Predictions for 5.3?

[EdwinLi]

I don't know why but I have a strange feeling the speech from Exarch about "forget the faces and voices of those you have met along the way" maybe more than just about him but also about the price the WoL may have to pay in the Finale of Season 1 storyline in 6.0 or 6.3.

Like a early foreshadowing during a point we will not think much of it being focused on current events but only at the end we will truely know the meaning of these words.

Still, it will certainly be a full circle if the price of saving everything from Zodiark for good is to become forgotten by everyone to a point that they can only remember a being of light once more but this time they will never regain their memories of what the WoL looks like thus why the stories preserved for future generations may always use Default Derplander to describe the Warrior of Light in their stories.

Of coruse this will also bring up the question how a Season 2 storyline may transition from this type of ending.

[Gula]

I don't know why but I have a strange feeling the speech from Exarch about "forget the faces and voices of those you have met along the way"

Big NieR spoilers.

Ya know, it's been a joke to have the players information or a data center wiped in true NieR fashion. But what if this is it? What if Yoshida pulls a big Yoko Taro and has us choose to forget someone or be forgotten? What if the Exarch is pulling a Gestalt/Replicant and wiping his save file? His back up USB is him still sleeping in Crystal Tower, the old exploit after you saw the ending. C'mon, I really want it.

[Xeknos]

As much as I hate to admit it, I've had a sneaking suspicion that one of the Scions isn't coming back from the First.

[ClaireFaye]

Anyone else find the different translations for the trailer in other languages? I managed to find the French version.

G'raha: "I would like... that you keep the for me, in a corner of your memory."
Alisaie: "What is this illusion?"
Ryne: "Not quite... Look!"
G'raha: "If one day... yo forget all their voices... and all these faces in your tale..."
Elidibus: "I appreciate your propulsion to treat alone. I only wish to speak to you without being disturbed."
Y'shtola: "Do you really think you're the same person you once were?"
G'raha: "it's my turn to do my own little thing, if you want it."
G'raha: "You'll never be alone."
G'raha: "All these moments of joy... and of sorrow..."
Elidibus?: "En guarde, forces of darkness!"
G'raha at the end with the crystal: "And all these hopes... will be with you. We'll speak again, you and I. Once I've finished my duty as the Crystal Exarch."

I'm scared and thrilled at the same time! Anyone have any other translations? I'm dying to know what else is being said!

[ClaireFaye]

Still, it will certainly be a full circle if the price of saving everything from Zodiark for good is to become forgotten by everyone to a point that they can only remember a being of light once more but this time they will never regain their memories of what the WoL looks like thus why the stories preserved for future generations may always use Default Derplander to describe the Warrior of Light in their stories.

I really hope not. I don't know why but just the idea breaks my heart. That idea, while poetic and artistic, I rather quit the game than see that happen. It takes me all the way back to the first FF game. They did so much good but in the end were forgotten because it never happened? Not the same thing, I know, that all the good we did will survive but our faces and names disappear? I don't know about anyone else but that idea doesn't sit well with me at all.

[EdwinLi]

I really hope not. I don't know why but just the idea breaks my heart. That idea, while poetic and artistic, I rather quit the game than see that happen. It takes me all the way back to the first FF game. They did so much good but in the end were forgotten because it never happened? Not the same thing, I know, that all the good we did will survive but our faces and names disappear? I don't know about anyone else but that idea doesn't sit well with me at all.

Not all stories will end with a happy ending but sometimes that is the price that must be paid to protect those people care about or are at least worth protecting.

Still if it goes down that path it also opens up a addition to Season 2 plot to reforge a new relationship with the Scions in a Zodiark/Ascian free world. Though a part of me expect that the Scions may disband at the end of Season 1 so each character can pursue their own life now that the threat of Ascians and Zodiark are gone.

This also brings up another thing I have been thinking about being if Sharlayan is not part of 6.0 expansion then it would be a interesting choice for 7.0 Expansion being the first place we adventure into to begin our Season 2 Journey. A reasonable assumption because Sharlayan only remained isolationists due to the Garlean Empire but with the Garlean Empire's true defeat on 6.0 - 6.3 MSQ it is fitting for them to open their gates in 7.0.

