Conversely, I GREATLY prefer Stormblood to Dawntrail, but primarily because I was actually invested in what was happening when stuff did actually happen. But I agree, Yotsuyu, and Fordola, were vastly superior villains than Zenos, but even he got a good pay off in Endwalker. SB's pacing is abysmal, but even the golden children of HW and ShB have massive sections that drag. It's an issue FFXIV just has in sections.

As far as I'm concerned, Zoraal Ja was a damn tragedy in writing with how utterly bungled he was. He's an overpowered genetic miracle of a prince that has horrific self-worth and daddy issues that only values personal power (because that's all he has), but then we meet his siblings and said daddy and they're decent, good natured and loving people that just seem at a loss over Zoraal Ja being like that. I mean, for goodness sake, the most interesting thing about him was the whole storyline about how he only has a son because some absolute psychopath of a woman that stalked him for years attempted to baby-trap him. Which all happened in the MSQ after he died.

Imagine if the deal with Galool Ja Ja realized he messed up his true son so badly that he adopted two random children and put them through the ringer and pressed us Scions to speed-run their growth before he inevitably dies of old age and the kingdom is given over. The contest is just to make every thing look and feel legit instead of disowning Zoraal Ja and causing a cue because he's somehow popular with the people. And THAT'S when Zoraal Ja takes over Alexandria and raises hell.

I can bemoan DT forever but the moment it swapped to being all about the real Sphene in 7.2, it was such a stark jump in thought and care because of Endless Sphene having such a good set-up and the real one just being genuinely good as her own character. And that doesn't even account the little improvements and additions to gameplay and design. 7.3 is the best MSQ chunk we've had since base EW by a country mile.