Realization: Is the WoL a primal?!

[sarehptar]

Something worth thinking about for people who are fans of the primal!WoL idea: even if we aren't technically primals by nature, we are starting to fill the same role.

Primals are summoned by beast tribes and people when they feel a great need, typically from very strong fear and a desire for protection from enemies. Besides aether, the key ingredient for a primal summoning is faith. The people of Eorzea are absolutely starting to turn to the Warrior of Light for the exact same reason the beast tribes and both sides of the Dragonsong War turned to primals. We keep protecting the people over and over, defeating their foes, saving the day, so on and so forth, and the people's faith in our abilities just continues to grow.

The Dark Knight storyline actually touched on this a tiny bit, in the sense that people are starting to turn to the Warrior of Light for anything, creating mounting expectations about our responsibility to aid those who won't (but should be able to) aid themselves.

I mean, is there much difference between the Ixal summoning Garuda to expel the Garleans and the Grand Alliance frantically calling us up every time someone invades? How long before this excessive faith produces something terrible?

(So no, we're not primals. But if we were to die now, for some reason, the people's faith in us could very well result in the creation of primal!Warriors of Light, just like the people's faith in Louisoix could have led to a summoning of Phoenix if the news got out to the world.)

[Settiesama]

I mean, is there much difference between the Ixal summoning Garuda to expel the Garleans and the Grand Alliance frantically calling us up every time someone invades? How long before this excessive faith produces something terrible?

Huge major difference. Garuda wouldn't be a sucker for fetch quests and travelling across the world and back for other peoples convos.

What originally made me think about this topic was the fact that we are the most powerful single individual in the realm. What makes us so different than more seasoned characters that also possess the echo such as Yda or Y'shtola?

Neither Yda or Y'shtola possess the echo. Minfilia and Ysayle are examples of others who also did, Ysayle becoming her own version of Shiva, a Primal. Hydaelyn gives the Echo to people for different reasons; Minfilia to lead, Ysayle to bring ceasefire and peace between the dragons and Ishgard, and us to fight her battles and prevent Zodiark's awakening.

I think that comes down to personality more than anything. And if Fray had his way we wouldn't either.

That was a joke, and also why Fray did all that was explained in the level 50 quest. 'He' wasn't actually trying to stop us.

[Dualgunner]

Huge major difference. Garuda wouldn't be a sucker for fetch quests and travelling across the world and back for other peoples convos.

I think that comes down to personality more than anything. And if Fray had his way we wouldn't either.

[Averax]

I had this theory way back that the WoL only appeared during the Umbral Eras because people across the world would hope and pray for a WoL to return during the dark times, and so the Aether that flowed through the planet would respond with one.

[Settiesama]

I had this theory way back that the WoL only appeared during the Umbral Eras because people across the world would hope and pray for a WoL to return during the dark times, and so the Aether that flowed through the planet would respond with one.

Or.. Hydaelyn decides to choose someone to become the Warrior of Light (might even choose an unborn baby) during said times. Which is how it's explained in the game.

[Averax]

Or.. Hydaelyn decides to choose someone to become the Warrior of Light (might even choose an unborn baby) during said times. Which is how it's explained in the game.

If hydaelyn herself explains it, it's lost in all the ye olde english she spews all over the place, it's like listening to Urianger speak, you just smile and nod.

[Settiesama]

If hydaelyn herself explains it, it's lost in all the ye olde english she spews all over the place, it's like listening to Urianger speak, you just smile and nod.

How is it hard to understand that?

[Averax]

How is it hard to understand that?

i have no recollection of what you say being revealed in game, because it's hard to follower her when she speaks sometimes.

[Shougun]

i have no recollection of what you say being revealed in game, because it's hard to follower her when she speaks sometimes.

I suppose it depends on what we're mandating/saying. Really WoL was a name humans first picked because they couldn't remember their saviors from 1.0 Armageddon thanks to the time/void magic wielded by Louisoix. Later all characters get called it, though if you're not a Legacy character you're not really part of the first wave being called that - so its lumped together. And I believe Hydaelyn calls you a WoL later in the game too, but that may or may not be a special blessing of her own.. maybe just recognition of a title, like calling you by your name.

Echo is obviously part of our gift/blessing, and at moments our blessing is enhanced (mess up in dungeons and its called echo and can stack) - and not all echo users are called WoL (unless you want to call that failed Sahagin a WoL lol).

The thing I would consider for your theory is that you suggest people prayed the WoL into existence, but the world wasn't really in massive peril when 1.0 started (well in a peril that the regular person recognized) so there wouldn't be need to pray in the 1.0 WoL. Perhaps Hydaelyn knew it was coming and you're not really a primal but some really weird primal's primal, egi, dream of a crystal - thing. But not required, just extra fluff for fun lol.

I would add though that I don't recall any written stipulation about how an echo user/WoL was chosen though, like if someone said it I don't think it was the crystal telling us laws of physics in Eorzea as much as it would be an NPC's theory (which just means if it changes in small ways its not retcon). For all we know echo could be granted to a popoto lol. Also seems like Echo doesn't have to be gifted (or Hydaelyn is playing a long game lol), but ours was (not everyone with echo appears to be our friend).

I personally think it might be possible we later find out primals were echo wielders of note who left footsteps so large they couldn't lay to rest. Echo being an important part in the transformation to primal, as if it wasn't just anyone could be primal (like seriously, important leader everyone loves dies? boom new primal lol - we should have thousands of primals XD).

We've sort of seen it happen already, and you got the "path of the twelve" an interesting name for a group of people who have echo as a gift (The Twelve appear to have primal ish like properties, can be prayed to for effect).

Maybe if you git too gud then you go nuclear. New Odin will be world first raiders turning into a FATE and mauling everyone :3.

Edit: originally top quote was Settiesama, was just using it as a soundboard to respond to Averax and about the WoL/echo thing

[Kallera]

I had this theory way back that the WoL only appeared during the Umbral Eras because people across the world would hope and pray for a WoL to return during the dark times, and so the Aether that flowed through the planet would respond with one.

Which begs the question, why do they "dissappear"? there is no record of a WoL dying, is there?