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

[Ayuhra]

Truthfully I've always thought that Zenos was a terrible villain and he was and remains very uninteresting to me personally.

I loved Nidhogg as a villain and Emet Selch was absolutely fantastic as a villain too. I was hoping that we'd finally finish off Zenos at the end of Stormblood and really didn't like how that played out.

Honestly, I hope that we kill him off soon (even though I don't think we will) so that we can get back to more interesting villains. A good villain can help make or break a story.

One potential I can see in Zenos is he could really shake up the Garlemald plotline. To me that was always the least interesting story. Imperialistic, technologically advanced empire conquers nations is the backbone to every second video game ever made, I swear.

But Zenos has killed the emperor and is now in charge. He doesn't care to conquer, he just wants to hunt prey. AND he now knows about the reflections of the Source.

Garlemald's role in the story will be a lot different going forward.

[Daralii]

One potential I can see in Zenos is he could really shake up the Garlemald plotline. To me that was always the least interesting story. Imperialistic, technologically advanced empire conquers nations is the backbone to every second video game ever made, I swear.

But Zenos has killed the emperor and is now in charge. He doesn't care to conquer, he just wants to hunt prey. AND he now knows about the reflections of the Source.

Garlemald's role in the story will be a lot different going forward.

Assuming it continues to exist. If Zenos abandons his newfound position as Emperor, the empire faces a civil war of unprecedented proportions.

[Ayuhra]

Assuming it continues to exist. If Zenos abandons his newfound position as Emperor, the empire faces a civil war of unprecedented proportions.

That would also be a shake up!

I don't know about "unprecedented" though. Solus left a giant civil war in his wake by not selecting an heir. Had Varis not stepped up to take the throne, that would have sunk Garlemald.

[RopeDrink]

Elidibus admitting he could no longer control the currents of time was an admission of himself being thwarted. His plan requires nothing less then to shape history.

Nope, still not seeing an admission of being thwarted. The flow of history becoming muddied (after a big timey-wimey expansion where even Emet was surprised/intrigued by the CE's shenanigans) is pretty generic. Aside from a constant mention of their immortality and Emet's passive interest in the CE / how he got to the first with the tower, time isn't something I associate much with the Ascians, other than the fact that it is a massive luxury of theirs thanks to being immortal. Elidibus speech is basically a quick recap on events with a hint of future ones. He describes the hurdles (in his typical nonplussed way), gives a "You've won the battle but not the war" speech about Hyde/the past dissenters of Amaurot, then hints at his future plans, fully intending to take matters in his own hands and oversee our demise. Even his self-admittance at not anticipating Zenos immediately yo-yo's to the fact that his presence is going to cause a lot of unpredictability.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. We may have been saved (for now) from future-Grah's Black Rose fate, but there is nothing stopping it from being instigated by different hands in the present just because we have some inkling of that future. I fully expect Black Rose to still be unleashed and threaten to make a different variation of that 'future' come to pass, just not by the same method (or at the same point in time as that alternate timeline).

-----

Oblivion has claimed him...
Emet-Selch...gone. Lahabrea...gone. I alone remain─the last of the unbroken.
Once more, I am moved to reevaluate the potential of these tattered souls.
Ah, Zenos. Never did I dream you could overpower me so completely, possessed as I was of your body, and all its uncanny strength...
And now that I have shared with you the truth of this world and its reflections, who can predict how events will unfold? ...Not I.
“Emissary”... What a poor jest that title has become. The flow of history has become muddied, its currents wild beyond my capacity to direct them.
You have wrested the advantage, Hydaelyn. The thieving hands of Your disciples tighten their grip on our star.
The origins of the world remain hidden and its inhabitants ignorant of their broken existence, just as You and Your creators desired.
They celebrate the gift of imperfect life─uncaring, unknowing as we weaken and fade.
But do not imagine Yourself rid of us.
Though Your champion has indeed proven the most egregious obstacle to our ascendance─a barbed thorn in my side─she may yet be removed and cast into the abyss.
Oh yes...it can be done. I will keep these “heroes” mired in the First, and victory will be ours at the last.
Warriors of Darkness now, are they? Then their fate is decided.
They shall meet the same end as those who came before─death at the hands of Warriors of Light!

