fate of emperor varis at the end

[Kallera]

Trouble is, that might become the hotdog that ended the world. If the first sundering of Zodiark split the world into its many shards, what would happen if you split him to the point of complete dissolution?

I think that is the question no one is asking about the sundering’s supposed “benefits” to supporting life.

[LineageRazor]

On the topic of the Garleans' raging incompetence, whether Aulus's project went relatively unnoticed depends on a lot of factors that we currently don't know.

I think we can agree that Zenos had little interest in sharing Aulus's research. The question, then, is why the Empire was willing to fund those projects. This depends a lot on how tight the Empire's purse strings are. If times are not lean (and the Empire's runaway military success prior to running into Eorzea could well mean their pockets are currently quite fat), it could well be that Zenos's rank alone was enough to get him all the funding he needed - or, at least get it with a minimum of fuss. His budget report might include, for instance, a line reading, "Aether manipulation and Echo Research - 200,000,000,000 gil". Varis is presented with it, rolls his eyes at his son's quirky hobbies, and mashes it with the "APPROVED" stamp. His son's keeping the peace, Varis is willing to indulge these little side projects to keep the guy satisfied with his lot.

If purse strings are tighter, the research could be something Varis is outright keeping hidden, lying to Aulus about one day showing the world his work, while privately intending to keep it for his own purposes. It's impossible to say how much of Aulus's equipment is standard-issue Garlean tech that's been re-purposed and modified for his research.

Those are reasons why the Empire would have few details about the research, while simultaneously allowing it to continue. It is incompetence, in a way - the same kind of incompetence which is inherent to any totalitarian rule. If a leader gets an idea in their head, there aren't many with the authorization to tell him "no". Also remember that this research is relatively recent. It would not have begun until after Zenos assumed control of Ala Mhigo, which was about five years ago. Aulus could have been doing work before that, as well, but it's stuff no one took seriously. There may be papers around someone could dredge up, if they bothered to look.

So, after the project succeeded in creating immortal super-soldiers, why didn't the word get out? As others have mentioned, too, immortality was not an intended and expected goal, and by the time anyone learned it could be a result the project had been dismantled by the rebels - and given the horrific nature of the experiments, chances are high they destroyed what they could find of the research, as well. The aforementioned scattered papers are likely all that remains of Aulus's work, and as his theories were in their infancy at that point, they likely would not provide much help in restarting the project. Plus, the only folks around who KNOW about the immortality are Varis, Elidibus, Zenos, Estinien, and Gaius - none of whom have much incentive to get the ball rolling again.

And what about the runaway success of Fordola? Again, as others have mentioned - WHAT success? She had one successful brawl with Lyse. The soldiers present might have been impressed by her performance, but unless they knew she was augmented AND managed to escape with that knowledge, we once again are reliant on Zenos's reports to the Empire to fill them in on any details. He'd also need to leave out mention of Fordola's string of failures, including the fact that the Alliance managed to completely undermine Fordola's Resonance - and that's if he was trying to IMPRESS the folks at home, which doesn't sound very Zenos-like at all. Aulus was likely thrilled, if he got word, but whether he was allowed to brag about it depends on how firmly Zenos has him under wraps.

At no point in the storyline was the Resonance shown to be a success. Only two "super soldiers" were successfully created, Fordola and Zenos. The former's performance was not stellar (and she's now suffering from Echo-induced guilt trips strong enough to make her question her loyalty to Garlemald), and the latter is Zenos, who is such a monster that he's ALREADY pretty much a super soldier. Indeed, the only talents he seemed to gain were the ability to control a Primal (which he did once, purely in order to play with his beloved frenemy, the WoL), and his immortality (which, again, no one knew about until the most recent cutscenes in the game).

tl'dr: the project was Zenos's baby, and he had little reason to share his baby with anyone else.

I think that is the question no one is asking about the sundering’s supposed “benefits” to supporting life.

I think that the prevailing popular theory on the forums is that the only benefit the Sundering brings to supporting life is that it removes Zodiark from the equation. Apart from Zodiark, there's strong indicators that the Sundering was HARMFUL to existing life, since it apparently removed the memories of all affected (a fate many consider akin to death).

[Alleo]

At the same time, they have the technology to become immortal. Who wouldn't want to be involved? What's stopping the artificial echo from being distributed to every high ranking member of the Empire?

They would need echo users first to extract that. The chamber was full of death bodies so I do believe that it wont be that easy to give. Also we dont know if the ability to control that form of echo is always that great or if Zenos was just that good with that.

[Cilia]

In regards to funding, the most likely answer to how Zenos was able to get it under the noses of the Imperial government is... that he got the money for it through taxes. It's already been established that the Imperial government doesn't do a whole lot of oversight of the provincial territories, as evidenced by the VIth being needed to clean up Dalmasca and the horrible treatment of the Domans and Ala Mhigans. Zenos was also known to be taxing his territories rather heavily (probably part of his scheme to stir up rebellions, but the funds had to go somewhere).

Alternatively they're all given R&D budgets without government oversight. "You get [X] gil for R&D, develop some military stuff. We'll have a yearly review, or something."

Ahem. While it's a natural conclusion to jump to, there's nothing really proving their memories were erased in the Sundering. There's been 12,000+ years of historical drift to account for the truth being erased and distorted from common memory. According to Elidibus the truth being hidden was intentional, but whether this was (another) byproduct of the Sundering or something that (intentionally) happened afterwards is unknown. Either way, it doesn't seem to be a danger to life per sé, it just dilutes the aetherial volume of the Source. (And rejoinings don't increase it, since that energy is sent to Zodiark to help him break free.)

That said, actually killing Zodiark would probably kill the planet as a consequence, much the same as sundering him sundered the planet and those living on it.

