fate of emperor varis at the end

[Cilia]

My predictions?

Varis: Dead.

Zenos: Won't take the throne.

Gaius: Critically wounded by Zenos; fighting days will be behind him. Will pull Garlemald back together after Zenos is dealt with.

Estinien: Will aid Gaius in getting away from Zenos, then return to Eorzea with news of this development. (He's there because while he does work for Eorzea / Ishgard's benefit, Estinien is very much a lone wolf.)

Going forward: Zenos will absorb the aether of one of the two "gods" of the world, and we will be forced to call on the other for the power necessary to defeat him. Afterwards, 6.0's story arc (so 5.4 - 6.3) will focus on pulling the Empire back together by helping Gaius reforge the nation from its fractured state, defeating the Legatuses-cum-warlords who will probably be ruling their individual territories after the fall of the Imperial government. There will also be the moral question of whether we should be doing so or not, as the former provinces may or may not want independence (with or without their Legatus/warlord at the head of the government).

Also, the Sound that devastated the planet in the days of Amaurot may return. Lahabrea's pre-Praetorium battle dialogue suggests he believes this will happen if Zodiark is not restored, and I'd like for all of his dialogue to finally make sense...

(Why does anyone like Varis, anyway? Sure his position is complex and unenviable, but he had the arrogance to think he could outplay 12,000+ year old nigh-immortal sorcerers by doing exactly what they wanted, made some tough but flawed arguments against the Alliance, and actually used Black Rose in the Bad Future. Other than his patriotism (which is closer to ultranationalism than anything), what about him is there to like?)