Based off the EOS Timeline, this will be more of a narrative take. Below will be a detailed timeline if you're still curious. I highly recommend finishing the game up to chapter 14 to avoid major spoilers of the game. I'm creating this because I was absolutely confused with all the missing content and out of context cutscenes not having read or watched the required mediums. That and the wiki is everywhere too.

There will be holes and unanswered questions. But I'm just here to make the story of the game much more satisfying without the need to view the other mediums in Project Universe (possible spoilers for): Platinum Demo, Episode Duscae, Prologue Parting Ways[cdn.sqexeu.com], Brotherhood, Kingsglaive, Episode Gladiolus, Episode Prompto, Episode Ignis and any other missing past/future cut content.

You can watch the intermediary mediums here made by Bauble: https://gtm.you1.cn/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2094194252


- To u/ASaini91 for his recap



To those who don't want to purchase the Ardyn DLC, you can view it here (1hr 10min YT link). I highly advise finishing the game before watching this though preferable you played and experienced this yourself.

IN THE BEGINNING there were 6 Astrals that watched over and protected the world of Eos. Due to humanity's betrayal 2000 years ago, Ifrit fought back, creating a shift between the Gods. He then released a plague into Eos called Starscourge - that decimated the nation of Solheim. This resulted in war between Astrals now called Great War of Old.

If you don't know, Starscourge is an organism that absorbs light; creating long nights for it to prosper further. It parasitises in humans/animals causing them to deform into daemons (being filled with so much darkness). During the Great War, Bahamut bstowed the Crystal to mankind. The Crystal holding the soul of the world and impart powers to the chosen. Bahamut selected two people to wield the divine powers of the other 5 Astrals and Crystal to protect and save the world from darkness (Starscourge): The Oracle and Chosen King.

The Crystal first chose the then-king of Lucis, Ardyn Lucis Caelum, to save and rid the world of Starscourge at the cost of his life. Ardyn, instead of sacrificing his life, went around all of Eos saving lives of those afflicted by absorbing daemons into his body, erdaicating Starscourge. This in turn also corrupted his body, making him immortal and stronger than the Astrals themselves. With the gods fearing this, they denounced Ardyn, proclaiming uncleanliness thus denying access to the Astral Realm. The Crystal then chose a new king, Ardyn's brother (by speculation of his name), Izunia (or Somnus). Therefore making the brother the new legitimate founding king of the Caelum line. Out of spite, Ardyn changed his name, and his brother his*.

The Astrals then bestowed a ring (later being called the Ring of Lucii*) to control and use the powers of the Crystal. Establishing the Caelum lineage as the royal family. The Astrals also bestowed Bahamut's trident to aid the Chosen King with his task by healing those afflicted by Starscourge and controlling the parasite. This established the first Oracle from the Fleuret family, Tenebrae.

THE PROPHECY was then told by Bahamut. That one day, a True King, the Chosen King of Light will appear when darkness veils the world, to eliminate Starscourge once and for all. The Kings of Lucis were tasked to proect the Crystal, to allow concentrated power of the Ring to be one day powerful enough to eliminate Starscourge. Out of spite and revenge, Ardyn devises a plan to take down the Crystal and the prophecied king. So he made a pact with Ifrit, allowing an increase of Starscourge.

After a period of relative peace, Nifelheim moves to annex the other nations in Eos to recreate an envisioned Solheim. With the emperor believing he is the rightful owner of the Crystal. Through war they adjoin every empire uner their banner, except the home of Fleurets and Lucis*. Yet still the ongoing battle between Nifelheim and Lucis rage onwards. Ardyn resurfaces and estabilishes himself as the Chancellor to the Empror of Nifelheim (Iedolas Aldercapt, a once benevolent and loved ruler corrupted by his fixation on the Crystal and expansion). Under Ardyn's influence, Iedolas gains technical advacements with daemons, creating the Magitek Army.

