Revenge of the Weapons (5.2 and Onwards)

[Berteaux_Braumegain]

So what all is everyone expecting from the Weapons sidequest? Thus far, my expectations were:

- Gaius will be a supporting NPC in some regard, perhaps fighting a bunch of NPCs offscreen to explain why he's not involved in a fight against something that can't enthrall him.

- Cutscenes will deal with Gaius addressing the corruption and flaws of the Empire, perhaps with the WoL calling him out on some things. If no new Legatus is introduced as the person behind the project, we'll likely get Gaius' thoughts on Varis' inhumane usage of his soldiers as seeming batteries for the bosses.

- Trials will be Ruby, Emerald, and Omega Weapons.

- There will be a dungeon before the latter fight where Jade, Sapphire, and Diamond weapon are bosses. Midgar? Junon's Underwater Reactor?

- If Omega Weapon is indeed used and there's a Legatus overseeing things, the Legatus will intentionally hook themselves up to OW to try killing the WoL.

[jameseoakes]

So what all is everyone expecting from the Weapons sidequest? Thus far, my expectations were:

- Gaius will be a supporting NPC in some regard, perhaps fighting a bunch of NPCs offscreen to explain why he's not involved in a fight against something that can't enthrall him.

- Cutscenes will deal with Gaius addressing the corruption and flaws of the Empire, perhaps with the WoL calling him out on some things. If no new Legatus is introduced as the person behind the project, we'll likely get Gaius' thoughts on Varis' inhumane usage of his soldiers as seeming batteries for the bosses.

- Trials will be Ruby, Emerald, and Omega Weapons.

- There will be a dungeon before the latter fight where Jade, Sapphire, and Diamond weapon are bosses. Midgar? Junon's Underwater Reactor?

- If Omega Weapon is indeed used and there's a Legatus overseeing things, the Legatus will intentionally hook themselves up to OW to try killing the WoL.

Why would they drop Diamond for Omega, Diamond is the probably the second most iconic weapon

[Lauront]

- Cutscenes will deal with Gaius addressing the corruption and flaws of the Empire, perhaps with the WoL calling him out on some things. If no new Legatus is introduced as the person behind the project, we'll likely get Gaius' thoughts on Varis' inhumane usage of his soldiers as seeming batteries for the bosses.

If anything, it is likelier to be a captured member of the Populares, rather than one of Varis's soldiers. Gaius was no saint and, though he opposed projects like the Black Rose or Project Meteor (as did Varis... Varis only shifted his stance very recently), I doubt he is going to take particular exception to that one thing.

I for one hope they skip this tired preachy garbage and just get to the point.

[Theodric]

Hopefully it's a more nuanced take than Zenos and the tiresome defector trope that is Cid.

It's a shame that Regula's heroism is hidden away in a side quest. His is the side of Garlemald that should be nurtured and explored further. I'm also not sure why Varis is suddenly being written as having been all for weird experiments when it was specifically outlined that he cast out Aulus, spoke out against Meteor and actively resisted Ascian meddling for quite some time until his hand was unfortunately forced. I'd be disappointed if the writers opted to retcon that.

Stranger still, Sharlayan also clearly resorts to all sorts of weird and dubious magical experiments yet they're never called out in the same way that Garlemald is.

[TheMightyMollusk]

Stranger still, Sharlayan also clearly resorts to all sorts of weird and dubious magical experiments yet they're never called out in the same way that Garlemald is.

Sharlayan isn't actively pursuing a war of conquest against the rest of the planet.

[Theodric]

Sharlayan isn't actively pursuing a war of conquest against the rest of the planet.

Neither is Garlemald at this point - though a war of conquest, with sympathetic and complex reasons - can make for a satisfying narrative. One that, unfortunately, isn't really explored particularly well in this game due to how safe it opts to play things.

If the game embraced more realism, it'd show tensions between Hingashi and Eorzea/Sharlayan fracturing as a consequence of both seeking to start a trade war by using the Isle of Val as a base of operation to get around Kugane's tariffs (which go a long way towards funding the nation's livelihood).

