Solution 9 - Unfounded Speculation!

[Cassar]

Dawntrail is indeed a "new beginning" and yes, Solution 9 might have nothing to do with the Ancients.

Of course, they are still continuing the story of the game, so it could be related to other shards, maybe the Allagans, maybe the Garlean Empire, etc. To me it isn't very clear what exactly they're trying to move away from other than Hydaelyn and Zodiark. Are they trying to completely move away from the Ancients? We just got a reminder of Emet-Selch's speech in 6.55, so I don't know. We also had that tease at the end of the Pandemonium raids about Ultima, which is unrelated to Hydaelyn/Zodiark, so I think it could potentially be a plot thread in the future.

Even though I would like for them to move away from this a bit, I also don't want them to just create something completely out of nowhere because, to me, it would just feel like a missed opportunity to continue a past plot point, making it feel like they're forgotten. A loose thread, if you will.

[Cilia]

Dawntrail is indeed a "new beginning" and yes, Solution 9 might have nothing to do with the Ancients.

Of course, they are still continuing the story of the game, so it could be related to other shards, maybe the Allagans, maybe the Garlean Empire, etc. To me it isn't very clear what exactly they're trying to move away from other than Hydaelyn and Zodiark. Are they trying to completely move away from the Ancients? We just got a reminder of Emet-Selch's speech in 6.55, so I don't know. We also had that tease at the end of the Pandemonium raids about Ultima, which is unrelated to Hydaelyn/Zodiark, so I think it could potentially be a plot thread in the future.

Even though I would like for them to move away from this a bit, I also don't want them to just create something completely out of nowhere because, to me, it would just feel like a missed opportunity to continue a past plot point, making it feel like they're forgotten. A loose thread, if you will.

"Continuing the story of the game" isn't the same as continuing the major arc it's been running on since 1.0. The only plot points derived from the Ancients not 100% concluded by the close of Endwalker is the cosmic order put in place by Hydaelyn, a couple of loose Ascian reincarnates running around, and Garlemald's political position. The first can't really be resolved, the second is implied to be a nonissue by 6.0's closing scene, and the third won't be resolved until the Reconstruction content they're obviously planning (or will be forced to implement due to player demand) is completed and the "Ilsabard Expansion" happens (because they wouldn't leave that much story potential just hanging there).

Other than the few (plausible) remaining Ascians, nothing linked to the Ancients is really left. The two Eldest Primals are dead. Zodiark's fragments on the other reflections disintegrated with his death (except the Thirteenth's, which was through a long process only possible thanks to the Void's lack of a Lifestream transfigured into Zeromus, then sealed into a Memoria crystal planted out in the First's Empty). Most (if not all) of Zodiark's servants are dead. All of Hydaelyn's servants (i.e. the Twelve) are dead. Humanity has proved it can stand on its own two feet and no longer needs the protection or guidance of "gods;" to go back to the Ancient / Ascian well would kind of be regressing on this stance and invalidate the message of Endwalker (succinctly, "forge ahead") by bringing back an element from the past whose story was for all intents and purposes concluded.

I wouldn't say the end of Pandaemonium was a tease for Ultima. She's been done and dusted since the conclusion of Return to Ivalice back in 4.5; the primary point of bringing her up in Pandaemonium was to resolve the Heart of Sabik plot point which had been dangling around since 2.0. Its JP name is actually "Black Auracite Sabik" and it was identified as auracite during the Sorrow of Werlyt questline, but people still demanded more answers and had been doing so for a decade. By including it there people would finally shut up about it - and you can tell it was kind of shoehorned in by the fact Lahabrea makes it clear in no uncertain terms Athena's methods and motivations would be no different had she never found it.

Is it possible Solution Nine will have some link to the Ancients / Ascians? Yes, but I don't want it to on account of their story arc having concluded and going back to them (or their proxies) for MSQ content would kind of defeat the purpose of having done so.

[Lady_Silvermoon]

Is it possible Solution Nine will have some link to the Ancients / Ascians? Yes, it is, but I don't think it's terribly likely on account of their story arc having concluded and going back to them (or their proxies) for MSQ content would kind of defeat the purpose of having done so.

If this game has taught me nothing, it's that everything links back to Ancients/Ascians. I'll be surprised if Solution 9 isn't Ancient related.

[Cilia]

If this game has taught me nothing, it's that everything links back to Ancients/Ascians. I'll be surprised if Solution 9 isn't Ancient related.

... because untangling the Ancients' very complicated legacy was the point of the myth arc stretching from 1.0 to 6.0. Endwalker was meant to conclude their story, with Dawntrail beginning a new one (or just being filler). Going back to them for major plot points would make Endwalker's conclusion pointless and defeat its thematic purpose.

