WoL = Warrior of Light

So I just finished Shadowbringers and few things were very unclear to me lore-wise (or I just do not remember).

1. Would I be correct in saying that WoL is not really all that special without the 'plot armor' ? I know that WoL is chosen of the Hydelyn but that doesn't seem to do much ever since Hydelyn went quiet. How powerful is WoL as an individual without everyone quite literally falling over themselves to support WoL?

2. Does WoL always go into fights as 8 against the big bosses lore-wise? Raids seem to always be in groups of 8 but they never really tell us who the others are or where they came from. One time they did specify was with the Hades fight where they specifically state that other players were "warriors across the rifts".

3. What do those crystals that WoL 'absorbed' do? WoL seems to have absurd number of them compared to the Warrior from the First, who seems to only have one each. I do remember them being 'sealed away' my Midgardsormer temporarily to test our worth but I don't really remember the crystals doing work when they were present.