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

[Millybonk]

• The mighty Zodiark, which has been build up as this mighty(evil) entity over several expansions, turns out to be nothing but filler trash for the first Endwalker trial
• The true cause of the Final Days is a pet-project from an ancient which goes mad after observing countless dead world and possibly causing the death of several world by projecting negative emotions unto them, and is thus dead-set on bringing despair to every world, upon which said ancient goes mad and is now letting her run her course to test humanity if they can withstand/fight despair
• Venat, who hasn't had her memory wiped + still remembers you from being in Elpis, quite apparently doesn't lift a finger to learn about Dynamis herself or to mobilize the other ancients to end Meteion then and there, and instead chooses to turn herself into Hydaelyn, sunder the world and the inhabitants, thereby forcing them to live with and face despair and gambling that their resilience against despair might be enough to face Meteion one day

Really?
This is the best SQ could do in terms of story after ShB?

[BaconBits]

Can't believe Hermes actually invented Twitter, the absolute madman.

[Khet_Fyth]

And then made it emo.

[Atreides]

Man if everyone who enjoyed the story would make a thread... But alas, most people are too busy enjoying the game. I liked the story. Thanks for your opinion I guess...?

[EverQuest]

Lots of people enjoyed it we just want to understand your reasoning and counter points. I mean people like the got ending as well..

[Syln]

Story enjoyer here, take my like since i'm too lazy to make an appraisal topic :3

[NegativeS]

The only thing I absolutely hated about the story was how they handled Zodiark. Everything else was pretty good, if a bit hammy, slightly 'power of friendship'-y, with a pinch of plot armour and a cup of macguffin.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 hours, garnish with the death of another beloved character, and serve hot.

[Averax]

The only thing I absolutely hated about the story was how they handled Zodiark. Everything else was pretty good, if a bit hammy, slightly 'power of friendship'-y, with a pinch of plot armour and a cup of macguffin.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 hours, garnish with the death of another beloved character, and serve hot.

I mean i get it with Zodiark. We've been building ourselves up for this inevitable encounter, but it was meant to feel premature. We were just there to beat him back into his prison. He wasn't supposed to die.

Do i wish that Zodiark himself had some character development? Yes. However i suppose that is just bundled up with Elidibus, isn't it. Elidibus was his core, as Venat was Hydaelyn's. So we technically defeated Zodiark before we ever met him by defeating Elidibus. Fandaniel said that Zodiark in his present state was like a feral creature running on instinct at that point without Elidibus.

[Minnel]

The only thing I absolutely hated about the story was how they handled Zodiark. Everything else was pretty good, if a bit hammy, slightly 'power of friendship'-y, with a pinch of plot armour and a cup of macguffin.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 hours, garnish with the death of another beloved character, and serve hot.

Yeah, I think they really did Zodiark dirty. He was this epic evil-god figure, until EW hit and he became a muppet.