Is John Final Fantasy Origin's story an Ascian plot or the counter to one? Is Lightning dealing with the consequences of a shard rejoining? Is Bahamut everywhere because he was on the Source before it was sundered or did Ascians bring him everywhere after the fact? What shard is FF15 from, if any?

Is JENOVA an Ultima-like creature, the same species, a different one? Was the World of Ruin in 6 the start of a Rejoining of a shard? Necron exists in 9 as well as now in 14, and so did an Ascian witness that shard's plight? Are the cyclical natures of 8 and 10 ways to forestall their rejoinings?

What is a fayth but an auracite. What is a materia but an auracite. What is a magicite but auracite. What is a job stone but auracite.

And what is Ultima but an eldritch evil outside of gods and mortals, pushing in upon the realms with their need to be forever and perpetual, a neverending existence

Of course, FF14 players know these things, but what I think is interesting is seeking the Ascian influence in the past iterations as a sort of thought exercise. Of course, current iterations of the FF stories fall into place relatively cleanly, but older ones are interesting in what they could show.

You see, these crystals, memories, job stones, auracites and what have you? All connected! where you ask? The Ascians! The Ancients, the Loporrits, The Cetra! And where do you end up when you follow all the threads? Final Fantasy 14 shards, 10's cyclical nature, Origins as canon, and much much more.

The Ouya was not cubical, and thus was Gen Z subjected to a doomed life.