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

[Rulakir]

They've basically left the ancient Azem's actions open to player interpretation for now at least and down to how their character would react, without committing to it. With that said, it'd sit ill at ease with me for my character to basically screw over their people for non-ancient life forms, if it amounted to that, which I'm not too convinced of for now, particularly because I believe they're trying to steer clear from that as the focal point given how polarising it could be. Having them be complicit in her actions would more or less be the final straw for me and I think they'd be wise to leave it as it is if that's where they're going with it.

Azem being #TeamSundering is inconsistent with what we've seen of their reincarnations as well. Neither Ardbert or the WoL would've been on board with it. It's another issue I have with them depicting Venat as they did, not only as extremely likeable but also as former Convocation and Azem's mentor, because the question then becomes why wouldn't Azem be on her side? There also isn't anything story wise that would prevent Azem from having worked with her in secret unlike with Zodiark it's made abundantly clear Azem had no hand it to the extent that they were considered a traitor and denied a memory crystal.

I think the writers/devs should've stuck with Azem absolutely not being on either side, but now they've left it ambiguous for Hydaelyn. At most we have the Anyder scene where one of her followers says Azem essentially isn't returning their calls.

But I do want to go ahead and say I think Emet’s characterization in the scene itself – and possibly, if you want to extend it, him maybe going to bat for Hermes when they brought him before the Convocation – is consistent, and I think it makes sense given what we know of him and what we’ve seen up until that point.

What are your thoughts on his scenes in Ultima Thule? It's the only part where I thought his characterization was questionable. He hated Hydaelyn in ShB, now suddenly because he knows it was Venat he's only slightly perturbed? Then there's the controversial line of "Still, you must be commended. Our methods would not have brought mankind this far." Which, upon viewing that scene again, is that even meant for Venat? Emet is looking directly at the WoL when he says it after which he says "And so, as a show of respect to the last of us (which I took to mean the WoL), I make this declaration."