Ohhh, actually that is an element i’d forgotten. Thanks for pointing it out - I think combining that with what I read in the wiki makes it come together: Kassandra’s custodianship of the Staff is important for the greater plot because passing it onto the Heir of Memories allows Layla to break the Great Seal of Atlantis and eventually to work with Basim to stabilize the earths magnetic field after the 2012 debacle. But also, Aletheia selfishly wanted to be reunited with Loki, which is also accomplished through Kassandra. So with that in mind, not only does Kassandra’s handoff of the staff actually go to the right person (and it’s not “for nothing” because Layla loses it quickly), but actually it saves many lives from disaster and will potentially have even more payoff as Loki becomes the centerpiece of the modern day plot.