There is something beautifully tragic in the dynamic of Ashe and Claire in Ashe's scenario.
They seem so alike and get along so well at first glance, but this is a lie, a pretty facade behind which there is darkness, a painfully familiar picture for one of them but this time with the roles reversed.
There is so much projection from Ashe's side, he definitely sees his past self in Claire (that "this is what happens when you trust easily" hits extremely hard when you know the whole context), he tries to justify his actions, saying that "trusting people deserve to pay for their trust and naivety", just because he truly believes in it when it is applied to himself.
And, despite all of this above, I really think that, even if Ashe's personality was fake, not all of his emotions were this. He found genuine fun in their interactions. He felt guilt and regret no matter what he said to himself. (But for taking out someone's heart you should take out your own beforehand, right, Ashe?)
AND ALL OF THIS... For nothing. The wish wasn't granted, the goal wasn't achieved, the murders didn't make sense, the plans didn't make sense, the lies didn't make sense. What even made sense? (And, of course, he can't stop after this, he can't stop especially after this, because if he will stop, if he won't save his family in this end, FOR WHAT EXACTLY he has done something like this.)
So, yes... It's a tragedy, but a very beautifully written tragedy, in its most bitterly ironic way.
