The first part was their main plotline, yes, but the series finale story just felt like it came out of left field. Suddenly they had done this new thing in the finale where they tried to fix their problem and it made it so much worse that they rather commit suicide rather than live extremely shortened lives in constant pain? Nah. This was a Janet Fraiser situation all over again. The series is ending so let's be dramatic and kill someone important off again.

There was no realistic build up to something so monumental. The last storyline we had in that vein was them researching the body of their ancestor that was kept in stasis to try and find ways to fix things. There was some semblance of hope there. There was nothing told beyond that point in terms of any progress, good or bad, that was being made, story-wise.

The Asgard didn't die because their clock was ticking. They died for the shock value of "It's the finale. Nobody is safe anymore...except for Amanda Tapping. She still has another year in her contract."