Character disconnect and disappointing Player Agency in Dawntrail's MSQ [Spoilers]

[Astrus]

Having finished the MSQ the other day and taken some time to reflect on it I wholeheartedly agree.
How disastrous our involuntary involvement in the whole thing turned out to be for a lot of parties aside this time they really dropped the ball on giving us even the illusion of choice.

The MSQ used to be the highlight of an expansion/major patch for me, this time it actively pushed me to skip through MSQ dialogue in the final zone. I certainly hope Wuk Lamat falls into the same narrative black hole Lyse disappeared into after ascending to a leadership position and isn't gong to be around for much of the future story.
How railroaded this whole expansion felt really started to grate at some point, especially during the final stretches. In one of the old dialogues there's a tongue-in-cheek answer we can pick that essentially says "It's not going to matter what I say anyway, right?" parts of the dialogue "choices" really brought that memory back and essentially caused me to check out of the narrative, just pushing through the nonsense to unlock game systems that hopefully are still going to be worth it.
The final dialogue with Cahciua comes to mind
"Shut the thing down"
1. Yes.
2. I don't want to do this.
3. There has to be another way.
"There has to be another way (and I can name at least 4 angles to look at)."
"No. I don't want to hear it, plot dictates there's no other way."
1. Yes.
2. I don't want to do this.
"I don't want to do this."
"I don't care, I want you to do it."
1. Yes.
"Yes. (Because I'm out of options to click)"
"I'm glad you agree"
(I don't, the game just leaves me no choice)

That and the whole Wuk Lamat power of friendship thing really soured me on the expansion.
Look hairball, you're a client at best and a burden at worst. We most definitely are not friends. You've done nothing to earn my friendship. In fact you've earned my contempt, the only character in this game I despise more is Zenos who overstayed his welcome for at least one full expansion.

My headcanon now is that none of this MSQ happened this way, after crafting all those Manderville weapons last expansion my WOL went clubbing with Gerolt and this whole MSQ experience has been one long, alcohol-fueled delirium.

[Chasingstars]

My headcanon now is that none of this MSQ happened this way, after crafting all those Manderville weapons last expansion my WOL went clubbing with Gerolt and this whole MSQ experience has been one long, alcohol-fueled delirium.

Gerolt: "Hey WoL, you really got to try this new world spirits, its made with cactus juice."
WoL drinks it down, gets drunk, goes on a hallucinogenic drug trip that is just Dawntrail.

[RabendaShin]

The final dialogue with Cahciua comes to mind
"Shut the thing down"
1. Yes.
2. I don't want to do this.
3. There has to be another way.
"There has to be another way (and I can name at least 4 angles to look at)."
"No. I don't want to hear it, plot dictates there's no other way."
1. Yes.
2. I don't want to do this.
"I don't want to do this."
"I don't care, I want you to do it."
1. Yes.
"Yes. (Because I'm out of options to click)"
"I'm glad you agree"
(I don't, the game just leaves me no choice)

It feels very hamfisted. On one hand I can understand they put it like this... but we've had better options before, and I do feel the Disney-like pruned localisation is also messing with how the message is conveyed.

Look hairball, you're a client at best and a burden at worst. We most definitely are not friends. You've done nothing to earn my friendship.

Well put, this is how I felt any time she mentioned our supposed 'friendship'.

My headcanon now is that none of this MSQ happened this way, after crafting all those Manderville weapons last expansion my WOL went clubbing with Gerolt and this whole MSQ experience has been one long, alcohol-fueled delirium.

If only... the fun we could have had.

My headcanon is that the storm happened, Wuk went overboard, and next patch we'll wake up in a cart like in Skyrim, to get our promised adventure in the wilds of Tural.