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

[Skyborne]

With Garlemald and the Garleans being heavily inspired by the Roman Empire and Russian cultural elements...there was never any shortage of inspiration that the writers could have tapped into had they so desired. They added plenty of nuance over the years, too, though it was always in side quests and never in the MSQ's up until Endwalker so many cool Garlean characters such as Regula van Hydrus are as forgotten by many players as they are by the development team. Or worse yet, never seen at all since they're locked behind optional content.

Oh, they remembered Regula...

... in that instanced Sapphire Weapon fight. here I am again, hiding the pain, gahahaha!

The problem is is those good moment are dragged down hard by the rest of the game.

100%. There were some moments and characters I really liked. But...

[DormantOne]

I loved Endwalker. My favorite expansion thus far.

[IdowhatIwant]

Regula van Hydrus are as forgotten by many players as they are by the development team. Or worse yet, never seen at all since they're locked behind optional content.

They killed him off in the Warring Triad plot.

[Allegor]

I didn't like how they handled Zodiark either, but for different reasons, I think.

Considering how he was worshipped as the ancient's savior, I didn't really expect him to look so.....obviously evil. Tbh, I was kinda hoping there'd be some flashback somewhere that shows Zodiark wasn't actually a bad guy and genuinely cared about his people and had his own reasoning and views of things, and some just happen to clash with Hydaelyn's, maybe even having him - or rather, the thousands of souls that made him up - being aware that by ironically being imprisoned, they were doing the planet a favor.... (The Cluster from Steven Universe rings a bell there? lol). The whole trial could've been about trying and failing to save Zodiark from Zenos and Fandaniel, but nope, we got "generic big bad not-Satan" instead /sigh oh well....

[Rulakir]

I didn't like how they handled Zodiark either, but for different reasons, I think.

Considering how he was worshipped as the ancient's savior, I didn't really expect him to look so.....obviously evil. Tbh, I was kinda hoping there'd be some flashback somewhere that shows Zodiark wasn't actually a bad guy and genuinely cared about his people and had his own reasoning and views of things, and some just happen to clash with Hydaelyn's, maybe even having him - or rather, the thousands of souls that made him up - being aware that by ironically being imprisoned, they were doing the planet a favor.... (The Cluster from Steven Universe rings a bell there? lol). The whole trial could've been about trying and failing to save Zodiark from Zenos and Fandaniel, but nope, we got "generic big bad not-Satan" instead /sigh oh well....

Finally someone who's seen Steven Universe. Nobody ever gets my references.

I suspect virtually no thought went into Zodiark. Yoshi-P said for Endsinger he simply told Amano to draw "despair", so it wouldn't surprise me if the instructions for Zodiark were little more than draw a "dark god". Thus, we ended up with this demonic, Lovecraftian-looking thing rather than the manifestation of the Ancients' seeking salvation.

Unfortunately, I'm left to assume (especially after a recent interview) that Yoshi-P and/or team is bored with the story and want to do something else they consider interesting. Given that this is the foundation of the world's lore to have it so unceremoniously handled in EW and swept aside has been extremely disappointing.

[Ralphe2449]

Tbh my biggest issues with EW story were:

-Very little time in garlemald, it deserved both a huge map and capital and time, not this quick wrap up at the start.
-Zenos felt ignored for most of EW and the ending wasnt as satisfying.

And well, Hades did nothing wrong so we should have joined him but that is just a personal preference, outside of Venat's silly choice the story was quite decent.

[Theodric]

They killed him off in the Warring Triad plot.

I'm aware.

I was more so referring to his sacrifice and honourable streak being entirely forgotten and never referenced again after that point. The best friend of the Emperor of Garlemald being a cool, selfless guy with a reasonable streak was a very big deal - but then the game just forgets about that and never has the opportunity to bring him up during the parley scene with Varis or when it makes sense to consider that not all Garleans are terrible people like Zenos or Valens.

Even the reference to him in Werlyt was entirely surface level.

[Lucida3b]

Honestly I feel like ther is a ton of odd little issues in endwalker that i find a tad perturbed

Like for example how ultima thule's inhabitants are treated, at first the narrative makes them out to be nothing more than just like memories or puppet but as plainly seen in the sidequests or stigma dreamscape there not just that, there living beings and thats not really dwelt upon

The whole way they portray the ancients is hilarious as like... not knowing suffering, most players will probably do normal asphodelos at least so thats so blatantly and easily contradicted! and it seems to relying on mainly most people wont read the interviews....

[Lauront]

I didn't like how they handled Zodiark either, but for different reasons, I think.

Considering how he was worshipped as the ancient's savior, I didn't really expect him to look so.....obviously evil. Tbh, I was kinda hoping there'd be some flashback somewhere that shows Zodiark wasn't actually a bad guy and genuinely cared about his people and had his own reasoning and views of things, and some just happen to clash with Hydaelyn's, maybe even having him - or rather, the thousands of souls that made him up - being aware that by ironically being imprisoned, they were doing the planet a favor.... (The Cluster from Steven Universe rings a bell there? lol). The whole trial could've been about trying and failing to save Zodiark from Zenos and Fandaniel, but nope, we got "generic big bad not-Satan" instead /sigh oh well....

The appearance didn't bother me much as it did some, as I liked how fierce he looks to convey that sense of a powerful protector... plus I've always liked the chiselled jaw demonic beefcake look; not an accident that I like au ra. And also especially since they used SHB to emphasise darkness is not inherently evil and that such forms result from it (although light also creates some very... questionable looking beings), but I'll confess it is a peculiar choice since he is a primal. Someone mentioned the tentacles represent water and the wings air, but I still found the former a strange choice as well. And in practice, I'd say for their people, Hydaelyn was much closer to being the great Satan, even if she wears an angelic guise. I agree with your overall point.

And well, Hades did nothing wrong so we should have joined him but that is just a personal preference, outside of Venat's silly choice the story was quite decent.

A man after my own heart.

[Lucida3b]

As i said a while back my headcanon is that he looks less monstrous when he was complete, and this is just mutations/exaggerations