And what did he have to say after the truth sunk in?
One other little line that is important in this discussion I think needs to be brought up.Nashvan: It all seemed so surreal...which was probably what saved me from the transformation. The truth of it didn't begin to sink in until the worst of it was over. I have not the words to describe how I felt then. The sorrow, the overwhelming sense of helplessness... I may still be wallowing in misery if not for my old friend, Djinabaha. I'd lost my will to work, and he encouraged me with kind words and odd jobs. Now, somehow, I live again. I am thankful to him, to the courageous Ahewann, and to you. If you see your comrades, please let them know their efforts were not in vain.
Zodiark seeding life on a damaged world does not mean those souls wouldn’t have been Ancients. If the world was truly becoming impossible to live in, then humanity would also wither, even if they were Ancients. They would need the new life as much as it needed them, the star after all still needed to grant new Ancients their souls after all.Omega: You were of the same mind. Resolved to the same purpose. Yet your strength of heart─of spirit─was not equal. If merely emulating the individual is insufficient, then some other unseen factor must be involved...
I would point out that it is indeed mentioned in her speech in the now “infamous” cutscene in Elpis. The Third Sacrifice was important for what it marked, the sacrifice of lives in order to restore what once was. As you yourself noted the Convocation was also divided on this action, so we can say this wasn’t a haphazard decision. They thought on this, and decided that it be best to trade those future lives for the ones in Zodiark. For a species that was on the road to destroying itself due to a belief that the old world was perfect, this is consequential. Not to mention the potential complication of having even more Ancients who had been touched by Zodiark now having to decide whether they should seal him away or continue using him.
For one the summoning of Hydaelyn may not necessitate burning through their souls. Humanity as well may not need to be completely wiped of their remembrance of the past, as they would have demonstrated they could move forward even with the temptation of their “paradise.” Beyond that we can only speculate given we can’t exactly ask what the plan was, but I am of the belief that something similar to the Twelve could’ve been arranged. Namely that while many would be Sundered, as many could’ve been separated from the world, able to live out their lives helping and protecting the Sundered from afar. The Lunarians in FF4 is the obvious parallel.
Old Fandaniel knew nothing of the celestial, as per Emet Selch statements.