The Final Chorus

[Anonymoose]

Laha's role is over I think. He was already brought back after 2.0, why bring him back yet again?

Thordan's betrayal of the Ascians, as great as it was for an expansion's story arc, can arguably be seen as an unceremonious way to close the book on one of the first major antagonist of A Realm Reborn (even the Mothercrystal's first vision was spent on him). I guess I could probably accept it if the team wasn't willing to let die "deader than dead" until a little later. Doubly so for Gaius van Baelsar, the first "face of the enemy" for x|v.

Granted, I could probably live with the loss of Lahabrea; especially if it turns out that Elidibus is an even bigger threat than the black cloaks.

I know, I know; it's just a favorite pet theory of mine; the likelihood of it is no better or worse than a coin toss alongside the idea that he's been telling us the truth. A straw antagonist would be pretty fun in Lahabrea's case, though, and it'd certainly make his moustache-twirling villainy easier to swallow.

So that begs the question why that Sahagin priest, who got eaten in a similar fashion, hasn't come back yet either.

That is an excellent point. Leviathan and King Thordan were both primals, and both consumed the "soul orb". But. BUT. MAYBE there is a caveat.

Leviathan consumed the living aether of the soul orb into himself, presumably shearing it apart and adding it to his own form and magicks. Also presumably, the Sahagin Elder's aether was scattered into uncountable pieces as it re-entered the Lifestream alongside Leviathan's own.

The aether consumed by Ascalon made no such journey. It was placed into a container: an eye of Nidhogg. Assuming that the aether didn't lose its coherency and irrecoverably "mingle" amongst the other contents in the bottomless wellspring of the eye, it's theoretically possible for Lahabrea to have survived.

Or, perhaps worse, his fragments could be withdrawn from the eye and reconfigured into something close to, but not exactly, Lahabrea.
("AHAHAH! THIS ISN'T EVEN MY FINAL FORM!" etc.)

[CyrilLucifer]

Still keeping my hopes down. My heart can't take the hope of Best Ascian returning, only to be shattered again when he doesn't.

Edit:

Granted, I could probably live with the loss of Lahabrea;

I don't think we can be friends anymore.

[Nalien]

Any ending in which Lahabrea hasn't been messing with Estihogg from within his Eye is an inferior ending... How amazing a conclusion would it be for Lahabrea to have done exactly what he did with Thordan and Ysayle, and have Estihogg summon a Primal unto himself? We'd have Shinryu, then Omega can burst onto the stage to fulfill its franchise driven destiny... Shinryu gets defeated, Nidhoggs Eyes shatter, Estinien is saved! Then Lahabrea is freed and sneaks off to fulfill his true scheme; Summoning Zodiark unto himself. Providing a common enemy for us and Elidibus/Darklander.

It's either that, or Estihogg flew off to skies unknown to drop the revelation that Eorzeans, specifically Ishgardians, are summoning Primals, on Garlemald, setting the stage for a new conflict with Garlemald and giving Nidhogg the last laugh as he dies while Garlemald marches to exact his revenge for him... Ishgard will never know peace because the hammer of the Empire is about to fall down on it, well played Nidhogg...

Full End of an Era level Shinryu v Omega, followed by a 3.5 trial against Zodibrea is easily the more epic of the two, though... Involving Garlemald sets the stage up nicely for future plots, though... Lets just see how long I can refrain from table flipping as someone is no doubt going to question why Nidhogg and Garlemald would team up, despite me suggesting nothing of the sort... It happens every time, would be a shame to disappoint me now...

[CyrilLucifer]

Then Lahabrea is freed and sneaks off to fulfill his true scheme; Summoning Zodiark unto himself. Providing a common enemy for us and Elidibus/Darklander.

My one true hope, this would be the best result for everyone. And by everyone I mean me.

(though I'm all for Shinryu-Nidhogg, too).

I'm prepared for my heart to be broken.

[Theodric]

The thing is, even if they do bring Lahabrea back it'll likely just be for another largely underwhelming encounter where the Warrior of Light triumphs yet again. Or they completely change his personality and 'redeem' him. It's also why I don't really want Gaius to return - because things will no doubt play out in a similar manner.

We do, however, need long term antagonists that secure victory from time to time and don't just get killed off by the Warrior of Light. They seem to be doing that with Regula and Elidibus.

