5.3 Trailer (Spoilers, Obviously)

[Lauront]

MSQ:

Haven't got too many comments on it just now, as it's obviously a minor fraction of a much longer MSQ, but...

It seems to me like Elidibus's plan is to give the impression that the world is tilting too far into darkness, with the Warriors of Darkness to blame. It also looks like he somehow severs control over the CT and wrests it from the Exarch. Whether the WoLs are being summoned from other worlds, moved around this world or a mixture, the light glow is interesting. I'm more convinced now that some of what we're seeing is some of these trigger-happy would-be WoLs taking on the primal forms of Vrandtic heroes past. Emet-Selch had intended to bring the WoL up to speed so that they were not thrashing about blindly... and these new WoLs seem to be fanatically doing just that.

I'm glad that Elidibus is now front and centre and I'm intrigued by that line where he says he intended to speak to you alone (the "you" is an open question), and this may tie into what he apparently says in the JP version when he first meets the WoL - that he wishes to speak to them alone one day. If they're tying that up, it'll be good, especially if it follows after the MSQ. Still think he's the original, although we will see how they end that plotline. There's no appearance of Zenos or "Asahi" this time but given that 5.3 will segue into Garlemald they may come up in the "meanwhile..." parts again. Remains to be seen if there will be a rejoining "after a fashion".

They're also making it a bit too obvious that Elidibus will be the focus of the trial, or at the least the summoned WoLs, so I am curious to see what the promised twist will be. I had thought he'd create some fused light monstrosity. We never faced the "cardinal sin" version of Ardbert, so I wonder if that's something he may do.

Elidibus - particularly in the JP dialogues - has always been a most interesting character, and I really hope they "flesh" him out and come up with something great. In particular, I hope they avoid the route of him having been some mustache-twirling villain, engineering the whole crisis to gain power or some other tripe like that, e.g. perfect Hydaelyn who can do no wrong, doesn't temper, just had to sunder their entire world because their creation magicks were killing the planet etc., and other plot lines in that vein. There's enough now to suggest he is genuine in his motivations and they can make it an earnest disagreement between two factions. It's certain, based on interviews Yoshi gave, that it will delve into the motivations of the summoners of each primal; given that they are instruments of their summoners, these are more significant in determining their nature than directly speaking to either, based on what he said.

Lastly, the bits at the end where the Exarch is speaking do seem to be addressed to his past self, which is still how I expect them to resolve his death. I also wonder if Y'shtola is addressing the Exarch, rather than the WoL (or indeed, Elidibus), when mentioning the "cacophony".


Bozja:

Bozja looks hype and I am glad to see they're using some of the XII espers, as I had hoped. Shame it's another 1.5 months away after the patch!

Werlyt:

A pity that the weapon that isn't the trial seems to be the one drawing on Regula.


Beyond that I also agree with Theodric's remarks on the trailer.