Zavala’s character wasn’t ruined. He’s been on a downward spiral since the Red War and I think him being able to set all of that aside and lead the Coalition to victory on the field against the Witness is an action that speaks to the strength of his character. I just wish they showed us a bit more of the battle between the Coalition and the Witness’s forces, give us a bit of a outside the Black Gate type preamble before they see the Light from our final attack on the Witness, celebrating as the enemy is broken before we then cut to the usual Excision cutscene with us and our Ghost. You want to talk about a character that was ruined, look at Osiris. The most interesting development he ever got wasn’t even him.

I will fervently disagree on the Zavala point. I think his weakness was on full display during the nightmare season, and I thought there was solid resolution. To continue to break him down, in my opinion, brought significantly less value and did not have the payout I imagine the writers were hoping for. I see Zavala as the wall of the city who has cracked, but built himself back after the aforementioned season. I will not disagree on Osiris - they pretty much have not explored his character at all, imo.

I’d agree if Haunted wasn’t focused on his guilt. That season is dealing with a very specific issue, which he dealt with, but that specifically continued the ‘Zavala is losing faith in the Traveler’ story. It even ends with him grieving his wife a second time.

Imo I would prefer one or the other - the haunt left on a solid note of coming to terms with the past, however TFS beat a dead horse (pun intended). I do not find that the story needed to bring Zavala down twice, fully breaking down his ability to lead. Sure, at the complete end of TFS was he able to come to terms, but the ride there wasn’t enjoyable. The resolution was not welcome, similar to the feeling of Amanda dying - no reason for it, in my opinion.

Zavala’s ability to lead wasn’t the issue in TFS, it was the inability of those under his command to see his lead for what it was, instead of assuming he was being deceived by his grief. Plus I think I’d argue Amanda’s death was a low point for the storytelling of this game post Beyond Light, alongside Lightfall. The fact Amanda, the Shipwright, died during a self destruct of a Cabal Base because she decided to infiltrate it was ridiculous. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Amanda should’ve been picking the Guardian up and dropping us off like she did during Red War as we attack the Cabal Fleet, only to be shot down and killed before our eyes during the opening mission. Raise the stakes and she dies in her element. Bonus points if we actually got some dialogue between her and Crow confirming that she’d actually gotten over him lying about being Uldren and being her typical fearless self despite the situation.

Haunted saw Zavala's deep personal scars finally start to heal, as well as his own burdens he places on himself like a continual feeling of failure to defend the City, protect the Traveller, protect the Light...it all started to heal. The broken pieces and cracks started to mend. Then the Witness came along and tore those fresh scabs right off and poked the wounds with a hot iron.

I mean hell this isn't even his first emotional crisis he's had on us, back in "season of the Splicer" he had one when the eliksni that moved into the tower revealed to him that in their culture Saint-14 specifically is seen as the "Boogeyman" to them which shouldn't be such a suprise considering the man did spend centuries hunting and killing them.