I do not consider the post Elpis cutscene as a direct representation of real events. I do not consider Venat to have taken appropriate action, instead she fulfills the role of a fallen, hubristic angel than a "supreme deity."

She herself admitted that the trial she subjected humanity to was cruel, as befitting her true status. She is at the source of all suffering in Eorzea's world, on par with having committed the closest thing to the original sin. Paradise was lost because of her, and because of Hermes.

Maintaining Zodiark in his position would have fended off Meteion seemingly indefinitely, and it is only logical for the Ancients to seek to restore their own people no matter the cost to the "new life" which then either went on to cause thousands of years of human strife, or as was implied by others in another thread, may have merely been just other plants and animals that are in no way equivalent to humans.

I do not believe that the world of the Ancients would have resulted in "the Plenty" as it seems they were able to keep themselves quite busy being the creative individuals that they were. In any case, the world lost its two dominant supernatural forces and now only has the Void to keep my interest, goodness help us if these writers have G'raha Tia going to whatever version of McDonald's probably exists there as another high-budget animation sequence.