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

[Ixon]

snip

I am very much appreciative of the information given and am learning quite a bit. The only part that still confuses me is the constant mention of "prayer" in regards to Zodiark. The dialogue of Emet-Selch in the Ravel's Keep dungeon holds Zodiark in much higher regard than a creation or tool to stop the Final Days, but much more of a deity. Unsure if I am reading into it wrong, but seeing Zodiark referred to as "Him" with a capital "H" like some religions do, saying "His grace". "A savior mighty and magnificent, deserving of reverence and gratitude" really doesn't sound like something the Emet we meet on Elpis would say, which is why I am still locked on Zodiarks tempering of others. Though to be fair he also mentions how "they fought, and they fought, and they fought." which does not appear to be what happens in the cutscene we see, so both could be explained by a change in story direction.

Reading further into the plan with Zodiark though(correct me if I am wrong), it seems on the final step they were planning on sacrificing the new life brought back to Etheirys with the power of Zodiark to bring back the souls of the Ancients used to summon Zodiark initially? If so, perhaps it was that choice of sacrificing other life of Etheirys for the sake of the Ancients that both Venat(the previous Azem) and the current Azem disagreed with, both being the "Traveler" and holding life outside of the Ancients in much higher regard? On top of the preferred faith of the "future" against Metion. Though I could be missing information in this logic.