Revelations from SHADOWBRINGERS

[Rannie]

Not that I think the wayward warrior is Ardbert but, when Ardbert was alive he was clean shaven.

Edit: Basically what I'm saying is we cant really equate his source and spirit appearance on the beard he has for heavens ward and shadow bringers. It may be that he looks like that for the exact same reason as to why Thancred hair is shorter in his spirit/first shards appearance... which happened as soon as he arrived (not including his nakedness)

[KageTokage]

I'm also leaning heavily towards "Ardbert" just being his missing body under Elidibus' control. I don't think they'd specifically mention that it was never found in the role quests if it wasn't going be something of importance.

What exactly he intends to accomplish at this point is anyone's guess. I don't think he'd try to stop us head on since as far as we're aware the only thing that made Ardbert very special (His soul) is gone now; unlike Zenos who was subject to all the manner of experiments on top of Garleans just being physically strong.

[Iscah]

And Emet-Selch kept referring to Solus's body as a seperate entity. Why do that if the body was "yours"? So many unanswered questions.

If you were temporarily inhabiting the body of an ant while you tried to reverse a civilisation-destroying catastrophe, would you consider it your body? Would you be concerned for the mind of the ant? That seems to be Emet's situation - and he's constantly thinking about what the world was like before it was reduced to this pale imitation.

Also the title of firstborn son alludes to there being a daughter in the mix, either between the two boys or before them, most likely. I wonder what will happen when we explore the empire more.

I think that's just a standard phrase to use, especially in a setting where male children are the "important" ones who will inherit their father's title and such. Daughters aren't counted in the same way.

Another example from within the game: as far as we know, Edmont has no daughters, but Artoirel and Emmanellain still introduce themselves as his "eldest son" and "second son". (Haurchefant is actually second-eldest, but he doesn't count either.)

Are you sure about the identity of the third person? The WoL in trailers and the like has always been represented by "Derplander" who looks very much like Ardbert - not like the person in the picture.

I think it looks like Ardbert, but he's just drawn a bit oddly.

You can also see the collar and black undershirt of his warrior armour.

Basically what I'm saying is we cant really equate [Ardbert's] source and spirit appearance on the beard he has for heavens ward and shadow bringers. It may be that he looks like that for the exact same reason as to why Thancred hair is shorter in his spirit/first shards appearance... which happened as soon as he arrived (not including his nakedness)

In being pulled to the First, the Scions have (going from the explanation in 5.1) spontaneously formed aetherial bodies for themselves.

Based on Thancred, I'm going to guess it comes more from their mental image of themself than simply copying their current physical appearance - so if Thancred still thinks of himself as that younger version, that's the form which is created for him.

I still think this all sounds suspiciously like how primals work, but they skimmed over the explanation without raising the possibility.

[Eloah]

If you were temporarily inhabiting the body of an ant while you tried to reverse a civilisation-destroying catastrophe, would you consider it your body? Would you be concerned for the mind of the ant? That seems to be Emet's situation - and he's constantly thinking about what the world was like before it was reduced to this pale imitation.

Your quote doesn't seem to have the other parts of my extended question in there. I'm questioning if Solus was still alive, because Emet-Selch kept referring to it as not his own. But if Solus was truly dead, the body would belong to Emet-Selch entirely. Plus he seems to have liked the body enough to maintain its appearance.

I think that's just a standard phrase to use, especially in a setting where male children are the "important" ones who will inherit their father's title and such. Daughters aren't counted in the same way.

Another example from within the game: as far as we know, Edmont has no daughters, but Artoirel and Emmanellain still introduce themselves as his "eldest son" and "second son". (Haurchefant is actually second-eldest, but he doesn't count either.)

That's not incorrect, but depending on how you view it both can be up for interpretation. Saying Eldest son and Second son could be analogous to Firstborn son and Secondborn son, but the later places an emphasis on birth order depending on ones gender as a factor. Gender really wouldn't be a factor if there was only one involved. But, it is speculation, some people do just talk that way, lol. And as you said only the important children might have a presence

[Iscah]

Your quote doesn't seem to have the other parts of my extended question in there. I'm questioning if Solus was still alive, because Emet-Selch kept referring to it as not his own. But if Solus was truly dead, the body would belong to Emet-Selch entirely. Plus he seems to have liked the body enough to maintain its appearance.

My point is that regardless of whether the real Solus is still alive or not, Emet does not regard the body of this weak lesser being as "his", and would conceivably speak like that even if there wasn't another soul still "owning" the body because he doesn't want to claim ownership of it either. It's just an uncomfortable costume he's had to put on, and he disassociates himself from the identity of it.

[RyuDragnier]

I'm also leaning heavily towards "Ardbert" just being his missing body under Elidibus' control. I don't think they'd specifically mention that it was never found in the role quests if it wasn't going be something of importance.

What exactly he intends to accomplish at this point is anyone's guess. I don't think he'd try to stop us head on since as far as we're aware the only thing that made Ardbert very special (His soul) is gone now; unlike Zenos who was subject to all the manner of experiments on top of Garleans just being physically strong.

Perhaps he wishes to take us to the new dungeon in order to give us our memories back so we might be willing to back his plans, or maybe it's something he's doing in order to give us enough power/knowledge to deal with Zenos later (since he IS a wild card at this point).

[YianKutku]

My point is that regardless of whether the real Solus is still alive or not, Emet does not regard the body of this weak lesser being as "his", and would conceivably speak like that even if there wasn't another soul still "owning" the body because he doesn't want to claim ownership of it either. It's just an uncomfortable costume he's had to put on, and he disassociates himself from the identity of it.

In other words, when he rants that he has "lived among us", Emet-Selch is actually using Exact Words of "living among us", and has not actually made a good-faith effort to "live among us" like his words imply?

[Rannie]

In being pulled to the First, the Scions have (going from the explanation in 5.1) spontaneously formed aetherial bodies for themselves.

Based on Thancred, I'm going to guess it comes more from their mental image of themself than simply copying their current physical appearance - so if Thancred still thinks of himself as that younger version, that's the form which is created for him.

That's why I was saying we cant go just by the way the wayward warrior looks to 100% say that it's definitely not Ardbert.

I myself may not think that its Elidibus inhabiting Ardberts meat suit but it's not because of the visual more of other things like what was said and how I myself am interpreting it. Though it doesnt mean that I discount the possibility that it is Ardberts meat suit. As some people have said it could have been preserved magically by Elidibus.

Though I will say I would be kind of disappointed if it was Elidibus in Ardberts body. It's bad enough that hes pulling the same thing he did with the warriors of darkness, if hes doing this it just shows me that this Ascian is a one trick pony and I'd lose what little respect i have for him in the first place. (Note this is all my own opinion on the matter and I know what they say about opinions =P)

[RenewalXVII]

In other words, when he rants that he has "lived among us", Emet-Selch is actually using Exact Words of "living among us", and has not actually made a good-faith effort to "live among us" like his words imply?

At least not as Solus. We can infer he tried sincerely sometime in the ancient past if we want to believe that he did actually try to live among us at some point, but his Tale from the Shadows definitely shows how little he cares about his existence as Solus, at least once his son dies.