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

[Brinne]

I don’t really see this wiggle room personally. Like i’ve mentioned before, we are typically only given negative responses to the ascians, like in 5.3 where we can only really say to Elidibus his people are dead and he’s next, or now in pandemonium where my character scowls every single time Lahabrea’s name is mentioned. I don’t really see this as strong or defined. For a game that constantly pushes the message of morality is subjective and the story isn’t black and white, our responses to a specific group are consistently negative.

When I say wiggle room, I'm talking about exploring nuance, mostly, not big in-game decisions or concrete dialogue choices. A friend of mine compare our WoLs constantly, and they're very different characters overall, even though they both fit into that broad umbrella of "quiet, passive, humble, and kind." They even both incorporate the DRK aspect of "struggling with being a hero," but it takes different shapes. We have a lot of fun with it.

Anyway, playing devil's advocate a bit with the Ascians, I remember back in Shadowbringers there was definitely a group who hated the fact that the WoL would always nod to Emet-Selch's request at the end, to the point of trying to "fix" it through fanart by having their WoL, like, spit in his face instead. I loved it. I love that Shadowbringers gives you no choice but to be the capstone on the thematic triumphs of Shadowbringers in showing kindness and respect to the hero on the opposite side of the field. If you had the option to reject him, I think ShB would have been much weaker for it, honestly.

Similarly, every time I revisit WoL's reactions to Emet-Selch in Elpis, I just laugh at the sheer audacity and hilarity of it. (I also completely loved this in every way.) They are so hung up on him. Emet-Selch mentions early on that WoL can't stop staring at him. They look super sad when Emet snarks back at them about "Emet-Selch didn't do a proper job with my aether!" They're so bothered after Emet throws his tantrum and leaves that they linger on his ~abandoned teacup~, and are so bothered that Venat notices and tries to comfort them that she's sure Emet-Selch won't actually leave them in the cold. They have a huge reaction when they see Emet later and Emet admits, in his tsundere way, that he's supporting them in investigating their story. They will reach out to him in anguish as he's left behind in Ktisis. They will clench their fists in continued agony at the confirmation he has lost his memory. They will be so very sad at him not choosing to live again in Ultima Thule Emet-Selch has to stop on his way out and comfort them.

In 5.3, yes, we're harsh with Elidibus in that moment, because the writing is trying to further force the parallel of you = Emet-Selch. Then we kneel next to him and offer him all the Ascian memory crystals to comfort him, we have the option to say "I'm not sure if I did the right thing" in regards to killing him, the option to tell Estinien you'll keep trying to reach out to the Ascians in Azys Lla, and the option to tell Elidibus "I'm sorry" in Crystal Tower 6.0. You will always oppose Elidibus and kill him, just like Emet-Selch, but there is absolutely room to feel awful about it and doubt yourself for it. More room than with Emet, because with Elidibus, you get the option to not to! Your WoL is going to be hung up on Emet-Selch whether you like it or not.

Lahabrea I have no particular commentary on because as soon as I hear his name my brain collapses into a mess of memes. We'll see how Pandaemonium rolls out, I guess!