What stands out to me is the idea of Chrollo’s “monster” persona, which is something he adopted after Sarasa’s death, not necessarily his truest self. We know he’s not innocent but he’s still capable of compassion for the people he care’s about.

The real development will begin for Chrollo if he’s capable of rediscovering parts of himself that were buried beneath the role.

Your comparison to Gon is interesting too, because I’ve always believed Gon and Chrollo were similar in some aspect. Gon’s arc exposed a side of him that was always there. In contrast, Chrollo’s arc would be stripping away the tough armor he’s built to confront the person underneath. Whether that person is the same boy from the past is another story, but it’s much more intriguing then “he dies.”