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

[PawPaw]

Short explanation: Gaia is a sundered Ancient and formerly the Ascian known as Loghrif killed by Ardbert and crew. She has now reincarnated as Ryne's Oracle of Darkness counterpart and best "gal pal".

Not to mention Eden itself being the Ascian Mitron, Loghrif's lover. Real name: Artemis.

Eden is more side content I haven't done, so unfortunately those references are lost on me as well. I hate this direction they've gone where you have to have done raid content to have a full understanding of what's happening in the MSQ. This seems to have started when Ishikawa took over writing?

Hmm, I'd say finishing the Coils of Bahamut was pretty relevant to the MSQ and that was the very start of the game. Maybe Alexander would be the least relevant directly(?), but Omega was also quite important to the MSQ.

I'm not sure how the "time flows differently" rule works, either. Almost a decade had passed between Urianger being pulled into the first and the WOL's arrival

It was five years from Thancred's arrival and three from Urianger and Y'Shtola's arrival, if I remember correctly.