V

And this pattern-break has a lot of important narrative functions; demonstrating the ways that the stakes have been raised, undermining Susie’s hopes that things will just keep going like they did before, making the Dark Sanctuaries feel more deserted and melancholy…

But also, I think it’s noteworthy that while there isn’t a person who fills in that ‘Dark World Leader’ narrative role… there is a Thing that absolutely does. There is a Thing that is the overarching threat in the Dark Sanctuaries' plotline, a Thing that most of the other Darkners of that World follow and venerate, that sets the theme and tone of that World, that Gerson, as the Shadow Crystal Boss, rebel against, that is the final threat our Heroes face.

An old man 🥺