Dear SquareEnix/Natsuko Ishikawa - About Zenos in Endwalker *MAJOR MSQ SPOILERS*!

[Elysidelphi]

More details on Zenos found in the story in this link (or alternatively in the FFXIV books/encyclopaedias):

https://www.reddit.com/r/ffxiv/comme...s_the_offical/



"One might think it a blessing to be born into the ruling family of a vast and powerful empire, but for the young Prince Zenos-great grandson of Solus zos Galvus, revered founding father of the Garlean Empire-it was a curse.


From the beginning, Zenos was alone. His lady mother succumbed to illness shortly after bringing him into the world, and his lord father was seldom present, occupied as he was with his military campaigns and political maneuvering. And while the prince was surrounded by countless servants, they were as machina to him, trundling about on invisible rails, bereft of independent thought. Nor did he hold the learned men and women who served as his tutors in much higher regard. His brilliant mind found their lessons, their very existence-monotonous, and he preferred the silent company of books.


With such an upbringing, he could not choose but be different from other children. Indeed, it could be said that he was never a child at all. Innocence and playfulness were quite alien to him, the former expunged by his earliest schooling and the latter afforded no outlet. His days were uniformly joyless, and he went about his scheduled tasks with apathy. Thus did he pass his first four and ten summers-in a steel-grey blue of tedium."

[nighttimebunny]

I wish they'd give us flashbacks into his childhood and past.

[Elysidelphi]

I wish they'd give us flashbacks into his childhood and past.

Yeah, me too, but with Zenos being back as himself (not just his avatar or his body being used by someone else again).

By the way, has anyone already figured Zenos's avatar's importance? I know Yoshi-P said we should pay close attention to his avatar. Has anyone figured out why? What's special/different about his avatar?

[nighttimebunny]

So I finally did the reaper job quests and I found something a little interesting. It's kind of a spoiler but it's not really that critical tbh. I think you might enjoy it.

The main quest NPC, Drusilla, almost gets killed by the main antagonist of the questline, an evil voidsent but she survives because of her avatar/its soul. He tries to kill her AGAIN and she is basically dead, laying there lifeless, but then she survives once again saying "You didn't finish the job." I think we can apply to this Zenos for sure. I'm actually baffled about how powerful he is (nearly a full on Ascian, reaper with a voidsent which apparently can make reapers almost immortal, can turn into Shinryu lol) that at this point I'm extremely skeptical he's dead. With him being in that realm of hope, if/when he wakes up, maybe he'll wish to be back home? Like he wished the WoL back to the Scions. Then we get our long awaited redemption arc. <3

Also when you talk to Drusilla about reapers, she seems to know a lot about the Thirteenth shard. And mentions souls (forgot what she said exactly) I'm almost 100% sure Zenos's avatar is Azem's shard on the Thirteenth.

[Elysidelphi]

So I finally did the reaper job quests and I found something a little interesting. It's kind of a spoiler but it's not really that critical tbh. I think you might enjoy it.

The main quest NPC, Drusilla, almost gets killed by the main antagonist of the questline, an evil voidsent but she survives because of her avatar/its soul. He tries to kill her AGAIN and she is basically dead, laying there lifeless, but then she survives once again saying "You didn't finish the job." I think we can apply to this Zenos for sure. I'm actually baffled about how powerful he is (nearly a full on Ascian, reaper with a voidsent which apparently can make reapers almost immortal, can turn into Shinryu lol) that at this point I'm extremely skeptical he's dead. With him being in that realm of hope, if/when he wakes up, maybe he'll wish to be back home? Like he wished the WoL back to the Scions. Then we get our long awaited redemption arc. <3

Also when you talk to Drusilla about reapers, she seems to know a lot about the Thirteenth shard. And mentions souls (forgot what she said exactly) I'm almost 100% sure Zenos's avatar is Azem's shard on the Thirteenth.

Wow, thank you for this information! I really really must do the Reaper questline as well now. People keep telling me how great it is and I kept putting it off but now I really want to do it for myself and analyse each and every word, scene, gesture, facial expression, tone of voice, etc.

