The clones of Emet.

[SannaR]

Man with him narrating both the regular trailer and the launch trailer it makes me wonder if our Azem stone isn't a Horcrux of some sort. Going back to the original topic. Would the clones only have the DNA the Solus or would it have been altered by Emet post possession? Would they also be semi tempered? Gah, why do they keep on toying with us?

[SannaR]

Something I realized while explaining the whole Emet thing to someone on Reddit: We don't know when Emet-Selch took over Solus' body and life. It was a while ago, sure, he's the one that kickstarted the Garlean Empire. But did he possess a young man who was in prime position to seize control? Did he possess an adult already in a position of power, and took a sharp right turn to fascism with it? Did he possess a literal child and play the part of a prodigy?

In the game we've currently been given it doesn't actually matter, because we've only ever dealt with Solus and Emet-Selch as 'the (previous) Emperor', the logistics of his rise to power just don't matter. ...but if we're dealing with an Emet-less Solus clone, would they perhaps have the mind of Solus from the period just before Emet took control?

I want to say in the first lore book Solus wasn't an outstanding military personnel until he went on a mission of some sort where something happened that after it he started to skyrocket through the ranks. So, I'm assuming the possession happened around then. If not then idk as we don't know what exactly went on. Though from what I remember is that it read as a "special person finds something that triggers past lives memories" kind of deal.

[Cleretic]

Man with him narrating both the regular trailer and the launch trailer it makes me wonder if our Azem stone isn't a Horcrux of some sort.

I've been advocating for us to smash that thing since 5.3, if it turns out to be a phylactery I'm gonna need to actually learn how to sing so I can do a proper delivery of "I hate to say I told you so".

[SentioftheHoukai]

Mostly the giant hole in his chest from when we threw an axe made out of an apocalypse's worth of light through him. There's also the point where it's an extremely dramatic conclusion to Shardowbringers, Ardbert, and Emet-Selch's stories that would all be cheapened to nigh-worthlessness by him coming back, but mostly it's the hole in his chest.

If he comes back after that? I give up, because there is no longer value or weight to the story being told or the events being depicted. If climactic all-in gambles can be undone, huge sacrifices thrown away, dramatic character finales can be rewound, what is even the point? It all becomes meaningless; why fight Fandaniel if death doesn't stop him, why invest anything in the conflict if there is no return? Why bother, at all?

Because then we'd miss what happens next time on Final Fantasy Ball ZXIV. No, in all seriousness I'd be awfully surprised if he comes back in any meaningful fashion. What exactly could they even do with the guy now, narratively speaking? Lahabrea is practically guaranteed to surface in some capacity, but likely only in the sense that we're dealing with the aftermath of his weirdest shit in Pandaemonium. I always found it laughably ironic that the one dubbed "the genius" in Amaurot is the one who ultimately turned stark-raving laughing mad.

[RyuDragnier]

Because then we'd miss what happens next time on Final Fantasy Ball ZXIV. No, in all seriousness I'd be awfully surprised if he comes back in any meaningful fashion. What exactly could they even do with the guy now, narratively speaking? Lahabrea is practically guaranteed to surface in some capacity, but likely only in the sense that we're dealing with the aftermath of his weirdest shit in Pandaemonium. I always found it laughably ironic that the one dubbed "the genius" in Amaurot is the one who ultimately turned stark-raving laughing mad.

Hades will probably be back, perhaps permanently to watch over the Lifestream and Underworld as its guard. We're going to need an excuse for appearing in Pandaemonium, and the first tier is named Asphodelos, which is a flower, and in Greek legend is HEAVILY connected to the dead and the underworld, both of which are Hades domains.

[Cleretic]

Hades will probably be back, perhaps permanently to watch over the Lifestream and Underworld as its guard. We're going to need an excuse for appearing in Pandaemonium, and the first tier is named Asphodelos, which is a flower, and in Greek legend is HEAVILY connected to the dead and the underworld, both of which are Hades domains.

Remember that Pandaemonium is a place that's appeared twice in Final Fantasy. First time (FFII) was as a castle of Hell that burst out from the ground, the second (FFIX) as a floating fortress. The shot of the first arena of Pandaemonium we got suggested it was based on the first.

You got into Pandaemonium in II, for the record, by going through the Jade Passage. Additional blessing wasn't needed in that case; in fact, Pandaemonium busting loose was why it was possible in the first place. I'm guessing that's how we'll get there; Pandaemonium crashes through mountains near Garlemald, and that act opens a path through to it.