Elidibus Emerges Seeking Vengeance at the End of Endwalker
After the epic conclusion of Final Fantasy XIV‘s Endwalker expansion, with the Warrior of Light triumphing over the despair-spreading Meteion and laying waste to the dread wyrm Zodiark, a shocking final reveal waited in the closing moments. Elidibus, the enigmatic Emissary of the all-but-defeated Ascians makes his presence known once more, portending deadly tidings for the realm.
The Fate of the Ascians After Endwalker
With Zodiark‘s demise, the grand schemes of the Ascians have been utterly foiled over the course of FFXIV‘s storyline. Of their unsundered Paragons, only Elidibus remains of the white-robed Convocation‘s leadership. For context, here is the fate of the principal Ascians:
- Emet-Selch (Hades): Defeated by the Warrior of Light in the climactic battle of Shadowbringers.
- Lahabrea: Slain earlier in Heavensward‘s storyline.
- Nabriales, Igeyorhm: Eliminated in battle against the Scions of the Seventh Dawn.
- Fandaniel (Hermes): Sacrificed himself to fuel Zodiark‘s rebirth before being struck down for good.
With his fellow Paragons vanquished, Elidibus stands as the sole unconquered Ascian, still pursuing the twisted goal of sacrificing the broken shards of the world to restore the lost utopia of Amaurot.
Elidibus‘ Powers and Motivations
Ever the cryptic schemer, Elidibus possesses fearsome capabilities. As the Emissary, he acts as an arbiter of the balance between the corrupting chaos of Darkness and the obliviating tyranny of Light. Through this mastery of equilibrium, Elidibus wields devastating magical magicks empowered by shifting aetheric polarization. He can shroud himself in mesmerizing illusions and assault enemies with torrents of umbral flame.
Moreover, Elidibus exhibits an incredible talent for possession and body-snatching, having overtaken Zenos himself during Shadowbringers, before being expelled back into the rift. This mastery of spiritual manipulation allows Elidibus to cheat death by anchoring his essence in the bartles of hapless warriors.
Obsessed with the legacy of star-enslaved Zodiark and the restoration of his fallen people‘s paradise, Elidibus cares nothing for the broken Source world and its myriad lifeforms. He seeks only the reconstitution of his home, even if it demands dimensional annihilation and callous sacrifice beyond measure.
The Meaning of Elidibus‘ Reemergence
Ever the cryptic schemer, Elidibus catches our intrepid heroes off-their guard following Zodiark‘s banishment. He steps forth cloaked in shadowy mists, flanked by a pair of menacing guardians with serrated spears at the ready.
His appearance signifies the Ascian threat persists, not yet expunged. Serving as Zodiark‘s heart, the god‘s demise has clearly fueled Elidibus‘ rancor. One can sense his frigid wrath, his measured words vowing ominously that "more will come for you…and darkness will consume all".
This punctuating letter promises deadly reckoning with the champions of the Source. The enigmatic emissary doubtless has contingencies in store – soul-vessels housed in the bodies of formidable warriors, shadowy voidsent horrors to unseal, apocalypse magicks to unleash. His immortal existence affords endless time to lay intricate schemes of multi-lifetime scale.
And with the Mothercrystal Hydaelyn now dissolved along with her blessings, our heroes appear more vulnerable than ever to Elidibus‘ machinations.
What Lies Ahead with Elidibus
As the sole surviving Ascian responsible for orchestrating the great tragedy of the Sundering, this notorious executor of eldritch extremes represents arguably the gravest threat to the stability of Norvrandt and the Source entire. The ominous final revelation of Endwalker makes it clear that Elidibus stands poised as the central adversary for FFXIV‘s forthcoming 7.0 saga.
I foresee this enigmatic Ascian stagecrafting cataclysm anew across the reflections, plunging the First back into flood, igniting calamitous conflagrations across the burning wastes of the Third. Ever hiding behind the scenes, he may look to seize and subjugate rogue Legatus like the IVth‘s quicksilver Varis zos Galvus, or the towering VIIth reflection‘s Biggs III and Wedge VII. By weaponizing these broken factional forces, Elidibus can prosecute his reality-rending Rejoining from a distance.
Most alarmingly, I speculate that Zodiark‘s heart may seek to reignite the dread wyrm‘s seven fires and revive his sinister god anew. Elidibus likely spent millennia devising schemes for contingencies like this one as fail-safes to his grand design. I suspect profound powers still slumbering in the unfathomed Lifestream, eldritch enchantments tied to Zodiark‘s passing that Elidibus might twist to his aims. Potent wards guarding eikonic secrets yet remain strewn about the ancient Ascian ruins of Elpis. Surely the Emissary knows ways to breach them.
In all, the stage has been set for this enigmatic white-robed Mahatma to unleash terrors anew upon FFXIV‘s beleaguered world. But if past is precedent, then Norvrandt‘s champions have overcome deeper depths before. And the Scions of the Seventh Dawn will surely stand united with the Warrior of Light against the coming darkness!
