The Void & The Warrior of Light

I think 6.4 and 6.5 made it so obvious that the original Golbez is a shard of Azem, that I was actually surprised that there were people who still doubt it.

I personally believe our 13th shard is the Avatar we commune with as a reaper. If i recall correctly Zero had mentioned that our avatar had made a pact with us freely out of their own will. Not to mention our ability to Enshroud with it without it threatening to consume us multiple times a fight. An ability that is known in game as the hardest thing to control as a reaper.

the player character's body is essentially an apartment complex 90s family sitcom situation, we can take another guest.

All i know is that when we visit another new shard again, i want to run into a character who looks suspiciously similar to the player character and never speaks in voiced cutscenes just because it would be hilarious.

The idea of Azem's shards being significant heroes from other FF's (with the assumption of Ardbert being a representative of the original FF1 Warrior) makes enough sense to me

WoLbez is quite likely, but it feels like it's something they won't explore until we go back out to the 13th in a future expansion, likely after a large timeskip as the Exarch mentions is possible between shards (possibly even one affecting the first too?). It's a challenge of where they want to take the shard story and leaning us closer to Azem (which I feel they put a nice close on in Endwalker), but nothing in FF ever really just vanishes. An 'anti-ardbert' that's trying to hijack your body or soul having been corrupted, or even as a full blown antagonist could be really interesting.

I wholly believe that Golbez is Azem, Durante is Zenos and I'd go as far as to (headcanon) that those two souls are predestined to have an odd connection in almost every reincarnation.

I agree with the assumption that the original Golbez is the most likely candidate...but I still want to know what was so special about Zero that Zenos ended up with her and Hydaelyns Crystal so conveniently gave her another form

the one thing that's interesting about the case of the original Golbez and Voidsent in general is concept of separation and restoration. the idea of turning them back into people along with restoring their world. it seems to be the goal and dream of Zero now. so even though we likely won't be gaining any more pieces as the story seems to be going a less is more route, saving the OG Golbez might not be impossible.

I do like the idea of Golbez. With him still being enough of an enigma for players to create their own characters around him if they wish. Like how Azem themself has never been shown in person. I did also like the ideas of Zero or Unukalhai purely because they do reflect the WoL very well while still having distinct personalities!

Lesson time!

I feel like I might be weird for this but I had thought for a long time that the voidsent Avatar was the shard. Since it was most compatible with us. I've been pretty alone in that theory so it's very likely not true. But it is a nice thought for me.

When we first met Zero, they seemed likely, and them being basically a warrior of light from a past game reimagined kind of lends Creedence to that theory. But the fact we never see to Original Golbez outside their armor, and the fact we see the story from his POV makes it very likely he is the prime candidate for a shard of Azem, but I would say not the only one. Sort of a 40% to 30% Golbez/Zero with a 30% chance it's someone else entirely.

Currently, I'm kinda more interested in who Zenos' shards were. I saw a fan theory that it could be the reason why Zero was picked as his Avatar by Fandaniel, but I also think Lord Vauthry might have also been another one of his shards. Though I mostly get this feeling because of Vauthry's two underlings, his female Zorn and Thorne harlequin subordinates. While Zenos'body was possesed by Elidibus, he was briefly in charge of what I suspect to be those two harlequin's original Source counterparts, due to the ceruleum aura they produce when we fight them being both red/pink and blue, the same opposing colors that the two harlequin twins share. They also both die during a raid on Eulmore by the Scions and WoL, same as how their Garlean counterparts die during a raid by Gaius and Estinien. The other reason why I feel this way is because of Zenos and Vauthry's shared physical traits (blonde hair, blue eyes, light skin), them having opposite personalities and both of them essentially being the heirs to a (former) mighty kingdom. Though we don't know when Emet-Selch approached Vauthry's family in compared to whatever the era it would have been on the Source, I wonder if Emet-Selch approached Vauthry's parents not just to experiment on their son with the power of Sin Eaters, but he may have been also drawn to Vauthry because his soul might have been a Shard of Zenos and that potential alone might have spurned him to conduct said Sin Eater experiment on him because of that. His grandson was a monster in nearly all respects, so he might have thought Vauthry had the potential to become something similar and gave him the extra boost to become just that with more ease. Though that's might cheese hole riddled theory. 😂

i think og golbez is the warrior on the 13th i had a feeling sense the start of this quest line.

Hey Professor, did ya hear about the speculations that Durante is one of Zenos' shards? That one threw me for an absolute loop and the only bit of "info" that holds any water is that Golbez and Durante were close friends, much how like what Zenos wanted with us back in Stormblood (when he basically asked if you'd accept him). Granted, no matter what choice you chose, he still came to the conclusion that you two could never be true friends. Which brought up the "theory" that maybe in another time, another reflection, WoL and Zenos' shards could have been friends. Oh, the other minor (and paper thin) connection between Zenos and Durante is that their both blondes and proficient in battle, lol.

I think the WoL could safely take in OG Golbez. I remember a line from Venat in Elpis that tells us that the Blessing of Light/ Traveler's Mark prevents the owner of the enchantment from Aether Corruption, the reason why we can resist being Tempered. The WoL does still have the Blessing of Light, right? And with us claiming the seat of Azem (is what I assume, when the WoL willfully uses the Azem's crystal to summon allies), we have access to "Premium version of the Traveler's Mark" as a bonus, since I also remember that the enchantment isn't a Venat original, but the First Azem original.

With that line of thinking that those can be unsealed, could there a possibility to heal the souls within? Kind of liked how we figured out how to cure the thrall. I personally am still saddened we couldn't save the blasphemies . I hope we can save those in the 13 .

I think another question we should be asking is whether or not we SHOULD merge with our 13th reflection. We only merged with Ardbert out of necessity, to save the first and the source. While the 13th might not have immediate need for their WoL, that isnt to say sometime in the distant future that the need may arise. Golbez may even wish that he remain separated (should we find a way to uncorrupt him) for this very reason. And lets not forget that we can travel freely between the first and the source, our means of traversing to the 13th is not consistent nor is it guaranteed. So if we were to merge with our 13th reflection, if for some reason we find ourselves unable to return to the 13th, that may prove detrimental to the security and stability to the 13th in the future. (Note: All of this is only speculation and by all means events can change desisions and outcomes but its worth taking consideration that, for now, it might be best to leave our reflection in the 13th. An extra pair of hands if you would. Same goes with the other reflections.) (Also note: This is assuming that all shards of azem have the same proclivity to protect their respective reflections. While souls may have a bias towards certain behaviors its not guaranteed that all reincarnations would behave in the exact same way. Take Hermes for example.)

I would say Zero due to the fact she was Zeno's voidsent companion when he took up the reaper class. He was drawn to her in particular because she had the same feeling as you. They say that the very first time you meet Zero.