the W'soD attacking an Ascian in 3.1 in a place similar to when we talk to our crystal only to fade to white moments later.

EDIT: Come to think of it, this thrall thing, my jaunt through all of coil recently opened up some possibilities... Elidibus seems to be the most approachable character among his associates, oddly clad in white, while still having a dark secret he's keeping but right now he's on good terms with Urianger and assuming he's Unkawhatshisname (Kid-lidibus) master. I'll bet he has a much grander scheme and has been using the other Ascians... who also might just be merely thralls of Zodiark as a means to an end. Where as Lahabrea and co. want Zodiark to revive, where Elidibus seeks to reunite Zodiark with Hydaelyn... which might explain how Urianger seems to be "going along" with this idea so to speak.