What's the point with that quite lackluster story in Endwalker?

[Imperius_Relampago]

Hm, where did she know that from? Zodiark was what was preventing a repeat.

From our PC. They told Venat and co an entire history of FFXIV from when we arrived to Eorzea to the moment we arrived in Elpis. We were told by the Ascians that Hydaelyn Sundered the world and Zodiark. She has a second hand account of everything that would happen after she Sundered the world. On the bridge, she asked us; "In the future is the world still beautiful?" (All our options are a yes, with the last option being that we find the Unsundered World more beautiful). When we give her our answer (I chose option 1), she says she "could hear the glimmer in our eyes, and the adoration in our voice" and then she wished to know of our adventures while we waited. She even said, and I quote; "By learning about the future world, I may gain insight into future me's plans". We then told her about our adventures. Every battle, every dungeon, every sidequest, every delight. She already knew about all the MSQ stuff from when we told her, Emet-Selch and Hythlodaeus about the events leading up to Endwalker, with Emet going off in a huff at the man he becomes. She finally asked; "You, who are our future... Tell me this and tell me true. Has your journey been good? Has it been worthwhile?" before being interrupted by the archivist (Go to The Unending Journey and view the "Witness to the Spectacle" cutscene). Our very presence in the past showed Hydaelyn that Sundering the world and Zodiark would leave Etherys at peace for a time, and that choosing us, the PC, would protect the world from the threats we described when we recounted our tales to her.

It wasn't a gamble. She didn't gamble on mankind maybe living through the Sundering. After you tell her your tales of adventure, she states; "Yours is a hard and unforgiving world. Yet in spite of this, your brethren hold fast to their virtue. To know that the light of mankind's potential still shines, even in that faraway place... It gives me heart". She knew the world would be fine up until the Final Days began again. She evens says that so long as her people need help, she couldn't return to the star. When we fought Hydaelyn, we were fighting to show her that we had the strength to overcome despair. If we failed, we were to flee Etherys. If we succeeded, Hydaelyn/Venat would return to the star, as she knew that her people were finally safe in our hands. That was Hydaelyn's/Venat's final trial; To showcase our strength and resolve to protect Etherys, to ensure her people would remain safe in our care.

[Lauront]

From our PC. They told Venat and co an entire history of FFXIV from when we arrived to Eorzea to the moment we arrived in Elpis. We were told by the Ascians that Hydaelyn Sundered the world and Zodiark. She has a second hand account of everything that would happen after she Sundered the world. On the bridge, she asked us; "In the future is the world still beautiful?" (All our options are a yes, with the last option being that we find the Unsundered World more beautiful). When we give her our answer (I chose option 1), she says she "could hear the glimmer in our eyes, and the adoration in our voice" and then she wished to know of our adventures while we waited. She even said, and I quote; "By learning about the future world, I may gain insight into future me's plans". We then told her about our adventures. Every battle, every dungeon, every sidequest, every delight. She already knew about all the MSQ stuff from when we told her, Emet-Selch and Hythlodaeus about the events leading up to Endwalker, with Emet going off in a huff at the man he becomes. She finally asked; "You, who are our future... Tell me this and tell me true. Has your journey been good? Has it been worthwhile?" before being interrupted by the archivist (Go to The Unending Journey and view the "Witness to the Spectacle" cutscene). Our very presence in the past showed Hydaelyn that Sundering the world and Zodiark would leave Etherys at peace for a time, and that choosing us, the PC, would protect the world from the threats we described when we recounted our tales to her.

Okay, I am going to ask again. Where is it specifically stated that the Sundering bought them time against the Final Days, as opposed to Zodiark remaining in place as a shield? Her own henchman, the Watcher, specifically states that her summoners left Zodiark in place rather than unmaking him because of that (although bizarrely they opposed his very creation according to the same dialogue...)

It wasn't a gamble. She didn't gamble on mankind maybe living through the Sundering. After you tell her your tales of adventure, she states; "Yours is a hard and unforgiving world. Yet in spite of this, your brethren hold fast to their virtue. To know that the light of mankind's potential still shines, even in that faraway place... It gives me heart". She knew the world would be fine up until the Final Days began again. She evens says that so long as her people need help, she couldn't return to the star. When we fought Hydaelyn, we were fighting to show her that we had the strength to overcome despair. If we failed, we were to flee Etherys. If we succeeded, Hydaelyn/Venat would return to the star, as she knew that her people were finally safe in our hands. That was Hydaelyn's/Venat's final trial; To showcase our strength and resolve to protect Etherys, to ensure her people would remain safe in our care.

Yes, I am familiar with the dialogue. The fact that she is deciding it through a trial is a gamble in and of itself.