It all felt rather convoluted to me.

Personally I got into FFXIV back in ARR and HW because it avoided most of the typical JRPG tropes in favour of a more measured and realistic approach. Over time, it has grown more and more distant from that model.

Furthermore, an overreliance on time travel and alternate universes is exactly what turned me off of WoW's story elements.

You have my gratitude, though - it's genuinely good to see it isn't just a 'me' thing and that others feel similarly!