Thread: [spoilers]3.2 MSQ Discussion/Reaction thread

Originally Posted by CyrilLucifer

Edit: Awww, you edited your post. I had a crackpot typed up specifically for you, too.

well go ahead, the gerun oracles did state history being cyclical. it could very well be that time manipulation could be involved in this.

I can't help but wonder if that was Ilberd that took the mask. It would make sense: he's rather infamous for being part of the coup in Ul'dah, but he's still for Ala Mhigan independance. A mask is perfect to hide his identity.

That and we've not heard about him in ages

If time is cyclical then I am kinda reminded of Legend of Korra where Light vs Dark happens every 10000 years; the victor having free reign until their opposite gains strength. Each needs each other, more or less. That and there's duodecim with roughly the same concept.

My guess is on Ilbred as well with the mask, at the very least it looked like it took place in Little Ala Mhigo. Course they could be pulling a fast one on us and its Wilred (one of the NPCs in Rising Stones mentioned him. Apparently still hasn't gotten the memo that he's dead, we probably should be sending those out...)

A part of me has been entertaining the notion that Hydaelyn and Zodiark actually aren't opposed to each other, and that Zodiark has been having just as hard a time communicating with his followered as Hydaelyn has, just with even worse consequences. This patch doesn't completed throw me off of it, just now its changed to him having indeed done something stupid in the past, had time to think, then lots of panicking as the calamities started and he couldn't do anything about it till recently, when he FINALLY has started being able to talk to one of em (Elidibus), though it works about as well as Hydaelyn has had after she blocked Ultima.

You know what really made me just go "WTF"?

When Aymeric was asking the WoL (thy player) to have a drink with him sometime, and the WoL kinda is, at first, "EHHHHH....Do I really want to?", or something like that. Cause I think they were recalling back on when Nanamo got rekt by the sleeping potion in the wine. But of course, being the WoL, we thought she was dead. So I think the situation of Nanamo being "dead" is still drilled into their memory. I was thinking something similar was going to happen in my gut, but I wasn't exactly sure if it was going to happen or not.

Then, just before the conference in Falcon's Nest, the WoL gets rekt by being drugged by the 'Earnest Maid' with that mug of liquid (Dulled wine I think it was called in the Quest Journel?). which of course, puts them to sleep for a while. Talk about Deja vu though.

I have to say, I kept expecting Alisaie to show up. I was disappointed when she didn't. 3.3, maybe?

Alisaie's role in the story fascinates me, because all signs point to her becoming a major player in the MSQ eventually, but aside from the Binding Coil storyline we've seen and heard surprisingly little from her. They really played up the 'mysterious-but-inevitably-plot-important twins' angle with her and her brother early on in 2.0, complete with their ARR portrait/art/render showing them together. Interestingly, she's actually more prominent then Alphinaud in that. Then she stormed out early in the ARR storyline, and effectively vanished from the MSQ.

Twelve only knows what she's been up since the Binding Coils, but given the stinger at the end of 3.1, she's apparently somehow gotten embroiled with the Ascian/Warrior of Darkness plot separately from us. Which reminds me, Yoshida said this during the 4gamer interview about 3.2:

Although we have a lot of main characters in Heavensward, not all of the active major players have appeared yet in the 3.X series.

I wonder if Alisaie is one of those 'major players' that have yet to appear?

Either way, it's nigh guaranteed that she's going to have a major impact in the MSQ when she formally re-enters the stage. And likely in a way that's going to be *very* good news for us and the Scions in general. The story has taken an increasingly dark and depressing turn, but my current theory is that she's the hidden 'trump card' that's going to help turn things around for us. I don't know how that will happen, but that's the feeling I'm getting.

On a related note, Alphinaud's character development in this patch was fantastic. Not only did he directly address how we've been losing friends left and right, but he's going out of his way to acknowledge us as the individuals we are, rather then the Warrior of Light. To quote, "There are things I must say. Not to the Warrior of Light, or even my fellow Scion, but...to you, Forename. My friend." And also, "I am wont to rely on you overmuch when we are together..." The kid has come a long way from the (not my words) 'arrogant prick' he was in 2.x. In the wake of Haurchefant's death, he's probably the WoL's closest friend right now.

I was attached to Alphinaud by the end of 2.0, but a part of me is kinda afraid that he might leave the story. Not by dying, but just simply going...elsewhere. I'm probably overthinking it though.

Someone mentioned in the 'Questions about the Warrior of Light's current state' thread that we might be reaching a point in the story where we start making our 'own' choices, rather then just passively following others. That got me thinking that Alphinaud's character has reached a point where I can conceivably see him following *our* lead, rather then the other way around. The WoL is still a 'heroic mime', so they do still kinda need someone do to our talking for them. I can see Alphinaud filling that role, even if it's something as simple as saying 'no' because the WoL seems incapable of that at the moment. And with his talent for diplomacy, we probably couldn't ask for anyone better to serve as our 'voice' if/when we start pursuing some of our own goals in the MSQ.

The changes in Alphinaud's character is actually another reason I'm eagerly anticipating Alisaie's return. The twins have been rather estranged for a while, though that improved a bit during the Binding Coil storyline. Their short story in Tales from the Calamity shows part of Alisaie's beef with her brother is she views him as somewhat cold, emotionally. She also had a few issues with his ego in playing politics, given how she talks about it during the Binding Coil storyline. Now, post-2.55, we have Alphinaud both more openly emotional, and *massively* humbled from the Braves' betrayal. Not to mention the irony in him wanting to save Estinein however necessary, after looking down on Alisaie's determination to do the same for Louisoix in the Binding Coils (I think someone once mentioned a possibility of this happening). How the twins' dynamic shakes out given all this is going to really be something to see.

Whew, sorry for the essay! I just love the twins so goddamn much.

Originally Posted by myahele

I can't help but wonder if that was Ilberd that took the mask. It would make sense: he's rather infamous for being part of the coup in Ul'dah, but he's still for Ala Mhigan independance. A mask is perfect to hide his identity.

That and we've not heard about him in ages

If time is cyclical then I am kinda reminded of Legend of Korra where Light vs Dark happens every 10000 years; the victor having free reign until their opposite gains strength. Each needs each other, more or less. That and there's duodecim with roughly the same concept.

I went to little ala'mhigo, they all know that Wilfred was killed. You can be well sure that Ilberd may not be welcome to the resistance, after killing one of his own country men.

If case nobody remembers, when we first meet Wilfred he wasnt so much different from Ilberd. But he changes, he saw the wall and saw him as an inspiration, he knew he could be better than that.
Now why he was killed? beacuse he was loyal to us? Not only beacuse of it, for being an ala'mhigan is mostly probably that Ilberd tried to convice him to join his "conspiraty band" but he refuse and probably was going to inform us, even if Ilberd's actions was for the good of Ala'Mhigo.