The Exarch and Zodiark

[MrThinker]

I might be expressing myself poorly. What I meant was that my reading of the timeline goes as such:

• Mitron and Loghrif tell Cylva to become the Shadowkeeper, and meddle with the First to cause it to come to the brink of a Flood of Light, but no further.
  
• Ardbert spares Cylva, and kills Mitron (and implied Loghrif, although this was only known in Shadowbringers, and not listed in the lorebook).
  
• The First, already on the brink of a Flood of Light, starts going through a true Flood of Light.
  
• Ardbert goes to the Source, and the 3.x MSQ happens.
  
• Ardbert and his crew plus Minfilia return to the First, and stop the Flood of Light from progressing further. This is the point which I believe the First is back to the brink of the Flood of Light.
  
• Sin Eaters start appearing, and the inhabitants of the First fight back, with the primary forces being from Eulmore, backed by the Oracles of Light. This is the point which I believe the First is recovering from the Flood of Light.
  
• Emet-Selch prepares to use Black Rose as a catalyst on the Source. I admit I don't know the relative timeframes of this and the later point, so they might be swapped around.
  
• Emet-Selch goes to Eulmore and sets up Vauthry's reign. When Vauthry takes over rule of Eulmore, he "allies" with Sin Eaters, and stops attacking them. This is the point which I believe the First has stopped recovering from the Flood of Light, and remains on the brink.
  
• Shadowbringers happens.

Hence, Emet-Selch was trying to salvage Mitron and Loghrif's failed plan by turning the situation to his advantage.

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

[YianKutku]

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.)

[MrThinker]

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.)

It makes sense, since both Thordan and Alex appeared to be Light-based primals right?

[Absimiliard]

It makes sense, since both Thordan and Alex appeared to be Light-based primals right?

Thordan himself did not appear to have a specific elemental affinity despite having been the totally-not-the-pope of Ishgard beforehand. The Knights of the Round taken as a whole, meanwhile, represent every elemental affinity. Alexander was indisputably light based.