What's the point with that quite lackluster story in Endwalker?

[Skyborne]

On that point, did it bother anyone else that Venat as Hydaelyn seemed kinda okay with her memories unlike Elidibus? I mean, okay, so there are quite a few reasons you might come up with to explain why it would only be Elidibus (splitting from Zodiark, Zodiark being sealed, "saving the world" being a more frequent and vague wish than whatever the prayer to Hydaelyn truly is), but prior to EW I had been thinking she would retain little of her human identity, because she didn't seem to have any active means of refreshing her memory like Elidibus did – and also, I didn't think she would particularly care about retaining her human memory in the first place, given how highly she ended up thinking of her brethren lol.

It struck me as really weird, too, especially given that the Watcher on the moon explicitly states that she was sundered along with everything else. She also goes on about what a tough foe Zodiark was and that she barely won -- but he's the one who looks all battle-scarred and with visible chunks taken out of him while she is pretty and flawless and clean. Hmm.

Fandaniel stuff

The 'uplifting' story is supposed to make us believe these soft weewoos deserved it for having a nice peaceful prosperous society that, for all we know because we got absolutely 0 history, they had struggled and built up. After all, that shade in Amaurot who lectures us on our outfit indicates that the Ancients were more than capable of feeling envy, hate, etc., and that the feeling of unity was supposed to minimize that and their whole society was built around bringing out the best in people. But yeah, they're apparently beyond hope and might hurt themselves! The sundered killing and raping across the countryside and nearly wiping out unicorns and gorillas, etc., though, they are just children who don't know any better, uwu.

Also, I think they tried too hard with Fandaniel/Amon... felt like an attempt to make Emet 2.0 complete with funny clown dancing because people loved Emet's flamboyant Jojo poses, right? (funnily enough I recall most people hating the guy before ShB... I myself didn't like the Garlemald as an ascian plot reveal either)

[Teraq]

The 'uplifting' story is supposed to make us believe these soft weewoos deserved it for having a nice peaceful prosperous society that, for all we know because we got absolutely 0 history, they had struggled and built up.

I remember a mention somewhere of Etheirys being a wild and hostile place before they made it actually liveable.

After all, that shade in Amaurot who lectures us on our outfit indicates that the Ancients were more than capable of feeling envy, hate, etc., and that the feeling of unity was supposed to minimize that and their whole society was built around bringing out the best in people. But yeah, they're apparently beyond hope and might hurt themselves!

Yeah, that and their laws on creation magic, rigorous testing of living concepts, Emet's mention of Kairos being dangerous and that its existence might aggro Pashtarot... all make sense when you consider pretty much any one of them could come up with a creation that might wind up wiping out entire planets throughout the cosmos. The fact they seemed to be living in peace in spite of what they could do to each other is a real testimony to how good (or reasonably acting like it) they were tbh.

The sundered killing and raping across the countryside and nearly wiping out unicorns and gorillas, etc., though, they are just children who don't know any better, uwu.

Wait... the sundered made wars... were susceptible to disease...

Oh dear, it's the Dead Ends strawmen civilisations! Tangible proof that the sundered do not deserve to live, just like Ancients and the Plenty. /s

[Lauront]

Yeah, that and their laws on creation magic, rigorous testing of living concepts, Emet's mention of Kairos being dangerous and that its existence might aggro Pashtarot... all make sense when you consider pretty much any one of them could come up with a creation that might wind up wiping out entire planets throughout the cosmos. The fact they seemed to be living in peace in spite of what they could do to each other is a real testimony to how good (or reasonably acting like it) they were tbh.

That's why they're so remarkable for such beings, IMO - they went above and beyond what you'd expect to ensure their powers were channelled into positive uses.