Silvertear Skies plot hole

[Nalien]

I always just took that as your bog-standard dragon escaping, and reasoning behind why so many dragons are roaming around. I very much doubt the Allagan set up an open safari for dragons in Azys Lla, restrains failed with age, dragons broke free and the area became what it is now. One of those dragons happened to take out the teleporter to the Flagship after it broke free, I imagine they took out a lot more too (probably helped release the rest of the dragons), given that entire area is pretty void of any Allagan technology. We were interested in the teleporter to the Flagship though, so the Node specifically mentions that.

Oh, now that I think back though, Tiamat does potentially debunk any idea that say Nidhogg hadn't hatched by the time of the Allagan. She specifically mentions seeing him leave Azys Lla during the epilogue of Heavensward when we're retracting our steps, so she saw Nidhoggs Shade leave after our fight with Thordan, and recognized him. That strongly implies that she'd met him prior to her departure to Meracydia. Could also be a case of "I recognize that aether", but who knows...

[MrThinker]

That is what I thought too, but it is literally the only mention of a dragon 'escaping' that anyone could extrapolate anything from.

On another note:

If there's anything resembling a plot hole, I'd say it's the idea that he was protecting a seal on Primals at Silvertear, when he catastrophically failed to do that. Again though, I don't think that's what he was protecting, and I'm more incline to think releasing Primals was an intentional act. He wanted to stop Garlemalds advance, and releasing Primals did exactly that... At least it did for a while...

While I do believe 'protecting the seal on Primals at Silvertear' was the ORIGINAL intention for Midgardsormr, it seems clear to me that they may have changed that idea when they decided primals as we know them were not actually real gods but rather ideas given thought, life and form through belief and aether. As for puposefully realeasing the primals to stop Garlemald... no I personally don't think that flies since my impression of him is that of loyalty to Hydaelyn. Rather Cilia's explanation of Middy being a bit too full of himself and making a big 'woops' seems more likely. Especially since his tone towards us when we first met is that of arrogant condescension.

[Nalien]

Especially since his tone towards us when we first met is that of arrogant condescension.

See, that's exactly why I don't think he made some big mistake. Had he failed in his duty like that, I'd expect him to have been a tad more humble and acknowledge the mistake, then continue to chastise us regarding the Dragonsong War. He never struck me as the type to talk down to others because of his failings.

no I personally don't think that flies since my impression of him is that of loyalty to Hydaelyn.

Really? I kind of got the impression that he didn't really care. He formed a covenant with Her, and he'll uphold it, but is that loyalty? My impression was more that he was just keeping up his end of the deal. He does his part and peaces out for a nap, constantly.

Also, it's worth noting how we obtained our Blessing of Light; For the most part, we gained our Crystals by fighting Primals, seems to me like they might have been part of the plan to forge a Warrior of Light, no?

[Daralii]

I always just took that as your bog-standard dragon escaping, and reasoning behind why so many dragons are roaming around. I very much doubt the Allagan set up an open safari for dragons in Azys Lla, restrains failed with age, dragons broke free and the area became what it is now. One of those dragons happened to take out the teleporter to the Flagship after it broke free, I imagine they took out a lot more too (probably helped release the rest of the dragons), given that entire area is pretty void of any Allagan technology. We were interested in the teleporter to the Flagship though, so the Node specifically mentions that.

Oh, now that I think back though, Tiamat does potentially debunk any idea that say Nidhogg hadn't hatched by the time of the Allagan. She specifically mentions seeing him leave Azys Lla during the epilogue of Heavensward when we're retracting our steps, so she saw Nidhoggs Shade leave after our fight with Thordan, and recognized him. That strongly implies that she'd met him prior to her departure to Meracydia. Could also be a case of "I recognize that aether", but who knows...

There's plenty of Allagan scrap laying around in the distance in The Aery. I wouldn't be overly surprised if Nidhogg was scooped up at some point.

[Nalien]

There's plenty of Allagan scrap laying around in the distance in The Aery. I wouldn't be overly surprised if Nidhogg was scooped up at some point.