With robotic soldiers infused with daemons, Nifelheim prepare for an all-out war. During this point of the war, Regis Lucis Caelum (113th King of Lucis), has managed to stave off the advances of the Empire by using the ring to maintain the wall surrounding Insomnia. But at the cost of his own health. As a single father, he raises Noctis after the death of his wife while Noctis was still young.

Regis eventually learns that Noctis is the chosen king foretold in Bahamut's prophecy and realises what this meant. So he begins to spend more time and give him Freedom to enjoy what he wanted to do. Around 8 years old, Noctis was gravely injured by a daemon on a trip resulting in a coma. Saved by his father, Regis takes Noctis to the home of Fleurets to recover. There he meets Lunafreya Nox Fleuret (as the new Oracle) and her brother Ravus. Since her annointing, Luna knew Noctis's destiny but Ravus blames Noctis for Luna's destiny.

While staying with the Fleurets, the Nifelheim empire attacks. In the chaos, Regis grabs Noctis and Luna and begins to flee, while Ravus cries for help in the distance. Regis is forced to ignore Ravus’s pleas and keep running with the two, but Luna lets go to stay behind with her brother. Ravus witnesses the death of his parents and blames Regis, vows revenge on the Caelum line, and seeks the Ring of Lucii. Luna does not harbor such feelings, thus creating a rift between the siblings.

Twelve years pass and the war rages on. Noctis and Luna have secretly kept in touch over the years and remain close. Acting as imperial chancellor, Ardyn appears before Regis and proposes terms to end the war: Regis surrenders the entirety of Lucis to Nifelheim (save for Insomnia) and Noctis and Luna wed. Regis accepts the terms, however, he realizes it’s a trap and the day before the treaty signing sends Noctis off to meet Luna in Altissia with Prompto, Ignis, and Gladiolus going as his friends/guards. The events of Kingsglaive unfold resulting in the attack of Insomnia, Ravus losing his arm trying to use the Ring of Lucii, fall of Lucis, Nifelheim getting the Crystal, Regis’s death, and Luna escaping with the Ring. A manhunt begins for Luna so Nifelheim can control the Crystal’s power. Meanwhile Luna begins her journey as Oracle to awaken the Astrals and enlist their help so Noctis can fulfill the prophecy.

THE BEGINNING OF THE GAME begins. Noctis learns of the fate of his father and his kingdom but moves forward. Having been pronounced dead and technically being in enemy territory, he continues discreetly to meet Luna in Altissia. In his journey, he learns he needs to gather the 13 Royal Arms from the Royal Tombs to gain the aid of the previous 12 Lucian Kings and sets out to do so. He additionally learns he needs to borrow the power of the Astrals and seeks them out as well, following in Luna’s path. Through his journey, Noctis repeatedly encounters and is aided by Ardyn who, despite being the imperial chancellor of Nifelheim, mysteriously helps push Noctis towards fulfilling his prophecy.

At the same time, Ravus has ascended the ranks to command Nifelheim’s army. He is tasked with killing Leviathan to prevent Noctis from gaining its power. Luna, still in possession of the Ring, has made her way to Altissia to awaken Leviathan and is hidden by the government (which is afforded some autonomy) with the help of her brother Ravus. It is revealed that despite their differing views, Ravus still cares of Luna and has gone as far as to lie to Ardyn about her whereabouts. It is also revealed that with each Astral Luna awakens, her lifespan is cut short. This fuels Ravus’s hate towards Noctis, since he believes Noctis is not worthy of his sister. Luna pushes back expressing her feelings. She then tearfully begs Ravus to give Noctis the Ring, but Ravus refuses telling her it’s her destiny to fulfill, having accepted her views on both her role as Oracle and feelings towards Noctis.

Noctis finally makes it to Altissia where he sees Luna deliver a moving speech. Luna wakes Leviathan and Noctis is prepared to enter his trial when the Nifelheim army attacks. Things go wrong and Altissia is destroyed. Amidst the chaos, Ardyn confronts Luna and fatally stabs her in front of an incapacitated Noctis. Luna, using the last of her life, makes her way to Noctis, heals him, and gives him Bahamut’s trident, one of the 13 Royal Arms. With the new strength and Royal Arms he has to date, Noctis successfully defeats Leviathan and earns her power. In a dream like sequence, Noctis talks to Luna one last time and she gives him the Ring of Lucii before her soul moves to the Astral Realm.

