What if the Narshe Expedition had succeeded?

[Wolf Kanno]

Here's something to think about, how would FFVI had unfolded had Bigg, Wedge, and Terra succeeded in retrieving the Frozen Esper without the incident? Would Terra have become an ally or simply be a powerful puppet for the empire to carry out it's machinations?

[Jiro]

It would have taken them time to return to Vector with the esper. I think that, were they somehow to make it, then Terra would probably have been their secret weapon and used to decimate towns showing resistance. To keep the plot line coherent, Terra would probably end up being defeated and becoming a turn coat, or maybe Celes would protest the use of the slave crown which has her labelled a traitor.

[Christmas]

It will mean we do not get to play the greatest FF of all time cause the story ends there.

[blackmage_nuke]

If Terra was never freed from the slave crown, the story would presumably just be about the returners' constant struggle against the empire. Terra would never fly to zozo where they would never meet ramuh who would never tell them to go to the magitek facility where they would never have figured out magicite is where an esper's true power can obtained.

I cant remember how the party/empire found out about the cave of the espers though and whether tha insanity would occur without terra's presence in the party

Eventually the main party would have to fight terra in the second last/last bass fight

[Roogle]

I like the concept of a story with Terra remaining in captivity. I could see a type of game where you are required to play as Terra at some parts and another protagonist, perhaps Locke or Celes, at other parts. Eventually, their paths would cross and the game would continue on in a linear, uniform fashion.

[Wolf Kanno]

I think it would be interesting to see Terra as a villain and see how much of an impact her escape from the empire really had on the story. Do you think things would have been smoother for the Empire or would it have worked out about the same?

[Jiro]

If she had time to establish herself as an enemy to non-Imperials then I think her departure would've been far smoother as internal fighting started over whether she was trustworthy or not. There's already hesitation to use her aid at first (iirc) but that would've been greatly compounded if she'd torched Narshe, for example. People remember when you burn them, and they don't care if it was your choice or not.

[Greatermaximus]

If Terra was never freed from the slave crown, the story would presumably just be about the returners' constant struggle against the empire. Terra would never fly to zozo where they would never meet ramuh who would never tell them to go to the magitek facility where they would never have figured out magicite is where an esper's true power can obtained.

I cant remember how the party/empire found out about the cave of the espers though and whether tha insanity would occur without terra's presence in the party

Eventually the main party would have to fight terra in the second last/last bass fight

The Empire by Gesthal I assume found it in ancient texts. With his lust for power he invaded the Esper World. After that there's no way the information wouldn't be leaked by the time of the Narshe expedition.

I think FFVI has no plot hole. It might have one minor one somewhere but you never know where/when someone knows something. Especially in fiction.

If Terra had returned from the Narshe mission the Empire would simply keep using her imo.