I was talking about being on an underdeveloped planet. It isn't a surprise. Claude being transported to Expel isn't 'expected' either, just like Fate crashing on Vanguard/Elicoor. Furthermore, you do have a choice in characters on SO3, there are four optional characters. At least they don't all just ask you if they can join and you have one chance to recruit them, and not all of them are practically useless. (Noel, Ernest, etc.) At the least, not so far outclassed that they might as well be useless.