Just who is Odin?

[TinyRedLeaf]

Heh, then I guess we have conflicting accounts of events from official sources. That's not necessarily a bad thing, though, as different versions of ancient legends are common in the real world as well.

What some may see as a mistake by the lore team, I'd like to see as a crinkle that adds realism to my game lore.

What we really need is to fight Odin in a proper Trial. Then, hopefully, we'd get the full story.

[Kotemon]

Could be similar to how Odin came to existance in FF4. Either that or he took the form of the last person to defeat him (Urth). Sort of like how he's supose to asume the race and size of whomever got the killing blow. My question is how is he staying in the Shroud if no one's feeding him crystals for the Aether?

[TinyRedLeaf]

My question is how is he staying in the Shroud if no one's feeding him crystals for the Aether?

Precisely. Together with the fact that the Scions don't seem to detect aetheric anomalies in the Black Shroud despite Odin's presence, the suggestion seems to be that it's not a primal that's running loose in the forest at the moment.

If I were to hazard a guess, I think what we're seeing now could well be just a "ghost" of Odin, or an echo of the real elder primal.

In any case, we don't know much for sure right now.

[SnakeLegend]

Looking at this thread arose my curiosity.

As said being the 'Dark Divinity', and as Elder Primal, he is definitely supported in some forms of worship or 'beliefs'.

Or just his being is so powerful that said his form is just a withering form with what is remained of him.

[Dyvid]

I think that primals roamed the land until the Allagan found a way to bind and seal them away. Lesser primal feed off the aether of their fallen prey, normal Primal found a way to use devotion to provide aether, and Elder Primal feed on Eorzea's on aether. They most likely are a spirits of sorts the grow more powerful based on the aether they consume. We know the Allagan sealed Bahamut into Dalamud, Odin @ Urth Fount, and some how found a way to stop the others through Midgarsormr. Good King Moggle Mog XII isn't considered a primal yet some spirit answered the prays of the Moogle and was summoned. Shiva seems to be gathering followers to worship her.

I also think the Allagan found a way to imprison primals into Magicite to use as a tool. Amdapor could have found the magicite holding Diabolos, released him, and he destroyed the city.

[Mysteltain]

Well, we have finally received our answers to Odin!

As it turns out, Odin's body is NOT the Primal, in the strictest sense. It is, in fact, his sword, Zantetsuken, that houses the spirit of Odin and manifests the Dark Divinity. When he is slain his body fades, but his sword remains and draws the aetheric energies required to manifest himself from the Shroud, not prayers or crystals. It is for that reason he takes so long to reappear--the aether of the environment is not nearly as concentrated as that within a cache of crystals.

After he is slain, those who come upon his sword are tempered as his "sundered" and are transformed into the Dark Divinity. I guess we can assume that, in the case of his FATE, the player who landed the killing blow is tempered by the sword, and when it has gathered the requisite energy to manifest Odin's body, the sword will call out to the player, which is why they become the new 'Odin'. This also explains why he tells the players upon his defeat that "forfeit is thy waking soul".

And this just reminded me: he's kind of like Shiva in a sense. He requires a host to manifest himself.

Unfortunately, it seems we will have to wait to find out why he is still so obsessed with finding Urth, despite having killed her centuries ago. I haven't talked to Urianger, yet, but maybe he'll provide some more info. After beating a Primal, he often has a bit more info to share with you about them, but that may be just for the EX Primals. Hmm... EX Odin? Make it happen SE, haha!

Needless to say, I loved the fight, and am really glad to get some concrete answers!

I'll edit my post later with some quotes from the quest, if someone hasn't already posted them by tonight.

[rina_inverse]

^that

also, anyone clear the fight while havent finishing WHM quest?

[Alberel]

When he is defeated in the trial Odin vanishes but his sword persists. That should not be possible unless the sword is something else entirely... say perhaps a primal using an object as a host? Given that the one to defeat him (the player that dealt the final blow) would likely then take his discarded sword it would explain why he always takes the form of that player: he is essentially tempering them and using them to sustain himself AND wield him. It would all still fit within the wider rules of how primals work but would be an interesting new twist on it whilst providing the plot device to kill Lahabrea (since we have the echo we would wield him without consequence).

Well I got some details a little off, and unfortunately there were no main scenario connections at all (which I was very disappointed about) but I totally called it that:

The sword itself was Odin! ;D

[DoctaruRavenbe]

Then Odin in XIV is much like the Anubis Stand from the 3rd arc of Jojo's Bizarre Adventure. Interesting.