PJ2
The B2 cannot be flown manually. At All. The e/series AB flies just fine by hand. Here is the dilemma: Until Flight crew are fully cognizant of the duality of the Airbus, and train its idiosyncracies, its interface with its crew will be not fully trained, a potentially hazardous situation. Knowing one's a/c is critical to safe flight. Stopping short of training criticism across different carriers, it is this flaw that needs attention.
Once that B2 pitched up past 10 degrees, the crew could have punched out without any repercussions from their commander. They stuck with it until it got ridiculous, and left the FD.
I'm sure the computers were 'puzzled', 'they' didn't know what hit 'them'.
More important than "What's it doing now?" might be: "What's it going to do?"
I appreciate your open mind as an AB pilot. It is after all a human problem.
The AB is a phenomenal a/c, what's missing is some assessment and remediation of human induced shortcomings, pilot and a/c.
Will