I'm resigned to being stuck with Allagan tomestones of some flavor for eternity, but keeping the Ancients / Ascians or their proxies as central movers of the plot for the rest of the game's lifespan would make me check out right quick. Solution Nine's story isn't clear, but I will be extremely disappointed if the answer is "Ancients (duh!)" again.

[Vyrerus]

... because untangling the Ancients' very complicated legacy was the point of the myth arc stretching from 1.0 to 6.0. Endwalker was meant to conclude their story, with Dawntrail beginning a new one (or just being filler). Going back to them for major plot points would make Endwalker's conclusion pointless and defeat its thematic purpose.

I'm resigned to being stuck with Allagan tomestones of some flavor for eternity, but keeping the Ancients / Ascians or their proxies as central movers of the plot for the rest of the game's lifespan would make me check out right quick. Solution Nine's story isn't clear, but I will be extremely disappointed if the answer is "Ancients (duh!)" again.

Considering they are still lingering on Emet-selch's 6.0 speech as the WoL's internal motivation to go, and since they are still content to bash us over the head with Hydaelyn's mantra, I would be surprised if there wasn't an Ascian connection. I think it'll take til 7.x post game to see those fade away at the earliest.

[Lady_Silvermoon]

... because untangling the Ancients' very complicated legacy was the point of the myth arc stretching from 1.0 to 6.0. Endwalker was meant to conclude their story, with Dawntrail beginning a new one (or just being filler). Going back to them for major plot points would make Endwalker's conclusion pointless and defeat its thematic purpose.

I'm resigned to being stuck with Allagan tomestones of some flavor for eternity, but keeping the Ancients / Ascians or their proxies as central movers of the plot for the rest of the game's lifespan would make me check out right quick. Solution Nine's story isn't clear, but I will be extremely disappointed if the answer is "Ancients (duh!)" again.

Endwalker was the conclusion of the Hydaelyn/Zodiark arc. We know the purpose of our creation. We've slain our gods. Arc completed. Doesn't mean they've sworn never to bring up Ancients again, especially given they are the answer to almost every question in the game.

Why does the Source have 13 reflections?
Ancients

Who created Allagan?
Ancients

Why does the Void exist?
Ancients

Why do I have cat ears?
Ancients

What are The Twelve?
Ancients

Why does Garlemald want to conquer the world?
Ancients

Why are lalafell so short?
Ancients

Good luck moving from that to never mentioning them again.

[Yuella]

Is it possible Solution Nine will have some link to the Ancients / Ascians? Yes, but I don't want it to on account of their story arc having concluded and going back to them (or their proxies) for MSQ content would kind of defeat the purpose of having done so.

We still have not been informed on what Azem was doing during the Final Days other than he/she opposed BOTH Zodiark and Hydaelyn summoning. Solution 9 could be Azem's solution to save a group of Ancients from the sundering and allow the Ancients civilization to survive unsundered while not associated with the Ascians.

[Lady_Silvermoon]

We still have not been informed on what Azem was doing during the Final Days other than he/she opposed BOTH Zodiark and Hydaelyn summoning. Solution 9 could be Azem's solution to save a group of Ancients from the sundering and allow the Ancients civilization to survive unsundered while not associated with the Ascians.

That's my theory. They took themselves out of space/time, surviving in virtual reality or something until the coast was clear.

[Sylvain]

Is it possible Solution Nine will have some link to the Ancients / Ascians? Yes, but I don't want it to on account of their story arc having concluded and going back to them (or their proxies) for MSQ content would kind of defeat the purpose of having done so.

I mean, it is very possible, so far the main ideas are :
- 9th solution of the ancient, whatever this implies.
- Civilization surviving an old rejoining, the one of lightning.
- Just any old asciens involvement like Garlemald, Allag and who knows what.

Like, I feel it can't just be "somehow there's that super advanced civilization living *just here* that didn't care to invade/interact with the rest of the world with their super techy tech.

The fact they use the regular alphabet implies that they aren't aliens. Or if they are, they integrated with a post sundered civilization but at this point, what would be the motivation?

I feel like there will be asciens involvement, it just won't be so directly tied to Zordiark / Hydealin as they are no more. But if it has anything to do with the sundering, indirectly, it is asciens involvement.

[Iscah]

Like, I feel it can't just be "somehow there's that super advanced civilization living *just here* that didn't care to invade/interact with the rest of the world with their super techy tech.

I think it's poor logic to leap from "they have advanced technology" to "owning advanced technology should make them desire to do a specific thing with that technology".

Additionally, I've said before, it could easily be the case that this technology is built around the specifics of existing in a highly lightning-aether-charged environment and simply won't function if taken elsewhere.