Revelations from Patch 5.3

[Hazama999]

I am... really not seeing this apothecary/chemist job a lot of people are EXTREMELY SURE OF.

[Mieck]

Got a location for Granson? I can't seem to find him after finishing his questline, he's not in the Crystarium, or at least not at his usual location.

Just east of Wright, by the large slab of rock, in front of

the grave of his wife

[MicahZerrshia]

And On His Actions:

However you look at things, this was not a victory. We slew hundreds of heroes from different worlds; likely leading to even greater loss of life and a much freer hand for the remaining Ascians. It's possible that was his real goal; he just wanted to make sure we were strong enough to 'kill' him (along with the very strongest of these heroes) and then make the standard Ascian escape.
Even more terrifyingly, while it seems like he didn't know the Crystal Tower could end him, it's possible he knows more than G'raha does, and that Elidibus is now in full control of the tower.
Alternatively, it's also entirely possible that Elidibus knew everything, and wanted to die - but couldn't achieve it any other way. Making things even more tragic.

If I remember things correctly

He said he did not summon them whole, he had no need to. So they were more like shades of the WoL from different worlds and not the actual WoL themselves. That's how I understood it anyway. So we likely didn't actually slay them, more likely just an aetheric imprint or shadow of them. I could be wrong, but that is how I understood it.

[Lium]

If I remember things correctly

He said he did not summon them whole, he had no need to. So they were more like shades of the WoL from different worlds and not the actual WoL themselves. That's how I understood it anyway. So we likely didn't actually slay them, more likely just an aetheric imprint or shadow of them. I could be wrong, but that is how I understood it.

How you understand it is exactly how it was. Elidibus stated that explicitly.

The WoL's from the other shards were in fact shades. Not the actual heroes.

[Hikari_Kishimoto]

Compilation of various texts about Office of the 14th Convocation Member (and their memorial stone)

Hythlodaeus describing both the office of Azem and what their stone's "special power" is

When summoning your party members to fight the WoL, this plays across the screen at the same time

Elidibus/Warrior of Light's reaction to you summoning your partyIn the WoL fight, this plays across the screen after you throw off the chains in the RiftYour gold summoning/teleportation circle shows up again, but with Emet-Selch in the middle of it. And the WoL reacts with...Emet-Selch does his classic finger snap, and you and the rest of your party are all pulled out of the Rift to your summoning/teleportation circle. Emet-Selch walks off and does his weird back-handed wave before disappearing again.

The phrase used to describe what you do with the crystal before Emet-Selch gets summoned/teleported is the exact same phrase Hythlodaeus uses to tell you how to use the crystal, so...

Curiously, this is how Temulun, the shaman of the Mol tribe "sees" us all the way back in Stormblood.

When it comes to the memorial stone itself, the symbol on it is the alchemy/astrology symbol for the sun in real life. The Zodiac itself is all the constellations that the sun appears to travel through over the course of the year. It is a very appropriate symbol for the traveling Convocation seat to have.

Also @Enla, thank u both so much!

[Rannie]

So i really don't have much to post on the sorrows and neir... but I do have one thing to say...

it is definitely still confirmed that we are in the time bubble and in the year 1577. After fighting against sapphire and talking to Gaius, the Elezen thats with him flat out says 20 years had passed since the fall of Ala Mhigo.

[Draginhikari]

The Ending Cutscene and the Future Story

I could say a lot about the main story this time, but I'd like to focus on the ending for the moment with Fandaniel and Zenos. There are things that were pointed out about Elidibus that he has basically stood against his fellow Ascians at times either by becoming hero or manipulating Heroes to prevent things from being pushed too far. However, that raise a particular question to me: Why is that necessary? If the Ascians are aware of the consequences of pushing Darkness too far with the Void of the 13th why is it necessary for Elidibus to push against his allies in such a way.

