Theories Before the End | Shadowbringers FFXIV

[@ChakatSilverstreak]

I think that line about the Knights Twelve was referring to the statues of Thordan I's original Knights Twelve, just outside the Vault.

[@danedavid6925]

That's correct since he says they're rubble now

[@calzonexiv]

Yeah, it’s the walkway from the last vigil aether shard between the Fortempt manor and the Church building that has the tall statues lining either side.

[@BananaMellor]

If not statues, a building that bears the name. Not actual people at the very least.

[@ponderingForever]

Aye, destroyed statues that are somewhat symbolism that the powerful city-founding figures that are gone. Help is not here.

[@StarShadow9009]

@@danedavid6925 It's great how that detail is different for people who completed shadowbringers and those who didn't.

[@clangauss4155]

Yall have been given a crown by Jesse Cox, have exploded in growth, have fostered an excited community all your own, and your goddamn show is STILL underrated. Keep at it, gentlemen.

[@Amovetv]

Damn. That's a kind comment. Thanks for the pick me up. =)

[@p712ynj0kl]

wut

[@Scarabswarm]

Alphinaud's speech in Eulmore is one of my favorite parts of this expansion, because it ties his character arc together so nicely. The look of pure dumbfoundedness on his face as these people he wasn't trying to motivate, volunteer to help, is amazing. You can see the gears in his head trying to turn as Y'shtola takes up the conversation, while he is slack-jawed looking around, and trying to parse what the hell just happened. He had always wanted to be a great orator like his grandfather, someone who could move nations to act towards a better world, and every attempt fell flat or backfired horribly. In this scene, Alphinaud became the man he wanted to be since ARR; and he didn't even notice.

[@Xadaj127]

When someone stops trying to be the archetype they wish to fulfill, they may end up there by virtue of being their truest selves.

[@nopenonono]

I've long wondered if people of Eulmore are so quick to repent because they are 1/14 of a person while Alphinaud is 8/14, so our crew are the most eloquent, charismatic and amazing people they have ever seen. The folks of the First all are simple, they are what you see. Good people won't stab you in the back, bad people are driven by a single motive. Maybe it's because they are literally shallow

[@TheDwagonHD]

@@nopenonono Dont think it's exaclty like that. i dont think the scaling is linear. because otherwise ppl wouldnt see us as "normal" when we talk to the locals. and there are some complex characters. i think its just that the Eulmorans are pretty straight forward. they just wanted to live in idleness. and since they didnt really care, they didnt care how their acts looked. (making it seem like they were shallow)

[@ericbright1742]

@DwagonHD The people of the First seem to have a lower aetheric potential, and lower aetheric reserves than the Scions of the Source. Remember how surprised the Trolleyfolk are when Urianger first holds out his hand and is able to suffuse the Talos with Aether. And then there's another moment, in the Magical DPS role quest, when Cerigg is pondering how to reach out to the voice in the hollow: > Cerigg: "...Wait a minute. What if there was some way you could channel your aether into the void? Might that not allow your aetheric form to serve as a beacon of sorts to guide the child back to us? 'Course, not that I know how we'd go about that..." > WoL: [Charlie Brown Trombone Noises] > Cerigg: "Hm? You reckon you could do just that? I won't even think of asking how. Do your damnedest." The fact that the people of the Source have high aetheric reserves, enough to just let it flow out of us like we demonstrate time and time again, is surprising to people of the First, but subtly so.

[@ChrisPyre]

I don’t know what’s more entertaining. Y’all’s theories or y’all’s estimation of their accuracy

[@Amovetv]

Both?

[@obviouslykaleb7998]

I've been enjoying both

[@AutumnSteven]

After the Qitana Ravel, Emet-Selch finishes his lecture with “And thus was Zodiark banished and his being divided.” Just to answer Kyle’s question about Zodiark.

[@jessecox]

Guys, I think you may be right. 😮

[@SapphireDragon357]

Ok, to answer this question without spoilers, only what's been stated so far: Lahabrea + Igeyorhm = Ascian Prime in the exact same way that Zenos + stolen echo + dragon primal = Shinryu. In the Ascian Prime cutscene, Lahabrea explains that this is not an Ascian power, this is the Echo pushed to its limits: The power to see through the veil of the soul and at its limit, blend them together. This is the same thing Elidibus said way back when Minfilia met him in his very first appearance: If we were as powerful in the Echo as he was, we would have no quarrel, for we would all be one.

