I kind of get the impression they're using the idea of shards just in case they want to prolong XIV for years to come.

Not against it or anything, keeps things fresh. This expansion feels like a "disc two" of sorts since we are taking a break from the empire and focus on lore and world building and having our fellow scions go through some much needed development.

Really curious who will take the mantle of big bad at the end of 5.0. Will Elidibus slip away again or will Zenos do something so insane to hasten the rejoining and we need to stop him? Or will a new big bad finally be revealed? Was under the impression that Emet was the mastermind since SB with the way the presented him.