A thought about Zenos as we move in to Endwalker

[Vyrerus]

We don't actually know if Zenos's Resonance was gained from Krile or from other Echo users. He'd already been through the process, before he put Fordola through it, after all. They did have Krile for a while, but it was only explicit for Fordola.

As far as the cool powers he showcased when vs. Gaius/Estinien, those are most likely his own powers. He already did far greater things in our own fights with him before, such as created tangible aetherial copies of himself that perform attacks, and evoking lightless flames. On top of that, he mantled Shinryu using the Resonance, and also told us that we could do it too, if we mastered the Echo. Elidibus once told us that if we mastered the gift that we would no longer be enemies, because we would view things as they do. By mastering the Echo, Zenos became an Ascian in all but name.

As for the idea that he's part of Azem or from Azem's ancient past... well, they already set up something that's going to connect him to the Ancients' Legacy, but I'm more of the mind that he may have been an attempt at creating unsundered life post sundering. A whole soul, like the dragons and Ancients.

As far as a possible redemption arc goes... don't forget that even if they Golbez'd him, in the original story of IV before the After Smears, Golbez left with FuSoYa on the second moon, to travel with the slumbering Lunarians to find a new planet to call their own. Golbez had killed entire nations in his pursuit of the crystals of Light and Dark, while under Zemus's influence. In the rather unlikely event that we tried to redeem Zenos for whatever reason, he'd have much the same ending. Either he'd die, or he'd have to leave the world behind. Though if they could sucker in a reference to Golbez attempting to use a holy crystal to reveal Zeromus's true form, only for it to fail because of the evil in his heart and mind... that'd be slick.

[Kesey]

As far as the cool powers he showcased when vs. Gaius/Estinien, those are most likely his own powers. He already did far greater things in our own fights with him before, such as created tangible aetherial copies of himself that perform attacks, and evoking lightless flames. On top of that, he mantled Shinryu using the Resonance, and also told us that we could do it too, if we mastered the Echo. Elidibus once told us that if we mastered the gift that we would no longer be enemies, because we would view things as they do. By mastering the Echo, Zenos became an Ascian in all but name.

As for the idea that he's part of Azem or from Azem's ancient past... well, they already set up something that's going to connect him to the Ancients' Legacy, but I'm more of the mind that he may have been an attempt at creating unsundered life post sundering. A whole soul, like the dragons and Ancients.

I don't disagree that echo mastery won't give more powers, but I think the inference is more along the lines of master the echo > remember every detail about the Ancient's past > change to the personality of your Ancient self > then Ascian arrogance dictates you'd be beside yourself not to join their cause. So if you knew the Ascian's full story you wouldn't stand in their way.

This was Emet's gamble in Shadowbringers, showing the WOL Amaurot. If the light of the wardens won out he got the rejoining. If we used the echo to remember our ancient self we'd know the whole story and switch sides. In Emet's mind he was going to win either way. The only element Emet couldn't account for was that you were Azem specifically and could rejoin with ghost Ardbert to harness the light against him.