7th Umbral Calamity is not much of a calamity

[Yuella]

Previous Umbral Calamities caused the destruction of whole civilizations. 4th Umbral destroyed Allag. 6th Umbral destroyed the 3 magic nations. But at the end of the 7th Umbral calamity, the city states of Eorzea still stood. The civilization of the 7th Astral era is the same as the civilization at the end of the 6th Astral era.

[MilesSaintboroguh]

Previous Umbral Calamities caused the destruction of whole civilizations. 4th Umbral destroyed Allag. 6th Umbral destroyed the 3 magic nations. But at the end of the 7th Umbral calamity, the city states of Eorzea still stood. The civilization of the 7th Astral era is the same as the civilization at the end of the 6th Astral era.

Well, a certain old man managed to avert most of the disaster. Just saying. Just because there wasn't end of the world destruction doesn't mean that nothing happened. The elementals in the shroud are thrown out of whack, the weather in Coerthas is eternal winter, Eastern Thanalan now gets a lot of rain, the Behemoth was apparently released (the FATE one), etc. Things have changed, you just have to pay attention.

[Morningstar1337]

That was because a certain archon made a decision that mitigated the effects of Bahamut's rampage. But even then it was so close to ruin that Gaius would be able to finish the Job with Ultima (either though literal destruction or by terrorizing the city states into giving up and accepting Garlean rule, which would destroy the city states on a cultural and political level by reducing them to mere colonies of a greater empire.)

[Rocl]

that the 7th Umbral Calamity wasn't as apocalyptic as previous ones is sort of the point

[Hinoto-no-Ryuji]

That does raise an interesting question, though: did it cause a Rejoining, or not? If Louisoix mitigated and contained most of the damage, did it still make Hydaelyn desperate enough to absorb another shard?

[Anonymoose]

Yes, there was (probably) still a Rejoining. It's (seemingly) clear in the context of what people say about the Seventh.

Koji referred to it as Louisoix "half stopping" the Calamity, which I assume means he stopped the half that causes all of the destruction here on the Source (or at least undid and mitigated a great deal of it) and not the destruction of the other world.

The Ascians refer to Zodiark being empowered by the recent Ardor, so it's hard to assume one didn't take place.

Hydaelyn says that she's failed to prevent a Calamity seven times, so the one labeled the Seventh probably succeeded.

[Atoli]

As far as I remember, the cutscene said we already had 7 Rejoinings, so I am pretty sure that yes, it caused one. As for the actual damage done by the catastrophe:
I think changing entire regions entirely is a pretty big deal. Considering especially Coerthas basically became uninhabitable in most parts does not pale much in comparison to other catastrophes, it just has a smaller area of effect?


Edit:

EDIT INCOMING

[Berethos]

A possible secondary effect of civilization surviving and not falling the same way as in previous Calamities is that the realm appears to be more susceptible to a Calamity/Rejoining much sooner than has happened in the past.

Astral eras have typically lasted hundreds of years as the realm rebuilds before being pushed to the brink again. It's been 5 years (canonically speaking) and the current Ascian efforts appear to be much further along - in fact, Nabriales seemed ready to invoke a Rejoining with Tupsimati in short order had we not stopped him.

[TinyRedLeaf]

That does raise an interesting question, though: did it cause a Rejoining, or not? If Louisoix mitigated and contained most of the damage, did it still make Hydaelyn desperate enough to absorb another shard?

As for the actual damage done by the catastrophe: I think changing entire regions entirely is a pretty big deal.

There was another peculiar after-effect from the Calamity: Mass amnesia.

The survivors of the Calamity can't clearly remember those who had answered the call to fight against it.

And I like to imagine now that this was caused by a Rejoining: Two worlds merged and fundamentally changed space-time realities in the new world born from the merger.

The "Warriors of Light" who had counterparts in the Reflection got merged or erased as the Shard's space-time reality blended into that of the Source. And that's why the survivors on the Source can't remember the previous generation of WoLs any more: They no longer exist in the new, merged timeline.

[Atoli]

They no longer exist in the new, merged timeline.

D:
I still exist!
*flays arms around*
See?! In the source world. Despite being one of the original WoLs!;-;
Don't kill us off just yet xD