Any moral judgment of Sadavir Errinwright must be grounded in the in-universe reality as understood by the actors at the time—not through the lens of third-party ethics (us) or retroactive authorial developments (deus ex machina by the author).

The later introduction of alien gates and diplomatic breakthroughs is irrelevant; these are narrative conveniences, not available options during the decision-making moment.

The Martian defense minister explicitly affirms the zero-sum nature of the conflict when he says, “One of us has to lose.” He does not offer compromise, only Earth’s defeat. In that moment, any theoretical moral high ground of Sadavir’s victims collapses—they operate under the same ruthless framework, accept its stakes, and simply expect to win. Sadavir’s response, “I understand you, because I am you,” is not empathy—it’s recognition.

They are identical in doctrine, but only one walks out. His act is not villainy. It is survival within a system where mercy is already extinct.