Theory: Sooo... is Zero a shard of Azem?

[TowaIsBestGirl]

But why, though? Why is this always the first thought being thought? Does everything truly need to be a Shard of Azem? To be more specific, I think the importance of how much being a "Shard" of anyone from the former world that was actually alters a character's pre-existent sense of self has been overinflated by some players for a long time now. I'm not too sure it matters all that much.

I personally very much hope it's this, because I don't think 'this character is an Azem shard' improves the arc of any character involved, in this story or any other.

(Yes, including the WoL, but that's a separate discussion.)

It is due to (imo) how the game tends to treat Shard selves. It becomes this twisting, warping thing that obfuscates what said character once was. Maybe in another game, where being a Shard didn't revolve so much around the insignificant remnants it'd be different. But in this game, the writers have this habit of writing Shard people in a manner that kind of denigrates the character they used to be. Ardbert, for instance, wasn't exactly terrible in Shadowbringers. However, I personally consider him a somewhat different character than he was in the Heavensward. I get this vibe that he was morphed into less of a character to stand on his own, and more of a Shard to prop up they who would reclaim him. So to speak.

I also understand the other reasons why some might find themselves opposed to it. It can veer uncomfortably close to a personality subsumption at times.