The Exarch and Zodiark

[Absimiliard]

It's quite possible the eighth Calamity was in fact a disaster for the Ascians - that Black Rose worked far beyond what they anticipated or required, and humanity if not the Source itself is dying. Certainly this seems to be the belief of the Future Ironworks when they hatch their plan to sacrifice their existence so a better one can replace it - and the only way I can see it justified as a whole.

That was certainly the impression I got. The Source does not, as far as we know, have any special protections that would prevent its destruction if it came down to that. Bearing that in mind, Black Rose definitely seems like something that could kill the world if used too often. After all, it even destroys aether.

[AmemeAmeklin]

Emet-Selch was also seen muttering to himself about the effect of the Light-aspected calamity on Black Rose. I wonder what he thought it might do, and what actually happened in Exarch's future timeline. In fact, I wonder what future!Emet-Selch thought about what happened...

[YianKutku]

Emet-Selch was also seen muttering to himself about the effect of the Light-aspected calamity on Black Rose. I wonder what he thought it might do, and what actually happened in Exarch's future timeline. In fact, I wonder what future!Emet-Selch thought about what happened...

My reading of that scene was that Emet-Selch was busy trying to salvage the situation on the First, where Minfilia's sacrifice had brought the First back to "brink of a Flood of Light" rather than "actual Flood of Light". Since there needs to be a major disaster on the Source to coincide with that in order to complete a Rejoining, he likely just (in that moment) had the idea of using Black Rose as a catalyst, rather than whatever plans the Ascians had before that went awry. (Given Lahabrea's involvement before Emet-Selch took over, it's likely this was Thordan.)

[MrThinker]

It began with the 2018 NA Fanfest, with the original Shadowbringers announcement at the Keynote--the phrasing "Eighth and Final Umbral Era" is used, as seen in this rip. Obviously, that's informed our understanding of Shadowbringers' plot from the beginning, even if it's not really ever specifically clarified by ShB itself.

Okay it was NA, I stand corrected.