[Nalien]

According to Elidibus the truth being hidden was intentional, but whether this was (another) byproduct of the Sundering or something that (intentionally) happened afterwards is unknown.

I'm fully expecting the Twelve to be involved with this, pretty much the moment ruins in Tempest came into play, solely off the Thalaos sightseeing log ("one of the legendary twin sea serpents believed to have been unleashed by the Navigator, Llymlaen, at the dawn of eras to fill the empty seas (the other being Perykos)"). I can't help but read that as "Llymlaen flooded Amaurot to keep it hidden", although an entirely alternative reading could be that Llymlaen was an Ascian and this legend is more of a clean up attempt after the Terminus event, only two reasons I can think to "fill the empty seas", actually I guess Eden gives us a third with our twin headed Leviathan... Still, for now I'm very much leaning towards the idea that Llymlaen flooded Amaurot in order to hide it and the truth, it just fits nicely... Potentially even unleashing their own creations to do so, Akadaemia Anyder had plenty of fish, including twin street sharks...

[TankHunter678]

Trouble is, that might become the hotdog that ended the world. If the first sundering of Zodiark split the world into its many shards, what would happen if you split him to the point of complete dissolution?

Given that the story is more or less set to end with Zodiark's complete defeat if that was the case then there would be no talks of a season 2 story after the current one is done.

Though that very problem you mention may be why Hydaelyn held off on smashing Zodiark completely in the initial sundering. It may just be that she has been working to unravel him from the world which opens him up to being truly defeated and her purpose of safeguarding life from him completed.

[Theodric]

Zodiark's story ending with him being destroyed would be a rather bland conclusion as far as I'm concerned. I'd be happy if both Zodiark and Hydaelyn were put to the sword, though. Or at least forced to exist in equilibrium.

At least then they can actually do something with the 'balance' introduced to the story that has yet to amount to anything substantial.

[Absimiliard]

On the topic of the Garleans' raging incompetence, whether Aulus's project went relatively unnoticed depends on a lot of factors that we currently don't know.

I think we can agree that Zenos had little interest in sharing Aulus's research. The question, then, is why the Empire was willing to fund those projects. This depends a lot on how tight the Empire's purse strings are. If times are not lean (and the Empire's runaway military success prior to running into Eorzea could well mean their pockets are currently quite fat), it could well be that Zenos's rank alone was enough to get him all the funding he needed - or, at least get it with a minimum of fuss. His budget report might include, for instance, a line reading, "Aether manipulation and Echo Research - 200,000,000,000 gil". Varis is presented with it, rolls his eyes at his son's quirky hobbies, and mashes it with the "APPROVED" stamp. His son's keeping the peace, Varis is willing to indulge these little side projects to keep the guy satisfied with his lot.

Didn't Zenos fund the project personally? He might not have to make any such reports if all the money is coming out of his own coffers.

I'm fully expecting the Twelve to be involved with this, pretty much the moment ruins in Tempest came into play, solely off the Thalaos sightseeing log ("one of the legendary twin sea serpents believed to have been unleashed by the Navigator, Llymlaen, at the dawn of eras to fill the empty seas (the other being Perykos)"). I can't help but read that as "Llymlaen flooded Amaurot to keep it hidden", although an entirely alternative reading could be that Llymlaen was an Ascian and this legend is more of a clean up attempt after the Terminus event, only two reasons I can think to "fill the empty seas", actually I guess Eden gives us a third with our twin headed Leviathan... Still, for now I'm very much leaning towards the idea that Llymlaen flooded Amaurot in order to hide it and the truth, it just fits nicely... Potentially even unleashing their own creations to do so, Akadaemia Anyder had plenty of fish, including twin street sharks...

I would offer a different theory. Consider for a moment that the ruins of Amaurot existing on the First also mean they exist on the Source, albeit likely pounded to dust in current times after the repeated Ascian-induced calamities. Who is to say some primitive culture did not discover those ruins at some point after the sundering and before numerous cataclysms buried the past? It could well be that symbols found in the ruins of the Ancients' civilization gave rise to what would eventually be recognized as The Twelve.

Our understanding of The Twelve is that they are essentially just glorified primals. Possessing no lives or wills of their own; their objectives, abilities, personalities, and even appearances are shaped entirely by the beliefs of those whose prayers gave them life.

[Kokomi]

Zodiark's story ending with him being destroyed would be a rather bland conclusion as far as I'm concerned. I'd be happy if both Zodiark and Hydaelyn were put to the sword, though. Or at least forced to exist in equilibrium.

At least then they can actually do something with the 'balance' introduced to the story that has yet to amount to anything substantial.

Every time I get Praetorium in MSQ roulette I'm reminded of this plot point and how nothing has came of it so far. Laha and Elidibus have both justified their actions as maintaining the balance between Light and Dark, which doesn't exactly seem truthful considering how weak Hydaelyn has become and not to mention they are Ascians, the servants of the Dark.

The fact that this wasn't mentioned once in Shadowbringers by Emet makes me think that the writers changed their mind and decided to abandon the idea. If we defeat Zodiark, it may well end up being handwaved as Ascian lies.

[Absimiliard]

Every time I get Praetorium in MSQ roulette I'm reminded of this plot point and how nothing has came of it so far. Laha and Elidibus have both justified their actions as maintaining the balance between Light and Dark, which doesn't exactly seem truthful considering how weak Hydaelyn has become and not to mention they are Ascians, the servants of the Dark.

The fact that this wasn't mentioned once in Shadowbringers by Emet makes me think that the writers changed their mind and decided to abandon the idea. If we defeat Zodiark, it may well end up being handwaved as Ascian lies.

The only mention of the balance at all, to my knowledge, was made in regards to what happens if the scales tip significantly in favor of one attribute. No mention at all about Ascians seeking to maintain a balance.