Tales under the New Moon #5: Whispers from the Dark

[SannaR]

Oh man what a treat out of the blue like this. I know this story was about Gaius and Lahabrea, but no wonder Emet-Selch sort of seethed at the other two unsundered.

As sure they both were loyal to the rejoinings, freeing Zodiark and restoring of how the world was prior to the final days. Yet Emet looks to be the only one that felt that keeping the memories of those they cared for wasn't only important but a necessary thing to do. I wonder if part of the reason why those memories were messing with Lahabreha were due to having a part of Athena in the Heart of Sabik? Was her influence the sole cause for him remembering even if foggy his family? Or did it just make those memories stronger and last longer?

It's interesting that the story claims that his creative juices petered out to the point where he really was sure, that'll do when he woke up the dragon we fought in Dusk Vigil while Cid and Alphinaud worked on the Enterprise. I do wonder if he still had mental flashes of Athena, Erichtonios or remembeed that Igeyorhm and he were cousins after turning the heart over to Giaus.

It is nice to know those two's relationship was always like that. I'm glad that they told us we would be getting more of these over the course of December.

[Anonymoose]

I wonder if part of the reason why those memories were messing with him were due to having a part of Athena in the Heart of Sabik? Was her influence the sole cause for him remembering even if foggy his family? Or did it just make those memories stronger and last longer?

I'm tempted to explore aetherometaphysical theories associated with auracite/Sabik as a (then) receptacle of Athena's memory and crystalline accelerator one's desires / ambitions...but for the moment I'm think I'm focused more on a simple connection to Lahabrea's sentiments in Pandaemonium.

Lahabrea
These Ascians─or “Paragons,” I'm told─were ruthless in their schemes to rejoin the sundered worlds.

I have heard but a small number of their deeds, and still I find it difficult to comprehend the depths to which they were willing to sink.

To choose a path of evil, all for the sake of the star...

...I admit, 'tis a decision I would make under the right circumstances.

Although the ages may take their toll, my devotion to my duty will never waver.

Paying no heed to what might be lost, I will treat the Heart of Sabik as a mere tool for my own ends.

Never caring to look beyond the surface, I will unleash forces that I fail to truly comprehend...and remain blissfully ignorant of my hypocrisy all the while.

I think here maybe we see him on the other side of the looking glass - the moment he decides to reject the memories trying to resurface; refuse to consider them a sign that maybe he should look beyond the surface and Sabik as more than a mere tool. On this side of the mirror, he chides himself for this "moment of weakness" because - after the long years and all they have taken from him - nothing matters but his comrades, his goal, his duty, and his god.

again, it's more of the same in terms of watering down more morally questionable beloved characters

Tbh, I actually am rather surprised that they rarely mention the other side of that coin. It doesn't both me so much, because I know it's there, but I think it's worth calling attention to in prose sometimes, too. We don't have to harp on it, just acknowledge the canonical context.

My appreciation for Gaius comes from a place of how uncomfortable it is to consider him. He really was his idea of benevolent/meritocratic, he really was his idea of just, he really was his idea of virtuous. What makes him interesting is that despite his antagonistic role, he often lived up to his own ideals early on - he truly believed the strong had a responsibility to lead the way, protect the planet, and rule the weak well. He also took it for granted that nobody else's perspective had merit, and if you went against his perspective you were either misguided and in need of a strong hand or an enemy of order to be ruthlessly exterminated. Why not continue to call attention to that second part every now and then when mentioning his "praiseworthy" qualities? lol

Again, it doesn't bother me so much, because I understand Gaius to be on more of an arc of atonement than redemption, in my eyes. I think he recognizes how myopic he was and wants to make amends for it, but doesn't give a damn whether anyone else thinks that "redeems" him. But I'd agree that we tend to gloss over the caveats perhaps too much too soon.

[Cleretic]

My appreciation for Gaius comes from a place of how uncomfortable it is to consider him. He really was his idea of benevolent/meritocratic, he really was his idea of just, he really was his idea of virtuous. What makes him interesting is that despite his antagonistic role, he often lived up to his own ideals early on - he truly believed the strong had a responsibility to lead the way, protect the planet, and rule the weak well. He also took it for granted that nobody else's perspective had merit, and if you went against his perspective you were either misguided and in need of a strong hand or an enemy of order to be ruthlessly exterminated. Why not continue to call attention to that second part every now and then when mentioning his "praiseworthy" qualities? lol

I think everything you've said is all right and good (can't fit it all in because of character limits), and is a big part of why I like this story; it's largely two people having complicated and weird internal feelings while trying to look like Big Men With Power to each other. And while for Lahabrea it's essentially importing his Endwalker backstory into his ARR presentation, which... sure, for Gaius I think it's a lot more interesting and a lot more important, largely by bridging the gap between his two eras in a clever way.

His turn after the events of the Praetorium always felt kind of weird to me. This is basically the Empire's top general, he's the most loyal and the most capable, while also being a very internally-motivated man; outside of extreme circumstances, he's the only person who can ever convince himself. Why would he turn coat after one loss that you can credit almost entirely to Magical Nonsense? Just from what we see in-game, he should have just dusted himself off, gone 'okay, no more magic rocks' and tried again.

But this scene does a lot for him there; Lahabrea running his mouth and evoking the Emperor while being unable or unwilling to answer basic questions is pretty clearly sowing the seeds of doubt in Gaius' mind, making him realize that there's something fishy going on. And Gaius' loyalty is actually less to the Empire and more to his internal image of how the world should be, so he isn't going to shrug that off. That, combined with the fact this isn't the only time they met (there's at least one implied meeting between them over the course of ARR before the Praetorium), makes the Ultima Weapon situation read more like a final straw for him. It's not just one mistake, it's a damning confirmation that something is wrong, as well as a climax to a series of silent humiliations.

Gaius is, as you said, a man out for atonement rather than redemption; internal validation rather than external. With that, I think this story reads as the first sign that his interior and exterior aren't lining up; not the first step on the journey, but that first doubt that later leads to him taking it.

[SannaR]

I'm tempted to explore aetherometaphysical theories associated with auracite/Sabik as a (then) receptacle of Athena's memory and crystalline accelerator one's desires / ambitions...but for the moment I'm think I'm focused more on a simple connection to Lahabrea's sentiments in Pandaemonium.

I think here maybe we see him on the other side of the looking glass - the moment he decides to reject the memories trying to resurface; refuse to consider them a sign that maybe he should look beyond the surface and Sabik as more than a mere tool. On this side of the mirror, he chides himself for this "moment of weakness" because - after the long years and all they have taken from him - nothing matters but his comrades, his goal, his duty, and his god.

Well the memories seem to persist and try to keep a hold on him until he thrusts it into Gaius's hand. Only then do they look to loose their grasp on Lahabreha. It could be that while not knowing if he had the heart until the Allagans made the Ultima Weapon and made it it's core how often or for how long it was in his possession. The story hints at least to me that he hasn't had it for a long time. Thus any influence Athena's memories and presence would have waned to the point of that it held so little sway over him. Including the part that he had forsaken after he murdered Athena and had not brought back into himself at the end of Pandeamonium.

That after he gave the heart to Gaius he could once again focus fully on his work. The same way he felt when he became whole once more and could be the person he thought his seat demanded him to be.