Quote Originally Posted by Cleretic View Post
My favorite theory I've heard is that he's an eidolon/primal who's just... alive forever, now; we won't see under his helmet because there's nothing actually meaningful under there, it's like Susano. It would also explain his kinda cycloptic look when we do see him straight-on; that is not a humanoid in there. That doesn't super square with his stated goal at the end of 6.3, but it also doesn't contradict it.

I mostly like that theory because it completely throws out 'oh he's a shard of X', which I find a dreadfully boring answer that would actually completely flatten Golbez and probably whoever he's a shard of, too. Suddenly he is not his own character, he's merely a narrative extension of somebody else. And he can't even do that right, because the best explorations of that (mostly seen in comic books, think alt-universe Superman or Batmen) are exploring that overtly and right from the start, so you can follow all of that very well. Golbez just hasn't been given that chance.
I'd prefer him to be an Ascian than a primal or shard of x. At least as an Ascian he can make their choices, even if the Ascians are over done. Primals are too one sided and shard of x are just a what-if scenario (looking at you Mowena and Gerolt). An Ascian will at least be a better story from a character development point of view.