Quote Originally Posted by MikkoAkure View Post
snip
I had a similar interpretation, though with the view that "our" Azem wanted to preserve all life above all else; from what we see of our WoL, I envisioned them as firmly against the idea of any form of sacrifice being necessary, and set out to find their own solution to the problem. One of my main problems with the story is how this divergence is never actually touched upon, though; we actively turned away from Venat and sought to find a different answer, yet our present selves are never given the opportunity to question or express... well, anything about what happened to our past selves and the world we were a part of. I wanted to see some turmoil in our WoL about their feelings towards Hydaelyn, the fact they wiped out the last of their previous people (however necessary it might have been) or just... anything to do with what came before. Regardless of the conclusion of they came to, anything would have been better than unyielding acceptance.

I do agree on dynamis; the whole plot surrounding the Endsinger was so unnecessary when there was so much there they could have explored with the characters, their motivations, the various conflicts, and the chaos it created. They give us one short scene of grief-stricken Ancients surrounded by fire and carnage lamenting their losses to try and convey the entirety of what happened and make some attempt at justification that just didn't cut it, amidst endless stretches of filler that could have been cut to make something so much more substantial.

I'll admit, the vitriol does reach a level I've felt it necessary to step back from sometimes, and likewise I wish discussing it could stay within the realms of rationality. But there is a very real dismissiveness by the writers towards the Ancients in the story who a lot of people had grown to care for, and a powerful hypocrisy regarding the light Hydaelyn's actions are presented in versus that of the Ascians that gives rise to some strong reactions. I struggle listening to Flow without getting at least a little irritated. It was all just handled so poorly, when there was more than enough potential for an ending rivalling that of the heights of HW and ShB. I think what also makes it worse is that this is the end of it all to boot; were it an earlier expansion, the response might have been more tempered, but considering Yoshi has made a point of slamming the book shut and point blank telling us that's all there is to it, it becomes that much more a bitter pill to swallow.

As an aside, I'll also say I found Hydaelyn somewhat suspect from Minfilia's teleportation and "possession" in HW, so a darker side to her was never wildly off the cards for me.