[@rexex345]

The enervation is simple, she divides her target. Strike someone into 2 and everything is halved, strike someone into 14 and each is a 14th of the original. Also correction, 7 times rejoined is 8/14

[@coliostro1006]

This is really the point of Emet's rehashing - that everything and everyone has been split by Hydaelyn, soul and all. The reflections aren't just "alternate reality versions" of the source, they are literally a part of the source that has been ripped away into pocket dimensions, diminishing the source and its inhabitants more and more for each reflection. In contrast, Emet is a whole person, not some elevated being. He is telling us that however powerful he is, it's not because he is special but because we have had our power taken from us by the sundering. It would be like how we view a mythic god like Thor as being elevated above us and Thor says "I haven't been elevated, you have been reduced - you should all be like me but were sundered. I want to undo that sundering to return you to normal."

[@rexex345]

@@Owl90 I think it's cause they're thinking at a meta level , forest through the trees syndrome. The focus on tropes is often the biggest thing that catches them since it naturally points them in another direction due to assuming said tropes is often simplifying things to a point the themes involved are missed... Its pretty common though for most of us we also have the benefits of noting what material is being pulled from. It becomes a lot easier to grasp when one stops thinking in terms of anime and game tropes and looks at it in relation to books like utopia, paradise lost and the divine comedy. Really it's actually kinda like with the VA, where when you pay attention to the fine details you notice they aren't using traditional sources for what you expect and that helps change your perspective. Probably helps to have working understandings of both colour and light theory and physics.

[@dec222]

I believe the "knights' rubble" bit is referencing the statues of the Knights Twelve in Ishgard -- "Gun-Coating Tompatriot" is saying the blast was big enough to shatter the statues.

[@mirkiekishka]

yes

[@Stickarms99]

I’m seriously so excited for you guys. It’s not an exaggeration when people say Shadowbringers has one of the best endings to a video game of all time. There definitely are some pacing issues throughout Shadowbringers but it’s well worth it for the payoff at the end. As Jesse told you guys, you’re putting out some of the best FFXIV content around right now. Keep it up my dudes!!

[@Churee]

And the best part is Endwalker just does it again. In my opinion even better.

[@darrensanderson1031]

Agreed! *THAT* freaking moment! One of the best moments in any video game I've ever played.

[@alibutterfly82]

I agree with all of this, but I would go a step further and say that Shadowbringers actually has 2 of the best endings to a video game of all time... the 5.0 ending AND the 5.3 ending. Honestly, for me, if the game's story had just fully ended on 5.3, I could have felt satisfied. I'm not at all sad that it DIDN'T, but that's how strong of an ending that felt like, to me.

[@drayman101]

@@Churee While I agree with this, I think the pacing and overall quality of Shadowbringer's story is better, while Endwalker has much higher "highs" that almost even out the overall quality to match Shadowbringers. But I still think Shadowbringers is a smidge better of an expac.

[@squidlump]

I understand why you used the term “pacing issues” and by no means hold your use of it against you, but man do I hate the ubiquity of that term and how it paves over the nuances of how a story’s pacing can misalign with a player by treating the sour experience as simply a characteristic of the material and not an exchange born of various contextual elements. It so easily creates shallow discussions about deep topics and just grr grr I’m so mad. Sorry to rant about this out of nowhere but it was either this or me silently seething all day.

[@CherryPinkMega]

On the topic of Ascians fusing and showing you the "true power of the Echo": Zenos used his manufactured Echo to fuse with Shinryu, and exert his will over the dragon-primal. "Ascian Prime" may just be a name for the sake of a name for what they did. Mutual fusion to combine powers.

[@AuspexAO]

Correct. The natural extension of being able to empathetically join with a soul to see it's past is the ability to completely merge with that soul. I think the “Echo” is merely the ability of our broken souls to reach out to others to attempt to be rejoined. The splitting of the Source created it.

[@katarh]

I think it gets touched on again in the Endwalker 8 man raids, but I can't talk about the specifics since this is a no spoilers past what they've seen disussion.

