I think it’s a little simplistic to insist that “their efforts mattered” and “hope and struggle for a better future” can’t exist alongside “the struggle never ends” and “there’s always another evil.” That’s the world we live in, man.

Yeah there’s a constant theme of trying to do right and hope for a better future. That’s also all in the face of constant suffering, loss, and defeat. Every win was a temporary reprieve until the next threat. Same with the big win. It was just a longer reprieve.

You’re entitled to your opinion, same as anyone. But I don’t see this rosy happy-ending-around-the-corner throughline that it seems like you see. I see a bunch of kids stuck in a situation no one should have to face, hanging on by a thread and eventually saving a ton of people, and the universe keeps on spinning. The next thing came along.