Fordola (spoilers)

[Vulcwen]

Urianger explained that the reason why the Aether Boom only effected Fordola was because her body wasn't used to manipulating aether and whatnot. So it created a disruption in the aether which overloaded her senses.

Yep, it was indeed implied that it works because she was over-senstive to disruptions in aether, it really reminds me of the aether sickness the WoL got at lower levels, like going completely KO from having a vision, while it's more of a day-dream now.
I'd really like to see the Echo more explored in the patches. Remember that poorly timed vision in Doma, wasn't it stated that the WoL was really silent after that? not even telling the vision.. that there is motivation for the WoL to learn how to control it better.

[Kallera]

Yep, it was indeed implied that it works because she was over-senstive to disruptions in aether, it really reminds me of the aether sickness the WoL got at lower levels, like going completely KO from having a vision, while it's more of a day-dream now.
I'd really like to see the Echo more explored in the patches. Remember that poorly timed vision in Doma, wasn't it stated that the WoL was really silent after that? not even telling the vision.. that there is motivation for the WoL to learn how to control it better.

I think the silence was more about what was seen in the vision, surely we could take a punch if it came to it. :P

[Daralii]

Urianger explained that the reason why the Aether Boom only effected Fordola was because her body wasn't used to manipulating aether and whatnot. So it created a disruption in the aether which overloaded her senses.

He was talking about how she could recognize minute fluctuations in someone's aether, letting her read attacks perfectly even if she had never seen the fighting style before. I interpreted that as an ingame explanation of why we can see attack indicators, which would mean it applies to anyone with the Echo.

[Alleo]

I think that the method used to take down Fordola might be kept around to use on the WoL in case they go out of control. They could easily become the next Zenos under the right circumstances

I found it kind of funny how Moenbryda was the reason for the appearance of another plot important item. In ARR she was only introduced to give us a way to kill the Ascians and now another item exists that was from her idea and was created or finished by Urianger. (And came out of nowhere again)

I am really not sure if they ever let the WoL get bad. There is the problem that the WoL is kinda our character which is the reason why he/she has no true character and needs other NPCs to speak for them. If they go around and suddenly make the WoL do things that people see as out of character for their version I can see lots of anger from them. Thats why its nice that we get more options of what to say so people can built their own character. My WoL is not a perfect good girl. The things that happened in HW really changed her thus she became more bitter and jaded. Also she just want to go on adventures to help forget the past. She does not care that much for war but she went in it to save the last few people she cares about thus in a way she saved the countries too. At the same time she is shocked to see all those innocent common people being abused so over the travel she does get some sense of wanting to free them for their sake and not just to save her friends. She does want to beat Zenos but not because she wants to be the best but because she does not want someone like that to run around. So my character is morally not completely correct but she is nowhere near Zenos. And his talk about them being the same did nothing to her.

In the end the WoL is still part of FF14 thus SE can do what they want but I really hope that they will keep the WoL on the more grey/good sides and not force them into a certain role. I just hope that the revelations of the echo are not a foreshadow of controlling the echo users themselves by having someone with a stronger echo do it.

Also I am a bit interested in seeing Fordolas future. Will she become a worse enemy that will bring us much more sadness (which will mean that she will die at the end), or will she see her mistakes while she stays in prison? (Because she should not run free after what she did..)

[Kallera]

There is some interest among some of us in playing the other side.

I think it is far more likely that, with Echo users becoming a more prevalent tool of war and enforcement of a nation's will, it may cause people to lump the WoL among whatever bad eggs may start coming to the fore. As just another lash of oppression to be used by nations that have such individuals. Surely the beast tribes aren't all fans of the treatment they get.

[EdwinLi]

Urianger. (And came out of nowhere again)

Considering this is Urianger we are talking about it should be no surprise by now.

Heck his habit to pop out of no where at any place and any time is probably is iconic character trait by now that the 4.0 storyline even has a small moment at the end when it is mentioned to be one of his bad habits.

[Saerydoth]

I honestly hope that fordola gets a redemption arc, I thought she written awfully in 4.0. I was expecting complex questions regarding the good of the garlean empire and what we got was a monster blindly following the madman zenos

To be fair, she does explain why she did what she did. I don't agree with her, but I can see why she thought that way. She (along with many others) thought that the Garleans could simply not be beaten, and doing what they had to do to prove themselves as equals was the only way that Ala Mhigo could ever have some measure of "freedom" again. That is why she was so strongly against the Resistance, because it would sully them in the eyes of the empire, and never let them attain "equals" status. She was, in her own way, doing what she thought she had to do for her people. It just happens that her reasoning was flawed. She didn't enjoy it the way Zenos did, she clearly disliked having to kill her own people. After we beat Zenos, it seemed like she was in shock. She had obviously thought it would've never been possible to beat the empire. I could see a redemption arc for her but it would have to be done VERY well to be convincing. No sudden heel face turns.

A stark contrast to Yutsuyo, who simply wanted revenge for the abuse she suffered as a child and a young adult, by inflicting suffering on her own people. Yutsuyo was more tragic too, the type of abuse she suffered does turn people into monsters in real life as well. It doesn't make anything she did right, but she was suffering BADLY from PTSD and needed mental help.