[Spoilers] Why Zenos is the most important character moving forward

[RopeDrink]

Meanwhile, we can also criticize the course of the story that Square Enix decided to change, if we feel that it unceremoniously drops plot points that we feel they have been building up.

What was dropped? Zodiark/Hydalaen is one of the current threads. We've just had Emet giving his explanation of his version of their origins and prevented his plans. Now we're likely going to find out if they can be tapped for power - which is different to what Zenos achieved with Shinryu. This will likely result in more work to free Zodiark, unless Zenos goes for Hydalaen. The events on the first prevented a lightbound calamity of sorts, but the Zodi/Hyd angle has been waiting to be pushed, and here it is getting teased. We are going to learn even more about them - and it won't be pleasant information.

The Empire v Alliance war was left fresh in mind when we left for the First and will be resolved when we return, for good or bad. Not only that but it will likely result in something very final for the Empire as a whole, beit its destruction or reformation. This has been ongoing for ages and, once again, things are being teased.

With the death of Emet, the Ascian plot now turns to Elidibus as the sole survivor who will be taking matters into his own hands.

I see nothing being dropped. The situation on the first was tied up quite nicely, with just enough semi-loose threads to pull while we wait for Elidibus to start causing First-Trouble. The game has been heavy on Empire & Ascian matters since ARR and one of its constants. It's still going. Meanwhile, Source events will eventually reach a boil that will no doubt demand our attention and lead to some serious shenanigans.

I seem to be one of few people who are genuinely excited to see how scary and nasty this gets, which it can (and likely will) after the success of SHB and its darker (re. lighter) themes.

I think you've completely missed my point.

No, you did. The post had less to do with affirming Square's ownership and more to do with pointing out that none of us are an authority on what is or should be 'the story' as a whole when criticizing it (mostly reference to the whole 'derailment' trite when, in reality, it's all relevant - just done at the hands of a character some people don't like). They're pushing it in a direction and it's going there. You don't have to like how it goes and you don't have to like certain characters (and there's nothing wrong with discussing or criticizing it if that is the case - that is what we are here for), but everything Zenos did relates to matters that have been prevalent both in the past and present of the story and they're pushing it into an obvious direction, not derailing it. Comments like "Yeah, well, X villain could have done the same" is not helpful, nor is bashing characters based on what we believe was/is/should be the story (rather than what it officially is).

They've constantly teased the current weakness of the Scions, constantly teased chemical weapons which we've discovered was a cause of a future calamity and the death of the WoL, but in the words of Estinien (from memory, so not 100%) - "What now? The game is the same but the pieces have changed" - and they're changing to someone who you really, really don't want to have a hand in Source matters. Someone who absolutely WOULD hunt down those Scions and slay them in their 'sleep', someone who WOULD use Black Rose if it suited him (or instigated situations where others use it instead), someone who WOULD pursue Zodi/Hyde and cause absolute annihilation by releasing them, slaying them or using them - all without any kind of care for what is wrought. And with potential Warriors of Light getting involved to stop us as well, just like the Ascian's used before?

Bad news bears for the source and I'm looking forward to seeing how it pans out.