Quote Originally Posted by MrThinker View Post
The only confusing parts here (to me at least) is that Thancred, Urianger and Y'shtola were taken to the First (4.4 end) before the scene in which Emet decides that Black Rose can be used as a catalyst(4.5 part 1 as far as I remember).... but now I just read it again and you note the possibility. So yeah, the black rose thing should happen after setting up Vauthry, which itself should happen before the end of 4.4
Ooh, yeah, I forgot about that. So that point should be after Vauthry.

With that, it would seem like Emet-Selch was trying to set up the First to be prepared for a disaster on the Source, before figuring out how to create that Source disaster. Which makes sense, because the shards are one-and-done, while the Source can have several potential setups waiting to be triggered. (Maybe Alexander was one, given Travanchet and the horn.)