WoL is good, WoD are bad. I know is very sexy and cool the bad guys are badasses, but they are bad. Their gestures, they acts, they willing to kill everyone. Did you see the Cutscene after kill Nidhogg? The expresion of the dark Paladin Roegarding observign the place where Nidhogg eyes fall? The Dark Derplander attemp to kill Alisaie? They are not only bad, they are truly evil. Square Enix will never put us in the evil role. Even on FFIV at the beggining we were tha bad guys, and Cecil decide to rendem himself.

As for the thread, I will think will be similar to Ishgard more or less. On 3.5 or maybe at the beggining of 4.0, we will have a massive fight in Ala Mhigo city. We will kick Empire for that place, and start rebuild the city, establishing this city as the core of the expansion (as was Ishgard for the 3.0). Now Gaius is death, probably the XIVth legion is more weak without their leader, the perfect timing to kick one for all the Empire from Eorzea.