Revelations from Gamescom 2019

[Kalelius]

I'm honored that my question (question 21) was answered.

Thank you, Yoshi, Oda, and the FFXIV community team!

[Jaywalker]

Been unable to visit forums for a good while because of work, literally stumbled into the Q&A elsewhere and started yelling when I saw some of my questions got picked!

9, 11, 15, and 20 were me. Beyond stunned, but really happy they seemed to be amused by some of them!

9 I'm glad to know that it seems they did have some idea early even if it wasn't totally fleshed out yet, deeply amused they decided to answer 11 but also hyped because insight to Lahabrea and Elidibus characterization.

15 I'm just like THANK GOD OMG, need that Sabik lore haha.

And 20 is just a ton of fun. Hope one day they hit Ancient Egypt and/or subsaharran Africa aesthetics because they're crazy interesting. Latter, Sudano-Sahelian architecture is super distinct in particular--idk if there's a remote chance of seeing it but would be really neat. Was unbelievably excited to see Mayan/Aztec influence for Rak'tika so who knows what's next!

[Alleluia]

lol I saw them answer the Sabik question and was like "I know at least three people who will now be ecstatic for a month". XD

[Jaywalker]

Though given Emet's determination and 'it's not really murder' line in regards to being called out for the countless acts of genocide he's been party to it seems unlikely.

Probably going to slip off the forums again for a bit soon, but want to present the possibility real quick that Emet-Selch had to believe/tell himself that because the alternative is that he's been committing genocide against billions of actual people, all of whom are on some level still pieces of the Amaurotines he loves.

He is doing whatever he believes necessary to bring them all back, but seriously. The alternative to the idea that it doesn't count as murder is that it does. There's no way he would have been able to avoid going insane under that reality.

There's room to debate of course, but the "unreliable narrator" possibility is one way to interpret things and puts an interesting spin on his characterization.

lol I saw them answer the Sabik question and was like "I know at least three people who will now be ecstatic for a month". XD

Lmao Alleluia I was basically beside byself hyped when I saw that! Month is in fact 100% made. XD

[Avidria]

Probably going to slip off the forums again for a bit soon, but want to present the possibility real quick that Emet-Selch had to believe/tell himself that because the alternative is that he's been committing genocide against billions of actual people, all of whom are on some level still pieces of the Amaurotines he loves.

He is doing whatever he believes necessary to bring them all back, but seriously. The alternative to the idea that it doesn't count as murder is that it does. There's no way he would have been able to avoid going insane under that reality.

There's room to debate of course, but the "unreliable narrator" possibility is one way to interpret things and puts an interesting spin on his characterization.

Honestly that's the interpretation I like. I personally don't think he genuinely believes that we "aren't alive" or whatever nonsense he threw at us. He made his point about moral relativism clear, but of course what other option does he have? Either he believes the ends justify the means, or he doesn't. Either he convinces himself his cause is just enough to justify the wholesale slaughter of worlds, or he doesn't.

Either he's a murderer, or he's not - because if the ones he kills aren't people by his definition, then is he really a killer?

What I love about Emet is that he's nuanced as a character. I don't think he thinks so little of us as to write us off as a being that isn't even alive. I think he wanted to be wrong, and he wanted us to be the ones to prove him wrong, and when we didn't, he had to convince himself that we were a lost cause, nothing but an empty husk to be destroyed and erased and forgotten. Because if he's wrong, and that "trick of the light" he saw in that last cutscene wasn't a trick after all, then he'd have to acknowledge us as people - and as fragments of an old friend.

I'm super tired and half asleep right now, so this might not be coming out wholly coherent. But basically I think that a lot of what Emet says shouldn't be taken at face value. He's an old, bitter, angry man who's lost everything and taken on an incredible burden, and he's been so dedicated to his cause, to ensuring that his and his people's pain and loss weren't for nothing, that he has no other path to choose. He has to be right, even if he'd rather be wrong about us, because he's well past the point of no return.

And I'm not convinced that he believes that it's not really murder at all.

[Belhi]

I feel it is worth reminding people that he openly admitted that all the Ascians were tempered by Zodiark. That probably colored their view of what was justifiable somewhat.

[Kusanagi7]

these were really good questions im looking foward to learning more especialy about sabik.

[Sathona]

I don't know what plans they do, or did have the Heart of Sabik, but note that Sabik is a star in the constellation Opiuchus: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eta_Ophiuchi

Ophiuchus's other, older name is Serpentarius. Which is an alternative name for Zodiark in the Ivalice games where he was introduced: https://finalfantasy.fandom.com/wiki..._and_symbolism

Therefore, Sabik=part of Serpentarius=Zodiark

Make of that what you will.

Lahabread did say "Behold but a sliver of my gods power" or something along these lines so it seems its a given.

But id love for it to be expanded more in general

[LineageRazor]

That answers two questions in one. Our souls are rejoined, and that means everyone - not just selected special ones.

There could still be "special" souls. Everyone gets rejoined, but in the case of normal souls (the ones formed from the natural Lifestream cycle), they just gain more Aether (become "denser"). In the case of those whose souls are those of a Sundered Ancient (and therefore do not dissolve into the Lifestream), they gain another piece of a specific soul, rather than just more generic soulstuff.

He is doing whatever he believes necessary to bring them all back, but seriously. The alternative to the idea that it doesn't count as murder is that it does. There's no way he would have been able to avoid going insane under that reality.

I agree with this. He probably has a mantra he repeats to himself, every time he feels himself starting to form an attachment to one or more of these pitiful, ephemeral beings: "They aren't truly alive, they aren't real. Things will be better when they are whole - better for THEM, even. This is for the good of us all..."

Especially NOW; the sunk cost fallacy is STRONG. To stop now would be unthinkable. Even if they were willing to acknowledge the murders they've committed, if they were to cut things off all those murders would have been in vain, cruel sacrifices for no purpose. Eight worlds full of life extinguished, and that doesn't even include the horrendous loss of life on the Source with each Rejoining. They may feel they OWE it to those lost to see things through - and each new murder is another obligation on the pile...

[Jonnycbad]

Lahabrea might have ties to Sabik. Sabik is a star in the constellation of Ophiuchus, the 13th constellation in the zodiac.in real life. Ophiuchus and Zodiark are linked since FFT, where Elidibis was a hidden boss in Deep Dungeon, who had the Zodiac sign of Serpentarius/Ophiuchus(depending on translation). He had the unique summon Zodiark, which could be learned by a Summoner if they were hit with it.

Maybe Lahabrea he's original name is Sabik? Or Sabik was the name of the main person in the Convocation to initiate the summoning?