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

[Lauront]

As someone who generally enjoys darker and more morally grey stories, it isn't so much the lack of a happy ending for the Ancients that bothered me so much as the sheer lack of nuance and blame directed at the character responsible for their downfall and destruction. In a game that ordinarily handles heavy topics with a bit more tact, it simply feels incredibly out of place for Venat to be presented in the way that Endwalker portrayed.

[...]

So I have to admit, I was very baffled by the stark contrast between how the Garleans were handled compared to the Ancients. Personally if it wasn't for the Garlean conclusion being better than the Ancient's finale then I would have very likely quit. The only reason I'm giving 6.1 a fair chance is because there is a good story at times mixed in with the rest of Endwalker.

Similarly here.

Where my issue arose was that there never was any justice for them. Never, after being clearly affected by the Ancients and their struggle, did the WoL ever question the person who singlehandedly ended them (Got our one dialogue option and a fat load of good that did). I genuinely think Meteion was a scapegoat to avoid this. No matter how noble Venat's intentions were, no matter how deep her guilt, I simply refuse to believe our character would nod and smile at her, a person who has done so much bad and has never answered for any of it. If the WoL opposes Emet-selch despite understanding his reasoning, why is this treatment not given to the even more dubious person? The initial aggressor? I understand not outright attacking her, because she isn't acting against Sundered life, but anything that isn't this mom-mentor nonsense they tried to sell me. I will never understand that...

But going from Shadowbringers, my feelings were basically exactly as you described. I loved the Ancients, I very much wanted to save them, but still saw it as the narratively correct choice, the choice that reflected writing integrity, so to speak, would be to leave the situation as it was, in all of its bittersweet catharsis. What happened to the Ancients was absolutely terrible, absolutely senseless, and basically irreversible, but that small, precious glint of compassion and understanding between Emet-Selch and the WoL managed to slide through the cracks nonetheless. The understanding that it was terrible and senseless and in a perfect world, we could save both, as both deserved to be saved. Those are the small victories people can grasp from the cold, indifferent nature of the universe that resonate with me - even as things are terrible and unjust and unfair, making those small spaces for kindness and understanding.

[...]

That was how I felt from 5.0, in all my admiration of it. Then the dissonance and injustice flowing from Endwalker's approach to Hydaelyn and the Ancients broke my brain and now I am quietly yet shamelessly internally clamoring for a chance to actually save them, whether through further time travel nonsense or however. Handwave it with more dynamis, I don't care! The writing integrity that mattered to me has already been largely thrown out the window by how 6.0 followed it up, so screw it, give me all the self-indulgent garbage now! I know the story, however the tone might change in response to criticism, will never concede Venat not being a good person, so I want my damn junk food consolation prize! This is what I have been reduced to.

In fairness, although I am an Ascian fan to the extent that I'd like to have seen the rejoinings completed to rectify the huge injustice perpetrated on the ancient world, I was alright with the resolution in SHB because I wasn't really expecting them to 1) spring more AUs/time travel or 2) do away with with the current state of the world via the rejoinings, even if a bloodless method of completing them were to be found (not without another 2.0, anyway.) Plus some manner of reconciliation occurred between Emet-Selch and the WoL - Elidibus's predicament was a little more dire in 5.3 but he got a good send off at least. There was also the possibility that they'd lean more into the WoL's past shard, Azem, and any role they had in assisting the 3 unsundered escape the Sundering (until it turns out Venat did that...), and perhaps finally de-couple the WoL from Hydaelyn, but yes, I thought the position SHB settled on was pretty good for the reasons both of you mention.

I agree that what makes it a really bitter pill to swallow is how they portray Venat in-game and how they close off any negative character responses to her, whatever the true position reflected in the game/interviews. But then to go and introduce yet more time travel, but use it as a time loop so as to avoid too much scrutiny around Venat's actions, rather than as an opportunity as an AU to explore the ancient world more and see how its fate if it avoided the sundering, was just adding salt to the wound...

I'm not actively clamouring for an AU but since they seem to go to so much effort, even if just narratively, to "comfort" fans of the protagonists - including the AU Ironworks - yes, I can't say I'd oppose one forming to explore the ancient world more.