Revelations from Dawntrail (7.0)

[Rosenstrauch]

If Alexandria was part of the 9th shard was Terra an entirely different shard?

Probably not. Neither the First nor the Thirteenth are actually the worlds from FF1 or FF13. Alexandria being from the Ninth Reflection is just a reference to FF9 having "Nine" in the title—it doesn't mean Gaia (the world of FF9) is actually a reflection of Hydaelyn/Etheirys. Nor does it mean one of the remaining reflections is actually FF9's Terra.

[innis31]

Probably not. Neither the First nor the Thirteenth are actually the worlds from FF1 or FF13. Alexandria being from the Ninth Reflection is just a reference to FF9 having "Nine" in the title—it doesn't mean Gaia (the world of FF9) is actually a reflection of Hydaelyn/Etheirys. Nor does it mean one of the remaining reflections is actually FF9's Terra.

Too bad that would've been another great "We did everything we were supposed to do." moment.

[Cleretic]

Too bad that would've been another great "We did everything we were supposed to do." moment.

We didn't need another one.

Bakool, Zoraal, and to a more ambiguous level Sphene all had that struggle, they just didn't say the words; they followed the road put in front of them by others, that they were told would lead to success, only to get stopped by cold, hard reality.

[innis31]

We didn't need another one.

Bakool, Zoraal, and to a more ambiguous level Sphene all had that struggle, they just didn't say the words; they followed the road put in front of them by others, that they were told would lead to success, only to get stopped by cold, hard reality.

Not what I meant but your not wrong. I meant it in a Zidane former hero type showing up and dropping 9th shard exposition.

[Cilia]

Alexandria, despite its appearance, is already a stand-in for IX's Terra (its MO is virtually the same), and we already had two of those sorts of characters (Ardbert and Durante).

[innis31]

I get they're pretty much the same... But we have had no one tell us a good story of failure and loss in DT and this would be a great place for it. Ardbert and Durante were different though. Ardbert was another shard of us as the WoL and some people had some connection with the character beforehand. Durante on the other hand wasn't the hero he was just some dude from a world that was 98% fallen.

[Dikatis]

I get they're pretty much the same... But we have had no one tell us a good story of failure and loss in DT and this would be a great place for it. Ardbert and Durante were different though. Ardbert was another shard of us as the WoL and some people had some connection with the character beforehand. Durante on the other hand wasn't the hero he was just some dude from a world that was 98% fallen.

If you want failure and loss, Mamook's veneration for the blessed siblings is a condemnation of dogma and the hero worship of a select group of people. The Mamool Ja willingly condemned hundreds of children to stillbirth in hopes of creating the next Gulool Ja Ja, one aligned to their interests alone, as they believed it was their only means of rising on the totem pole without compromising their beliefs. But they only found another way once people from the outside that they condemned not only defeated a simulacrum of Gulool Ja Ja in his prime, but was able to offer an alternate solution they could not have acquired on their own because of how cloistered their society is. They're then forced to confront their failures, choices, and loss and let go of their hero worship and bigoted behavior to continue moving forward.

Or you could look at Sphene. On the surface, she's more or less a perfect queen. But we see from her living memories that she is haunted by the people she tried and failed to save during the Storm Surge (the war section is "The Dreams She Lost" and she remarks "To the painful memories of war... I lay to rest"). When a man begs her for spare soul cells and she's unable to provide them, she does not castigate him for his outburst but smiles sweetly and forgives him because she knows she's too impotent to help him. Her worst nightmare is repeated when Zoraal Ja turns the military on her people and she once again feels powerless to help them. Her fear of losing her own people is so extreme that she willingly perpetuates Alexandria's inherently unsustainable soul cell system and is willing to pillage entire worlds for their souls to keep Living Memory running even though many of the Endless are perfectly okay with letting go.

And Durante was THE hero on the Thirteenth next to Golbez. His and Golbez's arrival provides the same surge of hope that the WoL provides and it's repeatedly stated that the Thirteenth could have been saved had he and Golbez found more likeminded people willing to fight alongside them. The tragedy of it is seeing this idealist become a cold, manipulative monster in his misguided pursuit to give his departed friend the legendary reputation he deserves.

[innis31]

Those are good examples of could've been tragic but avoidable with a good king or queen. And Sphene was always from the get-go evil she always only wanted one thing the tasty tasty souls. Sure she put on a good act but everything she showed us was all so we would bend the knee.
And we ran into hero of the 13th and he was just a kid who was rescued by that one ascian guy. While Durante wasn't THE hero he was still A hero just not a hero backed by fate itself.

[Cleretic]

Those are good examples of could've been tragic but avoidable with a good king or queen. And Sphene was always from the get-go evil she always only wanted one thing the tasty tasty souls. Sure she put on a good act but everything she showed us was all so we would bend the knee.
And we ran into hero of the 13th and he was just a kid who was rescued by that one ascian guy. While Durante wasn't THE hero he was still A hero just not a hero backed by fate itself.

Okay, you're just... straight-up not paying attention to Dawntrail's story then. We can't do anything more for you, if you think Mamook's problems were 'avoidable with a good king' or that Sphene was ontologically evil, you're starting from a broken knowledge base.

[innis31]

Okay, you're just... straight-up not paying attention to Dawntrail's story then. We can't do anything more for you, if you think Mamook's problems were 'avoidable with a good king' or that Sphene was ontologically evil, you're starting from a broken knowledge base.

I mean if thats what you took from it. I will say the Mamook's problem could have been stopped by Gulool Ja Ja but he didn't and they suffered. I only base Sphene on how she behaved sometimes in cut scenes cause she has some sus moments. Then again I could just hate her non-human nature.