[@TankUnarmed]

I have been so excited for this. I love blind speculation at this point in the story.

[@midnightmiqo]

I love the heavy predictions videos because you both take left turns and stop the other dead in their tracks. Having you guys caught up is going to be an endless source of joy as we all go nuts together lobbing clues and theories at each other like animals Garrett doesn't like except in kaiju size.

[@Amovetv]

Damn I appreciate that very personal deep cut at the end.

[@HaddaClu]

7:21 The Knights 12 is the name of the road leading up from the nobles manor houses to the cathedral - Its where all the statues line the road looking imposing. Blue Alisaie even comments on them during the tour when you first get there.

[@calzonexiv]

It took watching you guys run the Well dungeon and seeing the CS after for me to notice that the boy, when he’s looking at the sky, blinks for the first time. This is what I love about XIV; every time you watch someone go through the story, you discover things you’d not noticed before and it just makes it all that more impactful. MAN I love Gigakawa and her writing ❤❤❤❤ PS: it’s kinda hard to understand, but what Emet was saying with the Ryne example at the PowerPoint presentation was that when the world got split into 14ths, EVERYTHING (all aether based items) and EVERYONE (as far as those there in the world at the time) also got split up as well. So basically everything is 1/14th of what it once was. Emet is one of three who escaped the splitting like you said. PPS: The old man that was the Patron of the Canary… when you give him the sleep powder he says “where did you fly off to, my sweet canary?” But if you click him AFTER you finish, he mutters “I miss you” in his sleep. She was like a daughter or granddaughter to him and it legit made me cry when I read it the first time. Again, another of Gigakawa’s amazing stealth writing skills at play there. Also, Garrett if you wanna see the one dude who hates what you’ve done in Eulmore talk to the male Roe NPC sitting at the bar. He has some choice words for you lol

[@SpellboundTutor]

I absolutely adore these theory videos, even knowing what everything actually is and is not. Keep on doing these and I pray that people continue to smile instead of spoiling! :)

[@cahayarosenberry]

I love watching you two throw around the funniest, most unhinged theories. Quality entertainment right there. 10/10 would watch again.

[@bakashinobi42]

I love the prediction videos where you make your theories and go back through all the available information (or bring up questions you still want answers for). Love to see this type of story engagement and how you guys think about where things can go. Beyond that, all I have to say is this: :)

[@blocinmotion]

Very interesting theories... I think you're in the perfect headspace to take on the final part of ShB

[@mintshroom]

Gods the Arenvald prediction in at the end with the visuals has me in TEARS XD. Keep at it Grinding Gear, you are asking great questions.

[@ponderingForever]

Love these! God I wanna see you guys get through these stories of ShB and EW-- it's a double edge sword as once it's done it's done but gosh is it a bittersweet ride throughout.

[@Meowlo]

I was not expecting that B Plot at the end xD Really enjoyed all your theories, as usual! And looking forward to tomorrow's stream! :)

[@wol_ves]

I think you're right, a lot of the lore repetition is for a good reason. Not only do people not generally go back through their recordings, but also many of us play through the MSQ as essentially a single player game and don't bounce ideas off friends. Love to see more of your videos, thank you!

[@ChrisMorray]

The moral relativism thing is a big one that usually has folks up in arms. The way I see it, Emet is a survivor of the zombie apocalypse. Seeing all his people turned into fragmented pieces, our definition of "mankind" not much different to him than rotten, shambling half-dead human beings like zombies. Most people wouldn't consider killing a zombie murder, even if you had the "smarter zombies" kind of story where they can still speak some words. You got them zombie stories of nuking the world and starting all over too, it's possible Emet sees it that way. But it goes even further than that because of how life and death works in this world, with the aetherial sea, and souls being reborn, and so on. It's just such a well-written, nuanced kind of worldview that has some great dialogue coming up. Now I spotted some lovely theories, and some good questions to ask. But Garett: You said it's building up to Shadowbringers Credits... You're not at level 80 MSQ yet. You still got a big, meaty chunk of "Welcome to Shadowbringers" coming right up.

[@fluoritaceles3144]

Oh god, you guys don’t know how nice it was to watch this after a hellish week on a business trip. Thanks for the laughs and the entertainment! Your certainly have some interesting theories, I can’t wait until you learn more and keep refining them 😉 Now I have to catch up with your live streams and the podcast, GG!

