How can Venat be the previous Azem?

[Kuroka]

You have to remember that the cutscene with Venat/Hydaelyn that plays after the Elpis zone is completed is metaphorical and not a literal representation of the chronological events.
As evidenced by the fact that the Final Days was still ongoing (as evidenced by the sky) despite Zodiark having already been summoned. It was a condensed depiction of all the major events, not a literal play-by-play. And then last scene with Venat forging on and getting covered in shadow/darkness was an even further abstraction/metaphor of how the later 7 rejoinings weakened her even further.

But thats exaclty why i dislike it a lot... it paints venat in a way too good light, adds drama... she wasnt alone for the most part - and as we literally saw on zodiark she should not be alone at all as the souls of her followers should be well inside her primal form.

It paints the others as maniacs that would kill everyone and themselfs only to restore the old glory, while in fact the plan was to take a part of the ne life to restore the souls in zodiark. While not ok, its still a bitter taste to show em like that...