Sundering and specific character questions. [Spoilers]

[Jandor]

And where was it stated that the new life Zodiark cultivated/renewed before the Sundering was less powerful/had less aether power than the average Ancient? I see that stated a lot, but I can’t recall where it was stated in the game itself?

I think it's mostly assumed. The Ancients seem fine with killing them, which would imply they see them as lesser, and at no point does anyone seem concerned about the idea they might not approve of being killed off, implying that the new life doesn't have any real capacity to resist the decision.

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We don't really know the nature of the new life, we mostly seem to assume it was sapient because Venat thought it worth saving. For all we know though Venat was just a nutter who was really into trees and bugs and stuff.