[@anthonymcgundam]

your threories are adorable. part of me sees two kids in a candy store while you talk about the story. wholesome. cant wait to see your reactions on the resolutions to your theories. fun times ahead of you guys

[@tangentkatz]

Really fun discussion as always. On the information retread: this will happen a lot in Endwalker. When I played it, I found myself wondering why they repeated certain plot points over and over. Then I saw a lot of online discussion where people still missed/forgot those repeated points...and criticized the story as not making sense because they forgot that info. So as people recording/discussing...you probably will find yourself noticing lore repeats average players seem to miss.

[@VorAbaddon]

I wont say which is which to avoid even the potential for spoilers, but aome of your theorizing is great and some of it induced out and out laughs followed by "Ohhhh you sweet summer children..." Great stuff, as always!

[@duncanmacleod6274]

There are statues of the historical Knights Twelve that the primal versions are based on. Remember the echo to the original Azure Dragoon after defeating Niddhog long in the past? There were a bunch of knights with the prince (Haldrath iirc?) who fought Niddhog. They included the forgotten knight, the Dzemael ancestor, the Fortemps ancestor, the Durendaire ancestor, the Haillenarte ancestor, etc... Anyway, Ishgard has big statues of them if you look around. It sounds like they may have gotten exploded.

[@onyx.avenger]

Watching your theory videos very much reminds me of the wild speculation during weekly television shows, like when WandaVision was releasing. This is some of the most entertaining content that exists, and is way more entertaining than just watching MSQ streams (which I also love immensely, but the theorycrafting is S-tier). I especially love how Kyle seems to have a bulletin board with yarn ALL OVER the place for how the various plot threads connect. You put together some things that I didn't think of, which is also entertaining to see - whether correct or not. Shoutout to the mod team for keeping you spoiler-free so you can make this sort of content, and props to the two of you for taking your time with the MSQ breaks so you can make these videos without spoiling your own knowledge. (I know you've cited that as the reason why, and it's totally worthwhile.) Garrett, I hope you enjoy the new Dancer armor, even though I'm sure it wasn't your DPS output that caused the issues in your last role quest stream.

[@Takael]

These videos are so lovingly edited. Last one had some fire editing, this one is fantastic as well. Keep it up boys.

[@Shadowlightning]

These predictions are so good! I don't want to comment on them specifically so as to not give anything away in either direction but I'll just say I can't wait until you see how it all pans out. You guys put out some of the most entertaining and engaging FFXIV content out there. Keep up the great work!

[@Ketolos]

I am really looking forward to you going to the next parts of the story. Because these videos has been so much fun. Thank you lads.

[@Mashangi]

Watching these guys theory craft is like grading a math paper. Some answers are pretty bang on, some are hilariously off, some have all the right steps but the wrong answer and some have all the wrong steps with the right answer.

[@Rc3651]

I love the theories, I'm excited to see your later reactions. Also that 14 Meol PowerPoint around Vauthry in the thumbnail is amazing!

[@dajungle4010]

Hearing all you’re theories all I can say is these next few msq streams are gonna be a fun watch.

[@Eruvadhril]

"Sounds like the Knights Twelve are the Knights Rubble" is a reference to the statues of the Knights Twelve on the bridge.

[@KianneofTroi]

Omgosh... Totally love your content , love watching you trying to work it all out. Having finished my story up to date.. I am waiting on bated breath for the next instalment of your adventures, smiling & wishing you could keep going and going .... its killing us having to choose words carefully so not to spoil your emersion. your reactions are priceless

[@sheep9288]

"A Gun-Coating Potatriot" floored me I'm still trying to recover.

[@XtrmPlays]

These are my favorite type of videos you guys do. Speculation about what's happening next and I'm here for all of it.

[@Kritigri]

Ah, my favourite type of Grinding Gear: An episode where you can hear the gears grinding.

[@Kassilphe]

yes, the only Grinding Gear I like more than the life stream is Grinding Gear MSQ analysis and predictions ❤

[@hermeticallysealed1]

As for the question of why Ryne was split in two and the world in to 14, I believe the impression is meant to be that her attack on Zodiark was so powerful that it divided him and the star into 14.

