Inconsistencies with the sundering (Spoilers)

[Xirean]

I'm just using the Cambridge definition: "a piece of new information given in a movie, television series, etc. that changes, or gives a different way of understanding, what has gone before. Retcon is short for "Retroactive Continuity." https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/...english/retcon

ShB says that the sundering happened because of a "great battle between Zodiark and Hydaelyn", the EW metaphorical cutscene fails to mention that battle and says it was done by Venat because of her own personal morals.

Makes more sense. That being said I find that a bit too harsh a definition especially in regards to a thread like this calling out "inconsistencies". We never had information from her perspective about the event. Because of this lack of knowledge we were effectively left with a blank hole. In my opinion, adding information where there previously was none isn't in the spirit of the word "retcon". Does it technically meet that strict definition? Yes, obviously, but I wouldn't really consider it one. Now if we saw events play out one way then saw events play out a different way later from the exact same perspective I would absolutely agree with you.

You can even apply this logic to any other story that doesn't give you all the information at the start. Technically any story that leaves blank spots is technically retconning every time there is a reveal by that definition.

[kpxmanifesto]

Snip

Yeah, sure, I suppose you can have the theory that Venat's perspective of what happened is very different from Emet-Selch's.

If your theory is indeed the case, then does the game's story suddenly carry the assumption that Emet-Selch was actually clueless to what the origin of the Sundering was?

At this point we're just filling in the holes with our own interpretations of how things in the game are because the game itself doesn't make any elaboration on it.

You can even apply this logic to any other story that doesn't give you all the information at the start. Technically any story that leaves blank spots is technically retconning every time there is a reveal by that definition.

New information by itself doesn't create a retcon. If new information changes what was previously established, yes, I'd still consider that a retcon. Twists in movies can be seen as retcons too.

[Xirean]

If your theory is indeed the case, then does the game's story suddenly carry the assumption that Emet-Selch was actually clueless to what the origin of the Sundering was?

That's actually very explicitly the case. I'm not going to defend Elpis or the big cutscene in question (I think they are the weakest point of the entire game), but Emet absolutely had no idea because he was literally robbed of the knowledge. From his perspective the sundering happened as part of the battle. Since we don't get to see a literal telling of events or, very unfortunately, the fight itself, we can't dispute his statement on the when, only the why. The cutscene where the sundering is shown attempts to justify Venat's actions through her own words. Despite this, later when you fight her she states "Against the power of the almighty Zodiark, I had no other alternative" which heavily leans back onto the "it was part of the fight" explanation. I still wouldn't consider that an inconsistency or a retcon. Her justification for her actions are hers and hers alone nor would I be surprised that someone who did what she did would find an internal justification for it.

New information by itself doesn't create a retcon. If new information changes what was previously established, yes, I'd still consider that a retcon. Twists in movies can be seen as retcons too.

So this is where I would have to disagree; not on the raw definition of the word, but on the spirit of the word. People often bring up the word retcon to imply something really bad happened as a result of something being changed; or rather that the change itself is bad. In this instance that's difficult to judge. There was no information present and then we obtained new information. By that logic alone, there was no change. Just filling in the blank. We can decide if we like that new info or not later.