Yo, Heavensward MSQ owned BECAUSE Estinien and Ysayle were so at each other's throats, meanwhile Alphinaud was working through some crap so he wasn't his normal haughty self and had a rough time trying to control the situation.

I think the Scions are... fine, but they're not really interesting. Even in ShB where they've been the best they've been and there was some strife between Y'sh, Uri and Thancred centered on Ryne and trusting the Exarch, they were outshined by Ardbert, the Exarch and Emet. In 5.1 and beyond, they've worked through all their crap and are still around so there's not much direction they can go in.

The story just works better when there's conflict central in the main cast, too. I don't really feel fulfilled the same when the conflicts being resolved are whose burger Alisae is going to steal, or Estinien is dumb with money, or Y'shtola is a recovering magical girl or whatever.

We know they're sticking around because of the trust and duty support systems now, too, so them threatening to kill them just falls flat unless they really draw me in, and after abandoning an idea as crazy as 'In from the Cold' within the span of a duty and a cutscene, I doubt they have the guts to actually tell that story anymore.