[@CulturedDegenerate]

I always thought it was implied she thrashed him with a 14 hit combo and each hit made a new shard

[@adrianjacobs1595]

You mean Hydaelyn and not ryne right?

[@arathain2]

Just hit that guy real hard. Maybe Zodiarks shatter easily.

[@Harkmagic]

​@adrianjacobs1595 no Hydaelen was not split. In the demonstration, Ryne was split.

[@adrianjacobs1595]

@@Harkmagic ryne never was split in two.

[@xatnys]

This is entirely an aside but while your view count steadily rises, I just want to appreciate the insane amount of engagement your videos have. Hundreds of comments, consistently, every video is really something to be proud of and quite rare as far as XIV content on youtube goes. And it's only increasing.

[@shadith2380]

Fantastic! I really enjoyed this and your whole journey has made me a lot jealous that I don't have someone to bounce all my crazy ideas off of when I played through!

[@lsschwartz]

Gotta love how deep you guys go into making sense of the story and theorizing. I was very broad strokes in my first play through and more tuned in to personal character growth, so those hit me hard but some of the shard/moon/ascian prime etc was all “reasons”.

[@Keira_Blackstone]

this video, right here, is the exact reason why I've loved your content structure. this is the pinnacle of what you can get out of taking your time with the MSQ and analyzing it with your bro as you go along. It's a gift to the FFXIV community :)

[@HawkEyeTS]

I am absolutely cackling during the theories section of things =D The best is yet to come!

[@Kekira]

I love when they get so close, then veer off

[@eFeXuy]

Yes Zodiark is split, Emet said the whole point of triggering rejoinings is to stitch Zodiark together.

[@almabjohnson4876]

I love seeing you guys get close, and I love seeing you guys miss wildly. You have become my favorite ffxiv content creators.

[@Tezasaurus]

Great discussions/theories, great editing. You boys are in for a hell of a ride.

[@argentbast]

I love that you did this now. It’ll be interesting to look back on later. What more is there to say but: :)

[@RhazielEngel]

Can't wait for the next MSQ, love your theories. You guys are a joy to watch; I do hope you continue to have fun and enjoy this wonderful game story.

[@aoberry8814]

Glad I found your guys channel. Started watching once I got to shadowbringers and it's been fun watching your theories, and complaining my own.

[@herobrine647]

Can't wait for the next few stream! Always been a pleasure to watch.

[@jvdzeta]

I’m enjoying your journey and can’t wait for you guys to get to all of the great parts of SB and EW. Some of your reactions are so great to see as it mirrors my experience in the game! Enjoy the journey!

[@DonTilhas]

Love these theory videos, it's been so entertaining to watch you on this journey! Offtopic: Garrett's hair is looking majestic!

[@Killerblade-yg6wz]

If it makes you guys feel any better my whole FC calls Arenvald, Hoary Boulder and all of them the Scion B team.

[@Irisawamirai]

what a great invention the :) emote is... by now it's my most trusted companion and it's always there where i need it most! Great video, your ideas are really either well rounded and based or just the stream of consciousness peeking through all the reviewing XD

[@tinybee7780]

Pretty creative thumbnail you guys got there 😆Vauhtry surrounded by... buttbread. 17:26 definitely. Compare Emet's powerpoint presentation to what Minifilia showed us after the Antitower dungeon in 3.2 and Emet's explanations of the truth of the star is a lot more digestible. Still a bit frustrated on how they handled Ran'jit's... send off? His last words say a lot and yet it's something that's easily missable if you're not paying attention to his dialog (whether or not what he was ''seeing'' was either just an illusion or actually real). I just wished we could've gotten an echo moment where we see him spending time with the other Minifilias before the arrival of the Scions.

[@Final.Family]

This. Altho i understand there's a point that the devs have to constrain for reasons of time and expense, i've had the exact same thought that an echo scene peering into Ran'jit's past would have rounded off his character in a satisfying way.

[@kendric99]

Yet another fantastic video. Thanks for finally giving in and just giving us what we've been asking for. We eat up your theories like Vauthry does meol.

[@Demonmack0]

absolutely loved this. feel free to make more of these!!!

