6.0 Story Speculations

[Kalocin]

I'm not sure if it'll be in Endwalker's storyline but I think in the aftermath Gaius might take up ruling the remains of the Garlean Empire. It'd be pretty cool if he took out Zenos though

[Mansion]

I'm not sure if it'll be in Endwalker's storyline but I think in the aftermath Gaius might take up ruling the remains of the Garlean Empire. It'd be pretty cool if he took out Zenos though

That's certainly my distaste for Zenos speaking here, but I hope someone deals with him early on in the MSQ and we take care of the real threat beyond that. He is the one obsessed with us, and not letting him have that "final fight" against us would be the best way to end him for me. Sure he has to be judged for all his crimes, but I don't think we have to do it either.
I also hope he is just a pawn in Fandaniel's scheme, that's about all the depth I see in this character that has far outstayed his welcome in my opinion...

[Vyrerus]

After replaying FFXI up to a certain point in the RoZ and CoP expansions, and having my memory triggered, I can't help but feel like we're going to get an FFIV refrence squished on top of an FFXI reference, of all things.

I feel like Fandaniel has recreated a more horrific version of the Crystal Line from FFXI, minus the Mothercrystals. They feed into his tower which will probably be Tower of Bab-il (FFIV) but it will activate the Ancient's floating city as in FFXI, a place used to channel all that energy to open the Gates of Paradise (which unites the planet with the divine, but all things imperfect are consumed/destroyed in the process).

[Veloran]

Many miscellaneous theories here. Figure I should get them out before the Endwalker trailer pops some huge spoilers or something.

1. Alphinaud will die protecting/saving Alisaie somehow. I've talked before about how all the short stories heavily foreshadow something like this, as does the story of FF4 to a degree. Not to mention that the benchmark trailer has Alisaie fighting at WoL's side against Zenos and he seems eager for some kills.

2. WoL will mantle Zodiark in order to stop the Final Days. I posted an image a few pages back about this, again there's various heavy foreshadowing to this effect. Also the color theme for Endwalker is Platinum, which in alchemy is symbolized through the combining of the sun (Azem symbol) and the moon (Zodiark).

3. Hydaeyn will try to resunder the world for various reasons and will need to be stopped. Again I've talked about this and my reasoning for thinking so quite a bit.

4. Hydaelyn and Zodiark are the same being that's been divided. After Elidibus left Zodiark, Venat hijacked it, and trying to turn it against it's purpose in being summoned split it into two. Ultimately they'll need to rejoin into one before fading away. Aside from the other things foreshadowing this (IE Hydaelyn's tale of her supposed origin, the cave paintings in Rak'tika with the halos being shared between them), the most recent thing I've noted relating to this is actually the final Omega theme. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SiWJjEUOj9M Aside from the lyrics clearly relating to the story of the Ancients, and the chorus being sung in the same intonation of "Ancient language" that Invincible is sung in (the only two songs in the game like this as far as I can tell), and the fact that many of it's lyrics directly connect to Endwalker (Here ends this our journey, never-ending forward march), there's the obvious parallel of Omega separating into two beings, one male one female, before rejoining (As two become one). And Torn From the Heavens is even the motif used in the Endwalker trailer, further connecting this.

5. We will work with the Garleans to try and oust Zenos. If I had to guess there will be some kind of young leader figure from the royal line that's currently inadequate to the job as has been vaguely suggested in some dialog relating to Nerva. There is absolutely no evidence for this, but I'd be willing to say that if such a figure exists it will literally be Larsa from FF12.

6. Thancred will die, and Fordola will have a major role. Their VAs have seemingly suggested as such.

7. The five role quests will be about the five remaining non-Fandaniel Ascians. This is in fact the very reason they upped the number of role quests from four to five. Even their five epithets as Espers (the Knight-Star, the Arbiter, the Holy Queen, the Benevolent, and Ultima), vaguely relate to the five roles (tank, physical DPS, ranged DPS, healer, magical DPS). Of course I have no idea if that will be the actual order, but I have the sense this will be the role quest setup.

8. NotZeal we've seen as a new zone will be the Source's Amaurot, previously raised into the sky.

9. The Sound probably originated somehow from the Ancient's creation magics. If not, it may be an alien, extraterrestrial or extra-dimensional being. I would wager it's directly connected to Ultima somehow.