Thank you also for keeping my hope alive and for contributing to this thread, your replies often make me smile and I felt like saying I love you to you and giving you a huge hug in this explosion of affection because you manage to give me so much hope, and that means so much to me, more than these words could ever convey.

Since the Thirteenth Shard keeps being mentioned here and there, I get the feeling that it will definitely come to play a big role in the future. That would be so interesting! We already restored one shard that was overwhelmed by Light, so it would make thematic sense to also restore a shard overwhelmed by Darkness.

However, I must ask you, why are you almost 100% sure that Zenos's avatar is Azem's shard from the Thirteenth? That theory left me shocked and I really want to know more about it, even if it's just speculation. But since you seem so sure, I definitely, definitely want to know more!

Wait wait...actually...wouldn't that be really bad though? If Zenos's avatar was Azem's shard from the Thirteenth? I mean...if that was true...would that mean that us the WoL will have to merge with Zenos's avatar at some point (the same way we did with Ardbert) meaning that Zenos would be left without an avatar? What happens to a Reaper if they lose their avatar? Can they get another one? Has the Reaper questline addressed that?
Or could Zenos change back to Samurai, if he lost his avatar? Or even change to another job/new job?
What are your thoughts on these things?

Also, on a similar note, you do not think that Unukalhai is actually Azem from the Thirteenth and that he might merge with us at some point? His story is also not wrapped up and there are also many questions left unanswered about him too. So I think there are definitely plans about his character as well.

[nighttimebunny]

I don't know too much about Unukalhai but I'd love to know more about him. I really think we might be exploring the Thirteenth Shard soon especially with having reaper introduced. Maybe Zenos can help us :,) That actually sounds plausible!

As for his avatar, it really is kind of tinfoil since we have almost no information. I guess when Yoshi P said something like "pay attention to his avatar, it might be his new best friend" something along those lines, I immediately thought of Azem. I feel like the connection between us and him is so strong that it would make sense. I have no other theories for what his avatar could be at the moment, what do you think it could be?

They did not address it, but I'm pretty they could get a new avatar easily, since the voidsent soul is separate from the host's. They just act as a barrier of protection. So I think Zenos would be fine if we did end up merging with the shard. I really recommend trying reaper! It's fun being the same class as him and the quests were definitely interesting.

Also, thank you for this whole thread!! It's made me super happy, so hugs to you!

[Elysidelphi]

I don't know too much about Unukalhai but I'd love to know more about him. I really think we might be exploring the Thirteenth Shard soon especially with having reaper introduced. Maybe Zenos can help us :,) That actually sounds plausible!

As for his avatar, it really is kind of tinfoil since we have almost no information. I guess when Yoshi P said something like "pay attention to his avatar, it might be his new best friend" something along those lines, I immediately thought of Azem. I feel like the connection between us and him is so strong that it would make sense. I have no other theories for what his avatar could be at the moment, what do you think it could be?

They did not address it, but I'm pretty they could get a new avatar easily, since the voidsent soul is separate from the host's. They just act as a barrier of protection. So I think Zenos would be fine if we did end up merging with the shard. I really recommend trying reaper! It's fun being the same class as him and the quests were definitely interesting.

Also, thank you for this whole thread!! It's made me super happy, so hugs to you!

You should definitely explore Unukalhai's story, it's tied to the Thirteenth shard. If you do the trials from Heavensward, they explore his story a lot. If I remember correctly, even the Eden raids from Shadowbringers explore him a bit. I won't go into details because I don't want to spoil you, hope you'll enjoy his story!

Hmm, good point... I guess that Zenos's avatar could indeed be Azem's soul shard from the Thirteenth based on what Yoshi-P said. That would be interesting to explore how Zenos ended up changing to Reaper and finding that particular avatar out of all the other options out there and how he got that avatar in particular to work with him...So much potential for storytelling there! Do avatars talk to their masters? Like do they have an actual relationship beyond the battlefield? In which they talk and such?

