(MSQ spoilers) Asahi

[Risvertasashi]

Consider this to be a spoiler warning for the whole thread, since using the tag every post would be a bit obnoxious.

Let's talk Asahi a bit.

He's made it very clear he hates us. Unless, you know, he's playing a ridiculously deep game, but I don't think SE would make that plot that circumlocutious. So let's just accept that he hates us for this conversation.

Why?

If he's really a disciple of Zenos, shouldn't he respect us in a similar fashion? Or at least see us as an opportunity to get stronger, a goal/obstacle to overcome?

[SicariusSeven]

I just saw his hate as 'we killed his mentor/idol' so now he's super pissed. How dare we do such a thing. Honestly I was about to buy the whole 'peace thing' until he made the angry face. When I saw that expression I was like "Ohhh boy here we go, another crazy evil Garlean!" While he's probably not crazy, he does lean into that line of fanatical devotion. I also have a feeling that Mirror is going to cause something that will give Ashai all the excuse he needs to attack Doma again. Part of me wonders if Varis really did give him the go ahead to head back to Doma or if Varis is totally unware. It would be interesting to see other Garleans come and attack Ashai for being insubordinate but I doubt that's where the story will go.

[Theodric]

He seems pretty unhinged. I suspect he hates the Warrior of Light for overcoming Zenos...perhaps less than thrilled that the Warrior of Light is gifted through divine means. I also believe that may very well be plotting to help Zenos overthrow his father so that Zenos can sit on the throne in place of Varis. His talk of peace, I feel, is designed to try and manipulate the Warrior of Light and his allies into not seeking diplomacy with Garlemald. Bear in mind, Zenos has been shown outright to not care for Garlemald or its goals - turning himself into an Eikon and spitting on his father's cause is proof enough of that.

I have my doubts that he is truly speaking on behalf of Emperor Varis. After all, we know that Varis considered his son to be a monster ill suited to the throne of Garlemald, so I doubt he cares very much for his son's enthusiastic followers, either. I'm hoping we see a moderate Garlean aligned with Garlemald show up and help to put down Asahi.

[Risvertasashi]

I just saw his hate as 'we killed his mentor/idol' so now he's super pissed.

Zenos isn't dead though. Unless we're talking something like an Ascian imposter deal.

The mirror definitely seems like a Chekhov's gun.

I have my doubts that he is truly speaking on behalf of Emperor Varis.

Very good points.

On the quoted in particular... Honestly we haven't really established any credibility from him at all. We're basically taking literally everything at his word at the moment. It will be interesting to see how the exchange actually turns out... So that scenario sounds plausible.

At the very least, maybe he was honest as far as wanting to strengthen the standing of his internal faction... but only that far.

[Khalithar]

I wish I could have an option to say to Asahi something along the lines of:

"You'll try... and fail."
or
"You'll die worse than he did."
or
"Would you like to hear how he died?"
or
"He gave himself to a primal and after I killed it, he took his own life."
or
"You'll be even less of a challenge than that weakling."
or
"Bring it bitch."

You get the idea.

Edit:

If he's really a disciple of Zenos, shouldn't he respect us in a similar fashion? Or at least see us as an opportunity to get stronger, a goal/obstacle to overcome?

Not necessarily. Did you ever play Skies of Arcadia? The main villain is a dude named Galcian, after you kill him, his protege Ramirez vows to destroy us and the rest of the world because Galcian was the only one worthy of ruling over the world and leading it in to a new age. Sound familiar?

[Risvertasashi]

Not necessarily. Did you ever play Skies of Arcadia? The main villain is a dude named Galcian, after you kill him, his protege Ramirez vows to destroy us and the rest of the world because Galcian was the only one worthy of ruling over the world and leading it in to a new age. Sound familiar?

Alright, but... Zenos is alive and in the hands of Imperial healers. And he's not like comatose or anything either. Seems odd that Asahi, holding a pretty high position in Imperial society, wouldn't know this...

[Dualblade]

Alright, but... Zenos is alive and in the hands of Imperial healers. And he's not like comatose or anything either. Seems odd that Asahi, holding a pretty high position in Imperial society, wouldn't know this...

Depending on how Zenos survived might help in understanding this, which I believe we will learn about before the next xpac comes out. If Elidibus/some other Ascian is using his body it could very well explain things, Allagan cloning is a thing and from what I have seen some people point has even been (re?)discovered in the ALC 60 questline. And of course he has his artificial Echo to which we don't know neccesarily know the full extent of its abilities but have seen our own.

If Asasi isn't aware that Zenos is alive he could be trying to do what he thinks his leader wanted based on his own interpretation/abilities as well as get revenge on the WoL. If he didn't expect us to tell Hien and co about his little "slip" I'll buy a hat and eat it. He wanted the WoL to know what he told him (though the Echo vision was most certainly unplanned, though it probably can't be used against him). In the Revelations thread another poster said that this piece of information will insure we will be at the prisoner exchange...which on its own could be a great boon to the Imperials because it means they knew exactly where the one-(wo)man army is. If they are planning any sort of aggresion outside of that area it would be of great use to know where we are. And of course Asahi will probably use the exchange to try and pull one up on us. Whether it be trying to kill the WoL, getting them to look like they are the ones to cause a breakdown in possible peace talks, or something along those lines.

If he KNOWS Zenos is alive...well the above could all still be Asahi planning on his own, revenge included. We don't know what Zenos might want out of fake peace talks. Personally I don't think he would even try that, not his style.

I also agree with Khal, I wish this was one of our dialouge choice times. Even more so since we had them about whether or not we accept Zenos himself.

[ObsidianFire]

To add to this, Asahi seemed pretty far down the "the best way to make peace with Garlemald is to surrender to them" road before Zenos made an impression on him. I highly doubt that changed.

Not only did we prove we were stronger then Zenos, we're one of the biggest obstacles to Garlemald proving that nothing can stand up to them. As much as I think he slipped becasue he got emotional, I think he's hated the idea of us (and of a free Eorzea/Doma) for a long time. Us killing Zenos made it just that much more personal.

And yeah... no way to know what Varius thinks of all this (including Zenos being alive!)... That's really not good.

[Theodric]

As far as Varis is concerned, he's already met the Warrior of Light directly and has received a considerable amount of intelligence in regards to his activities. Given that Garleans are described as focused on efficiency in the lore book and that Varis is praised as an excellent tactician I have a hard time buying that he wouldn't be open to the idea of an alliance if it meant a true, lasting peace for Garlemald and a means of successfully combating the Eikon threat upon the world stage. Yet I doubt things will be so simple, especially with Zenos, Elidibus and Asahi being caught up in it all.

Perhaps the Emperor's attempt at reaching out to the Warrior of Light is legitimate, though Asahi intends to kill Emperor Varis at the peace talks and frame it on the Warrior of Light? That would mean that Zenos would end up becoming the next Emperor which wouldn't be good for anybody. I just can't buy that Asahi cares about reform when he supports someone as unhinged as Zenos.

I think it'd be an interesting twist if Varis was temporarily overthrown, reached out to the Warrior of Light for aid along with some supporters and then opened up a route to work side by side throughout the rest of the expansion and much of 5.0 to redeem himself and reclaim his position as a reformer of Garlemald. It'd be a nice change of pace to the somewhat predictable trend of entering a new region and killing/dethroning whoever happens to be in charge. Plenty of leader figures throughout previous Final Fantasy games secured their position by the end of the game's stories, after all. Rufus Shinra is a favourite example of mine and his original attitude is very similar to Emperor Varis'.

[Kogekigami]

He is yandere as hell and i love it.