Then we witnessed Fandaniel and how gleeful he seemed to be about the Unsundered being gone. The reality might be that the Unsundered didn't truly have as much control over the Sundered Ascians as we are lead to believe and it was necessary to take specific action against them to keep them under control whether directly in or indirectly. Nabriales from a Realm Reborn also did his actions against the wishes of the Unsundered as well. It may be possible that by destroying Elidibus that we may actually have set things up to become worse. Without the power and leash that the Unsundered provided, we may be dealing with something just as dangerous but without the emotional restraints present in Emet or Elidibus. With the unsundered gone, the Scions seem to be assumed the primary threat of the Ascians may be over, but in reality, they potentially become even more dangerous.

[Tracewood]

Main Story

I didn't think they would pull the Elidibus being a primal, it was the thing that shook him to his core, after spending month's thinking he was this mastermind behind the Ascians, but was acting on his own accord.

The Emet Cameo was a nice touch for the fight, and I welcome Graha to the fold, even though we... disturbed his slumber. I honestly thought Thancred would either die or stay on the First, so I worry about Ryne since she's still a teen without a guardian. That can't be easy no matter how well of a fighter you are.

People are groaning about Zenos, I get it, but lets see where they take him. Honestly, I want the writers to make him more compelling than being a bored prince who wants to hunt the ultimate prey. They're giving us a daffy sidekick in Fandaniel so I'm willing to see where this goes. I see Fandaniel betraying Zenos, or taking over his body at some point.

I'm a little curious when Graha narrated "Final Chapter of this star" as the scene focused on Zenos and FandanLOL. Gives me the impression that either we're going to take the fight in 6.0 to them and that's the end of it, and 7.0 is going to be a final send off of sorts for XiV since it's a decade old game at this point. Or they're opening the idea of us going off world again like we did in the First to keep the game service as long as possible, maybe pass it to another team so Yoshi P can helm other projects. It could also mean we have a real dark chapter coming up and it's not really and end of all things, but an end to said dark chapter and we'll have fresh adventures after that. Sort of how like FFXI we would have adventures in new areas with new threats each expansion, where XIV was one big ongoing story.

YoRHa

Never played a Nier game, people would praise Automata (thought it was because certain fanboys fawn over 2B, because honestly from first glance the game looked a little dull) Those data logs talk about about "birth", is that what 2P just did before the final boss, holy eldritch abomination! I'm reminded of those real obscure anime from the 90s. The raid was pretty entertaining, I liked the bullet hell rooms. I went in as a MCH and had a blast. Disappointed the gear is near samey as the first go round, but I need to gear my alt classes.

Also, I should of known 2P would go turncoat. What a shame. People are speculating 2B being here is from one of Neir's other endings, so I think they're trying to mesh that here. I kind of wish they would bring voices to the side stories, but I understand voice acting is rather expensive.

Gundam Werlyt

That thing we piloted is going to be a mount at the end of all this, isn't it? I've enjoyed flying it... heck. There's also a nice feeling of seeing Gaius and Cid working together, since this is ironically what Gaius wanted from the very start. Also gave us an explanation on how he survived. These next few patches we're seeing both defected Garlens go through redemption for the sins of their past. I can see this being the main focus going forward before 6.0, and I'd be happier for it. Like my comment for Yorha, I wish we could hear Gaius and Cid speak, it would make this whole mini saga feel the more dramatic.

[Eloah]

Interesting trial tidbit

Apparently in the Trial the summoned warriors are references to the heroes of FFIV: DRK Cecil, Rosa, Cid, Rydia, Edge, Palom, and Porom

[ItMe]

That would have been fine with me, but why not give it a decent ending then?
ShB was so well written, the story built up through many years - and now they just tossed it all out of the window in the blink of an eye.
That doesn't do the story justice. Another expension, or even an enlargened story patch, would have.

It's weird how the story is written because they def write it so it flows best if you're going through it all at once (like for new players or people catching up).
The 5.1-5.3 story is far more robust than an epilogue. It basically IS a full leg of the story. But for those of us experiencing the patches as little snippets of story with months of waiting in between it can be hard to see it, let alone feel it, that way.
If you ever replay ShB you'll have to let me know if you still feel the same way when you're able to take it all in at once.