A lot of the old mysteries have been confronted now and it made me question what was left. That was why they got Emet-Selch to talk about the mysteries that remain that we hadn't thought as much about. That made it better and probably saved the story from ending in despair.

What happens to Garlemald is shown in the trailer. If you haven't done all of the side quests, spoiler, Ascians are still alive in some side quests.

You are a part of the story of Eorzea if you consider doing little seasonal events or side quests as being part of it. We will start to feel part of something bigger, the whole star, Hydaelyn. Already we are in Thavnair doing beast tribes and eventually we will visit other islands or worlds.