Special FFXIV Lore Entry: Expansion Theories

 Howdy ho, everybody! Dark again, and this time, I'm taking a bit of a tangent from my usual lore entries in light of recent revelations on forums and the newest patch regarding the future of the game. That being said, a disclaimer: SPOILER ALERT!! I usually hate being that guy, but as this is a theory post, it's inevitable. So if you are averse to spoils, you have been warned. 

     Let's start with what we know. Long before the events of FFXIV, a war for power was taking place between Hydaelyn and Zodiark. Sensing that the balance was shifting in Zodiark's favor and potentially sending the universe into the Void, Hydaelyn condensed her essence into an all-out attack, imprisoning Zodiark in the moon and limiting his influence on the world. The sheer magnitude of this attack splintered the world into 13 mirror universes, each having a different aspect of Hydaelyn, the home world.

    Since the advent of life in the universe, there has been a shadow organization known as the Ascians, whose goal is to reunite the fractured universes by thrusting them into darkness, thus collapsing them back into Hydaelyn. The resultant energy of such a collapse presents itself in the home world as a Calamity. Their goal is to weaken Hydaelyn enough to free Zodiark from his imprisonment, allowing him to exert his influence upon the universe once again. 

     With this in mind, we can safely assume that 7 of the 13 universes have thus fallen, as there have been 7 Calamities in Hydaelyn. One of these universes presents a quandary for the Warriors of Light, however: that from which the Warriors of Darkness originated. By their accounts, their universe was plunged into, not darkness, but an overwhelming light that suffered none to exist with the seeds of darkness in their hearts. Determined not to let the same tragedy befall another world, the WoD align with the Ascians to hinder the WoL, who appear to be committing the same mistakes that they had made. However, after being reassured by Hydaelyn that she would not allow such an event to take place again, the WoD could finally rest easy. 

     Thus, we come to my theories regarding the next expansion! In recent months, YouTube personalities have been abuzz with a mysterious project announced by Square Enix known simply as "Shadowbringers." Though nothing has been revealed linking this project with FFXIV directly, there's a wealth of evidence that points towards this being the title for the newest expansion to be released next summer, and this almost certainly means that we are facing a new Calamity in the game! 

     Now for the spoilers. At the end of "Prelude," the Scions are accosted by a mysterious presence that pleads for them to open the gates and allow him entry before it's too late. Following this event, which closely resembles the Echo, Thancred, Y'shtola, and Urianger all fall into a coma. As observed by Kan E Senna, though their bodies are stable, their souls have been pulled from their bodies to places unknown. Also, before falling unconscious, Y'shtola and Urianger revealed that massive quantities of aether were being drained from disparate points of Hydaelyn without any apparent catalyst. They also note the reappearance of unaspected crystals, which haven't been seen since the period leading to the latest Calamity. 

     Now, what is the significance between these new developments, established lore, and "Shadowbringers?" Well, this requires speculation, so don't take my word for it; however, I'm pretty sure my theories are sound. Though they do not confirm to whom the voice belonged to, I can be reasonably sure that we have finally been introduced to Zodiark himself. Clues? The main evidence resides in its resemblance to the Echo. In much the same way that Hydaelyn communicates to the WoL, those most sensitive to the aether were all contacted at the same time, urging them to throw open the gates before it's too late. Presumably, this voice is referring to the possibility of the home world being swallowed into holy nothingness through the actions of the WoL, which would end all life in all universes as surely as if they were sent into the Void. 

     Now, it is possible that this message comes to us from Lahabrea, but I highly doubt it. For one, Lahabrea has never hesitated to appear before the WoL in person if needed. Second, nothing so far suggests that any of the Ascians has the power to influence the living on that magnitude, much less pull their souls from their physical bodies. Lastly, most of the evidence points to Lahabrea and Elidibus posing as major players within the Empire, leaving them too busy to interact directly with the Scions. 

     And what of the draining of aether? This, I believe, is the result of the Ascian's actions. Through Allagan technology and their individual efforts, they are gathering the energy required to summon Zodiark once and for all, though evidence suggests that they are not all in agreement on the methods. Those in line with Lahabrea wish to proceed with the merging of the universes to finally restore balance to Light and Dark, thus allowing life to flourish. If the Ascians as a whole are planning on "summoning" Zodiark, evidence points to any resulting entity as but a shade of the real thing. If such a being were to exist, it could potentially have power that vastly dwarfs that of Bahamut, thus shifting the balance of power so far in the other direction that all would succumb to the Void. 

     So who are the Shadowbringers? Well, it looks as if we, Alisae, and Alphinaud are to be left with a choice: either we sow seeds of discord within the Garlean Empire (potentially putting an end to the Ascian's schemes and ushering in the Holy Calamity), or we allow the Ascians to follow through with their goal of summoning Zodiark (potentially ushering the destruction of Hydaelyn and sending the universe into the Void), or we bring the Shadow by heeding the voice and allowing the real Zodiark to exert his influence upon Hydaelyn once again, thus restoring balance to the universe (which would mean chaos to Eorzea, but would ultimately be in its best interest). 

     Only time will tell what is to come, but I for one am excited for the future of the game. A new Calamity could potentially shake up the mechanics of the world once again, revitalizing aspects that have grown stale, especially since Stormblood. What are your thoughts? Feel free to let me know! Until next time, folks. 

-Darkmaelstrom Stewart