10. The moon is full of terminus beasts, FF8 style.

11. The moon also has a bunch of FF9 genome-like beings, intended to serve as the vessels for the returned Ancient's souls. Alternatively it's the Garleans themselves that were meant to serve as these vessels, explaining their lack of innate magical power, their lack of the Echo, and Zenos' memories of the Final Days. Also the fact that they can be like twelve feet tall.

12. Zenos will have a "you will play as Zenos for this coming instance"/Trust moment. Many people will be upset about it.

13. Emet-Selch will narrate the expansion through the Azem stone as the writers leverage his popularity and play off of how the situation in Endwalker and the Final Days are paralleling each other. As an addendum to this, and I'm not sure it will ever be stated, but the mask that Hades wears on his wings and over his heart in the trial with the simple two circle design isn't his own, but rather Azem's. This is why he doesn't wear it over his face and why, when we see him in his Ascian robes in the Echo flashback to him in Eulmore and at the end of 5.0, the camera never pans to reveal the design of the mask he's actually wearing.

14. The expansion will end with both Hydaelyn and Zodiark gone and the dimensional barrier around the Source removed, allowing for free travel between the shards in the future. In fact this may happen before the end and Ryne may show up for the final finale.

There's more but I'm already going beyond the realm of reasonable speculation and into the future of the story beyond Endwalker.

[Lauront]

Good list, many of which I agree with as possible outcomes. Regarding Omega, he is interesting as well because his final form in savage features the same arms crossed position as do our two eldest of primals, his visage appears masked, the curved metal behind features mixture of light and dark elements, and there are the hands grasping at his body, much as with those around Anima's neck. Plus this. There is a lot in that storyline which of interest, e.g. this with reference to Nidhogg. With Nidhogg now gone, I wonder if Vrtra will inherit the duty and if the catastrophe in question will end up being the Final Days.

Both Omega's homeworld and the Dragon Star were destroyed ultimately, with Omega being hinted at as the cause for the latter, but in truth, it's unanswered. Although it's a stretch, I do wonder if the calamity befalling these worlds might end up being linked...

I'm still predicting some relationship between Venat and Fandaniel, although we'll see in what capacity that might be if it turns out to be so.

I've made peace with Zenos being a (temporary) frendo in some sense... as long as it makes sense and is written well.

[vormela]

13. Emet-Selch will narrate the expansion through the Azem stone as the writers leverage his popularity and play off of how the situation in Endwalker and the Final Days are paralleling each other.

Why is his popularity always pointed out when mentioning why he will "return?" Where did this start? Before or after 5.3? I started playing around 5.5 so am curious.

He said he designed the crystal tower. He's been involved with every enemy we have ever faced and his story parallels our own character's as a hero. We find out more about ourselves through him than nearly any other character in a very short timeframe.

Why on earth is it not a given that they designed him to be a very deep and thought-provoking character who would "be popular?" The way they created him at least for Shadowbringers made his character so deep that he has literally been waiting for the player-character since 2.0 and maybe before (but I didn't play back then). He in some way designed almost all of the conflicts in this game. If anything he is like a self insert in some sense of a creator who makes things for people they love and challenges them through their creations.

He ties together our adversaries in ways at least I didn't see before (besides the vague "imperials adapted Allagan technology," which through the Ivalice (? The Mhachi stuff) raids at least we know is not the only source of their technology). He summarizes so much of the plot up until now and even going forward as he was our only lens into the Ancients until recently. He's at the center of the conspiracy of his own making--of course he is a fan favorite!

I just don't get where the "they'll bring him back because he is popular" comes from.

He is the best and most compelling adversary in any video game I have ever played (and I am old) and I still don't trust him entirely. And he has been with us this entire time. On podcasts I have seen people say this "he is popular" thing and avoid talking about him like he is too sacred to mention. It is actually a lot like how people have traditionally treated talking about death and Hades and so it fascinates me.

It isn't particular people who say it... just something I have noticed repeated ad nauseam.

[Veloran]

I just don't get where the "they'll bring him back because he is popular" comes from.

I think because 5.0 felt like a very fitting and conclusive end for him, and then 5.3 happened. Though it was arguably an even better single moment and an even better sendoff, bringing him back once immediately raises the question of if they would do so again. However SoS was very succinct and I imagine the developers are conscious of not overselling, which is why I posited that they could give him more showing without actually having him return himself, though an avenue like the stone.

