The Road to 5.0

[LineageRazor]

Yeah there's different gender neutrals for King, I stated in another thread this isn't unusual as the same thing happened to a degree with the Berserk manga with the "Flowerstorm King"

I don't know if it uses the same kanji, or whatever, but to discover that the "Demon King" is actually a (young, beautiful) woman is practically a cliche in anime and manga, so that term is apparently gender neutral as well.

[Anonymoose]

<snip>

Is part of this seeming inconsistency that it's assumed that I count Regula's actual death as a result of Eldiibus's meddling? That I do not.

I think it's poetic (arguably ironic) that Unukalhai fumbled Eldiibus's attempt to move the chess pieces around only for Regula to die anyway by sacrificing himself for the person who just tried to get him killed. But that Elidibus attempted at all I use to infer context for his other actions vis a vis Varis.

I think it's part of why Unukalhai might break from Elidibus's mentorship program; he clearly used him and gave him incomplete information, whereas now he has comrades and got some first-hand experience with camaraderie, honor, and sacrifice. But I'll go back and read all those lines again in the other langues and see if anything is more explicit.

[QT_Melon]

I don't know if it uses the same kanji, or whatever, but to discover that the "Demon King" is actually a (young, beautiful) woman is practically a cliche in anime and manga, so that term is apparently gender neutral as well.

From what I understand, Japanese often allows for more gender neutral pronouns/ honorifics (uses, suffixes whatever you call it), vs English. This is because of religion/mythology as far as I remember. I'm not a Japanese expert nor linguist.

However, I believe someone in another thread mentioned they saw the ou honorific being used

[Anonymoose]

But I'll go back and read all those lines again in the other langues and see if anything is more explicit.

The first scene is the same in every language.

Unukalhai informs everyone that Urianger's ward has been dismantled in mere bells and Regula moves for the information within - and specifies that he knows what the contents are and that the results would be disastrous. Y'shtola recognizes that he couldn't possibly know all of this and asks if he came by the information by way of Elidibus. Unukalhai pauses for a moment and affirms, depending on the language complimenting Y'shtola's insight.

He then pivots to, "This is a great opportunity to annihilate his unit!", a suggestion to which everyone is taken aback, as all they've ever discussed was protecting the secrets of Allag and preventing their fall into the wrong hands. They comment that surely Unukalhai isn't so bloodthirsty and he lets it go.

There are some slight differences when Urianger confronts Unukalhai. In Japanese, the accusation is much less flowery. Urianger's response to Unukalhai's, "You accuse me?" is "Your master planned, and you executed. That was his plan yes? To lure them into a [mouse trap] whereby they would have no escape against the Warrior of Light?" Unukalhai asks the basis of this accusation, Urianger lays it out (the flow of information, the phrasing Unukalhai used, the fact the ward shouldn't have been able to be dispelled), and Unukalhai affirms he's correct.

In German, this includes Urianger stating that Unukalhai's stressing the "annihilation" of Regula's unit was part of what gave away that Elidibus was behind it, and that the proof is in that Unukalhai had more information than any of the Scions did in the first place. In French he points out that Regula getting ahold that information before they did was not only obviously their doing, but disturbingly reckless.

Urianger agrees to keep it secret, pointing out that Unukalhai's true mistake was using words that were not his own and not being honest with his comrades. Unukalhai truly believed that it was the right thing to do, but was convinced that they'd never go along with it. If he'd shared everything up front, they would have reasoned with him and he likely would have come to their conclusion rather than his master's. Perhaps they even could have modified the plan to be less risky and more effective.

One thing I'd skimmed by ten times but never recognized the importance of was that Urianger's forgiveness of Unukalhai was partially based on that the boy tends to struggle to maintain a grip on reason when it comes to matters concerning primals, suggesting Elidibus manipulated the emotions tied to the fall of his world.

The same hints are stressed in the same order at the same time. "How did you get this information?" / "So Elidibus planned and you executed?" / "You should have just talked to us!"

Am I blind to that I'm making a leap of faith in buying that story as opposed to taking a short hop from unassembled puzzle to assembled puzzle?

[CaesarCV]

Sorry in advance if this is an unpopular opinion...but I feel like I should step in anyway ha ha.

I honestly think that this back and forth about Regula is kind of focusing way too much on the trees than the forest. Or maybe a bit of warped perspective. Regula frankly isn't that huge or vital of a character. He's a member of the supporting cast from a mostly isolated Trial storyline, having only a little bit of spillover into the MSQ mostly to allude to his role in said isolated Trial Storyline. He's a fun character and I certainly like our fallen Legatus, but at the same time he's not terribly important to the macro structure of the game. One of his main roles is to set up a bait and switch where it looks like he'll be similar to a famous FFVI character (Kefka) and actually turns out to be the FFXIV counterpart to someone totally different (General Leo). He also presents a more heroic, honorable side to Garlemald, even if he still spends most of the plot screaming about how the Eorzeans are stupid savages and trying to claim powerful technologies. Regula's backstory as a loyal soldier of Varis but also a famed slayer of aspirants to the throne is a setup to fit his role in the story. But outside of this particular story there's not much reason to consider him.

