*Is* there motherly reverence in the earlier games? Maybe for certain mother figures (Edea comes to mind, and -- in a twisted kind of way -- Jenova), but I don't know if I recall it as a theme.

It might not be a coincidence that FFX is the first Sakaguchi game.

I'm not familiar with Lost Odyssey at all, except from hearing you and Rina talk about it. How is it?