It would also fit providing a MSQ reason why WoL reunites with specific members of the Scions that may have returned to Sharlyan after the Season 1 Finale and have them join WoL in Season 2 journey even if they don't remember WoL due to his/her sacrifice. Yet it may become a journey to bring about new memories and friendship that will this time stay.

[Archwizard]

I would also be happy going to Sharlayan. Maybe they'll finally elaborate on that damn Sharlayan Ark just chillin in Stormblood. With Sharlayan being smaller maybe they will finally give us the rest of Othard and then Thavnair.

I guess it would end up being Sharlayan Seer vs Meracydian Witch Doctor with class speculations.

Meracydian Witch Doctor could be interesting, especially given the sheer amount of leeway the devs would have with creating an entirely original healer job. Could be part the Chemist people have asked for (though I fully expect they will continue to, given the "not close enough!" response to Astrologian as a "near fit" for or "inspired by" Time Mage), could be part something entirely unique like the dark magic/sacrificial healer I and others have been hoping to see. Some tribal vibes would serve as a good aesthetic contrast to the healers we have.

I think we'll probably avoid a healer with Sharlayan, considering we have AST, much like we already had MNK going into Ala Mhigo.
Though I could see something like a Spellblade job for Sharlayan, perhaps as a substitute military given their penchant for churning out mages? Granting that Spellblade is a job I could see for virtually anywhere, but the WoL is running out of Disciples of War to hop onto without losing his dignity or borrowing another Scion's outfit (and I expect PLD is being saved for something more climactic to the Ascian narrative), so it wouldn't be a terrible shock to see them add a new one (regardless of how little we need one) just for something to show off in trailers.
That or given how often Sharlayan pops into the story with as little as "they had a boat", could be a Pirate.

On the other hand they could pull an Astrologian or Dancer again and give us a job with lore from an unrelated region, like say, oh... Hingashi/Othard?

I mean, the jobs aren't really tied to the countries we visit necessarily. Not like Dancer or Gunbreaker is tied to Norvrandt after all. They just... kind of exist. Red Mage was also kind of a weak attempt at Ala Mhigo honestly, and Astro was a Sharlayan thing.

Half and half. The devs want to tie the jobs they introduce to the new content in order to show them off, sell their importance, and make them feel ingrained in the expansion, perhaps while explaining why we couldn't reach them before. Dancer wasn't native to Norvrandt, but one of the first people we met on Norvrandt was a Viera Dancer and she maintains some importance throughout.
I agree that RDM was introduced with a flimsy connection to Ala Mhigo, very "tell, don't show", but they made it work with the lore ("the survivors of the Flood fled to the mountains, white mages and black mages had to rebuild so they worked together to make red magic" actually sounds like a plausible backstory, even if it wasn't heavily featured or aesthetically tied to the region) which makes a solid example for how flexible the devs can be with regards to adding new jobs. They also got the chance to show it off in-story through Alisaie, in spite of the lack of immersion the job had to where we were.

That being said, they usually seem to make one job that is thematic to where we're going. GNB isn't tied to Norvrandt but it is intrinsically tied to the Bozja narrative and the culmination of the Garlemald storyline back on the Source, much like SAM was with Hingashi/Othard, and how DRK made a perfect contrast to the cathedrals of Ishgard.

[Riastrad]

Elidibus is using the WoLs he made as an army, over aspecting them with light (I incorrectly assumed crystals of darkness previously, but makes more sense with light thematically as a reflection to our new role) and will use them to kill us in an attempt to bring the plan back under control. Keeping his promise.

I suspect G'raha will open a rift to the thirteenth using the crystal tower, unleashing voidsent to help fight off or at least distract the rampaging WoLs across Norvrandt. He will die in this process, but he was already prepared to do so from the beginning. It was, after all, his original plan to use the void to combat the sin eater threat, dying in the process to allow the scions to return home with Thancred head patting Ryne one last time as he fades away.

One brings Shadow, One brings Light.


