Solution 9 - Unfounded Speculation!

[SannaR]

See, the thing that bugs me is that the immense wishful reach is stifling more interesting--and perhaps more plausible--explanations. ANd yet, I might get a bit mad in expressing that, but who doesn't?

Because I actually think the more plausible idea for this one isn't Altima: It's something like Atlas from the FFXIII games.



Yeah, it's not quite an exact, but that sign reads to me like a tribal painting of Atlas with some perspective-distortion more than it does Altima's sigil. But I doubt we'll get to entertain that theory or anything like it very much when the alternative is 'Maybe It's Ascians Again'.

I would have gone with the Prototype Fal'Cie Adam since it's the semi optional boss in the future tech city. Not that I would want a stuck in a time loop boss fight.

There is so much to draw and compare to things we have seen when it comes to speculating about who or what made Solution Nine. Or how it came about. You have the Machi/Levin purple, the select few hexagonal and triangular doors seen in the dungeon that's probably connected to it giving off Allag vibes. The Tron and Cyberpunk feels. Though I tend to go with Chronopolis from Chrono Cross myself. Not quite the sanitized white futuristic look as cities akin to Neo Midgard, or Arkives from Star Ocean: Til the End of Time. The crate stacks do look the same shape as crates found in Azys Lla that the Garleans use, but with purple lines on the side.

I know many are tired of Ancients stuff but it would be interesting if this was as some have said the Nineth Solution our past self tried in protecting people from the Final Days or the sundering. It could also be parts of Ancient civilization built on by those who used it as shelter. Or something made by those those who found a way to shard hop from the 2nd Calamity which would be denizens of the 12th reflection. I do ascribe to the theory that we are probably dealing with some form of Ethar/Wakanda situation as the city is too high tech to not have been hidden. With Heritage Found being the public facade.

I just hope we aren't dealing with a Midgard/ Atlas from RWBY type situation where those above the lightning and or purple dome thing are the only ones that matter vs the ones below are treated as disposable.

[Iscah]

I feel like it may not be worthwhile to dwell too deeply on the implications of the name, given that it came from a limit break name and has the ring of "using English because it's cool" and not because it really makes sense.

[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.

[Cleretic]

I feel like it may not be worthwhile to dwell too deeply on the implications of the name, given that it came from a limit break name and has the ring of "using English because it's cool" and not because it really makes sense.

The only fair guess I have around the name is that, at some point, we will find one of the other eight.

[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.

[MikkoAkure]

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.

There already is a connection since it’s been determined very early on that Solution Nine utilizes the Ancient alphabet.

How strong of a connection that is to the Ancients remains to be seen though. It could just be a coincidence that they’re using it, or they could have uncovered it and switched to it to emulate them, or they could’ve been a surviving pocket this whole time.

[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.

[Iscah]

it's a bit silly to assume past plot points and the known history of the world aren't going to factor in to anything at all ever again.

Sure, but at the same time it's reasonable to hope that we're not going to cycle back to the same few sources every time the plot needs something mysterious.