After a few days, the group is on a train to Nifelheim’s capital, Gralea, to get to the Crystal. Along the way they stop at the war torn home of the Fleurets where they learn that Ravus had begun acting against the imperial empire and Luna was dying with her actions. As they continue, Ardyn toys with the group and using illusionary powers, separates the group from Prompto.

At the Gralean main fortress entry, Noctis is isolated from Ignis and Gladeolus. While being toyed with by Ardyn, Noctis learns of the true nature of Starscourge and daemons, the fate of everyone in Nifelheim, and that the main fortress was the location of human experimentation to create the Magitek army. He also finds the Ravus’s dead body (he was executed under the guise of his failure in Altissia) surrounded by letters he’d written to Luna. The entire group of 4 eventually reunite and kill Iedolas, who has turned into a daemon under Ardyn’s influence. Upon death, Iedolas expresses regret over his failure to conquer the lands and now hopes to conquer the Astral Realm and Astrals. The group learns Prompto is originally a Nifelheim citizen and one of the test subjects of the facility, but they accept him saying that information doesn’t change anything about him.

Ardyn continues to toy with the group by reanimating Ravus’s corpse and overwhelming them with daemons. At the group’s behest, Noctis moves forward to the Crystal by himself where he is met by Ardyn. Noctis touches the Crystal and is slowly pulled inside. Ardyn tells Noctis his origins as the original King of Lucis who was chosen by the Crystal. He states that he has been accelerating the proliferation of Starscourge while waiting for the True King so he enact revenge (stated above). He also states he could have destroyed Noctis at any point, but wouldn’t have been satisfied after waiting so long if Noctis wasn’t at his peak powers.

THE END, where Noctis enters a hibernation for 10 years in the Crystal so the Ring of Lucii can build up the final power needed to eradicate Starscouge. During this time Bahamut explains that with the aid of the previous Kings Noctis can unleash the built up power from the Crystal and Ring at once to eliminate Starscourge, but the cost of doing so was his life. Noctis realizes Luna and his father knew this, thus explaining why the latter suddenly allowed him more freedom upon learning Noctis was the True King.

With no Oracle to keep Starscourge at bay, over the 10 years the world has entered endless darkness. Noctis awakens and reunites with his friends and travel to Insomnia to finish things. With the aid of Bahamut, the group kill Ifrit. They go their separate ways as the group fights daemons one last time while Noctis goes to fight Ardyn (nothing hints that Prompto, Ignis, and Gladiolus live or die during their final fight so interpretation can go either way for now).

Noctis kills Ardyn after a duel and returns to the throne room. Finally taking the throne as the rightful king of Lucis, Noctis uses Regis’s Royal Sword to summon spirits of the previous kings of Lucis who were stored within the ring. With his father standing next to him (notably with his back turned to not witness the upcoming event), Noctis is attacked by the previous kings until he is on the brink of death. Noctis’s father then delivers the final blow, killing Noctis and sending him to the Astral Realm.

In the Astral Realm, Noctis faces Ardyn and uses the Ring of Lucii to unleash the full power of the Crystal. The result is the elimination of both Starscourge and Ardyn’s spirit. The Crystal and the Ring of Lucii also disintegrate***. In the epilogue Noctis’s and Luna’s spirits are shown happily married looking over a bright and prosperous Lucis, thus fulfilling their final fantasy.

- written by u/ASaini91
- edited (first half) by me :)



*It connects the power of the kings of Lucis and lets the wearer channel the power of Eos's Crystal. It is handed down from generation to generation, containing the collective power and wisdom of each Lucian monarch, and grants its immense power only to those it deems worthy at the cost of a blood price.
*There is no clear correlation or description as to why Ardyn changed his name but did blame his brother for stealing the throne. Hopefully Episode Ardyn will explain more.
*Tenebrae and a few other cities have been given relative autonomy only under the watch of the empire.

