Thread: 3.4 speculation

Originally Posted by Laili

I think 3.4-3.5 is going to culminate in a schism between the remaining Scions: Elidybus already has Uriangier listening to him, and Thancred will be easy to pry away if he dangles something about getting Minfillia back from her current state in front of him.

It's possible, Alphinaud would want to focus on more diplomatic issues, rebuild the Crystal Braves, and lead the Rising Stones as I could imagine the Dragonsong war was taxing on him.

I'm inclined to assume about Thancred that we could find out that Minfillia's fusion with Hydaelyn is actually a tricked/forced abduction and the Ascians knew. Alisaie could easy spill the beans and he'd be the first to know... and he already feels pretty bitter about being unable to get Minfillia back. I get the feeling as WoL we aren't getting the full story and Ascians would rather play us as pawns than tell us straight. There is a faint hint with the W'soD that at some point Elidibus might of convinced them they're following a falsehood...

Or, they could be converted into Zodiark's thralls that were taken when Louisoix ported them away from the planet (The opening ARR cutscene) before Bahamut would finish them off. Even as powerful as Louisoix was, the Binding Coil story explains how he was being controlled by Bahamut when you see him in the SCoB cutscenes. We did see a CS of the W'soD attacking an Ascian in 3.1 in a place similar to when we talk to our crystal only to fade to white moments later.

EDIT: Come to think of it, this thrall thing, my jaunt through all of coil recently opened up some possibilities... Elidibus seems to be the most approachable character among his associates, oddly clad in white, while still having a dark secret he's keeping but right now he's on good terms with Urianger and assuming he's Unkawhatshisname (Kid-lidibus) master. I'll bet he has a much grander scheme and has been using the other Ascians... who also might just be merely thralls of Zodiark as a means to an end. Where as Lahabrea and co. want Zodiark to revive, where Elidibus seeks to reunite Zodiark with Hydaelyn... which might explain how Urianger seems to be "going along" with this idea so to speak.

Originally Posted by Theodric

A rational debate seems impossible, then, I see.

A rational debate is perfectly possible. You are, however, being willfully ignorant of Garlemald's motive and sweeping their very ugly side under the rug.

Why did Garlemald become a military culture driven by conquest? Solus zos Galvus introduced them to magitek 50 years ago, became their emperor, and told them to go forth and conquer. That is it. That is literally the entire reason. Not because they wanted better land or because their neighbors were abusive to them. Pre-empire they were a small, backwater farming nation. Then they got magitek and zos Galvus told them to use it to subjugate others. So they did. Might there be more to the story? Possibly... but this is what we know to be true with what information we have.

Revolts against Garlean rule causing the death of innocent Garleans? Maybe. But Garlemald brings it on themselves by subjugating other nations purely because they can, and the possible death of non-military Garleans in the name of liberation is tragic but Garlemald has proven they are not open to willingly relinquishing conquered territory. Slaughtering countless, helpless innocent people in response to this is not justified.

War orphan sob stories a la Livia? Another thing they bring on themselves with their gluttonous desire for conquest.

What of the rest? I've yet to see a rebuttal. If you want to debate let's go, but don't excuse some of their atrocities and conveniently ignore the rest.

I said it before and I'll say it again - Gaius van Baelsar was an exemplar of the best and worst aspects of the Empire. While his legion was rogue, they were effectively a microcosm of Garlemald proper, and he explains his motives and much of his philosophy verbatim before the elevator duel against him:

Originally Posted by Gaius van Baelsar

For the world of man to mean anything, man must own the world. To this end, he hath ever fought to raise himself through conflict - to grow rich through conquest. And when the dust of battle settles, it is ever the strong who dictate the fate of the weak. ... It is only right that I should take your realm, for none among you has the power to stop me!

Originally Posted by Theodric

Wait, hold on...implications were made that I'm a Nazi supporter and believe that the Earth is flat and I'm the rude one? I'm not quite sure how that works...

If you don't want to involve personal matters in a debate then it helps to not make and support such bizarre statements and accusations in the first place.

Where someone said that?
Put the comment where someone said that you are a Nazi supporter. Nobody said such a thing.

Originally Posted by Theodric

[L]et's drop the matter to avoid the thread getting locked. Agreed?

Disagreed! You implicitly want a rational debate on the issue and I'm offering one. Let's go. I am desperately in want of a .gif of Senator Armstrong saying the same...

If you need time to cool down, that's okay. But if you don't get back it looks very much like you don't want to actually debate and would prefer to close your eyes and cover your ears when people bring up the myriad ways Garlemald is really not cool.

Gushing (gushing!) about your favorite subject once in a while is fine, but when you do it all the time it gets a bit grating, and when you say you would like to debate and someone offers to do so and you decline it sounds like your argument(s) is very weak.