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

[Teraq]

It's another issue I have with them depicting Venat as they did, not only as extremely likeable but also as former Convocation and Azem's mentor, because the question then becomes why wouldn't Azem be on her side?

On that particular point, I seem to recall it is our Azem that describes her as a "warm person yet simultaneously distant", as relayed by... Hythlo? My brain is mush today. I've always found this line to paint her in a very ambivalent way, and personally I choose to interpret it as Azem knowing her better than most, which might be exactly why they might not immediately jump to her side.

Reviewing my screenshots, I can (unfortunately) confirm Emet's line in Ultima Thule was meant for Venat. 3rd person gendered female in French, my WoL is male. As for "a show of respect to the last of us (which I took to mean the WoL)", well...

Here, I'm handing you back the copium still.

Oh, ohh, I know what plausibly makes it very coherent in-universe: de-tempering via death combined with Zodiark's. Look, I hate it, but...