Revelations from SHADOWBRINGERS

[Lauront]

On that...

My problem with the childhood justifications is that they add little. They already used it for Vauthry and Livia, and it can only add so much and doesn't fundamentally shift the blame, other than serving as an excuse. One which is incapable of really doing much to colour his modus operandi. He killed his father - and the only reason was to prevent him from getting in his way in hunting you, and not for any perceived grievances against him. Plus we're just assuming he was a negligent father. However, that's besides the point. Those kind of justifications won't get much further than that, and with Zenos now into his adulthood, it's not like he'll just "see the light". Doesn't work that way with psychos.

It's more that his encounters with us, and just about everyone else, have been, as others put it, "one note" - and like Theodric said, he's not even that true to his word. With other antagonists, like the Empire, the Ascians, and others besides, there's at least lots of different ways they can manifest the pursuit of their agendas and deeper reasons behind them. As things stand, even Vauthry may end up being a better fleshed out (no puns intended) character than the princeling.

Again, given his mania with pursuing you, it makes sense that it would be he who would try hijack the two Crystals like that... let's just hope they find a way to improve how engaging he is as a character. I too would prefer he did not outlast Elidibus, yet SE do seem to have some Sephiroth-type nemesis story in mind for Zenos.

[Remedi]

Actually about that guy

Zenos is following Kefka's steps, both are blonde second in command of an empire who were subject to dangerous experiments and were deranged. Now Zenos has killed the emperor (whose crown resembled Ghesthal btw) and has said that he wants to get the power of a god. It is essentially Kefka's story arc. Also Zenos is following the character arc of corruption or fall, he was shown the truth of Stormblood which was the truth of everyone having second chances, but he rejected it completely believing in his lie and actually reaffirming it even more. He's incarnating the evil and serves as a foil to the nuanced characters that the ascians have become with Emet-Selch

[Dagget]

The whole underlying background story strongly reminded me of a particular movie starring Leslie Nielson.

[Bright-Flower]

I'm also kinda disapointed on the aspect of RP.

The story has very specific means and causes of the WOL and the specific scions being brought over. So there's really no way, as of 5.0, to have a RP character from the Source go to the First without some serious lore bending, and most rpers don't actually RP the warrior of light because RP is an interactive thing and the story is written around one singular warrior of light.

[Lauront]

I think a lot of us are.

And unless the worlds are bridged or joined somehow, it's going to remain irrelevant unless you are into RPing the whole WoL storyline, or a character from the First. So it's an opportunity to do that but sucks a little for existing plotlines in regards to any interaction with this new world... for now.

Actually about that guy

Zenos is following Kefka's steps, both are blonde second in command of an empire who were subject to dangerous experiments and were deranged. Now Zenos has killed the emperor (whose crown resembled Ghesthal btw) and has said that he wants to get the power of a god. It is essentially Kefka's story arc. Also Zenos is following the character arc of corruption or fall, he was shown the truth of Stormblood which was the truth of everyone having second chances, but he rejected it completely believing in his lie and actually reaffirming it even more. He's incarnating the evil and serves as a foil to the nuanced characters that the ascians have become with Emet-Selch

I can see that.

And you also have him wanting to exploit the Primal status of the two gods just to fuel his blood sport. Let's just hope they bolster his interactions a bit.

[EdwinLi]

Well it remains speculations no matter what

I could also say that the problem with your theory is, that its kinda a fairytail or miracle solution to it. That somehow we suddenly find a way (and are powerful enough) to put all the shards together without sacrifice. I find that in the story that they are trying to tell to be of very low chance and I dont really understand why we would even need that? Let the shards exists on their own. The only reason the ascians seemingly even want them to be back is because of wanting their death race back. Why would we need a merge? One new continent that is discovered would already create conflict, but here we are talking about whole worlds. Of course you can have your theory, but I really doubt that this is the end goal. Not when we are fighting for us to stay how we are. Not when we are in the story quite fine with the way our souls are right now. Unlike the Ascians we dont care if we are not "perfect". I think this might just end more with us gaining a complete understanding and us making sure that the worlds will be save.

Well there is much more going on than we originally believed due to the revelations in 5.0....

While yes, reaching a understanding and preserving what life is now with the shards would be a more direct story path, let us not kid ourselves that something in a future storyline won't force us to find a solution to create a Complete World without sacrificing lives with a Calamaity.

We yet to learn the cause of that original Calamity and I suspect the source of that Calamity will be returning in a future storyline, most likely after or during the final moments when we defeat the Ascions and Zodiark which looks like to be soon now they are down to their last Leader, to finish what it started and may not be possible to stop unless the world is complete so the world has enough strength to fight back.

The first time it happened the world did not fight back because it was considered giving up on living thus why the plan to create a actual will, being Zodiark, to fight back the Calamity was put into motion and also the lack of time to discover the source of this Calamity prevented them to find a alternate solution that will not require such large sacrifice of life.

Speaking of complete.....

I am curious how the story will progress to have our WoL gain back the remaining 5 fragments of his or her soul. The story seem to set this up as important and related to our WoL's Origins.

I think that we may begin to see visions of the Original Soul's memories later and more of it will be seen as WoL's soul becomes more complete. Though that does put into question what will become of our WoL and what effects will he or she experience other than just past life memories returning.

[JeanneOrnitier]

Implications regarding the shards and souls

Do you think Unukalhai is our soul split on the Thirteenth like Ardbert was on the First, and that's why Elidibus saved him?

[Arannon]

Implications regarding the shards and souls

Do you think Unukalhai is our soul split on the Thirteenth like Ardbert was on the First, and that's why Elidibus saved him?

Could be...

Its all speculation, and Unukalhai has been a character thats gone mostly unexplored so far...that said, he's a character thats gone mostly unexplored for two expansions now...and one that wasn't exactly main-plot relevant for his interactions the first time, which fits Ardbert and the others pretty well too minus their main plot relevancy...honestly, for all the talk of reforming WoL-Prime, I don't think we'll do that. I think we only managed Ardbert because he came to us initially, then went home...and then we had to go there and by the end of things we'd come to an understanding. I don't think it would work if they just kept chucking shards at us. There would have to be an understanding and an accord met between us and anyone else. That kinda thing takes time, heck it took us an entire expansion and a grave threat to our very existence to get Ardbert...I think instead, we'll get the history and lore behind it, but not the unlimited power of creation or status of being "a complete soul"...or if we do its gonna be something sudden, and most importantly, temporary...

[Bright-Flower]

Was there ever any touching upon the fact that the statues in Ampador had an uncanny resemblance to some of the sin eaters?

[Dualblade]

Was there ever any touching upon the fact that the statues in Ampador had an uncanny resemblance to some of the sin eaters?

No, not that I saw. Wouldn't surprise me if a future dungeon explores that though.

I have more thoughts to share but will have to be after work.