Maybe all the linkshells that were after him were also putting the "badass all the other linkshells want" in quotes, too. Would not be the first time someone who had a big head in XI was totally WHOOSHED by all of endgame.
The ironic thing is that even today, 90% of content still requires at least 3 people to accomplish, because SE programmed it that way. Assaults? Check. Salvage? Check. Meeble Burrows? Check.