MAIN SOURCE: https://www.reddit.com/r/FFXV/comments/5nspeu/spoilers_recap_of_entire_ffxv_story_from_start_of/?st=JGDTYI44&sh=ac02ecae

Originally posted by The Lifestream (Footnote X):

A.E. stands for "Ancient Era," while M.E. stands for "Modern Era." A.E. for when the Gods were still active and Solheim was united.

• Astrals participate in the creation of the world of Eos, coming to be known and worshipped as gods. They are sworn to protect Eos and all its denizens, even from each other. The largest and oldest living creature known to man, Adamantoise, is also said to have been born at the dawn of time itself. The adamantoise appears in documents produced circa the advent of the Kingdom of Lucis.
  
• Humans are created in the image of the Astrals and the god of fire Ifrit grants them knowledge of fire. The goddess of ice Shiva's heart is warmed by Ifrit's benevolence, and she falls in love with him. Though initially callous toward humanity, Shiva becomes compassionate toward them due to Ifrit's influence.
  
• The nation of Solheim rules over the lands of Eos during an era of peace and prosperity when all six Astral gods look over Eos together. Solheim excels in machine technology like airships and magitek armor.

• Ifrit is betrayed by Solheim (The people). According to some accounts, he was the nation's king. This leads to the War of the Astrals where the land is torn asunder. Ifrit fights the other Astrals and is killed, his body laid to rest at the Rock of Ravatogh.

• The Astral Titan catches a meteorite that fell to Eos and broke into pieces when it was caught. The craters and ponds in the Duscae region are believed to have been made when the meteorite fell. According to the German localization, the meteorite brought Starscourge to Eos. NPCs in Final Fantasy XV: Comrades say the gods themselves brought down the Meteor. (Most likely happened either during or after the Astral War).

• Solheim falls after a mysterious parasite, Starscourge, massacres its populace.

• Ardyn Lucis Caelum was chosen as the first Lucian King. Chosen by the Crystal to save Eos.

• Disease is prevalent and many are dying. Starscourge mutates people and animals into daemons, monsters that thrive in darkness that hunt humans. Daemons release miasma that blocks sunlight. The leader of the Astrals, Bahamut, devises a way to rid the world of Starscourge by granting special powers to mortal bloodlines. The Lucis Caelum family would become the kings of Lucis, able to wield the powers of light to destroy Starscourge and daemons.
  
• Ardyn Lucis Caelum works as a healer, absorbing daemons into himself to save people, and his soul becomes corrupted. Though he believed himself to be the Crystal's Chosen King, the Stone denies his ascension, and the throne goes to Ardyn's younger brother, Somnus Lucis Caelum. Somnus demonizes Ardyn, and the latter refers to him as a "jealous future king, not yet chosen by the Crystal."
  
• Bahamut picks the first Oracle from the Nox Fleuret family, who gains the power to commune with the Astrals and the power to heal those afflicted with Starscourge. Bahamut is said to have bestowed the Trident of the Oracle to her. The Oracle communicates with the gods via Messengers, there said to be 24 of them.
  
• The Oracle and Somnus join forces and travel the world to forge covenants with the Astrals. The trials by which the Astrals test Somnus lay waste to entire cities. Starscourge subsides from Eos by Somnus's hand.
  
• Somnus is granted the Crystal from the planet and Ring of the Lucii from the Astrals, and is told to protect the Crystal in wait for the Chosen King who would one day be chosen by the Crystal from his bloodline.
  
• The Astrals, bar the war god Bahamut, fall into slumber. Titan rests in Disc of Cauthess, Ramuh in Angelgard, Leviathan in Celluna Cascades in what would become Altissia, and Shiva in Ghorovas Rift. In time, Astrals become known as legendary beings said to be sleeping in wait for the fated time when the world is shrouded in darkness.
  
