The feeling of beeing Home ...

[Ceasaria]

I feel same, especially each time I listen to the Piano Collection (ARR-HW-SB music).
We were exploring our beloved Eorzea and then Aldenard and Othard during those expansions following the story, places and threats being in place since the 1.0.
In most of those places, I have felt a sentiment of serenity (visual, music and global ambiance) when exploring them for the first time (and the numerous times after for La Noscea, Black Shroud and Thanalan).

In Shadowbringers, the direction taken was innovative, but not incompatible with what we have. And some side quests (Trials for example) allowed us to still deal with Garlemald.
But in the First, I didn't felt the emotions from before (also my beloved healer enjoyment was gone...), or not in the same amount. I accepted it, it was well driven.

For Endwalker in the other hand...to me, it was cut in two parts, two small expansions that packed many things into one. At the result, it didn't manage to continue and end of the best possible way some stories and plots.
Furthermore, exploring two times Thavnair (a beautiful area I can see with the tribal quest) under two extreme threats, it was not what I expected at first.
I understood, because of the story, the exploration would not be peaceful, but it's a shame.
To me, we should have had a 6.0 with Isalbard focus (Nagxia, Dalmasca, Thavnair, Garlemald, another Garlemald area, and the Moon), and then 7.0 with Past / Space focus.

Like many there, I would have liked to not reconnect with others scions already at 6.1. It's very weird, especially after the goodbye speech at the end of 6.0.
Also, we are supposed to go on new adventures, right ? Can we not just chill here and there in every place we visited since 2.0 instead of already having a new threat showing up at 6.1 ?

I would love to begin 7.0 with no threat at all, having the choice to explore 3 reposing and pretty areas (cut in several parts as La Noscea, Black Shroud and Thanalan) far away with no major scion at our side at the start of the next expansion.
SE, just give me that 2.0 vibe again. It's the perfect time for it, and I want it.

[TaleraRistain]

Like many there, I would have liked to not reconnect with others scions already at 6.1. It's very weird, especially after the goodbye speech at the end of 6.0.

I didn't find it weird at all.

In Shadowbringers, we came very close to losing our friends. We the player knew that a means to get them home was going to be presented. But we the character didn't.

In Endwalker, we the player knew the Scions would be okay. But we the character didn't. That Endwalker debuff that made us walk slow wasn't just for show. We were at the lowest point of our life. We had lost everyone that was closest to us, one by one, and we couldn't do anything to stop it because we knew it had to happen. And when we get them back, we send our friends away and choose to face possible death alone.

Then we succeed and we go home. We "break up" our little party to all outward appearances, while knowing that we aren't really broken up among ourselves and we're just making it look that way to the rest of the world. We stay apart to not raise suspicions. An unknown number of months later (6.1 could have displayed this much better since we only know this from developer interviews) we find a reason to start checking up on our friends again. It makes complete sense to me that we'd want to reconnect and drag them into our shenanigans.

For me what would have been leagues weirder would be suddenly having completely new faces coming along with us with no background or foundation on why we should work with and trust them. I think they have plenty of room to have this or that Scion attending to something else in upcoming stories and gradually build our relationships with others. It seems to me that it would weaken the narrative if they're just there with very little explanation why except "cuz new".