What is Zodiark?

[Rawrz]

It's hard to say for certain, but I would wager that he may be a being above the 12. They've introduced him as the opposite force to Hydaelyn, so it would stand to reason that he is at at least that level. Though, in terms of in-game information, we don't really have much to go on. However, FFXIV takes a lot of lore ques from the Ivalice Alliance games (namely FF Tactics and FFXII), so there may be information we can glean from the lore of those games.

In FFXII, Zodiark is named the "Keeper of Precepts." His lore states that he was the "strongest of the scions created by the gods" and that "they feared his growth, so they kept him as a child ... He alone fashions the laws governing all things, and administers punishment in place of the gods. So, he is the Keeper of Precepts, and his authority is absolute." - Take straight from the Official FFXII Guide.

The part about the gods fearing his growth is interesting, because in FFXII the scions that the gods created rebelled against them. Ultima convinced them to turn on their masters, and lead them into conflict. Zodiark was not involved in the rebellion, but It is implied in FFXII that the rebellion may have succeeded if he was. It is also implied that the reason the gods sealed him away and kept him as a child in the first place is because they knew he would be able to tip the scales of the battle had he sided with the scions. What's interesting is that there seems to be some similarities here between FFXIV and FFXII. Zodiark is still sealed, though by who and for what reason is a mystery. However, the agenda of the Ascions seems to give us a hint.

The Ascions continually orchestrate catastrophes because large scale instances of chaos supposedly weaken the bonds that are sealing Zodiark. IF Zodiark is anything like FFXII's version, than we can deduce that the reason these bonds are weakened by conflicts is because they are throwing the balance of the world into whack. Zodiark is compelled by his nature to create balance. The more unbalanced things become, the more Zodiark is needed. Keep in mind as well that the Ascions act as a kind of counter-weight to Hydaelyn and the Scions, so this all kind of fits.

Also, this would explain Elidibus's role. In the original FF Tactics, Elidibus was the name of the Lucavi who summoned Zodiac into battle. In FFXIV he is polite, and claims to serve "the one true god." There's a lot of possibilities here. If Elidibus is telling the truth, than Zodiark may possibly be that god, and that Hydaelyn is some kind of fake.

It's also possible that, similar to FFXII, the gods somehow made Zodiark "wrong" or did not realize that his nature would be counter to their own, and were forced to seal him. For example, if Zodiark is truly interested in maintaining order and is responsible for maintaining the laws that govern "all" things, the gods may fall outside of his perception of equilibrium. Zodiark may see other gods as unnecessary existences or unbalanced in some way, causing them to be at odds. Hence, the gods would have to seal him, since he would no longer be working for them, but against them.The Ascions may have simply discovered this "truth" and seek to free him to make things as they believe they should be.

If that's the case, Elidibus's attitude makes more sense, because he does not seem to think that Zodiark is "evil." He seems to truly believe he is doing the right thing, and accepts that doing some level of evil is necessary for the balance to be restored. The gods that have free reign right now would seem reprehensible, because they are the ones who allowed the world to become so unbalanced in the first place, and forced the Ascions to result to such dramatic measures to try and free their god.

All of this is theoretical, at this point though, because FFXIV has not given any concrete evidence for Zodiark in their own game. This incarnation may be totally different from the Ivalice ones that we have come to know. We'll have to wait and see.

I like this theory the only thing that makes me question is middy.
What kind of deal did he actually make with hydaelyn?
Maybe middy is Serpens and hydalean is Ophiuchus and together they transcended into the planet. They are both beings without a true physical form that just seem attuned with vast amounts of aether.
Does hydaelyn even know she is not the true keeper of this world and just does what she thinks her job is?

Can't wait until they explain more so we can stop killing ourselves with twists.

Edit after thought:
What if zodiark sealed himself away after or with the twelve, sensing who would balance him with them gone?

If so... could hydaelyn be the world's first primal? A being created in zodiarks image, a beautiful mother Crystal that protects life, swayed by light? it could also be why primals see her as her equal as well. SHE HAS TOUCHED YOU. or ...YOU DARE ENTER MY DOMAIN TAINTED BY THE LIGHT? The twelve are gone and summoning them would only bring a primal version of them as powerful as time from all the prayer poured into them, so they can't balance her. Hydaelyn is unknowingly sucking the life out of the planet and the ascians seek to call Zodiark out of his selfmade prison to stop her.