Wow, Wuk Lamat is really single-handedly ruining the DT story...

[BakoolJaJa]

I think people should stop fixating on "they should let the scions go", which is a superficial issue. It's not the core problem. They are all our friends, if the devs have brains that allow them to write well, they can legitimately come adventuring with us if they like, since as you said they are "free people", why can't free people join us? And why can't they have new stories too? I mean the devs can choose not to, but that's not inevitable no matter what people claim. People who dislike these characters will like to not see them, that's totally understandable, but that's a separate issue. There are tons of characters I don't like seeing again, doesn't mean if the devs have chosen to they can't make more new stories for them, my taste notwithstanding.

The fundamental problem is that the devs no longer know how to write ANY characters and stories in a not "in-your-face" and superficial way. There are tons of new characters this expansion, I don't see this new cast of characters being written any better. No matter whether they write the scions or not, if they don't wrestle back the ability to actually WRITE, nothing will work.

Exactly this. Without what little presence of good written scions (Estinien) there is in this expansion, it frankly falls completely apart. The scions are already barely there, but the new characters fail at being compelling. People need to stop calling for removal of scions when all we'll be left with is Wuk Lamat. Start calling for good writing instead. This goes for new and OLD characters, scions being poorly written is merely a symptom of a much bigger issue. And frankly this became crystal clear already during the Zero patches. Some scions were not there at all, some barely there, and only a few actually had a central role (which is perfectly fine on its own). But once again the newly introduced character simply didn't deliver.

[CamuiKushi]

Still though, I found the scene just as cheap and contrived as when the Domans showed up at exactly the right time to help the Ala Mhigans at the end of SB. It would would have worked better if there was some leadup to it. Perhaps we should have seen Koana sending representatives to all the major nations to petition them for help; watched him anxiously waiting for news, and when when all hope seemed lost, Vrtra arrives. It's an old story, but it works.

Reading your comment made me realise Alphinaud could still work. But it shouldn't have been to Radz-at-Han. It should have been Garlemald. Throughout the whole game we've had people coming to our rescue against Garlemald. It'd flip the script!
Alphi was there helping them rebuild during the patches. He was trying to get them to make trade agreements with other nations to rebuild.

Imagine how powerful it would have been for the remnants of the Garlean Empire to come save Tural during its darkest hour. It would have actually made Alphi and Ali's time there during the patches well spent.

Exactly this. Without what little presence of good written scions (Estinien) there is in this expansion, it frankly falls completely apart. The scions are already barely there, but the new characters fail at being compelling. People need to stop calling for removal of scions when all we'll be left with is Wuk Lamat. Start calling for good writing instead. This goes for new and OLD characters, scions being poorly written is merely a symptom of a much bigger issue. And frankly this became crystal clear already during the Zero patches. Some scions were not there at all, some barely there, and only a few actually had a central role (which is perfectly fine on its own). But once again the newly introduced character simply didn't deliver.

For me it's a matter of "If this is what they're going to do to the scions, I would rather they left them alone."