Crystal Tower: idle speculation on the future

[Fenral]

Barring the unfortunate but real possibility that we spent a year adventuring with Cid, G'raha and the rest of the NOAH crew for a message better left wrapped and unread inside a fortune cookie, a few things occurred to me:

Assuming they don't simply plan on waiting until the inevitable misbegotten time-travel expansion, the tower has been left in a rather interesting state, should they choose to explore if further. Essentially, we have the height of Allagan technology, an energy source of immeasurable power, locked with the only remaining key safely in the ignition, so to speak. Provided Cid can (and of course he can) find a way to open it in the not-too-distant future, the Tower could be used at any time in the main scenario where a vast amount of energy is needed. For the betterment of all mankind, of course.

Another sticky wicket for me, aside from the obvious loss of catboy waifu, is what exactly the "light of hope" can mean. It was hinted at already in the storyline (see "Syrcus Tower" quest dialogue) that fountains of unlimited power aren't really good for anyone, no matter how they are used. Trying to bring those good old days back, doesn't really seem like that great a plan, no matter who's asking. It also doesn't make much sense to want to give the light of hope to an already bright and shiny future. "Hope" is usually what you need to achieve that, not the end result. Hopefully this is not an oversight, but a clue, and it means that the "true" purpose of the Tower, for story purposes, may be something else entirely.

Lastly, there remains the admittedly faint possibility that G'raha might be needed at some point for his own merits, not simply his convenient ancestry. His tattoos being identical to those of our friends in the Scions was certainly not an accident, and hopefully not just a red herring. While they are symbols of the Students of Baldesion, it seems apparent that they aren't given to just anyone. At the rate that storyline has been progressing, though, this one could take a while.

Eureka is basically confirmed, but not necessarily soon or as a raid, and there are still a few more pages from the FFIII playbook required to make G'raha into a true Desch expy, so we'll see what happens. For now, let the aimless speculation commence.


Apology in advance: I realize when I go into full analytical mode I can come across as more than just a bit of an asshole. I'm not trying to say "it was bad writing, fix it." With my in-depth analysis goggles on, the entire thing just seems off in some hard-to-describe way. Off to the point that I would like to think they won't leave it at that. Some people already thought it was a great ending because "of course it can't end there!" So, without raining on any parades, let's think about what could happen with what they left us.

[Nalien]

I have no idea what they can possibly do with Eureka, considering they gutted it to create bosses for Syrcus Tower, pretty much every boss from Eureka ended up there... Story wise in FFIII it was "Go here to get weapons to help you fight Xande", which obviously wouldn't apply here... Damn I want that remix though... If they ever decide to stop reusing old content for Relic weapons it would be a perfect piece of content to add though.

Would be interesting if Eureka, rather than being where Allag stored their ultimate weapons, was where they stored their Ultimate Weapons. Ultima Weapon was being used, hence it being left under Ala Mhigo in the end, but Ruby Weapon, Sapphire Weapon, Diamond Weapon, Emerald Weapon, maybe Jade Weapon? All sitting in Eureka under Crystal Tower, waiting for someone to hit the on switch so they can burst out of the earth FFVII style.

[Alberel]

I'm currently thinking we may see Syrcus Tower later unfrozen to be used as a convenient plot device for future content. The trouble is the entire Crystal Tower series is optional content so anything that later involves it will require it first be completed. It's just as likely that this is the end of it and we'll never hear of the tower again...

[Fenral]

The Chronicles of a New Era quests all have potentially important story and character developments that can go nowhere if they're supposed to be able to take place at any time during any storyline. Nero is especially tricky, since while it looks like they do want him around to come back for something, the existence of a quest that leaves him stranded in the void will create all sorts of continuity issues with any later appearance.

What I hope will be the case, and as a former SWTOR player I can say it's already been done in a story-driven MMO, is that while the quest line itself can continue to be optional, at some point they will need to establish a timeline and say that the events have canonically already happened, even if the quest is incomplete.

Also bracing myself for some line in an interview stating that any of Alisaie, Nero, and (most likely) G'raha are considered resolved as characters with no future appearances planned, but that would be a disappointment and a waste.

[treuhavik]

I think it's done.

Nero was originally bad, jumped into the void in his lust for power, seemed to turn decent toward the end but was ultimately trapped there. A just end for him, I'd say. Maybe someday he'll return to face us with whatever power he was able to gain there, but it wouldn't involve the tower itself, I don't think.

G'raha's sole purpose in the story was to find out that he was of Allagan heritage and answer "Where'd the Allag go?". There all gone now, thinned out by time. Being the last blood, there's no better place for his story to end.

[RickiFake02]

I think it's done.

Nero was originally bad, jumped into the void in his lust for power, seemed to turn decent toward the end but was ultimately trapped there. A just end for him, I'd say. Maybe someday he'll return to face us with whatever power he was able to gain there, but it wouldn't involve the tower itself, I don't think.
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Did you not actually finish the quests? Nero isn't trapped inside. He made it out, and his final cutscene was rather...interesting.

[treuhavik]

Did you not actually finish the quests? Nero isn't trapped inside. He made it out, and his final cutscene was rather...interesting.

Gah, I must've skipped it or something. Disregard and I'm outta this thread before it's spoiled lol.

[ColorOfSakura]

I was going to say, I'm curious about the final sequence after Nero walks away. Does it portend the existence of Eureka still buried underneath the Crystal Tower? Or is there something else down there in the abyss?

[Talia_Hailwind]

Once we get to ilvl 150 stuff I can see them putting the Crystal tower stuff completed as a requirement for part of the main story just so they don't create a time paradox by having cid appear when he is meant to be at crystal tower if a player has not completed that story, same for coils.

[Fenral]

I remembered a point in the post-game MS quests where Minfilia remarks about Alisaie staying behind at the Waking Sands with Urianger. At the time it made no sense to me, because I had yet to start the Binding Coil questline. So while it may have simply been a continuity error, there's already a small precedent for side-stories being referenced in the Main Scenario quests regardless of their completion.

The Crystal Tower is probably the most prominent new landmark of ARR, so seeing it written off, along with a promising new character, simply to tell Cid nan Garlond, of all people, to "build a brighter future" seems like a bit too much wasted potential, especially since the "close ties" it was hinted to have to the main storyline have seemingly yet to materialize. Seeing it play a major role in Cid's motivations in Heavensward seems likely, at the very least.