Regardless, once someone becomes like the sixth most popular character in the entire franchise you have to think they'll try and use him however they reasonably can. For example if the First were to ever get some kind of long timeskip, I wouldn't be surprised to meet a reincarnated version of Emet in the future.

[Lauront]

The polling in question for those curious. I daresay 5.3 probably elevated Elidibus's popularity considerably too, but sadly no similar poll has been conducted since... nonetheless, anecdotally both remain exceedingly popular antagonists.

SE does have a habit of paying attention to character popularity more generally regarding XIV when considering which characters to retain/bring back, so when people refer to it, it's not just in relation to Emet. IMO where he might differ to some of the rest is in how meteoric his rise was. Although as a writer you can have an idea of how your audience will like a character, the extent of that can be difficult to predict with exactitude.

[Turethir]

Posted on another board but reposting here...

I don't think any of the Scions (or any Avatar Trust member) will die, personally.

I think retirement is on the cards for most of them, although I couldn't guess in which ways at this point.

As for Thancred, I genuinely think they wouldn't be that cruel to Ryne, and after that scene in 5.0, I don't think he could be killed off now without it being cheap and for "shock value". If he was going to die, he should have died there. Since he survived that and 5.3, I think he's most likely safe.

I don't think you can read anything so grim into his JP VA's remarks, either - the way they were worded sounds much more like a retirement than death to me. There's also this interview with his EN VA (which was done after Endwalker recordings):
https://www.destructoid.com/final-fa...a-voice-actor/

"I look forward to hearing your character through my headphones in a future voice booth, who knows, you might just be Thancred’s new friend or even his Foe, for your sake I hope it’s not the latter!"

Sounds like he expects to still be playing him in the future.

[Cilia]

I've waited until the eleventh hour, time for speculoos!

1. None of the main Scions will die.
- That would leave a significant lack of Trust partners for 6.x dungeons; they can't really kill anyone since doing so will cut out a specific role or force you to use G'raha for healer / tank (so Urianger and Thancred are def. safe). Y'shtola won't die because she's too popular, and as the de facto deuteragonists the twins are all but guaranteed to survive. Estinien just came back to the fold and without him there would be no melee DPS trust.

2. Sharlayan has ties to Amaurot.
- The nautilus shell design that serves as Sharlayan's emblem also shows up on a dais at the end of Akademia Anyder. In addition, Sharlayan and Amaurot have suspiciously similar modus operandi - observing, occasionally nudging things, but otherwise being content to observe and record rather than shape history.

3. Labyrinthos is Sharlayan's "Final Days Fallout Bunker."
- It's supposedly just a giant library or whatever, but the artificial sky makes me doubt.

4. Anima has a personal connection to Zenos or Fandaniel (and may be the "dreamer").
- One of the things she's most famous for is her personal connection to Seymour, the secondary antagonist of X from which she originates; I can't see them passing up the opportunity to make the reference. Further the Anima summon is technically a "dream" of Seymour's mother, who was turned into a fayth statue.

5. The Final Days was caused by an experiment intended to shock Amaurot out of complacency that went horribly awry.
- We know Pandaemonium was a depository for experiments too powerful and dangerous to be controlled or destroyed, located deep beneath the earth. The Sound came from within the earth. The exact intent is unknown, and the whole thing may have just been an unintended tragedy, but perhaps someone - Lahabrea or Fandaniel - saw the problems with Amaurotine society and tried to shock them into a course correction, only for things to get wildly out of hand.

6. The Ancients were themselves space aliens.
- The Endwalker logo appears to show some sort of spaceship headed to the moon. It's entirely unclear where such a spaceship would come from, and Endwalker does seem to be leaning a bit into IV for references, so...

7. The thus-unnamed floating continent will be very important.
- They don't leave it undisclosed otherwise...

8. Ascians will continue to have a presence past 6.0.
- It's only the end of the Hydaelyn / Zodiark saga, and we known from Fandaniel the fractured Ascians that are left don't necessarily play along with the unsundered plan anymore. That leaves the window open for the rest of them to take to the stage, unless they're all offed in 6.0.

9. 6.1+ arc will focus on the rest of Ilsabard or the New World.

10. Finally gonna get a genuinely eldritch zone.
- Probably not, because this game's generally grounded in reality, but it's nice to dream.