[ SPOILER ] Appreciation: Thank you VERY much Dev Team...

[Ramesses]

Agreed on most counts!

The first thing I'm holding my breath for is an explanation for the astounding coincidence that they just happened to crash their airship ten yalms from a guy we haven't seen since 2.00.

However, the one thing we may disagree on is his trajectory from here.

I could write 20 pages on this to be sure, but I assume you know enough about the man to know where I'm coming from when I ask: Has he learned the flaws in his leadership? His blindness to the compounding effects of context? Is he fit to rule? Does he want to rule? If the influence of the Populares flourishes, would his rule even be welcome or consistent with its values? Maybe ... maybe not.

Nitpickery: Gaius is about 57. Compared to Count Edmont at almost 60, his appearance seems reasonable enough.

Exactly right, Moose...what's a novella between two wind-bags who've been playing from the start? Indeed! Coming to think of it, the speculations we drum up on this forum is enough for the Devs to make a whole novel. I really wish I had more time to chime in more often because I keep seeing really great comments here on the Lore section but no time to read them all or respond. Not to mention all the previous speculations on other FFXIV boards for at least a year before the game released. My God, the discussions back then were amazing... good times indeed.

Alright first off, I will hold up a hand in friendly disagreement regarding Gaius' age... (this one gave me some head scratching yesterday while I was writing my post)... but I still believe he's encroaching sixty. Here's why:

Per our current Encyclopedia... (yes yes Moose, I know it still has a few howlers within)... he was just shy of turning 58 when he "disappeared". And since 2.0 the following has occurred (not particularly in this order):

• The Scions relocated to Mor Dhona, Alphinaud developed the Crystal Braves, we fought off Leviathan, King Moogle and I think some other primal (Ramuh?)
• The battle of succession broke out in Garlemald which is around the time Doma attempted to declare independence (which went belly up and cost them the life of Hein's father Kaien).
• We took in Yugiri and the Doman exiles and helped them build a home in Mor Dhona
• We dived into the events of the Isle of Val, the disappeared Students of Baldesion and Urianger's research into the Ascian's ability to move between planes...while also being meddling nuisances.
• We established closer ties with Ishgard through Hauchy, met Aymeric, and then dealt with all the unrest crap in Ul’dah --- which ends with Raubahn discovering that Teledji was masterminding it all, and cuts down the little muppet.
• Sultana subsequently "falls into deep sleep" the Crystal Braves betray us and we run for our lives to Ishgard. Thus I reckon we spent maybe 8 to 12 months.
• Heavensward kicks in; with the events leading up to Palalymo's sacrifice at Baelsar's wall easily taking up about roughly a year.
• On to Stormblood and I reckon we've been running about for perhaps...for lack of any real timetable... lets just say three months.

So I'd say it may have been at least two years since the events of 2.0; Hence why I pegged our Wolf at around sixty. I could be wrong, I could be spot on... I'm honestly not too hooked onto that detail. He still looks great for that age though... wonder what his diet is? I'm thinking he also works out often... he definitely needs great core strength to carry Heirsbane about.

By the way, heads up that my responses may seem haphazard because I'm jumping between a few posts while also trying to clarify my thoughts as they emerge.

Next item is one I have to wholeheartedly agree with you about... and that is the insane astounding coincidence that Alphy and Maxima crashlanded near Gaius... I'm glad it wasn't just me who caught on to that. And this is one of the reasons why I mentioned above that it is imperative for the Devs to make his "backstory" solid, make it believable, make it organic, make it true to his character and to the character of the FFXIV universe.. This is so very, very, very, important so that his tale doesn't fall flat on its face.

Finally, yes... per where our trajectories may diverge, I reckon this is where our discussion really evolves into a great seminar... and I'm honored to be in attendance.

