Bear with me as I ramble on for a while. I'm fully aware that I'll be far from the first to have these ideas and also probably not the first to write them down.
We know that the next major patch, 5.3, will include a Trial against an unknown boss. I've been thinking about who that might be and arrived at a conclusion that I assume many people drew, given how the story developed over the course of Shadowbringers.
We'll be facing Elidibus.
It makes sense - he's the last remaining major Ascian, now that Lahabrea and Emet-Selch are gone. He's been the direct antagonist for the recent story, and the most recent plot relevation regarding the heart of Zodiark also include him or someone sharing his name.
Furthermore, the 5.3 boss needs to be someone of significance to the story, given that it will most likely serve as the second final boss to the Shadowbringers story. We've seen a similar pattern with Nidhogg in 3.3 and Tsukuyomi in 4.3.
Would we be fighting him in his Ascian form, similar to Lahabrea and Nabriales? Nah, Shadowbringers has been too bombastic for that. With the reveal that the Ascians' names are merely titles, their true names are hidden and they can assume monstrous forms when they unleash their power, I believe Elidibus will go the route of Hades.
So who do I think he'll turn out to be?
Zeromus.
Again, I'm definitely not the first person to think of that. This is all speculation, but let me list a whole bunch of reasons as to why I think so.
1.) First and foremost, Elidibus loves to hang out on the moon. He's been there with Ardbert and more recently in the 5.0 epilogue. Zeromus (or rather Zemus) was from the moon in FF4, and Zeromus was fought at the moon's core, so that's an easy association.
2.) Elidibus is potentially the heart of Zodiark, and the FF14 lorebook states that Zodiark is actually the moon, cast off from the planet Hydaelyn. I can't say for sure if that information is still accurate, given recent story developments, but it might explain WHY he's always there - he might be intrinsically tied to the moon.
3.) Zeromus also appears as an Esper in FF12. This is his bestiary entry in that game:
Honoring the law more than any other, a scion of holy order and condemner of criminals. Created in opposition to Knight-Star Pashtarot, scion of light. He turns his deep, abiding hatred for those who break the law into living darkness, therein to plunge the guilty in fell judgment. Over time, he came to care less for upholding the law and more for condemnation, and so tainted by hate, he sought to condemn the gods themselves to death. Thus, did he earn the title "The Condemner", and thus did he fall from grace.
Given how Elidibus in FF14 is all about preserving the natural order, the course of history, and the balance of powers, this would align with Zeromus' portrayal in FF12 decently well.
4.) Related to the above, Zodiark is also an FF12 Esper. This is his bestiary entry:
Strongest of the scions created by the gods, they feared his growth, and so kept him a child. So indomitable is his strength that all things are by him twisted and pressed into oblivion. He alone fashions the laws governing all things, and administers punishment in place of the gods. So is he Keeper of Precepts, and his authority is absolute.
While the fact that both Zodiark and Zeromus appear as Espers in the same game is already notable, I find it interesting how this entry and the one above correlate regarding law and its adjudication. Zeromus, the arbiter of law, and Zodiark, the one who writes it. This would make sense with Elidibus, implied to be the Ascian most strongly connected to Zodiark himself.
5.) In both FF4 and FF12, Zeromus is defined by his immense hatred. While Elidibus doesn't show it most of the time, several scenes reveal that, despite his talk about preserving balance, he has a deep-seated hatred for Hydaelyn.
6.) Zeromus was notably absent both in the Omega raids, which drew heavily from older FF games, as well as the Ivalice raids, despite several other Espers from FF12 appearing there.
7.) Zeromus is heavily associated with darkness, similar to the Ascians in FF14, making him a better contender for an Ascian's true form than other notable bosses or final bosses from older FF games.
8.) Elidibus shares certain characteristics with Zemus, Zeromus' original form: Both are members of a different race who consider humans inferior, refuse coexistence with them and seek to destroy them to let their own slumbering brethren populate the world. Zemus is also a manipulator, preferring to stay in the background and letting others do his bidding.
That's about it for reasons I can think of without really stretching.
To speculate further, the site of the battle against Elidibus/Zeromus would naturally be the moon. Yes, if this trial takes place on the moon in 5.3, that would mean the moon would not be a full zone to explore (at least not yet, there's still the whole "Zenos trying to hijack Zodiark" plot for the future).
How would we get there in the span of a single patch that also revolves around getting back to the Source? I can think of a few ways, but of course, these are all just ideas.
I.) Moon. Whale. That's how it happened in FF4. We already had our friend Bismarck take us under the sea, but it's been shown that he can fly as well. Of course, that would mean we face elidibus on the First's moon, or the First's Bismarck somehow comes into the Source. Details, details.
II.) The Crystal Tower. We know that it can move through both time and space, so perhaps we will have it take us to confront Elidibus somehow.
III.) Ardbert. He's been there with Elidibus, and he is now a part of us, so theoretically he should know how to get there.
IV.) Chasing Elidibus through his dimensional rift (similar to how we followed Nabriales to the Chrysalis).
V.) The new 5.3 dungeon, "The Heroes' Gauntlet", somehow brings us there or provides a way for us to get there.
VI.) Alternatively, we don't really go the moon at all, but the trial just somehow takes us there, similar to Shinryu throwing us into his weird dragon dimension.
That's it, thanks for bearing with me as I nerd out for a few dozen paragraphs. Most likely wrong too, but whether I'm right or I'm surprised by what the actual writers do, I assume I'll be thrilled once 5.3 drops.