But other than that, I was wondering, does the way Zenos's avatar look or its attacks/abilities offer us any clues/hints as to whom it might be?

Personally, I'd be worried if Zenos's avatar was indeed Azem's soul shard from the Thirteenth just because I'd worry that we the WoL would end up merging with it at some point and I'd worry about how that would affect Zenos, as in, I wouldn't want to kill him yet again. Never again! But you said that the voidsent soul is separate from the host's making Zenos safe, so I hope that's true. But then again, this leads to another question I have...

So...Reapers are apparently almost immortal due to their job as a Reaper but also due to their avatars, right? Their avatars do not let them die, is that right? Like in the Reaper questline, when Drusilla was almost dead the second time around, what kept her alive or saved her? Her avatar or something else? Was that explained in the questline?

Because my question is the following: if Reapers cannot be killed "normally" because their avatars will keep them alive, does that work the other way around as well? As in, if the avatar gets killed/absorbed/merged with, would that kill the Reaper/host?

I think it would be pretty interesting if Zenos's avatar turned out to be Azem's soul shard from the Thirteenth, but like I said, it would also worry me a lot, and I'd only want this turn of events if either:
1. we don't kill/merge with that avatar at all, ever
or
2. we do kill/merge with that avatar but Zenos remains alive and either gets a new avatar or changes jobs

Other than that...maybe Zenos's avatar is his own soul shard from the Thirteenth. Or maybe it's the soul shard of one of the sundered Ascians, such as Hermes/Fandaniel or really any other sundered Ascian and we would get to explore the story of that Ascian as well. Or it could also be the soul shard of the emperor Xande, given his importance in the story. Or it could be the sundered part of Zodiark himself! Or even of Hydaelyn herself. Or it could be the soul shard of one of the Scions/friends of the WoL. Other options for that avatar's identity could be the soul shard of either Haurchefant or Minfilia, as either would hit pretty hard emotionally. Or obviously it could be the soul shard of an entirely new character that will get explored in future expansions/patches. So many possibilities. Whoever that avatar is, I hope it will have a powerful, deep impact.

I'm really glad you've been enjoying this thread, I'm always happy to meet other people who like/understand/want more of Zenos and don't just simply reject him as useless/boring. I adore people who can read between the lines and analyse things in-depth, especially those who are happy to give a villain a second (proper) chance.

[NyannCat]

More details on Zenos found in the story in this link (or alternatively in the FFXIV books/encyclopaedias):

https://www.reddit.com/r/ffxiv/comme...s_the_offical/



"One might think it a blessing to be born into the ruling family of a vast and powerful empire, but for the young Prince Zenos-great grandson of Solus zos Galvus, revered founding father of the Garlean Empire-it was a curse.


From the beginning, Zenos was alone. His lady mother succumbed to illness shortly after bringing him into the world, and his lord father was seldom present, occupied as he was with his military campaigns and political maneuvering. And while the prince was surrounded by countless servants, they were as machina to him, trundling about on invisible rails, bereft of independent thought. Nor did he hold the learned men and women who served as his tutors in much higher regard. His brilliant mind found their lessons, their very existence-monotonous, and he preferred the silent company of books.


With such an upbringing, he could not choose but be different from other children. Indeed, it could be said that he was never a child at all. Innocence and playfulness were quite alien to him, the former expunged by his earliest schooling and the latter afforded no outlet. His days were uniformly joyless, and he went about his scheduled tasks with apathy. Thus did he pass his first four and ten summers-in a steel-grey blue of tedium."

That's really cool, I didn't know about any of that!

I really hope this is not his end and that he comes back with some really cool development.
I mean, we all win if it happens. We get a cool character in the story and that's it.

[Elysidelphi]

That's really cool, I didn't know about any of that!

I really hope this is not his end and that he comes back with some really cool development.
I mean, we all win if it happens. We get a cool character in the story and that's it.

Cheers to that! Let's use the power of Dynamis and will him back to us!

Did you read that whole story about his childhood? If so, what did you think of it?