Minfillia Speculation

[Cilia]

I did some thinking with what we've seen and the patch trailer and reached another hypothesis.

Matoya: To win a war, you have to be willing to do whatever it takes. To fight, to kill, and if necessary, to die.

In light of this and Minfilia apparently disappearing in meta world, in front of Hydaelyn the crystal, perhaps Hydaelyn is going to sacrifice herself to buy us more time or push back the darkness, and Minfilia is going to take her place as the "core consciousness" of the Mothercrystal, so to speak? We know Hydaelyn is rather weak, and perhaps she knows it's only a matter of time before she kicks the bucket (so to speak), but by having another take her place things will get better?

... yeah, I know, lacking a bit of SAN... but no matter what, I do not have a good feeling about this...

[Belhi]

I did some thinking with what we've seen and the patch trailer and reached another hypothesis.

Matoya: To win a war, you have to be willing to do whatever it takes. To fight, to kill, and if necessary, to die.

In light of this and Minfilia apparently disappearing in meta world, in front of Hydaelyn the crystal, perhaps Hydaelyn is going to sacrifice herself to buy us more time or push back the darkness, and Minfilia is going to take her place as the "core consciousness" of the Mothercrystal, so to speak? We know Hydaelyn is rather weak, and perhaps she knows it's only a matter of time before she kicks the bucket (so to speak), but by having another take her place things will get better?

... yeah, I know, lacking a bit of SAN... but no matter what, I do not have a good feeling about this...

I've been considering this possibility too. It would actually make a lot of her actions and the things we have been put through lately make a lot more sense. Perhaps even the strengthening of the Blessing was to get the WoL to a point where they could stand without direct protection of Hydaelyn.

The other thing Im considering is that Zodiark doesn't actually seem to be active yet. The Ascians are trying to bring him back but I get the feeling that perhaps he is in a 'dead/dormant' state himself. Perhaps this is Hydaelyn reaching the same state and in her last moments she is giving everything she has left to her agents still in the battle. After all she really seems to be pushing for us to think for ourselves a lot. Plus there is the other translations of those lines.

Really its impossible to see anything conclusive at this point but I think its highly likely Hydaelyn will be out of the fight, at least actively, once 3.2 hits. What will be REALLY interesting is if whatever her final play is throws a spanner in the works for the Ascians.

Obviously I'll wait and see how it's all handled. 3.2 does excite me quite a bit - and I'm hoping they deliver on the promise of a 'darker' expansion as we push towards the finale of the Dragonsong War.

To be honest HW has already been a lot darker than ARR was. We have had a lot darker themes and a lot more death in HW than we had in 2.0. Hell even the history of the Dragonsong war itself and what it has done to both societies is pretty damn dark. Just with dusk vigil we have people freezing to death, cannibalism and political manoeuvring leading to an innocent woman being thrown off a cliff as a heretic leading to her husband going mad. That's ignoring the abuse of the poor and children freezing to death on the streets. Ishgard is a pretty dark place.

[CyrilLucifer]

I did some thinking with what we've seen and the patch trailer and reached another hypothesis.

Matoya: To win a war, you have to be willing to do whatever it takes. To fight, to kill, and if necessary, to die.

Yep, that was my very first thought after being happy about second Best Ascian, of course. I posted it in the trailer thread. I agree. I think it is a quote with multiple meanings, referring to multiple characters.

[Fenral]

In light of this and Minfilia apparently disappearing in meta world, in front of Hydaelyn the crystal, perhaps Hydaelyn is going to sacrifice herself to buy us more time or push back the darkness, and Minfilia is going to take her place as the "core consciousness" of the Mothercrystal, so to speak?

I've been thinking for a while now that it would be more in-character for Hydaelyn to sacrifice herself for us than the other way around. Either way, Minfilia needs to come back to us whole after all this or I'm liable to turn coats and ask Eldibus for tips on rewriting the laws of the universe. Barring that, the initial reveal and Thancred's stoic and tearless acceptance of her sacrifice should at least be in separate scenes.

[CyrilLucifer]

I'm liable to turn coats and ask Eldibus for tips on rewriting the laws of the universe.

Wait, you mean you haven't been doing that already?

I was the only one?