[@TheIvoryDingo]

Just FYI, the imagery used for the Source and the 13 shards in both the Exarch's and Emet's power points is not indicative of how it actually looks. While I am unsure exactly how to explain this, the simplest (yet still confusing) one is that the Source and the Shards are in the same physical space but in different dimensions that are separate from everything else in space. It's part of why the First has no equivalent to Midgardsormr, the Great Wyrms or their broods (as Middy was only able to reach the Source).

[@Juno500]

I just wanna say that hearing your theories about what's gonna happen is endless entertaining, it's very fun.

[@kaltoren]

Watching y'all discussing that Echo scene actually made something fall into place that I had missed my time through. I think I actually know who's perspective that was now. Look forward to you guys seeing more pieces of the puzzle soon!

[@Kekira]

I missed it too, but it was so strange it got buried in everything else. I did read the short story that makes it even more obvious. I love these characters.

[@SaladXIV]

The excitement between you two is amazing and makes me excited for the rest of your journey. Keep up the amazing content!

[@swordbreaker9741]

@Grinding Gear The Knights Twelve in that cutscene refers to the location in Ishgard. It's the section of the Pillars that extends north of the Fortemps Manor to the Vault, where all the statues are.

[@TheDwagonHD]

I love your guys journey, im eagerly anticipating the comming MSQ streams, and seriously... i cant imagine how you keep yourself in check to wait for the streams. and i think the way you go about this (as content creators) with videos about theories and stuff is way more entertaining. it helps keep my giddyness in check for the actual streams. :)

[@howdomaddie]

just FYI, since you said it in your last video, i will forever refer to ardbert's appearance in SHB as "chekov's ardbert"

[@maracaegrizzley8734]

I love watching your speculations while knowing EXACTLY where you get it right, or wrong, or so nearly there.

[@Reinshark]

This is really a joy to watch, and I've been greatly enjoying your streams through Shadowbringers. Regarding the "dream" bit: remember that, on the First, you are in the future relative to the Source. So, when you have your dream/vision of Ishguard and the line option wonders whether that might be "the past", well, when exactly is "the past" relative to your current situation?

[@llaw5189]

Love the video and the theories!!! And now I cannot *wait* for tomorrow's stream!!

[@aslanameret]

So many smiles! I’ve so thoroughly enjoyed watching you two go through the game, and especially this expansion.

[@WayTooLateTV]

WILD SPECULATION, where Kyle and Garrett throw darts at Emet's Powerpoint and see if any of them land in something corporeal! OW! That one hit Ryne! Oh, it was the duplicate Ryne, no harm, no foul!

[@treebush]

That PowerPoint has a lot of important things different from the cave explanations and pretty important things, ryne example was just an example you don’t splits her into fourteen like the shards to get the point across. If you really understand the PowerPoint early you start to pick up on many things but it will all make sense soon

[@FishSkeleton-]

Excellent content as always, guys. I can't wait to see the return to Eulemore stream archive once it's up! Never be afraid to share your theories, no matter how out there you might think they could be. Whether right or wrong, the speculation's super juicy content!

[@texanjoecoffeehouse8141]

This was an absolute blast and joy to watch! Looking forward to how this all unfolds upon your journeys!

[@Anddroiden]

Okay this video is hilarious, there's so many theories and some of them are somehow both incredibly close while being extremely far away and i can't wait to see the next livestream

[@ChrisMajors]

The "Grinding Gear Reacts to Grinding Gear's #ProbablyWrongTheories" video that's going to come out after Shadowbringers is done is going to be FANTASTIC. Almost as good as the "Grinding Gear Reacts to Grinding Gear's #ProbablyRightTheories" one will be.

[@Dublin.655]

That ending was great. Had a genuine chuckle at that.

[@DaniPotatoArt]

Had so much fun watching this! Keep it up!

[@sugoisenpai92]

Man, I am excited for the next MSQ stream

[@dec222]

Garrett rocking a bit of a Giorgio Tsoukalos look for a spinfoil video is perfect. Love you guys!

[@ericbright1742]

As an aside, I don't know what the FFXIV equivalent to Destiny's Spinfoil is. Closest I have is "snorting the Dried Hi-Ether"

[@25xxfrostxx]

Allagans!