• Ardyn is rendered immortal as the afterlife repels him. Ardyn changes his surname to Izunia, and begins to plot for the demise of the next Chosen King as revenge, who is said to be born to the Lucis Caelum bloodline "when darkness overwhelms the world". (Ardyn is not mentioned in Cosmogony or any official histories, despite having been a prominent figure. Any mention of him may have been intentionally removed by the Lucis Caelum dynasty.)
  
• Somnus founds the Kingdom of Lucis, and becomes known as the Founder King. His descendants would rule the kingdom for the next 2000 years, and the lineage would empower the current monarch via the Ring of the Lucii that bonds their souls to the mortal realm. (Around this time Gilgamesh serves as the Shield of the Founder King. His soul remains in the Tempering Grounds for the next 2,000 years awaiting the coming of the Chosen King to test the might of the Chosen King's Shield.Though during Lucis's nascent years, the daemon naglfar is said to have fought the twenty-four Messengers.)
  
• Certain Lucian monarchs create colossal statues of themselves (twelve in all). Each serves as a coffin to hold the soul of a dead king/queen. From these "coffins," the monarchs will await the "Chosen King" and serve as the Old Wall (Knights of the Round) that will protect the kingdom when summoned by the current Lucian monarch.

• The world now stable and the old civilization in ruin, new countries are founded: Niflheim, Tenebrae and Accordo. Tenebrae is where the Oracle's family lives, Accordo becomes commercially prosperous, and the Empire of Niflheim is ruled by the Aldercapt family, whose ambition is to revive the ancient civilization of Solheim.
  
• According to legend, a sabertusk was once the guard dog of the king. Plagued by hunger, it ate the young prince, and was cursed to become a violent beast that roams the outlands of Lucis.

• The four nations of Eos (Accordo, Tenebrae, Niflheim & Lucis) elect to use the same calendar system.

• Breaking 357 years of peace, Niflheim declares war on other countries to expand its territory. Their two primary targets become the Kingdom of Lucis, which possesses the Crystal, and Tenebrae, led by the Oracle. However, they only have the means to attack the adjacent Tenebrae.

• The empire gains control of Tenebrae's territory, except of Fenestala Manor—wherein reside the Fleurets, the Oracle family—isn't invaded due to the masses' faith in the Oracle.

• A mysterious new life form, daemons, is discovered by the Imperial Army. Niflheim seeks to recreate the might of the legendary nation of Solheim (Through Ardyn's help being the chancellor of Niflheim's Empire later on). Although not directly stated, it is possible they discovered daemons from Solheimian ruins, as some underground portions that remain in perpetual darkness still harbor them. Daemons are humans and animals parasitized by the Starscourge, turning them into monsters that can only live in darkness.

• Lucis and Accordo enter an alliance to defend against the empire.

• The Niflheim Empire commences aggressions against both Lucis and Accordo. (The outcome of this war is that the allied forces of Lucis and Accordo are defeated. Lucis takes the measure of erecting a second Wall around the circumference of its Crown City, Insomnia. In addition, as the existence of the first Wall is generally a secret, the second Wall comes to be referred to simply as the Wall.)
  
• The Lucian-Accordian coalition is overwhelmed by the imperial magitek armors. Accordo surrenders.
  
• The king of Lucis raises the Wall, facilitated by conduits made of adamantite, a metal found in the adamantoise's shell, that channel the power of the Crystal.
  
• Lucian army is dissolved and reorganized into a countermeasure-only defense force, the Crownsguard.
  
• Niflheim recognizes Accordo's self-governance, and constructs bases on Lucian outlands where they station the army and take control of the area.
  
• Niflheim turns the fishing village of Galdin into a trading post connecting the Lucian continent with the imperial province of Accordo.

• Jared Hester (father to Talcott Hester) is born.

• Clarus Amicitia (father to Gladiolus & Iris Amicitia) is born.

• Regis Lucis Caelum is born.

• Camelia Claustra is born.

• Cor Leonis is born.

