Part 4/7:
Time jumps drastically in the narrative; unbeknownst to David, twenty years have passed since the failed expedition. He awakens to discover the devastating losses in his family and friends, including the deaths of his uncle David and mother Tracy. His confusion is palpable, particularly when he confronts Bernie, who is left to grapple with profound grief and the mantle of the legacy left behind by his predecessors.
Bernie embodies the struggle of the next generation trying to understand the past’s tragic allure. His desire to validate his sense of reality—to prove monsters exist, and perhaps find his mother—fuels his commitment to the Emperor organization despite its dark implications.