What's the point with that quite lackluster story in Endwalker?

[Lauront]

It's basically not really been explained in any depth, because in SHB it's precipitated by the subterranean sound, which is what is described as first hijacking control over their creation magicks, before their dread impulses are let loose.

Have you not heard? Though yet confined to the lands across the sea, a terrible phenomenon afflicts our star. They are calling it the “Final Days.”
'Tis said it starts suddenly, a cacophonous keening from beneath the earth. The sound distorts all living things within earshot, and wrests from us control of our creation magicks.
Once that happens, all is lost. Fear, pain, despair...every dread impulse is siphoned from our minds and given substance: an eternal fall of fiery rain; an incessant spawning of nightmarish beasts...
None can point to the source of the phenomenon. 'Tis as if the star itself has fallen ill─as if a force inimical to life now festers and spreads.
'Tis only a matter of time until Amaurot, too, resounds to that discordant squall. You should stay with your loved ones, child... Stay with them...

The Watcher reaffirms that this cry is what precipitates it.



Unless they're planning on re-visiting this later, I suspect they're hoping we just roll with it and don't read into it too deeply.

[Fiel_Tana]

Ah thank you for that! I had a vague memory of that scene but couldn't remember the exact details or find my screenshot.

[PawPaw]

don't read into it too deeply.

Oh, I do hope this becomes the new tagline for the game.

[Lauront]

As a description, it does sit somewhat ill at ease with what we're told in EW. Coupled with how durable the shield even a sundered Zodiark could maintain was against multiple stars' worth of harnessed despair, it suggests to me that when Hermes says it's far weaker than aether, he's not wrong about that much at least. In any case, we're left with a description that says she can affect them but only indirectly, by affecting their magicks; still raises the question of how hijacking control over their creation magicks isn't directly affecting them, in contrast to the below...

Hermes: Harboring high concentrations of aether, we ancients cannot readily manipulate dynamis─nor be manipulated by it. Therefore, rather than our selves, the calamity affected our magicks.

[Fiel_Tana]

As a description, it does sit somewhat ill at ease with what we're told in EW. Coupled with how durable the shield even a sundered Zodiark could maintain was against multiple stars' worth of harnessed despair, it suggests to me that when Hermes says it's far weaker than aether, he's not wrong about that much at least. In any case, we're left with a description that says she can affect them but only indirectly, by affecting their magicks; still raises the question of how hijacking control over their creation magicks isn't directly affecting them, in contrast to the below...

You're right, but it does mostly answer my question how they were affected if it was indirectly through a disruption of the planetary aether flow (which they may use to power their magic?), so thank you! Gives me something to think about

I still haven't seen any proof of the theory that Hydaelyn sundered the world out of necessity because the ancients inability to manipulate dynamis, other than Hermes comment, when in story there are many examples showing otherwise. I suspect that theory is people taking Hermes at his word and running with it.

My spikes do get up when I see someone trying to gaslight someone into believing something unfounded by insulting their intelligence and / or comprehension, which is why I went a bit on the offensive with the post that started this discussion. I wish one of these theories made sense as to why the sundering was required, my brain might stop looping on it then.

@Simple_Barghest I've wondered the same thing and really hope that the Pandaemonium story explains some of the MSQ inconsistencies.

[KizuyaKatogami]

Correct.
But it's also all I've got at the moment. Especially considering apparently Panda's where Elidibus remembers us, since the MSQ writers decided to do him filthy and replace his MSQ relevance with Hermes / Fanny Dantom.



I don't think it'll explain most of those, but at this point I'll take anything over the nothing currently covering up the plot holes.

It's sad that we have to resort to all these little instances in hopes of them explaining things tbh. Personally id be pretty agitated if they did just end up throwing all the problems onto Laha and trying to make him responsible for it all. We've had the "evil ascian" plots for how long now? I think we need a change of pace from it tbh.Although that seems to be the only thing they know how to write now, while also showing how x character is totally right and could do no wrong.

[Lauront]

My spikes do get up when I see someone trying to gaslight someone into believing something unfounded by insulting their intelligence and / or comprehension, which is why I went a bit on the offensive with the post that started this discussion. I wish one of these theories made sense as to why the sundering was required, my brain might stop looping on it then.

I agree, I don't think it's enough by itself, hence incorporating the Plenty as a vision of their "probable" fate if they didn't change... and in turn the plot introduces excuses as to why she refuses to give them the exact truth, so they've little reason to heed her words and "change"...

If I may on the front of the subterranean noise: Remember where Pandaemonium is in relation to everything and everywhere else.
We're probably just going to blame Lahabrea again.

Yeah, that would be my final straw, if they try go down that avenue.

[KizuyaKatogami]

If I may on the front of the subterranean noise: Remember where Pandaemonium is in relation to everything and everywhere else.
We're probably just going to blame Lahabrea again.

I don’t think this makes much sense though. If i’m not mistaken they say the sound began in the east and spread and that it only began when the final days began.