Lets be honest, Gaius was born into an era when the Garlean Empire was very young and the imperial mandate was that of survival (then expansion) through military strength. Here is my little math and subsequent analysis of his early life:

• Gaius would have been born when the Solus was around 30+ years old-- here's how I arrived at that: Solus died at 88 when Gaius was around 57 going on 58.
• By the way Moose... just to go off-tangent a little: Did you remember the speculative discussions way back in early 1.0 days (before we even knew how the Imperial power structure and naming conventions were defined)... that Gaius may have even been Solus' son?--Adopted or biological--- or illegitimate, I forget which. I'll look for the thread... it may have been on these forums, on Allakhazam or FFXIVCore. This notion actually did pop up a few times over the years.
• But let's proceed. Note that Solus had become Legatus in 1513 at age 24 and declared Dictator in 1517 when he was just 28... which meant Gaius' viewpoint of the world from birth or an early age was one of imperial expansion and conquest through strength. That word Strength would become his mantra word and its safe to assume that he would gradually begin to base a lot of his ideals and beliefs on that word.
• Add to the fact that this chap diligently studied the elkons, the Twelve, the mysteries of Hydaelyn, military tactics, politics, governance... heck, he even had his own memoirs and dairies which became legend.
• Hence, we get to formulate the picture of a guy who not only drinks from the Imperial Kool Aid but knows how to brew it. His people had been trampled on like trash for centuries and cornered to live in the cold reaches of Northern Ilsabard until they discovered Blue Gold (Ceruluem)... can you blame him?
• He understood the essence of sheer loyalty to his Emperor, the conquest ideals of the Garlean empire to bring order and the big picture of what it really took to hold an empire together. Thus, one can't blame him for his sheer justification in how he believes the Empire is forging ahead with their beliefs.

And this is where the WOL's views start to oppose from his... what gives these Garleans the right to stamp their mandate on the rest of the world while creating chaos in their wake? How dare they think their battle to extinguish the elkons gives them an excuse to establish global order? And then grabbing up foreign youngsters to press into military service while promising them citizenship after 20 or 25 years of service? How dare they expend other people's lives in this manner? And so many more "how dare theys".

However, low and behold this Garlean is different... sure, he's not as radically different like Cid, Biggs, Wedge, Lucia and so on. No, this chap understands a more sinister underpinning to the aether energies, the Ascians, the crystals, the Twelve... and more importantly, he understand a few of the basic elements that holds an empire together:

• A powerful military to sustain order and protect NOT brutalize (for instance his leadership of his legions, unlike Zenos)
• A meritocracy system based on sheer ability and not race or citizenship (for instance, look at how he treats his lieutenants)
• A vision to sustain the resources, infrastructure and cultures of the various nations under their rule (for instance, his bloodless conquest of Ala Mhigo)

I saw all this and I grudgingly begin to admire the guy... it's as if he has memorized every word of Sun Tzu's Art of War. Granted, his views have flaws but step into his shoes and we start to see this multifacet set of ideals which makes one begins to wonder if he has the makings of a true Garlean Emperor... a Philosophical King if you will. He definitely had the resume to back it up. Cid is of course one of the first to call him out on several things in 1.0... and he hit a raw nerve in Gaius so bad that he actually shot him in anger. Remember that? (see image below)



Yet even Cid has his own flaws and I LOVE it that Nero finally called him out on one of them during the last Sigmascape srory arc. But I digress, that's another debate for another time.

Here's what I will add though; my main excitement for his return stems from the fact that he seemingly now understands there were inherent flaws in his ideals; and the Garlean mandate does not fully apply in these new times. A new ideal needs to be established for Garlemald, much more tolerance for other nations needs to be established, and the Garleans need to clean house from within post haste. The new civil war between the Populares and the (Optimates?) should be very very interesting... and who knows, even House Darnus or some other Larsa-like entity may emerge to lay claim to the throne. Right now, House Galvus are getting a little... weird.

Therefore, the fact that Gaius is hunting down Ascians solidifies this whole thing for me... once again, he's seeing the big picture with sheer clarity and actually acting upon it (although there is some revenge streak embodied somewhere in there).