"Answers" mark 3.

[Catapult]

I was going to bump this thread, but I'm following a new track, so new thread time. Let's start by copying in the relevant bits...

The song, Answers, is rather lore-rich, but it has been somewhat difficult to understand what the song means. We came to some conclusions in the past, but with the main scenario behind us ((WARNING:SPOILERS)) we can take a fresh look at it from a new angle.

I'll start with some background information, our known-knowns of context:

• The song was written well before Naoki Yoshida had a hand in FFXIV and, by consequence, was written with the original story plans in mind rather than the fall of Dalamud.
• The original story was essentially put on hold for the Calamity story following Yoshida's appointment. It was acknowledged that that original story would be returned to in the reborn realm, albeit from a modified angle.
• The lore masters had an exceptional level of control in the meaning the song conveys. This is because the intended message/meaning was conveyed first, turned into English Lyrics by Fernehalwes, and only then had music composed for it by Uematsu (this is unusual in SE music development).

The song is written as being from the perspective to two parties, though it is not revealed exactly who or what those two parties are. I originally thought those two parties were the Twelve and mankind (the five races), but I now posit that that are Hydaelyn and the Ascians.

Prologue
I close my eyes, tell us why must we suffer.
Release your hands, for your will drags us under.
My legs grow tired, tell us where must we wander.
How can we carry on if redemption's beyond us.

Verse 1
To all of my children in whom Life flows abundant.
To all of my children in whom Death hath passed his judgement.
The soul years for honour, and the flesh the hereafter.
Look to those who walked before to lead those who walked after.

Shining is the Land's light of justice.
Ever flows the Land's well of purpose.
Walk free, walk free, walk free, believe...
The Land is alive, so believe...

Chorus 1
Suffer [Feel] Promise [Think] Witness [Teach] Reason [Hear] Follow [Feel] Wander [Think] Stumble [Teach] Listen [Speak] Honour [Speak] Value [Tell] Whisper [Tell] Mention [Hope] Ponder [Hope] Warrant [Wish] Cherish [Wish] Welcome [Roam] Witness [Roam] Listen [Roam] Suffer [Roam] Sanction [Sleep] Weather [Sleep] Wander [Sleep] Answer
[Sleep on]

Verse 2
Now open your eyes while our plight is repeated.
Still deaf to our cries, lost in hope we lie defeated.
Our souls have been torn and our bodies forsaken.
Bearing sins of the past, for our future is taken.

War born of strife, these trials persuade us not.
Feel what? Learn what?
Words without sound, these lies betray our thoughts.
See what? Hear what?
Mired by a plague of doubt, the Land, she mourns.
Judgement binds all we hold to a memory of scorn.
Tell us why, given Life, we are meant to die, helpless in our cries?

Chorus 2
Witness [Feel] Suffer [Think] Borrow [Teach] Reason [Hear] Follow [Feel] Stumble [Think] Wander [Teach] Listen [Blink] Whisper [Blink] Shoulder [Blink] Ponder [Blink] Weather [Hear] Answer [Look] Answer [Think] Answer Together

Epilogue
Thy Life is a riddle, to bear rapture and sorrow.
To listen, to suffer, to entrust unto tomorrow.
In one fleeting moment, from the Land doth life flow.
Yet in one fleeting moment, for anew it doth grow.
In that same fleeting moment,
Thou must live
Die
And know.

So, new theory. This is coming off of Gamerescape's interview with Fernehalwes at E3 2014.
Let's look at this now with not ascians talking, but the primals talking.

The key word stumbled upon was "forsaken" as being a term (and theme) significant for the elemental primals.
And I'm also throwing that darksteelfoil hat on again.
As I went into earlier, it is possible that the seal broken in the battle of Silvertear Skies itself contained the six primals, just like how Dalamud contained Bahamut. The Allagan technology exists to do this, seen in the nature of the Ultima Weapon and the opening video of version 1.0 shows their corporal emergence as the seal breaks.

"Now open your eyes while our plight is repeated." ...as we are hunted by humanity once more.
"Still deaf to our cries, lost in hope we lie defeated." ...by those meddling kids adventurers.
"Our souls have been torn and our bodies forsaken"...with the seal.
"Bearing sins of the past, for our future is taken." ...since our reputation precedes us. v_v

Souls torn for use by Allagan egi-summoners? Are they incomplete without the egis that are a part of them?