[@kaleiohu]

A theory video? Oh we're definitely going to need a follow-up to this at the end of the expansion.

[@JaeymesDM]

Emet is just the absolute best. He never lies, he just omits. And boy has he omitted. What the game makes you forget is that Emet's version of saving the world, and your version, are completely at odds with one another.

[@magickoopa24]

The amount of people who I've seen comment "emet did nothing wrong" on SHB videos are wild, fully bought into his views of the world without remembering what he's not saying. Just cause he perceives sundered people as less than a person doesn't mean they are!

[@laerwen]

*whispers* something something unreliable narrator... *disappears into the shadows*

[@iantaakalla8180]

I love that as of Endwalker you can see how much he omitted. He does want to save the world but his world necessarily means ruining yours. His people are peaceful and like to reason out disagreements but they are unnervingly callous about life even as they respect it. They have morals, but never adjust them and always go to snap decisions. Heck, because they are duty focused I would argue very few ancients value their life. And yet, amidst all of that Emet-Selch sort of did albeit under the harshest penalties of dismissing every creature for being Sundered and a fraction of Ancient life. He is trying to accept sundered people as they are, and unfortunately he is correct when he says life is definitively worse under sundered rulings, but it’s not like sundered beings seven times rejoined are dismissible if they got as far as they did in Stormblood and even irrelevant Thordan VII ruined Lahabrea by meticulous planning. Honestly, the Ascians really have been coasting.

[@Slade951]

I love this video. Giving the vibe of the older vids by you guys where you theorize a lot.

[@kree4872]

I love listening to your predictions. I'm even more excited to see your reactions though 😂

[@HandlesAreStupid2025]

Shout out to Jesse Cox eating this video up with pure glee.

[@Azmodian]

I want them to re-review this video once they finish Shadowbringers ;)

[@Midare13]

I haven't been traveling to Coeurl because well, as a lala, I get lost in crowds easily, but boy oh boy... I want to be there during that one moment. I'm really looking forward to see it directly. P.S.: As a dyslexic, I felt it so much when Kyle stumbled when saying "Gun-totting compatriot". He did better than I could.

[@FessyDKnight]

In Varis' voice: "Finally, finally you ask the right questions!"

[@zbdarkflame]

That broken glass sound was so satisfying there.

[@rpgfel3371]

Can’t wait for all the right and wrong answers to reveal themselves. Good luck and enjoy 5.0 guys!

[@ZZValiant]

14:15 *rubs hands together* Oh man it never gets old watching people play through this game huh.

[@DigitsRPG]

I can' t wait for you guys to find out the answers.

[@Darth0Prince]

Source = dimension (original, 7 times rejoined), Hydaelyn = the planet (it's the same in every dimension, but maybe called by different names in others)

[@Jaxpied]

Wow i can't believe you actually got every prediction 100% right!

[@christianf.5553]

\*Bans for spoilers!* 😛

[@ericbright1742]

Honestly, with the final WoL vs. Ran'jit fight, I _initially_ felt it missed the mark. I felt it would have been good to have Thancred be the final blow (or Ryne, like you suggested). I did not feel like this was the Warrior of Light's story, so this wasn't the Warrior of Light's fight. It's why the post-trolley fight worked so well because it was _personal_ for both Thancred and Ran'jit. It wasn't until someone pointed out that we got bodied by him at the beginning that I felt a little better about it. We needed to have our Vegeta-esque, "you bested me, and I took exception to that," moment. However, your point that the Warrior of Light is a parental figure to Ryne, or at least that they are someone she looks up to and idolizes, helps me reconcile that even more. Thank you.

[@evar.7093]

This makes me so excited for tomorrow's stream! And I love your theories, no matter how accurate or inaccurate they are.

[@FloraAnneFauna]

a clarification on what "Gun-toting Compatriot" said about the knights twelve: he was probably talking about the statues of the original knights twelve that line the road from Fortempt manor to the vault cathedral

[@mavfin8720]

You know, Kyle, I had never caught that little detail, about the 14 worlds and XIV. Enjoying your (both of you) theories, and don't feel bad later about the ones that were way off. I can say that I had some of the same thoughts around this stage. Just remember, your questions will be answered in the fullness of time!