As I recall they explained those scraps in an interview, they're just more pieces of Dalamud; They wanted to show that even in Dravania, there was still some fallout from the Calamity. I'd really have to go digging to find that interview though... I remember not liking the explanation though, since I would actually much rather have some tie between Nidhogg and the Allagan, just to fill in some gap in that history.

[SannaR]

Yes that was what I was referring to. Some have theorized that it could be more than just one of Tiamat's or any of the first brood's kids that broke free and be on of the other two we don't know where they are. In both of their mythos they tend to end up blocking rivers one with actual damns the other was just sleeping. We also know the Allagans got their major golden age after they found and semi woke up Omega. We don't know how aware of other things a sleeping dragon is. So, if he somehow found out that they were playing with his old nemesis I doubt he'd want to wake up and be all hey stop that. Concerning I'm pretty sure some of Omega's tech helped lead them to the nuro links and other fun dragon restraints.

[ObsidianFire]

While I do believe 'protecting the seal on Primals at Silvertear' was the ORIGINAL intention for Midgardsormr, it seems clear to me that they may have changed that idea when they decided primals as we know them were not actually real gods but rather ideas given thought, life and form through belief and aether. As for puposefully realeasing the primals to stop Garlemald... no I personally don't think that flies since my impression of him is that of loyalty to Hydaelyn. Rather Cilia's explanation of Middy being a bit too full of himself and making a big 'woops' seems more likely. Especially since his tone towards us when we first met is that of arrogant condescension.

The "releasing primals from Lake Silvertear" is one of the very few notable retcons from 1.0 to 2.0. I'll need to dig to find the interview for it, but essentially... As of 2.0, the primals we see in the 1.0 coming out of Lake Silvertear are not literal, but symbolic. They represent that the seal on Lake Silvertear being destroyed means that there is now more ambient aether in Eorzea and the summoning primals is much easier then it used to be. The primals as we know them could easily not even have existed until they were summoned in 1.0, much less have been "released" from Lake Silvertear.

We do know that something was in/under Lake Silvertear and that it was released by Midgardsormr, but it wasn't in Eorzea. It was in Gyr Abania and is apparently a major reason as to why Gaius built Baleaur's Wall and didn't try to conquere Eorzea for the next fifteen years. He was apparently busy dealing with it, and we, the players that is, have no idea what it was. Maybe with Gaius up and about we'll find out what it is sooner rather then later...

[Iscah]

[Midgardsormr] was apparently okay with Allag and Mhach setting up their capitals right next door to the lake.

Why did the Mhach set up nearby?

he arbitrarily decided to stop the Garleans, but not the Allagan or the Mhach, from setting up near Silvertear.

People keep talking as if the Mhachi were close enough to Silvertear Lake to seem to be encroaching on Midgardsormr's territory. When was this ever implied?

Mhach was in what is currently Yafaem Saltmoor, to the west of Mor Dhona. Not in Mor Dhona itself, as far as I'm aware - and there are no Mhachi ruins seen in the area.

[Cilia]

Midgardsormr's condescending attitude comes from how he feels you're an insignificant speck next to him and common draconic arrogance. At that point (Before the Fall - 2.55) he doesn't really feel you're worthy of being Hydaelyn's chosen; it's not until you reach the endgame of Heavensward (3.0) that he understands why she chose you.

Just as well dragons are known for their extraordinary arrogance in fiction; it's one of their defining traits. They always know better, are stronger, smarter, more experienced, older, etc. Midgardsormr, King of the Wyrms, was bound to have at least some arrogance in his character pretty much from the get-go. Even good dragons are still arrogant. (Ironically, the only major draconic character to buck this trend is Tiamat, who is usually evil and accordingly characterized by her grand arrogance; here she's the most humble of them all.)

[Toranja]

And I thought the plot hole you guys were going to point out was how it is clearly hinted the Primals were entities from the platonic World of Forms, and then they became this wishy-washy "I believe" junk.