My head is swimming with the possibilities right now.

[Duuude007]

But what of Elder primal Belias?

[Catapult]

Well, that opening had a lot of beams of light. Who knows?

[Kicha]

It is very possible that the song is indeed talking about the primals, or rather that the primals are the ones talking. Which really makes me wonder, who are they talking to? Who is the other in the song? Is it still Hydaelyn? Is it us? Or are they addressing the Allagans?
Listening to the song again while considering the idea that it is a plea by the Primals, you can't help but feel sorry for them. They're constantly forced into this existence only to be killed. I think I'm gonna lay off the primals for a bit.....

[PArcher]

Personally, I don't think its the Primals speaking. It makes some sense for a while, but there are other groups that fit in as well. I also don't think its the Ascians, or at least not the ones we know.

The biggest "error" in that theory, IMO, is the line "To listen, to suffer, to entrust unto tomorrow." The Primals just don't fit that; they seek to dominate and enslave, making themselves (except Ramuh, but at the same time we don't know enough about him yet, same for Shiva) the absolute power. For a 'people' seeking redemption, this doesnt make sense. Also, everything about teaching and roaming/wandering doesn't fit them as well.

I don't have enough support for my crazy theory...but I do wonder if the purple text could possibly be us, the Warriors of Light, speaking to the Mothercrystal (blue). I need to go re-watch the cutscenes, but the one after killing Leviathan, where Minfilia asks if the old stories talk about the Echo...what if its not the Echo itself, but the Warriors being reincarnated every cycle? That we are entrapped/enslaved by the Crystal, forced into this role...I also do have a crazy theory that we are Ascians, a different order (not Warriors or Emissaries), perhaps "saved" by the Crystal in a civil war of sorts and are now bound to her...fighting our brethren and now forsaken by them
I also find it a bit...odd...that the line I quoted fits well with what the Crystal uses to call us..."To listen" (Hear) "To suffer" (Feel) "To entrust unto tomorrow" (Think).

[Brine_Gildchaff]

The biggest "error" in that theory, IMO, is the line "To listen, to suffer, to entrust unto tomorrow." The Primals just don't fit that; they seek to dominate and enslave, making themselves the absolute power.
Also, everything about teaching and roaming/wandering doesn't fit them as well.

Well, first, I somewhat dispute what you say about the primals. Ifrit seeks dominance, sure, he's the patron of a tribe who value honor and combat and strength above all else. And Garuda is just an insane sadist. But what of Leviathan or Titan? They act to strike back against a people who are violating treaties and harming their chosen people. You might call their retaliation extreme but I'd argue it's not born from simple desire to dominate. They're what Ramuh would likely be should the Gridanians break the accord we formed.
But as for roaming, teaching, seeking... if it's a primal at all, wouldn't that make it Odin?

[Brine_Gildchaff]

I don't have enough support for my crazy theory...but I do wonder if the purple text could possibly be us, the Warriors of Light, speaking to the Mothercrystal (blue). [...] I also do have a crazy theory that we are Ascians, a different order (not Warriors or Emissaries), perhaps "saved" by the Crystal in a civil war of sorts and are now bound to her...fighting our brethren and now forsaken by them.

I'd argue against the reincarnation theory really. We see in End of an Era why the previous group of WoL are taking part in the birth of the Seventh Astral Era alongside new adventurers like my Brine. The WoL surviving Meteor is due to Louisoux' intervention.
And as for us being "fallen" Ascians, I think somehow Elidibus would have spoken and acted differently if we were.

[gornotck]

I think it comes across as the Mother Crystal and the Ascians speaking to the Warriors of Light. Both parties don't explicitly tell you anything. The Ascians don't lie, they just lead you to do things that directly lead to your destruction. The Mother Crystal encourages you to pay attention, but doesn't tell you what you're looking for.

Ultimately, I think it does come down to the Echo, what the Echo is, and how it relates to the Ascians and their version of the Echo.
Take the Sahagin Priest. He 'masters' the Echo, given to him by the Ascians, then he can't die and is 'eternal' until Leviathan consumes him, but he was still able to communicate even without a body.