• Ardyn Izunia enters Niflheim, manipulates Emperor Aldercapt, and proposes development of magitek army. He is inaugurated as chancellor. Niflheim experiments with daemons to further develop magitek, likely unaware proliferation of daemons would lead to the spreading of Starscourge.
  
• July 8: Verstael Besithia, the chief of magitek research, outfits the magitek troopers with magitek cores.
  
• October 21: Verstael infuses the magitek cores with the energy daemons exude (miasma), but finds the troopers incapable of fighting. He determines humans would make superior test subjects.
  
• December 5: With all previous experiments resulting in the subjects experiencing ego death, Verstael begins to experiment on infants.

• March 11th: Verstael decides to start cloning his own genetic material to create enough infants for the magitek army.
  
• November 26th: The First Magitek Production Facility is completed. "Rising military star" Verstael Besithia is appointed to oversee the facility and relinquishes his field duties to work there full-time.
  
• Niflheim begins to mass produce its magitek infantry in preparation for war with Lucis. Magitek troopers are made from daemons and human clones incubated until they become strong enough to fight. Because of their lightproof armor MTs can operate in daylight, making Niflheim's army the strongest in the world.
  
• Cor Leonis joins Crownsguard.

• Nyx Ulric is born in Galahd.
  
• Biggs Callux is born.
  
• 24th October: Niflheim has overwhelmed Lucis with the newly mass-produced magitek infantry and surrounded Insomnia. Verstael stops disposing daemons born from harvesting miasma at the imperial laboratories, deciding to use them in his experiments instead.

• The war between Niflheim and Lucis begins and lasts between 2/24-4/1. The Niflheim army breaches the regions of Leide, Duscae, and Cleigne, where they establish bases–yet there is a period without war afterward. Lucis dispatches soldiers to challenge the empire, but they are defeated. Prince Regis–who had traveled to Accordo with a select few to seek the restoration of an allied force–is forced to withdraw to the Crown City and the range of the Wall is pulled back to Insomnia's ramparts to strengthen it.
  
• During his travels Regis meets Ezma Auburnbrie, and promises to slay the monsters sealed in the Menace Dungeons after the war is over. He also fights the adamantoise, but fails to kill it.

• The northeastern archipelago of the Cavaugh Region is invaded by Niflheim.
  
• Aranea Highwind is born.
  
• Lucis discovers ruins at Taelpar Crag and many venture inside only to be killed by Gilgamesh. A 15-year-old Cor Leonis is the only one to emerge alive, earning him the nickname "the Immortal". Around this time Cor becomes bodyguard to King Mors.

• Wedge Kincaid is born.

• Ravus Nox Fleuret is born.

• King Mors dies.
  
• Regis Lucis Caelum becomes the 113th king of Lucis.

• Cindy Aurum is born.

• Lunafreya Nox Fleuret is born on September 4th. Gentiana, the High Messenger, moves in with the Nox Fleuret family in Tenebrae.
  
• King Regis marries his childhood friend, Aulea.

• Gladiolus Amicitia is born on April 2.

• Ignis Scientia is born on February 7

• Noctis Lucis Caelum is born to King Regis and Aulea on August 30. Aulea dies when Noctis is still an infant.
  
• Prompto is born on October 25. He is born in Niflheim to be made into a magitek trooper, and is given a serial number.

• Prompto escapes his predicament of being made into an MT as he is kidnapped by Lucians from the First Magitek Production Facility. He is adopted by a family in Insomnia and gets the surname Argentum.

• Ignis becomes the three-year-old Noctis's royal adviser.
  
• Noctis receives the Carbuncle totem from Regis.

• A group of bussemand storms the Saxham Outpost killing countless adults and kidnapping their children. Many parents go off in search of the lost kids, leaving a ghost town in their wake.

• The Crystal choses Noctis at age 6 (or 5 depending on lore).
  
• King Regis learns from the spirits of the old kings that Noctis is the Chosen One.
  
• Regis establishes Kingsglaive as his personal guard.
  
• Iris Amicitia is born.