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We know that the next major patch, 5.3, will include a Trial against an unknown boss. I've been thinking about who that might be and arrived at a conclusion that I assume many people drew, given how the story developed over the course of Shadowbringers.
We'll be facing Elidibus.
It makes sense - he's the last remaining major Ascian, now that Lahabrea and Emet-Selch are gone. He's been the direct antagonist for the recent story, and the most recent plot relevation regarding the heart of Zodiark also include him or someone sharing his name.
Furthermore, the 5.3 boss needs to be someone of significance to the story, given that it will most likely serve as the second final boss to the Shadowbringers story. We've seen a similar pattern with Nidhogg in 3.3 and Tsukuyomi in 4.3.
Would we be fighting him in his Ascian form, similar to Lahabrea and Nabriales? Nah, Shadowbringers has been too bombastic for that. With the reveal that the Ascians' names are merely titles, their true names are hidden and they can assume monstrous forms when they unleash their power, I believe Elidibus will go the route of Hades.
So who do I think he'll turn out to be?
Zeromus.
Again, I'm definitely not the first person to think of that. This is all speculation, but let me list a whole bunch of reasons as to why I think so.
1.) First and foremost, Elidibus loves to hang out on the moon. He's been there with Ardbert and more recently in the 5.0 epilogue. Zeromus (or rather Zemus) was from the moon in FF4, and Zeromus was fought at the moon's core, so that's an easy association.
2.) Elidibus is potentially the heart of Zodiark, and the FF14 lorebook states that Zodiark is actually the moon, cast off from the planet Hydaelyn. I can't say for sure if that information is still accurate, given recent story developments, but it might explain WHY he's always there - he might be intrinsically tied to the moon.
3.) Zeromus also appears as an Esper in FF12. This is his bestiary entry in that game:
Honoring the law more than any other, a scion of holy order and condemner of criminals. Created in opposition to Knight-Star Pashtarot, scion of light. He turns his deep, abiding hatred for those who break the law into living darkness, therein to plunge the guilty in fell judgment. Over time, he came to care less for upholding the law and more for condemnation, and so tainted by hate, he sought to condemn the gods themselves to death. Thus, did he earn the title "The Condemner", and thus did he fall from grace.
Given how Elidibus in FF14 is all about preserving the natural order, the course of history, and the balance of powers, this would align with Zeromus' portrayal in FF12 decently well.
4.) Related to the above, Zodiark is also an FF12 Esper. This is his bestiary entry:
Strongest of the scions created by the gods, they feared his growth, and so kept him a child. So indomitable is his strength that all things are by him twisted and pressed into oblivion. He alone fashions the laws governing all things, and administers punishment in place of the gods. So is he Keeper of Precepts, and his authority is absolute.
While the fact that both Zodiark and Zeromus appear as Espers in the same game is already notable, I find it interesting how this entry and the one above correlate regarding law and its adjudication. Zeromus, the arbiter of law, and Zodiark, the one who writes it. This would make sense with Elidibus, implied to be the Ascian most strongly connected to Zodiark himself.
5.) In both FF4 and FF12, Zeromus is defined by his immense hatred. While Elidibus doesn't show it most of the time, several scenes reveal that, despite his talk about preserving balance, he has a deep-seated hatred for Hydaelyn.
6.) Zeromus was notably absent both in the Omega raids, which drew heavily from older FF games, as well as the Ivalice raids, despite several other Espers from FF12 appearing there.
7.) Zeromus is heavily associated with darkness, similar to the Ascians in FF14, making him a better contender for an Ascian's true form than other notable bosses or final bosses from older FF games.
8.) Elidibus shares certain characteristics with Zemus, Zeromus' original form: Both are members of a different race who consider humans inferior, refuse coexistence with them and seek to destroy them to let their own slumbering brethren populate the world. Zemus is also a manipulator, preferring to stay in the background and letting others do his bidding.
That's about it for reasons I can think of without really stretching.
To speculate further, the site of the battle against Elidibus/Zeromus would naturally be the moon. Yes, if this trial takes place on the moon in 5.3, that would mean the moon would not be a full zone to explore (at least not yet, there's still the whole "Zenos trying to hijack Zodiark" plot for the future).
How would we get there in the span of a single patch that also revolves around getting back to the Source? I can think of a few ways, but of course, these are all just ideas.
I.) Moon. Whale. That's how it happened in FF4. We already had our friend Bismarck take us under the sea, but it's been shown that he can fly as well. Of course, that would mean we face elidibus on the First's moon, or the First's Bismarck somehow comes into the Source. Details, details.
II.) The Crystal Tower. We know that it can move through both time and space, so perhaps we will have it take us to confront Elidibus somehow.
III.) Ardbert. He's been there with Elidibus, and he is now a part of us, so theoretically he should know how to get there.
IV.) Chasing Elidibus through his dimensional rift (similar to how we followed Nabriales to the Chrysalis).
V.) The new 5.3 dungeon, "The Heroes' Gauntlet", somehow brings us there or provides a way for us to get there.
VI.) Alternatively, we don't really go the moon at all, but the trial just somehow takes us there, similar to Shinryu throwing us into his weird dragon dimension.
That's it, thanks for bearing with me as I nerd out for a few dozen paragraphs. Most likely wrong too, but whether I'm right or I'm surprised by what the actual writers do, I assume I'll be thrilled once 5.3 drops.
submitted by /u/Serp_IT
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Continue reading...