Prologue
I close my eyes, tell us why must we suffer.
Release your hands, for your will drags us under.
My legs grow tired, tell us where must we wander.
How can we carry on if redemption's beyond us.
-- This comes across as someone with a long and fruitless mission. Someone who cannot die, but has difficulty continuing on.
Verse 1
To all of my children in whom Life flows abundant.
To all of my children in whom Death hath passed his judgement.
The soul yearns for honour, and the flesh the hereafter.
Look to those who walked before to lead those who walked after.
--The Mother Crystal addressing those who live and those who died. Specifically mentions the soul yearning for 'honor', while the flesh yearns for death. Sort of a 'spirit is willing, flesh is weak' thing. Encourages you to look to the past to guide the present (and future). Such as the Echo, which allows you to look into the past and to guide the future with that knowledge and the lack of communication barriers.
Shining is the Land's light of justice.
Ever flows the Land's well of purpose.
Walk free, walk free, walk free, believe...
The Land is alive, so believe...
--There is justice and purpose to what you do, so you're able to be free and the Land survives.
Chorus 1
Suffer [Feel] Promise [Think] Witness [Teach] Reason [Hear] Follow [Feel] Wander [Think] Stumble [Teach] Listen [Speak] Honour [Speak] Value [Tell] Whisper [Tell] Mention [Hope] Ponder [Hope] Warrant [Wish] Cherish [Wish] Welcome [Roam] Witness [Roam] Listen [Roam] Suffer [Roam] Sanction [Sleep] Weather [Sleep] Wander [Sleep] Answer
[Sleep on]

Verse 2
Now open your eyes while our plight is repeated.
Still deaf to our cries, lost in hope we lie defeated.
Our souls have been torn and our bodies forsaken.
Bearing sins of the past, for our future is taken.

War born of strife, these trials persuade us not.
Feel what? Learn what? --Mother Crystal emphasizing that you should be aware of what you feel for 'war born of strife' and what you learn from the 'trials' you experienced.
Words without sound, these lies betray our thoughts.
See what? Hear what? --And again about words and thoughts in your head.
Mired by a plague of doubt, the Land, she mourns.
Judgement binds all we hold to a memory of scorn.
Tell us why, given Life, we are meant to die, helpless in our cries?
--This is really the entire explanation of why the Ascians are trying to resurrect Zodiark. To "prevent" some catastrophe.
Chorus 2
Witness [Feel] Suffer [Think] Borrow [Teach] Reason [Hear] Follow [Feel] Stumble [Think] Wander [Teach] Listen [Blink] Whisper [Blink] Shoulder [Blink] Ponder [Blink] Weather [Hear] Answer [Look] Answer [Think] Answer Together

Epilogue
Thy Life is a riddle, to bear rapture and sorrow.
To listen, to suffer, to entrust unto tomorrow.
In one fleeting moment, from the Land doth life flow.
Yet in one fleeting moment, for anew it doth grow.
In that same fleeting moment,
Thou must live
Die
And know.
--The Mother Crystal explains that life and death are the same thing, endlessly repeated.

[HakuroDK]

You know, I think it's deeper than merely being the Ascians and/or the Primals.

This is a very left-field stretch, but... what if it's meant to be the Allagans and maybe--just maybe--the Warriors of Darkness?

I'm just throwing it out there. The fact that the adventurers from 1.0 are all considered the Warriors of Light, and the fact that the Crystal Tower exists, and yet... there are absolutely no mentions anywhere about the Warriors of Darkness. Not once anywhere in FFXIV lore. Which, especially with the introduction of the Crystal Tower, seems extremely baffling to me.

Now, the Warriors of Darkness are not meant to be "Evil", mind you. They're just meant to be folks who, much like the Warriors of Light fight off the forces of darkness to prevent them from swallowing the world, the Warriors of Darkness once fought off the forces of light to prevent them from swallowing the world, both trying, albeit ignorant of their true purpose, to keep the world in balance.

For those who need more context on the Warriors of Darkness: http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/Warriors_of_Darkness

[gornotck]

So, basically, the Ascians. Who work against the Light and seem to view the world as being out of balance.