The Return of These Villains in Final Fantasy 14 Makes No Sense

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Patch 7.3 is a major moment in *Final Fantasy 14* because it marks a significant change in the game’s story. While *FF14* regularly adds new content through patches between large expansions, the ‘X.3’ patch (like 7.3) is special. These patches conclude the current expansion’s story and begin to introduce the themes and setup for the next one. Specifically, patch 7.3 finishes the story of *Dawntrail* and starts building towards the narrative of the expansion after that, which hasn’t been announced yet.

This article discusses the very end of the main story questline in patch 7.3, so if you haven’t finished it yet and don’t want spoilers, you should probably stop reading now. Otherwise, let’s explore what the return of these villains means for *Final Fantasy XIV*, considering where the story currently stands.

The Ascians are Back Without Their Leaders

The final scene of the main story quest in patch 7.3 briefly shows the distinctive robes worn by the Ascians, strongly hinting they’ll play a role in future events. However, it’s unlikely the Ascian leaders will simply rejoin the others without a significant explanation of what happened.

The Ascians used to be led by Lahabrea, Elidibus, and Emet-Selch, as they were the only ones who survived the conflict between Hydaelyn and Zodiark. Now, all three of them are either deceased or stuck in situations that prevent them from influencing the main story, unless something significant happened that we haven’t seen.

Okay, so we know there are still Ascians out there we haven’t seen yet, but honestly, I’m starting to wonder what they’re even *trying* to do. With their leaders gone, it feels like they might not have the numbers or the organization to pull off something huge like the Rejoining again. Plus, remember those stones they needed to restore memories to newly reborn Ascians? Those are probably still locked up with Elidibus in the Crystal Tower. That makes it way harder for them to build up a big enough group to cause trouble, which is… honestly, a little relieving as a player!

It’s important to think about what the Ascians are trying to achieve now. Restoring Zodiark is no longer a possibility, since the Warrior of Light destroyed its main fragment during the first part of the *Endwalker* expansion. And unlike the original Ascians, these ones don’t remember what Etheirys was like when everyone’s souls were complete, so reuniting souls isn’t likely their goal either. With those common motivations ruled out, it seems their current aim might just be revenge against the Scions for repeatedly interfering with their plans, or they may have descended into madness, like Fandaniel, and simply want to create chaos.

Bringing Ascians Back Could be Brilliant or Fan Service

It’s hard to predict the long-term impact of bringing back the Ascians. After the initial reaction to *Dawntrail* wasn’t positive, the developers started adjusting their plans – it became clear players didn’t like the direction things were going. Also, most of *Dawntrail’s* villains are resolved by the end of the expansion, except for Calyx, who seems to be connected to the Ascians. Regardless, a new villain or villainous group would have likely appeared at this point in the story. The fact that it turned out to be the Ascians is what’s particularly noteworthy.

The Ascians have been included in every major story expansion except for *Dawntrail*, where they’ve only recently appeared in patch 7.3. Characters like Lahabrea, Elidibus, and Emet-Selch made the Ascians surprisingly popular – they’re beloved characters, not just villains. With many players currently losing interest in the game, bringing back these popular villains feels like a logical move. The big question now is whether this will revitalize player engagement, or if it will simply feel like a predictable attempt to please fans.

It would be great if the Ascians are used in a new and exciting way, rather than just repeating their roles from previous expansions – players don’t want to see the same villainous schemes recycled. While we don’t yet know enough about their return to predict their goals or how they’ll impact the next story in *Final Fantasy XIV*, given their previous defeats, bringing them back might not be the most logical choice for the narrative.

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2025-09-19 21:42