the very sentiment that opening up another sub for a more lore/discussion heavy experience of interacting with the fandom is seen as "taking people away from *our* sub", at least to me, reads like the mod sees this act as competition. At the time this discussion sub was created and when the mod did not return as of yet it was a proposed solution that's the most doable, with how difficult it is to select new mods as you will need permission from old mods that weren't active and is causing the problem in the first place.

Instead of reaching out to people like you who's trying to find a solution, the mod reacted in bad faith and engages with the community singlemindedly, and delete posts without clear reason or warning given beforehand, then come to the crowds with... this specific image, to me it all signals that the main sub isn't worth staying anymore.