[SPOILER] About the vid after T12

[Pyroclastic]

Which makes me wonder what means for those aether readings made near the end of Main Scenario.....

Hold on.. refresh my memory please, are you talking about the 2.0 ending or the 2.55 ending? I'm starting to confuse some things with other games that I'm playing ;p

[DasFelix]

One of the Quests close to the end had us escort a Scholar for some Aether readings, he mentioned them being strangely low.

[lilirulu]

Technically, 2.0 and 2.5 have aether readings mentioned in them ;p. But I'm pretty sure they meant 2.55's ending. Though it is curious about those readings...I wonder if there is more information on them hiding behind his currently broken NPC in N.Than.

[PArcher]

Ive assumed its in reference to Middy saying he will "drink of her (Hydaelyn) body" (AKA, the planet's aether...and im hoping I got that quote right) to make himself a new body

[seekified]

The aether readings were done in the Shroud though, which is quite far away from both Cartenau and the Crystal Tower. They will play some bigger part I'm sure, it would've been such a weird thing to shoehorn into an otherwise intense part of the storyline if not. Now that the internment hulks aren't using vast quantities of aether to regenerate Bahamut there's more for the land... and other things.

[Sapphic]

I've a feeling the story ofPhoenix ties in with Bahamut and Bahamut prime.

What I think taking turn 12 revelations into account that Bahamut prime is the original Dragon and that the city sized Bahamut is the primal that was created by the dragons whenthe Allagans invaded their home, Just like the peopole of Eorzea prayed and Loisoix became Phoenix.

Thus that theory would fit into keeping dragons under a state of duress to continue to pray to keep bahmutt prime as a Primal,

In other words Loisiox and Bahamut prime are the same, the original form. Bahamutt city sized and Phoenix are them as primals.

If that makes sense ^_^

[treuhavik]

They [the aetherial readings taken in 2.55] will play some bigger part I'm sure, it would've been such a weird thing to shoehorn into an otherwise intense part of the storyline if not.

My leading theory on this is based on another. The latter speculates that the cycle of umbral and astral eras are, at root, a result of the shifting balance in aether within our realm, and that Ascians seize these opportunities to reap what they have sown. This theory attempts to explain why umbral eras are so "bad" for mankind--primals are more easily manifested, voidsent appear to sup on the abundant aether, Ascians orchestrate great calamities in an attempt to extinguish all life, y'know, the normal stuff--and why astral eras are "good".

If the above theory holds true, the decline in aetheric activity recorded in 2.55 hints that we're progressing toward the true 7th astral era. What that would really mean for us and the realm of Eorzea, however, remains a mystery...

Or it could simply mean that there's a great primal somewhere that's managed to pierce Hydaelyn with a giant Capri Sun straw. /shrug

[myahele]

Well, there is alot of things sucking the aether (primals being the prime suspect)

But give most recent revelations could it be possible that Omega is slowly awakening? I imagine it has a program to boot up itself just incase Bahamut breaks free (although it malfunctioned).

Another theory I have is that the aether is being sucked into Zodiark.

While I doubt it, perhaps the 7 wyrmkings answering the call have something to do with it? If Midgard can strip us of Hydaelyn's blessing and consume aether to form it's minion body, just imagine what some of his sons are capable of? After a long slumber they're feasting on aether to get stronger?

[Belhi]

Well, there is alot of things sucking the aether (primals being the prime suspect)

But give most recent revelations could it be possible that Omega is slowly awakening? I imagine it has a program to boot up itself just incase Bahamut breaks free (although it malfunctioned).

Another theory I have is that the aether is being sucked into Zodiark.

While I doubt it, perhaps the 7 wyrmkings answering the call have something to do with it? If Midgard can strip us of Hydaelyn's blessing and consume aether to form it's minion body, just imagine what some of his sons are capable of? After a long slumber they're feasting on aether to get stronger?

The Japanese version translation made me think Midgardsormr and Hydaelyn have some kind of agreement. After all he had a role intrinsically tied to probably the biggest wellspring of Aether on the planet. He also strips the blessing from us to test to see if we are worthy of Hydaelyn's favour. He has his doubts but is willing to watch and look for what Hydaelyn saw in us. I am suspecting we will have him come round to seeing Hydaelyn's way of thinking after we prove ourselves in Heavensward.

Regardless, it's clear that the Ascians have been doing everything they can to syphon of Aether. The Primals are part of this, being such Aether hungry creatures.

[Nialle]

Midgardsormr and Hydaelyn have some kind of agreement. After all he had a role intrinsically tied to probably the biggest wellspring of Aether on the planet.

I currently have the theory that dragons have very close links to Aether... and since disrupting natural Aether flow is part of the Ascians' longterm goal, it's why they started the Dragonsong War (I believe that the 'Halone' who sent the Ishgardians into their 'promised land' and triggered the conflict was an Ascian fake). Killing off the dragons would be a huge benefit to the Ascian's plans.

This link is also why the Allagans enslaved dragons and were using Bahamut/Dalamud as a giant Aether battery power source. Dragons are masters of aetheric manipulation; I'm guessing we will find out that it infuses them to a level more than any other race, I'll bet. Another interesting fact is that if you ask Y'mhitra (SMN quest NPC) about Summoning's history, she states the MERACYDIANS invented the art of summoning Primals. And as of Final Coil we know the Meracydians were dragons. Maybe the very first primal ever summoned was Bahamut himself.

There are a lot of hints here that suggest Dragons are very influential to the health of the planet's Aether (and therefore Hydaelyn). Mid having an ancient pact with her (and having been guarding that massive Aether store under Silvertear) seems to be another clue.