[Cilia]

I've been thinking for a while now that it would be more in-character for Hydaelyn to sacrifice herself for us than the other way around. Either way, Minfilia needs to come back to us whole after all this or I'm liable to turn coats and ask Eldibus for tips on rewriting the laws of the universe. Barring that, the initial reveal and Thancred's stoic and tearless acceptance of her sacrifice should at least be in separate scenes.

From what I've seen, there are three prime possibilities:

1. Hydaelyn is speaking through Minfilia.
2. Hydaelyn has possessed Minfilia.
3. Hydaelyn is going to sacrifice herself and Minfilia is going to take her place.

If it's 1, not so bad, though I'd question why Hydaelyn is speaking to us through Minfilia when we are apparently closer to her through the Blessing.

If it's 2, I'm going full deicide mode against every deity. We're not puppets, tools, or chess pieces to be used and sacrificed when needed.

If it's 3... I'm not sure how to feel. I want to continue with the "honoring wishes" thing, but at the same time, there has to be a point where you stop making sacrifices in the name of victory. Again, this comes back to the "we're not tools" argument - Hydaelyn may sacrifice herself, but likely only because she knows Minfilia will take her place (at Hydaelyn's behest, of course). At some point, you have to rebel against your role as a tool and stop accepting sacrifices as necessary, and instead try and find a better way. We're the legendary Warrior of Light - we can slay gods and demons as morning exercise, but we can't save a single life?

EDIT
If it turns out to be 3, I will go full Lingering Will and break a lot of furniture. Or at least try out Sky, Stone, and Sea, since I can't be anyone's senpai and need to vent my frustration and rage.

[Theodric]

I don't particularly like Minfilia, admittedly, but I only want her to be sacrificed if the 'big reveal' is going to involve telling us that mortals should not be sacrificing themselves in the name of divine entities/noble causes. It shouldn't really be something to aspire to. If Hydaelyn does indeed take over Minfilia or 'absorb' her somehow then how is that any different to what the Ascians do on behalf of Zodiark? To me that simply implies that both Hydaelyn and Zodiark are parasites exploiting mortals as willing or unwilling pawns in their ongoing feud. Even if one side is better than the other...it's still a case of mortals being exploited.

Obviously I'll wait and see how it's all handled. 3.2 does excite me quite a bit - and I'm hoping they deliver on the promise of a 'darker' expansion as we push towards the finale of the Dragonsong War.

[Kaiser-Ace]

Wait, you mean you haven't been doing that already?

I was the only one?

Y'all side with Elidibus if Hydaelyn turns out Evil. I'm heading to Garlemauld and we're going to end the age of God's once and for all by compleatly destroying them FF13 style.

I may be the WoL and an Echo user, but I'll be damned if I turn into a L'cie pawn of some so called god/godess that breaks us then throws us away.

Cilia is welcome to join of course since I intend to userp the Emperor and redo their BS Hierarchy afterwards.

[Lauront]

Y'all side with Elidibus if Hydaelyn turns out Evil. I'm heading to Garlemauld and we're going to end the age of God's once and for all by compleatly destroying them FF13 style.

I may be the WoL and an Echo user, but I'll be damned if I turn into a L'cie pawn of some so called god/godess that breaks us then throws us away.

Cilia is welcome to join of course since I intend to userp the Emperor and redo their BS Hierarchy afterwards.

What's "BS" about their hierarchy? Also, how does their hierarchy make them any worse than any of the other city-states? I don't follow.

[Kaiser-Ace]

What's "BS" about their hierarchy? Also, how does their hierarchy make them any worse than any of the other city-states? I don't follow.

Anyone who isn't a natural born Garlen Citizen (Aka, Pure Blood Garlemald Heritage/ Not an Annexed Territory) you have few if any proper human (Mortal?) rights in the cast system. Dohma rebelled because of this and as such was burned to the ground in retaliation. Gaius van Baelsar was even frequently recognized by his subordinates for looking past blood and focusing on merits. Which to be specifically referenced by one of his Tribunes near confirms how unusual that is.

A prolonged period of Military Service (Ala The Roman Empire) can earn "Full Citizen" status for their bloodline assuming they survive. Which considering most typically treat them as cannon fodder that is extremely unlikely.

Add that to how poorly the civilians are treated as well (It is frequently suggested the military take.... inapropriate liberties.... with Civilian Women for example) then we have atrocities on all fronts.

Their Hierarchy is literally the worst parts of The Roman Imperial, Sengoku, and Third Reich Hierarchies all thrown together.