*Spoilers* Anyone feel joining Emet would have been better

[Cleretic]

That left a bit of a sour taste in my mouth as well. The least they could've done was maintain a moral grey area. I could live with the story embracing "Venat did the correct thing for the wrong reasons" just fine, but that whole sweeping omnicide under the rug thing is uh... not the best path they could've taken. There was no need for all the mental gymnastics used to attempt justification. They could simply have gone with "what is done is done, and this is just the way it is" and left it at that.

They did go with that, though. Just with the extra sprinkiling of 'it turns out she was factually correct'. Not morally, but factually.

You're asking for the reverse of what they actually went with: Venat didn't do the right thing for the wrong reasons, because she did the wrong thing for the right reasons. The Sundering was bad, no bones about it, it was a horrible act that she wishes she didn't have to do, but it was the lesser evil (albeit on a scale of '7/10 is technically less than 9/10') and a decision she would stand by. It's just that's also mixing in with 'it turns out her math was right' and most of the characters being of a perspective of 'this is the world we've been given, let's make the most of it'.

Another thing worth taking into account, because I know it's coloring things for people: remember that the Scions' response of approval of Hydaelyn in Mare Lamentorum was less of a whole-hearted lift of ideals, and more of a return to their natural equilibrium after Shadowbringers shook their faith in her. Before Emet-Selch decided to do some monologues they were all pretty pro-Hydaelyn, but learning but learning what she is and what she did shook that, leaving them cautious to a level that you're actually essentially forced to say to Hydaelyn's face. Their reaction in Mare Lamentorum isn't so much joy as it is relief, as they learn that the figure they still on some level want to respect indeed did have the best intentions for what she did.

It's giving you exactly the complexity you want, just not in the direction you were expecting. And personally, I think that's interesting; I don't remember the last time I've seen a story that, essentially, stands by its justified extremist to the point where they stand on their own rather than flatly condemning them. Even FFVII backed away from giving that to Barrett.