***SPOILERS*** Possible Identity of the 5.5 trial might be different then we expect.

[FrightfulNight]

So I know most of us are expecting Diamond weapon with

either Alfonse or possibly Allie trying to save her brother being the pilot and Zenos being the oversoul identity

but what if the 5.5 trial is instead

Lunar Bahamut. I know it might seem far fetched to believe because ever since HW we have only had a required MQS trial in the X.3 patches but I believe there is evidence that Lunar Bahamut might be the trial for 5.5 in the MQS and Diamond might not be.

For one lets look at the weapons questline as to why it might not be diamond. In 5.3 we were introduced to our own mech to combat diamond. However instead of implying that this would be a one time feature with it being destroyed, the way some of the characters refer to it, and the fact that we can even go to see it and pose with it in the hanger makes me think that it will be used again in the future. Now this could be a tool used in future expansions, but what if it is used to combat the Diamond weapon, with some upgrades to make it a much more epic and involved fight then sapphire.

Now for the evidence that it might be Lunar Bahamut. For one this is a a threat I imagine the main characters might try and take care of before kicking off 6.0, to make sure Eorzea and Doma are somewhat safe before venturing most likely into Islabard. The other main reason has to do with some of the content in ShB feeling like callbacks to ARR. Norvandt was an alternate version of Aldernard with certain parallels, we fought alternate versions of the original Primals as well as the Cloud of Darkness in the Eden raid series, we fought oversouls of Nael and Gaius in the weapons series, even going so far as to bring back Nael's dreaded meteors to some degree, even Amnesis Anyder's final boss had a similar mechanic with the bubbles under the hatch doors being an indication of adds spawning like last boss in Satasha, the very first dungeon in the game. So what better way to cap this off then a fight against Lunar Bahamut, with call backs to the original Bahamut fight at the end of the Binding coil of Bahamut, the original raid series for ARR, with perhaps a remix of Answers as well. This is also a mark against Diamond possibly being the 5.5 trial as well due to Zenos not really having any ties to either ARR or Legacy.

Does anyone else agree this may be the direction they go or will it stick to tradition and Lunar Bahamut be the one dispatched in a single player duty or saved for a trail in 6.0 like Shinryu was and Diamond will in fact be the 5.5 trial?

[RicaRuin]

I don't think they would tease the 5.5 trial as hard as they did only to change up the formula. In my opinion, your trial guess is more likely for the regularly scheduled X.5 Solo Duty.

[Exodus-E]

Or here's an even crazier idea: why not have more than one trial for Patch 5.5x?
We did get three trials back in Patch 2.5x (Gilgamesh, Nabriales and Vishap) and two trials back in Patch 4.5x (Seiryu and Yojimbo) after all...

[Kesey]

What is more realistically going to happen, is the G-Warrior suit is used to fight the diamond weapon and destroy it.

The trial will be the result of oversoul mastery of the diamond weapon, which will either scrap the G-warrior or just have to be fought on foot.

[Theodric]

I don't think we'll be fighting Zenos as the Oversoul. We see a test being conducted and the consequence is Valens deducing that Zenos' data is much too unstable and unreliable due to his nature as a ravenous beast.

He's likely to use the data of someone who he thinks is easier to control. As for who that could be? Maybe Solus or Varis. Or we might even see the data of some currently unknown Garlean soldier to give some insight to one of the Legions that hasn't been touched on as of yet.

I suppose we can't rule out Valens himself powering himself up somehow and being a 'surprise' fight. Though I'm inclined to think he'll probably be eliminated by Gaius and/or whichever of the orphans happen to survive.

[Kesey]

Though I'm inclined to think he'll probably be eliminated by Gaius and/or whichever of the orphans happen to survive.

I find it interesting you anticipate one of the orphans to live. At this point, because the title was the "Sorrows" and the other orphans died, I expect them all to die and push Gaius to change as a person.

[KageTokage]

I could see Valens just deciding to pilot Diamond Weapon himself if he catches onto what Alphonse is scheming.

The guy has a personal grudge against Gaius and he already knows he can't rely on the orphans to get things done. He also doesn't seem like he's actually aware of their relation to him yet, but if he finds out I can see him using them to lure Gaius in.

[ObsidianFire]

I don't think all the orphans will die. If anything, I see all of them but one dying or even Gaius sacrificing himself so that his remaining two kids survive and them then taking up his role/cause in his stead. Which they're arguably already doing TBH; they just someone to talk some more sense into them. And get them the heck away from Valens.

It's worth pointing out that the final Four Lords quests had both an 8-man trial and a solo trail, so I could see them doing something similar here. 8-man fight against Diamond Weapon with Zenos' oversoul and a solo fight (probably with some NPCs) against Valens. Assuming Valens isn't in Diamond Weapon himself. They could also easily reverse the order to do a solo instance first so that none of the orphans are available to control Diamond Weapon so Valens has to instead. I actually really like the potential that scenario has...

[Kesey]

It's worth pointing out that the final Four Lords quests had both an 8-man trial and a solo trail, so I could see them doing something similar here. 8-man fight against Diamond Weapon with Zenos' oversoul and a solo fight (probably with some NPCs) against Valens. Assuming Valens isn't in Diamond Weapon himself. They could also easily reverse the order to do a solo instance first so that none of the orphans are available to control Diamond Weapon so Valens has to instead. I actually really like the potential that scenario has...

This is probably backward because of the G-Warrior. G-warrior is the instance fight against Diamond weapon. Then the trial is Valens oversoul into Zenos fighting style.

[Iscah]

It's worth pointing out that the final Four Lords quests had both an 8-man trial and a solo trial

It should have had a solo trial, but it didn't. We only got to watch the WoL defeat Koryu in a cutscene.