I really hope than Fandaniel and Zenos are not... (spoilers)

[KizuyaKatogami]

The insinuation was that Thordan turned him into aether which he then consumed to sustain his Primal 'Knights of the Round' form (ironically just like how Leviathan did the same thing to the Sahagin Elder whom Elidibus uplifted with the Echo) - Thordan outright states that, that souls are "just aether, regardless if they're mortal or Ascian" (paraphrased), suggesting Lahabrea was now dead and gone permenantly, burned up like so much fuel.

Elidibus's comments cemented that even further stating "I alone remain" ( of the Unsundered) in the stinger of ShB. So there is a lot of questions as to the new raid coming in EW showing Lahabrea's glyph... but... given what Pandemonium was in past FF games (and it's etymology in mythology), it pretty much underlines that "death is manflu for Ascians".

Okay but i think what people are forgetting here is the ascians only feel and sense each other through their link through zodiark. If perchance these acts of strong aether were capable of untempering them or severing that link then it stands to reason why they wouldn’t be able to feel them anymore. Considering the writers themselves neither confirmed nor denied it leaves it pretty open. The only thing they’ve said is that the eye acted “similar” to an auracite, however we know that estinien destroyed the eye and dispersed that aether, so who knows where lahabrea could be right now.Something to note as well is that, not evena blade of light is able to kill them, it only expels them to the aetherial sea. So if that cant kill them, estinien piercing the eyes wont have anywhere near the power of the blade of light anyways. We' even have evidence of this from Loghrif/Mitron. Again, considering it’s called pandaemonium and that’s based off of ff2….i’d say it’s a safe bet he’s still around lol.

As for the Hades thing, i do think its strange to think hes dead. The man is literally essentially the lord of the underworld. We didnt use auracite on him which wouldve been the only thing preventing him from escaping to there. Iirc the mog event even implies hes just sitting in the lifestream lol.

[TheMightyMollusk]

It's been stated repeatedly that 6.0 is the end of the Ascian/Zodiak/Hydaelyn story. I really hope they don't break that promise by bringing back a guy who's been dead for years.

[KizuyaKatogami]

It's been stated repeatedly that 6.0 is the end of the Ascian/Zodiak/Hydaelyn story. I really hope they don't break that promise by bringing back a guy who's been dead for years.

if im not wrong they specified its the end of the zodiarek and hydaelyn story. I dont believe its ever been said to be the end of the ascian story. Especially considering hes on the raid art, and theres also like, 5 remaining ascians. I would hope they dont just deal with them all offscreen as that would be incredibly lazy and just confirm my fears of 6.0 being a rushed mess.

[Rinhi]

Wol summons a shade of Hades, not the actual hades for the record

https://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/...=1#post5549668

[Rymi64]

Odd for a mere shade summoned by an incomplete soul (according to ascians) to have the ability to call back not just one but 8 people back from literal oblivion.

The power is in the stone (which is why the invocation circle of eld appears first with hades shade at the center of it) and its not really from oblivion but more from the rift between the shards thats specifically made as the ascians home base to retreat to if they are about to die

[Bright-Flower]

Zenos still bores me as much as the world seems to bore him, but Fandaniel I have to say has grown on me some in the last couple of patches. So I have some hope I may end up enjoying him at least.

Part of why I didn't like him at first was how suddenly he seemed to pull this plan out of his ass once Elidibus was gone, but seeing that our work in 5.4/5.5 has actually had an impact on his plans has been good to ease worries of him being a villain sue.

It's also worth noting I didn't like Emet-Selch AT ALL in the SB patches and it wasn't until SHB proper that I came around to him. So it is possible that 6.0 could do the same for Fandaniel. And who knows. Maybe even Zenos. But we'll have to wait and see.

[Rinhi]

The power is in the stone

it's not, though and the link I posted earlier goes into more depth regarding ascians and their supposed deaths

[Rinhi]

you forgot marquis de sade

[Lauront]

Zenos still bores me as much as the world seems to bore him, but Fandaniel I have to say has grown on me some in the last couple of patches. So I have some hope I may end up enjoying him at least.

Part of why I didn't like him at first was how suddenly he seemed to pull this plan out of his ass once Elidibus was gone, but seeing that our work in 5.4/5.5 has actually had an impact on his plans has been good to ease worries of him being a villain sue.

It's also worth noting I didn't like Emet-Selch AT ALL in the SB patches and it wasn't until SHB proper that I came around to him. So it is possible that 6.0 could do the same for Fandaniel. And who knows. Maybe even Zenos. But we'll have to wait and see.

What changed my view a little about Fandaniel is the potential that he may add something to the story, even if just through his backstory, about what caused the Final Days, as he seems pretty knowledgeable about how to replicate it, with an added dose of body horror, stoking my hopes for the involvement of some more primordial entity (Lavos or Jenova type thing.)

[SpanishInkwehsitor]

Surprised so many people are thinking Zodiark will be the final boss. Considering it seems like the obvious thing, and Yoshi P says he wants to subvert expectations with the expansion, i’m less inclined to believe so, especially with the nod to WoL having an Elidibus like shadow in the trailer whilst on the moon, my guess is on Venat.But yeah i hope it isnt Zenos isnt it. Having him as the final boss of not one but two expansions is ridiculous for how bad of a character he is. I'd much rather it be Venat or Fandaniel. Rather it not be Zodiark since we've barely even seen him and it would be nice to actually talk to someone who we know isnt even evil. We got however many expansions of Hydaelyn whispering in our ear, lets us have our Zodiark time.With how many times we've used hydaelyn's blessing and powers, i think it'd be interesting for us to get Zodiark's blessing to use against the final enemy. Then maybe the warrior of darkness title wouldnt be so much of a sham.I at least hope it isnt more of the same "Hydaelyn power good, lets use it again and again."

I don't think it's much of a mystery that we're gonna have to end up snuffing out Hydaelyn.