*Spoilers* Anyone feel joining Emet would have been better

[KageTokage]

The Ancients before the calamity might not have, but the ones afterwards? The ones that wanted their pure bliss back?

And I dont agree with Hermes solution at the end but I do agree with his question on what would happen if the Ancients reached their goal to create a perfect star? He even ask: Would we all die in satisfaction?

As soon as I saw the Plenty I was sure that this was a nod towards the Ancients. Just as there was a nod towards Venats later actions when Meteion talked about a planet that got rid of all suffering and basically still died because life lost its meaning.

The Convocation's repeatedly stated intent was just to bring back those who gave their lives to summon Zodiark, which in a void really didn't seem like that terrible of a thing without more context behind exactly what it was they were sacrificing. While their methods changed post-Sundering to something more blatantly reprehensible, the end goal remained consistent.

It's only in the post-Elpis cutscene that we're suddenly presented with these delusional Ancients who think Zodiark can fix everything for them.

Also, the jist I got from the people of the Plenty was that they threw away everything that could've been perceived as a source of strife, even the things that gave their lives meaning. That may have even included their very star down below judging from the fact that it's a barren, broken wasteland with what civilization was left relegated to a few isles floating above. As a result, their pursuit of "perfection" comes across as having been rather reckless compared to the Ancients who deliberated over decisions and debated at length in hopes of ensuring they were making the right choice.