Quote Originally Posted by ObsidianFire View Post
"What would the Warrior of Light do?" is what the vast majority of people we meet in ARR, in HW, in ShB, in StB are asking themselves. And the answer all of them come up with is: The Warrior of Light would give sacrificially of themselves so the world wouldn't be doomed. That's the entire reason the Ironworks crazy plan to time-travel in the doomed timel-line works. They told people they were coming up with a crazy plan to save the Warrior of Light, the person everyone wants to be like, in a different time-line and that reason was good enough for a world to willingly make sure it's own past would never happen.
This is, too, what motivated Elidibus, a child, to volunteer as sacrifice for the greater good. Early in 5.3, Alphinaud notes that he believed the surge of heroism amongst the people of the First as Elidibus' ruse, but he admits having been wrong, for it is something that every single individual has always had, and the only thing Elidibus did was giving it a name. Some people, of course, are willing to go to greater lengths for this ideal than others. And then it is when it becomes a complicated thing: heroism giving way to martyrdom. Which is probably why Emet hated the concept of heroism because after a long life such as his, he has not only been direct witness to half his people and Elidibus giving their lives in exchange of the greater good, but he has probably seen it happen again and again in mortal heroes. So much death and tragedy caused by this ideal.

And it turns out that we know Zodiark grew powerful because of the hope of salvation these heroic acts caused. The Exarch calls out to Elidibus twisting this pure ideal of altruism for his machinations, but the Ascians too were victims of that. Zodiark was not even commanding them to do anything, but at least the Unsundered gave up their principles, their wants, their dreams, to save their people as well. The difference is that we see in them what this does to an individual over the course of eons, opposed to the fleeting life of a mortal who maybe will not have enough time to experience that bitterness. But Ardbert does speak of that and he has only had 100 years to mull it over. Zodiark and Hydaelyn's modus operandi, whatever benevolent, malevolent or unwilling or not, ultimately ammounts to taking advantage of the intrinsec wish for helping others to their own devices. Of course none of the Ancients would oppose to giving their life for saving their race. Of course no one would refuse giving up their dreams for the greater good. It is no choice at all. But, again, this whole conflict highly depends on which side are you on. Be in Zodiark side and you will doom the mortal races to extintion. Be in Hydaelyn's side and you will doom the Ancients' race to extintion. The question is, is there not a middle point in this whole conflict? The way I see it, the wisest would be pulling an Azem again.