• The eight-year-old Noctis is attacked by daemons and suffers a serious injury. He is protected by the Messenger Carbuncle in a world of dreams during his coma. He receives medical care in Tenebrae and befriends Lunafreya, the Oracle's daughter. Lunafreya tells Noctis he is the Chosen King. (Platinum Demo/Internal cutscenes chapter 13+)
  
• Queen Sylva Via Fleuret, the Oracle, is killed by General Glauca. Her children, Ravus and Lunafreya, fall into imperial custody as Tenebrae is fully annexed.
  
• Niflheim renews its offensive against Lucis in the wake of the attack on Tenebrae.
  
• Ignis hears of the dessert Noctis had enjoyed in Tenebrae and becomes interested in cooking. (Brotherhood)

• Shiva, one of the six Astrals, awakens. She is defeated by the Niflheim empire.

• King Regis found Kingsglaive, an elite guard corps that can use some of the King's power.
  
• February 2: A researcher tests the Solheimian magitek weapon's armor to find it can withstand the power of Astrals.

• Episodes from Brotherhood take place.
  
• August 30: Noctis turns 20. A new car is custom made and given to him for his birthday.
  
• Lunafreya, who was under imperial surveillance, is inaugurated as the youngest Oracle in history (16 years old).

• The game starts here. Refer to wiki for more detailed events here-in.

• Noctis returns and kills Ardyn. He sacrifices himself to bring light back to the world.

1. http://web.archive.org/web/20180124181542/https://thelifestream.net/final-fantasy-xv-ultimania-scenario-side-translations/
   
2. Detailed lives of characters explained in link above.
   
3. *Refer to The Fandom Wiki[finalfantasy.wikia.com] for more detailed events.
   

4. Originally posted by u/ASaini91:

   Depending on interpretation, Ardyn’s goals and, thus, his plan can be interpreted differently. Ardyn stated explicitly he wanted to destroy the Crystal and end the Caelum llineage. It’s hinted that he still wants to reach the Astral Realm as he was supposed to have as the first person chosen by the Crystal.
   
   If you take the Astral Realm as a place reserved for Gods and the like, then Ardyn knew he would not be able to make it to the Astral Realm, and thus he was out for revenge against the Gods/world (via destroying the Crystal and Caelum lineage) and perpetuating darkness. Given the way the story plays out, in this situation while he may have destroyed both, he ultimately failed since he was unable to get his revenge against the Astrals he hated for discarding him. Darkness is eliminated and so is he.
   
   However, if you view the Astral Realm as a heaven of sorts, then Ardyn’s motives/plan/success change a bit in context. As the first king chosen by the Crystal, it’s possible he knew of the fate of the King in eradicating Starscourge (but he opted to ignore it and absorb the daemons). Knowing the ultimate fate of the True King, he may have helped Noctis succeed knowing that Noctis will ultimately die and the crystal would be destroyed. However, Noctis’s success would also eradicate the daemons within Ardyn rendering him mortal again and, with his death, he could enter the Astral Realm, despite having been rejected earlier. This could be supported by the look of peace Ardyn has when finished off. By viewing the Astral Realm as a heaven, the game ends with both the protagonist and antagonist achieving their goals.
   
   (Inputting my own opinion here) As I see it, both are possible until further notice since there is evidence to support both based on your personal view point (just like w/ the idea of Prompto, Ignis, and Gladiolus dying or living in the end). Until Square Enix releases information or DLC clarifying it one way or another, you can’t be faulted for viewing it one way over the other (and honestly, I doubt they’ll ever release something to clarify this one).

• http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/Final_Fantasy_XV/Timeline#cite_note-lifestream-0
  
• https://thelifestream.net/final-fantasy-xv-ultimania-scenario-side-translations/
  
• https://www.reddit.com/r/FFXV/comments/5nspeu/spoilers_recap_of_entire_ffxv_story_from_start_of/?st=JGDTYI44&sh=ac02ecae
  
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Final_Fantasy_XV
  
• https://twitter.com/FFXVEN/status/645102824108331009