Lumina

[KoFF]

You know, if Square really wants to surprise the fans, given the complexity of Final Fantasy XIII, they could easily create a mindfuck scenario where nothing is how it's being portrayed in the trailers. For instance, perhaps the destruction of Luxerion is both necessary and yet a plot by an evil Bhunivelze, which creates outcomes that can lead to a good or bad ending. Lumina could have been a manufactured tool of Bhunivelze as you mentioned, but also be a vessel that Serah's soul can affect to provide aid to Lightning and guide her, which is why at times she appears to be helping her and at other times is attacking her. Additionally, given that Lightning is being influenced in this scenario, the attacking and aiding Lumina provides can both be the work of Serah and Bhunivelze depending on which way Lightning is swaying. For instance, if Lightning is straying from Bhunivelze's path, he'll take control of Lumina to have her either attack or advice her some way, yet at points when she's following Bhunivelze and thus straying from Serah's path, she'll use Lumina to aid or attack her. It won't be until very far into the game that Lightning realises Lumina is only a puppet and being wielded by more than one master, which either means she'll have to decide what she'll choose on her own or find some way to force one master into complete control. Meanwhile, Snow and Noel may be given either true information that Luxerion will be destroyed by Lightning, false information about Luxerion's destruction, or perhaps true information that Lightning will destroy the city, but false information on what that will lead to. Any of these tales would make them enemies of Lightning. In the end, the right course of action becomes so elusive that the only thing Lightning can be sure of is that she needs to make a decision, hence denying the plausibility of the prophecy in the trailer.

In addition, I think I may know where haboo came up with her theory on Lumina. x)

If this game is done right, I'm sure it could be the best installment of the series. However, there is every chance Ben's right. x3 I only hope it doesn't impact the XIII role in Exigo. x_X

Ben is never right. He's just a rebel .

And yes, your extension of the Lumina theory is another very welcome possibility. I too can really see this game reach a high peek that'll make for an epic final conclusion. The way they have chosen to seemingly complicate the story even further with this title while also stating loose ends will be tied up must mean they have some serious aces up their sleave for the final plot twists! These theory possibilities just enhance my anticipation even further. Another thing it'll definitely be is emotional, what with Serah and all. While anything can happen, I think they'll opt for a everybody's happy type of ending this time, which would mean Lightning probably doesn't sacrifice herself again, or does and is returned. I have had some thoughts about Serah possibly being the final boss. Her or Bhunivelze.

It's funny how it seems more feasible to us that Bhunivelze really is a bad guy considering he's only ever been made out to be good or neutral xD. Then again, the fact that we still haven't seen him in XIII makes his appearance ideal for a final battle.

[Zerathos986]

Well... he did kill his mother and strip Etro of all godly powers because she looked like his mother, which caused her to go into a deep depression and kill herself. o.O That's not the nicest of things.

[KoFF]

That's too blatantly put! xD. It's not that black and white ._____.

That said, I had actually forgotten some stuff. It's been so long since I saw/read the mythos video that I seemingly forgot a few of the relationships between the gods. Mainly that Bhunivelze wasn't the one god above them all from the start. Somehow forgot Mwynn's role in all this x_X. But that's what reminders or self-reupdating is for. How did I forget she was his mother. Embarrassing.
But yeah, with that in mind, he's no longer as neutral in my mind as I remembered him to be. Now I find it downright unlikely that he'll be good. But maybe that's the real plot-twist. They defeat him and it turns out he would have saved the world ;_;

[Zerathos986]

xD! Actually, I didn't remember that they'd given her a name, just that Etro was made in her image and so Bhunivelze, fearful and resentful of it, stripped her of any godly powers. Dejected and depressed, she killed herself and her blood became humanity/chaos or something to that effect. xD

[Zerathos986]

Reading my old theory on Lumina, I think I nearly had it, if not for the Hope of things. x) Not that I preferred my idea better, but having Hope, the young Hope, be Lightning's Bhunivelze controlled puppet seemed out of place. I know Hope was the one that first got Lightning to open up in XIII, but that was all he really was and throughout the series, it had been Serah. Of course, that actually got split again, didn't it? There was a false Serah that represented Serah and Lumina who was sort of working with Serah, er that Serah, but the two were separate and it was the false Serah that may or may not have been controlled by both Serah and Bhunivelze to guide Lightning. xD

Additionally,

You know, if Square really wants to surprise the fans, given the complexity of Final Fantasy XIII, they could easily create a mindfuck scenario where nothing is how it's being portrayed in the trailers. For instance, perhaps the destruction of Luxerion is both necessary and yet a plot by an evil Bhunivelze, which creates outcomes that can lead to a good or bad ending.

xD