Quote Originally Posted by MicahZerrshia View Post
I think ppl always forget that the "sacrifices" to zodiark were A: completely voluntary and B: reversable. The souls of those who empowered Zodiarc were still completely intact, we saw this first hand on the moon. Their aether was needed to summon him but the end goal was to bring them back after a more permanent power source was found. Emet did nothing but harp on that point in ShB.

Hydaelyn sacrificed everyone herself, without consulting them, in a way that was simply not reversable unless the reflections, worlds, and cultures were completely destroyed in favor for another. All because she felt she knew what was better for the millions/billions/trillions (we don't know pop numbers) of people than anyone else and instead of bringing all this knowledge to those who could possibly fix things, decided "nah, I got this" and then made the world shatter. I think there is a word for that...

And logically speaking, if the ancients had the willingness to sacrifice themselves for the good of the planet, I am sure a better solution could have been found, even if it required them to take a hit to their livelihood. Venat simply had a narcissistic personality peppered with a savior complex and it ended up getting the world and everyone/thing in it shattered, then spent millennia after gaslighting her way through to a solution that really benefited no one but her ego.
This is a good example of some of the problems with the Elpis story line. If they wanted to show that Zodiark was a problem then why not have him go on a rampage when Elidibus left him? Say Venat is good or at least not evil? Make the sundering of the star an accident. It really feels like the writers discounted the possibility of things occurring not on purpose. Every action required intention, but they forgot that intention has a much easier tie to morality questions.