Predictions for 5.3?

[Vyrerus]

snip

It's not that I don't like it. I just don't think that's the direction things are going to head. Though I've been wrong before.

Also though, the thing about Schala and Lavos and Chrono Cross and the reason I say that I don't know how Lavos would fit in with the world split is because the world was physically and aetherially split. If something like Lavos is in on this, it was Hydaelyn who caused the split, and therefore Lavos-like entity is also split and unable to enact its will. I guess that might cover why it hasn't reared its ugly head, but I still think they'll keep it to Final Fantasy references when it comes to MSQ.

I appreciate at the art, but while they seem similar on a visual level, Minfilia's predicament was quite different from Schala's. For one, she was absorbed by Hydaelyn, the supposed good in the story, not the bad. Second, she didn't really have amazing magical ability or anything special about her beyond diplomatic leverage enhanced by The Echo. Schala was taken in by Lavos due to her amazing magical potential, as she was the only one who could summon him to the surface using the Mammon Machine. Queen Zeal was unable to do that. Minfilia was taken by Hydaelyn as an act of desperation, and received her powers after the fact.

I do really like the comparisons you made, it is food for thought.

[Lauront]

It's not that I don't like it. I just don't think that's the direction things are going to head. Though I've been wrong before.

Also though, the thing about Schala and Lavos and Chrono Cross and the reason I say that I don't know how Lavos would fit in with the world split is because the world was physically and aetherially split. If something like Lavos is in on this, it was Hydaelyn who caused the split, and therefore Lavos-like entity is also split and unable to enact its will. I guess that might cover why it hasn't reared its ugly head, but I still think they'll keep it to Final Fantasy references when it comes to MSQ.

Bear in mind there is another precedent in the story, of an alien interloper, i.e. the High Seraph, and she was imprisoned in a pocket plane. Something similar could have happened to entity causing the whole situation, particularly if e.g. the 14th used their power to seal it away for that to be possible. That would explain it being missing in action and thus not sundered.

Although it's not yet clear if they're going to take the two primals in that direction, I think the parallels Riastrad noted are pretty intriguing and would be a cool reference to run with... and if it co-opted Hydaelyn somehow, it wouldn't even need to be sealed away for that to work.

oh, speaking of the patch art...

Yeah, it was also covered in some interviews (translations sourced from here):

Famitsu: The patch artwork has a man in a white robe and a man who looks like a warrior. Are they the key characters of the story?

Yoshida: Just like the patch artwork suggests, they express light, darkness and the arbitrator. Maybe the crystal in the background will be important later.

... and

Dengeki: Is that so. How was the order placed for patch 5.2's artwork? Elidibus in the middle draws my attention.

Yoshida: To be honest,it's particularly hard to discuss that question right now, because we asked for this artwork with the plot of 5.3 in mind (bitter smile).

If you experience all the way up to the end of patch 5.3's story and look back at this artwork, you would probably think "Oh, i see now" and be satisfied.(edited)

If i explain what's going on right now, Elidibus calls himself the arbitrator right? If you look at the artwork, he is standing between the warrior of light and the warrior of darkness, with his Ascian emblem showing in front of his mask. Which allows you to assume he is trying, at least now, to play his role as the arbitrator. Why is it written on top of the crystal is a question that won't be truly answered until you reach patch 5.3 and i would be happy if players imagined the meaning after 5.2.

During all of what's going on in 5.2, you will be approaching Elidibus as a person and i'm presuming players will be quite shocked after finding out about what he has to say. We went into detail to connect the dots in the story, so the MSQ will be very long.

I was just re-doing Amaurot and what Emet said earlier made me think:
"Do you honestly believe that half your number would sacrifice themselves to save the other? No, of course they wouldn't!"

But would they if they thought it was heroic? Isn't that what heroes do?

It's what the WoL's did - we just told them as much. They sacrificed themselves, and then again in order to save their star. I'm not sure how a fight might go down between us and the WoLs, but Elidibus might not need to convince them to fight against us directly, just using them indirectly as fuel for whatever cause he tricks them into believing.

It probably hasn't sunk into their minds yet that adventuring can be quite dangerous business. In fact, I bet that could be something the dungeon may touch upon.