What are your crazy theories after Endwalker

[Iscah]

-Eric becomes our Lahabrea

I'd bet money on this.

I'm not so convinced. I like the alternate idea of him reincarnating into the researcher who found the crystal.

And can I take this moment to go on a side rant about calling him "Eric"? I know a lot of people are using it but it feels like a Hildibrand-style misnaming to me while "Erich" seems a more natural short form by syllable.

"with new parts for all to play", "I hope we meet again in a joyous reunion", etc. I think this is a solid idea. I dunno HOW, unless they're gonna be kids. I can't see us timeskipping 15-20 years. Although, nothing says they have to reincarnate on the Source, I suppose. Could reincarnate on a shard and be older due to time shenanigans, like between the Source and the First.

The shard time shenanigans would be a clever way of getting them back into the story if it's possible, but if we ever did get a time skip I'd expect something more like five years – and if we got that, I would love to see cute kiddie Hyth and Hades somewhere. They don't even need any sort of feature, just spot them in an establishing shot or something.

[kaynide]

I deliberately do that because I think it's amusing to call him Eric. :P

I don't think Eric would be wrong.
The "Eric(h)" of Erichtonius is also pronounced "Eric", not as the CH in cheese. Same reason why we change "Michael" to "Mike".

[HemlockEvergreen]

And can I take this moment to go on a side rant about calling him "Eric"? I know a lot of people are using it but it feels like a Hildibrand-style misnaming to me while "Erich" seems a more natural short form by syllable.

My friends and I have been calling him "Enrique Antonio".

As for wild theories that are probably very wrong:

- The 12 are Ancients who also didn't agree with the whole Zodiark idea and decided to do their own thing.

- We are going to Corvos at some point (maybe relic weapon zone) and there will be Allagan shenanigans. G'raha Tia will rise to the ocasion and help out his dispossessed countrymen despite his crippling impostor syndrome. He will become Nuhn. There will be an uplifting speech.

- When you are confronting Elidibus in the Crystal Tower back in ShB, he mentions he has to keep on his duty because he promised something to someone, but he can't remember who. It's you, and he did that at the end of Pandemonium.

- There will be a timeskip. The twins will have their growth spurt. Alphinaud will look like his dad and Alisaie will become the hottest Elezen woman that ever walked Etheirys for some reason. She will still Corps a Corps into every single AoE.

- Lahabrea will NOT be hot. He will be kinda gross. Mythologically fitting, as he will very likely be Hephaestus. The playerbase will draw porn of him regardless.

- Next expansion will be centered around dragon-related troubles.

[Alleluia]

I call him Eric b/c I can't remember/spell the second half of his name. lol If there's an h after the c, I'm fine with Erich, too. Though it looks german, then.

[KageTokage]

I can't help but wonder if maybe Emet-Selch was somehow using his creation magicks to alter his descendants to be closer to the unsundered Ancients, given that all of them were noted to be of exceptional stature and strength.

I just really, really want to know what the deal with Zenos was.

[Erendis]

Although, nothing says they have to reincarnate on the Source, I suppose. Could reincarnate on a shard and be older due to time shenanigans, like between the Source and the First.

Venat said she shipped Minfilia and one other soul from the First to the Source. So mixing of souls between reflections on their own is unlikely.

[Alleluia]

Venat said she shipped Minfilia and one other soul from the First to the Source. So mixing of souls between reflections on their own is unlikely.

But on the other hand, that meant Hydaelyn was able to reach and manipulate all lifestreams from her position. Which means there is a place where all lifestreams are near to each other, if not actually connecting. Hydaelyn was the moderator that kept them stably separate, but the position is vacant now. I wouldn't be at all surprised if the separation between the Shards' lifestreams starts to break down with her gone and the streams of souls/aether just start flowing where they want.

Could possibly even result in a gradual merging of like soul shards, something they seem able to do if G'raha's easy blend with his own soul is any indication. And I am talking a very gradual merge, over many lifetimes, and well outside of the scope of our story beyond a random academic NPC maybe positing it'll happen. Cus two shards of the same soul would have to be near each other, in the same lifestream, at the same time; and the odds of that occurring are low, and get lower the more often it occurs.

[Veloran]

But on the other hand, that meant Hydaelyn was able to reach and manipulate all lifestreams from her position. Which means there is a place where all lifestreams are near to each other, if not actually connecting. Hydaelyn was the moderator that kept them stably separate, but the position is vacant now. I wouldn't be at all surprised if the separation between the Shards' lifestreams starts to break down with her gone and the streams of souls/aether just start flowing where they want.

There is a dimensional barrier separating the Source and shards, presumably created by Hydaelyn during the Sundering. If killing Zodiark dissolved his barrier around the star, it's possible killing Hydaelyn also dissolved the barrier between worlds. If that was the case, I'd guess the most pressing issue would be the Thirteenth and the Voidsent.