Agreed.

EDIT: Although despite Barthy surviving being more realistic, I have to say that this plot would probably still have been more entertaining - if only because Barthy is such a freaking nobody when it comes to villains. So boring. I'd have preferred it be a new evil. My biggest wish was for it to start off exactly where the previous game ended, and to continue (without time travel). They could perhaps put it in fast forward mode, showing settlements slowly establish themselves and whatnot, but things like having the first mission be "gather materials for the makeshift settlements" would have been neat. Slowly discovering new areas of Pulse and all that. Eventually discovering life halfway through, having people mysteriously disappear and having the main goal to be something like stopping the fal'Cie from having the ability to turn people into l'Cie or Cie'th. Which would possibly involve fighting some god or something, I dunno.