Revelations from SHADOWBRINGERS

[Eloah]

It is an interesting question. Thancred was not that long under his control and he had that crystal around his neck. Did Solus have that too? Or was he more like what Minfilia did to a lot of the other oracles, taking over their body completely when they gave up (thus either killing the soul or absorbing it, just like Ryne did with her at the end).

Its also horrible when one remembers that nobody had a clue that he was not Solus anymore...someone sleeping with him thinking its another man while its Emet using the body. The children thinking of him as their father while its just a body being used by someone that really does not care. (Other than that short feeling of hope) Family believing it to be their member while its just a imposter.

The Tales from the Shadows gives us a small glimpse into his time as Solus from a slightly different perspective. It seems like Varis had some reservations about him prior to the info we know, from when Solus(Emet-Selch) was first Introduced. It seems that Varis father was considered a "giant" among Garleans. And in contrast, Varis reminded him of the pale reflections the world became. But Zenos seemed to give him "hope" for some reason.

Also going by the ages given, Solus was 88, Varis 46, and Zenos 26, meaning Varis was 20 when he had Zenos; the Tale supports this as he was only "well shy" of his twentieth namesday. Minusing Varis's age from Solus we get 42, which would mean his Son should've been 20-22 at that moment, meaning Solus's body was maybe 20-22 himself, when his son was born. It seems that Emet-Selch possessed him after Solus already sired a child. But the way he describes Zenos and the death of his "son" seems to indicate a "momentary lapse" of his ideals; almost like he sired the kid himself. Those are even his exact words, kinda, in the Tale. It seems like he almost gave way to accepting this new reality, but Varis seemed to remind him often of what he was fighting for.