Last Exile, What the heck happend? (spoliers)

[Crossroads Inc.]

Ok, I just finished watching the Anime 'Last Exile' which I must say was a VERY amazing series. The story was rich, the people very likeable, good music, good world, and of course more flying ships then you could shake a stick at. The interplay between the two nations and the orginally watchful 'guide' was also a very nice set up for the whole conflict.

Of course, it's hard not to notice a lot of strange aspects to the show, and having seen the last epasode, theres stil la lot of wierd thing I can't make out.
To begin with, the "World" Last Exil. Artifically constructed it seems? From the beggining theres great areas of land with not stone, but steel girders and support beams under them. There seems to be no large land masses or oceans, all a 'sea' of clouds along the bottom. At the end you see what I can only guess is their world. A green hour glass shaped thing in space.

So, what? They whole thing was some sort of artifical world built with two different nations at either end?

At what was up with 'Exile'? The thing is finally unlocked at the end, and from what I can tell, all it does is change shape into some sort of stylized women, and then eliminate the 'grand stream' between the two ends. Oh yes, then it seems to 'fly off' into Space, despite, evidently being inside some form of closed world...

Did I miss things here?

[General Zod]

Ok, I just finished watching the Anime 'Last Exile' which I must say was a VERY amazing series. The story was rich, the people very likeable, good music, good world, and of course more flying ships then you could shake a stick at. The interplay between the two nations and the orginally watchful 'guide' was also a very nice set up for the whole conflict.

Of course, it's hard not to notice a lot of strange aspects to the show, and having seen the last epasode, theres stil la lot of wierd thing I can't make out.

For starters, no need to miniaturize text when you explicitly put "Spoilers" in the frakking topic. That just pisses people off.

To begin with, the "World" Last Exil. Artifically constructed it seems? From the beggining theres great areas of land with not stone, but steel girders and support beams under them. There seems to be no large land masses or oceans, all a 'sea' of clouds along the bottom. At the end you see what I can only guess is their world. A green hour glass shaped thing in space.

It's explained in the series that they'd came from some other planet, and were effectively left on the world with little to no advanced technology. (The Guild apparently getting a good chunk of it). I'm not quite sure what the beams and such were myself, except perhaps as a way of regulating the atmosphere or something.

So, what? They whole thing was some sort of artifical world built with two different nations at either end?

Never really goes on to explain that, though it's been several months since I've watched the full series. I'm guessing is it was a natural world that was founded and possibly terraformed.

At what was up with 'Exile'? The thing is finally unlocked at the end, and from what I can tell, all it does is change shape into some sort of stylized women, and then eliminate the 'grand stream' between the two ends. Oh yes, then it seems to 'fly off' into Space, despite, evidently being inside some form of closed world...

That part I'm not sure about either, actually. . .

[avatarxprime]

As far as I could gather, their world was either constructed by or terraformed by Exile for some unknown reason. Based on the Mysterions its possible the humans in Last Exile are refugees from Earth and from the US specifically.
Mysterion 1:
Poem: What lies beyond the furthest reaches of the sky?
Alvis: That which will lead the lost child back to its mother's arms: Exile.

Mysterion 2:
Poem: The waves that stain the land in gold.
Alvis: The breath of blessing that nurtures life: A Land of Wheat.

Mysterion 3:
Poem: The path upon which the angels walk.
Alvis: You are the path of great winds: The Grand Stream.

Mysterion 4:
Poem: What lies beyond the furthest reaches of memory?
Alvis: The place where all were born and to where all will return: A Blue World

The first Mysterion makes me think of the refugees or colonists idea "lost child" and all. It also explains what happened to Exile in the end, it headed back to Earth. The second Mysterion is what makes me think of the US "land in gold.... A Land of Wheat." The third one just seems to indicate that the Exile created the Grand Stream, which we know based on it dissipating it. Then the 4th one "A Blue World" sure sounds like Earth. Also it being "beyond the furthest reaches of memory" would work with how no one seems to know anything about it except possibly members of The Guild.
I see it as the following: Exile leaves Earth and either finds or constructs Prester, depositing its passengers on either side of the world. After this it creates the Grand Stream as a passage way and method of controlling the planet's weather. The crew of Exile become The Guild with the task of watching over the colonists. Something happens, possibly The Guild becoming corrupt with power and trying to misuse Exile and Exile responds by wiping everyone's memories of Earth and sealing itself off from the world. The Guild then continue down the path of corruption with their relatively absolute power. As a result of their actions though Disith starts freezing and Anatoray starts becoming incredibly hot (messed with Exile's weather control ability) and this leads to the war in the series.

Wikipedia has some information regarding the background to Last Exile that, at the very least, sounds plausible and fitting, here a link

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prester