[Anonymoose]

We'd have Shinryu, then Omega can burst onto the stage to fulfill its franchise driven destiny...

Whenever I put all of the knowns onto the table, this is where I start heading... but I try so hard not to look that far into the future. One change, one new piece, and the house of cards falls. But damn it, that doesn't mean I don't like it...

The thing is, even if they do bring Lahabrea back it'll likely just be for another largely underwhelming encounter where the Warrior of Light triumphs yet again. Or they completely change his personality and 'redeem' him.

Agreed. The "this isn't even my final form" one ... final ... battle... against some kind of changed Ultimabrea is the only thing that doesn't make me sigh, lol. After Thancred and Igeyorhm, any more than that and he becomes Bartandalus.

And redemption... eugh. <shudders> Eugh. It'd be so unsatisfying watching him return in a redemptive arc; he doesn't even have any scores to settle with mine enemies in the first place. Lahabrea buggered up his own plans. Repeatedly. If he wants to take another shot at me, that's fine; you fall off the Nightmare, you get right back on. But the rest of these fights are mine.

It's also why I don't really want Gaius to return

...and that's probably why I could only like it in Gaius' case. That guy has perfectly justifiable bones to pick with everyone I hate. The Empire held him accountable for his failures even when the outcomes weren't even remotely foreseeable (THE KEEPER OF THE LAKE!?), they made him lapdog to an eikon-worshiping, moon-dropping madman, and then completely flew in the face of his decades of "It's what's best for the Empire." attitude by getting into a petty succession war and barely noticing as he tried to take Eorzea for the glory and stability of Garlemald as the true emperor wanted. And in that desperation, he was manipulated into his own downfall by the Ascians. Sure, he made his bed and he rightly had to lay in it. But, arguably, he could return with a different point of view with some claim to the ass-kicking. Dude has seen some sh[kupo!]t.

I'd love to see a Gaius that's resurrected for... like, barely any time at all. Like, how long we got to know Moenbryda. He comes back driven and self-sufficient and pissed off and takes his subjective vengeance so hard he gets himself killed again in some manner that gives me an opening to score an important victory. I really liked his whole, "we share a common goal, but you're no friend of mine" phase at the end of 1.0. He could take out Varis himself by ramming a dreadnaught through the bridge of the Gration in the middle of the battle for Ala Mhigo and I wouldn't even be mad.

[Nalien]

If we go to Ala Mhigo, I'd quite like some Echo time jumps in which we can re-encounter Gaius during his "prime"... Not quite a Wings of the Goddess style time travel plot, but totally a Wings of the Goddess time travel plot... We help liberate Ala Mhigo in the present, but we can only do so because of events that happened in the past... Events we helped play out because Echo hacks, or rather just witnessed in person because the Echo is confusing... I think that would be the best way to reintroduce him as a serious antagonist, 2.0 did too much damage to his character IMO... Go back to a time before he was being manipulated and caring way too much about Cid... Bonus points if we can have Nero helping us in the present instead of Cid, and pop back in time and see a younger Nero as an antagonist...

I miss Echo time hacks... Heck, I just miss the Echo doing anything... These days it just feels like a lazy tool to provide exposition...

[AdamuKun322]

3.3 or 3.4 should conclude the Dragonsong War. 3.4 and 3.5 will be our lead ins into 4.0. I believe we will have to salvage our relations with Ul'Dah and work with them as we begin to figure out how to take back Ala Mhigo. Of course the story of the WoD and WoL is far from over.

[Dualblade]

Moose pretty much gave my thoughts on how I think Lahabrea could still be alive: Unlike the Sahagin Priest, Lahabrea was abosrbed into Nidhogg's eye which still holds its aether, while when we defeated Leviathan all of his aether was dispersed. Between that and Lahabrea also being far stronger than the Priest he easily could still be alive, though personally I don't think he can do anything until Nidhogg is defeated again. Unless it turns out Eistinien really is in full control and just trying to bring the end of the Dragonsong War about in the only way he knows how.

On Gaius, I personally don't see him coming back in XIV, though Dissidia is fair game (and if any villian from XIV was brought in, should be him). A part of me would also rather him stay an antagonist, even if he ends up not being "fully" with the Empire. As in he's still gonna try and conquer Eorzea because he thinks it is best, but he might also end up gunning for becoming Emperor, most likely because he believes Varis's goals will bring about the ruin of the Empire. But thats only if he is alive.