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

[Simple_Barghest]

All I gotta say is. I started playing towards the beginning of Shadowbringers, and all I would hear from both my own friends playing this game and from a massive fucking HOST of other players?
"Hydaelyn is 100% going to be the final boss that's how FF always works."
"She's evil, calling it now."
"Look man Emet-Selch STANS always know."

I was basically the one in my group who kept suggesting that maybe Hydaelyn was legitimately trying to be good, but the writing quality of ARR and Heavensward prevented this. Multiple times, it seemed like she should've had relevance in more of ARR -> HW and patch content that didn't revolve around Minfilia being sacc'd -> SB -> ShB, but was never allowed by the writers to actually DO anything.
We get to Endwalker where we finally get to see Venat and Hydaelyn, and it's more piss-poor writing coupled with a veneer of Big-Good over a picture of "Holy shit how can this person be anything but an antagonist in any other Final Fantasy game."

So I tell my friends.
And now I tell you people.

Congratulations. You got a villainous Hydaelyn.
You got your Mommy Crystal Genocidaelyn. Your big evil angelic mommy milker crystal of sundering.

Was it worth it?


Edit:
And also, friendly reminder that the Live Letter Q&A outright stated that trailers are made before any plot is established.
So yknow.
The story was never going to make any fucking sense following that logic.

[Teraq]

Congratulations. You got a villainous Hydaelyn.
You got your Mommy Crystal Genocidaelyn. Your big evil angelic mommy milker crystal of sundering.

Was it worth it?

It might have been if they had actually committed to it, instead of... what we got. I wanted to kick her face in for what she's done, but instead all I got was a friendly little test of my might while I was left to ponder this convoluted and unsatisfying plot as Y'shtola patted her on the back because Dynamis. At least I didn't have to suffer the day 3 DPS queue because it was trust compatible!

I can enjoy villains that are awful people as long as they are fun and entertaining, but there was no fun or entertainment, merely preaching about 'ummm sweaty, this was all for the best, deal with it'.

Along with everyone treating her like a hero, this was her other biggest crime as far as I'm concerned tbh. I could take pre-ShB Emet, Butler Fandaniel clowning around and Nabriales stroking Minfilia's face like a Saturday morning cartoon villain – I'd say I'm pretty easy to please – but even if we consider her something of a villain I just find her boring at it. Come on sis, FLAUNT IT!

[Lauront]

Along with everyone treating her like a hero, this was her other biggest crime as far as I'm concerned tbh. I could take pre-ShB Emet, Butler Fandaniel clowning around and Nabriales stroking Minfilia's face like a Saturday morning cartoon villain – I'd say I'm pretty easy to please – but even if we consider her something of a villain I just find her boring at it. Come on sis, FLAUNT IT!

The one thing she did which amused me was the similarities between Minfilia and Argos. That's quite the bold statement to make.