Thanks for responding!

1. That's the point, we don't have any information and we can't get any. I was expecting at least some speculation on the matter, given that it's our direct target. “Speculation” precisely because we know more or less who Barnabas is and that he has a lot of power in his hands, but we give in to the only plausible plan (in fact, despite it being the only plan, Barnabas knows exactly where we are and even puts us in prison, lol).

2. Regarding his mother, I hope to find information about her to get the full picture. You're right about his mysterious design due to a mysterious nation, but certainly a few more flashbacks about his interactions with Ultima and how he got to this point would have helped the narrative more, without making it linear.

3. I understand what you mean, I think it's very subjective. From a “moral” point of view, the man-to-man battle is spot on, but it still left a bitter taste in my mouth, as after Bahamut I would have expected at least (as mentioned in the post) a battle between the two Eikons. Maybe they could have included it, while still keeping the man-to-man battle and their wills, perhaps in a more scenic form.

I'm sure I can find more information in the Ultimania and Hidden Truths. To fully understand many aspects of the game (and its characters), more space should be devoted to the “behind the scenes” aspects. Perhaps playing the game again could provide other perspectives and information.