So as I see it, We get word from Y'shtola, we head to Amaurot and make our way to Anyder. We watch more recordings of Hydaelyn's summoners. As we are leaving, we get separated from the others and find ourselves speaking to Elidibus. After that we meet up with the Scions back at Eulmore to discuss where we go from here, only to be attacked by a random WoL. All hell breaks loose and we take a ride on an airship to get to the tower. The ship is brought down by another WoL and we crash land, getting separated in the process. The WoD ends up in Il Mheg, and makes a run to the Crystarium, que the dungeon. Meanwhile at the base of the tower, G'raha is attempting to help defend the city, only for Elidibus to attack him and seize control of the area. Eventually, everyone (with the various factions having marshaled their respective forces to make a stand, and possibly completed role quests npcs seen in passing) makes it back to the tower with a wounded, but not yet dead Exarch, with Lyna tending to him. The others stay behind to defend the people as you give chase. Being the bro he is, G'raha goes with you. As Elidibus summons even more WoLs, Shadowbringers begins playing, reflecting your battle with Hades. Just as it seems you are going to be overwhelmed, G'raha's wounds begin accelerating his crystallization. In a last ditch effort, he opens the rift. Darkness begins flooding the room, and you are joined by seven figures, the trial commences...

Becoming what we must.





The recent Gamespot interview with Yoshida has me focusing once more on Omega (eScape, I have already covered in a previous post was possibly a teaser about Shadowbringers) and Alexander. Specifically, the theme song "Locus" from which was used as recently as "A Long Fall" for The Twinning. A certain lyric always stood out for me.

Static tuned in to reason
Time in the aether deepens
Transmissions blink uncompleted
Seven two three two three...<send>

The numbers always threw me off until I read it as a date. 7/23/23. Which would align with the seventh expansion. Maybe nothing more than a catchy lyric, but it always struck me as funny. A raid series based on a time manipulating primal possibly warning us about a future event.

[Rosenstrauch]

I think some people are overthinking the lines about the Warrior of Light forgetting. Rather than there being some kind of magical geas or blood price to be paid for saving the world and/or return the Scions to the First, I think it's just an acknowledgement that, someday, the Warrior of Light might well have forgotten their time in Norvrandt.

For example: Recall our attempts to ingratiate ourselves with the Ala Mhigan resistance, and how they brought us to Quarrymill. We had to provide the refugees there with materials to make medicine in order to get their recommendation, and that was the last we'd ever seen of them... until 3.3, when we ended up talking to one of the Griffin's doubles and had no idea who he was. Even after he explained what we'd done for him in the past, how many of us were actually able to put a name to that lack of a face? And given the reveal in the level 68 DRK quest, how many of us actually picked the right name to begin with? Probably no one.

From there, I'm also gonna take a stab at what context they could be in. If I had to guess, they're part of a speech structured like this: First, the Exarch starts with the line about having a request. The lines about us possibly forgetting go next. The next set of lines may then be a reversal of those—we might forget, but the people whose lives we've touched will never forget us, for example. Finally, this is capped off with his actual request, which has been withheld from us thus far.

EDIT: Also, rather than overwriting G'raha Tia's memory with the Exarch's own, which to me comes uncomfortably close to Sorrow of Werlyt Weapons and their pilots, I'm thinking the Exarch may create a "Job Crystal" from his own consciousness, so our G'raha Tia can use it himself.

[YianKutku]

I've been pretty much predicting this since 5.1:

More seriously, I'm guessing we're not going to become persona non grata in Norvrandt, since we still need to be able to go back there to do dailies. Similarly, we're not going to be kicked out of populated areas as a fugitive, for hub area purposes. At most there'll be the "We'll pretend we didn't see you, because we don't want to get killed" excuses from 2.55 before Heavensward, which will almost certainly be resolved by 5.4, since it's not the sort of thing that would be sustainable across multiple major patches.

If we're to be fighting adventurers from Norvrandt on the way out of the First, it's going to be some form of temporary mind control that the adventurers will be deeply embarrassed about afterwards. There will not be any lasting consequences on the macro scale, because of the nature of MMOs.