My primary evidence? After the Triad Storyline he has never been mentioned again. Not even by his supposed best buddy Varis. The Emperor has NEVER MENTIONED REGULA, HIS DEATH, or FAILURE. He has not opined for his most loyal soldier, he has not grumbled about how if Regula had captured the technology he could have turned it against the Ascians, he never even seemed to react to his death at all. (On a side note this kind of tracks with how cold Varis is generally presented, given that he barely had any reaction to his son's death). Elidibus sent Unukulhai to trick the scions into dealing with the Warring Triad for him. They were a threat and could screw up the planet in a way that might not constitute a rejoining. Maybe Elidibus figured that preventing the Garleans from getting the tech was a good thing too...but in general that seems more Unukulhai's doing than his master's.

Unukulhai could definitely come up again since he's confirmed to be alive, but I honestly think that going back and forth about the meaning of Regula's death as some sort of Ascian plot is really missing the point entirely. There seems to be this image of Regula as a super vital character and big piece of the puzzle...but I think that it's just everybody being misled and overthinking it. Then again, what do I know? I am but one voice among many...

[Theodric]

The Warring Triad quests were originally going to be part of the MSQ's until they were split into a side quest to make them easier for impatient players to unlock. Regula also showed up in the MSQ's prior to that which makes the lack of acknowledgement of his existence after his demise all the more jarring. It has very little to do with Varis ignoring him and everything to do with the unfortunate way in which content is isolated in different bubbles at times.

That aside, he's a fairly popular and memorable character for many. I frequently see him praised on Reddit and considered to be wasted potential. Which, I might add, is precisely the same attitude many had towards Gaius. I wouldn't consider him to be a minor character in the slightest, since he's one of the few prominent Garleans that we've encountered who actively sought to root out corruption from within.

[WhiteArchmage]

Regula being "forgotten" by the MSQ is an unfortunate side-effect from being relegated to "side-story" content. As we've seen previously with G'raha Tia, Mide, Unukalhai himself, and very likely Alpha (although I have a feeling we'll see him around as an Easter Egg, more than he already shows up randomly). The MSQ has little ways in which to acknowledge Side Story content, mostly because it's harder to make several versions of the same scene with the variations it would entail (not impossible, however, seeing how one of the end quests for 2.55 has different dialogue if you: never unlocked ACN; unlocked it; unlocked it but DIDN'T do the quest Tataru's doing...)

The point: Since Regula was introduced in the MSQ, the theory does hold some weight, or at least has the side effect that it removes an unconditional ally from Varis against Solus and Elidibus.

[Cybylt]

I don't think it's entirely fair to put the others up with G'raha who literally locks himself away in a vault.

[RenewalXVII]

As I see it, until the Triad quests are made MSQ requirements like the original Hard Mode primals were, Regula can only matter to the MSQ insomuch that he is currently separated from Varis, leaving the Emperor friendless and alone and thus more malleable for Elidibus. If it is not required by the MSQ, then the narrative logic of the MSQ must still be sound even if the player had skipped over the trials, and effectively left Regula alive with his men on Azys Lla. Unukalhai suffers a similar fate: the MSQ must be able to stand on its own even if the player has never met Unukalhai and left him alone to monitor the Triad in Azys Lla.

[Mansion]

So the 4.5 Patch site has been updated with Part II's info.
Something that struck me:

English :

With their negotiations in tatters, the Eorzean Alliance must shore up its defenses as the Empire brings its might to bear on the Ala Mhigan border. In a bid to tip the scales, the Warrior of Light rushes to join the fray, and all the while a mysterious voice beckons... Can Eorzea's champion resist the call, or will this otherwordly requiem claim its final victim?

French

Les négociations avec l'Empereur Varis ont été rompues au terme d'une réunion riche en révélations fracassantes. Soutenus par l'Alliance et la coalition orientale, le Guerrier de la Lumière et ses amis ont peu après remporté leur première victoire sur le champ de bataille. Toutefois, l'issue de la guerre s'annonce des plus incertaines, et au cœur des Ténèbres de Ghimlyt, une étrange voix se mêle au chant ininterrompu des canons. Un drame semble vouloir s'y jouer, mais pour qui ? Pour qui résonne ce lugubre requiem ?

My translation : Negociations with Emperor Varis have been brought to an end after a meeting full of breaking news. Backed by the Alliance and the Oriental Coalition, the Warrior of Light and their friends have won their first victory on the battlefield just after. However, the outcome of the war is uncertain, and in the Ghimly Dark, a strange voice is mixing with the relentless song of cannons. A drama seems to be pending*, but for whom? For whom is ringing this gloomy requiem?
* there's a small "pun" here, in French the words used could be read as a metaphor for a theater play ("Drame" means both the dramatic/grave event and a play).

So the French is more specific on the battle itself but it does not mention anything about "the tip of the scales". The musical metaphor is more developed in French too. And French does not say the Calling voice is actually calling the WoL, as it asks the question "for whom is it calling"?

The differences are quite interesting...