Final Fantasy 14's latest update, patch 7.56 titled "Trail to the Heavens," has concluded the narrative threads of the Dawntrail expansion and set the stage for the upcoming "Evercold" expansion, slated for release in January. While the update was expected to bridge the gap to the new content, it surprised players by featuring a character strongly reminiscent of Ysayle Dangoulain, who tragically died during the 2015 Heavensward expansion.
During the Warrior of Light's teleportation to the Fourth, a new ice-covered environment that will serve as the primary setting for "Evercold," brief flashes on screen reveal a figure bearing Ysayle's likeness. Initially, this was speculated to be a flashback, but a closer examination indicates the figure is wearing a new outfit. This suggests the character is a new asset, possibly indicating a significant role in "Evercold."
The community has been debating the identity of this mysterious figure. While many believe it is not the original Ysayle who perished in Heavensward, the in-game dialogue acknowledges a "vision of a woman who looked like Ysayle." This distinction suggests that while it may not be Ysayle herself, her presence could be explained by Final Fantasy 14's established lore regarding shattered worlds and fragmented souls across shards. The lore states that individuals' souls can be split across these parallel worlds, similar to the relationship between Ardbert and the Warrior of Light in the Shadowbringers expansion.
Therefore, the woman encountered on the Fourth is likely a shard of Ysayle, a parallel version of the character from another world. This potential connection further strengthens comparisons between "Evercold" and the Heavensward expansion. The Warrior of Light's companions during this segment of patch 7.56 are Alphinaud and Estinien, two pivotal characters from Heavensward who had significant interactions with Ysayle. Their presence alongside the Warrior of Light on this journey hints at a narrative that will deeply explore ties to the earlier expansion, possibly even introducing other familiar characters in similar shard-based capacities.