A thought about Zenos as we move in to Endwalker

[Kesey]

Something to remember is that Zenos is the PC (Azem)'s foil - their equal and opposite.

To be more precise, the WOL and Zenos are setup to be potential foils, but two characters aren't "foiled" until one character sees the similarities between themselves and the potential foil and then chooses to be different based upon this evidence. So the WOL and Zenos haven't reached that point. And because this is a video game and every individual player is the WOL causing them to be a generic silent protagonist, the change has to come from Zenos as he will have the greater share of the dialogue.

(This also speaks to the bigger issue of too many redemption arc enemies, but what can you do when significant change has to come from the hero or villain and the hero is a silent protagonist representing a generalized real life player?)

[Lauront]

To be more precise, the WOL and Zenos are setup to be potential foils, but two characters aren't "foiled" until one character sees the similarities between themselves and the potential foil and then chooses to be different based upon this evidence. So the WOL and Zenos haven't reached that point. And because this is a video game and every individual player is the WOL causing them to be a generic silent protagonist, the change has to come from Zenos as he will have the greater share of the dialogue.

(This also speaks to the bigger issue of too many redemption arc enemies, but what can you do when significant change has to come from the hero or villain and the hero is a silent protagonist representing a generalized real life player?)

That's why I think it doesn't preclude them using the soul shards to demonstrate how certain differences in circumstances and/or choices can have very different outcomes. With that said, they could employ it not so much as your typical redemption arc, but just to underscore the whole "foil" point and provide a plot device for him to turn against Fandaniel, perhaps to his own eventual detriment.