Though as usual, anything shady that the protagonists do is conveniently ignored and brushed under the rug - never to be mentioned again or be of any meaningful consequence.

[Angus-Beef]

So what all is everyone expecting from the Weapons sidequest? Thus far, my expectations were:

- Gaius will be a supporting NPC in some regard, perhaps fighting a bunch of NPCs offscreen to explain why he's not involved in a fight against something that can't enthrall him.

- Cutscenes will deal with Gaius addressing the corruption and flaws of the Empire, perhaps with the WoL calling him out on some things. If no new Legatus is introduced as the person behind the project, we'll likely get Gaius' thoughts on Varis' inhumane usage of his soldiers as seeming batteries for the bosses.

- Trials will be Ruby, Emerald, and Omega Weapons.

- There will be a dungeon before the latter fight where Jade, Sapphire, and Diamond weapon are bosses. Midgar? Junon's Underwater Reactor?

- If Omega Weapon is indeed used and there's a Legatus overseeing things, the Legatus will intentionally hook themselves up to OW to try killing the WoL.

Omega was already used in FFXIV for the SB raids and the FF7 Omega was a dooms day weapon in the extended universe, so it'll most likely be diamond ruby and emerald weapons and jade or sapphire as a dungeon boss.

[Lauront]

Sharlayan isn't actively pursuing a war of conquest against the rest of the planet.

Does it need to be for what went on in Val to be "called out"?

[Bright-Flower]

I doubt we'll see Omega Weapon, unless it's as another Ultimate fight. I actually thought the Ultima WEapon ultimate fight might bring in Omega Weapon because Omega Weapon is usually just a palatte swap of whatever Ultima Weapon is in a game. (Note: Omega, the spider robot, and Omega WEAPON, a buffed superboss version of Ultima Weapon, are not the same thing.)

I think Ruby Emerald and Diamond are the most likely, with maybe others in via dungeons. Assuming this is largely a FFVII fanservice story, I assume it'll be weapons fought in FFVII, which would include Ultima (already destroyed in XIV), Diamond, Ruby and Emerald. (The latter two as superbosses after the game's initial japanese release.)

Neither is Garlemald at this point - though a war of conquest, with sympathetic and complex reasons - can make for a satisfying narrative. One that, unfortunately, isn't really explored particularly well in this game due to how safe it opts to play things.

If the game embraced more realism, it'd show tensions between Hingashi and Eorzea/Sharlayan fracturing as a consequence of both seeking to start a trade war by using the Isle of Val as a base of operation to get around Kugane's tariffs (which go a long way towards funding the nation's livelihood).

It only isn't right now because the emperor was assasinated and the chemical weapon the empire was preparing destroyed and now it's in a civil war, and could just as easily resume once someone consolidates power again. It's not like the empire had a change of heart. Zenos just threw a wrench into the gears, for his own selfish purposes even.

[Theodric]

It only isn't right now because the emperor was assasinated and the chemical weapon the empire was preparing destroyed and now it's in a civil war, and could just as easily resume once someone consolidates power again. It's not like the empire had a change of heart. Zenos just threw a wrench into the gears, for his own selfish purposes even.

The use of a chemical weapon was to avoid excessive losses among a force that is incapable of using aether. The protagonists can paint it as a 'horrific' approach to warfare but conveniently it does no such thing when it comes to other traumatic methods of death such as blasting people with fireballs, running them through with swords, afflicting opponents with magical diseases or drowning/crushing them with water and debris as we saw with the fall of Doma Castle.

The use of Black Rose was a sound enough move and the real complication lay in the unintended side effects in the form of a Calamity. The weapon was also only used in response to Garlemald itself being invaded and in an alternative universe at that, so...

It's not even necessarily Varis who would opt to use it since apparently that universe still exists based on the Exarch's continued existence.

Either way, the entire plot felt rather contrived and messy. I wouldn't be surprised if it was wrapped up very quickly to justify diving right into Shadowbringers.