(SPOILERS)What do you think was meant by hints for the next expansion in Heavensward?

[Gemina]

I don't think this rules out us going there, he's done this before, they made a huge deal about not telling us the final trial of 5.3, even when asked if it was Elidibus he said he didn't want to spoil but it'll be surprising for people. Except it ended being exactly that, the surprise came in the form he took, I get the feeling it could be the same here.
Perhaps we're not going there as a focus but in some other way, like we liberated Doma from one place and only saw the castle in a dungeon or how with Ala Mhigo we spent most of the time outside of it and in it's surrounding lands, or its in how we get there that's "subverting" When most think of us going to Garlemald they think of us attacking them or leading the Alliance against them, we could lose the first attack and get stuck behind enemy lines and have to start a rebellion from within or we could get captured and have to join up with a resistance, both of those would go against "expectations" while still having us go there.

I don't know Yoshi's exact response to being asked if the trial was against Elidibus. I never knew he was asked that directly. I only know that he said we would be surprised. Wither it was by the form he took, the unexpected help we got, or something else; he delivered. I never took it that I would be surprised by who the trial was against because knowing that this story was confirmed to be wrapping up in 5.3, there was no one else it could be; but I can understand how anyone can interpret it that way. That is why I brought up his words being taken out of context. Because people allow what they want to hear to muffle what is actually being told to them.

Also, if I read the events correctly, a certain someone took it upon himself to end the civil unrest in Garlemald. I think we will go there eventually, as I can't think of a better stage to set for the eventual showdown, but the shear size of the empire allows the devs to perpetuate our struggle with them. Going to Garlemald kind of entails we mean to end things for good. We will just have to see.