6.4 patch speculation

[Seraphor]

Someone here on this forum (I can't remember who it was sorry!) recently speculated it's actually meant to be Pandemona (as in, the wind Guardian Force from FFVIII), which makes sense given Panademona's Japanese name was literally Pandaemonium (due to lack of text space they had to shorten the name). Remember the post EW ending stinger cutscene showed Themis mentioning Pandaemonium as a "beast" not as a place, and that would seem to give credence to that theory. Of course that is just my speculation though.

Additionally, every raid series has been based around an icon FF summon or notorious boss. Bahamut, Alexander, Omega, Eden. It only follows the pattern for Pandaemonium to be an entity itself too.

[WhiteArchmage]

We also generally fought "[Raid Name] Prime" at some point in the raid. Usually at the end but Eden put Eden Prime right as the first fight. While Pandaemonium is really more "FF2 Pandaemonium" in theme, I wouldn't be surprised if they pull a double duty and we end up fighting the Guardian Force for reference's sake.

[Alleluia]

So, what's the guesses for who actually sent the crystal forward that started our involvement in Pandamonium in the first place? I'm btwn Elidibus and Ericthonios. The message sounds less collected than Elidibus ever comes across, while Eric is emotionally invested in Pandamonium's situation. But on the other hand, Elidibus sending it and being the one to close the timeloop would work really well. But on the other other hand, Elidibus is almost guaranteed to already get an emotional moment when we finally see him swear his half forgotten oath to us before we part (assuming that speculation on my part is right ofc), while Eric would still need his own moment for the end.

Of course... the crystal in question has a previously broken bit that is fused back on, which could hint at Lahabrea. Plus, the crystal may potentially be behind the professor in the present going rogue and pulling a disappearing act. If he's possessed by someone, they likely rode along on that crystal, and Lahabrea's efforts being tainted like that (or Hephaestus just straight up becoming Laha's dominant personality) would make him being the source of the crystal make the most sense.

Youtube video recapping story and including the scene for reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50QY-_yvD4E

EDIT: I suppose its also possible the crystal was another of Agdistis' actions, given how she's the "distant voice" a few times once we're there. But I don't know how she'd have managed to get a memory crystal or sling it forward to us when it was all she could do to make herself heard in her present day.


Edit 2: On another note, Athena is another parallel to FF7 imo. She's clearly ancient Etherys' version of Hojo. >_>

[Cleretic]

Honestly, thinking about it I kinda get a vibe that the person who sent the crystal might not have been the one that made it. Because my suspects for who might've sent it (Elidibus, Azem) don't sound like they'd have sent the message we got in it, which sounds more like it might've been Erich or maybe Agdistis.

[Alleluia]

I said earlier:

Of course... the crystal in question has a previously broken bit that is fused back on, which could hint at Lahabrea. Plus, the crystal may potentially be behind the professor in the present going rogue and pulling a disappearing act. If he's possessed by someone, they likely rode along on that crystal, and Lahabrea's efforts being tainted like that (or Hephaestus just straight up becoming Laha's dominant personality) would make him being the source of the crystal make the most sense.

And I had a think and want to add:
Another possible hint towards it being Lahabrea who sent the crystal or is associated with it, is that the professor seems to have gone to Azys La. Technically, the sword Thordan used to absorb our Lahabrea is still there (the sword is addressed in a certain questline, but I think in the end it was still left there and contained aether?). Going there to do something with that sword, and w/e may remain of Lahabrea within it, would make sense if the prof is being influenced by Hephaestus. And, if Hephaestus hitched a ride through time on the crystal, its likely sane(?)Lahabrea had something to do with the crystal in the first place.


... I'm sorry I'm all over the place on this. lol

And I agree Cleretic. For example, it could be that Eric made the message that got imprinted on the crystal, but a convocation member made the crystal itself.

[Yuella]

One more unanswered question: Why did Azem tell Themis that we're going to come and help investigate Pandaemonium?

[Iscah]

One more unanswered question: Why did Azem tell Themis that we're going to come and help investigate Pandaemonium?

Bigger question, how did Azem know to tell Themis that we were coming?

[Cleretic]

Bigger question, how did Azem know to tell Themis that we were coming?

Well I mean they've been very strongly implying Azem has future sight, so that one actually has an answer.

[SannaR]

Well I mean they've been very strongly implying Azem has future sight, so that one actually has an answer.

I wish they'd pull the trigger and let us know that's something they have or if it's more of a "Strange things are a foot at the Circle K" type thing. The devs love to always be one sample away from something not being just a coincidence. As we have this and the how they acted in regards to being apart of summoning Zodiark and Hydelean that hints they get prophetic visions at the very least. I've come up with a few wild theories about some things but I won't go over them here as they don't deal with the patch.

[Iscah]

Well I mean they've been very strongly implying Azem has future sight, so that one actually has an answer.

That's circular logic. The question of how Azem knows this is the reason people are speculating that Azem has future sight.