Quistis is one of the characters in this game that had so much potential for being a really interesting character but some awful characterization choices weakens all of it.

I think you are onto something here but I still don't feel her "jeopardizing the mission to apologize" choice still feels like something a veteran SeeD would do. For me, this scene not only deteriorates her character for me but pretty much drives home the point that Nojima was not going to utilize the SeeD concept to it's fullest.