-----

There are speeches from the defeated and speeches from defeatists. In the words of Kael'thas, "This is merely a setback".

[Edax]

In the words of Kael'thas, "This is merely a setback".

Which is an admission of being thwarted. Thwarted doesn't mean defeated, it means "to prevent from accomplishing something".
In quick succession, he admits he's lost allies, he's underestimated his opponents, he admits to being overpowered, then admits to no longer being in control of his future and admits he is unequal to the task. Finally admitting that his enemies have taken the advantage. This is not the speech of antagonist where everything is going to plan, this is the speech of someone who has been thwarted.

The fact that he's formulating a plan on the moon means his original plan has been successfully opposed. The definition of thwarted.

thwart
/THwôrt/

verb

prevent (someone) from accomplishing something.

oppose (a plan, attempt, or ambition) successfully.

[Daralii]

That would also be a shake up!

I don't know about "unprecedented" though. Solus left a giant civil war in his wake by not selecting an heir. Had Varis not stepped up to take the throne, that would have sunk Garlemald.

The last war of succession had blood heirs fighting for the throne. Varis made sure that he was the sole survivor so that he couldn't be contested.

That means every Legatus, every noble house, and every random aspirant would be killing each other for the throne. There have also been shinobi spreading the seeds of rebellion across the entire continent ever since Doma stabilized itself, which could backfire and result in every conquered province fighting back at once.

[Cilia]

Elidibus' speech was more of a "Next time, Gadget! Next time! *shakes fist*" speech, less of a "I have been defeated for all time, I shall never rise from the ashes of my shame and humiliation!"

He's still in the game, but thanks to Emet-Selch's defeat and telling Zenos all the truths we learned, he's not at the advantage he's accustomed to and has to play things off the cuff for the time being.

Regarding Zenos, he flat out says he has no intention of taking the throne, using Black Rose, or continuing the war with Eorzea. The first is completely contrary to his personality and goals (Lucia: "Zenos has never cared a whit for politics. He lives for war and war alone. Kill him, or he will kill you."), while the latter two could end up killing us without him getting to "enjoy" our company once more.

What will happen to the Empire? Anyone's game at this point. Were I a betting man (and I assure you I am not), I'd wager Gaius will end up getting critically injured in his fight with Zenos and have his fighting days put behind him, then after Zenos is dealt with become the stabilizing agent Garlemald needs and reform it over the 6.0 story arc. (Just a guess, though.)

[KageTokage]

I'm still curious as to how Zenos would be a major threat without the backing of the Empire unless he intends to perhaps rally some support by spreading the knowledge of Hydaelyn and Zodiark, because I can imagine some Garleans might not be too keen on the idea of their lives being somewhat governed by some manner of super primal.

He's not exactly what you could call a world-threatening menace on his own, but give him a Garlean legion or two packing the latest tech and then you have a problem. I'm especially concerned as to how that tease about Tartarus at the end of the Ivalice questline is going to play into the bigger picture because a weapon, quote "with the power to tunnel to the very heart of the star" seems like something he'd be very much interested in.

[Edax]

He's not exactly what you could call a world-threatening menace on his own, but give him a Garlean legion or two packing the latest tech and then you have a problem.

Except he is. He was literally able to fight through the Imperial Palace and stab the Emperor. On top of that, Zenos can't be killed because of his Echo. That means he can do the same to any World Leader no matter how well protected. He could even personally murder the Scions in their sleep if he wanted, there's nothing that can physically stop Zenos now.

[KageTokage]

It's more that he doesn't come across to me as someone who'd be capable of orchestrating another Calamity on his own unless he intends to abuse his body hopping to pull some strings not unlike how the Ascians are prone to doing.

He's going to do something to end up forcing our hand by the time 6.0 rolls around...and I'm a little concerned about what since he's the sort who's more then willing to resort to attacks that hurt us on a personal level if it gets our attention.