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

[Vyrerus]

On this point, it is in fact her he's praising. The EN version could be slightly clearer (although he opens his statement by referencing her), but in both FR and DE, he makes it clear that without a shadow of doubt, he is praising her:

For German, the translation is as follows:



French:



And this is in respect of her "gift of a matchmaker". I think that in fact this greatly attenuates any attempt to try present this as some concession on his part that the ancients couldn't have dealt with Meteion, because the "our methods" then is not contrasting those of an ancient to the sundered (since she, and all her methods, are based on ancient techniques/powers anyway), but of her to some other "our", which I believe can be taken as the Ascians.

...nonetheless, I think it breached character to let her off so lightly given the suffering she put them through and this felt like Yoshi shoving his head into the screen to speak through Emet.

Francais getting all sexual. Hon hon hon!

[Kazhar]

...nonetheless, I think it breached character to let her off so lightly given the suffering she put them through and this felt like Yoshi shoving his head into the screen to speak through Emet.

Considering that not even a few minutes after, Emet is used as a spokeperson to hype future content, I find this likely.
This is the reason why this entire scene is one of my least favorite in the game. Emet-Selch barely feels like a character there. It felt more similar to those weird meta endings where the dev team self-insert themselves to personally congratulate you for completing the game.

[PawPaw]

Also back for the patch more out of curiosity rather than any belief that it will truly surprise me. I've already seen the trailer with Useless'htola fawning over the memory of Hydaelyn, so my expectations are rock bottom. I'm always open to being pleasantly shocked and surprised though, so maybe a miracle will happen! Anyway, here's to little Themis and the Ancients, the remnants of their story are the only reason I continue to follow this game.

Plus I need my Emet minion.

[Causante]

It's much in the same way that the "fixed" primal summoning we do using up the Mothercrystal, aether that Hydaelyn has literally been sitting on for eons, and techniques untainted by Ascians don't temper anyone. The Lopporits say that the primal summoning we had seen up to that point were purposefully designed to temper people. Zodiark tempered because he was built on such a massive scale with his aether deeply aspected to darkness that he couldn't help but make the aether of those around him tip into darkness and thus be tempered. Hydaelyn wasn't on the same scale, though was built the same, and she also doesn't physically roam around the world greeting people in person so there's not really any point where she could have tempered people.

If she could temper people from the Mothercrystal, then literally the entire world is tempered because the lifestream all congregates around where she lives and everyone's aether would be marked with hers when they die and are eventually reincarnated.


Granted, a lot of the explanation of tempering and primals that was brought to light in EW sounded like the writers trying to write themselves out of a hole of their own making, but at least they tried explaining it and didn't leave it completely to wild interpretation.

I do think that Hydaelyn should be capable of tipping the sundered aether into light since she is able to interact with the player character, possess Krille and even vanish Minfilia. The people that were exposed to her powers should show some signs at least. But it is indeed the truth that they tried to give a reason why the tempering does not happen in some cases. I just found it hard to reason with and very unsatisfying.

In the end, I don't think it would be better if it had happened either, but I also think that making Hydaelyn a primal was a mistake if this was the kind of story they were going with. Because in the end, the game tells you constantly that summoning primals to solve your problems is bad and should be avoided at all costs, but just in this very specific case that they show right near the end of the story arc when the right people do it the right way it is okay.

I would also like to thank you for your thoughtful reply that made me reflect on things that I did not think on too much before.

[myahele]

About her tempering capabilities, I do agree that Zodiark was the superior summon by far, but Hydaelyn still is an unsundered primal summoned by unconventional strengthening methods (soul sacrifice) so I still think it's very odd how most primal rules don't apply to her specially in regard to sundered life given the strong difference in aether.

According to the Watchman, Hydaelyn also sundered herself too.

[Misplaced_Marbles]

According to the Watchman, Hydaelyn also sundered herself too.

That's dumb, since how would she continue in her purpose if she forgot what her purpose was? Unless she created an attack for a specific purpose and instead of making it not affect her at all, she just made it not wipe her memory nor regress her brain back to stone age. Regardless, that's freaking dumb.

[Larirawiel]

According to the Watchman, Hydaelyn also sundered herself too.

Really? This makes the story even dumber. Because it means, every rejoining does not only strengthen Zodiark, it strengthens Hydaelyn too. So when all rejoinings would be complete, Hydaelyn would be propably be able to sunder Zodiark again. And the second thing is, we propably did not kill Hydaelyn completely. There are parts of her on other shards.


Cheers

[Aneshda]

Really? This makes the story even dumber. Because it means, every rejoining does not only strengthen Zodiark, it strengthens Hydaelyn too. So when all rejoinings would be complete, Hydaelyn would be propably be able to sunder Zodiark again. And the second thing is, we propably did not kill Hydaelyn completely. There are parts of her on other shards.


Cheers

The Realm of the Goods Cutscene 1

I am Byregot, the Builder.
Let there be no doubt: we are not simulacra born of mortal faith.
Nay, we Twelve are divinities true.
And in Hydaelyn's absence, we are the star's rightful rulers. It's will.
Closely have we watched mankind.


This sounds for me that Hydaelyn is still there and will come back. If you check the Omphalos, there are 6 small "Gates" for the Twelve. Each Gate is for 2 of them but then there is this large Gate, no signs on that one ... Where does that Gate lead? Who awaits us there? I say Hydaelyn. Cause Emet Selch said in Ultima Thule "Of course. The encore is finished, and I will not suffer myself to live again by Hydaelyn's magick."

[RyuDragnier]

That's dumb, since how would she continue in her purpose if she forgot what her purpose was? Unless she created an attack for a specific purpose and instead of making it not affect her at all, she just made it not wipe her memory nor regress her brain back to stone age. Regardless, that's freaking dumb.

Well if she was going to try and not alter the timeline much at all due to knowing what comes, it'd be the best bet to avoid inconsistencies that could mess with the time loop needed for us to go back in time. Yes, this is convoluted as hell, and very silly.

[Theodric]

Well...either she's even more of a laughable mary sue due to being able to avoid the negative effects of being sundered for no real reason...or she's able to selectively sunder something.

If it's the latter that just makes her look even worse since instead of engaging in a campaign of genocide and setting the table for even more to take place at the behest of the Ascians she could have simply selectively sundered a few trusted individuals and sent them after Meteion. Which is likely something the Convocation would have agreed to had she actually bothered to speak with them and forewarn them of her misguided concerns.

Neither the sundered or humanity in our world - other than isolated self loathing individuals amongst either group - would accept the genocide of their respective races, loved ones and civilisations so there's no reason for the Ancients to be expected to do so either.