I don't understand why people think Lightning's appearance didn't make sense. I didn't play any of the FFXIII games and even I know she was in some kind of suspended state and some gods are trying to control her. Louisoix sent us five years in the future and he is a normal, although gifted, Elvaan. If something as powerful as one of the twelve gods was toying with reality, I could easily see some hiccups being seen in other places of the FF universe. I'd like to think there is something about Hydaelyn that draws these seemingly supernatural events to occur on that specific planet, but as far as I am aware there is nothing stated to support that yet.

As for people saying ARR didn't have a compelling story; I take the exact opposite position. Maybe it's because I played to the end of 1.0, but ARR had the best story line of any MMO I've played.