Minfillia Speculation

[Anonymoose]

The fact that Minfilia is clearly bound in chains that link to the Mothercrystal (evocative of fate itself, perhaps) does seem like it might coming back around to "Maybe Hydaelyn's not infallible". The quest name is already a bit of a red flag. As It Once Was. Isn't that the kind of thing the Ascians are always saying? "All will become one, as it once was, and always should have been"?

But...does anyone else feel like it might be way too late for that, story-flow-wise? Like, the waning crystal at the end of 2.00 was the first time I thought, "What is that? Is there a dualism? Should there be balance? Is Hydaelyn overstepping Her bounds?" And we had a great talk about it. Back then. In 2013. And it's been infallible Light vs. moustache-twirling deathmask blackrobes for another two years aside from the one guy who says "Balance is important, but also Zodiark's coming back and you're all going to die probably."

Are we now back to, ohohoho, maybe Hydaelyn's not all kittens and rainbows after all, guys? Why suddenly go that way now? I'd prefer at this point that Minfilia was just agreeing to entwine their fates. Minfilia's a survivor with the Echo and a friend to the Warrior of Light. Where better to... uh, hide a horcrux or whatever. Have any of these previews shown her not in the aetherial-sea-room-thing from the intro? Perhaps that's what she's chained to.

I love moral gray areas. I love complex stories. But I just feel like that ship sailed a pretty long time ago when it comes to that part of the story (barring the open door for rewritten realities, fallen worlds, etc.). Idk. I just hope it's not groan-worthy. As much as I've speculated and rooted for interesting things like this in the past, I've still gotta believe in the Crystal after everything in the interim. Don't you make a fool outta me, Hydaelyn.



DISCLAIMER: This is the category of story development that I usually predict wrong. I see the truth for a second, very early, and wrongly dismiss it because bad flow or so lame. Like every time.

[Fenral]

DISCLAIMER: This is the category of story development that I usually predict wrong. I see the truth for a second, very early, and wrongly dismiss it because bad flow or so lame. Like every time.

I kind of think the MSQ is one FF-game's worth of story with a ton of interim arcs breaking it up, so we haven't actually progressed that far in two years. Look at something like Babylon 5 and how long that show took to get its actual villains out there. Hell, the main character didn't even show up until season 2.

Then again, if I were writing this, I would want to make sure the players themselves believed 110% that what they were doing up until the reveal was the only right choice, but only so that they'd truly empathize with the characters when it was revealed that everything they had been doing up until now was very much the wrong thing. Then again, I'm evil.

[Belhi]

I agree that the set up for a fallible Hydaelyn really hasn't had the set up it needs and frankly such a reveal in a mid-cycle patch seems an odd place for flipping things around. I don't mind misdirect, betray and greys in a story as long as they are set up right and make sense. Really a switch around now feels like it would be kind of out of the blue.

Ive said earlier but I actually think if Minfilia is somehow chained to Hydaelyn, Minfilia may have willingly put on those chains for some reason. What ever Hydaelyn said shocked Minfilia. I think Hydaelyn needed something from Minfilia and she new she had to step in and put herself forward to deal with it.

I don't think Minfilia is an avatar of Hydaelyn but I could easily see her becoming a conduit or anchor for Hydaelyn in her interactions with the world. Hydaelyn has been growing progressively weaker and sacrificed a lot to give us time to mature into the threat to the Ascians we have become. It could be that she is reaching a stage that without a mortal connection her ability to interact with the physical world is failing. Do remember that when Hydaelyn spoke with Minfilia it was the first time either the WoL or Minfilia had heard anything from her since the Ultima weapon.

[Cilia]

I don't believe Minfilia has gone evil. However, there are a number of factors that lead me to believe she may have been possessed by Hydaelyn...

1. Crystal chains. In the artwork for the patch, Minfilia is shown chained to the Mothercrystal. Chains typically represent being forced to do something - be it slavery or prison.
2. White clothing. Associated with Light, Hydaelyn's element, and also giving off an air of intrigue and mystery. Simple, but not unexpected of a goddess like Hydaelyn, who doesn't make a big deal out of herself.
3. Closed eyes. In both the artwork and the model, Minfilia's eyes are closed. Even Y'shtola, who is physically blind, keeps hers open. As the eyes are considered the "windows to the soul," I believe this has significance.

Hence, I have a really, really bad feeling about this. Either Hydaelyn's in there with her, or Hydaelyn has subsumed Minfilia's soul and is using her body as a vessel.

... can I beat the shit out of some sense into her? That usually works in these kinds of stories, right?

[Remus]

This is very interesting and i believe it might just be Hydaelyn using Minfilia as a vessel mainly because of the image they put for the main scenario preview.




Also they recently released the dungeon preview and the antitower description really got me thinking what we may find there...

The Anti Tower

In all of creation, what greater mystery could there be than the fate of this very star? To sound the deepest depths, to study the aetherial sea itself─for these purposes and more was the Antitower built. Abandoned by her Sharlayan caretakers following the exodus, it has since been overrun by the magical guardians they left behind. Yet were one blessed with Her gift to brave these dangers and descend to the furthest reaches─to hear, feel, and think at the heart of this world─what would they find?

[Ageofwar]

This is very interesting and i believe it might just be Hydaelyn using Minfilia as a vessel mainly because of the image they put for the main scenario preview.



Also they recently released the dungeon preview and the antitower description really got me thinking what we may find there...

just seen the lodestone updates

hmmm crystal looks darker? and Minfilia has a white glow to her.

is the crystal zodiak and Hydaelyn is using Minfilia

[Chewy2nd]

It looks to be Hydaelyn, Zodiark is much darker, and purpler, lol.



Hydaelyn is definately using Minfilia, and I can't get behind Hydaelyn doing that, even if Minfilia is one of the laziest Scions, she's still one of 'the party'

[Belhi]

It looks to be Hydaelyn, Zodiark is much darker, and purpler, lol.



Hydaelyn is definately using Minfilia, and I can't get behind Hydaelyn doing that, even if Minfilia is one of the laziest Scions, she's still one of 'the party'

Its not beyond possibility that Minfilia willingly took on this role.

[CyrilLucifer]

Upon further, late-night, benadryl-induced consideration, I'm actually hoping that Minfilia is bound to the aetherial realm somehow, manifesting in the mortal realm becoming difficult for her - but not because I want her out of the story. Quite the opposite.

It leads to an immense sense of tragedy for Thancred. Poor, dear, Thancred he was better when Lahabrea was in charge, who can no longer sense aether.

Would he be able to see Minfilia at all? Would he be able to interact with her? He seems so very desperate to find with her right now, at the end of 3.1, that I can't help but feel that whatever happens, 3.2 is not going to end well for him.

[Anonymoose]

I'm actually hoping that Minfilia is bound to the aetherial realm somehow

As the images start coming out, that's something that popped into my head, as well. The hi-res art looks like it has her hair itself crystallizing or merging with it. The preview images all (so far) seem to have her floating and shoeless, as well. But this is the phase where I'm not allowed to speculate. I see an image here, I read a hint there, and suddenly my brain is going a malm a minute and I'm standing in traffic wearing (only) a darksteelfoil hat and begging passers by to assure me that it's just the heinous pixelation on the yalm-wide blown up prints making me think that the gemstone on Minfilia's new necklace is eerily familiar in shape (but not color).
It's an illusion caused by familiarity. A coincidence. Nothing more. Stop looking at it.